Leigh

This Parish is about three miles and an half in length from north to south, and somewhat less than two and a half in breadth, it lies below the sand hills, in the district of' the Weald. The northern part of it lies more above ground, and consequently more dry than the parishes last described; the soil is mostly a stiff loam; the lower parts, next the river, are much subject to be overflowed. The village is in the southern part of the parish, having the church on the north side of it, and a small distance from it the seat of Hall-place, situated within the large district called Hallenden, which stretches two miles and an half north-eastward, the extremity of which, though now separated from this part of it, by the parish of Tunbridge intervening, yet by the best accounts has ever been supposed to be within this of Lyghe. The river Medway runs along the southern part of this parish, at a small distance southward from which is Endsfield. Another stream, which rises at the foot of the land-hills, bounds the eastern side of this parish, and meets the river at Tunbridge; between these is the estate and mill of Ramhurst, close to the boundary of it next to Tunbridge; about half a mile westward from the village is the ground, late the upper part of Penshurst-park, called Lyghe, alias North Park, now the property of Mr. Alnutt. Above it is Lyghe-green, between which and Hall-place there is much coppice wood, as there is in the northern part of this parish, called Westwood, near Halls and Fletchers green. A fair is held here on July 25, for pedlary ware, &c. extract from Hasted's History of Kent published in 1797

Leigh directory of homes, farms, churches, schools, inns, and other places of interest that existed prior to 1900 has been compiled from Census data, Ordnance survey maps and books of the period

Parish & other records		Before 1500	1500 to 1550	1550 to 1600	1600 to 1650	1650 to 1700	1700 to 1725	1725 to 1750	1750 to 1775	1775 to 1800	1800 to 1825	1825 to 1850	1850 to 1875	1875 to 1900	1900 to 1925	1925 to 1950	1950 to 1975	1975 to 2000	After 2000
1463	Births			8	7	52	35	12	24	40	173	293	564	255
373	Christenings			8	7	51	35	14	22	29	52	63	75	17
114	Marriages		2	6	6	12	10	8	16	8	22	16	8
12	Deaths			3			3						1	4		1
26	Burials			3			4	1			4	1	4	2	2	2	3

Books and other documents

The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent - Volume III by Edward Hasted in 1797 - Page 258

Directory of Kent, Surrey & Sussex in 1839

New Guide for Tunbridge Wells by John Colbran and edited by James Phippen in 1840 - Page 257

Kelly's Directory of Kent by E. R. Kelly, M.A., F.S.S. in 1882

English Homes and Villages (Kent & Sussex) by Lady Hope in 1909 - Page 155

Highways and Byways in Kent by Walter Jerrold with Illustrations by Hugh Thomson in 1914 - Page 335

Leigh pictures	Leigh Village 1904	Parish Church 1908	The Green 1909	Leigh 1910	The Forge 1965