Living in Kent, I’m often surprised by just how many famous people have connections with my county. Some were born here, some grew up here, and others chose to make the Garden of England their home. So it inspired me to pull together this list of famous people from Kent.
Kent has given us Hollywood actors, rock legends, Olympic champions, celebrated writers, pioneering scientists and some of Britain’s best-loved television personalities. It is one of the many things that makes the county so interesting to explore, alongside all the brilliant things to do in Kent.
Some of the biggest names born in Kent include Orlando Bloom, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Dame Kelly Holmes, Gemma Arterton and Mark Rylance. Charles Dickens, Winston Churchill, Peter Cushing and J. M. W. Turner were not born in the county, but all developed important connections with it.
There is one geographical complication worth explaining. Places including Bromley, Bexleyheath, Sidcup and Orpington were historically part of Kent but became part of Greater London in 1965. I’ve included some particularly notable names from those areas in a separate section rather than suggesting that they were born within the present-day county of Kent.
Famous People Born in or Connected With Kent
| Famous Person | Known For | Kent Connection |
|---|---|---|
| Orlando Bloom | Actor | Born in Canterbury |
| Gemma Arterton | Actor | Born in Gravesend |
| Mark Rylance | Actor | Born in Ashford |
| Mick Jagger | The Rolling Stones | Born in Dartford |
| Keith Richards | The Rolling Stones | Born in Dartford |
| Dame Kelly Holmes | Olympic athlete | Born in Pembury |
| Vita Sackville-West | Writer and garden designer | Born at Knole |
| Christopher Marlowe | Playwright | Born in Canterbury |
| William Harvey | Physician | Born in Folkestone |
| Walter Tull | Footballer and army officer | Born in Folkestone |
| Charles Dickens | Novelist | Lived near Rochester |
| Peter Cushing | Actor | Lived in Whitstable |
| Winston Churchill | Prime minister | Lived at Chartwell |
| Tracey Emin | Artist | Grew up in Margate |
| J. M. W. Turner | Artist | Lifelong connection with Margate |
Famous Actors From Kent
Orlando Bloom
Orlando Bloom was born in Canterbury and attended schools in the city before pursuing acting.
You’ll know that he became internationally famous as Legolas in The Lord of the Rings films before appearing as Will Turner in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. His other major credits include Troy, Kingdom of Heaven and Carnival Row.
He is arguably one of the most internationally recognisable actors to have been born in Kent. Have you seen any of his films?
Gemma Arterton
Gemma Arterton was born in Gravesend and attended Gravesend Grammar School for Girls before training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Can you recall her breakthrough? It came when she appeared as Strawberry Fields in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace. After that, her roles have included The Duchess of Malfi, Their Finest, The Escape and The King’s Man. She’s currently starring in ITV’s thriller Secret Service.
Mark Rylance
Award-winning actor Mark Rylance was born in Ashford, although his family moved to the United States when he was a child.
He became the first artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe in London and has enjoyed an acclaimed stage and screen career. His performance in Bridge of Spies earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. You may have also seen him in Dunkirk, The BFG, Wolf Hall and Don’t Look Up.
Kelly Brook
Model, actor and presenter Kelly Brook was born in Rochester and attended the Thomas Aveling School.
You’ll find that she became a familiar face on television through programmes including The Big Breakfast, Celebrity Juice and Heart London. She has also appeared in films, presented radio programmes and launched various fashion and home collections.
Kelly has frequently spoken publicly about her affection for Kent and has owned a home in the county.
Emma Corrin
Emma Corrin was born in Royal Tunbridge Wells and grew up near Sevenoaks.
They gained international recognition for playing Diana, Princess of Wales in the fourth series of The Crown. The performance earned Corrin a Golden Globe and nominations for several other major awards.
Their subsequent credits include My Policeman, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, A Murder at the End of the World and Deadpool & Wolverine.
Joe Alwyn
Joe Alwyn was born in Royal Tunbridge Wells before growing up in North London.
You might remember him from films including Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, The Favourite, Harriet, Catherine Called Birdy and Kinds of Kindness.
Although his early life was mostly spent outside the county, his Kent birthplace gives him a clear place on this list.
Naomi Watts
Actor Naomi Watts was born in Shoreham in Kent. She spent part of her childhood in England before moving to Australia with her family.
She went on to build a successful international career, earning Academy Award nominations for 21 Grams and The Impossible. Her other major credits include Mulholland Drive, King Kong, The Ring and The Watcher.
Mackenzie Crook
Mackenzie Crook was born in Maidstone and grew up in Dartford.
He is best known for playing Gareth Keenan in The Office and Ragetti in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. He also created, wrote and starred in the much-loved BBC comedy Detectorists.
His role in Worzel Gummidge introduced him to a younger generation of viewers.
Tamsin Greig
Actor Tamsin Greig was born in Maidstone.
You may recognise her for her television comedies including Black Books, Green Wing, Friday Night Dinner and Episodes. She has also had an extensive theatre career and won an Olivier Award for her performance in Much Ado About Nothing.
Brenda Blethyn
Brenda Blethyn was born in Ramsgate and grew up as the youngest of nine children.
She received Academy Award nominations for Secrets & Lies and Little Voice. For many television viewers, she is best known as DCI Vera Stanhope in the ITV crime drama Vera.
Tom Riley
Tom Riley was born in Maidstone and attended Maidstone Grammar School.
His best-known television roles include Leonardo da Vinci in Da Vinci’s Demons and Augustus Bidlow in The Nevers. He has also appeared in Dark Heart, The Collection and Doctor Who.
Shaun Williamson
Another well-known famous person from Kent is Shaun Williamson. Shaun was born in Maidstone and became a household name as Barry Evans in EastEnders.
He later demonstrated a wonderful willingness to laugh at his own public image, particularly through his appearance as a fictionalised version of himself in Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s Extras.
Rob Knox
Rob Knox grew up in Kent and attended Beths Grammar School in Bexley. He appeared as Marcus Belby in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Tragically, he was murdered in Sidcup in 2008 at the age of 18 while protecting his younger brother. His family subsequently established the Rob Knox London Film Festival and have campaigned against knife crime.
Although much of his story is associated with areas now in Greater London, his education and family connections extended across the Kent border.
Famous Musicians From Kent
There are some very famous people from Kent who have musical connections, and the next one is very well known.
Mick Jagger
Sir Mick Jagger was born in Dartford in 1943 and attended Wentworth Primary School.
As the lead singer of The Rolling Stones, he became one of the most recognisable performers in rock history. Songs including Satisfaction, Paint It Black and Gimme Shelter remain known around the world.
Dartford celebrates its connection with both Jagger and Keith Richards through public art and local landmarks.
Keith Richards
Keith Richards was also born in Dartford and knew Mick Jagger as a child. The pair met again as teenagers at Dartford railway station, where their shared interest in blues music helped begin one of rock’s most successful creative partnerships.
As guitarist and songwriter for The Rolling Stones, Richards co-wrote many of the band’s biggest songs.
Joss Stone
Soul singer Joss Stone was born in Dover, although she grew up in Devon.
Her debut album, The Soul Sessions, was released while she was still a teenager. She went on to win Brit and Grammy awards and became known for her rich, distinctive voice.
Shane MacGowan
Shane MacGowan was born in Pembury in 1957 to Irish parents. He spent much of his early childhood in County Tipperary before returning to England.
As the frontman and principal songwriter of The Pogues, he combined punk energy with Irish folk music. His best-known composition, Fairytale of New York, has become an enduring part of the British and Irish Christmas soundtrack.
HRVY
Singer and presenter HRVY, whose full name is Harvey Cantwell, was born and raised in Kent.
You may know him from social media as he began building an audience through social media before releasing music and presenting on CBBC. He later reached the final of Strictly Come Dancing in 2020.
Malcolm Sargent
Conductor Sir Malcolm Sargent was born in Ashford in 1895.
He became one of Britain’s best-known classical conductors and was closely associated with the BBC Proms. He conducted the Last Night of the Proms on numerous occasions and helped make classical music accessible to a wider audience.
Kent’s Sporting Heroes
When talking about famous people from Kent we have a number of sporting heroes which we simply just must mention.
Dame Kelly Holmes
Dame Kelly Holmes was born in Pembury and grew up in Hildenborough.
She became one of Britain’s greatest middle-distance runners, winning gold in both the 800 metres and 1,500 metres at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Her achievements are celebrated in the county, particularly around Tonbridge, where she trained as a young athlete. She has subsequently spoken openly about mental health and established the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust.
Lizzy Yarnold
Skeleton racer Lizzy Yarnold was born in Sevenoaks.
She won Winter Olympic gold at Sochi in 2014 and successfully defended her title at Pyeongchang in 2018. This made her the first British Winter Olympian to retain an individual title.
She is also Britain’s most successful Winter Olympian.
Walter Tull
Walter Tull was born in Folkestone in 1888.
He became one of England’s earliest Black professional footballers, playing for Tottenham Hotspur and Northampton Town. During the First World War, he became one of the British Army’s first Black officers to command white troops.
Tull was killed in France in 1918. His life is now recognised as an important part of both sporting and military history.
Joe Denly
Cricketer Joe Denly was born in Canterbury and developed his career with Kent County Cricket Club.
A top-order batter who could also bowl leg spin, he represented England in Test matches, One Day Internationals and Twenty20 cricket.
Sam Billings
England wicketkeeper and batter Sam Billings was born in Pembury and attended school in Canterbury.
He has captained Kent and represented England in all three international formats. He has also played in major domestic competitions around the world.
Jack Green
Olympic hurdler Jack Green was born in Maidstone.
He specialised in the 400-metre hurdles and represented Great Britain at the Olympic Games, World Championships and European Championships.
Barry Hawkins
Professional snooker player Barry Hawkins was born in Ditton, near Maidstone.
He has competed at the highest level of the sport for many years and reached the final of the World Snooker Championship in 2013.
Writers From Kent
Christopher Marlowe
Playwright and poet Christopher Marlowe (also known as Kit Marlowe) was born in Canterbury in 1564.
A contemporary of William Shakespeare, he wrote plays including Doctor Faustus, Tamburlaine and Edward II. His life was remarkably dramatic and ended when he was killed in Deptford at the age of 29.
The well-known Marlowe Theatre is named after Christopher Marlowe.
Vita Sackville-West
Vita Sackville-West was born at Knole near Sevenoaks.
She was a successful novelist and poet, but she is now equally famous for the gardens she created with her husband Harold Nicolson at Sissinghurst Castle.
Her deep attachment to Knole influenced her writing, particularly the novel The Edwardians. Sissinghurst remains one of Kent’s best-known gardens.
Mary Tourtel
Mary Tourtel was born in Canterbury in 1874.
As a writer and illustrator, she created Rupert Bear for the Daily Express in 1920. Her character went on to become one of Britain’s longest-running and best-loved children’s creations.
Aphra Behn
Aphra Behn is widely associated with the Canterbury area, although the precise details of her birthplace and early life remain disputed.
She became one of the first English women known to have earned her living through writing. Her best-known work is the novel Oroonoko, and she also wrote plays, poems and political works.
It is better to acknowledge the uncertainty around her origins than to state categorically that she was born in Harbledown.
William Caxton
William Caxton, who introduced the printing press to England, is traditionally believed to have been born somewhere in the Weald of Kent.
The exact location and even the precise year of his birth are uncertain. However, his Kentish origins are widely accepted, and his work transformed the production and availability of books in England.
Famous People Who Made Kent Their Home
Not everyone on this list was born in Kent. Several famous people moved to the county or spent important periods of their lives here.
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth, but Kent became a hugely important part of his life and work.
He spent part of his childhood in Chatham, regularly visited Broadstairs and later bought Gad’s Hill Place near Rochester. Rochester and the surrounding Medway towns inspired locations and characters in several of his novels.
You can still find Dickens connections throughout the city today. My guide to the best things to do in Rochester, Kent includes more ideas for exploring this fascinating part of the county.
Peter Cushing
Peter Cushing was born in Surrey but lived in Whitstable for many years.
The actor was famous for his performances in Hammer horror films and as Grand Moff Tarkin in the original Star Wars. He became a familiar and much-loved figure around Whitstable.
The town remembers him through the Peter Cushing pub and a viewpoint by the sea known as Cushing’s View.
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Churchill lived at Chartwell near Westerham for more than 40 years.
The house became his family home and a place where he wrote, painted and entertained political figures. It is now cared for by the National Trust and contains an important collection of Churchill’s belongings and artwork.
Tracey Emin
Artist Tracey Emin was born in Croydon but grew up in Margate.
Her experiences in the seaside town influenced much of her work. She later returned to Margate and established studios and an art school there, strengthening her connection with the town’s contemporary creative community. Margate is a thriving town full of art and creativity, some of this is down to Tracey Emin.
J. M. W. Turner
J. M. W. Turner was born in London but developed a lifelong relationship with Margate.
He attended school in the town as a child and returned repeatedly throughout his life. Margate’s light, skies and sea inspired many of his paintings.
The Turner Contemporary gallery takes its name from this association.
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn was not born at Hever Castle with complete historical certainty, but she spent part of her childhood there.
Hever was her family home before she became Henry VIII’s second wife and Queen of England. Today, the castle’s Tudor rooms, portraits and objects tell the story of Anne and the Boleyn family.
Celebrities Reported to Live in Kent
If you are searching for celebrities living in Kent should bear in mind that this information could change and that everyone is entitled to privacy.
There have been a few famous people that have openly talked about living in Kent. These include:
- Jools Holland, who has long been associated with the Rochester area.
- Julian Clary, who has publicly discussed his life in rural Kent.
- Paul Hollywood, who has been widely reported as owning a home in Kent.
- Kelly Brook, who has regularly shared her affection for her Kent home and garden.
- Jim Moir, also known as Vic Reeves, who has lived and worked in Kent.
Famous People From Historic Kent
Until the creation of Greater London in 1965, areas including Bromley, Bexley, Sidcup and Orpington formed part of Kent. So there are a few famous people from Kent missing from the list above. These famous people from Kent include people born in places that are no longer within the modern county.
Notable examples include:
- H. G. Wells, born in Bromley in 1866.
- Kate Bush, born in Bexleyheath in 1958.
- John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, born in Sidcup in 1946.
- David Bowie, who spent much of his childhood and teenage years in Bromley.
- Pixie Lott, born in Bromley in 1991.
- Sir Peter Frampton, born in Beckenham in 1950.
Who Is the Most Famous Person From Kent?
There is no real answer to that question as it’s a bit subjective, but I would say that Mick Jagger is probably the most famous person from Kent as he is so well known across the whole world. The Rolling Stones have sold millions of records and remained globally famous for more than six decades.
Orlando Bloom, Keith Richards, Dame Kelly Holmes and Charles Dickens would also be high on the list, although Charles Dickens was actually connected with Kent rather than born here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Famous Actors Were Born in Kent?
Actors born in modern Kent include Orlando Bloom, Gemma Arterton, Mark Rylance, Emma Corrin, Joe Alwyn, Naomi Watts, Mackenzie Crook, Tamsin Greig, Brenda Blethyn, Tom Riley and Shaun Williamson.
Which Famous Singers Come From Kent?
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were both born in Dartford. Joss Stone was born in Dover, Shane MacGowan was born in Pembury and HRVY was born and raised in Kent.
Kate Bush and Peter Frampton were born in places that belonged to historic Kent but are now within Greater London.
Which Famous Sportspeople Were Born in Kent?
Dame Kelly Holmes, Lizzy Yarnold, Walter Tull, Joe Denly, Sam Billings, Jack Green and Barry Hawkins were all born in Kent.
Did Charles Dickens Live in Kent?
Yes. Dickens spent part of his childhood in Chatham, visited Broadstairs regularly and later lived at Gad’s Hill Place near Rochester.
Was David Bowie From Kent?
David Bowie was born in Brixton and later moved to Bromley. Bromley had historically been part of Kent but became part of Greater London in 1965.
What Celebrities Live in Kent?
Public figures with widely reported or self-disclosed homes in Kent have included Jools Holland, Julian Clary, Paul Hollywood, Kelly Brook and Jim Moir. This can change, and exact private addresses should not be shared.
A County Full of Talent
From global rock stars and Hollywood actors to literary pioneers and Olympic champions, Kent has produced an extraordinary amount of talent.
I particularly love how many Kent towns have their own famous connections. Canterbury gave us Orlando Bloom and Christopher Marlowe, Dartford produced Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Folkestone was the birthplace of Walter Tull and William Harvey, and Pembury gave us Dame Kelly Holmes and Shane MacGowan.
The next time you explore Canterbury, Rochester, Margate, Whitstable or one of Kent’s smaller towns, you may find that a remarkable story is waiting around the corner. You could even complete your Kentish day out with one of these lovely places for afternoon tea in Kent.