TUNBRIDGE WELLS EVENTS
At the beginning of October I was lucky enough to join a tour of Tunbridge Wells Common lead by
Dr Ian Beavis from the town’s Museum. As well as finding out about how the Wellington Rocks
were formed and the history of buildings on the Common, we stopped to look at the Horse Race
Course. The race course is shown on a 1738 map, and most of the track still exists today. The
annual two day August race meet started about 1824 and ceased in 1851, due to complaints of
rowdy behaviour.
Entertainment has always been important in Tunbridge Wells, as our existence is due to being, in
effect, a holiday resort. Originally based around the Chalybeate Spring, people camped in tents on
the Common. Later Beau Nash organised activities for those staying in boarding houses for the
summer season. In Victorian times the steam train brought people to Tunbridge Wells for the day to
enjoy the fresh air of the common. I went to the reference library and found mentions of “Burning
of the furze (gorse) a traditional form of celebration in the town”, well, that doesn’t sound too
exciting these days; also in Edwardian times, a fair and circus on the Common, with wild animals
and fairground attractions.
The Pantiles have continued to be a focus of town entertainment, during the 1950s there were open
air dances, Shakespeare performances and art exhibitions. In May 1969 Son et Lumière
performances were held over eleven evenings. Telling “The Story of the Town” they were held in a
covered auditorium meaning the performance was held if “wet or fine”. In June the same year “A
Madrigal Concert in Costume” was held in The Old Musick Gallery.
The 1990s saw the start of a wide range of Pantiles events: “Scandals at the Spa” a Georgian reenactment
over five days, Sedan Chair races in August and a late May Bank Holiday Festival
incorporating the Pantiles and High Street in a wide range of music, dance and arts. Established
since the 1940s “The Pantiles Players” often staged plays on the bandstand, in 1997 they were part
of a three day drama festival, held in The Royal Victoria Hall, Southborough.
I can remember in the 1990s a Christmas torchlight procession from the Pantiles to the Town Hall,
where the Christmas lights were switched on. About eight years ago Christmas on the Pantiles with
an ice rink, entertainment and markets was established, and the markets and entertainment will
carry on this December.
Camden Road held a winter lantern parade in 2008 as part of preparations for their community play,
“The Vanishing Elephant”. This now annual parade starts from Civic Way and processes along
Monson Road and Camden Road towards St Barnabas Church and School. Next years Parade will
be on Saturday 16th February, and community groups are encouraged to join in. Details are on their
website, www.winterlanterns.org watch out for details of workshops, make your own lantern and
join in. Another part of the Camden Road arts group “CREATE” is their choir, who this year will be
performing several Christmas Carol concerts, including an afternoon on Sunday 9th December in
Grosvenor and Hilbert Park, with mince pies and warm, mulled juice.
The town’s first Mela was held on the Pantiles in 2006, as a celebration of music, dance and cuisine
around the world. Also in 2006, to mark 400 years of the town’s founding by Lord North, musician
Paul Dunton extended his “Grey Lady” shows, started in 2005, into “Bandstand 400”… on the
Pantiles Bandstand. Renamed “Local and Live” the following year, this is now a four day long
festival run by a group of music loving volunteers.
2012 has been “A Year of Celebrations” for Tunbridge Wells because of the Jubilee and Olympics,
and there are now a large group of people hoping we can carry on this celebrating into 2013, with
music, arts and theatre – keep watching local events pages for “What’s On”.
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