Our main campus is set in beautiful surroundings within a large managed estate including over 265 acres of prime arable land, woodland, natural river habitats, three commercial farms, established show gardens and horticultural glasshouses, lakes and other natural habitats.
Lying in the heart of the picturesque Kent countryside and yet within easy reach of central London and the coast, there really is no better place to study. Surrounded by farms and fields and on the edge of a pretty Kentish village, you won’t find a more charming place to spend your time.
Our Facilities
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Faulkner’s Farm
Our fully functioning commercial farm is home to the College flock of 350 ewes, lambing sheds and 66 hectares of rotational grazing. Students are involved with lambing, shearing and care of the flock.
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Blackmans Farm
Home to our herd of beef cattle. As well as land for grazing, the farm which extends to 57 hectares is also used for arable crop and forage production. We also have very close links with local dairy farms giving our students an all-round experience with dairy and beef.
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Equine
Our superb equine centre offers stabling for 64 horses along with two international size indoor arenas, outdoor arenas, paddocks and a cross-country course. We regularly host competitions and lecture demonstrations from famous riders and trainers such as Mary and Emily King, Mark Todd and Monty Roberts.
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Animal Management Unit
Hadlow College’s Animal Management Unit is one of the country’s leading educational animal collections. The collection houses over 500 animals from over 125 different species, which all the students study to develop their skills and expertise. With state-of-the-art aquatics, herpetology and nocturnal sections, students have the opportunity to experience a diverse range of working environments, while the opportunity to work with exotic carnivores such as Asiatic short-clawed otters, canids and mongoose species provide our students with first-class experience in a zoo environment.
Many of the species we house are endangered and are part of national and international collaborative programmes with other UK zoos. The collection also has a substantial range of domestic species including pigs, goats, alpacas and poultry.
The Animal Management unit is located at Ashes Lane, Tonbridge TN11 0AN.
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Broadview Gardens
Comprising 4 hectares of beautiful individually designed themed gardens built by Hadlow staff and students - Broadview offers a great place to escape when you fancy a break from studying.
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Fisheries Hatchery
Our fully-stocked hatchery contains various species of tropical and cold water fishes, in different types of industry-specific systems. Students learn about different methods of fish welfare, accommodation and husbandry. The hatchery has been refurbished recently with the needs of our further and higher education fisheries students in mind. We have over 50 aquarium tanks and several advanced Recirculating Aquaculture Systems which incorporate industry standard equipment such as commercial drum filters.
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Grove Farm Fisheries
Comprising a 2-hectare mixed coarse fishing lake and growing on ponds. Grove Farm operates as a commercial fishery and fish farm, providing our students with practical skills in carp husbandry, modern fisheries management practices and all aspects of fish farming and relevant legislation.
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Horticulture
Our Horticultural facilities comprises of a glasshouse complex, access to fruit orchards and field production facilities.
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Garden Design Studio
Inspiring creativity with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the landscaped gardens, this modern building incorporates a gallery, lecture theatre equipped with drawing boards and a CAD suite.
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Agricultural engineering
We offer an exceptionally well-equipped machinery workshop where the engineering students have a vast array of specialist tools to hand to carry out a wealth of engineering projects. The workshop, which has recently been extended, has 540 square metres of floor space to accommodate many kinds of projects, from vintage and classic tractor restorations to modern tractors and implements that need fault diagnosis with the aid of a laptop.
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National Centre for Reptile Welfare (NCRW)
The facility, the first of its type in the United Kingdom, provides refuge and care for up to 600 unwanted and vulnerable reptiles and amphibians. Its aim is to re-home them through a national network of retailers and wholesalers, as well as improve the body of knowledge around the care and needs of these animals.
How to Find Us
Public Transport
The bus stop outside the College is served regularly by buses travelling between Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells via Tonbridge railway station. Students are eligible for a discount on Arriva buses between Tonbridge and Hadlow, for more information, speak to our Student Support Services team.
By Road
Hadlow College is located on the A26 Tonbridge Road. We’re 15 minutes drive from A21/A26 junction at Tonbridge, 6 minutes drive from the A228 junction at Seven Mile Lane, and just 16 minutes way from the M20 junction 4.
