Hoppers, Five Oak Green, Tonbridge

Location

hoppersbooking@gmail.com www.hopperskent.org

The main building is 400 years old, standing in the village of Five Oak Green near Tonbridge, and set among the hop gardens of Kent. Originally a row of farm cottages and from 1850 to 1910, it was The Rose and Crown Beer House.

In 1910 the building was acquired by Rev’d Richard Wilson, Vicar of St Augustine’s Stepney, to be a temporary hospital for hoppers during the picking season. The last entry in the hospital register was in 1953.

How to get there:

By Road the post code for navigation is TN12 6RL. Six cars can be parked in the front courtyard (NB parking guidance on website). Parking for a minibus is available in the nearby recreation ground car park.

By Rail The nearest stations are Tonbridge and Paddock Wood: direct trains run from London Charing Cross and London Bridge.

Local Area

Five Oak Green has a small village shop and post office which is 2 minutes’ walk from Hoppers, the village also has an excellent recreation ground with play equipment for children.

Paddock Wood is 10 minutes’ drive and Tonbridge 15 minutes, both these small towns have comprehensive shopping opportunities. Major Supermarkets offer an online delivery service. There is also a local bus service.

Details of local church services can be found in the parish magazine, a copy is always available at Hoppers and Hoppers has its own small chapel.

Nearby: Tonbridge Castle, Bewl Water, Leeds Castle, Hever Castle, The Hop Farm at Beltring, the villages of Brenchley and Hadlow. Chartwell near Westerham (home of Sir Winston Churchill). Tudeley Parish Church has stained glass windows by Marc Chagall. St Thomas Becket Capel has twelfth century wall paintings, with a yew tree under which Thomas a Becket preached. Both Tudeley and Capel can be reached by public footpaths. A map showing public footpaths and local pubs is available.

Facilities

Hoppers consists of two houses connected by adjoining back doors. The old main house has thirteen beds. The more recently built cottage has six beds. There are two equipped kitchens with a dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer and large fridge and freezer. There are two lounge areas plus a small chapel. Our website shows the layout.

The front courtyard is accessed off Five Oak Green Road, the rear courtyard and lawn area are a secure and private area. There is no land line at Hoppers, and mobile phone reception is patchy. WiFi is available with a guest login.

The old house is largely made of wood with seriously low beamed ceilings, and access to bedrooms on the upper floor is best undertaken by the nimble. Smoking is not permitted in any of the buildings, a designated smoking area is in the rear courtyard.

A BBQ and outside table tennis table are available.

Our caretaker Susannah lives 10 minutes walk away and is very helpful.

A Visitors Book to sign and leave comments helps to keep Hoppers’ story alive.