3 Best Sights in Royal Tunbridge Wells, The Southeast

This important parish church dates from 1678, when the area was little more than a mineral spring surrounded by fields; the modern town of Tunbridge Wells grew up around it. Dedicated to Charles I, who had been executed by Parliament in 1649—and whose son, Charles II, was restored 11 years later—the church's plain exterior belies its splendid interior, with a particularly beautiful plastered baroque ceiling. The entrance is on the corner of the A26 and the A267, across the road from the Pantiles.

A good place to begin a visit to Tunbridge Wells is at the Pantiles, a famous promenade with colonnaded shops near the spring on one side of town. Its odd name derives from the Dutch "pan tiles" that originally paved the area. Now sandwiched between two busy main roads, the Pantiles remains an elegant, tranquil oasis, and the site of the actual well. You can still drink the waters when a "dipper" (the traditional water dispenser) is in attendance, from Easter through September.

Opened in 2022, this modern cultural center—named after Amelia Scott, a local campaigner for women’s suffrage—is home to a series of appealing museum and gallery spaces. You'll find everything from interactive history exhibits to Victorian-era toys to ever-changing art exhibitions. There's also a library, a sculpture-filled garden, and a small café. The building is also home to the town's tourist information office.