May 2012a

Since it is a long weekend, we decided to get out and go touristing!

Sat 05 May 2012

What we learned about Leeds castle is that Eleanor of Castille was the first, of a great line up of Queens of England, to own it in her own right. And when you see the very lovely little Spanish style garden in the heart of the old keep, you understand why it's so well beloved of the Ladies.

  

  

Before it got too late, we arrived at our B and B - the next two nights' stay is in a 15th century pilgrim's rest, in Chilham named Bagham Farm House. Our room's floor has a disconcerting slant downward and poor Steve had to duck through almost all the doors and a couple of hallways! The bed was a little bit short, but otherwise comfy enough, and our hostess Paula was exuberantly welcoming.

Having worked up an appetite walking about Leeds Castle (which BTW is nowhere near the city of Leeds) we enjoyed a very filling dinner at The Artichoke - a 15th century pub. Here's Steve digging into the first banana split he's had in about 20 years!

  

Sun 07 May 2012

This morning after a hearty breakfast, we headed out to Dover Castle. Thankfully the nearer the coast we were, the sunnier it got. This is the first time in three visits we could actually see the coast of France from Dover.

There are four main large rooms, which have been decorated in as "period" a manner as possible (the 1180's) from what the experts are able to gather.

   

  

Mon 08 May 2012

Our final day of holiday saw us head in to Canterbury to visit the famous great Cathedral where Saint Thomas a Becket met his end whilst praying at the high altar - a great medieval pilgrimage site.

   

Above: a candle burns to mark the spot where Saint Thomas a Becket was slain

Above: the tomb of The Black Prince.

   

 Afterwards Steve enjoyed driving us about the Kentish countryside, down through Tenterden, and we stopped into a 15th century pub a little East of Rye, called the Woolpack Inn. The scallops were excellent. Once again another place with low ceilings!

On our way back home to east London, we stopped by what seemed to be a fanciful Victorian home with a "sold" sign out the front, perhaps converted from an older church (as it had an accompanying graveyard - spooky!). Jen just had to get a picture of it, it's so kooky.

And so, its back to work for us both tomorrow....