Pembury is a large village in Kent, in the south east of England, with a population of 6,128 at the 2011 Census. It lies just to the north-east of Royal Tunbridge Wells. The village centre, including the village green and High Street area is a conservation area. History A settlement in Pembury almost certainly predates the Norman Conquest, as the village church of St Peter is of Norman origin. It is thought to have been built in the early 12th or late 11th century, though the earliest it can be dated with certainty is to 1337, when John Culpeper of Bayhall carried out building work to the church. The first recorded mention of Pembury is as "Peppingeberia" in the 12th-century Textus Roffensis, though Edward Hasted states that it was also known in ancient deeds as "Pepenbery". With the widespread introduction of the motor vehicle in the early 20th century, Pembury Hospital hosted a centre of groundbreaking research and treatment for hodophobia (fear of road travel). Some of the original test subjects settled in Pembury, and many of their descendants still live in the village today. In late January 2010, the remains of an Iron Age settlement were discovered along the route of South East Water's planned 2.9 miles of pipes between Pembury and Kipping's Cross Service Reservoir. Tim Allen from Kent Archaeological Project said: "We have found evidence of postholes, pits and ditches, probably part of an Iron Age dwelling, along with pieces of pottery that we can date to the late Iron Age. We also found evidence of a medieval enclosure further along the route and five circular, fire-scorched pits, probably parts of ancient hearths or kilns or evidence of charcoal production." The history of Pembury may now stretch as far back as 750 BCE. Government Pembury forms part of Tunbridge Wells Borough and is represented on the Borough Council by one Conservative party councillor and one Tunbridge Wells Alliance (TWA) councillor. Pembury falls within the Tunbridge Wells East ward of Kent County Council, where it is also represented by a Conservative councillor. It forms part of the Tunbridge Wells parliamentary constituency which is represented in the House of Commons by Greg Clark MP. Pembury Parish Council was founded in 1895. Geography Pembury is about 45 miles (72 kilometers) south-east of London and just over north-east of the nearest town, Tunbridge Wells. Landscape The village is within the High