20/09/2026
The Once Abandoned Little Silver Country Hotel in Kent
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The Explore
Join me as I step through the gates of the Little Silver Country Hotel on the outskirts of Tenterden, Kent. Built in the early 1900s, this once-elegant retreat stood quiet and empty for a timeβits shuttered windows and peeling paint hinting at the countless stories held within its walls.
History
In 1935, it was built as a handsome private country house, its mock-Tudor faΓ§ade set within beautifully manicured grounds. For decades it remained a cherished family home, its stately rooms filled with afternoon teas and gentle breezes drifting in from the Weald. Mid-century, sympathetic modernization preserved all its original charmβexposed oak beams, leaded glass, and a gracious portico welcoming visitors for years to come.
In 1986, a new chapter began: Dorothy Lawson and Rosemary Frith opened it as the Little Silver Country Hotel, naming it after the quiet Devon village. Sixteen individually styled bedroomsβsome with four-poster beds and whirlpool bathsβwelcomed guests from far and wide. Through the 1990s, under the Johnson family, it flourished further: a glass-roofed function room, bridal suite, and expanded courtyard turned it into Tenterdenβs most beloved country venue. Weddings, family gatherings, and corporate events filled its halls for years.
Into the 2000s, it became the heart of the community. Oaks Restaurant served the finest Kent produce beneath beamed ceilings; Kent Hall hosted civil weddings and celebrations of every kind. The landscaped gardens, with their vine-clad gazebo, were home to Easter hunts, summer parties, and music drifting from the terrace. For nearly 40 years, this was far more than a hotelβit was where memories were made.
Sadly, in February 2025, facing mounting debts, the hotel entered administration. The estate was sold as a redevelopment opportunity, and the doors closed. But by early 2026, new owners stepped in. The site is now being brought back to lifeβno longer abandoned, but restored and reborn.
