Platt, or St. Mary’s Platt is a village in the local government district of Tonbridge and Malling in Kent, England. The village contains a church which was built in 1843 and which stands on a hill overlooking the village centre. The hamlet of Crouch lies within the parish. The River Bourne flows through the western part of the parish.
Nestled five miles north-east of Sevenoaks lies the picturesque village of Platt, which is neighbour to Borough Green, Wrotham and Offham. It is home to approximately 1800 residents.
Despite not many people being aware of the village, Platt is steeped in culture and heritage.
One of the key points of interest in the village is Platt Memorial Hall, which was officially opened in November 1922.
The small rural county was heavily impacted by the effect of the Great War as around 50 families lost their loved ones and accounted for about 25% of all men from Platt who saw overseas service. Following a number of public meetings, it was decided that a village hall should be created to serve as a focal point for community activities.
After the Second World War had ended, two additional plaques were added to the memorial which included names of servicemen and civilians who had died in action. However, a decision was taken to replace the hall in 2016 after showing signs of deterioration.
This led to the opening of a new hall near the existing structure, and the original war memorial had been amazingly relocated brick-by-brick and incorporated into the front of the building.
As well as the war memorial, Platt is also home to St Mary the Virgin Church, which stands on a hill overlooking the centre of the village.
The architecture of the church dates back to 1843 and its nearby churchyard is a quick route to Platt Wood.
This stunning woodland is 43.4 acres with trees over 20 metres tall. It’s a popular place for walking and forms part of the Weald Way long distance path.
The village pub, The Blue Anchor, is highly-rated pub and enjoys a number of glowing reviews. It’s been a public house since 1742, and offers a wide selection of food and drink as well as having a large beer garden for customers to sit out and enjoy.