Benenden’s story
56 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Benenden’s built-up area.
39% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
BenendenKent
A village of 1,409 in Kent, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: David M Clark · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,409
Census 2021 · Tunbridge Wells council
Median home
£511K
26 sales in 3 years
Median age
29.7
18% are 65+ · Kent 19%
Degree level
34%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
19%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Benenden a good place to live?
Benenden has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is schools (A+): primary results beat 97% of towns in England; secondary results beat 100% of towns in England. Its weakest is cost of living (C−): median sale £511,000, 7.5 years of area income; rent £1,533 a month.
What makes Benenden stand out
The 3 things Benenden does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade II*, including Church of St George; 16.3 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Residents aged 15 to 24
Who lives here
1 in 4 is 15 to 24
25% of residents, against 12% across England’s towns
Secondary results, towns in England
Schools
Secondary results beat 100%
of towns in England, on GCSE results (Attainment 8, English and maths)
Primary results beat 97%. Department for Education.
How Benenden grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Benenden is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SchoolsPrimary results beat 97% of towns in England; secondary results beat 100% of towns in EnglandA+Open →SafetyAOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →Cost of livingC−Open →WalkabilityB+Open →HealthLife expectancy 80.9 for men, 83.9 for womenB+Open →Jobs & income1.6% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryA+Open →Outdoors57% live within 400 m of a park; 83% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeCOpen →Civic life7.1 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryA−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Benenden.
Who lives here
Benenden skews young, with 25% of residents aged 15 to 24, more than Kent’s towns or England’s towns
Under 15: 22% of residents. Benenden has a median age of 29.7 years. Just over a third of adults hold a degree, about level with England’s towns (34%) and above Kent’s towns (29%).
29.7median age
BenendenKentEngland
Ages · share of residents
25%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications14%
Apprenticeship4%
A levels or similar14%
Degree level34%
Women and men · all residents
66% women, 34% men
About 52 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women. A large institution, such as a prison, barracks, boarding school, university or care home, can tilt a town’s split: the census counts the people living there as residents.
| Benenden | Kent | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 22% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 25% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 13% | 25% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 21% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 18% | 19% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.1% | 5.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 14% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 34% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Kent and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
SchoolsA+
Results at Benenden’s schools are among the best in England
Benenden Church of England Primary School’s results beat 85% of schools in England like it. The town has one school, shown below. GCSE results at the one secondary school within 3 km: 89% of pupils get a strong pass (grade 5+) in English and maths, and the Attainment 8 average is 68.3.
A+School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benenden Church of England Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 213 | A |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
History
More of the land in Benenden is conservation area than in Kent’s towns or England’s towns: 100%
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Grade II* covers 1 of them. 39% of its homes were built before 1919, above both Kent’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (16%). Scaled to its population, that is 397 listed buildings for every 10,000 people in Benenden. Historic England’s list names 56 listed buildings locally: 1 Grade II*.
56listed buildingsA+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II55
Among them · Grade II*
- Church of St George Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
1
registered park and garden
39%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
397
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Safety
Violence is recorded less often in Benenden than in Kent’s towns or across England’s towns: 8.3 per 1,000 residents a year
Each year, 6.4 burglaries and acts of damage are recorded per 1,000 residents. In the 12 months to August 2026, police logged 27 crimes and 1 reports of anti-social behaviour inside Benenden’s built-up area. There were 0.7 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), lower than both Kent’s towns (9.4) and England’s towns (7.8). Violence and sexual offences accounted for 56% of recorded crime.
8.3violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearASafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 88% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual15
Damage & arson3
Public order3
Burglary3
Other theft1
Drugs1
Vehicle crime1
Shoplifting0
Anti-social1
Not gradedAnti-social behaviour, shoplifting and other theft are shown but left out of the Safety Grade, which counts violence and crimes against homes and vehicles per resident.
8.3
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.4
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
0.7
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
27
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL · The police category of violence and sexual offences includes harassment and stalking.
HousingCost of living grade C−
Private renting is less common in Benenden than in Kent’s towns or across England’s towns: 13%
Social housing holds a fifth of households, above Kent’s towns (14%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. The median sale, £511,000, comes from 26 standard sales inside Benenden’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026. Households that own their home make up 65%.
£511Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Benenden£511K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £845,000 | 10 |
| Semi-detached | £430,000 | 11 |
| Terraced | £275,000 | 5 |
65%
of households own their home · England 61%
13%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,533
average private rent a month, Tunbridge Wells council area
£2,415
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Under 5 km to work: 29% in Benenden, fewer than in Kent’s towns or England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 44% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Households had £64K a year before tax, near Kent’s towns (£61K) and higher than England’s towns (£55K). 44% of workers did their job mainly from home at the census. Of the commuters living in Benenden, 9% work in the town itself. At the census, 19% of commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train.
19%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving77%
On foot15%
Train3%
Bicycle1%
29%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
44%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£64K
mean household income, before tax
1.6%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B+
Walkability: more walkable than 74% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Health
Bad health is less common in Benenden than in Kent’s towns or across England’s towns: 2.8% of residents
The nearest A&E to Benenden is Conquest Hospital, 12.6 miles away. Self-reported good health: 88% of the town’s residents. There is no GP practice in the town: the nearest is 2.3 miles off.
88%good or very good healthB+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 88%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2021 | Benenden | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 88% | 82% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.8% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 16% | 18% | 17% |
80.9
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83.9
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · These answers aren’t adjusted for age, so young towns look healthier; the Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Sissinghurst Castle and Garden and 6 more in and around Benenden
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Benenden. Best known first.
Garden · National TrustSissinghurst Castle and Garden3.9 km outside town, to the north
GardenHole Park Gardens1.7 km outside town, to the east
MuseumCranbrook Museum3.2 km outside town, to the northwestMuseumMuseumMorgan Museum3.1 km outside town, to the southeastMuseumMuseumRolvenden Layne Sound Museum4.6 km outside town, to the southeastAttractionAttractionBiddenden Vineyards4.5 km outside town, to the northeastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Sissinghurst Castle and Garden: Hans Bernhard (Schnobby), CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Hole Park Gardens: Oast House Archive, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Cranbrook Museum: David Anstiss, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Benenden
15pages on Benenden
The big questions
SafetyA8.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC−Median home £511K · rent £1,533 a monthHousing9 sold in 12 monthsSchoolsA+1 state schoolHealthB+Life expectancy 80.9 (men), 83.9 (women)Work & commuteB+58% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Famous people from Benenden
4 notable people were born in Benenden.
B
Brian MooreBritish sports commentator and presenter · 1932–2011Photo credits
Aidan Crawley: Elliott & Fry, Public domain · Richard Mills: Oast House Archive, CC BY 2.5
Benenden’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
CranbrookHawkhurstBiddendenNorthiamTenterdenHurst GreenGoudhurstBenenden
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benenden | 1,409 | — | — | C− | A | B+ |
| Cranbrook | 3,962 | 2.7 | B | C+ | C− | B |
| Hawkhurst | 3,683 | 3.4 | B+ | C+ | C | B+ |
| Biddenden | 1,345 | 4.2 | — | C | C+ | A− |
| Northiam | 1,910 | 4.9 | — | D− | A− | B− |
| Tenterden | 7,775 | 5 | C | C− | C | B+ |
| Hurst Green | 1,181 | 5.9 | — | D− | B | A |
| Goudhurst | 1,104 | 6 | — | B− | C+ | A |
Biddenden, Northiam, Hurst Green and Goudhurst have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Benenden
Are schools in Benenden good?
Among the strongest in England: GCSE results beat almost all towns in England, and primary results beat 97% (Department for Education, Attainment 8 and Key Stage 2). One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Kent council.
How many listed buildings are there in Benenden?
That is 16.3 times the typical UK town for its size.
About Benenden
Village in Kent, England
Benenden is a built-up area of 1,409 people, in the Tunbridge Wells council area. TownRatings uses ONS’s 2022 built-up areas as towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a council district, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from ONS geography and Census 2021
- Population
- 1,409 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Tunbridge Wells
- County
- Kent
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (1.1 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005972
Sources: ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area · HM Land Registry Price Paid (standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026) · ONS Price Index of Private Rents (August 2026, by council) · MHCLG and Welsh Government council tax, Band D 2026–27 (with parish precepts in England) · data.police.uk street-level crime, 36 months to August 2026, points inside the built-up-area boundary · ONS small-area life expectancy and healthy life expectancy, 2019 to 2023 (England and Wales), OHID Fingertips small-area indicators (England) and Census 2021 health, adjusted for age · ONS small-area income estimates (financial year ending 2023) · DWP claimant count via Nomis (January to August 2026) · Historic England, National Heritage List for England (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, World Heritage Sites), October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties by build period (31 March 2025) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.