Local Area

Within the Borough of Swale, and upon the outskirts of Sittingbourne, Kent is the beautiful North Downs village of Tunstall. Although the village is very small, its culture is very apparent with Tunstall Church of England Primary School at the heart of the community. There is a large village manor house which was formerly a police house; however Tunstall has no shops or pubs within the village boundaries. Since the middle-ages it has been prohibited to have any shops or pubs because of the small nature of the village and the only amenity is a telephone box.

Swale is made up of a mixture of urban, rural and coastal areas which are central to its attractiveness as a place to live, work, visit, study and invest. The borough has three main areas: Faversham, Sittingbourne and the Isle of Sheppey. Each area has its own distinct identity and characteristics. The borough also contains a number of smaller settlements and a large rural hinterland.

Sittingbourne, which borders Tunstall, is a modern market town, with a heritage of paper making, brick making and barge building. Most of the industry has now gone, with investment being made into regeneration projects.  Swale has a rich and diverse history, with a mention in the Domesday Book, involvement in gunpowder production and being at the forefront of the birth of British aviation.

With award winning beaches on the Isle of Sheppey, areas of rural farmland and orchards, conservation areas and pretty villages, Swale is a captivating part of the Garden of England.

The borough is well served by transport networks, with excellent connections to the rest of Kent, London and to Europe via ferry or Channel Tunnel. Tunstall is close to the M2, within 10 miles of the M20 and London is approximately 1 hour away by rail, with trains direct to Victoria and to St Pancras International from Sittingbourne.

Swale has a large number of sports and fitness facilities, including gyms, leisure complexes and swimming pools.  There are a number of competitive sports played, with leagues for hockey, football and cricket; Sittingbourne football club is located around a mile from Tunstall Church of England Primary School.

Visit www.visit-swale.co.uk for a wealth of information about what else Swale has to offer.