Hawkhurst

Hawkhurst is a village in the county of Kent, in south-east England, neighbouring Tunbridge Wells. The village is made up of a newer and older settlement, each of the same name; the older of the two, being characterised by a predominance of cottages centred around a large triangular village green, known as the Moor. The newer village is where the majority of the shops and hotels are situated.

Like many of the settlements in Kent, Hawkhurst one found its key industry in Wealden iron production, and it is here that founding father William Penn, who founded the American state of Pennsylvania, owned ironworks in the 17th century. Another notable figure of the town is the 19th century astronomer, Sir John Herschel, who named Uranus, after it had been discovered by his father, Sir William Herschel. 

The village was also the location of the the largest Barnardo's home for orphans under six years old, which was founded in 1886 by Queen Mary, the wife of King George V. It became known as Babies' Castle.