The village had an Anglican chapel in 1806,[1] built by Beilby Porteus, Bishop of London, who lived in nearby Sundridge; St Mary's church was built in 1865 and "has the distinction of being the highest church in Kent" [2] at 216 metres (709 ft) above sea level.

Two of Kent's places of interest are near Ide Hill: Bough Beech Reservoir and Emmetts Garden.

In his 1933 memoir Down and Out in Paris and London George Orwell reports that Ide Hill was notorious for being the worst “spike” (a casual ward or homeless shelter) in all of England.

The event was revived to celebrate Queen Elizabeth the Second's Golden Jubilee on the 2nd of June 2002 and has been held every August Bank Holiday since.

Unlike its ancient predecessor, a plush toy goat is hurled across a 30m marked playing area.

The woodlands around Goathurst Common were devastated during the Great Storm of 1987, when many trees were brought down by very high winds.