Lydden’s story
6 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Lydden’s built-up area.
32% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
LyddenKent
A village of 687 in Kent, South East.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Nick Smith · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
687
Census 2021 · Dover council
Median home
£455K
38 sales in 3 years
Median age
51.2
25% are 65+ · Kent 19%
Degree level
29%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
6%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Lydden a good place to live?
Lydden has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures on this page are still real.
What makes Lydden stand out
The 3 things Lydden does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
6% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade II*, including Church of St Mary Church of St Mary Virgin; 3.6 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.6 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Lydden.
Work & commute
Work tends to be further away for Lydden: 14% commute under 5 km, below Kent’s towns and England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 29% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
1% of commuters who live in Lydden also work there. At the census, 6% went to work on foot, by bike or by public transport, below Kent’s towns (22%) and England’s towns (27%) alike. Among 16 to 64s, 1.7% claimed unemployment benefits in 2026.
6%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving90%
Bus4%
On foot2%
14%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
29%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£60K
mean household income, before tax
1.7%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Schools
The schools around Lydden
Its one school is below. At the 5 primary schools within 3 km, 62% of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). The town’s primary school has 68 pupils.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lydden Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 68 | B+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Housing
Most households in Lydden own their home: 91%, more than in Kent’s towns or across England’s towns
8% rent privately, below both Kent’s towns (19%) and England’s towns (21%). Council and housing-body homes hold 1% of households. Behind the median of £455,000: 38 standard sales inside Lydden’s built-up area, September 2023 to August 2026.
£455Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Lydden£455K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £535,000 | 17 |
| Semi-detached | £340,000 | 18 |
91%
of households own their home · England 61%
8%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,021
average private rent a month, Dover council area
£2,446
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Safety
Violent crime runs low in Lydden: 11.2 per 1,000 residents a year, under Kent’s towns and England’s towns
There were 1 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), below Kent’s towns (9.4) and England’s towns (7.8) alike. Each year, 4.4 burglaries and acts of damage are recorded per 1,000 residents. Police recorded 19 crimes inside Lydden’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 58% of recorded crime.
11.2violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual11
Other theft2
Burglary2
Public order1
Drugs1
Vehicle crime1
Other crime1
Shoplifting0
Anti-social0
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.
11.2
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.4
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
1
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
19
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.
Health
Bad health is less common in Lydden than in Kent’s towns or across England’s towns: 3.9% of residents
One GP practice serves the town; 88% of patients rate theirs good in the GP Patient Survey. The nearest A&E to Lydden is William Harvey Hospital, 14.1 miles away. Nearly a fifth of residents have a disability, above Kent’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (17%) alike.
82%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 82%Fair 14%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Lydden | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 82% | 82% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.9% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 19% | 18% | 17% |
79.8
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83.8
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · A young population flatters these answers, which are not age-adjusted; the Health Grade instead uses measures that allow for age, such as life expectancy and early deaths.
History
Much of Lydden is a conservation area: 100% of its land, more than Kent’s towns or England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Lydden has 6 listed buildings on Historic England’s list: 1 Grade II*. 32% of homes date from before 1919. Relative to its size, Lydden keeps 87 listed buildings per 10,000 residents, higher than both Kent’s towns (53) and England’s towns (39).
6listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II5
Among them · Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
32%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
87
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Who lives here
Fewer children live in Lydden than in Kent’s towns or England’s towns: 14% are under 15
Residents of Lydden have a median age of 51.2. Those 65 and older account for a quarter of residents. The 15-to-24 age group: 7.9%, lower than both Kent’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%). Graduates make up 29% of adults.
51.2median age
LyddenKentEngland
Ages · share of residents
25%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar21%
Degree level29%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Lydden | Kent | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 7.9% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 25% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 32% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 25% | 19% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6% | 5.7% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 21% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 29% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Kent and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Swingfield Preceptory and 2 more in and around Lydden
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Lydden. Best known first.
Abbey or priory · English HeritageSwingfield Preceptory3 km outside town, to the west
Heritage railwayEast Kent Railway3.5 km outside town, to the north
MuseumDover Transport Museum2.9 km outside town, to the eastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Swingfield Preceptory: Ron Strutt, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- East Kent Railway: The Basingstoker, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Dover Transport Museum: Chris Allen, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lydden
14pages on Lydden
The big questions
Safety11.2 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £455K · rent £1,021 a monthHousing8 sold in 12 months · busiest street St Marys RiseSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 79.8 (men), 83.8 (women)Work & commute44% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Lydden’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
SibertswoldWhitfieldEythorneDoverGustonCapel-le-FerneHawkingeLydden
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lydden | 687 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sibertswold | 1,619 | 1.8 | — | C− | B | C+ |
| Whitfield | 6,509 | 2.4 | C | C | C− | C+ |
| Eythorne | 1,487 | 2.8 | — | C | B | C+ |
| Dover | 36,349 | 3.1 | C− | B | D− | D |
| Guston | 1,684 | 3.9 | — | C+ | A+ | C− |
| Capel-le-Ferne | 1,962 | 4.3 | — | C− | A− | B |
| Hawkinge | 8,499 | 4.8 | C+ | D | B− | C |
Sibertswold, Eythorne, Guston and Capel-le-Ferne have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Lydden
How many listed buildings are there in Lydden?
That is 3.6 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Lydden expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £455,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: semi-detached houses £340,000 and detached houses £535,000. Private rents in the Dover council area averaged £1,021 a month in August 2026.
About Lydden
Village in Kent, England
Lydden is a built-up area of 687 people, in the Dover 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
- 687 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Dover
- County
- Kent
- Region
- South East
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63005694
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.