Coldred: Discover Churches, Ringworks and Pilgrimage Routes

Coldred combines impressive traces of medieval history with paths through the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Depending on your interests, you can therefore focus your stay more on architectural history, the landscape or a longer hike.

Church and Ringwork as Special Destinations

St Pancras Church is a parish church designated as a Grade I listed building. It was probably built in the late 11th century, shortly after the motte-and-bailey castle that surrounded it. For visitors interested in culture, the building provides a tangible connection to the early history of the area. At the same time, the church forms part of a walk along the North Downs Way and the Via Francigena, which passes through the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Coldred Court is another part of Coldred’s historic character. The monument comprises an early Norman ringwork and bailey. The ringwork has a bank up to 2.5 metres high, while the outer ditch is up to 2 metres deep. These visible landscape features make the site interesting for travellers who want to experience historic places not only through buildings, but also through their form and structure. The monument at Coldred is also historically associated with Odo, Bishop of Bayeux and Earl of Kent.

Hiking on the North Downs Way and Via Francigena

For an active day out, you could consider the 9-mile walk along the North Downs Way from Shepherdswell to Dover. The Via Francigena provides another connection: its route follows signposted paths of the North Downs Way and the Via Francigena to Coldred Court Farm. The Via Francigena itself is a historic pilgrimage route stretching 1,200 miles from Canterbury to Rome. In Coldred, a specific section of the route therefore meets the broader history of a European pilgrimage trail.

The route themes can be complemented by further historic traces. A brick-built engine house survives at Guilford Colliery. In addition, a short section of the cutting of the branch railway to Guilford Colliery can still be found near Coldred Court Farm. Guilford Colliery may be on private land, so plan your visit around the paths and areas that are actually accessible, and respect property boundaries.

Which Accommodation Suits Your Trip?

If you are primarily interested in exploring churches, ringworks and historical connections, a holiday apartment in Coldred can provide a suitable base for a culturally focused stay. If longer walks are central to your plans, you should take the 9-mile walk and the route of the Via Francigena into account when planning your day. For families, it can be appealing to divide the interests across the trip: one day can focus on St Pancras Church and Coldred Court, while another is devoted more to walking and the traces of the pilgrimage route. The right accommodation and pace of your stay therefore depend above all on whether you want to combine short visits, historic landscape features or longer sections of the route.

Choose More Destinations

If you would like to expand your search to include more destinations, you can also view Tunbridge Wells, Mersham, Kingsnorth, Shoreham, Sutton Valence, Birchington, Hempstead and Willesborough.

For the higher-level travel overview: Kent.