Biddenden claims to have one of England’s prettiest streets (Image: Getty)
One little-known village in Kent is home to one of the UK’s prettiest streets and an award-winning vineyard.
Biddenden, located on the Weald of Kent, is a quintessentially British town, with a rather star-studded list of current and previous residents, even including a former king.
This beautiful countryside town is believed to have been settled since at least the Saxon era, and it became a key part of the English textile industry in the 1300s when a number of Flemish clothworkers relocated to the area.
Biddenden is perhaps best known for its rather unique town sign, which shows two women joined at the shoulders and hips.
These women are the ‘Biddenden Maids’ Mary and Eliza Chulkhurst, conjoined twins who are said to have lived in the town in the 1100s and are perhaps the origins of the town’s charitable reputation.
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The Biddenden Maids are featured on the village sign (Image: Getty)
The story of the sisters claims that they were born to relatively wealthy parents in Biddendam. Joined at the shoulders and hips, the women lived for 34 years when Mary fell in and died. Refusing to be separated from her sister’s body, Eliza then tragically passed away, too.
In their wills, Mary and Eliza bequeathed the profits from the 20 acres of land they owned to be used to provide a dole of bread, cheese and beer to the poor each Easter.
Despite some claims that the sisters were nothing more than a folk tale, the town’s charitable tradition continues to this day, with the Biddenden Consolidated Charity providing Biddenden pensioners and widows with bread, cheese, and tea at Easter and a cash payment at Christmas.
In the 1930s, the residents of Biddenden could also boast a former king among their number, with King Rama VII of Siam residing in the town following his abdication in 1935.
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Bibbenden is home to an award-winning vineyard (Image: Getty)
Just a two hour drive from London, Biddenden is home to a number of celebs looking for a break with a spotlight, with residents having included Denise Van Outen, Coldplay drummer Will Champion, and TV chef Gregg Wallace.
In recent years, Biddenden has also become known for its award-winning vineyard, which has received numerous accolades at the Decanter World Wine Awards and the Taste of Kent awards.
The family-run vineyard was launched in 1969, with the first bottle of wine produced in 1972, and has continued to grow in popularity, quickly becoming a must-try for anyone looking to sample some English wines.