MEMORIAL TO NOBODY Have you ever heard of a ‘Memorial to Nobody’? Well, that is exactly what we have at Knowlton (part of the parish of Goodnestone) here in Kent. Knowlton is what is known as one of ‘The Thankful Villages’ These are settlements (hamlets, or villages) in England and Wales, from which all their […]
The sun shone brightly, from blue skies, as the town of Sandwich, in Kent, proudly hosted 'Cinque Ports Speaker's Day' An annual event led by one of the Mayors of a 'Head Port' or 'Ancient Town' within the Confederation of the Cinque Ports. Let's discover what lies behind this tradition, these towns, and their place […]
Hidden away in picturesque Kentish countryside lies the small village of Barfreston, and the complete gem which is the Parish Church of St Nicholas. There is much here at which to marvel, but in this piece, I want to concentrate on the magnificent south doorway, and in particular, the Tympanum (the semi-circular decorative wall surface […]
Perhaps at school or college, you studied Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales? A collection of stories by Geoffrey Chaucer, written in Middle English in 1387–1400. The tales tell of a pilgrimage to the shrine of St Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, Kent. The 30 pilgrims who undertake the journey gather together at the Tabard Inn in […]
A lot of water, and not a little wine, has gone into the stock pot which holds my thoughts, impressions and memories since I first became a ‘foodie’ or, at least, took an interest in what was going on on my plate! Of course, things were a lot different back in the 60s, there had […]
When you suddenly find yourself with time to spend, away from the normal hustle and bustle of everyday life, your thoughts will probably turn to those interests which are always there, but which often spend a lot of time on the back-burner whilst you get on with the all important ‘bread and butter’ work which […]
A Smuggler’s Song If you wake at midnight, and hear a horse’s feet,Don’t go drawing back the blind, or looking in the street,Them that asks no questions isn’t told a lie.Watch the wall, my darling, while the Gentlemen go by! Five-and-twenty ponies, trotting through the dark—With brandy for the Parson and ‘baccy for the Clerk.Laces […]
Kent – The Garden of England Vineyards in Kent The county of Kent lies immediately south east of London and at its furthest south- easterly point is just 21 miles across the English Channel to neighbouring France. When the writer, Charles Dickens, spoke of Kent, in his first novel; “The Pickwick Papers”, he said “Kent, […]
Kent, in South East England, has one of the longest coastlines in the country, and being just 21 miles from France, in Dover, boasts a colourful maritime past. As well as being the Garden of England, which has long marched to the rhythm of the agricultural year, there is a rich legacy of cultural heritage […]
Watching StormErik pounding my garden reminded me of stories of a February day in 1287 when The Great Storm hit the coastline from Kent to East Sussex with such force that whole areas of coastline were changed for ever. Important ports that made their living from their vicinity to the sea found their harbours blocked […]
