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The charming village of Teston in Kent, famed for its scenic bridge and delightful whiteboard cottages, enjoys a reputation that reaches far beyond the shores of the UK. Situated a mere four miles from Maidstone, Teston could easily be mistaken for a quaint hamlet nestled in the Scottish Highlands.
In the summer months, the village green is sprinkled with daisies, and the local pub underwent a significant makeover not so long ago. The village is also home to the stunning six-arch, Grade I-listed bridge which connects Teston to West Farleigh.
With only around 250 houses, Teston prides itself on its tight-knit community and even boasts its own parish council. In years past, you might have spotted Highland Cattle 'conservation grazing' in Teston Bridge Country Park.
And a stroll down Church Street will reveal beautiful homes adorned with roses and fragrant white wisteria during the summer season. At the heart of Teston, the picturesque spire of St Peter and St Paul's church, complete with its traditional lychgate and a charming rural graveyard, paints a quintessentially English picture.
Just off the A26 Tonbridge Road, you'll also discover the delightful family-run Farmer's Farm Shop cafe. Open daily from 9am until 4pm and holding a five-star hygiene rating, this hidden treasure provides an extensive menu featuring breakfast, lunch, "and everything in between".
Customers sing the praises of their mouth-watering pastries and the freshly-baked sourdough bread, "delivered warm to our door". A short distance away, along Tonbridge Road, sits the beloved pub The Wateringbury.
Following a closure for refurbishment last summer, it has reopened to glowing reviews, with one delighted diner declaring: "This was my first visit to The Wateringbury since its refurbishment and, I must say, it has been wonderfully transformed." They continued: "The new seating area feels warm and cosy, creating a perfect atmosphere for a relaxed meal.
"The updated menu offers some great options, and we thoroughly enjoyed the Camembert cheese and chutney sandwich - it was absolutely delicious and very generous in portion." Boasting 4.1 stars out of five on TripAdvisor from 959 reviews, The Wateringbury represents a shining example of the village's hospitality and charm.
"Overall, the refreshed look and new menu make The Wateringbury a fantastic spot for a meal. We'll definitely be back soon!" remarked one guest.
Teston, meanwhile, features a post office within its village store, operating on Tuesdays and Thursdays, reports the Express. The village's worldwide reputation for producing cricket balls remains visible at the crossroads, where the former premises of Alfred Reader and Co, now transformed into residential properties, continues to stand.
For more than 200 years, Readers has been crafting premium cricket and hockey balls, and despite being taken over by Kookaburra Sport Group in 2002, it continues to be the nation's foremost manufacturer and supplier of leather cricket balls. The village's heritage in cricket ball production stretches back to the mid-19th century, when Thomas Martin initially started making them in his workshop situated above the village shop.
Notably, when women's cricket emerged, their balls were manufactured in a distinct colour, as documented in a 1939 piece by the Dundee Telegraph, which emphasised Teston's extensive history of cricket ball manufacturing, declaring: "For more than 100 years cricket balls have been made in the village of Teston, near Maidstone. "The industry was started in 1808 in the days when side-whiskered cricketers went out to rough wickets wearing top hats, white blouses, with bow ties and tight trousers, and hit prodigious scores off lob balls.
"Edward Martin and Fuller Pilch, Kent cricketers of the middle of the 19th century, were proprietors of the factory at various times. In time the business was acquired by Mr Alfred Reader.
"It has continued in the family ever since. In a drawer in the office Mr Reader keeps several balls which have a sentimental interest.
"Most valued is a blue ball, relic of a consignment made by his father when women's cricket was introduced in 1891. Father was asked by a big London sports outfitter to make 'something different' for the ladies.
"So he dyed the cover-hide blue instead of our usual red. The dyeing process is our secret."
Another treasured ball saw action for a year on the Western Front during the war, whilst a further specimen was returned home from Gibraltar, where Garrison teams had battered it for 3,000 runs. Mr Reader assumed control when Mr Martin stepped down, growing the enterprise before his sons launched the new factory.
Back to the village today, and a lovely place to visit is Teston Bridge Country Park, which is only 13 miles from Tunbridge Wells. This 12-acre park sits alongside the river, offering an ideal setting for peaceful countryside riverside strolls and bird spotting opportunities.
Families will find a children's play area on site. Whilst perhaps not suited to this season, Bridge Meadow provides an excellent picnic location.
The park features accessible pathways including the Medway Valley Walk, which extends eastward to Rochester over 16 miles, and westward to Tonbridge across 12 miles. Visitors should be aware that whilst dogs may roam freely in designated areas, they must remain on leads near the car park and are prohibited from playground zones.
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