Old Wives Lees is a small hamlet just to the north of the village of Wye in the borough of Ashford, Kent, England. It sits on the chalk slopes of the North Downs close to the Pilgrims' Way, so the area is prized for rolling downland, country walks and long views towards the Weald.
The name is unusually colourful and has several folk etymologies linking it to "old wives' lies" or older local words for clearings; historically the neighbourhood was agricultural, with orchards and hop gardens. Today it remains largely rural and residential, with many people commuting into Ashford while social life centres on nearby villages such as Wye and Chilham.
Postcode districts covering Old Wives Lees
Most populated places nearby
- Southend-on-Sea 23.2 miles
- Maidstone 19.6 miles
- Gillingham 18.7 miles
- Chatham 20.3 miles
- Folkestone 14.2 miles
- Ashford 8.9 miles
- Margate 18.6 miles
- Canterbury 5.4 miles
- Sittingbourne 12 miles
- Dover 16.6 miles
- Ramsgate 19.8 miles
- Herne Bay 10.3 miles
Neighbouring places
- Chilham Built-up area 0.6 miles
- Chartham Built-up area 1.9 miles
- Downs North Ward 2 miles
- Selling Parish 2.3 miles
- Dunkirk Built-up area 2.5 miles
- Boughton under Blean Built-up area 2.8 miles
- Godmersham Parish 2.9 miles
- Boughton and Courtenay Ward 3 miles
- Molash Parish 3.2 miles
- Harbledown and Rough Common Parish 3.4 miles
- Badlesmere Parish 3.5 miles
- Bilting Built-up area 3.6 miles
Example postcodes in Old Wives Lees
CT4 8BT, CT4 8BQ, CT4 8BG, CT4 8BL, CT4 8BN, CT4 8EH, CT4 8AY, CT4 8AX, CT4 8AR … See all
Transport links
- London Southend Airport 24.8 miles
- London City Airport 43 miles
- Chilham Railway Station 0.8 miles
- Selling Railway Station 1.9 miles
Hotels near Old Wives Lees Ad
- The Woolpack Hotel 4 0.9 miles
- The Woolpack Inn 4 0.9 miles
- Cave Hotel & Golf Resort 3.1 miles
- Hampton by Hilton Canterbury 3 4.9 miles
- Thanington hotel 4 4.4 miles
- The Falstaff Hotel in Canterbury 3 4.9 miles
- The Victoria Hotel 3 4.4 miles
- Howfield Manor Hotel 3 2.8 miles
- Canterbury Cathedral Lodge 4 5.1 miles
- Holiday Inn Express Canterbury 3 2.8 miles
Local points of interest
- University of Kent University 4.9 miles
- Dane John Gardens Gardens 5 miles
- IFS School of Finance College 5.1 miles
- Canterbury College College 5.2 miles
- University for the Creative Arts - Canterbury University 5.4 miles
- Canterbury Christ Church University University 5.4 miles
- Hadlow College - Canterbury College 5.6 miles
- Eastwell Park Estate 5.8 miles
- Whitstable Harbour Harbour 7.8 miles
- South Kent College - Ashford College 9.3 miles
- Broome Park Estate 9.9 miles
- Central Beach Beach 10.2 miles