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Tonbridge Castle Roof Repairs

Thursday, 7 August 2025 20:59

By Martin Webber

The inside of the Tonbridge Castle building has reopened to the public after essential restoration work.

A 20-year-old zinc roof covering has been replaced, while timbers and stonework have been restored. 

Some of the rotten beams that needed replacing are shown below.


There’s also upgraded lighting in the Great Hall.   

Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council funded the repairs at a cost of £420,000.
 
Cllr Adem Mehmet, cabinet member for infrastructure (pictured below) said: “We are thrilled to welcome visitors back to this historic site and we’ve got a full programme of events planned for the summer".


Cllr Mehmet continued: “We know how much it means to our town to have this ancient landmark at its centre, and now the restored roof and upgraded lighting bring a fresh vibrancy to the Great Hall. We can’t wait to show it off.”

The castle was fully reopened at 10am on Saturday, 2 August 2025 in time for the summer school holidays.

The council points out the castle grounds offer riverside views and "picnic-perfect" lawns and outlined the following attractions over the coming months:

    •    Interactive children’s tours with medieval tales and treasure hunts
    •    Family trails around the moat and towers with spectacular views
    •    Weekly live music on the Bailey Lawn
    •    Tonbridge Pride (Aug 9)
    •    The monthly Artisan market (Aug 24)
    •    Tonbridge Food and Drink Festival (Sept 6 and 7)
    •    Dog friendly days out – dogs have access to all areas
 
Tickets available at the gift shop or via the Tonbridge Castle website at:
https://www.tonbridgecastle.org/

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