Leigh is a village in the West of the county of Kent near to Sevenoaks and Tonbridge.
Leigh
Information
County:
Kent
District:
Sevenoaks
Population:
1793 (2011 census)
Leigh (which is pronounced Lye) was originally spelt Lyghe. The name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon leah or forest glade. Leigh has existed since at least the 11th century when it was recorded as a hamlet owned by the Lord of Tonbridge. The land around the village was acquired by Sir John de Pulteney in the 14th century. The land passed to the Sidney family in 1533, they held the land until the early 20th century.
Leigh grew in the 19th century, the railway arriving in 1842. A number of notable buildings were built in the village in the 19th century by the Baily and Morley families including the village's pub, the Fleur de Lis. This was originally a set of cottages built by the Baily family in 1855 but bought to become a pub in 1870.
The original core of the village is now a conservation area which contains 49 listed buildings or structures.
