Saint Michaels can be explored through several distinct themes: church architecture, the historic layout of the village, a walk with railway history, and guided tours of a farm and hop gardens. Your stay can therefore include different priorities, from culture and exercise to a visit followed by a beer tasting. You can choose which one shapes your day based on your interests; each activity offers a different perspective on the place.
Church architecture and historic layout
The Church of St Michael was designed by Gordon M. Hills in 1862–63 and built in the style of the late 13th century. The construction dates and stylistic reference describe different aspects: the dates place its creation in the 19th century, while the style identifies its architectural direction. When looking at historic churches, you can consider these separately rather than equating the style with the building date. St Michael and All Angels is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. This gives you a specific timeframe to work with if you want to include a visit to the church in your day’s plans.
The St Michaels Conservation Area focuses on The Point, at the junction of Ashford Road and Grange Road. The early houses included in the area include Laurel Cottage and the Old Malt House; both date from the 18th century. This offers two ways of considering the history of the place: The Point marks the centre of the historic layout, while the houses named here are specific examples of its older buildings. The street layout and individual buildings complement one another as different aspects of the historic townscape.
Recreation ground as another point of interest
The 2021 assessment of community services describes St Michaels Recreation Ground as open to the public for use of its grass pitches. If you plan to visit, check how the grounds are currently being used before you go. The recreation ground offers a different focus from church architecture and historic houses: here, the emphasis is on public use of the grassy areas.
Hop gardens and a walk
Hukins Hops offers guided tours of the farm and hop gardens throughout the year, followed by a beer tasting. The tour combines a guided visit to the farm and hop gardens with a tasting afterwards. Hukins Hops – Craft Beer Tours & Tastings is located at Haffenden Farms in St Michaels, Tenterden, Kent. Arrangements for visits may change with the programme, so check the details before travelling. The guided format and the sequence of a tour followed by a tasting give this excursion a clear focus on the farm, hops and beer.
The walk from Tenterden to St Michaels is 4.9 km long and takes two hours. It highlights the fascinating, partly hidden history of the K&ESR railway line. You can allow two hours in your day’s plans for the walk. As trail conditions may change, check them before setting out. Unlike the hop tour, the focus here is not a guided visit to the farm and hop gardens, but a walk centred on the railway’s distinctive history.
Choosing between the activities therefore depends on your interests: the church architecture and Conservation Area offer points of interest for culture and local history; the tour combines hop gardens with a beer tasting; and the walk has its own timeframe and brings the history of the K&ESR railway line to the fore.
Discover more destinations: Lympne, Littlestone-On-Sea, Otham, Boughton Aulph, Benenden, Harrietsham, Ide Hill, Penshurst
For the main travel overview: Kent.
