Editing Tonbridge (section)

===Normans and Tonbridge Castle===
{{Main|Tonbridge Castle}}
[[File:TonbridgeCastle0019.JPG|thumb|The [[motte]] of [[Tonbridge Castle]]]]
[[File:Tonbridge Castle.jpg|thumb|Tonbridge Castle gatehouse]]
Tonbridge stands on a spur of higher land where the marshy [[River Medway]] could be more easily forded. Ancient trackways converged at this point {{Citation needed|date=April 2020}}. There is no record of any bridge before 1191.<ref name=Timeline>{{cite web |url=http://www.tonbridgehistory.org.uk/history/timeline.htm |title=Tonbridge Timeline |publisher=Tonbridge Historical Society |access-date=15 October 2010 |archive-date=21 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100521234813/http://www.tonbridgehistory.org.uk/history/timeline.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> For much of its existence, the town remained to the north of the river, since the land to the south was subject to extensive seasonal flooding.<ref name=Flood>{{cite web |url=http://www.tonbridgehistory.org.uk/history/historyhome.htm |title=Tonbridge – a brief history |publisher=Tonbridge Historical Society |access-date=15 October 2010 |archive-date=21 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100521234745/http://www.tonbridgehistory.org.uk/history/historyhome.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> One part of the town is called 'Dryhill'.<ref name=Dryhill>{{cite web |url=http://www.tonbridgehistory.org.uk/people/martin-hardie.htm |title=Martin Hardie |publisher=Tonbridge Historical Society |access-date=15 October 2010 |archive-date=4 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100804230537/http://www.tonbridgehistory.org.uk/people/martin-hardie.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Richard Fitz Gilbert de Clare]] founded the [[Tonbridge Priory|Priory of St Mary Magdalene]] in 1124.<ref name=Priory>{{cite web |url=http://www.tonbridgehistory.org.uk/places/the-priory.htm |title=The Priory |publisher=Tonbridge Historical Society |access-date=15 October 2010 |archive-date=23 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523043702/http://www.tonbridgehistory.org.uk/places/the-priory.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

A [[motte and bailey]] castle was built here in the 11th century by [[Richard Fitz Gilbert]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tonbridgecastle.org/cgi-bin/buildpage.pl?mysql=13|title=Tonbridge Castle history – 11th & 12th Century|access-date=29 December 2007|archive-date=10 December 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071210080234/http://www.tonbridgecastle.org/cgi-bin/buildpage.pl?mysql=13|url-status=live}}</ref> son of the murdered guardian of the infant  [[William I of England|William the Conqueror]]. Richard was responsible for governing England in William I's many absences.

The town was besieged by [[William Rufus]], soon after his accession to the throne, because the Earl had pledged allegiance to William's brother, [[Robert Curthose|Robert]]. William Rufus died from an arrow wound a few years later, in an incident generally reported as a hunting accident, when he was shot by [[Walter Tirel]], Richard Fitz Gilbert's son-in-law, & born in Tonbridge himself.