Counties 3 Kent (formerly Kent 1 known as Shepherd Neame Kent 1 for sponsorship reasons) is an English level 9 Rugby Union League and is made up of teams predominantly from south-east London and Kent. The teams play home and away matches from September through to April. The league champions move up to Counties 2 Kent. Relegated teams drop down to Counties 4 Kent. Following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it adopted its current name Counties 3 Kent.
Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.
Teams for 2026-27
Departing were Sittingbourne (Champions) and Tunbridge Wells II, (Runner up) both promoted to Counties 2 Kent while New Ash Green were relegated to Counties 4 Kent.
Old Williamsonians (10th in 2025-26) withdrew from the league a week before the new season began citing insufficient playing numbers reducing the league from eleven clubs to ten.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Brockleians Civil Service Sports Ground Eltham, London 9th Canterbury III Marine Travel Ground 1,500 (75 seats) Canterbury, Kent 7th Cliffe Crusaders Recreation Ground Cliffe, Kent Promoted from Counties 4 Kent (runners-up) Dartford Valley Leigh Academy Dartford, Kent 6th Gravesend II Rectory Field Gravesend, Kent 5th Hastings & Bexhill William Parker Lower School Hastings, East Sussex 3rd Old Gravesendians Fleetway Sports Ground Gravesend, Kent 8th Sevenoaks III Knole Paddock 1,000 Sevenoaks, Kent Promoted from Counties 4 Kent (champions) Vigo Swanswood Field Vigo, Kent Relegated from Counties 2 Kent (11th) Whitstable Reeves Way Chestfield, Kent 4th
Teams for 2025–26
Departing were Tonbridge Juddians II and Beckenham II, both promoted to Counties 2 Kent.
Old Dunstonians (9th in 2024-25) withdrew before the season started.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Brockleians Civil Service Sports Ground Eltham, London 4th Canterbury III Marine Travel Ground 1,500 (75 seats) Canterbury, Kent Promoted from Counties 4 Kent (champions) Dartford Valley Leigh Academy Dartford, Kent Relegated from Counties 2 Kent (12th) Gravesend II Rectory Field Gravesend, Kent 11th Hastings & Bexhill William Parker Lower School Hastings, East Sussex 3rd New Ash Green New Ash Green Sports Pavilion New Ash Green, Kent 10th Old Gravesendians Fleetway Sports Ground Gravesend, Kent 8th Old Williamsonians Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School Rochester, Kent Promoted from Counties 4 Kent (runners-up) Sittingbourne Gore Court Cricket Club Sittingbourne, Kent 5th Tunbridge Wells II St Marks Recreation Ground 3,000 Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent 6th Whitstable Reeves Way Chestfield, Kent 7th
Teams for 2024–25
Departing were Old Elthamians and Old Alleynians II, both promoted to Counties 2 Kent. Faversham (10th) were relegated to Counties 4 Kent.
Joining were Old Dunstonians relegated from Counties 2 Kent together with Beckenham II, Brockleians and Old Gravesendians, all promoted from Counties 4 Kent
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Beckenham II Balmoral Avenue Beckenham, London Promoted from Counties 4 Kent (champions) Brockleians Civil Service Sports Ground Eltham, London Promoted from Counties 4 Kent (runners-up) Gravesend II Rectory Field Gravesend, Kent 8th Hastings & Bexhill William Parker Lower School Hastings, East Sussex 7th New Ash Green New Ash Green Sports Pavilion New Ash Green, Kent 9th Old Dunstonians St. Dunstan's Lane Beckenham, London Relegated from Counties 2 Kent Old Gravesendians Fleetway Sports Ground Gravesend, Kent Promoted from Counties 4 Kent (3rd) Sittingbourne Gore Court Cricket Club Sittingbourne, Kent 4th Tonbridge Juddians II The Slade 1,500 Tonbridge, Kent 3rd Tunbridge Wells II St Marks Recreation Ground 3,000 Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent 5th Whitstable Reeves Way Chestfield, Kent 6th
Teams for 2023–24
Departing were Dartford Valley and Medway II, both promoted to Counties 2 Kent. King's College Hospital (9th) and Footscray (10th) were relegated to Counties 4 Kent.
Joining were Hastings & Bexhill relegated from Counties 2 Kent together with Sittingbourne promoted from Counties 4 Kent and Tonbridge Juddians III who upon joining this league were rebranded as Tonbridge Juddians II.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Faversham Recreation Ground Faversham, Kent 5th Gravesend II Rectory Field Gravesend, Kent 8th Hastings & Bexhill William Parker Lower School Hastings, East Sussex Relegated from Counties 2 Kent New Ash Green New Ash Green Sports Pavilion New Ash Green, Kent 7th Old Alleynians II The Common Dulwich, London 4th Old Elthamians Hospital Ground Chislehurst, London 3rd Sittingbourne Gore Court Cricket Club Sittingbourne, Kent Promoted from Counties 4 Kent (runners-up) Tonbridge Juddians II The Slade 1,500 Tonbridge, Kent Promoted from Counties 4 Kent (champions) Tunbridge Wells II St Marks Recreation Ground 3,000 Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent New entry Whitstable Reeves Way Chestfield, Kent 6th
Teams for 2022–23
This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review with the league adopting its new name of Counties 3 Kent.
Returning were 4 of the 9 teams who competed in the previous season's league.
Departing were Hastings & Bexhill and Park House, both promoted to Counties 2 Kent. Old Williamsonians (3rd), Cliffe Crusaders (7th), Brockleians (9th) dropped to Counties 4 Kent.
Joining were Dartford Valley and Whitstable, promoted from Kent 2. New to the league were Gravesend II, Old Elthamians, Old Alleynians II and Medway II.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Dartford Valley Leigh Academy Dartford, Kent Promoted from Kent 2 (champions) Faversham Recreation Ground Faversham, Kent 5th Footscray Footscray Playing Fields New Eltham, London 8th Gravesend II Rectory Field Gravesend, Kent New entry King's College Hospital Dulwich Sports Ground Dulwich, London 6th Medway II Priestfields Rochester, Kent New entry New Ash Green New Ash Green Sports Pavilion New Ash Green, Kent 4th Old Alleynians II The Common Dulwich, London New entry Old Elthamians Hospital Ground Chislehurst, London New entry Whitstable Reeves Way Chestfield, Kent Promoted from Kent 2 (runners-up)
Participating clubs 2021–22
The teams competing in 2021-22 achieved their places in the league based on performances in 2019–20, the 'previous season' column in the table below refers to that season not 2020–21.
Despite finishing 7th in season 2019–20, HSBC did not return to the league for the current season.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Brockleians Civil Service Sports Ground Eltham, London Promoted from Kent 2 (champions) Cliffe Crusaders Recreation Ground Cliffe, Kent 6th Faversham Recreation Ground Faversham, Kent 5th Footscray Footscray Playing Fields New Eltham, London Promoted from Kent 2 (runners up) Hastings & Bexhill William Parker Lower School Hastings, East Sussex 4th King's College Hospital Dulwich Sports Ground Dulwich, London 3rd New Ash Green New Ash Green Sports Pavilion New Ash Green, Kent 8th Old Williamsonians Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School Rochester, Kent Relegated from London 3 SE (12th) Park House Barnet Wood Road Hayes, London Relegated from London 3 SE (11th)
Season 2020–21
On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced that due to the coronavirus pandemic a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning Kent 1 was not contested.
Participating clubs 2019–20
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Cliffe Crusaders Recreation Ground Cliffe, Kent Promoted from Kent 2 (champions) Cranbrook Tomlin Ground Cranbrook, Kent 4th Faversham Recreation Ground Faversham, Kent Promoted from Kent 2 (runners up) Hastings & Bexhill William Parker Lower School Hastings, East Sussex Relegated from London 3 SE (10th) HSBC HSBC Sports Ground Beckenham, London 6th King's College Hospital Dulwich Sports Ground Dulwich, London 7th New Ash Green New Ash Green Sports Pavilion New Ash Green, Kent 9th Old Gravesendians Fleetway Sports Ground Gravesend, Kent 5th Southwark Lancers Burgess Park Camberwell, London 3rd Whitstable Reeves Way Chestfield, Kent 8th
Participating clubs 2018–19
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Ashford Kinney's Field Ashford, Kent 11th (not relegated) Cranbrook Tomlin Ground Cranbrook, Kent 5th Footscray Footscray Playing Fields New Eltham, London Promoted from Kent 2 (runners up) Gillingham Anchorians Darland Banks Gillingham, Kent 4th HSBC HSBC Sports Ground Beckenham, London 7th King's College Hospital Dulwich Sports Ground Dulwich, London 3rd New Ash Green New Ash Green Sports Pavilion New Ash Green, Kent 11th Old Gravesendians Fleetway Sports Ground Gravesend, Kent 9th Sheppey Stupple Field Minster, Kent Relegated from London 3 SE (11th) Southwark Lancers Burgess Park Camberwell, London 10th Whitstable Reeves Way Chestfield, Kent Promoted from Kent 2 (champions)
Participating clubs 2017–18
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Ashford Kinney's Field Ashford, Kent Relegated from London 3 South East (12th) Beccehamian Sparrow's Den West Wickham, London 4th Cranbrook Tomlin Ground Cranbrook, Kent 3rd Gillingham Anchorians Darland Banks Gillingham, Kent Relegated from London 3 South East (10th) HSBC HSBC Sports Ground Beckenham, London 5th King's College Hospital Dulwich Sports Ground Dulwich, London 6th New Ash Green New Ash Green Sports Pavilion New Ash Green, Kent 9th Old Gravesendians Fleetway Sports Ground Gravesend, Kent Promoted from Kent 2 (champions) Royal Bank of Scotland Goals Beckenham Beckenham, London Promoted from Kent 2 (runners up) Sittingbourne Gore Court Cricket Club Sittingbourne, Kent 10th Southwark Lancers Burgess Park Camberwell, London 7th Vigo Swanswood Field Vigo, Kent 8th
Participating clubs 2016–17 Beccehamaian Brockleians Hastings & Bexhill HSBC King's College Hospital Lordswood New Ash Green Old Gravesendians Sittingbourne (promoted from Kent 2) Southwark Lancers Snowdon C.W. (promoted from Kent 2) Vigo
Participating clubs 2015–16 Beccehamaian Brockleians (promoted from Kent 2) Hastings & Bexhill (relegated from London 3 South East) HSBC King's College Hospital Lordswood New Ash Green (promoted from Kent 2) Old Gravesendians Old Williamsonians Sheppey Southwark Lancers Vigo
Participating clubs 2014–15 Beccehamian (relegated from London 3 South East) Bexley (promoted from Kent 2) Cranbrook HSBC King's College Hospital Lordswood Old Gravesendians Old Williamsonians Sheppey (relegated from London 3 South East) Sittingbourne Southwark Lancers Vigo
Participating clubs 2010–11 Ashford Beccehamian Cranbrook Dartfordians Erith Gillingham Anchorians. Guys' Kings' & St Thomas' Hospital Hastings and Bexhill HSBC New Ash Green Old Gravesendians Shooters Hill Sittingbourne Vigo Whitstable
Original teams
When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
Bromley Charlton Park Erith Medway NatWest Bank Old Elthamians Old Shootershillians Park House Sevenoaks Thanet Wanderers Tonbridge
Kent 1 honours
Kent 1 (1987–1993)
The original Kent 1 was a tier 8 league with promotion up to London 3 South East and relegation down to Kent 2.
Kent 1SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams1987–88 11 Charlton Park Erith Old Shootershillians, NatWest Bank, Sevenoaks 1988–89 11 Gillingham Anchorians Betteshanger Old Elthamians, Tonbridge 1989–90 11 Park House Medway Canterbury, Dover 1990–91 11 Thanet Wanderers Medway Met Police Hayes, Dover, Snowdown C.W.1991–92 11 Erith Gillingham Anchorians No relegation1992–93 13 Canterbury Sevenoaks Sittingbourne, Tonbridge Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Kent 1 (1993–1996)
The creation of National 5 South meant that Kent 1 dropped from a tier 8 league to a tier 9 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion and relegation continued to London 3 South East and Kent 2 respectively.