Lenham is allowed a market , it is technically a town but despite this , the community has always desired to maintain its village status . The high street has a number of eye-catching listed buildings and comes complete with a traditional village square in which you will find the appropriately named The Square Fish Café . A stylish and contemporary space , The Square Fish Café brings the flavours of the Kent coast to the Kent countryside , serving up the freshest most flavoursome seafood with a divine Mediterranean twist .
Another idyllic Kentish village is Thurnham , in which there have been several archaeological finds revealing an enthralling history . These include an Anglo-Saxon burial within the grounds of Thurnham Friars , a seventh-century gold cross found in 1967 , and the remains of a Roman house that was excavated in 1933 . The remains of Thurnham Castle are just north of the village and can still be seen today . As weary travellers have done for centuries , a wonderful place to stay is The Black Horse Inn , a relaxed and unpretentious 18th-century inn that also offers scrumptious pub classics with a contemporary twist , including traditional Sunday roasts and an enticing drinks menu .
ADORE THE COUNTRYSIDE
Just as quaint as its name suggests , Harrietsham is full of pretty listed buildings and an ancient church . Settled for centuries , it is listed in the Doomsday Book and is home to the chocolate-box Grade I Listed ‘ The Old House ’, a former farmhouse built around 1500 and described by historians as ‘ unusually well preserved ’. A real picture-postcard village , Harrietsham is also home to gastropub , Percival ’ s Rest , which serves up elegant , handcrafted food and also specialises in gins with the help of Maidstone Distillery .
Thanks to its location on the banks of the River Len , Bearsted retains a traditional village look that oozes quintessential village charm through 59 listed properties , many of which surround its idyllic village green . The village green is also flanked by two pubs , The White Horse and The Oak on the Green . The latter dates back to 1665 and today serves a mouthwatering mix of British and Mexican dishes , whereas The White Horse has a modern British menu and a clean-lined contemporary feel .
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