The unique row of timbered houses, known as Chiddingstone, contains a village shop, a lovely church, and a thriving school and, tucked away in one corner in the lee of Chiddingstone Castle, is the Castle Inn.

Hidden behind the village street accessible by a footpath is the Chidingstone Stone. Pictured here, resembling a cottage loaf, its true history is shrouded in mystery. Was it used by the druids to stand upon and chide the people, was it the place to put nagging wives, who knows?

The first reference to this ancient village occurs in 814AD in a grant of land to the Archbishop of Canterbury, still the Patron of St. Mary's to this day. During the 14th century Chiddingstone was connected with the Burghesh family, who played a distinguished role at Crécy and Poitiers.

The first husband of Katherine Parr, Sir Edward Burgh, lived in part of the village, thought to be the village shop and Porch House next door.

The Castle Inn is first mentioned in 1420 and was then known as Waterslip House. One Thomas Weller, who gave his name to the two rows of cottages about a mile away, called Wellers Town, bought it in 1712. Weller and his brother started the inn about 1730, calling it the Five Bells. It is believed there had been at least two inns in the village before this, started as they were then in the parlours of private houses.