United Kingdom | The Travel Lady In Her Shoes

Old Scotney Castle in the Daylight!

The Ruins of Old Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent, UK

As promised, today we’ll walk the grounds of Old Scotney Castle! Can you recognize the pictures I created for the Haunted Scotney Castle blog, from the daytime pictures?

First, the aerial view so you get an idea of the ruins of the old castle and the gardens.

Aerial View of Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent, UK

Then we’ll walk down to the ruins that sit at the bottom of the hill to get a closer look! Click on any of the pictures to enlarge them!

The Walk Down the Hill from New Scotney Castle to Old Scotney Castle

The Walk Down the Hill from New Scotney to Old Scotney

The Walk Down the Hill from New Scotney Castle to Old Scotney Castle

The Walk Down the Hill from New Scotney to Old Scotney

The Walk Down the Hill from New Scotney Castle to Old Scotney Castle

The Ruins of Old Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent, UK

The Walk Down the Hill from New Scotney Castle to Old Scotney Castle

Then the gardens…………..

The Gardens at Old Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent, UK

Then the ruins……… up close and personal!

The Ruins of Old Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent, UK

And the haunted entry and bath in the daylight!

One of the Remaining Dorrways at Old Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent, UK

One of the Remaining Doorways at Old Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent, UKA

The Bath at Old Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent, UK

Tomorrow we’ll be at the New Scotney Castle! Back up the hill we go! See you there!

New Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent, UK

Old Scotney Castle and the Hauntings, Lamberhurst, Kent, UK

Old Scotney Castle in Dusk, Lamberhurst, UK

Old Scotney Castle in Dusk, Lamberhurst, Kent, UK

There are actually two castles at Scotney Castle, near the settlement of Lamberhurst, in Kent; the Old Castle and the New Castle. Today the property is owned by The National Trust, so we had a chance to visit the Scotney property on my “English Garden Tour.” We will walk first, down the hill to the ruins of the featured medieval, moated manor on a small island, on a small lake; Old Scotney Castle. The lake is surrounded by a sloping wooded garden with collections of rhododendrons, azaleas, wisteria and roses. The ruins of the castle, gardens, moat and lake are beautiful in the bright sunlight of day. But, what do they look like at night?

Since we are nearing Halloween I thought I would look and see if any of the castles or estates we visited were indeed haunted.

So lets sit by the crackling fire with our cup of ale, and let the night play tricks on our mind. The country side is crisp and the early mornings bring a swirling marsh mist, but as dusk falls nature comes alive and the senses are heightened! Pray tell us! What went on at the Old Scotney Castle?

This is what I learned………… about the ghosts at Scotney Castle.

In 1137 the owner of the estate was Lambert de Scoteni. The family name gave the castle it’s title. (Hence Scotney Castle)

In 1259 Walter de Scoteni was persuaded by William de Valence to give poison to the Earl of Gloucester and his friends, when they dined at a banquet at the manor of the Earl of Gloucester’s. Many people died, however the Earl escaped death, but did lose his hair, teeth and fingernails! Walter de Scoteni was hanged, and some say his ghost walks the castle remains, where eerie whisperings and ghostly footsteps are heard.

In 1378 Roger Ashburnham built a castle, the construction being roughly a rectangular fortified manor house with towers in each corner, designed to withstand attacks by the French on English towns in the south of England. Eventually, the castle became the ancestry home of the Darrell family.

Catholicism was illegal in the 16th century. Thomas Darrell added “priest holes” to the castle to be used for hiding priests fleeing capture. Father Richard Blount, a Jesuit missionary and the family priest at the castle from 1591 to 1598, conducted secret services for the Catholics in Kent. At Christmas in 1598, Father Blount’s presence was betrayed. The authorities took up residence in the castle and conducted rigorous searches of the manor and property. During a terrible storm, and with help from the servants, Father Blount escaped his hiding place and jumped into the moat. He was never caught. Is the ghostly figure…..dripping wet…..that of Father Blount returning to the castle to dry off and carry on with his services?

In the 18th century Arthur Darrell lived in the castle and was a smuggler. Some say he killed a revenue collector and threw his corpse in the moat around the castle. Darrell fled the country and died abroad. In 1720 his body was returned to the estate for burial. It is said that as the coffin was lowered into the ground a tall stranger in a black cloak whispered, “That is not me they think they are burying.” The stranger was never seen again. Did Arthur Darrell fake his own death so he could continue smuggling? Ever since that moment people have described seeing the ghost of the revenue collector rise from the murky depths of the moat, covered in weeds, and taking to a pathway which leads to the front door of the old castle. He is said to bang on the door seeking the long gone spirit of Arthur Darrell.

One of the Doors to the Old Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent, UK

In 1924, Darrell’s iron studded coffin in the Scotney Chapel at St Mary’s Church in Lamberhurst, was opened by the sexton. The coffin was filled with rocks! That discovery fueled the story of tax collector ghost at Scotney Castle!

Today the ruins are closed off to the public after teatime. I for one am glad! So taking liberty with some of my pictures of the castle, I have created their ghostly look at dusk. Let’s have another cup of ale! Could Walter Scoteni, Father Blount and Authur Darrell be banging on the door to get inside to take a bath? That’s was all I found inside the castle’s ruins!

Inside Old Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent, UK

See you tomorrow in the gardens and castle grounds on a bright summer day! You will see how beautiful the Old Castle and grounds really are! In the daytime! Enjoy!

Old Scotney Castle, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK

We’re off to Scotney Castle, home of Edward Hussey III. What will we find here? More to follow from the castle! See you there!

Scotney Castle, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK

Charleston Farmhouse, Home of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant

Charleston Farmhouse, Sussex, UK

Charleston Farmhouse, Sussex, UK

Charleston Farmhouse, the home of Vanessa Stephen Bell, (Virginia Woolf’s sister) is about six miles from Monk’s House, (Virginia Woolf’s home) as the the crow flies. The farmhouse sits in a big open field, down a long narrow road, in the middle of no where.

This is what I learned……..

In 1916, Charleston Farmhouse was rented by Vanessa Bell, and Duncan Grant, under the terms of his exemption from the military as a conscientious objector. He and his lover, David Garnett, were employed at a nearby farm and lived at Charleston with Vanessa Bell. Vanessa Bell was married at the time to Clive Bell and would remain so all her life. Their unconventional household became the meeting place for the Bloomsbury Group, a group of writers, artists and intellectuals who had formed from the Apostles group at Cambridge. Vanessa’s and Duncan’s decorative style, made up of squares, circles, and triangles, were featured throughout the farmhouse on every wall, ceiling and piece of furniture! People came and went over the years but the farmhouse was lived in by Vanessa and Duncan for sixty years. Vanessa stated, “it will be an odd life, but……. it ought to be good for painting.” The Bloomsbury members came here to relax and have fun. It was said the group lived in squares, painted in circles, and loved in triangles. To me their life was very complicated. To them they lived a bohemian life, and felt anything was OK as long as it didn’t hurt anybody. I’m not sure you can live that life without hurting somebody. Just my thoughts, I tend to be starchy.

There is no picture taking allowed inside Charleston Farmhouse and only a small group is allowed in at any one time with a well versed guide. You must make a reservation or risk not getting in or having to wait. The rooms show a complete example of the decorative art of the Bloomsbury artists: murals, ceramics, paintings, textiles and objects from their Omega Workshops. Vanessa’s room was painted by Duncan, Vanessa’s lover. (a triangle between her, Duncan and David Garnett) He painted a huge red dog above her bed, to always protect her, and she painted his room in delicate pastel circles, squares, and flowers. There are lots of bedrooms in the farmhouse and what struck me the most were the various ceramic numbers above the doorway representing a specific room. For some reason it reminded me of something you would find in a bordello. Maybe because the guide kept reminding us of all the people who came and went and their various activities there. They did more than paint, write, or talk. The farmhouse was interesting and different and the garden was beautiful. It is now owned by the Charleston Trust, a charity set up in 1980 to restore and maintain the property. Every May there is the Charleston Festival, which draws artists and writers alike to promote the arts. For more information about the Charleston Farmhouse see here. There were several very knowledgable artists among our tour group and artists could be found painting or sketching in the garden while we were there, so it is still an artists’ hangout. Let’s walk through the garden!

Click on any image for a larger look!

Charleston Farmhouse, Sussex, UK

Charleston Farmhouse Garden, Sussex, UK

Charleston Farmhouse, Sussex, UK

Charleston Farmhouse Garden, Sussex, UK

The Pond at Charleston Farmhouse, Sussex, UK

Charleston Farmhouse Garden, Sussex, UK

While visiting Charleston, I bought a book at the gift shop, called, Vanessa and Her Sister, by Priya Parmar, which enlightened me further on the Bloomsbury Group, Vanessa Bell, and Virginia Woolf. Their lives were anything, but conventional. I won’t go into ALL the details, but it was a very good read! The group had ten or so core members, the males, all educated at Trinity or Kings College of Cambridge, and were called the Apostles. Vanessa and Virginia’s brother, Thoby, was friends with the Apostles and this is how they came to meeting at the Stephens home in Bloomsbury, a neighborhood in London, in which Vanessa and Virginia, the only women, were included. Here is the Bloomsbury Group.

Clive Bell, art critic, Vanessa Bell’s eventual husband.

E.M Forster, fiction writer.

Roger Fry, art critic and post impressionist painter. (Had a passionate affair with Vanessa Bell)

John Maynard Keynes, economist. (Had an affair with Duncan Grant, but married Russian ballet dancer, Lydia Lopokova, and eventually lived close to Charleston Farmhouse.

Desmond McCarthy, literary journalist.

Lytton Strachey, biographer, who was Virginia Woolf’s fiancé for one day. He was a homosexual and in love with his cousin, Duncan Grant.

Leonard Woolf, essayist and non-fiction writer, who married Virginia Stephen.

Thoby Stephen, brother of Virginia and Vanessa, who brought all these men home for dinner and their weekly meetings in Bloomsbury.

Virginia Woolf, fiction writer, essayist and publisher.

Vanessa Bell, post-impressionist painter, started Friday painting club, an addition to the Thursday night intellectual meetings.

Duncan Grant, post-impressionist painter and Vanessa’s lover. He was also the father of Vanessa’s only daughter. He also had many homosexual affairs. What a triangle this was! There was a lot going on with them, read the book!

Were they a group of rich spoiled kids, who did what they wanted, come what may? Or were they trying to change the world? They had grown up in a strict victorian society, and then the great war and the loss of so many men changed the lives of all English men and women forever. Women were no longer confined to the home and women’s rights were taking front and center stage. Men and women did not want to return to service for the affluent. The affluent could no longer manage their large estates and homes. So times were changing! Were the Bloomsburys just caught up in this new way of life? Were they the survivors? You can draw your own conclusions. Next we’ll explore the lives of the maids and housekeepers that took care of Virginia and Vanessa! After I had explored the Bloomsburys, I wanted to know about the other side of that coin! See you next time in the kitchen!

One of my Favorites in the Charleston Farmhouse Garden, Sussex, UK

The Village of Rodmell, Sussex, UK

The Abergavenny Arms Pub, Rodmell, Sussex UK

In the last several posts I have been writing about Virginia Woolf and her country retreat, Monks House, situated in Rodmell. I am fascinated with small English villages and the people that live in them. Rodmell proved to be one of the smallest, population 250. The Lewes to Newhaven Road twists and turns and upon reaching the Abergavenny Arms Pub, you turn onto a smaller paved road and follow it until it dead ends at Mill Lane, where the parking spaces are for Monk’s House. It was an easy walk through the one lane village of about twenty homes to reach the pub after our visit to the gardens and cottage. However, I was in for a bigger surprise.

The Sign to Monk’s House, Rodmekll, Sussex, UK

This is what I learned………….

The small village of Rodmell, which can be translated from Old English meaning, place with red soil, has been here before the time of the Norman Conquest, when it was held by Harold II. Located along the River Ouse, the village was an important crossing point between the South Downs way and the Roman road to the port of Newhaven, having a cross channel route to Dieppe in France. The springs in Rodmell made it the perfect place for people to live because there was water here. The original village well is located inside the Abergavenny Arms Pub. So the pub truly was the original “watering hole!”

Abergavenny Pub, Rodmell, Sussex, UK

In 1085, the Doomsday Book noted there was a church in Rodmell, which was granted to Lewes Priory by William de Warenne, Second Earl of Surrey. This early Norman church is dedicated to St Peter. The font is believed to be Saxon predating the church itself. People have been inhabiting this area for a long time. But the most extraordinary find for me, was the name William de Warenne. That name rang a bell. So upon searching my ancestry files, another passion I follow and update regularly, I located William de Warenne. He is my 27th great grandfather! So strolling this small village which has remained unchanged for several centuries was particularly interesting to me!

Let’s admire the village on the way to the pub!

Rodmell, Sussex, UK

Rodmell, Sussex, UK

In 1439 Rodmell Manor was owned by the Bergavennys, hence the name Abergavenny Arms Pub. For more information about the Pub look here.

In the 1600’s Monk’s House was built as a row of a small cottages.

In 1810, a milling family (The Glazebrooks) moved into Monk’s House and the three or four other small cottages on the property were used for agricultural laborers. The Glazebrooks lived at Monk’s House for the next sixty years. The Mill was on the hillside just on the other side of the pub, and was sold in 1876. There was also a blacksmith at this junction. So we’ll whet our whistle at the pub since we’ve had another fine day in the UK! We’ll start afresh with the Charleston House, home of Vanessa Bell (Virginia Woolf’s sister), and learn about the Bloomsbury Group! See you then!

The Flowers of Rodmell, Sussex, UK

The National Trust: The Garden at Virginia Woolf’s Monk’s House

The Garden at Monk’s House, Rodmell, UK

In letters to friends Virginia said, “ The point of Monks House is the garden. I shan’t tell you, for you must come and sit there on the lawn with me, or stroll in the apple orchard, or pick—-there are cherries, plums, pears, figs, together with all the vegetables. This is going to be the pride of our hearts I warn you.”

The Greenhouse, Monk’s House, Rodmell, UK

The Chalkboard Sign of Diary Quotes, Virginia, Woolf

Many of the details of day to day life found in Virginia’s diary include the gardens. (Note the writing from her diary displayed on the chalkboard in front of the glasshouse that is being reconstructed in the yard.)

By 1928, after expanding their plot Virginia felt they had really started to “dig in.”

The Garden at Monk’s House, Rodmell, UK

So the Woolfs spent their days comfortably, with Virginia writing in her room or in the lodge, and entertaining many of their Bloomsbury friends, while Leonard became an expert gardener. Virginia often commented the garden was the third person in their marriage. For Leonard tending and developing the garden was totally absorbing. Virginia found peace and tranquility in the garden which helped her mental state of mind, and walking to her lodge every morning was part of her creative routine.

The Vegetable Garden at Monk’s House, Rodmell, UK

The vegetable garden was so productive, that when the Woolfs were in London they would have a hamper sent to them every week to keep them supplied. The excess produce was sent to the Women’s Institute market. Home Fires on BBC’s Masterpiece Theatre is a good start to learning about the Women’s Institute and a very good movie about how one of the women’s group chose to raise money is portrayed in Calendar Girls. It is one of my favorite movies!

The Italian Garden, Monks House, Rodmell, UK

In 1933, following the publication of Flush (Virginia’s biography of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s cocker spaniel named Flush) they were able to make additions to their garden. Upon returning from a trip to Tuscany in the same year, work started on an Italian garden by adding plants, pavings and walkways to various parts of the garden. Virginia’s contribution was to buy pots, urns, and a statue.

Eventually as the garden grew Leonard employed a gardener, Percy Bartholomew, who would live in one of the cottages near the property that the Woolfs had bought when they purchased Monk’s House. Although their garden was small and unpretentious compared to that of some of their friends, notably Vita Sackville-West, the delightfully small, informal garden is what made it so special. Leonard was so engrossed in gardening that in 1941 he founded the Rodmell Horticultural Society. I wondered if it included everyone in the village, because it is a very small place! Maybe it was his Bloomsbury Group! Next we”ll explore the village of Rodmell so you can see for yourselves! See you there!

The National Trust: Monk’s House; Home of Virginia Woolf

The Lane to Monk’s House, Rodmell, Sussex, UK

Parking at the end of a narrow country lane in Rodmell, Sussex, we walked to the National Trust Property of Monk’s House, the country cottage that was the home of Leonard and Virginia Woolf from 1919 until her death in 1941. There are few houses on this country lane and it is quiet and peaceful. That is the exact reason it was purchased in the first place. During WWI Virginia lived in nearby Firle to escape the hubbub of London, and the war, and to diminish the anxiety and depressive episodes that she experienced when stressed. Following the war she and Leonard bought Monk’s House and lived there a good part of the year, as Leonard thought it was better for her health.

This is what I learned……….

Unlike other homes we have visited on The National Trust, Monk’s House is a small unpretentious home, that anyone could have lived in. I would have loved to have lived in this house! It is not too big, but cozy, and the interior is a time capsule of the 1930’s. You get the feeling Virginia is waiting to greet you at the door! The house itself is a timber framed, but weather boarded house, that originally had a Sussex stone roof, but now is slate.

The front of the house faces the garden, the back is to the street, as we see here. Let’s go in the gate!

The Entrance to Monk’s House, Rodmell, Sussex, UK

Sign at Monk’s House, Rodmell, Sussex, UK

Monk’s House, Rodmell, Sussex, UK

Previously renting an old roundhouse windmill, Virginia and Leonard saw the advertisement for the auction of Monk’s House, which included three other small cottages and a 3/4 acre garden. Spread out on the lawn, during the auction, were the provisions and paintings from the previous owners, the Glazebrook family. The Woolfs bought the property and three primitive paintings for 700 pounds. Another draw to the house was the fact that Virginia’s sister, Vanessa, had bought the farmhouse, Charleston, just a few miles away, where she and several members of the Bloomsbury Group had settled to entertain and paint.

The house was derelict when they moved in…… no electricity, no running water and no inside toilets, just a earth closet in the garden. I wasn’t sure what an earth closet was so I have included a picture here with instructions!

Slowly, as finances improved they updated the house adding bathrooms, which included an inside toilet in 1926, and a kitchen. The two bathrooms were paid for from Virginia’s earnings from Mrs. Dalloway and she often said when she was going to the toilet that she was going to see Mrs. Dalloway! By 1929 with the earnings from their Hogarth press business, (remember Virginia was printing and hand binding books for therapy), they decided to add a two story extension, which included “a room of one’s own.” The sitting room was moved upstairs because the view of the garden and South Downs was beautiful and Virginia used the downstairs room as her bedroom. The only way in and out of her bedroom was via a door to the garden. Leonard slept at the opposite room of the house and every morning brought Virginia her coffee in bed.

Virginia’s Room of her Own, Monk’s House, Sussex, UK

The lower to door is to the kitchen of the main house and used to be a shed!

The Kitchen Entrance at Monk’s House, Rodmell, UK

A Room of One's Own, Monks House, Rodmell, Sussex, UK

A Room of One’s Own, Monk’s House, Rodmell, UK

Virginia’s Bedroom, Monk’s House, Rodmell, UK

Virginia’s favorite color was viridian green! Her friends and family thought it horrid!

The Sitting Room, Monk’s House, Rodmell, UK

The Dining Room, Monk’s House, Rodmell, UK

The Kitchen, Monk’s House, Rodmell, UK

More property was added so they could have an unobstructed view of the South Downs, and a writing lodge was tucked into the orchard garden for a retreat for Virginia.

The South Downs, Monk’s House, Rodmell, UK

Virginia’s Writing Lodge, Monk’s House, Rodmell, UK

Virginia's Bedroom Writing Area, Monks House, Rodmell, UK

Virginia’s Lodge Writing Area, Monks House, Rodmell, UK

Behind the back garden wall sits St Peter’s Church, which I thought made the grounds very peaceful and serene. The garden was Virginia’s source of inspiration.

St Peter’s Church, Rodmell, UK

A View of St Peters Church, from the Garden at Monks House, Rodmell, UK

By 1939 the Woolfs were living full time at Monks House to escape the bombing in London. Their home in Bloomsbury was destroyed. The peace was shattered for Virginia when German bombers flew low, almost daily, over Sussex on their way to bomb London. Her brother provided both of them with lethal doses of morphine in case the Germans invaded. During this time they were both nervous because Leonard was Jewish and Virginia was listed in Hitler’s black book. The anxiety took its toll and Virginia committed suicide by filling her pockets with rocks and drowning herself in the nearby Ouse River. She left two suicide notes, one for Leonard and one for her sister, Vanessa. Her ashes were scattered unceremoniously under an Elm tree in the backyard.

Leonard lived at Monks House for 50 years and died there in 1969, at the age of 88. He left the cottage and property to his friend Trekkie Ritchee Parsons, who really didn’t know what to do with it and so passed it to the University of Sussex. The university sold off the 4000 books and rented the house to visiting lecturers. Eventually it was too much for them and they gave the house to The National Trust in 1980. A sizable sum of money was raised by Quentin and Angelica Bell (Virginia’s surviving nephew and niece; children of Vanessa) for the upkeep. Quentin was at this time a Professor of Fine Art and History of Ceramics at the University of Sussex. Together they helped to restore the house to 90% of how it was in Leonard’s and Virginia’s time there. We were able to explore four of the rooms of the cottage, the rest of the house is cordoned off for the resident caretaker. There are guides in each room who can explain all the artifacts and what they meant to the family. It was a joy to visit and next we’ll explore the garden at Monk’s House! See you there!

Virginia and Leonard Woolf, Monk’s House, Rodmell, UK

A Girl’s Gotta Eat: Pubs on “My English Garden Tour”

The Three Chimneys, Biddenden, Kent, UK

Three Chimneys Pub, Biddenden, Kent, UK

Near Sissinghurst Castle is a “not to be missed” pub called The Three Chimneys Freehouse. Located at the intersection of three country roads, the outside is much as it was hundreds of years ago. During the Seven Year’s War (1756-1763) some of the three thousand French prisoners at Sissinghurst Castle, who were placed on parole, were allowed as far as the pub. At the time the locals called the pub “The Three Wents,” or three ways, referring to the three paths that led there, but the prisoners called it Les Trois Chemins ( The Three Paths). Did the locals think the French were saying three chimneys or did that name refer to the chimneys on the pub? Or could it be the three chimneys at the three paths? The sign at the pub reflects the paths part of it’s past. See the particulars about The Three Chimneys Freehouse here.

The Three Chimneys is dated 1420 and the half timbered structure remained the same for 500 years. At that time it was a simple country ale house. Although The Three Chimneys has never lost it’s character there are now several eating areas within the pub, the newest being the seating area overlooking the gardens. There is lots of history to be gleaned here and I particularly liked the story of the last man who died here. Needless to say, there no longer is a pond outside.

Here was our appetizer at the Three Chimneys Pub; a mushroom and cheese dish for two. A GIANT field mushroom with carmelized red onions was drizzled in balsamic and topped with a grilled soft goat cheese! Delicious!!!!

Three Chimneys Pub, Biddenden, Kent, UK

To our delight the country pub has been recruiting great chef’s! The food offered in the neighborhood pub would make Jamie Oliver proud. The freshest local ingredients and creative food choices has definitely added to the charisma of the local pub. The atmosphere of the English Pub is what draws us to the pub in the first place. Sitting at a wooden table by the fireplace, cozy in a low ceilinged, small room, reminds us of days gone by. In the pub you are part of the community; catching up on news, celebrating events, just enjoying life! Today the locals are visiting the pubs like they have always done, although the pubs are now non-smoking and serving much more than the local ales. There are not as many pubs in town as there used to be due to the stiffer drinking laws, so the surviving pub needs to present it’s best. We were not disappointed in our choices and these two pubs were some of our favorites!

Tenterden, our “base camp” for our “Tour of English Gardens” was a thriving, busy, market town with the widest streets by far! Here one could find all the amenities and fine shopping one desired. Parking is at a premium here and an oddity for us was paying to park while shopping at the grocery store. It was, however, the largest parking lot in town and others would have parked there whether grocery shopping or not so I understand the meter business. We learned all about the meter system too! Every country is so different! Here you place part of the numbers of your car license plate into the meter machine along with your money at a localized spot! Voila!

Tenderden Town Sign, Tenderden, UK

Our favorite pub, “The Wooley”, in Tenderden was at The Woolpack, a 15th century hotel that has just undergone re-furbishment and new management. Located on High Street, in the heart of Tenderden, we had THE BEST cheese and mushroom hors d’oeuvre. It turned out to be a warm, thick, creamed, cheese soup with whole mushrooms in it and was served with a loaf of warm french bread! Need I say more! Delicious!!!! Be sure to check out the local pubs when visiting the U.K. You won’t be disappointed!

“The Wooley” at the Woolpack Hotel, Tenterden, Kent, UK

“The Wooley” at the Woolpack Hotel, Tenterden, Kent, UK

The Mushroom Cheese Hors' d-eovre, The Wolley, Tenterden, Kent, UK

The Mushroom Cheese Hors d’oeuvre, The Wolley, Tenterden, Kent, UK

Man’s best friend comes here too!

“The Wooley” at the Woolpack Hotel, Tenterden, Kent, UK

The National Trust: Sissinghurst Gardens, Cranbrook, Kent, UK

Sissinghurst Gardens, Cranbrook, Kent, UK

The Prospect Tower at Sissinghurst Gardens, Cranbrook, Kent, UK

As we learned previously, the property at Sissinghurst was already, for the most part demolished, or in need of much repair, by the time Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicholson bought the property in the 1930’s. That is why it looked so strange to me just to see a tower in the middle of the yard! You had to know that at one time there was a much larger castle and courtyards that surrounded the turret towers to fully appreciate what the grounds had looked like at this time. (See my 1770’s picture of Sissinghurst Castle in my previous post to get the picture.) That picture also reminded me of Knole, the childhood home of Vita. Did Vita want this property because it reminded her of Knole? Would Sissinghurst make up for the loss of Knole? I think so, in my opinion. And then came the gardens……

Sissinghurst Gardens, Cranbrook, Kent, UK

The Sissinghurst Garden Map

Chalkboard of Today’s Events in the Sissinghurst Gardens, Kent, UK

What I learned about the Sissinghurst Gardens………

Vita, who became in her own words, “a damned outmoded poet”, turned to writing weekly garden columns for The Observer, which in turn made her garden famous. By 1938, her friends and gardeners were flocking to see the gardens and what the Nicolson’s were accomplishing. Vita, began to charge one shilling to see the garden. Today as you enter the gardens you are given a wooden shilling to present to the gatekeeper to keep the tradition alive. First, let’s walk through the White Garden!

The White Garden, Sissinghurst, Kent, UK

Entering the White Garden, Sissingurst Gardens, Kent, UK

The White Garden, Sissinghurst, Kent, UK

After WWII their attention returned to developing the garden and when Head Gardener, Jack Vass, returned from the war in 1948, the idea of a White Garden became a firm plan. Vita’s rose garden was moved from the area of the Tower Lawn and the Priest House to the Rondel Garden. The late rose garden area would now feature a white, grey and green garden. “ I have what I hope will be a really lovely scheme for it: all white flowers, with clumps of very pale pink. White clematis, white lavender, white agapanthus, white double primroses, white anemones, white lilies”……

The White Garden, Sissinghurst, Kent, UK

Vita Sackville-West Quote

The White Garden, Sissinghurst, Kent, UK

Together, Vita and Harold, constructed a garden of connected “rooms” which would become a romantic substitute for Knole. Each room had a different character of color and theme, the walls being clipped hedges or pink brick. Nicholson spent his efforts designing new interconnecting garden walkways between Vita’s exciting flower interior of each room.

A Room With a View, Sissinghurst, Kent, UK

The Rondel Garden, Sissinghurst, Kent, UK

The Cottage Garden, Sissinghurst , Kent, UK

Vita’s thoughts on planting, “Why have one plant when you can have a hundred!” She loved to plant en masse!

The Cottage Garden, Sissinghurst , Kent, UK

A Connecting Walkway at Sissinghurst Garden, Kent UK

One of the hedges was being trimmed! What an upkeep that would be!

The Lime Walk, Sissinghurst, Kent, UK

The Orchard, Sissinghurst, Kent, UK

Walking to the Herb Garden, Sissinghurst, Kent, UK

Jack Vass was a skilled propagator and many of the seeds and cuttings came from all over the garden. Vita would only buy one plant and cuttings would be taken from that and many plants came from friends and other private gardens such as the garden at Hever Castle. In total the White Garden cost three pounds. Later there was the creation of the Thyme Lawns, and the Moat Walk, as her rose collection continued to grow. By 1953 there were 194 different roses grown at Sissinghurst. Vita’s take on the garden was to allow the garden to have a certain wildness about it which fitted her romantic and free nature. Her strength was in creating imaginative planting schemes and using color in stunning combinations.

Sissinghurst Garden, Cranbrook, Kent, UK

In 1967, The National Trust took over the garden, farm, and buildings. Today the garden is the epitome of an English garden and well cared for by eight gardeners and many National Trust volunteers. It is one of the most visited and loved gardens in England. I hope you have enjoyed the Gardens at Sissinghurst! It was one of my favorite gardens!

The National Trust: Sissinghurst Castle; Home of Vita Sackville-West

Sissinghurst Castle, Cranbrook, Kent, UK

Here looking at the main section of the house, the Long Library is to the left, and the Main House is to the right.

Sissinghurst Castle, Cranbrook, Kent, UK

From 1915 to 1930, Vita Sackville-West, poet, and her husband, Harold Nicholson, diplomat, lived at Long Barn in Sevenoaks, after the family had been forced to leave Knole, her family home, when Vita was not able to inherit the family estate because she was a woman.

In 1930 they bought the ruins and the farm around Sissinghurst Castle. The Nicolson’s must have had a good imagination and wanted something that would keep them busy for years, because Sissinghurst had had a long and colorful past, but by 1930 the buildings were all dilapidated and the grounds one massive field of weeds!

This is what I learned about Sissinghurst………

In 1235, the manor belonged to John de Saxingherste, a gentleman farmer. The house was protected by a moat, which provided the family with fish. This moat still exists on two sides of the orchard. By 1530 the manor was sold to John Baker of Cranbrook, a very wealthy man during the reign of King Henry VIII. The house was expanded and a entrance gateway was built. In 1560, son Richard, built a new house on the site around three courtyards with a Prospect Tower at the center. A smaller house to the north, known as the Priest’s House, was originally a banqueting house and later housed their priest.

Chateau de Sissinghurst, 1756-1763

By 1730 Sir John Baker died, leaving four daughters and as there were no men descendants left, the estate was sold to Horace Mann, who never lived there, but leased the property to the government to be used as a prison, during the Seven Year’s War. French Naval officers were housed in the tower and some of the graffiti of sailing ships, names, and dates still remain there. The three thousand prisoners referred to their prison as Chateau de Sissinghurst, and the name stuck. By the end of the war the sailors had destroyed the property; trashing, burning and looting the fine architectural details from fireplaces, doorways and windows.

In 1796, the parish of Cranbrook took over the lease, creating a poor house here where one hundred men were offered housing, employment and food. A devastating fire in the 1800’s destroyed the manor so badly that even the foundations of the house, that stood in the orchard, were picked up and carted away.

Here is a Map of the property after many years of work by the Nicholson’s. It gives you an idea of what was left on the property and how they mapped out the gardens. They lived in the smaller Priest House and the South Cottage, while re-building the remaining section of the gated wall, and set out to transform it into the beautiful house and garden it is today. In 1967 The National Trust took over Sissinghurst, the gardens, farm and buildings. Today it is one of the most popular manors owned by the National Trust. Tomorrow we’ll take a close up look at the gardens and how they developed over the years at Sissinghurst. Now let’s look at the buildings on the property of Sissinghurst Castle.

Prospect Tower at Sissinghurst Castle, Cranbrook, Kent, UK

The Tower became Vita’s “Room of Her Own”, where she went daily to write for three hours. The rest of the day was spent working in her gardens. Here are some views of her room and the views she had when writing.

Steps to the Tower, Sissinghurst, Castle, Cranbrook, Kent, UK

Prospect Tower, Sissinghurst, Castle, Cranbrook, Kent, UK

Prospect Tower, Sissinghurst Castle, Kent, UK

View from Prospect Tower, Sissinghurst Castle, Kent, UK

The rooftop shown in the picture above is the Priest’s House, now a B&B on the National Trust Property at Sissinghurst. Wouldn’t be great to stay in this garden?

View from Prospect Tower, Sissinghurst Castle, Kent, UK

Here is the South Cottage Farmhouse, another B&B on the property at Sissinghurst. It is a much larger property, in case you need more room!

View from Prospect Tower, Sissinghurst Castle, Kent, UK

Prospect Tower, Sissinghurst, Kent, UK

The Back of the Main House, Sissinghurst, Kent, UK

The Boat House along the Moat, Sissinghurst Castle, Kent, UK

Here are the Oasts, so we know this was a working farm!

The Oasts at Sissinghurst Castle, Kent, UK

Now these buildings make up the restaurant, gift shops and museum at Sissinghurst Castle.

The Gift Shop and Restaurant at Sissinghurst Castle, Kent, UK

Tomorrow we’ll explore the garden up close and personal and see the remarkable transition that took place and continues to do so in the Sissinghurst’s gardens. Vita and Harold had a definite plan for their new home! See you there!

The Gift Shop and Restaurant at Sissinghurst Castle, Kent, UK

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The National Trust: Sissinghurst Gardens, Cranbrook, Kent, UK

The National Trust: Sissinghurst Castle; Home of Vita Sackville-West

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