The seat was created in 1974 from parts of the seats of Sevenoaks and Tonbridge.
Boundaries
1974–1983: The Urban District of Tonbridge, the Rural District of Malling, and part of the Rural District of Tonbridge. 1983–1997: The District of Tonbridge and Malling. 1997–2010: The Borough of Tonbridge and Malling wards of Birling, Leybourne and Ryarsh, Borough Green, Cage Green, Castle, East Malling, East Peckham, Hadlow, Higham, Hildenborough, Ightham, Judd, Long Mill, Medway, Oast, Trench, Vauxhall, Wateringbury, West Malling, West Peckham and Mereworth, and Wrotham, and the District of Sevenoaks wards of Edenbridge North, Edenbridge South, Leigh, Penshurst and Fordcombe, and Somerden. 2010–present: The Borough of Tonbridge and Malling wards of Borough Green and Long Mill, Cage Green, Castle, Downs, East Malling, East Peckham and Golden Green, Hadlow, Mereworth and West Peckham, Higham, Hildenborough, Ightham, Judd, Kings Hill, Medway, Trench, Vauxhall, Wateringbury, West Malling and Leybourne, and Wrotham, and the District of Sevenoaks wards of Cowden and Hever, Edenbridge North and East, Edenbridge South and West, Leigh and Chiddingstone Causeway, and Penshurst, Fordcombe and Chiddingstone. The constituency is in the west of the county of Kent in south eastern England and includes about two-thirds of the Borough of Tonbridge and Malling,and parts of Sevenoaks District.
Constituency profile
This safe Conservative seat is characterised by a large commuter population although significant light engineering, farming and local service industry sectors are represented alongside the public sector, skilled trades and some construction. It has good road and rail links with London. Visitor attractions in the constituency include the River Medway, the Eden Valley Walk which covers Edenbridge and Penshurst, including Hever Castle, Chiddingstone Castle, Penshurst Place and Tonbridge Castle. In this seat are numerous oast houses and remaining Wealden woodlands. Workless claimants, registered jobseekers, were in November 2012 significantly lower than the national average of 3.8%, at 2.0% of the population based on a statistical compilation by The Guardian.
