It is fragmented into five parts, with North Street a distinct settlement on the A251, Sheldwich (including the Church and school) scattered further south on or close to the main road; Sheldwich Lees, a small village in its own right (and where the Village Hall and Village Green (known as the Lees) are situated) lying 0.5 miles (0.80 km) south-east of the junction of Lees Court Road and the Ashford Road (A251), and the hamlets of Gosmere and Copton[2] to the north, the latter being transferred to the Parish in 2012.

This reflects the almost complete lack of recent residential development in the village, owing to strict planning laws.

[10] The village church, parts of which are eleventh century, is listed as Grade II*, and is dedicated to St. James.

[11] The village features its manor house, rebuilt almost entirely,[12] lying close to woodland known as Church Plantation.

Because of the small scattered population (485 according to the 2021 census) the civil parish is joined with those of two smaller neighbouring villages, and is known as Sheldwich, Badlesmere and Leaveland.

As most of the parish lies within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, planning laws are tight with very little new development permitted since its establishment in the mid-1960s.