History of Mount Sion

Mount Sion is that part of Tunbridge Wells, in Kent, often called 'the old village', between the Grove and Cumberland Walk, with Claremont Road at the top and the High Street at the bottom. The history of the area is quite fascinating and has been very thoroughly researched by Roger Farthing from a wealth of surviving records - and, indeed, buildings. For many years he gave regular talks on the subject to the Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society, and their content, together with much material, provides a compelling and detailed narrative of more than five hundred pages which he has illuminated with over two hundred carefully-chosen and well-captioned illustrations. The main theme of the book is a detailed account of the subsequent development of each of the separate plots originally leased out, with the Poor Rate in particular used in the dating of houses. Human interest is maintained throughout the narrative, with facts and anecdotes about the people who lived in those houses and left their mark, and sometimes their names, on 'the village' and on Royal Tunbridge Wells.