Swanley Area Guide

Our area guide for Swanley offers a brief overview of the town and its attractions, properties, schools, history, council tax and public transport links.

Swanley Overview

Swanley really is an area that combines the best of urban facilities with the Kent countryside. There’s a bustling shopping district with all the big store names just minutes from a pick-your-own fruit farm. Falling under Sevenoaks District Council and spanning the BR8 postcode, Swanley encompasses Swanley Village and Hextable.

Swanley Shopping

The centre of Swanley is where all the shops are concentrated. You’ll find banks, pharmacies, beauty boutiques and cafes along with a large Asda, a Post Office and the central library. Shoppers also flock to the weekly market, which is held on a Wednesday in the Asda car park. Hextable Bakery has a great reputation for freshly baked goods and Bluewater Shopping Centre is just eight miles away for a more extensive array of shops.

Swanley Attractions

Swanley Park has to be the town’s most loved attraction, with 60 acres of greenery and attractions. Features include a boating lake, café, bandstand, miniature railway, splash park, swing park and children’s activities. Open spaces can also be found at Petham Park, Westview and Beechenlea Lane. White Oak Leisure Centre is where Swanley residents head to keep fit. The popular swimming pool and gym is complemented by a number of specialist classes and clubs for martial arts, indoor bowls, cricket, squash, badminton, fencing and table tennis enthusiasts. White Oak is also home to the Treasure Island soft play facility. Nearby St Mary’s Recreation Ground is a more specialised sports venue and caters for roller skaters and BMX riders, as well as football, netball and tennis players. Golfers are well catered for in Swanley, with golf courses at Pedham and Birchwood, and driving ranges at Olympics, Lullingstone Park and Birchwood.

Swanley Food and drink

You won’t go hungry in Swanley as the town centre and surrounding areas are home to many pubs, cafes and take-aways. Residents are enjoying a new Beefeater restaurant and the Raj of India is a popular eat-in Indian restaurant. If you have a sweet tooth, head to Thanks A Latte in Hextable where cream teas are on the menu.

Swanley History

The name Swanley is derived from the Saxon term 'Swine-ley' - ‘Ley’ meaning a clearing in the woods and ‘swine’ meaning pigs. It’s hard to imagine that in 1066 Swanley’s only industry was farming and life was a rural struggle. Even in 1790 when the first map of Swanley was produced, only a handful of cottages existed. As with many Kent towns, it was the arrival of the railway in 1861 that transformed Swanley. The area’s horticultural prowess came to the fore and its fertile fields produced tons of fresh produce and Londoners travelled down by rail as they thought the fresh country air would cure them of their ills.

Swanley Property market

Swanley is a relatively new town so most of the housing stock is 1960s and 70s three-bedroom semi-detached family homes, although Swanley Village does have some period properties dating back to the 1600s. The biggest and most prestigious houses can be found on Birchwood Park Avenue, although High Firs and Newlands are also desirable neighbourhoods. St Bartholomew’s is a new build development in the town.

Swanley Council Tax

Swanley falls under Sevenoaks District Council and these are the council tax rates for the current year:

BAND A	BAND B	BAND C	BAND D	BAND E	BAND F	BAND G	BAND H
£977	£1,140	£1,303	£1,466	£1,792	£2,118	£2,443	£2,932

Swanley Education

Schools in Swanley and the neighbouring areas include:

• St Bartholomew’s Catholic Primary School
• Sycamore Drive Primary School
• St Paul’s CoE Primary School
• St Mary’s CoEPrimary School
• Birchwood Primary School
• White Oak Primary School
• Downsview Primary School
• Crockenhill Primary School
• Horizon Primary School
• High Firs Primary School
• Hextable Infant and Junior School
• Swanley Technology Colleague
• Hextable Secondary School
• Wilmington Enterprise Colleague
• Hextable School of Performing Arts

Swanley Hospitals

The nearest hospital to Swanley is Darent Valley, although there is an Urgent Medical Care Unit based at Queen Mary’s Hospital in nearby Sidcup.

Swanley Transport Links

Swanley has always been envied for its rail links and location in semi-rural Kent. Despite its countryside setting, the rail journey to London Victoria is just 37 minutes. The A20 runs directly through the town, giving excellent access to the A2, M20 and M25. The town is well served by buses that take you deeper into Kent or inwards towards south-east London.