Wealden Times | WT168 | February 2016 | Wedding supplement inside

PRICELESS 

FEBRUARY 2016 

Wealden Times 

The lifestyle magazine for the Weald 

WEDDING SUPPLEMENT inside 

Shop online with us 365 days a year at Wealdenfairs.com

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Designers and makers of handmade kitchens 

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Tel: 01732 762682 

81 Calverley Road 

Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2UY 

Tel: 01892 520730 

www.rencraft.co.uk

SALE NOW ON 

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Batick Brown & Brown, Batick Mole & Teak. While stocks last. Main image features the Opal recliner. 

ALL THIS FROM A FAMILY BUSINESS WITH OVER 100 YEARS' EXPERIENCE IN HOME FURNISHING - WHY NOT MAKE IT YOUR CHOICE TODAY?

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01227 457643 | www.heatdesignkent.co.uk 

www.wealdentimes.co.uk 

4 

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1 20/01/2016 17:40

Contents 

February 2016 

18 

42 

LET THERE BE LIGHT 

John Graham-Hart finds bright 

and beautiful properties 

95 

95 

WEDDING SUPPLEMENT 

Be enchanted and inspired 

by our wedding pages 

113 

104 

THE GREEN GODDESS 

Penny Kemp welcomes our 

feathered friends into the garden 

31 

IT’S FEBRUARY 

What’s going on near 

you this month 

97 

SCENTS & SENSUALITY 

Jo Fairley keeps us 

smelling sweet 

114 

WHAT’S ON 

Find out... 

42 

SEASIDE SALVATION 

Jennifer Stuart-Smith visits 

Belvidere Place – a coastal 

home and boutique B&B 

101 

WEALDEN HEALTH 

& BEAUTY 

Tips to keep you 

feeling gorgeous 

119 

COMPETITION 

Win an overnight stay and breakfast 

in the Maiden’s Tower at Leeds Castle 

67 

GET THE LOOK 

Fabulous home accessories 

from Wealdenfairs.com 

102 

HEALTHY MIND 

A focus on mental health 

119 

FABLES FROM THE FARM 

Jane Howard moves on from 

calving to lambing 

68 

74 

OLD MEETS NEW 

Building experts give us 

an insight into timberframed 

structures 

DESIGN PROJECT 

Jane Howard finds style 

and functionality in this 

interior designer’s home 

104 

109 

FOOD OF LOVE 

A romantic meal for 

two from Jo Arnell 

SWEET SMELL 

OF SUMMER 

Sue Wigham on one of the 

nation’s favourites flowers 

121 

INTRODUCING... 

Suzie Lee Knitwear 

Published by JPS Media Ltd, Kettle Chambers, 21 Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent. TN17 3HF. Tel: 01580 714705 Fax: 01580 715983. 

Email info@wealdentimes.co.uk. www.wealdentimes.co.uk copyright JPS Media Ltd 2016©. 

The views of the advertisers and contributors are not necessarily those of JPS Media Ltd. 

5 www.wealdentimes.co.uk

Available to purchase online visit 

Charthills.enjovia.net 

Mothering Sunday 

6th March 

£19.95 per person includes Three course meal 

Children under 12 dine for half price 

Mother’s day Afternoon Tea £14 per person 

Includes Full Afternoon tea 

Pre order a bottle or glass of bubbly upon booking 

Chart Hills Golf Club, Weeks Lane,Biddenden, Kent, TN27 8JX 

Tel: 01580 292222 opt 4 Email: Events@charthills.co.uk 

ChartHillsGolfClubWT168-HP.indd 1 12/01/2016 09:42 


6 

ChartHillsGolfClubWT168.indd 1 14/01/2016 15:12

The Property Ombudsman 

WT61922 

WT60898 

Leeds Excess £1,250,000 Biddenden Guide Price £1,050,000 

An exquisite Grade II• country house of immense atmosphere affording A sympathetically refurbished and extended Grade II listed country house • 

wonderful views • 3 Receptions • Kitchen/Breakfast Room • 5 Bedrooms • CSCA •No Onward Chain • 3 Receptions • Conservatory • Kitchen/Breakfast 

3 Bathrooms • Detached Home Office • Generous Garaging • Outbuilding • Room • Master Bedroom • 5 further Bedrooms • Bathroom • Garage • Tennis 

Gardens and Grounds of 1.8 acres 

Court • Outbuildings • 3.6 acres in all 

WT61177 

WT60234 

Marden Guide Price £715,000 Marden Excess £700,000 

A substantial family house amid beautiful landscaped grounds in a convenient A fine example of a Grade II listed attached barn and oast conversion in a 

location • CSCA • 4 Reception Rooms • Kitchen/Breakfast Room • Master rural setting • 2 Reception Rooms • Kitchen • Master Bedroom Suite with 

Bedroom Suite • 4 further Bedrooms (1 En Suite) • Bathroom • Garage/ Mezzanine Floor over • 3 further Bedrooms • Family Bathroom • Double 

Workshop • Landscaped Gardens of over 0.5 acres • EPC E 

Garage • Gardens of about 0.6 acres 

WT62751 

WT62782 

Sedlescombe Guide Price £550,000 Cranbrook Guide Price £250,000 

A deceptively spacious Grade II listed village house providing versatile living • Development Prospect • A tucked away plot providing a rare opportunity to 

space and income potential in the heart of the village• 5 Reception Rooms create a contemporary dwelling • CSCA • P. P. for Reception/Kitchen • Master 

• Kitchen/Breakfast Room • 6 Bedrooms • 4 Bathrooms • Integral Garage • Bedroom with En Suite • Bedroom 2 • Bedroom 3/Study • Family Bathroom 

Pretty Walled Garden 

• Garden • Off Road Parking 

coming 26 January 2015

HELPING YOU 

MOVE IN 2016 

If you are considering selling a 

property this year, now is the 

time to speak to an expert. 

We pride ourselves on exceptional 

service and unrivalled market 

knowledge, with a global network 

of 417 offices across 58 countries 

that can showcase your property 

to the widest possible audience. 

Call us today to arrange your 

free market appraisal. 

Guide price £1,850,000 

Brenchley 

A substantial Edwardian family house on the edge of a popular village 

Entrance lobby, dining hall, cloakroom, inner hall, cellar, kitchen / breakfast room, utility room, 

drawing room, sitting room, oak-framed garden room. Master bedroom with en suite shower 

room, 4 further bedrooms, family bathroom, shower room, study, office. Gardens and grounds. 

Paved terrace. Woodland. Tandem garage. Store room. Planning permission for ancillary 

accommodation. EPC rating E. In all about 6.37 acres. 

KnightFrank.co.uk/tunbridge-wells 

tunwells@knightfrank.com 

01892 310700 

@KF_TWells 

KnightFrank.co.uk 

Goudhurst 

A superb Grade II Listed country house with ancillary accommodation and beautiful grounds 

Entrance hall, reception hall, great hall / dining hall, drawing room, dining room, family room, kitchen / breakfast room, pantry, utility room, boot 

room, cloakroom, cellar. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom, 4 further bedrooms, 2 dressing rooms, shower room, WC, study / home 

office. Attached 1 bedroom cottage. Beautiful gardens and grounds. Heated swimming pool. Pond. Tennis court. Double garage. Open bay 

garage. Further outbuildings. In all about 2.2 acres.

HELPING YOU 

MOVE IN 2016 

If you are considering selling a 

property this year, now is the 

time to speak to an expert. 

We pride ourselves on exceptional 

service and unrivalled market 

knowledge, with a global network 

of 417 offices across 58 countries 

that can showcase your property 

to the widest possible audience. 

Call us today to arrange your 

free market appraisal. 

Guide price £825,000 

Stonegate 

An attractive, well located period property with huge potential 

Entrance lobby, reception hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen / breakfast room, utility room, 

guest cloakroom. Master bedroom, 2 further bedrooms, 4th bedroom / study, family bathroom, 

shower room. Double garage. Greenhouse. EPC rating E. In all about 2 acres. 

KnightFrank.co.uk/tunbridge-wells 

tunwells@knightfrank.com 

01892 310700 

@KF_TWells 

KnightFrank.co.uk 

Guide price £1,350,000 

Horsmonden 

A recently completed family house on the edge of a village 

Entrance hall, cloakroom, utility room, kitchen / breakfast room, garden room, drawing room, sitting room, dining room. Master bedroom with 

en suite bathroom, guest bedroom with en suite bathroom, 4 further bedrooms, 2 family bathrooms. Detached triple garage. Terrace. Gardens 

and grounds. Paddock. EPC rating C. In all about 1.31 acres.

Peasmarsh, East Sussex - £485,000 

An immaculate detached four bedroom chalet style property. 

Accommodation includes kitchen/breakfast room, living room, 2 

ground floor bedrooms, 1 first floor bedroom with en-suite, and 

1 further bedroom. Family bathroom. Single garage. Extensive 

driveway. Mature gardens of approx 1/2 acre. EPC F 

Rye, East Sussex - £550,000 

A light well-appointed modern house in a small gated private 

development. Accommodation includes kitchen/breakfast 

room, sitting room/dining room, conservatory, study, main 

bedroom with en-suite and 3 further bedrooms. Off road 

parking. Double garage. Front and rear gardens. EPC C 

Udimore, East Sussex - £499,950 

A well proportioned detached Victorian house. The 

accommodation includes sitting room and conservatory, dining 

room, open plan kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, master 

bedroom and en-suite, 3 further bedrooms. Large garden. 

Summer house. Garage/store. EPC F 

Camber, East Sussex - £350,000 

A detached single storey coastal property affording stylish, open plan 

living accommodation hidden behind the sand dunes at the end of 

a private sandy road. Spacious living room with wood burner, fitted 

kitchen & dining room, three large double bedrooms & bath/shower 

room. Sun deck and garden. Secure parking for several cars. 

Rye, East Sussex - £235,000 

A lovely refurbished mid terraced three bedroom Victorian 

house in the town, close to the amenities and station. 

Accommodation includes living/dining room, kitchen/breakfast 

room, utility/rear lobby, main bedroom with en-suite, 2 further 

bedrooms with family bathroom. Garden. EPC D 

RYE OFFICE 01797227338 

MAYFAIR OFFICE 08701127099 

Iden, East Sussex - £625,000 

A well presented detached period cottage with light filled stylish 

accommodation close to the village but on a quiet country lane. 

Accommodation includes sitting room, garden/dining room, 

study, kitchen and utility room, 4 bedrooms. Heritage style 

double garage. 1/2 acre garden. EPC F 

phillipsandstubbs.co.uk

‘Our Focus ‘Our Determines Focus Determines Your Reality’ Your Reality’ 

harpers and hurlingham 

BIDDENDEN £1,295,000 

• Prominent Village Location • Three receptions 

• Kitchen/breakfast room • Master bedroom suite 

• Four further bedrooms (two ensuite) • Garaging and 

gazebo • Part walled gardens • EPC: n/a 

Cranbrook School Catchment 

IDEN GREEN £1,200,000 

• Period Farmhouse with acreage • Three receptions 

• Kitchen/breakfast room • Four bedrooms (one 

ensuite) • Gardens and approx. 2 acres of paddocks 

• Views across farmland • EPC: n/a 


RURAL MARDEN £1,200,000 

Family home with PP to extend • Three receptions 

• Stunning kitchen/breakfast room • Four bedrooms, 

two bathrooms • Swimming pool, tennis court 

• Approx 2 acres • EPC: D 


HUNTON £1,195,000 

Immaculately presented throughout • Three 

receptions • Kitchen/breakfast room • Garden room 

• Master bedroom ensuite • Three further bedrooms 

• One bedroom annexe • Approx 2.5 acres • EPC: n/a 

Peaceful Rural Location 

Harpers&Hurlingham 

The Cornerhouse, Stone Street, Cranbrook 

01580 715400 

www.harpersandhurlingham.com 

London offiCe: KenSingTon 020 7938 2311 

Lettings Team 

Sales Team 

Chez Charlie Janey Jane Cathy Jane Sarah Debbie Catherine Caroline Dianne Helen

Biddenden £675,000 

Detached Individual Character Residence • Sitting Room with feature open fireplace • Dining Room • Study • Kitchen/Breakfast Room with 

Aga • Utility Room • Ground Floor Bathroom • Three Double Bedrooms (Bedroom 1 served by a separate staircase) • Outbuilding & Gardens 

extending to 0.9 of an acre • Gravelled Parking & turning area • Scope for updating • CSCA • EPC: G (Joint Sole agents Warner Gray) 

CRANBROOK OFFICE 01580 712 888 

Smarden £350,000 

Two former agricultural buildings • Change of use granted under prior approval for the change of use from agricultural to residential 

dwellings • Total plot size approximately 0.49 of an acre • Rural location on edge of village • For Sale as a whole 

CRANBROOK OFFICE 01580 712 888

savills.co.uk 

1 

SUPERB GRADE II* LISTED MANOR HOUSE 

tenterden, kent 

Tenterden 1 mile; Cranbrook 10 miles; Ashford International Station 13.5 miles 

ø outstanding attached family home ø 5 reception rooms ø 7 principal bedrooms 

ø 5 secondary bedrooms ø kitchen/breakfast room ø formal landscaped gardens 

ø tennis court ø garaging ø about 2.75 acres ø 788 sq m (8,485 sq ft) 

Savills Cranbrook 

Patrick Baily 

pbaily@savills.com 

01580 720161 

Guide £1.695 million Freehold

SALES / LETTINGS / MANAGEMENT 

VISIT US AT HUNTERS.COM 

HERE TO GET you THERE 

SALES / LETTINGS / MANAGEMENT 

VISIT US AT HUNTERS.COM 

HERE TO GET you THERE 

Ashford £750,000 

Substantial detached family home located in a highly desirable road 

• Walking distance to Ashford’s International Station and well regarded Grammar School’s • Impressive kitchen/breakfast room 

• Three reception rooms • Five bedrooms • Two en suites and family bathroom • EPC Rating E 

ASHFORD OFFICE / 01233 613613 

Tenterden Guide Price £330,000 -£350,000 

Modern 4 bedroom family home set over 3 fl oors 

• Rural setting with far reaching views over open countryside • Spacious 22’ kitchen/breakfast room • Utility Room 

• Downstairs Cloakroom • En suite washroom and family bathroom • EPC Rating C 

TENTERDEN OFFICE / 01580 763278 

Over 150 independently owned branches across the UK. 

With over 150 independently owned branches throughout 

the country and now 4 new branches in Kent. 

National recognition, local expertise. 

HUNTERS FOLKESTONE 

01303 210335 

HUNTERS HYTHE 

01303 261557 

HUNTERS ASHFORD 

01233 613613 

HUNTERS TENTERDEN 

Over 150 independently owned branches across the UK.

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16 

CountryHouseDevelopmentsWT168.indd 1 20/01/2016 11:27

Special clients seeking 

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T. (01435) 866988 

info@cmproperty.co.uk 

www.cmproperty.co.uk

HOUSE OF THE MONTH by John Graham-Hart 

1. 

Let there be light 

North Barn 

Great Cossington Farm | Pratling Street | Aylesford | Kent | ME20 7DQ 

John Graham-Hart shuns the dark, for houses 

that are bright and beautiful 

Some years ago a group of Japanese scientists proved that, like fireflies and 

through the same metabolic processes, we humans, too, glow in the dark. 

Actually, they found that we glow even more in the daytime. No matter 

– the loopies were in alternative seventh heaven. Throughout the country, ley 

lines were instantly overloaded. It was official. Auras were real. 

Obviously, it proved no such thing but it was, however, another quite 

interesting discovery about the most complex organism on the planet. Why a 

diurnal creature should have evolved this ability is anyone’s guess but it did and 

it underlines, if in a rather oblique way, our love of light. 

Throughout our history, light has been associated with good and the dark with 

things unpleasant. Wherever we find darkness, whether literal or figurative, we 

try to bring light. It follows then, as the night does the day, that among the 

places where we value light most highly is the space we call home. 

The earliest windows were just holes in the wall that let in all-important light 

but alas, they let in everything else as well and so were necessarily small. The 

Romans were the first to use glass in around 100 AD but it was over 1,000 

years before the windowpane as we know it made its appearance. Finally, in the 

1950s, plate glass manufacture was perfected by Sir Alastair Pilkington allowing 

the creation of walls of glass and providing architects with one of their most 

valuable resources. So let’s hear it for glass – and light. 

1. North Barn 

Where? North Barn is on a farm 

overlooking fields just to the northeast of 

Aylesford (Google Maps ME20 7DQ). 

What? Part of a conversion of a small 

group of farm buildings, North Barn is a 

former Victorian flint barn which today 

offers a superbly light home with virtually 

one whole side of the building consisting 

of floor-to-ceiling windows. On the 

ground floor there is a master bedroom 

with en suite bathroom plus two further 

bedrooms and a family bathroom. On 

the floor above – and making the most of 

the views – is the vaulted living room and 

adjoining dining room (with an elegant 

gallery study above) and the kitchen. 

Outside there are lawns as well as a wide 

variety of established shrubs and fruit 

trees, a large timber deck, a paved terrace, 

wooden summerhouse and double garage. 

How much? North Barn is with Fine 

& Country in West Malling and offers are 

being invited in excess of £575,000. Call 

01732 222272 or visit 

www.fineandcountry.com. 


18

COTTENDEN 

BENENDEN, KENT 

2. 

3. 

The Old Vicarage is a Grade II Listed home superbly located in the 

heart of this idyllic Kentish village, close to the church, village pub 

and a short walk from the village shop and mainline rail station. The 

motorway network is easily accessed and the Ebbsfleet high speed rail 

terminus is within a comfortable driving distance. The property itself 

is a former vicarage that has enjoyed comprehensive and sympathetic 

enhancements, creating a quite wonderful family home. 

The ground floor is currently configured with a large lounge, a 

panelled dining room, a spacious study and a family room. Beyond the 

exceptional kitchen breakfast room is a utility room, a walk-in larder, 

the former butlers pantry (now used as a small gym) and a cellar. The 

bedrooms are arranged over the two upper floors and are served by 

two sumptuous en suites and an equally impressive family bathroom. 

MAIN ENTRANCE 

Wooden entrance door opening into porch. 

PORCH 

Sash window to side. Tumbled limestone flooring. Glazed inner door to 

hallway. Ornate radiator. 

4. 

HALLWAY 

Original entrance door and leaded windows to front. Ornate radiators. 

Original wood flooring. 

GROUND FLOOR 

W.C. Sash window to side. Low level W.C. Wall hung wash hand basin. 

Ornate radiator. Limestone floor. 

LOUNGE 

Double aspect with sash windows to side and French doors with 

flank windows opening onto the rear garden. Corniced ceiling. Stone 

fireplace surround with wood burner. Ornate radiators. Fitted carpet. 

DINING ROOM 

Currently configured as a TV/entertainment room (installed equipment 

including surround sound system available subject to negotiation). Sash 

window to front. Wood panelling to walls. Ornate radiators. 

Fitted carpet. 

STUDY 

Double aspect with sash windows to side and front. Built-in storage 

and book shelves. Ornate radiator. Fitted carpet. 

FAMILY ROOM 

Sash windows to front and French doors to side. Corniced ceiling. 

Fireplace surround with open fire basket. Tumbled limestone flooring 

with under floor heating. 

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Oaklands House 

Biddenden Road | Headcorn | Kent | TN27 9JE 

The Old Vicarage 

Upper Street | Hollingbourne | Maidstone | Kent | ME17 1UJ 

2. 

3. 

4. 

2. Cottenden 

Where? Cottenden is in an idyllic 

rural location down a country lane just to 

the east of the pretty village of Benenden 

(Google Maps TN17 4BW). 

What? This contemporary, architectdesigned 

house combines elegance and 

practicality to provide bright spacious 

and flexible family accommodation over 

two floors. The open-plan kitchen/dining 

room/sitting room features floor-to-ceiling 

glazed panels opening out on to extensive 

decking and with excellent views over 

the surrounding fields and woodland. 

A master bedroom with an en suite 

bathroom has direct access to the outdoor 

swimming pool and this floor also has 

two further bedrooms and a bedroom/ 

study. On the lower ground floor there is 

a large entertaining/reception area as well 

as music/games room and two further 

bedrooms. Outside there are grounds of 

about an acre and a half with a kitchen 

garden, raised flower beds and pond, 

workshop and garaging. 

How much? Cottenden is on the 

market at £1,500,000 and is with Harpers 

& Hurlingham in Cranbrook. Call 01580 

715400 or visit 

www.harpersandhurlingham.com. 

3. Oaklands House 

Where? Oaklands House is set back 

from the road between the villages of 

Biddenden and Headcorn (Google Maps 

TN27 9JE). 

What? A bright and spacious 

Edwardian house in lovely grounds, 

Oaklands House has been sympathetically 

and substantially extended by its present 

owners and today is a celebration of light 

and space. At the heart of the home is 

a huge galleried great hall/living room 

and adjoining orangery. Also on the 

ground floor is a large vaulted dining 

room, cinema room, study, family room, 

play-room, self-contained two bedroom 

annexe and shower room/Jacuzzi. On 

the first floor there is a master bedroom 

suite, opening out on to a large balcony, 

and three further bedrooms. Outside 

there are extensive lawns, an all-weather 

tennis court and large pond with an island 

and waterfall. The property also comes 

with planning permission to build two 

heritage-style triple bay barns, one with 

ancillary accommodation above. 

How much? Oaklands House is 

priced at £1,400,000 and is with Fine 

& Country in Tenterden. Call 01580 

766388 or visit www.fineandcountry.com. 

4. The Old Vicarage 

Where? The Old Vicarage is in the 

village of Hollingbourne, on the North 

Downs just to the east of Maidstone 

(Google Maps ME17 1UJ). 

What? A handsome Georgian Grade 

II listed property, the Old Vicarage is 

awash with light pouring through superb 

windows that grace virtually every room 

and are one of the joys of the period. 

Downstairs is a double aspect drawing 

room with French doors opening out 

into the garden, a panelled dining room, 

a double aspect study and a superb openplan 

kitchen/breakfast room/family room. 

Upstairs there is a master bedroom suite 

with dressing room and elegant bathroom 

and four further bedrooms, one with en 

suite bathroom. Outside are attractive 

gardens with views toward the North 

Downs and encompassing split-level areas 

of lawn – one level a former tennis court 

– as well as an ornamental fish pond and 

a brick storage-shed. Access to a generous 

driveway is by electrically operated gates. 

How much? The Old Vicarage is 

with Fine & Country in West Malling 

and offers are invited in excess of 

£1,500,000. Call 01732 222272 or visit 

www.fineandcountry.com. 

19 19 www.wealdentimes.co.uk

Reassurance in 

a heartbeat 

The Wells Suite is able to offer a range of pregnancy ultrasound scans using state of the art ultrasound equipment. 

You might want to make sure that there is definitely a heartbeat at 6 weeks, check your baby’s growth at 16 weeks, 

or want the reassurance of a detailed anomaly scan at 20 weeks. Whatever your reason we can offer expert advice 

and reassurance in a calm and relaxed environment. 

What scans are available? 

• Early Pregnancy Scan/Viability Scan (6-8 weeks) 

• Growth and Well-being Scan (16 weeks to term) 

• Anomaly Scan (20-22 weeks) 

Why choose The Wells Suite for your scan? 

• No referral letter required 

• Accredited midwife sonographers 

• Consultant advice available 

• Flexible appointment times, including evening and weekend appointments 

To book a scan appointment, or for further information, please telephone 01892 635888. 

The Wells Suite Your health in safe hands 01892 635888 www.thewellssuite.co.uk

BUSS MURTON advertorial 

PRE NUPS: to have or have not? 

Although the multi million pound divorce 

settlements which are often reported 

in the press are of little relevance 

to the vast majority of divorcing 

couples, the financial consequences of 

any divorce can be significant and far reaching. 

It is hardly surprising therefore that couples 

planning marriage are increasingly considering 

entering into pre nuptial agreements in order 

to try to retain control over their finances. 

So what is a pre nup? Essentially it is an agreement 

governing financial arrangements not just during a 

marriage, but crucially, in the event of a divorce. Pre 

nups can govern all financial issues including what 

should happen to the family home, how other capital 

assets should be divided, how pensions should be 

shared and even whether maintenance should be 

paid by one partner to the other and for how long. 

Understandably, many engaged couples feel that 

they would rather deal with what should happen 

to their finances in the (hopefully) unlikely event of 

a divorce, whilst they are able to do so amicably 

and on a theoretical basis, rather than against the 

background of an actual breakdown in the marriage 

with all the emotional upheaval that brings. However 

by definition, pre nups deal with future arrangements 

and so without a crystal ball, it can be very difficult 

to predict what would constitute a fair settlement 

in an unknown set of circumstances. After all, what 

may seem fair in the context of a short marriage with 

no children and where both parties work, may seem 

very unfair some years down the line when one party 

may have given up a career to care for children! What 

however is very clear, is that no one should enter 

into a pre nup lightly, as even though the divorce 

courts are not currently bound by the terms of a pre 

nup, increasingly, as long as certain safeguards are 

Melanie den Brinker 

met, the courts are enforcing these agreements. So 

any couple contemplating a pre nup should obtain 

legal advice at the earliest possible opportunity to 

help them to decide if a pre nup is appropriate for 

them and if so, what its precise terms should be. 

Melanie den Brinker is the head of the Family 

Department at Buss Murton and offers a 

free 30 minute meeting for anyone who 

may be considering a pre nup. To arrange an 

appointment, please contact Louise Huxstep, 

Family Team Secretary on 01892 510 222 

or email: lhuxstep@bussmurton.co.uk 

BUSS MURTON 

COMMERCIAL & PERSONAL SOLICITORS

STUNNING 

NEW RANGES 

NOW AVAILABLE 

Parker Kitchens provide an unrivalled 

choice of high quality furnishings, fittings 

and fantastic finishing touches, enabling 

us to help you realise your lifestyle vision 

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DESIGN I PLAN I SUPPLY 

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Plus everything for the Trade and DIY 

at PARKER BUILDING SUPPLIES 

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE 

You can read the full story behind these customer projects, the products that were used and see more photos by 

logging on to your dedicated page www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/ashfordlocal 

Jacksons Fencing 

News, topical treats and more... 

Three of the best! February can be a grim month, but 

don’t despair – here are three of the best of our customer 

projects with some photos of glorious gardens to inspire 

you to think of 2016 garden projects and to help get you 

through the cold winter months. 

louise@jacksons-fencing.co.uk 

Below: You can almost feel the heat radiating off the gorgeous 

circular paving in Maureen Vinall’s garden designed by Earthstone 

Landscapes. One of the aims of the redesign was to make what 

was essentially quite a small garden appear more spacious. This 

was achieved by terracing different levels within the garden using 

Jakwall to make flowerbeds that radiate outwards and step 

upwards from a central round paved area. 

Above: Jacksons Venetian panels are used to dramatic effect in 

this stunning garden refurbishment by Brighton designer Dawn 

Banks - she says“I always use Jacksons Fencing as it provides the 

high quality contemporary effect required within my designs. The 

added benefit of the 25 year guarantee is very important when 

creating a beautiful space for clients. It is important, not only to 

use the highest quality material, but it is essential that they stay 

looking good and last for many years to come. A garden is an 

investment that grows and matures over time, so it is unthinkable 

to introduce a product that will perish or rot. So by installing 

Jacksons I can be sure these integral parts of my design will stay 

looking great as the garden grows around it. 

Below: The lovely garden below belongs to Brian Hattersley. He 

saw the Retreat shelter at a show Jacksons were attending and 

decided to incorporate it into the design for his new garden. He 

explained that he actually wanted something a bit larger than the 

standard Retreat shelter, so he’s adapted it to make a ‘one and a 

half’ sized one, see below. I think you will agree, it looks great, 

especially with the matching Venetian fencing. 

Win £300 

of Jacksons 

vouchers... 

To enter the free prize draw and be in with a chance to win £300 of 

Jacksons vouchers simply log on to your dedicated page, address below 

and follow the easy instructions on how to enter. The draw closes 29.2.16. 

To enter go to: www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/ashfordlocal 

For info on any of Jacksons 

products or brochures, please call 

0800 408 4754 to talk to your 

local Jacksons Fencing Centre.

Natural Stone Specialists 

Brand 

new 

capaBilities 

Unit 1 Croft Works 

Diplocks Industrial Estate 

Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3JF 

Email: sales@sussexstone-ceramic.co.uk 

www.sussexstone-ceramic.co.uk 

Open Mon-Fri 9am-4.30pm Sat 9am-3pm 

Bespoke worktops in 

Granite, quartz and marble 

Architectural and monumental masonry 

Large selection of natural tiles and mosaics 

Waterjet cutting service on various materials 

Glass tops and splash backs 

waterjet cutting available 

from as little as 

£4 plM subject 

to t&cs 

WE NoW HavE a NEW StatE oF tHE art FaCtory at FramFIElD 

SussexStoneWT168.indd 1 20/01/2016 10:26 


24 

InvictaKitchensWT168.indd 1 20/01/2016 12:51

• DESIGN & PLANNING 

• RESTORATION OF LISTED 

& HISTORIC BUILDINGS 

• BESPOKE JOINERY 

Oak Frame Houses, Extensions & Garden Rooms 

Creating your place in history 

For a brochure or free home consultation call 01797 366895 

For more information and to view our work please visit www.anthony-hicks.co.uk 

AnthonyHicksWT168.indd 1 15/01/2016 15:59 


DaleHillWT168.indd 1 14/01/2016 14:33

Naturally Luxurious Carpets 

Refined style for your home 

www.beautifulflooring.co.uk/riviera 

Exclusively available from: 

Fludes Lenleys Sunniva 

Brighton 

Within C and H 

179 Western Road, Brighton 

BN1 2BA Tel: 01273 724 192 

www.fludes-carpets.co.uk 

St. Leonards on Sea 

389 London Road 

Hastings, East Sussex 

TN37 6PA Tel: 01424 433 162 


Haywards Heath 

142 South Road 

Haywards Heath, West Sussex 

RH16 4LT Tel: 01444 412 242 


25-34 Roper Road 

Canterbury, Kent 

CT2 7EL Tel: 01227 766 655 

www.lenleys.co.uk 

Sunniva Carpeting at Hoopers Department Store 

Mount Pleasant Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent 

TN1 1QT Tel: 01892 530 222 

www.sunniva.net

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE 

Carnaby Street - 401 Garnet 

Refined Style for your Home 

Looking for that extra special or 

unique carpet for your home, 

look no further than Riviera 

Home, a new name on the 

High Street in the UK. 

One of the world’s leading 

flooring brands, Riviera Home, 

is now offering its naturally 

luxurious, point-of-difference 

carpets in the UK through a 

network of carefully selected 

independent High Street retailers. 

As well as offering glamorous 

and luxurious carpets of 

distinction Riviera Home is one 

of the very few manufacturers 

in the world who genuinely 

make and distribute totally 

bio-degradable, eco-friendly 

carpets made from 100% natural 

and renewable resources. 

Riviera Home currently offers 

11 ranges of carpets from stocks 

held in the UK, each uniquely 

styled and coloured in on-trend 

fashion colours. Five of its ranges 

and 30 colour options of carpet 

that can be used for either wall-towall 

installation or area rugs come 

from its “Naturally Sustainable 

Eco Carpet” collection. All of 

Riviera’s Eco friendly ranges are 

stylish, durable, high-quality 

floorings which are totally 

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so if you really care about the 

Earth or simply have allergies 

and sensitivities to indoor air 

pollution created by oil based 

floorings, Riviera’s eco collections 

offer an ideal solution. 

All of Riviera Home’s Eco 

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100% pure Wool with no added 

chemicals, dyestuffs, or stain 

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They achieve the stylish colours 

used in their ranges by carefully 

blending various types of wools 

and of course wool itself has great 

natural anti-soiling properties. 

Riviera then weave their carpets 

either on traditional handlooms 

or high technology tufting 

machines using natural jute and 

cotton, materials that are again 

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resources. The final finishing 

process of Riviera’s carpets and 

rugs uses natural latex straight 

from the rubber tree so again 

no nasty chemicals used and no 

VOC used in their products. 

When it comes to production 

waste or the ultimate disposal 

of Riviera’s carpets at the end 

of their useful life cycle, their 

carpets can either be recycled or 

will naturally bio-degrade in the 

earth. Riviera’s carpets will biodegrade 

in a period of just 1-5 

years without adding back into 

the earth any harmful chemicals. 

Typically 90% or more of the 

carpets made today in the world 

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using Nylon, Polypropylene or 

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derived from oil. These carpets 

will normally take up to 500 

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All of Riviera Home carpet 

collections are sold exclusively 

in the UK through a carefully 

selected Authorised Dealer 

network of independent carpet 

retail specialists who can advise 

you further on its products 

and also see that they are 

installed in your home to the 

highest possible standards. 

Bel-Air - 10 Pearl 

“Naturally luxurious, 

point-of-difference 

carpets from Riviera 

Home, one of the 

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flooring brands.” 

Eton - 706 Grey Shadow

Your local timber & Builders Merchant 

www.homeleighgroup.co.uk 

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS 

50 

Anniversary 

1966-2016 

th 

Get ahead.... 

plan your garden & products 

for 2016 

NATURAL PAVING 

from 

£13. 99 +VAT (per sq.m.) 

RAILWAY SLEEPERS 

HOMELEIGH OFFER 

£13. 99 EACH + VAT (per sq.m.) (+5 RATE) 

£15. 99 EACH + VAT (per sq.m.) (SINGLE) 

PAVING OFFER 

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from 

£15. 99 +VAT (per sq.m.) 

BARK (Bulk Bags) 


£46. 99 +VAT 

HEAVY DUTY TOP QUALITY 

FENCE PANEL 6’X6’ 

WHEN YOU BUY 5 OR MORE 

£16. 99 EACH + VAT 

STAMFORD SLAB 

450x450x32mm 

WHEN YOU BUY 10 OR MORE 

£2. 31 EACH + VAT 

SCREENED TOP 

SOIL (Bulk Bags) 


£41. 66 +VAT 

MUSHROOM 

COMPOST 


£31. 99 +VAT 

Maidstone 

01622 791111 

Hall Road | Maidstone |ME20 7QZ 

Woodford Depot: 

01580 892733 

Maidstone Road | Staplehurst |TN12 0RH 

Staplehurst: 

01580 892037 

Station Road | Staplehurst |TN12 0PY 

Ashford: 

01233 850075 

Ashford Road | High Halden| TN26 3BP

FREE NO OBLIGATION QUOTATION & FREE INSTALLATION 

NO DRILLING OR SCREWS… 

…just clip in for great looking blinds. 

For that extra touch of luxury why not motorise your blinds? 

Come To The Showroom To See Our Superb Range Of Quality Window Dressings 

Including Curtains, Blinds, Luxaflex Blinds, Security Shutters And Grills. 

Unit 6, Harvington Business Park, Brampton Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN22 9AF 

Telephone 01323 509 661 Freephone 0800 988 1071 Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm, Sat 9am - 2pm

LONDON 

S A L E 

+44 (0) 333 011 3333 

u p t o 4 0 % o f f

High-tech hype... 

Visit the OBS Gallery, Tonbridge School on Tuesday 2 February 

for an evening talk with interactive media artist Dominic Harris, 

one of the talented artists whose work is being showcased in this 

creative and experimental exhibition. The works are forward 

thinking and technologically complex, but they ultimately 

consider timeless themes relating to abstraction, nature and 

expanding human experience. Admission is free and the 

exhibition is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays 

throughout February and March. For more information and to 

book a ticket for the talk, visit www.tonbridge-school.co.uk/obsg 

February 

notebook 

Exhibitions & events 

near you this month... 

Ebony & ivory... 

From 25 February to 5 March, follow the Hastings 

International Piano Concerto Competition, as 

these exquisitely talented musicians are taken 

through 5 stages for the chance to win £10,000 

and a concerto performance with the Royal 

Philharmonic Orchestra. Book your tickets 

now to be a part of this truly unique experience 

www.hastingsconcertocompetition.co.uk 

Sweet adventure... 

Keep the children entertained with delicious 

half term fun at Leeds Castle from Saturday 13 

to Sunday 21 February. Go on an adventure 

through the grounds of the magnificent Castle 

estate in search of clues to help you find the 

magical ‘Golden Tickets’. Charlie’s Chocolate 

Trail is £1 per person and includes a chocolate 

prize at the end. Visit www.leeds-castle.com 

Confident gardener... 

The way to have the garden of your dreams is to start 

planning now. Godinton House invite you to learn, 

share and be inspired in the stunning gardens. Don’t 

worry, there’s a cosy place indoors as well! This course 

is designed for beginners and experienced gardeners 

alike to learn new skills, brush up on existing ones 

and expand your knowledge of plants and how 

to use them. Contact Fiona Abrahams on 07941 

580613 / fiona.abrahams1@btinternet.com for more 

information. 

Oliver Campion 

Wedding belles... 

If you’re planning your special day, then visit 

Eastwell Manor for their wedding fair on Sunday 

21 February. An array of quality exhibitor stands 

will be situated in the hotel and in large marquees, 

and two fashion shows throughout the day will 

give you some outfit inspiration. Professionals and 

experts will be on hand to answer any questions 

you have and refreshments will be available all day. 

For more information contact the events team on 

01233 213000 or visit www.eastwellmanor.co.uk 

Seaside shellabration... 

It’s that time of year again! Saturday 20 to Sunday 28 

February will be the time to indulge in seafood delights 

at the Rye Bay Scallop Week. Wonderful restaurants 

in Rye, East Sussex will be showcasing various scallop 

based dishes for all to enjoy. You can also take part in a 

tasting experience, witness live cooking demonstrations 

and make the most of the live music. Visit www.scallop. 

org.uk for restaurant details and further information. 

Colour & flourish... 

Ever wanted to learn the fine art of oil painting? 

Well, at Smallhythe Studio, Tenterden you can. With 

guidance from an expert, you can learn the basics 

over a series of weeks starting on Tuesday 2 February 

from 10am to midday. The cost is £20 per session or 

£75 for 4 weeks and many other classes are also on 

offer from drawing and photography to clay work 

and creative writing. For more information and 

to book a course visit www.smallhythestudio.com 


PROPER FURNITURE SINCE 1962 

SALE 

ENDING SOON 

DINING LIVING 

KITCHENS BEDROOMS 

Branches in Leatherhead & London 

01372 379810 

www.wharfside.co.uk

Local Showrooms at: 

Tunbridge Wells: Unit 5 Tunbridge Wells Trade Park, Longfield Rd, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3QF 

Sevenoaks: Polhill Garden Centre, London Rd, Badgers Mount, Sevenoaks, Kent TN14 7AD 

Sidcup: Ruxley Manor Garden Centre, Maidstone Road, Sidcup, Kent DA14 5BQ 

Visit granitetransformations.co.uk for more information

DISCOVER A SUPERB NEW RESTAURANT 

THE BEST OF LOCAL PRODUCE 

ATTENTIVE SERVICE 

A RELAXING ENVIRONMENT 

Most restaurants give little or no thought to your journey to 

and from home but, here at The Riverside, we consider your 

transfer an important part of your evening with us. 

Announcing The Riverside VIP Transport Service 

We understand that being able to leave the car at home can 

add to the sense of relaxation & enjoyment while you’re here. 

We have teamed up with Wealden Private Hire to offer a well 

appointed and very competitive transfer service designed 

exclusively to serve our clients in comfort & style. 

Sample VIP Transfer fares: Wadhurst £10, Ticehurst £12.50, 

Goudhurst £10, Tunbridge Wells £18.50, Cranbrook £18.50 

For other destinations please 

enquire with us, or contact 

Wealden Private Hire quoting 

‘Riverside VIP Transfer’ on 

01892 320232 or email: 

wealdenph@gmail.com 

UPCOMING EVENTS @ THE RIVERSIDE 

Read our excellent reviews on Tripadvisor 

Reservations 01892 890277 

www.theriverside.uk.com 

School Hill, Lamberhurst, Tunbridge Wells TN3 8DQ 

Chris Field as Elvis - 10 th February 

A Tribute to The King 

Valentine’s Day - 14 th February 

Come and join us for a special Valentine’s Day meal 

Classic Tom Jones - 19 th February 

An unmissable evening with entertainer Ian Gallagher

Orlestone Oak 

Tailor-made Oak Joinery and Oak Flooring 

OAK 

ORLESTONE 

OAK 

ORLESTONE 

ORLESTO 

OAK 

SOLID OAK fLOORING 

PRE-fINISHED & DISTRESSED fLOORS 

NEW SHOWROOM DISPLAYS 

OAK STAIRCASES & WINDOWS 

OAK DOORS AND PORCHES 

OAK DECKING & BEAMS 

www.orlestoneoak.co.uk 01233 732179 

SHOWROOm Open mOnday tO FRiday 9am-5pm, SatuRday 9am-12pm 

s 

ne, 

685 546 

uk 

.uk 

798 

Add style and elegance to your home 

Since 1972 JB Garage Doors has been number one in 

garage doors in the south. Building and developing the 

relationship with clients and manufacturers is vital to us and we operate an 

in-house training programme to ensure our talented team of fitters are always 

aware of the latest offerings in products and installation techniques. 

Electric gates 

Choosing a pair of beautiful gates for the entrance to your home not only 

adds style and elegance, but also additional safety and security for children, 

pets and increased security for your home, property and cars. 

Garage doors 

By choosing JB Garage Doors Ltd to carry out your installation, you can be 

sure that that your installation is carried out expertly with the minimum of fuss, 

and you will see why we are the number one garage door company. 

We offer 

• Domestic and commerical • Maintenance contracts 

• Access control 

• Supply and install 

• Servicing and repairs • Products from the leading manufacturers 

• Automatation of new and existing doors, gates and barriers 

JB Garage Doors & Electric Gates 

Straw Mill Hill, Tovil, Maidstone, Kent ME15 6FL FREEPHONE: 0800 035 2798 

Tel: 01622 683200 • Fax: 01622 685546 • Website: www.jbgaragedoors.co.uk 

Celebrating 

40 yeArS 

in business 

OrlestoneOakWT167.indd 1 02/12/2015 11:42 


JBGarageDoorsWT145.indd 1 12/02/2014 09:50

RDO 

Kitchen Studio 

Offering the 

combination of 

contemporary 

and classic kitchen 

design using fine 

furniture by 

www.rdokitchenstudio.co.uk info@rdokitchenstudio.co.uk 

Bancroft Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 7RP 01737 240403

Stressless ® 

anniversary edition 

Limited Edition 

Opal Recliners 

£1099 

Save £370 * L 

The first Stressless ® recliner was produced in 1971. To mark the 45th anniversary 

of our iconic recliners we are offering this special limited edition model – the 

Stressless ® Opal. Stressless ® Opal is inspired by the fjords surrounding our factory 

in picturesque Norway. Available while stocks last with immediate delivery in 3 

beautiful leather colours. 

www.lenleys.co.uk 

01227 766655 

Roper Road, Canterbury CT2 7EL 

www.clarkesfurnishers.co.uk 

01622 753073 

Sandling Road, Maidstone, Kent ME14 2RF 

*Terms & Conditions apply: Opal Large £1099, RRP £1469. Available only in Batick Cream & Natural, Batick Brown & Brown, Batick Mole & Teak. While stocks last. 

Main image features the Opal recliner.

Saint Ronan’s School 

Hawkhurst, Kent • Founded 1883 • www.saintronans.co.uk 

Boys & Girls from 3-13 • Day & Boarding • Forest School 

Open Morning 

Friday 5th February 

10:00am - 12:00pm 

Please call to book a place 

Headlines 

‘Excellent’ ISI 

inspection report 

50 scholarships won 

in two years 

Tatler Good Schools 

Guide 2016 

Discover the magic! Email emmatv@saintronans.co.uk 

or call 01580 752271 to book an appointment.

Editor’s 

Letter 

Wealden Times is always filled with the things we love – and 

this month is no exception. If anything, there’s even more love 

in the air, as we think about Valentine’s Day, visit a romantic 

boutique B&B and play at being princesses on a bridal fashion 

shoot at Leeds Castle. There’s also plenty for those who aren’t 

‘feeling the love’ but who are looking forward to longer days 

and warmer weather. 

Sunshine or showers, it would be hard not to enjoy a trip to 

the seaside at Broadstairs – and a stay at Belvidere Place B&B, a 

dramatic Georgian building just a stone’s throw from the beach. 

Owned by Jilly Sharpe, a photographer and entrepreneur, its 

atmosphere and style attracts an arty crowd, as well as those 

in the mood for proposing. For those who’d rather stay in, Jo 

Arnell offers recipes to warm your heart, lift your mood and – 

perfect for preparing in advance – leave more time for romance. 

Regulars include our health page, which this month focuses 

on mental health, Sue Whigham on sweet peas and Penny 

Kemp, our Green Goddess, on the benefits of bird tables. 

Spring is in the air, as well as love, it seems. 

Enjoy your Wealden Times! 

9000SQ FT 

OF ANTIQUES 

AND VINTAGE 

INTERIORS. 

BEST PRICES 

PAID, HOUSE 

CLEARANCES 

UNDERTAKEN 

Plus “Coffee in Style” 

Vintage themed coffee 

lounge serving Tea 

Coffee Homemade Cake 

and light Lunches 

We are open Monday to 

Saturday 9am – 5pm 

Wealden Times Team 

Editor .................................................................................Jennifer Stuart-Smith 

Fashion & Beauty Editor................................................................Helen Barton 

Design ..........................................................................................Powerful Pierre 

Design Team ...............................................................................Anthony Boxall 

Rob Cursons 

Phoebe Gilbert 

Tanya Goldsmith 

Managing Director .........................................................................Julie Simpson 

Commercial Director ................................................................ Colin Wilkinson 

Sales Team.................................................................................Hayley Biddulph 

Adam Donovan 

Becky Smith 

Lisa Smith 

Distribution ................................................................................ Emma Murphy 

Wealden Times Events & Wealdenfairs.com Team 

Sales Director......................................................................................Joy Adams 

Events Organiser .........................................................................Fiona Saunders 

E-Commerce & Marketing Executive............................................James Godfrey 

E-Commerce Assistant............................................................Megan Longworth 


ErasOfStyleWT167.indd 1 10/12/2015 15:59

Open Day 

Saturday 27th February 2016 

9.15am – 12 noon 

First-rate independent education for boys and girls aged 3 - 18 

First-rate ISI Inspection Report in 2013 • Nursery and Pre Prep rated “outstanding” 

Top academic results from a broad ability intake • Extensive Sports facilities 

Boarding from 11 • Wide range of scholarships available at 11/13/16 

Cathedral Chorister scholarships available for boys aged 8 

T: 01634 888590 E: admissions@kings-rochester.co.uk www.kings-rochester.co.uk 

Extensive daily minibus service including: Blackheath, Gravesend, Kings Hill, Maidstone, Rainham, Sevenoaks

where to find your copy... 

call 01580 714705 

to find your nearest distributor of Wealden Times 

or to have your free copy of Wealden Times delivered 

for 12 months for just £22 postage 

Distribution of Wealden Times 

published in Cranbrook for the Weald 

FREWEN 

The Dyslexia Specialists 

COLLEGE 

Bromley 

Orpington 

Sevenoaks 

Maidstone 

Canterbury 

Edenbridge Tonbridge 

Royal 

Tunbridge 

Wells 

Crowborough 

Cranbrook 

Tenterden 

Ashford 

Hythe 

Uckfield 

Battle 

Rye 

Hailsham 

Hastings 

Eastbourne 

You can get your copy at most railway stations, newsagents and Waitrose stores 

throughout the Weald. The following are our major distribution points. 

Visit www.wealdentimes.co.uk for a complete listing 

Ashford 

• Waitrose 

Battle 

• British Design 

British Made 

• Jempson’s 

Benenden 

• Village Shop 

Biddenden 

• Bloomsburys 

• Cost Cutters 

Boughton Aluph 

• Perry Court 

Farmshop 

Burgess Hill 

• Waitrose 

Burwash 

• Londis 

Canterbury 

• Waitrose 

• Waterstones 

Charing 

• Post Office 

Cranbrook 

• Ashwal Garage 

• Cocolicious 

• Gastronomia 

• Hartley Dyke 

Farmshop 

• Hartley 

Farmshop 

• Pages 

Crowborough 

• Costa Coffee 

• Sussex Country 

Gardener 

Eastbourne 


Edenbridge 

• Waitrose 

Eridge 

• Fuller’s Farm 

Shop 

Etchingham 

• Etchingham 

Food & Deli 

Faversham 

• Macknade Fine 

Foods 

Flimwell 

•Weald Smokery 

Goudhurst 

• Goudhurst 

Newsagents 

• Olive Stores 

Hastings 

• Judges Bakery 

• Respire Living 

Hawkhurst 

• Budgens 

Haywards Heath 

• Denovo Flowers 

Headcorn 

• Sainsbury’s 

Horsham 

• Cook 


Hurst Green 

• Merriments 

Garden Centre 

Lewes 

• Riverside 

Shopping Hall 

• Steamer Trading 

Company 


Maidstone 


Marden 

• Post Office 

Mayfield 

• Mace 

Northiam 

• Jempson’s Local 

• Will’s Bakery & 

Café 

Paddock Wood 

• Waitrose 

Peasmarsh 


Pluckley 

• Pluckley Farm 

Shop 

Robertsbridge 

• Vinehall School 

Rolvenden 

• Costcutter 

Rushlake Green 

• The Stores 

Rye 

• Adams of Rye 


• The Rye Retreat 

Sandhurst 

• Johnson’s of 

Sandhurst 

Sevenoaks 

• Cook 

• Waitrose 

Sheffield Green 

• Trading 

Boundaries 

Sissinghurst 

• TN17 Food & 

Wine 

St. Leonards 

• Shop 

• Who’s Wearing 

What 

Stone Cross 

• Sharnfold Farm 

& Shop 

Tenterden 

• Tenterden 

Leisure Centre 

• London Beach 

Hotel 

• Waitrose 


• White Lion 

Ticehurst 

• Londis 

Tonbridge 

• Waitrose 

Tunbridge Wells 

• Fenwick 

• Hoopers 

• Notcutts 

• Royal Victoria 

Place 

Uckfield 

• Waitrose 

Wadhurst 


• Wealden 

Wholefoods 

West Malling 

• The Swan 

STATIONS: 

• Ashford 

• Canterbury 

West 

• Crowborough 

• Eastbourne 

• Edenbridge 

• Hildenborough 

• Maidstone East 

• Orpington 

• Paddock Wood 

• Sevenoaks 

• Staplehurst 

• Tonbridge 

• Tunbridge Wells 

• Uckfield 

• Wadhurst 

• West Malling 

Prep 

School 

Senior 

• • 

School 

Sixth 

Form 

Independent day and boarding school 

for girls and boys aged 7-19 

Come and see how Frewen College 

can help your child at one of our next 

OPEN MORNINGS 

Thursday 11 February & Saturday 27 February 

9.30 - 12 noon 

To book your place on a tour please telephone 

Annabel Baker on: 01797 252494 

or email: office@frewencollege.co.uk 

Frewen College, Rye Road, 

Northiam, East Sussex, TN31 6NL 

www.frewencollege.co.uk 

Daily minibus services to Tunbridge Wells, 

Ashford, Tenterden, Battle and Hastings 


FrewenCollegeWT168.indd 1 19/01/2016 15:23

Seaside Salvation 

Words: Jennifer Stuart-Smith Photographs: David Merewether Styling: Helen Barton 

When Jilly Sharpe left Peckham, south London, for Broadstairs, she needed a 

home and a way to make a living. Belvidere Place, a run-down and dilapidated 

Georgian building that had been neglected for 200 years, was to be her saviour – 

but only once she had carried out some serious salvation of her own ... 


42


Above: Much of the furniture in Belvidere Place, such as this elegant pedestal dining table, came from Jilly’s former home in Peckham, south London. Jilly was 

inspired to paint the downstairs breakfast room in dark grey after using, and liking, the colour of a grey undercoat she had been using to paint woodwork 

As well as bringing many of her London friends with her, Jilly also brought the 

contents of her London home – items which fit perfectly with 

the pared-down rustic interior of Belvidere Place 

In the latest film adaptation of Alan Bennett’s 

The Lady in the Van, Miss Shepherd escapes her 

unconventional Camden existence to spend short 

spells by the sea in Broadstairs. Admittedly, she is far 

from your average holiday-maker but, nonetheless, 

her attraction to this unspoilt Victorian seaside 

town is something many of us can understand. 

In 2007, Jilly Sharpe was also an escapee from 

London, but from Peckham in her case and, rather than 

living in a van, her former home was a large London 

townhouse. “I already had a house in Broadstairs, so 

knew the town, but moving here was a matter of survival. 

I was a single mum who needed to make a living – so 

it wasn’t just a case of escaping to the seaside.” 

It should also be noted that the huge Georgian building 

she was about to buy, was not an entirely tempting 

holiday destination or home. “Nobody had repaired it 

in 200 years and it was rotten to the core,” says Jilly. “It 

had been run as a B&B, although initially I bought it 

simply as a home for my son Gus and me. It was horribly 

institutional, with fire doors and glass partitions everywhere 

and many of the original doorways were boarded up.” 

In its current incarnation, this is difficult to imagine 

– and Jilly has had to put in an immense amount of 

work, and a certain amount of money, to get it to its 

current state. “It took every penny I’d got,” she says. 


44

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Above left: This ‘babyfoot’ table came from Columbia Road in east London and, according to Jilly, ‘it could tell some stories’ Above right: For vintage finds and 

quirky items, Jilly is a fan of the Sunbury Antiques Market as well as Dolly Miller in nearby Margate. “I just buy what I like,” says Jilly. “There is no grand plan.” 

London is still a big influence here, and Jilly thrives amongst the 

creative crowd that has been attracted to Broadstairs in recent years, 

either as permanent residents or as guests at Belvidere Place 

As funds dried up, Jilly decided that she would return 

it to being a B&B – but one that would attract people 

rather than repel them. Her background as a fine art 

and interiors photographer would stand her in good 

stead as far as decoration was concerned, as would a 

seemingly huge array of creative friends and contacts. 

“At one point, I was at rock bottom financially but 

due to open in a matter of weeks. A huge parcel arrived 

and it was full of beautiful embroidered cushions made 

by my friend Charlene Mullen.” Charlene’s quirky, 

distinctive cushions are still dotted throughout Belvidere 

Place, adding a touch of Shoreditch cool – as well as 

London scenes – to this Kentish seaside home. 

London is still a big influence here, and Jilly thrives 

amongst the creative crowd that has been attracted to 

Broadstairs in recent years, either as permanent residents 

or as guests at Belvidere Place boutique B&B. 

“Some fantastic people live round here; there’s a great 

community and I feel surrounded by friends,” says Jilly. 

The paying guests obviously add to the family atmosphere 

too. “I love having people around me,” she adds. 

As well as bringing many of her London friends with 

her, Jilly also brought the contents of her London home 

– items which fit perfectly with the pared-down, rustic 

interior of Belvidere Place. A characterful refectory 

table in the ‘breakfast room’ came from Gus’s paternal 

grandfather and a large circular pedestal dining table is 

equally fitting. Less ‘fitting’ and rather more funky is a 

giant representation of a Royal Mail stamp, made from 

buttons sewn on to cloth, which hangs over the fireplace. 

It is another reminder of Jilly’s art-world connections 

and was made by the artist Ann Carrington, one of the 


Above: The living room has bare floorboards, blackboard paint on the chimney breast and, on closer inspection, brown wrapping paper on the walls 

– a surprisingly effective look 

‘YBA’ who became well known at the same time as Damien 

Hirst, the Chapman Brothers and Tracey Emin. There is 

another Ann Carrington original, this time of a Union 

Jack, over the bedstead in one of the guest bedrooms. 

Each bedroom has a very different feel, though none 

of them is named or numbered, thus keeping a sense of 

homeliness – and avoiding hints at the building’s former 

life as a rather unpleasant boarding house. Despite the 

size of the building and the huge windows, it stays 

remarkable cosy: “The sun shines on the front of the 

building all morning, so it acts like a giant radiator,” 

says Jilly. Each room has magnificent sash windows – 

 


48

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Each room has magnificent sash windows – sometimes three in a room – 

and gorgeous inviting beds.“Despite setting-up on a budget, the things I 

would not compromise on were mattresses and bed linen,” says Jilly 

 


Above and left: An armchair that originally came from Claridge’s and a lamp 

that was retrieved from a skip, complete the look in an upstairs bedroom 

Other sources of furniture include 

boot sales, a doctors’ surgery and even a 

skip: “A lamp upstairs was on its way 

to the tip, before I rescued it,” says 

Jilly. The furniture just seems to fit – 

rather like Jilly’s many happy guests 

sometimes three in a room – and gorgeous inviting beds, 

with a sensible number of cushions and cosy throws: 

“Despite setting up on a budget, the things I would 

not compromise on were mattresses and bed linen.” 

Jilly also added simple, modern en suites to every 

room. Filling these five double rooms has never been a 

problem, despite a challenging start. “At the beginning, 

I was so short of money I didn’t have a business card, 

couldn’t afford advertising and didn’t even have a sign!” 

says Jilly. Fortunately, in her first week, a TV crew came 

to stay, and word spread: “In my third week, the BBC 

booked the place for six weeks solid.” So, as well as having 

a house full, she’s had some pretty special guests. 

 


52

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Above: An Ann Carrington original, this time of a Union Jack, hangs above the bed. The embroidered cushions were made by Jilly’s friend, Charlene Mullen 

“At one point, I was at rock bottom financially but due to open in 

a matter of weeks. A huge parcel arrived and it was full of beautiful 

embroidered cushions made by my friend Charlene Mullen” 

“We do seem to be a popular place with actors,” she says, 

though she’s careful not to name-drop, “and it makes a great 

party place.” She still doesn’t advertise and attracts almost 

all her business through word-of-mouth recommendation 

– and appearances in numerous glossy magazines. 

Opposite the ground floor breakfast room and its 

roaring fire is a living room with retro wood-burner, 

comfy chairs and a distinctive ‘foosball’ or ‘babyfoot’ 

table – which, apparently, is often a focal point at 

parties. Jilly bought it on Columbia Road in London. 

“It could tell a few stories!” says Jilly, though that is as 

much as she will say. I can’t help imagining Dame Maggie 

Smith – who plays Miss Shepherd in the film adaptation 

of Alan Bennett’s play – playing a game or two of table 

football. (I am informed, sadly for me at least, that Dame 

Maggie has never in fact stayed at Belvidere Place.) 

The living room has bare floorboards, blackboard paint 

on the chimney breast and, on closer inspection, brown 

wrapping paper on the walls – a surprisingly effective 

look. Against the wall is a large, glass-fronted ‘cupboard of 

curiosities’ which in a way reflects the eclectic contents of 

the building itself: in the breakfast room a vast mirror is in 

fact an old TV prop, there is an armchair from Claridge’s in 

one of the bedrooms and a stunning Japanese-style cabinet 

– which contains a kettle and other B&B goodies – in 

another. “There was no grand plan or design,” says Jilly. 


Each bedroom has a very different feel, though none of them is named 

or numbered, thus keeping a sense of homeliness – and avoiding hints at 

the building’s former life as a rather unpleasant boarding house 

 


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“When we first bought the place it was horribly institutional, with fire doors 

and glass partitions everywhere and many of the 

original doorways were boarded up,” says Jilly 

 


Above left: The carpets have been removed throughout, to leave characterful, marked floorboards which fit perfectly with the original panelling on the stairwell 

Above right: The grey-painted hallway is naturally lit by an original fanlight window above the front door as well as more contemporary fairy lights and spots 

Sea view or no sea view, it’s clear that guests love the atmosphere 

at Belvidere Place, the homely touches and the romance of this 

majestic building, in a quintessential English seaside town 

It’s hard to imagine that the interior wasn’t carefully 

planned and curated, especially as the dark-grey walls 

and woodwork downstairs make such a bold statement. 

“It’s not a fancy Farrow & Ball colour. I was doing 

some woodwork and liked the colour of the grey 

undercoat I was using – then had a similar colour mixed 

especially. I’ve thought of trying other colours since, 

but few things go so well as they do with grey.” 

Jilly also takes the same ‘unplanned’ approach with 

furniture: “I just buy what I like.” Sunbury Antiques 

Fair is one place she likes to visit, as well as Dolly Miller 

in Margate and Spitalfields Market in London. 

Other sources include boot sales, a doctors’ surgery 

and even a skip: “A lamp upstairs was on its way to 

the tip, before I rescued it.” The furniture just seems 

to fit – rather like Jilly’s many happy guests. 

“I don’t do internet bookings, only phone 

bookings, as I like to speak to my guests when 

they book,” she says. “I need to talk to them, to 

find out if this is the right place for them.” 

One thing she makes clear straight away, is that there 

is no sea view – although the beach is only a short 

stroll away. “If it’s not right for them, I point them in 

the right direction. That way, everyone’s happy.” 

Sea view, or no sea view, it’s clear that guests 

love the atmosphere at Belvidere Place, the homely 

touches and the romance of this majestic building 

in a quintessential English seaside town. 

 


60

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Drawers and other sizes also available. 

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Experienced team offering 

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For an extensive choice of beautiful traditional 

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at our new showroom and warehouse. 

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Curtain, blind and soft furnishings 

MAKERS FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS, RETAIL AND FOR YOU 

Your fabric or ours, measuring and advice, full fitting, 

poles and tracks supplied, hanging and dressing service 

New year, new look for your home. Beautifully made curtains and blinds for you or your clients. 

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Halden Place, Halden Lane, Rolvenden TN17 4JG 

Tel: 01580 241614 Email: info@lilymatthews.co.uk 

www.lilymatthews.co.uk 

LilyMatthewsWT167.indd 1 15/12/2015 09:50 

traditional handmade furniture 

Kitchens 

Bedrooms 

Studies 

Showroom: 78 London Road, Southborough 

Tunbridge Wells, Kent. TN4 0PP 

Tel: 01892 533273 

Web: Woodworkkitchens.co.uk 


Woodwork 1-2 version1.indd 1 09/12/2015 10:15 

62 

WoodworkWT167.indd 1 09/12/2015 11:21

Against the wall is a large, glass-fronted ‘cupboard of curiosities’ which, in a way, 

reflects the eclectic contents of the building itself 


Triple Gold Award Winners SPATA 2015 

SPATA Pool Contractor of the Year 2015 

Specialists in indoor and outdoor swimming pools, 

servicing, maintenance and improvements. 

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Pluckley Road, Pluckley, TN27 0SA 

Telephone: 0845 20 60 420 

Email: enquiries@xlpools.com 

www.xlpools.com

Above left and right: The courtyard garden at the back of the building is filled with potted plants, and is as appealing in winter as it is in summer. “It’s a great 

place for parties,” says Jilly. “We recently had a party out here, where we gathered around a brazier made from an old oil drum. It was a really fun evening.” 

“We get loads of proposals here,” says Jilly, with a certain 

pride. “One was at breakfast time, and all the guests welled 

up.” She has also advised guests on a romantic, outdoor 

spot to pop the question. “Kingsgate Bay is gorgeous. I 

make up a little Champagne picnic basket for that kind of 

occasion – we’re not Claridge’s, but we’re homely and cosy.” 

It’s clear that Jilly is in her element – working 

from home, surrounded by interesting, creative 

people and just a short walk from the beach: 

“I didn’t come here thinking it would be some 

kind of goldmine. I came to enjoy life, make a 

living and be around to look after my son.” 

This award-winning boutique B&B with clientele from 

across the world is just a rather wonderful spin-off. “I 

almost accepted an offer from someone who wanted to buy 

the place, but Gus persuaded me not to. Belvidere Place is 

our home after all, and not just a business.” I think this is 

eminently clear to anyone who is lucky enough to stay here. 

Address Book: 

Belvidere Place is in the heart of Broadstairs and a short walk 

from the beach. Each room is individually designed, with 

unusual one-off pieces of furniture and sleek contemporary 

bathrooms. Breakfasts are freshly made from local produce 

and, most importantly, the welcome is always warm. 

Belvidere Place Belvedere Road, Broadstairs, Kent 

CT10 1PF, 01843 579850 www.belvidereplace.co.uk 

Ann Carrington www.anncarrington.co.uk 

Charlene Mullen Shoreditch 020 7739 6987 

www.charlenemullen.com 

dolly Miller’s 20 Market Place, Margate CT9 1ES 

Sunbury Antiques Market Kempton Park Racecourse 

www.sunburyantiques.com 


eautiful oak framed buildings 

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Old meets new: 

timber-framed buildings 

Travel anywhere in the Weald, by car, on foot or by bicycle and 

you’d be hard-pushed not to pass an ancient timber-framed 

building – probably one of the most distinctive forms of historic 

building in Kent, Sussex and Surrey. 

The reason for this is largely down to the area’s geology and 

the fact that it was, and is, the most wooded part of Britain. Oak 

trees thrive on the clay soils of the Weald, (‘Weald’, translated 

from ‘wald’, means a wood or forest) so almost all vernacular 

Wealden buildings used oak for timber frames, as well as clay for 

tiles, daub for walls, and bricks when the owners and builders 

could afford them. 

Here we look at four companies who are continuing this 

tradition, restoring historic buildings and making modern timberframed 

buildings, built to last as long as their predecessors. 

Round Wood, Mayfield, East Sussex 

When was the company founded and by whom? 

Round Wood have been supplying oak framed buildings for 

over twenty years. The business, originally founded in the 

aftermath of the Great Hurricane of 1987 with just a mobile 

sawmill, naturally progressed into this area after establishing 

itself as a supplier of high quality oak. It now also offers 

hardwood decking, cladding, oak and walnut flooring, garden 

planters and a wide range of home and garden features, 

including burners. 

How have your building methods changed 

over the years? 

The demand for oak framed buildings has grown 

significantly over the years, requiring the construction 

workshop to relocate to larger premises on several occasions. 

The team now includes various sales personnel, surveyors, 

planning assistants, CAD technicians, workshop managers, 

joiners and dedicated oak framers. 

Whilst traditional crafting techniques are always adhered 

to, machinery has also been improved. This includes the 

acquisition of a CNC machine that is able to rapidly 

produce standard buildings at the touch of a button using 

CAD templates we produce in house. All are hand fitted in 

workshop to ensure ease of fit once the building arrives on 

site. Using their expertise and experience, Round Wood have 

planned, manufactured and erected thousands of oak frames 

over the last two decades. Customers are offered as much, or 

as little support as required. 

What are the main stages of a project, and what 

services do you offer in-house? 

Round Wood’s sales team, technical department and CAD 

specialists are able to assist throughout the planning and build 

process. Customers can put forward their own design and 

ideas, or can make use of a standard design that can be altered 

to suit bespoke requirements. 

Joinery and glazing are also available, along with roofing, 

ground works, plastering and insulation services. Site visits, 

consultation and initial sketches are available subject to site 

location. 

What type of projects do Round Wood undertake 

and have any recent projects been particularly 

challenging? 

The range of projects tackled is vast. These have included 

entire oak framed houses, offices, shops, work spaces and 

sports pavilions along with the more traditional garages, 

garden rooms, extensions and pergolas. The Round Wood 

team prefer not to regard any project as challenging, believing 

that any requirement for a project can be met given 

appropriate thought and planning. 

 


68

monarchoak 

Oak Frame Buildings 

Over 50 years’ experience making oak frame buildings 

• Garages 

• Garden Rooms 

• Complexes 

• Gazebos 

• Bespoke Buildings 

01323 765410 Quality in its finest form 

www.monarchoak.co.uk 

Back From Black 

Beam Renovation Ltd 

Renovating Beams Since 1997 

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1 07/12/2015 16:58 

All beams renovated without mess 

A unique system - No blasting 

No damage to the wood 

Tel: 01797 458508 www.beam-renovation.co.uk 


BackfromBlackWT162.indd 1 15/07/2015 12:20

HOMEPOWER 

DON’T WAIT FOR A POWER CUT 

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Generators with 11 years’ experience. 

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Please call 01689 857034 or e-mail 

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see how simple it is to give you peace of mind. 

Employed Skilled Workforce | Renovations & Extensions 

Conversions & Alterations | Design & Build 

GraceyardWT166.indd 1 03/11/2015 HomepowerLtdWT164.indd 17:02 

1 14/09/2015 11:14 

A.T. Palmer Ltd 

RestoRation specialists est.1949 


T: 01233 770077 

Smarden Business Estate, TN27 8QL 

70 

atpalmer.co.uk 

ATPalmerWT165.indd 1 06/10/2015 14:34

This Grade II Listed 18th-century farmhouse is on the outskirts of 

Lamberhurst. 

All external elevations required extensive sympathetic repairs and 

maintenance to brickwork, chimneys and re-roofing. Traditional lime 

mortars, locally soured second-hand bricks and roof tiles were used to 

match the existing. A small first-floor window was added to balance the 

proportions of the farmhouse and add light to a new bathroom. The 

original single glazed windows had to remain and required complete 

refurbishment. The entire house was re-wired, re-plumbed with a 

pressurised heating and hot water system added using surface copper 

pipes so as not to damage the original fabric of the house. 

A T Palmer Ltd, Smarden, Kent 

When was the company founded, by whom and 

where? 

In 1949, a young man had a vision of owning his own 

business. He discussed this with his wife, as without her help 

it would have been impossible. She readily agreed to run the 

office and together they bought a small business with six 

tradesmen and a dilapidated van. They were Arthur and Myra 

Palmer and the firm became known as A T Palmer (Builders 

& Contractors) Ltd. The rest is history, as they say. 

Today we employ a highly skilled workforce of 30, covering 

all trades with many years’ experience, as well as working with 

various specialist subcontractors. Our specialist craftsmen 

appreciate the buildings they are working on and we run 

apprenticeship schemes in various trades – so that our 

experts can pass on their skills. Our most recently qualified 

carpenter apprentice gained his experience working on a large 

timber-framed listed farmhouse renovation and he recently 

represented the South of England in the national finals of The 

Skill Build competition in Birmingham. 

What are the greatest challenges of working on 

historic timber framed buildings and what are the 

greatest rewards? 

Working on historic buildings can have its challenges, with 

conservation and listed planning issues, so we have to take 

careful consideration of the existing structure as well as 

sourcing local natural materials such as clay, timber and stone. 

However, the rewards of working on these wonderful old 

buildings are that we are able to work closely with our clients 

to create their vision, coordinate all trades using traditional 

materials and methods that truly take into account the 

building’s history whilst blending our work seamlessly into the 

structure and providing top quality, contemporary living. 

Do you have any recent, interesting projects you 

could tell us about? 

One recent one was a Grade II Listed 18th-century farmhouse 

on the outskirts of Lamberhurst. Before the Industrial 

Revolution Lamberhurst was the centre of the Wealden iron 

industry. This farmhouse and its estate formed part of the 

Gloucester Furnace where they made the railings for St. 

Paul’s Cathedral. The farmhouse had been untouched for 

60 years. We completed a full renovation, extension and 

refurbishment project over 11 months. 

 

Farmhouse before the extension was built 

An oak-framed extension was hand-built using green European oak to 

form the new kitchen and master bedroom suite. It was constructed using 

traditional materials and methods, by skilled craftsmen. 

The new porch was hand-built in European oak with bricks 

and tiles sourced locally to match the existing house. 


Design & Planning 

Restoration 

New Build 

Barn Conversions 

Extensions 

Joinery 

www.coxrestorations.co.uk 

For a free consultation please contact: 01233 714950 

www.coxrestorations.co.uk 

Established 1986

Monarch Oak, Vines Cross, East Sussex 

When was the company founded and by whom? 

Monarch Oak was founded by Tom Wallis in 2011 after he 

spent more than 15 years working in the oak-frame 

building industry. 

What are the greatest challenges of working with 

green oak and what are the greatest rewards? 

There are many rewards that come with working with oak. 

One of the most important ones for Monarch Oak is to keep 

traditional building methods alive. Unlike other oak frame 

companies, all of our buildings are still made today by hand 

using age-old practices such as mortise and tenon joints and 

wooden pegs. We also ensure curved braces are a feature in 

every design as these really do stand out in the overall build. 

The beauty of oak as a material is that it weathers with age 

and turns an attractive silver colour after a short time. 

Where do you source specialist building materials, 

and what are they? 

We use the best quality green oak and cut the beams and 

braces out of large, chunky pieces of timber which gives a 

much nicer overall effect. Depending on the client brief and 

specification, we also hand select reclaimed tiles and bricks 

from suppliers across the UK. 

Where do you look for inspiration when 

designing a timber-framed building? 

When designing an oak-frame building it’s important to 

ensure it reflects the style of the property it will sit alongside. 

With years of experience in the oak frame building industry 

we offer free design and build advice to the client to make 

certain their design suits their home. It can be a simple 

suggestion like altering the roof pitch or adding an upstairs 

dwelling to a garage. We pride ourselves on creating a design 

that is sympathetic to its environment too – whether that’s in 

a rural setting or alongside a busy road. 

What is the most unusual or quirky building you 

have worked on? 

We designed an outside eating area for students at a school in 

Hurtwood, Surrey. The school is a beautiful building set in the 

heart of the English countryside, so the design had to be just 

right and the build executed perfectly. 

panelling and laying oak floors, or hanging beautiful handmade 

doors, are backed-up by a highly skilled team of joiners 

in the workshop, producing a range of bespoke windows, 

doors and other purpose-made joinery. Our plasterer insists 

on using cow dung in the lime plaster to produce a fabulous 

durable finish and our bricklayers use lime mortar and handmade 

bricks so that it is difficult to tell which is original and 

which is a repair. Our ethos is very much about working with 

the building and understanding its social history to produce 

a beautiful restoration. Cox Restorations is renowned for its 

extensions to historic buildings which seamlessly join the new 

to the old. 

Cox Restorations, Charing, Kent 

When was the company founded, by whom 

and where? 

Cox Restorations was founded in 1986. David Cox 

has spent a lifetime in and around historic buildings; his 

imagination was fired up when working on a building in 

the 1980s which stirred his passion for understanding and 

repairing old buildings 

How has the company developed since then? 

With the company entering its 30th year it has expanded, 

employing a very skilled workforce. Our oak framers can 

repair meticulously old timber-framed houses and barns, 

some more than 500 years old, in a way that leaves the repairs 

indistinguishable from the original; this requires great skill and 

experience. Our carpenters and joiners, when on-site repairing 

The company is now creating historic-looking 

new-builds. What’s so special about these homes? 

In 2015 Cox Developments (Charing) Limited was set up to 

build six high-quality homes in Challock. The houses have 

weatherboarding painted a soft cream colour under a handmade 

tile roof and the brickwork is an old-fashioned Flemish 

bond (unlikely to be used by many developers). Walking up 

the brick path you arrive at a wide farmhouse door under 

a David Cox-designed porch with trellis and hand-made 

tiles. The rural cottage feel is complemented by locally made 

chestnut fencing and gates. High-performance joinery and 

insulation makes for cost-effective living. Internally, the 

houses are created for modern living, with open-plan layouts, 

underfloor heating, as well as a sitting room with an inglenook 

for a woodburner which can be connected to the heating and 

hot water. Glass balustrades on the stairs add a contemporary 

feel, mixed with oak-planked doors and oak floors. 


Design Project 

Words: Jane Howard Photographs: David Merewether Styling: Helen Barton 


74

After spotting the potential of this Victorian house 

near Camden Road in Tunbridge Wells, Justine 

Hodgson-Barker, an interior designer, and her 

husband James set about transforming it into a 

stylish yet functional family home 


Above: The open-plan kitchen and dining area both feature reclaimed parquet flooring, interconnecting the rooms and making the whole area feel light and 

bright. The kitchen, which now opens directly on to the garden was once dark and cluttered and accessed via a dining room 

They always say it’s who you know and not 

what you know and, in the case of the 

interior designer who owns this charming, 

funky house in Tunbridge Wells, it’s patently true. 

Justine Hodgson-Barker has a black book to die for 

and has used all her professional contacts and skills 

to turn a fairly typical Victorian terraced house into 

an original, stylish yet functional family home. 

Justine studied design at The Chelsea College of Art 

& Design and has had a successful and busy career 

in interior design ever since. Juggling work with two 

young daughters, she now runs barkerdesign and has 

never been so busy, working on anything from whole 

house projects to single rooms. She has just finished 

the refurb at The Black Dog in town and is already 

working on several new commissions including a 

beautiful Decimus Burton house in Tunbridge Wells. 

Justine and her husband James decided to move down 

to the town five years ago and started looking for suitable 

properties. As a professional she knew she wanted a “ 

‘project’ and when they found their current home 

she knew they had found one. “Everything about 

the house was dark and pokey,” explains Justine. 

“To reach the third bedroom you had to go through 

the second one, there was no upstairs bathroom and 

everything and I mean everything – carpets, walls, 

tiles, doors was mustard-colour!” Game On. 

As well as creating stylish designs, Justine also stresses 

the importance of understanding what the space has to do 

and the need to find a compromise between the desires 

of all parties involved - in this case her and James. 

“Personally I like quirky, old-meets-new interiors 

where signature pieces play an important role while 

James prefers clean, contemporary, gadget-boy 

minimalism. I had to make it work for both of us.” 

At the back of the house, typical of Victorian terraces, 

there was a dark and underused dining room leading to 

a cluttered kitchen with a small window overlooking the 

garden. As is the norm, Justine drew up plans to extend 

the kitchen laterally into the side return but then did 

the sums and, always being conscious of the return on 

investment on any serious building project, decided it 

wasn’t worth it. With two young children she wanted 

to use the garden as an extra summer living room, so 

put large bespoke wooden glazed doors in the kitchen 

and dining room which created the desired inside- 


76

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SofasAndStuffWT168.indd 1 13/01/2016 11:55

Above: Justine describes the living room, which is at the front of the house, 

as a ‘work in progress’. Even so, the subtle paint scheme and signature pieces 

of furniture, including a Charles Eames chair and a Hans Wegner rocker, 

give it understated style Right: Retro fashion posters brighten up a wall. 

Justine has found other quirky prints at Rockett St George and, for unusual 

art deco and modernist furniture, uses the online boutique, MAR-DEN 

out feel and flooded light into this end of the house. 

With the help of designer Karen McClure the garden 

has had a very stylish makeover. The narrow steps leading 

up to the higher level were widened, thus creating a wide 

and inviting vista when you look out from the kitchen 

and the beds were planted with architecturally interesting 

shrubs. What really works is the clever use of black paint 

on all the hard surfaces. The black fences either side of 

the lawn really make the grass look greener and the brick 

walls that wrap round the patio look very smart and 

contemporary. With the addition of some quirky finds 

such as a large French industrial mirror and Amish metallic 

barn stars, good lighting and a corner sofa, this area really 

has become a fun extra living space in the summer - 

affectionately referred to by friends as the Mojito Garden. 

Back inside, Justine has laid reclaimed pale parquet 

wood flooring throughout the ground floor which 

cleverly interconnects the rooms and makes it all feel 

very light and bright. The neutral, simple kitchen 

units are from Krieder in Tunbridge Wells and are 


The house has a large, spacious hallway, with walls painted in Farrow 

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80

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MaisonMeublesWT158.indd 1 17/03/2015 14:30

Above: The neutral, simple kitchen units are from Krieder in Tunbridge 

Wells with open shelving as a design feature in itself and home to colourful 

ingredients and recipes books, as well as a collection of retro Homepride 

‘Freds’ Right: Light floods into the narrow kitchen from three sides, including 

the large glass doors which lead out on to the garden 

topped by polished concrete work surfaces. “This was 

an experiment,” explains Justine. “I love trying out new 

materials and, although it looks beautiful, it’s not all that 

practical; advice I can at least now pass on to my clients.” 

The look does however appeal to James’ desire for a 

modern minimalist feel, while Justine has funked it up 

with colourful displays of oils, spices, books and jars. 

Then she’s added quirky touches like the glass lampshades, 

originally funnels from a science lab and sourced from 

Retrovius in London, and teamed these precious ‘one 

offs’ with Ikea stainless steel shelf units – and, hey 

presto, it’s a great look and keeps everyone happy. 

What was the dining room and previously used as a 

‘walk through’ is now effectively the hub of the home 

and a useful family room. Decorated in neutral tones 

the room is brought to life by an eclectic collection of 

pieces that Justine has picked up along the way. “Being an 

interior designer, I am always going to antique fairs and 

shows such as the Midcentury Modern in Dulwich – a 

great source for the best 60s, 70s and 80s pieces – and 


Above: Justine is on-trend with her copper-coloured kitchen accessories and 

complementary ply retro boards used as a splash-back Below left: The layout 

of the downstairs was reconfigured to create an ‘inside outside’ feel and easy 

access to the ‘mojito garden’ – as friends affectionately call it. 

looking for signature items for my clients. Or sometimes 

I grab some for my own home. The lamp is a wonderful 

1960s Swedish design by Uno Kristiansson, the antique 

settle with original blue patina is from Ardingly, and the 

dresser is new from Blooms in Southborough. And then 

there are all the lovely German 1960s jars, vases and signs 

– many sourced from Love Inc in Tunbridge Wells.” 

Unusually for a terraced Victorian house, this one has 

a large square spacious hall with the stairs leading off at 

right angles to the front door. Painted in Farrow & Ball 

Elephant’s Breath, with a fabulous French chandelier 

sourced from eBay and set off with flashes of bright red, 

Justine has created a really smart space that is much more 

interesting and useful than a standard narrow hall. 

And then surprisingly, under the stairs there is a 

bathroom – the only room to retain the original mustard 

tiles that came with the house when they bought it, and 

they look terrific. It was just a shower room but Justine has 

added a bath and painted all the walls in Abigail Aherne’s 

dark Bedford Brown paint. It works amazingly well and is 

the perfect backdrop for a print from Rockett St George, 

an online emporium for quirky treasures. Other unusual 


84

NewWaveWT167.indd 1 09/12/2015 10:02 

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“Personally, I like quirky, old-meets-new interiors with signature pieces, while James prefers 

clean, contemporary, gadget-boy minimalism. I had to make it work for both of us” 

art deco and modernist pieces are sourced from another 

of her black book contacts, MAR-DEN. By leaving the 

copper pipes exposed and panelling the bath with an old 

Victorian mirror that reflects the tiled floor she has made 

really imaginative and interesting use of a small space. 

The front room is still ‘work in progress’, the room she 

will get round to when the demands of work and babies 

allow. Even so, painted in neutral tones and with some 

fabulous pieces of furniture – like the Charles Eames 

chair Justine bought James for his 30 th birthday and the 

Hans Wegner rocker – it already looks very stylish. 

Go on up the stairs and originally you turned right to 

the front bedroom and left to the second bedroom which 

led through to the third. By taking out the fireplace in the 

second room Justine has put in a landing off which you 

can now access both the girls’ rooms directly and managed 

to shave off some extra space for a second bathroom. 

Clever stuff, which looks like it has always been there. 

A lovely big window at the top of the stairs is 

dressed with a cosy tartan blind – sourced from the 

very reasonable Moon Fabrics. It’s also home to a 

wonderful old rocking horse found at the Ardingly 


Above: The girls’ bedrooms are very much the creation of the Hodgson-Barker’s 

eldest daughter who wants to be a teacher, so chose to have a blackboard 

wall as well as a white board. The wall and ceiling are painted in coral 

Left: Open shelves are both practical and decorative, with this wire-work 

shelving unit in the nursery showing more than a hint of Justine’s style 

antiques fair. The new bathroom off this landing, painted 

in another dark colour – Invisible Green from Little 

Greene – is finished by 1960s Art Deco Bakelite lights 

and more of the eye-catching red 1960s German vases. 

The master bedroom is also painted in a dark colour, 

this time Bone China, also from Little Greene. Beautiful 

ticking linen curtains and Indigo blinds create a very 

cool feel and the perfect backdrop for an amazing light 

fitting. This comes from Gong Lighting, a company that 

specialises in taking original vintage ideas and giving them 

a twist. In this instance the ubiquitous Habitat paper 

shade has been reproduced in a wonderful floral fabric. It’s 

fabulous and goes so well with the ochre velvet bed sourced 

from another useful contact – Love Your Home For Less 

– that will do semi-bespoke pieces at reasonable prices. 

The landing leading to the girls’ bedrooms is 

where Justine says you enter the fun part of the 

 


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furnishers 

90 

nole House 

furnishers 

nole House 

furnishers 

KnoleHouseWT149.indd 1 16/12/2015 KnoleHouseWT154.indd 12:04 

1 16/12/2015 10:15 

KnoleHouseWT168.indd 1 19/01/2016 12:52

Above: The master bedroom is painted in Bone China by Little Greene with 

a striking light fitting from Gong Lighting – who specialise in vintage ideas 

with a twist Left: An original fireplace makes the perfect focal point for the 

room and a collection of ‘objets trouvés’ 

house. She’s wisely decided there’s no point trying 

to inflict her own design ideas on the children and 

they should have what they want. But obviously this 

little girl – the other one is a baby – has as much 

style as her mum; if you think it will be an explosion 

of bubble gum pink and sparkles, think again. 

She wants to be a teacher, so top of her wish list was 

to have a blackboard and more recently, keeping up 

with the times, a white board. The walls and ceiling are 

all painted in a coral – Justine thinks by using just one 

‘up and over’ colour you draw more attention to the 

hero products in the room such as the amazing IKEA 

Mascros light fitting which she spray-painted to create 

a unique piece – she refers to it as ‘Ikea hacking’. 

She tips me off that companies like IKEA and French 

Connection employ teams of young, talented designers 

to create their original and affordable collections and 

as she wisely points out you never know, one of them 

might just turn out to be the next Eames or Wegner. It 

has been a very educational visit, so many generously 

shared ideas and contacts, though I rather suspect we 

only scratched the surface of this very original and 

inspiring interior designer’s Little Black Book. 

 


Above: Easy access to the garden and masses of natural light are just two of the advantages of the redesigned kitchen space (Photograph courtesy of Janet Penny) 

Address Book: 

Justine Hodgson-Barker offers a design service for homes 

and businesses in Kent, from concept right through to 

completion. www.barker-design.com 

Blooms Furniture Southborough, 01892 864103, 

www.bloomsfurniture.co.uk 

Decorative Antiques UK 01580 860317 

decorativeantiquesuk.com 

Gong lighting www.gong.co.uk 

Janet Penny Photography www.janetpenny.com 

Karen McClure garden and landscape designer 

01892 852983 www.karenmcclure.co.uk 

Krieder Tunbridge Wells 01892 619721 www.krieder.co 

Little Greene paint & paper www.littlegreene.com 

Love Inc Tunbridge Wells 01892 319887 

www.loveincltd.co.uk 

Love Your Home www.love-your-home.co.uk 

MAR-DEN 20th century furniture www.mar-den.co.uk 

Moon fabrics www.moons.co.uk 

Retrouvius Kensal Green 020 8960 6060, 

www.retrouvius.com 

Rockett St George www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk 


92

MINTERIORS 

JFine hand crafted kitchens and bespoke furniture 

01580 291221 jminteriorsuk.uk 

Biddenden Showroom

Fed up with 

trying to 

lose weight? 

If you are only too familiar with constantly struggling to lose and maintain your 

weight, read on. Rachel Ricketts, a leading weight loss consultant, is confident that The 

Metabolic Weight Loss Programme may just help bring your dieting days to an end. 

It’s a fact of life! 

F 

or the majority of us, as we get 

older our metabolic rate slows 

down. In addition major hormonal 

changes such as pregnancy, menopause, 

stress, medication, illnesses and bad 

eating habits can all contribute to being 

overweight. 

Helping you lose your weight 

once and for all 

One of the key things when it comes to 

losing and maintaining weight is sorting 

out once and for all the very things that 

are causing you to struggle with your 

weight. The four stages of The Metabolic 

Weight Loss Programme address exactly 

that, taking you from one way of eating 

to another way. The expected average 

weight loss is 7-14lb a month. Structured 

and easy to follow, it is designed so that 

you are not constantly feeling hungry or 

battling with cravings. There is absolutely 

nothing faddy about it - no diet pills, 

shakes, calories or points counting etc. 

A personal approach to help you 

lose weight 

One of the key factors why The Metabolic 

Weight Loss Programme is so successful 

is the personal approach that is taken 

with each person. We listen to you, 

are sensitive to your needs in terms 

With an average 

weight loss of 7-14lbs 

a month for clients 

and hundreds of hand 

written testimonials, 

Rachel’s results speak 

for themselves 

of support and tailor the programme 

as necessary. You are guided through 

the four stages of the programme with 

one-to-one support consultations every 

7-10 days. Email support is available as 

needed. We are totally non-judgmental 

as you are coached through any 

difficulties or lapses! Everything about our 

approach is designed to give you the best 

opportunity to lose weight as quickly and 

comfortably as your body allows you to. 

Support is available throughout the UK 

and overseas. 

Is it possible that you too can 

get the results that others have 

experienced? 

Hundreds of handwritten testimonials 

show how people have finally resolved 

their weight problems with the help of 

Rachel and her team. “Time after time, 

people come to us as their very last 

chance,” says Rachel. “They are delighted 

with the results, never thinking they 

could have achieved what they have. In 

addition to their weight loss, many say 

just how happy they are with their health 

and well-being improvements. Age 

doesn’t seem to be a problem, our eldest 

client being 90 years old!” 

Rachel offers free consultations for those who are wanting to lose their weight once and for all. 

Rachel Ricketts 01342 327396 email rachel@rachelrickettsweightloss.co.uk 

www.rachelrickettsweightloss.co.uk


Wedding 

supplement

Contents 

WT Wedding Supplement 

Breathtakingly different... 

Photo: Rebecca Douglas www.rebeccadouglas.co.uk 

5 Great Dates 

A few ideas for fun days out 

6 Damsel & the dress 

Our selection of beautiful dresses and accessories 

19 Talking flowers 

Jennifer Stuart-Smith talks flower symbolism 

21 Cherish the day 

From decor to drinks, we have you covered 

22 Directory 

Everyone you need for your Wealden wedding 

...Exclusively yours 

Bradbourne 

House 

A venue with charm and elegance, exquisite cuisine, 

true quality of service and attention to detail. 

01732 897 436 

East Malling, Kent ME19 6DZ 

enquiries@bradbournehousekent.co.uk 

www.bradbournehouseweddings.co.uk 

Visit our website for the forthcoming 

Wedding Exhibitions dates for 2016 

BradbourneHouseWT168.indd 1 08/01/2016 10:09 


- WEDDINGS - CELEBRATIONS - HOG ROASTS - BBQ’s - BAKES & CAKES - 

Contact caroline: caroline@plumtreecatering.com 

or call 07739 708599 

Contact SARAH: sarah@plumtreecatering.com 

or call 07771 332576 

PLUM TREE 

Catering 

Photo www.jamesrouse.com 

- WEDDINGS - CELEBRATIONS - HOG ROASTS - BBQ’s - BAKES & CAKES - 

BloomingGreenWT168.indd 1 07/01/2016 BrickHouseFarmWT162.indd 14:31 

1 22/07/2015 10:25 


4 

FrasersWT162.indd 1 16/07/2015 15:04


Great dates 

You don’t have to go far afield to find a unique and romantic spot for a 

special occasion, whether it’s a first date or an anniversary... 

Leeds Castle 

What makes Leeds Castle a great place 

for a first date, or a special date? 

Leeds Castle is known as ‘the loveliest 

Castle in the world’ and is the ideal place 

for a first date! Rising majestically from 

the moat, the Castle itself creates an air 

of romance on first impression. With so 

much to do during a day at the Castle, 

there is something for everyone to enjoy. 

What do couples enjoy most? Couples 

always love exploring the Maze at Leeds 

Castle and punting on the moat during the 

summer months is an unusual and lovely 

way to spend an afternoon or special date. 

Afternoon tea in the restaurant is also a 

favourite with couples wishing to celebrate 

with a glass of bubbly. 

Have you had any proposals at Leeds 

Castle? Or any heart-warming stories? 

Recently, the winners of the ‘Your Kent 

Wedding of the Year’ were announced, 

following their wedding held at Leeds 

Castle. The Castle Falconry team helped 

the groom to arrange a romantic proposal 

to surprise the bride-to-be 

when a bird of prey delivered 

a diamond engagement ring 

during the couple’s visit. 

Is there somewhere nice to 

eat at Leeds Castle? 

Castle View Restaurant offers 

diners a relaxed atmosphere 

and spectacular views from 

the terrace of the 900 year 

old Castle beautifully lit at 

night. Sourcing ingredients 

local to the Castle, our menu 

is designed to complement the 

stunning surroundings, ensuring the 

food and the setting make for a truly 

special evening. 

What else is there to do in the area? 

For something more adventurous try Go 

Ape! the high-wire forest adventure in the 

castle parkland. Thrill-seekers with a head 

for heights can climb the trees and slide 

across high wires, cross rope bridges and 

zip wire to the ground at speed. 

Cost to get in….. 

Admission tickets cost £24 for 

adults; £21 for seniors and visitors 

with disabilities (carer goes free); 

£16 for children (under 4s free). 

Admission tickets are valid for 12 

months – so you can pay once and 

visit all year round. Book online 

and receive 10% off admission 

tickets at: 

www.leeds-castle.com 

Frasers 

Why is Frasers a great 

place for a first, or special 

date? We are privileged 

to be in the most idyllic 

location in the heart of 

the Kent countryside, as well as in a beautiful hand-crafted 

oak barn where couples can enjoy a two AA Rosette-winning 

meal using the finest locally sourced ingredients. They can also 

relax in our sumptuous AA 5-star Gold Award-winning rooms, 

making their visit simply perfect. 

What do couples enjoy most when they visit? Couples are 

spoilt rotten when they come to Frasers, whatever the time 

of year. The barn is intimate and cosy in the winter months, 

with rooms filled with flowers and tea-lights, creating a most 

romantic setting. In the summer, couples often relax on the 

terrace, enjoying a pre-dinner drink, or they may choose to 

take a stroll after dinner to savour the delights of the unspoilt 

countryside. If they are lucky they might catch a glimpse of 

our resident barn owl. 

Have you had any proposals at Frasers? We have helped 

many a gentleman to plan the ‘perfect proposal’. Whether it’s 

showering the bed and bath with fresh petals, leaving a bottle 

of champagne on ice in the room or packing up the perfect 

picnic for couples to enjoy on the farm. Our philosophy is to 

build long-term relationships with all our valued customers. 

Hence, on many occasions couples come for a meal, fall 

in love at Frasers – we then host their weddings and even 

subsequently their christenings! 

Is there somewhere nice to eat at your venue or nearby. 

Couples need look no further than ‘Frasers’ for the most 

delicious brunch, lunch, afternoon tea or intimate supper. 

During the warmer months we are delighted to pack up our 

quintessential afternoon tea for you to enjoy relaxing next 

to a pond on the farm in perfect seclusion – you might even 

hear a nightingale or two. Our afternoon teas are excellent 

value for money at £14.95 per head. We are offering our 

‘Spring Sparkle’ offer at £200 per couple for dinner, bed 

and breakfast. 

Please contact Joanne James on 01233756122 

or visit: www.frasers-events.co.uk 


Damsel & 

the dress 

Photographs: David Merewether Styling: Helen Barton Hair: Hair at Fifteen 

An enchanting castle rising from the still waters of a moat, 

surrounded by 500 acres of ancient parkland. One bride, and a 

selection of beautiful dresses. There’s a story to be told... 


6


Ronald Joyce 

Condici 

Ispirato 

Luis Civit 

Paule Vasseur 

Cabotine 

Zeila 

Jessica Kennedy 

Boutique 

Be mine this 

Valentines... 

image used: 

ronald joyce; 

the veni 

infantino 

collection; 

style: 991060 

You’re sure to find something 

nice or naughty at Lily & Grace 

this Valantines. 

65 Castle Street, Canterbury / 01227 458 748 

www.jessica-kennedy.co.uk 

The Square • Forest Row • East Sussex • RH18 5ES 

contact@lilygracelingerie.co.uk 

01342 822122 

Lily & Grace 

Lingerie 

JessicaKennedyWT168.indd 1 06/01/2016 LilyGraceLingerieWT168.indd 16:00 

1 20/01/2016 09:32 

Halycon is the St. Leonards home 

of AVEDA. Its beautiful and 

understated interior provides 

a perfect environment with a 

private space for you to enjoy 

your wedding hair rehearsals. 

Look no further for classic 

curves, stylish modern twists 

or cascading curls, the team at 

Halcyon can help you realise 

your dream wedding style. 

Bespoke packages upon request. 

halcyon 

the salon 

72 Norman Road 

St. Leonards 

01424 465333 

halcyonhairdressing.co.uk 


8 

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1 19/01/2016 14:16

previous page: crystal hairband, £75, So Baroque www.wealdenfairs.com/SoBaroque; Brazilian amethyst & labradorite earrings, £94, Me 

Encanta www.wealdenfairs.com/meencanta; Honour dress, £2595, Stephanie Allin, The Bridal Boutique of Jules, Deal 01304 389710 www. 

boutiqueofjules.co.uk; table flowers and table setting, price on request, Leeds Castle Floristry www.leeds-castle.com/Weddings 

this page: flower headdress & bouquet (provided exclusively for Wealden Times), Ali, Sissinghurst Flowers, 01580 852144 www.sissinghurstflowers.co.uk; 

Eden earrings, £10, Tanglewood Studios www.wealdenfairs.com/tanglewoodstudios; vintage Laura Ashley dress, price on request, 

Carmen shoes, £87.50, Rachel Simpson, The Bridal Boutique of Jules, Deal 01304 389710 www.boutiqueofjules.co.uk

green amethyst calypso earrings, £42, Christin Ranger Jewellery www.wealdenfairs.com/christinrangerjewellery; bird cage hairband, 

£125, Timeless Couture, dress, £1100, Sacha James, The Bridal Boutique of Jules, Deal 01304 389710 www.boutiqueofjules.co.uk 


10

QUINTESSENTIALLY BRITISH 

BRIDAL BOUTIQUE 

FILLED WITH BRIDAL LACE, TWEED & JEWELS.. 

● DESIGNER DRESSES & ACCESSORIES ● BESPOKE MENSWEAR 

● IN-HOUSE DESIGN & ALTERATION SERVICE. 

dressing undeniable beauty 

www.odyl.co.uk 

01580 714907 

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. 

26 DOVER ROAD, WALMER, DEAL, KENT. CT14 7JW 

01304 389710 

INFO@BOUTIQUEOFJULES.CO.UK 

WWW.BOUTIQUEOFJULES.CO.UK 

OdylWT168.indd 1 08/01/2016 BridalBoutiqueWT168.indd 09:49 

1 11/01/2016 17:27 

cashmere and silk knitwear 

The Striped 

Jumper £50 

Made in Italy 

No 6, The Colonnade, Rye Road, 

Hawkhurst, Kent TN18 4ES - 01580 752118 

12 High Street, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7JF - 01797 224 369 

Mon-Sat 10am-5.30pm www.cordeliajames.com 

Come and browse our new Spring/Summer Collections 

Moving to new premises February 2016 - 23 High Street, Tenterden 

5 High Street, Tenterden TN30 6BN 

Telephone 07966 033000 Email sales@cashara.co.uk 

Shop online at www.cashara.co.uk 


CordeliaJamesWT168.indd 1 15/01/2016 CasharaWT168.indd 10:54 

1 13/01/2016 17:32

Cornell 

Established 1796 

Platinum and Diamond 

Wedding and Engagement Rings 

‘The Perfect Match’ 

£2195 £2155 

www.cornelljewellers.com 

12-14 Gabriels Hill, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6JG Tel: 01622 753754 

info@gcornell.co.uk

long sleeved dress, £1400, Sacha James, The Bridal Boutique of Jules, Deal 01304 389710 www.boutiqueofjules.co.uk; flower headdress, 

price on request, Ali, Sissinghurst Flowers, 01580 852144 www.sissinghurstflowers.co.uk; Eden earrings, £10, Tanglewood Studios www. 

wealdenfairs.com/tanglewoodstudios

Loren dress, £2515, diamond crochet shrug, £730, Stephanie Allin, The Bridal Boutique of Jules, Deal 01304 

389710 www.boutiqueofjules.co.uk; park crystal hairband, £75, Elisa oval bracelet, £79, tennis bracelet, £60, So 

Baroque www.wealdenfairs.com/SoBaroque 


14

Concept 

Hair 

salon 

The Clever Dresser 

Boutique stocks 

some of the most 

sought-after brands 

of the moment 

Helmut Lang 

DVF Diane Von 

Furstenberg 

MILLY New York 

McQ McQueen 

Tom Ford 

AG Jeans 

Rebecca Taylor 

Rebecca Minkoff 

Frame Jeans 

Zoe Karssen 

Duffy 

Muubaa 

Parajumpers 

50 High Street, Tenterden 01580 762 564 

Book online at www.williamcharleshair.co.uk 

or through our facebook page 

CleverDresser 

6 Bank St. Sevenoaks, 

Kent TN13 1UW 

01732 453 002 

www.thecleverdresser.com 

THE CLEVER DRESSER 

BOUTIQUE 

WilliamCharlesWT166.indd 1 06/11/2015 CleverDresserBoutiqueS12.indd 11:26 

1 29/09/2015 10:45 

Linda Pope 

F.B.D.O 

Love 

from... 

Linda Pope 

Opticians 

facebook.com/LindaPopeOpticians 

Rye Road • Hawkhurst 

Telephone. 01580 753744 


KidEllaWT167.indd 1 14/12/2015 LindapopeQRTWT168.indd 10:04 

1 12/01/2016 16:45

New Barbour SS16 available 

from mid-February 

Time to freshen 

up your wardrobe 

and look forward 

to Spring 

Swattenden Lane | Cranbrook | TN17 3PS 

01580 713189 

www.charityfarmcountrystore.co.uk 

Tel: 01797 224271 

16 Lion Street, Rye, E.Sussex TN31 7LB 

e: shop@thegoldenfleece.co.uk 

w: www.thegoldenfleece.co.uk 

@goldenfleecerye 

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1 12/01/2016 11:51 

QUALITY CLOTHING AND A PERSONAL SERVICE 

SPRING / SUMMER 2016 

With the new season fast approaching, we are already 

pleased to be able to offer the first part of our new 

ranges, amongst these are collections from DIGEL, a 

German tailoring company, specialising in fine, mid 

and lightweight fabrics, tailored in two collections. 

DIGEL CONCEPT, a range of jackets and trousers 

in a modern yet comfortable fit, with refined 

detailing, and DIGEL MOVE, an urban styled 

collection, in a slimmer fit, with a consistently 

modern and perfectly shaped silhouette. 

To celebrate the 150 th anniversary of MAGEE 1866 

clothing, both our Canterbury and Reigate stores are 

pleased to be able to offer their celebration collection 

of contemporary clothing, in linen and cotton blends. 

As always, we welcome you to visit our stores and 

allow us the chance of showing you what’s on 

offer for the ensuing spring / summer season. 

We are proud to be sponsoring Tom Ward in the Pirelli Superstock 600 Championship 

19 St. Margarets St, 

Canterbury, 

Kent CT1 2TH 

Tel: 01227 765294 

2 East Cross, 

Tenterden, 

Kent TN30 6AD 

Tel: 01580 765159 

6 High St, 

Reigate, 

Surrey RH2 9AY 

Tel: 01737 249224 

Follow us 

CountyClothes 


16 

CountyClothesWT168.indd 1 18/01/2016 11:42

Effie dress, £1400, veil, £140, Minna, The Bridal Boutique of Jules, Deal 01304 389710 www.boutiqueofjules.co.uk; Dougal the snowy 

owl, Leeds Castle Falconry www.leeds-castle.com/Falconry 

Wealden Times would like to say a huge thank you to Gemma, the Hospitality 

team and the Falconry team at Leeds Castle for providing a beautiful location, 

table setting, flowers and Dougal the snowy owl. Wedding packages at the castle 

can be tailored to your requirements and can include all of these services and 

more. (Please note that only flowers created by the Leeds Castle Floristry team 

are available for functions) The Castle offers everything from stunning photo 

opportunities and ceremony locations to wedding breakfast in the Henry VIII 

Banqueting Hall and luxurious bedrooms. For more information visit www. 

leeds-castle.com/weddings or contact hospitality@leeds-castle.co.uk / 01622 767877. 


Made With Love 

lower Boutique 

FFriendly, Friendly, approachable staff always here to help 

with your needs and requests, we can cater for all budgets. 

We offer wedding, funeral and gift services. 

Feel free to pop in and say hello! 

Bespoke Floral Designs 

for all occasions 

Mobile 07977 142447 

contact@sissinghurstflowers.co.uk 

www.sissinghurstflowers.co.uk 

7 High Street, Cranbrook TN17 3EB 

Telephone 01580 714370 

fl owerboutiquecranbrook@gmail.com 

Flower&Glory 

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1 18/05/2015 13/01/2016 18:09 11:49 

Weddings • Events • House & Garden 

Breath-taking, heart-singing: 

flowers, foliage, berries and buds 

flowersanddaughters.co.uk 

Tel: 01892 852189 

Gorgeous flowers for weddings, funerals & events - and everyday. 

Unusual decorative objects for the house & 

garden - for that lovely finishing touch. 

Stockist of Neom Luxury Organics 

Home Fragrancing & Body Products. 

12 Blacks Yard, Blighs Meadow, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1DS 

Tel: 01732 743419 www.flowerandglory.co.uk 


18 

FlowersDaughtersWT152.indd 1 12/09/2014 Flower&GloryWT163.indd 10:38 

1 12/08/2015 13:02


What flowers 

may say 

about you... 

After deciding on a date, a venue and a guest list, 

one of the trickiest considerations can be choosing 

your flowers; for your bouquet, for the ceremony 

and for the reception 

D 

eciding on what ‘look’ you want is hard enough – 

whether it’s classic and romantic or rustic and a little 

bit wild. And that’s before you discover that flowers 

have historic significance and hidden meanings. Although it’s 

important not to get bogged down in the significance of certain 

flowers, if you want to add another layer of meaning to your 

bouquet, or your table decorations, it may be worth giving it 

some thought. Just remember, the most important thing is to 

have what you like, what makes you smile, and flowers that 

you and your guests will remember for years to come. Below 

are a few floral (and foliage) favourites and what they signify. 

Artemisia 

Named after an ancient Persian princess and a goddess of 

the moon, just the name of this scented foliage is rather 

beautiful. Also known as Lad’s Love it was historically used as 

a buttonhole, because of its aromatic scent, and is still used in 

perfumes today. Its feathery, silver-green foliage adds a subtle, 

aromatic touch to a bridal bouquet. 

Daisy 

A symbol of innocence, many people associate daisies with 

childhood fascination and the first flower they ever picked. 

Various forms of daisies – though usually white – are popular 

with brides having a country-style wedding and as the main 

flower in flower-girl posies. Their simple, open face is also 

popular, with a certain naïve charm. 

Larkspur 

Said to suggest lightness and levity, this form of Delphinium 

is perfect for the ‘cottage garden’ look, as well as the individual 

flower petals being popular for use as confetti. Its tall, 

pastel flower spikes lend themselves perfectly to large floral 

arrangements such as pedestals. The flower gets its name 

from the spike at the back of the flower head, resembling 

a lark’s claw. 

Lily of the Valley 

Kate Middleton chose English-grown Lily of the Valley for her 

bridal bouquet – both for its pretty, white bell-like flowers but 

also, one imagines, for its incredible perfume. All of the flowers 

in her understated white and green bouquet were grown in the 

UK and were seasonal, so flowering in late April. She was 

no doubt aware that Lily of the Valley symbolises 

‘trustworthiness’ when she paired it with myrtle foliage, 

representing love and hope. 

Peony 

Peonies not only have huge, abundant flowers, but they also 

have an abundance of meaning. The traditional floral symbol 

of China, with their lush, round blooms, in pastel to dark 

pink, embody romance and are regarded as an omen of good 

fortune and a happy marriage. In Victorian Britain they were 

also associated with bashfulness – though this quality is hard 

to imagine in a flower that’s so out-there and blousy. These are 

flowers that never go out of fashion with brides. 

Ranunculus 

According to the book, The Language of Flowers, from 1875, 

ranunculus suggest that you are ‘radiant with charms’. The 

flowers are certainly radiant, and come in a variety of colours, 

from bright orange and yellow – hinting at their origins, in the 

buttercup family – through to pastel shades. They are spring 

flowers which, in recent years have been specially bred for 

cutting – with long straight stems and large, papery flowers. 

Roses 

As well as being a classic symbol of love, roses are also 

associated with beauty and grace. Many modern, cultivated 

roses have lost their scent so, if you want a truly sensuous 

experience, go for old-fashioned varieties which smell 

incredibly. Roses come in every colour, and with a poetic list 

of names, so if you want to be really clever, choose something 

topical, like Sweet Juliet or Wedding Day – but perhaps not 

Anne Boleyn. 

Jennifer Stuart-Smith is co-founder of Blooming Green, a 

flower-growing and floristry business based at Loddington 

Farm, Linton near Maidstone 


Sell online with us... 

Become a member of our community of unique, vintage, handmade & bespoke sellers 


PRICELESS 

JULY 2015 

The lifestyle magazine for the Weald 

LIVING SPACES SUPPLEMENT 

inside 

Shop online with us 365 days a year at Wealdenfairs.com 

Exclusive Editorial - Reach our 105,000 + monthly readers of 

Wealden Times as well as other local and national publications. 

Promote your business with the Wealden Times brand - gain access to our extensive audience 

of website and event visitors, social media following as well as our monthly magazine and app readership. Benefit from 

email newsletter campaigns, product and interview features, blog posts, social media exposure, competitions and more. 

Get More From Google - Manage your own micro-site and URL address within 

Wealdenfairs.com and strengthen your own page ranking by linking from our site to your 

own. Benefit from on-page product optimisation by our SEO specialists. 

“I have been an exhibitor with 

Wealdenfairs.com for the past two years and 

feel that it has raised my profi le considerably. 

Not only are the staff extremely helpful, but 

it is also great to be featured in a magazine 

that showcases local businesses 

Minnie Craske” 

Decorative Antiques UK 

“Wealdenfairs.com has been fantastic 

for me over the last few years, for not only 

selling my goods but for raising my profi le 

” 

through Wealden Times magazines 

Harry Cunningham 

King John’s Nursery 

“The article in today’s Wealden 

Times is wonderful! I’m delighted! 

Thank you ever so much! 

Sally Scott” 

Sally Scott Paintings 


Discovered by us... delivered to you 

To apply please call 01580 713915 

or visit wealdenfairs.com/exhibit-online.html

Three tier sponge to 

serve 85-100, decorated 

with a piped vanilla 

buttercream, from 

£480, Emma Page 

Buttercream Cakes, 

Westerham www. 

emmapagecakes.co.uk 

Alternate pink and white 

heart bunting 100% cotton, 

£3.95 per flag, Brilliant 

Bunting www.wealdenfairs. 

com/brilliantbunting 


Single giant balloon with 

bobtail tissue tassel, colour 

combination & price on 

request, Bang On Balloons 

07802 839422 www. 

bangonballoons.com 

Baby Bee Bangle, £160, 

Bill Skinner www. 

billskinnerstudio.co.uk 

Large Beaded 

Heart, £22.50, 

Kiki & Bow www. 

wealdenfairs.com/ 

kikiandbow 

Cherish the day 

Share the love with these bright ideas 

for your day of marital bliss... 

Three Daisy Crystal Gold 

Headcomb, £13.50, So 

Baroque www.wealdenfairs. 

com/SoBaroque 

Wedding frame, 

£24 - £29, Jessalli 

www.wealdenfairs. 

com/jessalli 

Silent Pool Gin, £35, 

available direct from 

the distillery and 

other local stockists, 

01483 229136 www. 

silentpooldistillers.com 

Lhasa Four Candle 

Tealight Holder, 

£39, Lizard Orchid 

www.wealdenfairs. 

com/lizardorchid 

An armful of love 

by Joma Jewellery 

Irresistable fashion jewellery and accessories 

Buy online 

Host a party* 

Become a stylist 

Contact 

Rachel Carson 

Independent Stylist 

07967 808092 

www.stelladot.co.uk/rachelcarson 

5 Stone Street, Cranbrook, 

Kent TN17 3HF 

Tel: 01580 714156 

www.spicecranbrook.co.uk 

*A pop-up shop in your home or place of work at coffee mornings, lunches, afternoon 

teas or evening events. Hostesses have the opportunity to receive free and discounted 

jewellery. 

It is illegal for a promoter or a participant in a trading scheme to persuade anyone to 

make a payment by promising benefits 


SpiceWT168.indd 1 14/01/2016 StellaDotWT164.indd 12:07 

1 11/09/2015 10:21


WT Wedding 

Directory 

FASHION & ACCESSORIES 

Bill Skinner 

01959 526250 

www.billskinnerstudio.co.uk 

Cashara 

www.cashara.co.uk 

Charity Farm 

01580 713189 

www.charityfarmcountrystore.co.uk 

Christin Ranger Jewellery 

www.wealdenfairs.com/ 

christinrangerjewellery 

Clever Dresser 

Sevenoaks 01732 453002 

Cordelia James 01580 752118 

www.cordeliajames.com 

Cornell 01622 753150 

www.cornelljewellers.com 

County Clothes 

www.countyclothesmenswear.co.uk 

Jessica Kennedy 

Canterbury 01227 458748 

www.jessica-kennedy.co.uk 

KidElla 

01580 765021 

www.kidella.co.uk 

Lily Grace Lingerie 

01342 822122 

www.lilygracelingerie.co.uk 

Linda Pope Optician 

01580 753744 

www.lindapopeoptician.co.uk 

Me Encanta 

www.wealdenfairs.com/meencanta 

Odyl Design 

01580 714907 www.odyldesign.com 

So Baroque 

www.wealdenfairs.com/SoBaroque 

Spice 

Cranbrook 01580 714156 

Stella & Dot 

0800 096 4749 

www.stelladot.co.uk 

Tanglewood Studios 


tanglewoodstudios 

The Bridal Boutique of Jules 

Deal 01304 389710 

www.boutiqueofjules.co.uk 

The Golden Fleece 

01797 224271 

www.thegoldenfleece.co.uk 

FLOWERS & DECOR 

Bang On Balloons 

07802 839422 

www.bangonballoons.com 

Brilliant Bunting 


brilliantbunting 

Flower Boutique 

Cranbrook 01580 714370 

Flower & Glory 

01732 743419 

www.flowerandglory.co.uk 

Flowers & Daughters 

01892 852189 

www.flowersanddaughters.co.uk 

Jessalli www.wealdenfairs.com/jessalli 

Kiki and Bow 

www.wealdenfairs.com/kikiandbow 

Lizard Orchid 

www.wealdenfairs.com/lizardorchid 

Sissinghurst Flowers 

01580 852144 

www.sissinghurstflowers.co.uk 

FOOD & DRINK 

Emma Page Buttercream Cakes 

Westerham 

www.emmapagecakes.co.uk 

Silent Pool Gin 

01483 229136 

www.silentpooldistillers.com 

HEALTH & BEAUTY 

Hair at Fifteen 

Tenterden 01580 762118 

www.hairatfifteen.co.uk 

Halcyon Hairdressing 

01424 465333 

www.halcyonhairdressing.co.uk 

VENUES 

Bradbourne House 

East Malling 01732 897436 

www.bradbournehousekent.co.uk 

Frasers 

01233 756122 

www.frasers-events.co.uk 

Leeds Castle 

01622 767877 

www.leeds-castle.com/weddings 

Mobile Hairdresser 

40 years experience specialising 

in perming, shampoo and set, 

cut and blow dry. Contact Sue 

on 07795 380707 Eastbourne 

Barry Sims 

Professional Toastmaster 

www.sandrafi eldcaterer.co.uk 

www.weddingcateringinkent.co.uk 

CATERING SPECIALIST 01580 890 554 

Baby’s first 

year package 

SueFrieslaarWT166.indd 1 10/11/2015 12:24 

Call now to 

book yours 

01580 893040 

www.photomegorgeous.com 

01474 7036880 - 07704 463286 

barrysimstoastmaster@btopenworld.com 

“A toastmaster is someone who 

will help make your special 

day run smoothly” 

Parties to hog roasts, buffets, weddings, barbecues to chocolate 

fountains, we'll give you a personal and professional service for any 

event, just visit us online and see what our clients are saying. 

PhotoMeGorgeousWT168.indd 1 11/01/2016 BarrySimsWT168.indd 11:10 

1 20/01/2016 SandraFieldWT167.indd 16:35 

1 07/12/2015 14:04 

QUALITY CATERING 

FOR ALL OCCASIONS 

GIANT PAELLAS - GOURMET BBQ’S 

AND MUCH MORE! 

Weddings • Parties • Celebrations 

Indoor / Outdoor Catering 

Finest Crockery & Cutlery Hire 

Telephone 07769 663053 Find us on Facebook 

www.bigdishcatering.co.uk 


22 

SueDaviesFlowersWT168.indd 1 06/01/2016 BigDishCateringWT167.indd 11:47 

1 26/11/2015 14:10

Bupa Dental Centre 

– Cranbrook 

£199 * 

Home-based 

teeth whitening 

Love your selfie 

this Valentine’s Day 

Get a whiter, brighter smile for just £199* at the 

Bupa Dental Centre – Cranbrook. Simply book 

and have your appointment before 31 March 2016 

and quote ‘VALENTINE’. 

Bupa Dental Centre – Cranbrook 

31 Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3HF 

To find out more or book your appointment: 

01580 715 786 † 

Ask about our extended opening hours. 

Everyone Welcome 

†We may record or monitor our calls. 

*Available for over 18s only. Offer excludes any related treatment to get patient dentally fit. Usual selling price of professional home-based 

teeth whitening from our Cranbrook dental centre starts at £320. £199 offer price includes a 15 minute consultation to check suitability of teeth 

whitening. Appointment must be attended and paid for before 31 March 2016. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion 

and may be withdrawn at any time. 

Bupa dental services are provided by Bupa Dental Services Limited. Registered office: Bupa House, 15-19 Bloomsbury Way, London WC1A 2BA. Registered No. 00479557. 

00673

purely beauty 

Beauty Salon Hawkhurst 

Highly Skilled Therapists using the 

Best quality products in everything we do. 

Charlotte, Denise, Lois, 

Shannon & Hannalise 

Welcome you to 

Hair at Fifteen 

Valentines Day February 14th 

Gift Vouchers Available 

Cupids Arrow Package 

Hot Stone Deluxe Aroma Wax Back Massage 

With a choice of either 

Deluxe Gel Manicure or Pedicure 

Or 

A one hour eve taylor prescription facial 

Only £60 (saving £15) 

T’s *C’s apply Offer ends 15/2/16 

Valid as a Gift Voucher six month expiry 

Call 01580 753383 

Visit www.purenique.co.uk 

Email info@purenique.co.uk 

Hawkhurst, TN18 4JU 

Lip plump 

Get those lips looking juicy 

and luscious for valentines! 

This Caci treatment uses an 

Amino lift peptide complex 

and electrical stimulation 

with red LED light therapy to 

immediately plump the lips. 

Only £15 

Tues, Fri & Sat 9am-6pm. Weds 11am-9pm. Thurs 9am-9pm 

01580 762118 • 15 Ashford Road, Tenterden TN30 6AB 

PureniqueWT168.indd 1 12/01/2016 HairatFifteenWT168.indd 09:44 

1 13/01/2016 10:56 


96 

. Implants . Cosmetic Dentistry . 

. Hygiene . Adult Orthodontics . 

. Express Whitening . Dermal Fillers . 

. Wrinkle Reducing Injectables . 

. PRGF Meso-Gun Therapy . 

Contact us 

for your free personal consultation 

01580 752202 info@stonerock.co.uk 

stonerockdentalcare.com 

AvanteCare&SupportLtdWT168.indd 1 18/01/2016 StonerockDentalPracticeWT168.indd 11:18 

1 19/01/2016 14:08

for it) men swoon over. Everyone really should wear Shalimar 

at least once in their lifetime. Just don’t blame me for the 

consequences! 

By Terry, Ombre Mercure Extrème, £235 for 100ml 

extrait de parfum. One for the ‘passionate, flamboyant 

woman’: as if make-up-artist-turned-perfume-creator Terry de 

Gunzburg’s original Ombre Mercure wasn’t sensual enough, 

that purring bestseller can now be enjoyed as an ‘extreme 

elixir’, which caresses the skin with some of perfumery’s 

most irresistible elements, including lashings of patchouli 

and resinous benzoin, ‘lifted’ by bergamot and rustling with 

violet leaves, to powdery, woody effect. Dark, mysterious and 

seriously seductive; wear it to dinner, to dance – but probably 

not to the office, is my advice. 

Sensuality 

Scents and 

Josephine Fairley shares her choice of the most 

enticing scents to excite the senses... 

Illustrations: Susanne Hayes 

Having not so long ago set up The Perfume Society, 

I spend much of my day, nowadays, immersed 

in perfume. Not literally, of course – though it 

sometimes feels like it. And one of the questions I’m most 

often asked is: ‘does fragrance make you sexier?’ To which I 

respond that nowadays, women – and men – wear perfume 

for all sorts of reasons, not only to attract the opposite sex. 

A quick poll will probably reveal that most of us do it 

a) to feel more confident, b) to feel ‘dressed’, or c) because 

we just plain adore the smell. But nevertheless, scents have 

always worked to attract the opposite sex – starting with 

our own natural pheromones which cannot, despite what 

you’ve read, yet be bottled. From the dawn of perfumery, 

fragrances have certainly been confected to beckon someone 

closer, enticing them within nuzzling distance. And, 

with Valentine’s Day beckoning, I thought I’d do a little 

round-up of scents which (IMHO) do that rather well. 

Shalimar, £43.20 for 30ml eau de parfum. Every now and 

then the folks at Guerlain have a go at tweaking Shalimar to 

make it more appealing to a younger audience - but to me, 

Shalimar is a scent you have to grow into with womanhood: 

a wonderfully blowsy, va-va-voom, wrap-yourself-in-icingsugared 

cashmere, animalic masterpiece which (I can vouch 

Tom Ford Black Orchid, from £45 for 30ml eau de 

toilette. Definitely one with a gorgeous come-hither vibe, this. 

Black truffles shaved over ylang ylang, fresh bergamot and 

blackcurrant in that opening, while at Black Orchid’s carnal 

heart we meet once more that black orchid signature – created 

from Tom Ford’s quest for ‘the perfect flower’. The conclusion 

is a ‘noir gourmand’, made delicious with vanilla tears, balsam, 

sandalwood, incense and patchouli. 

Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan, £74 for 50ml. I once wrote 

in a magazine that this was ‘sex in a bottle’, which triggered 

a national stampede to the Serge Lutens fragrance fixture – 

and heck, I’m going to stick my neck out and say it again. 

Amber definitely seems to do things to men – and this is a 

gold-standard amber, sweet and resinous, but with botanical 

whispers of thyme, coriander and marjoram. 

Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur, £110 for 50ml. 

It tells you almost all you need to know about this fragrance 

that I am banned from wearing this outside the house. My 

liberal, laid-back, ex-hippy, utterly (and rightly) trusting 

husband thinks that this is basically going to make other men 

kidnap me. It certainly is seriously animalic (it’s not a gazillion 

miles from Shalimar, actually), with lashings of warm vanilla, 

woven with bergamot and lavender. It also smells divine on 

the men I know who wear it. 

Calvin Klein Obsession, £29.99 for 50 ml eau de parfum 

The dimly-lit tangle of naked bodies in Obsession’s advertising 

when it launched in 1985 got America all a-fluster – and this 

remains an unashamedly erotic Oriental: a light-the-bluetouch-paper-and-retire 

scent that is seriously carnal, thanks to 

purring base notes of amber, musk, vetiver, oak moss – and 

lots and lots of vanilla. 

Ormonde Jayne Vanille d’Iris, £90 for 50ml eau de 

parfum (at ormondejayne.com). If you don’t know this 

perfume house, you really should follow your nose to its 

flagship boutique next time you’re in Mayfair, where the 

Ormonde Jayne boutique – founded by Linda Pilkington 

– is tucked away in Bond Street’s Royal Arcade. This latest 

creation hypnotically marries two of perfumery’s most 

exquisite ingredients. Precious iris – which takes four years 

 


Private Care Service 

at Mealtimes 

Stalwart Wellness provides a unique setting nestled in the grounds 

of a private residence in Tenterden offering: 

n Clinical pilates classes 

n Ante and Post natal 

n Yoga classes 

n Private lessons 

For more information and details on the classes please go to 

www.stalwartwellness.co.uk or contact info@stalwartwellness.co.uk 

or 07779 670502 

Stalwart Wellness Tenterden Kent 

stalwartj 

Our Private Care Service carers can come 

to your house and help to prepare fresh, 

ready made or light meals. This help can 

form part of a tailored package of care 

that could help you stay in your own 

home for longer, rather than going into 

a care home before its really needed. 

We can assist those who need help due 

to frailty, disability or illness to live as 

independently as possible, with comfort 

and dignity, in their own home. 

www.townandcountryhomecare.co.uk 

Domestic 

Care 

£9.77 

per hour 

For a free assessment 

of your care needs or to 

receive your brochure 

Call us on 01580 762244 

Town & Country Homecare Limited 

102a High Street, Tenterden, Kent TN30 6HT 

Chaucer 

House 

Care Home 

StalwartWellnessWT166.indd 1 06/11/2015 TownCountryHomecareWT133.indd 12:46 

4 04/02/2013 16:20 

St Martins Hill, Littlebourne Road, Canterbury CT1 1PS 

Chaucer House Care Home is situated in the beautiful historic city of Canterbury in Kent. 

Our luxurious home specialises in the delivery of outstanding personalised care within its modern facilities. 

Our values are simple, to ensure we celebrate the unique qualities of every person who lives with us, a home where respect, 

dignity and equal opportunities matter and to create an atmosphere of fun, enthusiasm and inclusion. 

We have an outstanding staff team, with a huge variety of skill mix, experience and qualifications. 

All working together to one ethos where we are able to assure you that we will always do our best in a trusting and open way. 

Call in for a viewing, have a coffee, a chat with the Home Manager and also meet the Care Team 

Tel: 01227 671985 Email: chaucer.house@mmcg.co.uk Web: www.mmcgcarehomes.co.uk 

Residential Care Nursing Care Dementia Care Palliative Care Respite Care Day Care 


98 

MariaMallabandCareGroupWT168.indd 1 13/01/2016 10:20

Get Your Glow Back 

Hydraboost Facial from £65 

to journey from flower to absolute – delivers an enveloping 

softness, given irresistible depth by a vanilla absolute which 

confounds those who think vanilla’s only for the sweettoothed. 

Sicilian bergamot, jasmine absolute, osmanthus, 

cedarwood, vetiver and amber further enhance the duo’s 

seductive powers. 

And now, some which I think are well worth getting up-closeand-personal 

with, on a man… 

007 Seven, from £21.95 for 30ml eau de toilette. The 007 

fragrances are really rather good – and there’s something about 

closing your eyes and imagining Daniel Craig, when you 

smell this. In a sleek, bold bottle, a citrus opening sequence of 

bergamot, tangerine and crisp apple. The drama builds spicily: 

saffron, white pepper and cinnamon. But it’s the mysterious 

base notes – amber, vanilla, musk, leather, mahogany, 

cedarwood and sandalwood, softened by a gourmand whisper 

of caramel. 

Hugo Boss Boss The Scent, £45 for 50ml eau de toilette 

This showcases an apparently new ingredient: the ‘aphrodisiac’ 

African maninka fruit, with its hints of passion fruit and rum 

– setting the tone of this memorable creation. Unleash the 

juice - which is showcased in a striking silver cage - and you 

also get spicy ginger, lavender, plus lashings of leather in the 

smoulderingly virile dry-down. This one was definitely created 

with the bedroom, rather than the boardroom, in mind. 

Molton Brown Tobacco Absolute, £39 for 50ml eau de 

toilette. The only type of tobacco I wouldn’t mind smelling 

on a man’s clothes: perfumer Elsa Chabert has come up with 

something that has us wanting to get close – and stay there. 

Almost alive with the freshness of grapefruit and bergamot, 

it then softens Paraguayan tobacco absolute with touches 

of Peru balsam: a rich, sweet resin which delivers a sublime 

smoothness. 

Environ has created a range of skincare 

solutions through well-researched, scientific 

products. Made from antioxidants, minerals 

and natural vitamins, all their products give 

results without doing any harmful damage. 

The change in weather, heating, daily stress and pollution are just some 

of the things that can lead to dry, dull and tired skin. Environ will help 

you get your glow back with their Hydraboost Facial. This intensive 

treatment deeply hydrates while plumping and firming. A cocktail of 

nutrients is driven deep into the lower layers of your skin, 4,000% 

deeper with sound waves and 400% through electrical pulses treating 

all levels of the skin, compared to massaging by hand. The appearance 

of fine lines is reduced and your skin is left plump and glowing. 

www.beautellies.co.uk 

65 High Street, Tenterden TN30 6BD 

01580 765105 

£15 

off this 

treatment 

Exclusive offer for 

Wealden Times readers 

on production of this 

advert. T&Cs 

apply. 

BeautelliesWT168.indd 1 19/01/2016 15:47 

Jasmine Care South East Ltd 

Caring for people in their homes 

Our private care offers the option to be looked after in the comfort of your 

own home. Our carers are handpicked for the suitability of the job and are 

highly trained to provide good old fashioned quality of care. 

Jasmine carers can visit you in your home at times to suit 

your daily routine. 

It can be anything from 30 minutes to 1 hour or more 

to help with everyday tasks. 

We will talk to you about just what you want 

and respect your wishes throughout. 

Jasmine Homecare provide 24 hour on call services to ensure 

that we are there when you need us. 

Happy nuzzling… 

The Perfume Society offers many different ‘discovery boxes’ 

which allow you to try fragrances before you buy them, 

accompanied by smelling notes which help your appreciation 

of the scents inside – rather like a wine society, but for 

perfume. You can also join The Perfume Society for £25 p.a., 

which gives you access to the boxes at a VIP price, offers eight 

editions a year of The Scented Letter, The Perfume Society’s 

online magazine, and invitations to events – including a 

free How to Improve Your Sense of Smell workshop, hosted 

around the country (including Hastings, where Jo lives). 

Check out Jo Fairley’s www.beautybible.com site, a one-stop 

online destination for all things health and beauty related 

We provide 

✔ Personal care 

✔ Visiting relatives or friends 

✔ Cooking 

✔ Sightseeing or leisure activities 

✔ Shopping (together or for you) ✔ Visiting your G.P. 

✔ Cleaning your home 

✔ Over night care 

✔ Assist with medication 

✔ Live-in care 

At Jasmine Care South East Ltd. we are proud to provide a trusted reliable service, 

where you, our client is at the very centre of our focus. 

To find out more please call our friendly team on 

CRANBROOK: 01580 713 533 MAIDSTONE: 01622 759 946 

Jasmine Care South East Ltd. offers services in the whole of Kent & East Sussex 


JasmineHomecareWT168.indd 1 08/01/2016 11:03

Harley Street • Folkestone • Peterborough 

Show the world your 

beautiful new smile in 

For years, Anne tried to hide her teeth. 

Self-conscious and in constant pain, she 

had lost the energy that people loved most 

about her. Even worse, Anne’s dentist said 

she didn’t have enough bone for implants. 

That’s when she found “Smile In a Day,” the 

revolutionary dental implant technique that 

gave her a fresh start. She’s now pain free 

and loves her smile more than ever! 

“Smile In a Day” is a scientifically proven 

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Isn’t it time you feel the confidence 

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BEFORE 

AFTER 

See photos and 

SUCCESS STORIES 

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smileinaday.co.uk

Wealden Health & Beauty 

Wealden Times talks to Amanda, a fitness 

instructor and beauty expert... 

do you follow a 

beauty regime? 

I’ve always loved the ritual 

of cleansing, toning and 

moisturising and I’ve been 

doing it since I was about 

12 years old. My mum 

taught me the importance 

of taking care of your 

skin from a young age to 

prevent sun damage and 

premature ageing. I’m 

definitely a wrinkle phobic, 

so I make sure I cleanse, 

tone and moisturise twice 

a day, and I exfoliate 

my face twice a week. 

do you have a particular 

product you couldn’t 

live without? 

I can’t live without Max 

Factor false lash effect 

mascara. I love it! No 

matter how little sleep 

I’ve had or how much of 

a rough day I’m having, it 

always comes to the rescue. 

It makes my lashes appear 

from nowhere and really 

opens up my eyes. As a 

local fitness instructor it’s 

difficult not to sweat off my 

make-up, but this mascara 

always stays put even in 

the most hardcore classes. 

What’s your ultimate 

pampering treat? 

My ultimate 

pampering treat is a 

microdermabrasion session. 

This is a deep exfoliating 

treatment that makes my 

skin baby soft and helps 

treat signs of ageing as well 

as combatting breakouts. 

My skin feels silky smooth 

afterwards. I run a fitness 

and beauty company from 

my home in Marden and 

microdermabrasion is 

definitely the facial for best 

results on all skin types. 

Who’s your style icon? 

It’s so hard to choose just 

one style icon. I love all 

the old school pin-ups like 

Brigitte Bardot and Marilyn 

Monroe. They have a 

classic feminine look and 

I think they’re fabulous. I 

also love Davina McCall. 

Her fitness regime and 

healthy lifestyle are really 

inspiring, and she balances 

this with a busy family life. 

Amanda Cunningham is 

based in Marden, Kent 

and teaches Zumba classes 

in the Memorial Hall on 

Thursday evenings and the 

Vestry Hall on Thursday 

mornings, where children 

are welcome to come 

along. Amanda also offers 

amazing beauty treatments 

from her home salon, 

including everything from 

tanning and waxing, to 

lashes, nails and facials. 

To book an appointment 

or for more information 

on her classes call 

07583 014086 or email 

zumbaclasseskent@gmail.com 

Catching zzz’s... 

Valerian is a perennial herb 

commonly known as Garden 

Heliotrope or All-heal, and 

has been used for medicinal 

purposes since ancient 

Greece and Rome. In the 

Middle Ages it was carried in 

clothing as a moth repellent, 

Fabius Calumna first noticed 

it as an anticonvulsant for 

epilepsy in 1592 and it was 

pocketfuls of valerian root 

that supposedly helped the 

Pied Piper charm the rats out 

of Hamelin. It’s now become 

well known by gardeners for 

the pungent aroma released 

when its roots are exposed 

(comparable with well worn 

socks apparently), but is still 

consumed today in capsule, 

tincture and tea form. It is 

recognised as a mild sedative, 

and can aid with stress, 

anxiety and restless sleep 

patterns. Grow your own 

by sowing seeds in spring. 

They like shallow compost 

and good light to germinate. 

Alternatively, pop to your 

local health food shop and 

find a nice sleepy time tea. 

Natural Glamour... 

We love experimenting 

with make-up in the WT 

editorial office, but as we’re 

becoming more conscious of 

what we put in our bodies, 

we’re questioning what we 

put on our skin too. This 

is where Inika come in and 

take the stage. They believe 

that you shouldn’t have to 

sacrifice your style or your 

skin, with their beautifully 

produced and packaged 

natural, organic make-up. 

We tried out their Perfect 

Party Eyes kit; a soft pink 

cream eyeshadow which 

adds a natural highlight, a 

rich mineral eyeshadow with 

a subtle hazelnut shimmer, 

the soft black eyeliner 

can be smudged into the 

eyelid, creating that perfect 

smokey feel, and the brow 

pencil finishes the look off 

with a natural hue. The 

ingredients used, nourish 

the skin, and are synthetic 

chemical and cruelty free. 

Join their organic revolution 

and revamp your make-up 

bag at www.inika.co.uk 


Healthy mind 

Many things can affect your mental health, from environmental 

factors such as stress and poor diet to the way you were 

brought up and your genetic make-up. Equally, there are 

many ways you can look after your mind. Here are a few... 

The therapist and coach 

Dr Suzannah Hill sees clients at her clinics in 

Pluckley and Egerton, by telphone or via Skype 

Freeimages.com/IddoTal 

What are key signs that you may have depression? Common symptoms 

include: changes in appetite, weight and sleep patterns, e.g. early morning 

waking – or a desire to sleep more. Prolonged periods of low mood, feeling 

helpless and hopeless, angry or irritable, or feelings of worthlessness and guilt. 

However, feeling numb or an absence of feeling can also occur and this can be 

just as unsettling, meaning it is hard to feel pleasure from activities that were 

previously enjoyable. A person with depression may have some, all or only one 

or two of these symptoms. Depression is sometimes accompanied by anxiety. 

If you think you have depression, what can you do? The first step is 

recognising it and finding the support that feels right for you. This could 

involve talking to someone you trust, who will respect your privacy, and 

who can be impartial; be it a friend, your GP, the Samaritans, or a therapist 

or mental health professional who may recommend a drug treatment and / 

or seeing a therapist. There are a range of therapies available and the most 

important thing is finding what works for you. You can also find a therapist 

on the CounsellingDirectory.org or through the BACP or UKCP websites. 

Make sure the therapist is registered with a professional body. It is essential you 

feel comfortable with your therapist. Trust your instinct, and if they don’t feel 

right for you, find someone who does. Lastly, self-care is extremely important, 

so try and eat well, make time to rest and be kind to yourself. Unfortunately 

suicidal thoughts can accompany depression, and if these thoughts start 

to develop into plans and you feel you are at risk of harming yourself or 

anyone else, seek urgent medical help – call NHS 111, your GP or A&E. 

Dr Suzannah Hill, Therapist and Coach, 01233 226104 www.suzannahhill.co.uk 

The life coach 

Maureen Dickie helps people to find their sense 

of purpose 

What are the negative effects of stress in the short and long term? 

Too much stress leaves us feeling as if we are not living our own life. In the 

short term this can lead to lethargy, frustration or anxiety as we feel unable to 

listen to our ‘inner voice’. In the longer term, this can culminate in a sense of 

loss, regret or anger and physical ill health. 

How can we manage or reduce stress day to day? 

A few minutes’ daily reflection can bring insight – and the strength to trust in 

ourselves. People say ‘I always knew...’ How did they know? Their inner voice 

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Eating a feel-good diet 

Meals that help maintain good moods, 

energy levels and general health and wellbeing 

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busy lifestyles, bad dietary habits and 

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and following some general strategies for 

boosting your moods and energy levels, 

it becomes remarkably easy to take the 

principles pretty much anywhere you go. 

Feel-good diet basics: 

• Start each day with a cup of warm water 

• Add lemon juice or fresh 

ginger if required 

• Include slow-release, low 

glycaemic load carbohydrates 

• Include lean protein at each 

meal and as snacks 

• Include essential omega 3 fats daily 

• Eat foods high in B vitamins, 

zinc and magnesium 

• Eat fruit and vegetables at every meal. 

• Make each plate as colourful as possible 

• Keep hydrated – drink at least 

1.5 litres of water daily 

Based on the book 

Lift Your Mood 

With Power Food 

by Christine Bailey, 

£10.99, Watkins 

Publishing Limited 


102

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Food of 


104 

Love

Press ad_Layout 1 19/08/2011 4:06pm Page 1 

The taste of Kent 

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Why not make 

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And why not treat yourself to some of our 

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Jo Arnell shows us how to create a simple, heartwarming 

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together and can be prepared in advance – so you 

won’t have to get into a sweat on Valentine’s Day 

PolhillWT116.indd 1 

RYE BAY FISH 

16/09/2011 16:54 

Photographs: David Merewether 

Avocado and bacon crostini 

( Serves 4-6 ) 

Crostini base 

• Cut slices of French 

or ciabatta bread, 

drizzle with a little 

olive oil and bake for 

15-20mins until crisp. 

Topping 

• 1 tbsp mayonnaise 

flavoured with lemon 

and garlic * 

• 1 ripe avocado (a mood 

enhancing food) 

• 2 rashers streaky bacon 

or pancetta, lightly 

grilled 

• 1 tomato, finely 

chopped 

• 1 small handful of pine 

nuts 

Flavour mayonnaise by adding a little lemon zest, juice 

and garlic. Mix in well, then spread a spoonful on 

each slice of bread, add a little chopped tomato and a 

few pine nuts. Next add a layer of sliced avocado. Cut 

the grilled bacon into thirds and place on top of the 

avocado. Finish with a sliver of Parmesan. 

 

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Duck parmentier 

Serves 2 

• 2 confit duck legs 

• 1 medium diced onion 

• 1 small diced carrot 

• 1 handful chopped 

mushrooms (2-3) 

• 1 crushed garlic clove* 

• 1 small handful chopped 

parsley 

• A sprig of thyme (1 tsp) 

• 30g butter 

• 100ml red wine, plus a 

little extra stock if needed 

• Salt and pepper to taste 

• 600g floury potatoes 

(approx 3-4 med) 


• 1 tbsp crème fraîche 

(optional) 

• Handful Parmesan cheese 

for topping 

1. Peel and boil some floury potatoes for the mash. 

2. Gently fry onion, garlic and diced carrot in butter for 5 

mins until soft. Add the wine and let it bubble to reduce 

for approx 15 mins. 

3. Shred the duck and add together with the chopped herbs 

and simmer for a few more minutes, then transfer to a 

baking dish. 

4. Mash the potatoes with butter, crème fraîche, salt and 

pepper. Spread over the duck mixture and top with grated 

Parmesan. 

5. Cook in the oven at 180˚C for a further 20 mins, until the 

cheese topping is golden. Serve with seasonal vegetables. 

*Garlic can be omitted on Valentine’s Day… 

Dark chocolate tart with pomegranates 

Serves at least 2 

Use either a half-sized quiche tin (12cm) or make as 

individual tarts 

• 12 Bourbon or Oreo 

biscuits 

• 30g salted butter 

• 100g best quality 

dark chocolate 


• 100ml single cream 

• (A little extra sugar 

if you prefer a 

sweeter taste) 

1. Chocolate biscuits make a fantastic tart base 

and save you from preparing pastry. Simply 

crush them (use a Magimix, pestle and mortar 

or whack a bag of biscuits with a rolling pin) 

until you have fine crumbs. 

2. Melt the butter in a pan and combine with the 

biscuit crumbs. Spread this mixture on the 

base of the tart tin and cool in the fridge. 

3. Make the filling by heating the butter and 

cream in a pan – if you have a sweet tooth, 

add a little sugar to the melted mixture, then 

add the chocolate. Stir until smooth and pour 

on to the chilled biscuit base. 

4. Leave to set in the fridge for at least 2 hours 

(or make the whole thing the day before). 

Serve topped with pomegranate seeds. 


106

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01580 880315 www.thegeorgerobertsbridge.co.uk 

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Delicious freshly 

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Come and spoil your 

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1 14/01/2016 12:15 


108 

OpenviewLandscapeDesignWT166.indd 1 10/11/2015 16:17

Sweet 

smell of 

summer 

Sue Whigham shares her passion for one of the 

nation’s favourite flowers – the simple, 

yet delicious, sweet pea 

There is an old jug full of greenery on the kitchen 

table at the moment – there because we had a 

young couple in for B&B over the New Year and I 

thought that some greenery would brighten up the kitchen 

while the days are so dark. I rushed round the garden 

in the rain and picked a few sprigs of Viburnum tinus, 

some variegated box and some Vinca major – the white 

form – in bloom at the end of December. The scent of the 

viburnum has been intoxicating and it reminded me to at 

least think about ordering sweet pea seeds for this year. 

I’ve never been very successful with planting in the autumn, 

although evidence has it that doing this produces more robust 

plants. No matter, there is plenty of time, with March being 

a bit of a cut-off date. I must say that, as with parsley, some 

people have the knack of growing sweet peas. My son, who is 

a professional gardener, grows wondrous columns of them in 

his vegetable patch and, when asked for a few tips, just says: 

compost, more compost and compost. 

Surely, the sweet pea, Lathyrus odoratus, must be one of 

the world’s most famous flowers – but their origins are a little 

mysterious. It is certainly true that in 1699 a Sicilian monk, 

Father Cupani, sent seeds of sweet peas growing wild on Sicily 

to various plantsmen around the world. Some were received 

by a Dr Uvedale who developed a few new forms but, by the 

late eighteenth century, there were still only five or so varieties 

known, including L.o. ‘Cupani’, the wild form, and L.o. 

‘Painted Lady’ which has a two-toned, red and white flower 

and a particularly scrumptious scent. However, once Henry 

Eckford – a retired gardener – set up a nursery at Wem in 

Shropshire in the 1880s and began to create different sweet 

peas from the original varieties, things began to take off in 

the world of sweet peas. His creations became known as the 

FreeImages.com/Photo JennJohn Byer 

Grandiflora group and combined a wider range of colours, 

larger flowers and plenty of scent, and included treasures like 

L.o. ‘Lord Nelson’, a dark navy blue and the very vigorous 

L.o. ‘Senator’, described as a ‘flake’ with creamy/chocolatemaroon 

flowers. 

By the turn of the 20th century, Silas Cole, a gardener 

working on the Spencers’ estate at Althorp, not only grew 

Eckford’s creations but successfully bred sweet peas with even 

larger flowers and frilled petals, thus creating the Spencer 

sweet peas. Hugely popular in the 1920s and 1930s and 

madly flamboyant were the ‘stripes’, which have a ‘picotee 

edge’ – with a darker colour around the edge of the petal. 

These are all the rage again and I’m determined to grow L.o. 

‘Wiltshire Ripple’ this year – with chocolate, maroon and 

deep pink markings on a white background. 

Now, of course, sweet pea breeding has gone in every 

direction, with the best attributes of the Old Fashioned 

Grandiflora sweet peas and the Spencer types being thrown 

into the mix. Modern Grandifloras have long stems, large 

beautifully textured flowers and the intoxicating scent of 

the early ‘wild’ forms. However, I have to say that I think 

that some of the smaller-flowered, very prolific sweet peas 

are more endearing in many ways, although the exhibitionquality 

flowers produced at shows like RHS Chelsea are 


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110 

WCLandcraftWT162.indd 1 13/07/2015 16:28

absolutely astounding, with companies like Matthewman’s of 

Yorkshire demonstrating the magnificent results of 40 years of 

plant-breeding. 

For us lesser mortals, some preparation of the site is useful, 

if not essential, as sweet peas are greedy eaters and well-rotted 

organic material added to a planting trench along with some 

torn-up newspaper (if your soil is free-draining) is going to 

give your plants a good start. Shredded comfrey leaves in the 

trench help too and, later on, as the plants take off, feeding 

them with comfrey pellets will help development. As they 

grow on, use a potash-rich feed to encourage flower growth. 

Before this, and unless you are buying-in seedlings, you 

will need to plant your seeds. Pop a couple of seeds in each 

growing tube: root-trainers are great for sweet peas as they 

can accommodate the long root system they develop – as 

can cardboard loo rolls, although these are sometimes not 

long enough. Push the seeds in about an inch below the 

surface, two to a tube. Use a good multipurpose compost and 

don’t think about planting them out until their roots fill the 

growing tube. Pinch out the plants, removing the growing tip, 

once they reach about six inches high, so that they don’t waste 

valuable time growing straight on up but have a chance to 

plump out a bit. Sweet pea seeds are quite slow to germinate 

and need checking regularly but they should show signs of 

life within a week or two. Mice love these plump little seeds 

so you may have to resort to the dreaded poison, traps or 

some other means of deterrent. Cover your seed trays with 

newspaper to keep the moisture in but the light out. Once 

you have planted your seedlings out, you now have to think 

about slugs. A thick layer of sharp sand is a good idea, as are 

a few slug pellets. Once your plants start flowering, pick the 

flowers every other day to keep them producing fresh blooms. 

If all this sounds like hard work, it isn’t really – and what 

can be more gorgeous than a bowlful of sweet peas on that 

kitchen table? 

Sue Whigham can be contacted on 07810 457948 for 

gardening advice and the sourcing and supplying of 

interesting garden plants. 

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FreeImages.com/Photo Jenny 


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The 

Green 

Goddess 

Penny Kemp 

shares her tips 

for taking care 

of the natural 

world... 

FreeImages.com/PsychoPxL 

We’ve got designs " 

on your garden" 

If you want a variety of birds to visit your garden, one of 

the most productive things you can do is make your own 

bird table and feeders. There are many designs available on 

the internet and one of the easiest is this design from the rural 

gardener www.ruralgardener.co.uk/2010/01/03/bird-table. 

I particularly like it because it has a roof which keeps the food dry 

and offers protection to the birds. If DIY isn’t your forte, the Royal 

Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) sell very reasonably priced 

tables. And if you want a luxury bird table, Welsh dovecotes make an 

attractive octagonal table for around £200 www.welshdovecotes.co.uk 

Try and site your bird table away from trees, to stop grey squirrels 

from jumping from branches, and a squirrel baffle will deter them 

from climbing the pole. Once you have got your bird table, feeding 

garden birds does not have to be expensive - although special bird seed 

is available. Many of our leftovers provide excellent food for garden 

birds. Bacon (not salty) and other fats put out on the table will attract 

a variety of birds - and sometimes the neighbourhood cat - so keep a 

lookout. Birds like bread but it should not form their complete diet as 

bread hasn’t got the range of nutrients needed to ensure birds survive. 

It is important to put out only the amount of bread that birds will eat 

in a day. Putting out too much bread could attract rats, especially if left 

overnight. 

Welcoming a variety of birds into your garden means putting out 

different foodstuffs that particular birds like. Tits, thrushes, wrens 

and great spotted woodpeckers love fat, including suet. Making your 

own fat balls is a great idea and children love to get involved. The 

Gardeners’ World website has a good recipe. www.gardenersworld.com/ 

how-to/projects/wildlife-gardening/how-to-make-fat-cakes-for-birds/34.html 

Grated cheese is enjoyed by robins, dunnocks, blackbirds and song 

thrushes. Other goodies include cooked potatoes and fruit such as 

raisins, sultanas and currants as well as apples, pears and plums. Pastry 

either cooked or raw is another good source of food for our garden 

birds. A word of warning though: don’t put salt out for birds as it is 

highly toxic to them and harms their nervous system and never put 

salt in the bird bath to stop the water freezing. Following the above 

steps should ensure that you have a wonderful variety of birds in your 

garden for you and your family to enjoy. 

The RSPB have their Big Garden Birdwatch at the end of January 

and invite people to count the number of birds in their garden for 

an hour. Go to the RSPB site below to register your details and 

get involved in the many projects they do to keep our beautiful 

bird population safe. www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/ 

discoverandlearn/birdwatch 

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What’s On In February 

CHILDREN & FAMILY 

Sat 13 Feb 10am-4pm 

Highbury Hall, Highbury 

Lane, Tenterden TN30 6LE 

Highbury Hall 

Craft Market 

Highbury Hall Craft Market offers 

a wide variety of crafts and produce 

from local artists, craftsmen, 

producers and retailers. All the 

stallholders are from Kent and 

East Sussex, offering something for 

everyone. Tea, coffee, sandwiches, 

cake and other treats available all day. 

Entry: Free 

Info: 07956 295076 / www.facebook. 

com/HighburyHallCraftMarket 

Tues 16 - Fri 19 Feb 10.30am-12pm 

Pick ‘n’ Paint a Pot 68 

Northdown Road, Cliftonville 

Margate CT9 2RL 

Children’s Half Term Pottery 

Painting Workshops 

Keep the kids entertained and 

let their creative energy run 

wild. Booking recommended. 

Entry: £8 

Info: 01843 297778 

Sun 21 Feb 10am-4pm 

Eastwell Manor, Boughton Lees, 

Ashford, Kent TN25 4HR 

Wedding Fayre 

Many quality exhibitor stands 

situated within the hotel and 

in large marquees linked to the 

hotel. Two fashion shows during 

the day with professionals and 

experts on all aspects of wedding 

arrangements available to assist 

visitors. Drinks and refreshments 

served throughout the day. 

Entry: Free 

Info: 01233 213000 / www. 

eastwellmanor.co.uk 

ARE YOU SINGLE? 

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*Confi dential Interviews* 

*Personal Matching* 

CHANGE YOUR LIFE AND CALL 

Louisa Sheridan 

01892 667750 

www.yourstrulyintroductions.co.uk 

Sat 27 Feb 6.30-10pm 

Sheffield Park and Garden 

Spring stargazing 

Learn to navigate the stars and 

catch a glimpse of the constellations 

Orion and Taurus. Includes supper 

& a hot drink. Booking Essential. 

Suitable for children over 5. 

Info: 01825 790231 / www. 

nationaltrust.org.uk/events 

Sat 27 Feb 10am-1pm 

Swallowtail Hill Farm, Hobbs Lane, 

Beckley, East Sussex TN31 6TT 

Wild Woodland 

Weekend Club 

Join our monthly outdoor club 

where children aged 6-11 years 

can explore, play and learn in 

the woods with campfires, mud, 

dens and hot chocolate! Each 

month is a little different and 

lots of fun. Booking essential. 

Entry: Sussex Wildlife Trust Child 

Member £9, Child Non-member £12 

Info: www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk 

Days out 

Mon 1 Feb - Sat 26 Mar 

9.30am-4.30pm 

Artichoke Gallery, Church 

Street, Ticehurst TN5 7AE 

Pattern 

The latest collection is based around 

the beautiful knitwear and accessories 

which proved so popular in early 

2015. Pattern was at the forefront 

when selecting jewellery, ceramics, 

and paintings to complement 

lambswool, cotton, linen and leather. 

Info: 01580 200905 / www. 

artichokegallery.co.uk 

Sat 13 & Sun 14 Feb 

Dale Hill Hotel & Golf 

Club, Ticehurst, Wadhurst, 

East Sussez TN5 7DQ 

Valentine’s dinner 

Treat someone special this 

Valentine’s to a sumptuous 

4-course meal, including coffee 

and a glass of bubbly. Overnight 

packages are available from £148 

per couple to include dinner, 

overnight stay and breakfast. 

Entry: £39 per person 

Info & Booking: 0844 482 

3125 / www.dalehill.co.uk 

Sat 13 Feb 9.30am-2.30pm 

Godinton House, Godinton 

Lane, Ashford, Kent TN23 3BP 

All about roses 

Join expert gardeners as they share 

their knowledge on planting, pruning 

and training techniques for various 

types of roses. A light lunch and 

morning coffee will be provided. 

Entry: £55 

Info: 01233 643854 / www. 

godintonhouse.co.uk 

From the Realms of Fairies 

& Fantastical Creatures. 

Paintings & sculptures exploring 

themes from Myth, legend, folklore 

& imagination. Opens 6 th February 

9.30am–4pm. Runs until 5 th April 

Sun 28 Feb 11am-4pm 

The Singing Soul Gallery 

 

Goodnestone Park Gardens, 

 

 

Goodnestone Village CT3 1PL 

 

Snowdrop & Hellebore 

extravaganza 

With roots in history going back 

A perfect day out for budding MariePrettWT168.indd over 100 years, 1 this competition 18/01/2016 10:26 

gardeners. Enjoy an afternoon talk is world renowned and is hugely 

by Julian Sutton on Hellebores, popular. Witness these talented 

and purchase some beautiful 

musicians as they’re put through 

spring flowers from attending their paces for the chance to win 

nurseries. Refreshments and light £10,000 and a concert with the 

lunches are available. Hosted 

Royal Phillarmonic Orchestra. 

by the Hardy Plant Society. 

Info & Booking: 01424 462288 / 

Entry: £6.50 HPS members, 

www.hastingsconcertocompetition.co.uk 

£7 adults, £2 children 

Info: 01303 863951 / 

Sat 27 Feb 7.30pm 

www.hpskent.co.uk 

Invitca Grammar 

School, Huntsman Lane, 

Music 

Maidstone ME14 5DS 

Concert of 

Sun 14 Feb 3pm 

favourite music 

Groves Hall, Sutton Valence School In aid of Heart of Kent Hospice 

Sutton Valence 

with pianist Simon Proctor, enjoy 

music society 

this wonderful performance with 

Multi award-winning saxophonist the Heart of Kent Orchestra 

Anthony Brown, accompanied on conducted by Thomas Shelbourn, 

piano by Leo Nicholson, a faculty featuring concertos composed by 

member at Trinity Laban, will play Simon Proctor as well as popular 

Piazzolla, Williams and Gershwin. classics. Booking necessary. 

Entry: £12 includes afternoon tea Entry: £12 adults, £8 children 

Info: 01622 863002 

Info & Booking: 01622 

790195 / www.hokh.org / 

Sat 20 Feb 

fundraising@hokh.co.uk 

St Stephens Church, Waterloo 

Listings are correct at time of 

Road, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 2SW 

going to press but may be subject 

Brahms and Tchaikovsky’s to change. Readers are advised to 

First Symphonies 

check with venues before making 

arrangements. We can list your event 

Tonbridge Philharmonic orchestra, 

in the next issue of Wealden Times 

conducted by Matthew Willis, for only £15! Please supply up to 

perform the first symphonies of 50 words that should include date, 

time, venue, and any entry price to 

both Brahms and Tchaikovsky. 

whatson@wealdentimes.co.uk or send 

Entry: £15, concessions £12 

with payment (cheques payable to 

Info: 01732 353707 / www. 

JPS Media) to What’s On, Wealden 

Times, Kettle Chambers, 21 Stone 

tonphil.org.ukw 

Street, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3HF. 

Wealden Times reserves the right 

Thurs 25 Feb - Sat 5 Mar 

to edit text to fit space allocated. If 

you would like your event listing 

White Rock Theatre, White 

to be accompanied by a full colour 

Rock, Hastings TN34 1JX 

reproduction (42.5 x 62.5mm) of a 

Hastings International poster or other pictorial image, the 

piano concerto 

total charge will be £95. Deadline for 

March issue is 15 February 2016. 

competition 


YoursTrulyWT133.indd 1 19/02/2013 17:54 

114

Ibbett Mosely 

AuctIoneers & VAluers 

Limited Liability Partnership 

The Auctioneer's Next Sale Will Be On 

Wednesday 24th February 2016 

Commencing at 12.30pm | Viewing 10.00am - 12.30pm 

At Ibbett Mosely Auction Rooms, Argyle Rd, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1HJ 

Valuation Day - Wednesday 9th March 2016 11am to 4pm 

At Ibbett Mosely Auction Rooms, Argyle Rd, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1HJ 

Tel: 01732 456731 Web: www.ibbettmosely.co.uk 

125 High St, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1UT 

Registered in England No. 0C341637 Regulated by RICS Registered at the Sevenoaks office as Ibbett Mosely Surveyors LLP 

Hornbrook Manor Farm 

Garden Advice and Border planting service 

IbbettMoselyWT168.indd 1 07/01/2016 14:49 

Transform your garden borders 

Contact Jo Arnell for ideas, border designs and planting 

01233 861149 www.hornbrookmanor.co.uk 

HornbrookManorWT168.indd 1 07/01/2016 12:28 

Kids for 

a Quid 

BLUEBELL RAILWAY 

Saturday 13 th 

– Sunday 21 st 

February 

Looking for things to entertain the 

children this half term holiday? 

Children age 3–15 years travel for just £1 each on our third class 

services. Tickets can be purchased in advance or on the day. 

Trains run as part of our service two timetable. 

All services throughout the day are steam hauled 

by one of our historic locomotives. 

Book tickets at least 8 days in advance of the date you 

plan to travel with our Bluebell Bonus tickets and 

get generous discounts on adult tickets too. 

(T&Cs apply, please call or visit our website for details) 

Book now 01825 720800 www.bluebell-railway.com 

Professional Services 

10% Discount for new customers - Quote Ref: T77 

Free Cloud based software with Mobile Apps 

Corp. Tax 

CIS 

VAT 

Self Assessment 

Tax Review 

Payroll 

Website: www.dnsaccountants.co.uk/maidstone 

Book to get your Free 1 Hour consultation 

01622 618605 

E: maidstone@dnsaccountants.co.uk 

LIVE IN Male butler/companion/PA/housekeeper 

(Very light cooking only), seeks employment 

with a friendly and INFORMAL professional. 

Previous experience working for a gentleman 

in London as his live-in travel companion/PA. 

Good PC skills, driving and 

happy with kids and pets. 

Have good knowledge of world travel 

as worked on private jets. 

Prefer London but happy Sussex/Surrey. 

(Can live out if near a station) 

For more information please email 

Richard at charliewhammond@aol.co.uk 

or call 07523 109534 Anytime. 

DNSAccountantsWT168.indd 1 20/01/2016 11:52 

RichardHammondS15.indd 1 22/12/2015 11:04 

Bespoke Wine 

Tastings & Events 

Albany 

Gifts & Occasions 

Events 

VICTORIA ALDWINCKLE, AIWS. 

www.albanyevents.co.uk 

This isn’t just a car 

AlbanyEventsWT168.indd 1 12/01/2016 15:27 

It’s a personal service you can trust 

with quality executive vehicles 

Dining out 

Business 

Airport Transfers 

and more 

07747 066544 01892 652142 

colin.hardman@heritagehire.co.uk 

Wealden Times - Classified 

BluebellRailwayWT168.indd 1 19/01/2016 HeritageHireWT144.indd 15:39 

1 22/01/2014 12:26 


Home & Interiors 

Wealden Wealden Times Times - Bazaar - Classified 

The cabinet painter 

Refresh your kitchen 

with a stylish painted 

makeover 

Minimal fuss, 

Maximum effect 

The affordable solution 

01797 270163 

chameleon-kitchens.co.uk 

email: alisonstevensarts@gmail.com 

Pop-up Shop Now Open 

Ockley Road, Hawkhurst TN18 4DP 

bespoke ironwork for home & garden 

07765 344298 

www.cranbrookiron.com 

AlisonStevensWT168.indd 1 05/01/2016 CranbrookIronWT166.indd 16:31 

1 10/11/2015 16:14 

est 1980 

◆ Carpets ◆ Vinyl ◆ Laminate 

Expert advice and a quality service, offering 

exceptional value for money. Old carpets uplifted and 

disposed of and furniture moved at no extra cost! 

www.lwfs.co.uk 

01622 730626 | 07833 160017 

SUPER LASTING GIFT! Chicken house & 8’ run with: 

THE SCHOOL OF 

FURNITURE & ANTIQUE 

RESTORATION 

Est 1987 

Learning Basic 

Craftwork 

10 Week morning & evening 

classes. Work on your own 

antiques or make furniture. 

“All Levels Of 

Ability Welcome” 

01892 782163 

www.alexoneil.co.uk 

Norris 

Family Upholsterers 

Est. 1945 

Free estimates and advice 

Sofas and chairs for sale 

Call 01424 812129 

LawrenceWhibleyWT167.indd 1 16/12/2015 EmergingColourWT168.indd 11:16 

1 19/01/2016 09:50 

• 4 supa-laying 

chickens 

• Sack of mixed food 

• Waterer 

• Shavings 

• Hay for nest box 

NEW HOUSE (flatpacked) only £245 or built ones, Second-hand (less 

than 6mo) only £195. Beacon Stud, Benenden TN17 4BU, look for 

the Union Jack flag! Open 7 days 10am-4pm. We also have a HUGE 

selection of rare breed chickens, ducks & other unusual animals 

FREE delivery in Kent call to order 01580 240120 

Peter Fournel 

NorrisFamilyUpholsterersWT163.indd 112/08/2015 11:02 

Antique & Modern 

Furniture 

Restoration 

Collection and delivery, Advice given 

01622 843284 07712 801308 

www.peterfournel.com 

StylishStovesWT167.indd 1 16/12/2015 18:04 

Pet Portraits 

in Oils & Pencil 

by Lorna Sharkey 

A pet portrait makes a wonderful gift 

Professional Oil Paintings & Drawings 

Visit www.dianewilks.weebly.com or 

Email for examples: wdiane93@aol.com 

Diane 01580 212327 

The complete kitchen service... 

...from a hinge to a complete makeover 

The supply & replacement of 

drawers, doors, worktops, 

hinges, all fitted kitchen 

components/appliances, door 

renovation & polishing, bedroom 

doors & bespoke cabinets. 

Please call 

01689 850000 

www.thekitchendoctor.com 

Serving London & the South-East since 1984 

SchoolOfFurnitureWT168.indd 1 18/01/2016 PeterFournelWT145.indd 16:40 

1 10/02/2014 13:47 

Telephone 

07872 817881 

lornasharkey@gmail.com 

www.sharkeyspetportraits.com 


116 

DianeWilksWT144.indd 2 20/01/2014 KitchenDoctorWT145.indd 14:32 

1 28/01/2014 SharkeyPetPortraitsWT168.indd 10:12 

1 19/01/2016 11:48

Gardens & Buildings 

Probably the most experienced, established 

& qualified contractor in the area 

Geoff Tiltman 

City & Guilds in Horticulture N.C.T 

FREE QUOTATIONS, CALL 

SMARDEN 01233 770777 or 07775 694963 

Creating gardens 

of distinction 

All Garden Construction & 

Maintenance • Drives 

Paving • Walling • Fencing 

Untidy Gardens Made 

Tidy • Grass Cutting 

Battle Mowers Ltd 

Second Hand Ride On Tractors For Sale, ready for work & have been fully serviced! 

1960 International B275 Diesel Tractor 

Has had an engine overhaul with all parts running and 

working as they should. Ideal for enthusiast £2000. ono. 

Hayter 13/30 with collector, nice little tractor £650. 

Mountfield ride on mower with collector, nice example 

of this popular model £550. 

For further information please phone 01424 773096 

or email: battlemowers@btconnect.com www.battlemowers.co.uk 

visit our showroom at The Granary, Station Rd, Battle. TN33 0DE 

Wealden Times - Classified 

LTJ SURFACING 

Family Run Business for over 27 years 

Specialists in Tarmac ‧ Block Paving 

‧ Concrete ‧ Bonded Tar & Gravel 

‧ Resin Bounded ‧ Brickwork 

‧ All Other Groundwork Undertaken 

Private & Commercial ‧ Driveways 

‧ Patios ‧ Footways ‧ Alterations & 

Repairs ‧ Car parks & Roads 

‧ Pressure Washing ‧ We Offer 

Machine & Hand Lay Tarmac Teams 

For a FREE site survey 

and advice please call 

07799 351299 

or 01622 436933 

Visit us at www.ltjsurfacing.co.uk 

TOM HOPE 

Wealden 

Groundworks 

• Driveways & Patios • Footings 

• Blockpaving • Brickwork • Tarmac 

• Drainage • Concreting • Fencing 

07883 470987 

wealdengroundworks@hotmail.co.uk 

www.wealdengroundworks.co 

T P BUILDERS 

Block Paving - Pathways - Driveways 

Landscape Gardening - Plastering 

Painting - Decorating - Carpentry 

All Building Maintenance Undertaken 

Call Tom on: 07827 226392 

STUMP GRINDING 

SERVICE 

Phone Mark 

GeoffTiltmanWT168.indd 1 18/01/2016 BattleMowersWT168.indd 15:41 

1 19/01/2016 15:09 

ALL TRACTOR WORK 

UNDERTAKEN 

Haying - Round, Square (4/6 

string), Conventional, Bale 

01580 753249 / 07818 256319 

wrapping. 13 Tonne, 3 Tonne 

Diggers. All Buckets/Breakers/ 

www.wealdhire.com 

Post Banger. Hedge Cutting, 

Flail, Mowing, Circular Saw on 

360. Horse muck - Loaded & WealdenGroundworksWT167.indd 1 11/12/2015 WealdHireWT165.indd 09:42 

1 15/10/2015 11:45 

taken. Most types of fencing. 

Oak off-cuts/Logs seasoned 

dry. Half tonne Apple Bins. 

All Forage Supplied. 

ANYTHING CONSIDERED. 

01233 756673 / 07890 818783 

HUMMINGBIRD 

FENCING 

ALL FENCING, GATES & REPAIRS UNDERTAKEN 

Experienced and reliable, fully insured and 

registered waste carrier. Free no obligation 

quotes. No job too small. Chris Roberts, 

M: 07967 930817 E: zoer06@aol.com 

Land Maintenance 

Storage 

I.T Services 

Book Keeping 

LTJSurfacingWT167.indd 1 14/12/2015 TomHopeWT166.indd 17:48 

1 11/11/2015 TPBuildersWT167.indd 12:39 

1 15/12/2015 HummingbirdFencingWT167.indd 11:33 

1 15/12/2015 19:41 

C. FORMAN LOGS 

2 year seasoned hardwood 

firewood 

1.2 cubic metres £70 

2.4 cubic metres £130 

Larger loads available • Free delivery 

01580 831935 / 07851 021413 

Offices & Storage 

12,00 sq/ft 1.5 miles from 

Marden. Central heating, 

good access & parking. 

Telephone 

01622 831385 

Book keeping, tax advice, 

VAT, accounts, reasonable 

rates, will travel 

Peter Simmons BSc (hons) 

01797 367367 

peter@simmons.net 

Full colour advertising from £40 a month. 01580 714705 

C Forman Tree Surgery and Fencing WT168.indd 19/01/2016 ButlerBrothersWT168.indd 1 11:00 

1 18/01/2016 NorthOneWT165.indd 15:27 

1 21/10/2015 PeterSimmonsBookKeepingWT168.indd 17:03 

14/01/2016 1 17:09 

Contact us for more details: 

Tel./Fax: 

01580 761191 

www.tenterdentiling.co.uk 

Tiles & Tile Care 

Learn a trade or improve your skills 

with the CITB CSkills Award for wall 

and floor tiling training courses with 

our qualified professional tutors. 

Whether you want an introduction to the basics, 

to develop your existing skills or a full intensive 

course giving you the skills and confidence to 

tackle any tiling project, we offer one, two and four 

week courses, PLUS the opportunity to become 

a registered Devi under tile heating installer. 

Showroom at: 

Leigh Green Industrial Estate 

Appledore Road, 

Tenterden TN30 7DE 

Knitting Workshops 

Come and learn a new skill or brush up on an old one! 

Tabatha Thomas offers a range of creative and inspiring 

knitting workshops and knit & natter groups in and around 

Sussex. Workshops are relaxed and friendly and the number 

of attendees is kept small so that everyone can get all of 

the individual attention they need. There is something for 

everyone from complete newbies to the experienced. 

Contact Linda Brown 

Phone 07746 121967 

Workshops 

Visit www.tabathathomas.co.uk 

Email info@tabathathomas.co.uk 

117 


TenterdenTilingWT149.indd 1 16/06/2014 TabathaThomasWT168.indd 15:29 

1 14/01/2016 16:13

Health & Wellbeing 

Wealden Wealden Times Times - Bazaar - Classified 

Couples Capers in 

our Dual Room 

Treatments need to be the same 

length of time to receive 20% off 

www.Relax-in-Harmony.co.uk 

44 Wellington Square, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 1PN 

RelaxInHarmonyWT168.indd STOTT PILATES in 1 GOUDHURST Tension, mind & 07/01/2016 RecoverNowWT166.indd 15:37 Elizabeth 1Davenport-Fry 

Penny Hawkins adv dip hyp. 17/11/2015 sqhp. nrh 09:59 

body, we can help 

Registered Osteopath 

Clinical Hypnotherapist & Life Coach 

Stott Pilates is the most 

Master NLP Practitioner 

medically aligned Pilates 

GOUDHURST 

Help with stopping smoking, Weight Loss, Anxiety, 

Heather Bailey 

Panic, Phobias, Confidence, Self Esteem. 

discipline. As a qualified nurse, Holistic Massage Therapist 

35 years experience 

Relationship Concerns, Pain Relief and Stress. 

Children’s Issues: Nail Biting / Thumb Sucking, 

radiographer and Stott Pilates 

& Reiki Practitioner. Member of FHT 

School Worries, Picky Eating, Sleep Problems. 

01892 836550 or 07716 393946 

FREE CONSULTATION 

Enhanced CRB Checked. 

instructor, I teach pilates to 

with this advert 

hather.bailey@btinternet.com 

01892 750255 

those who wish to improve 

pennyhawkins@live.co.uk www.pennyhawkins.co.uk 

www.kentmassagetherapy.co.uk 

Telephone 01580 211880 

Clinics held in Hawkhurst, Tonbridge & Sevenoaks, Kent 

their flexibility and posture. 

1-2-1 & classes of 3-4 

people available. Contact 

Mary-Thérèse RGN, 

BSc (Hons) RAD 

07447 426 243 

marythereseoconnell@gmail.com 

Lenham Ballet School 

Full colour advertising 

KentMassageTherapyWT167.indd 1 15/12/2015 ElizabethDavenportWT164.indd 15:46 

1 21/09/2015 10:32 

R.A.D. Ballet 

I.S.T.D. Tap & Modern 

3 years to senior level 

Adult Tap & Street Dance 

01622 850329 

more than a ballet school 

www.lenhamballetschool.co.uk 

Psychotherapy at The Garden Room 

A place to find trust and comfort if you are 

finding certain things in your life difficult. 

I offer tailored counselling and psychotherapy sessions 

to individuals and couples struggling with addiction, 

relationships, anxiety, stress and depression. 

For help and more information, feel free 

to call me on the numbers below. 

David Gilmour PG Dip, MBACP Registered. 

from as little as £40 a 

month. Call Adam on 

01580 714705 

adam.donovan@wealdentimes.co.uk 

01580 441506 | 07976 247833 

www.balancerecovery.co.uk 

PennyHawkinsWT168-2.indd MIND-FIELD 1 TRAINING 19/01/2016 19:12 

Approved training provider 

One day introduction to Hypnosis 

Join me for the day on 

Saturday 9th April 2016 

Suitable for those working in the 

field of talking therapies or wanting 

a new career in helping people 

Email: enquiries@mind-fieldtraining.co.uk 

Tel: 01892 750255 

www.mind-fieldtraining.co.uk 

Music Tutors 

StottPilatesWT168.indd 1 18/01/2016 LenhamBalletSchoolWT168.indd 15:12 

1 20/01/2016 09:32 

Cleaning Services 

PennyHawkinsWT168-1.indd 1 19/01/2016 17:55 

KENT PIANO TUTOR 

Lessons in your home! 

Also Clarinet - Sax - Trumpet 

Louise 07989 370624 

www.KentPianoTeacher.co.uk 

Animals & Pets 

GUITAR LESSONS 

Rock/Pop, 

Finger‐Style, Classical 

Pete Metcalfe 

www.petemetcalfe.co.uk 

Phone: 01892 522 006 

petermetcalfe22@btinternet.com 

Flatshare 

LouiseWoodcockWT166.indd 1 30/10/2015 PeteMetcalfeWT166.indd 10:36 

1 09/11/2015 12:44 

Muddy Pawz 

Dog bathing & pet taxi service. 

Hawkhurst. The full works wash 

from £12.50, pet taxi service 

60p per mile, £10 (min charge) 

07936 743268 

muddypawz.sarah@aol.co.uk 

MuddyPawzWT168.indd 1 18/01/2016 11:13 

FLAT SHARE 

in St Leonards On Sea, East Sussex. 

Lovely clean & newly decorated double 

room with ensuite in large private flat. 

3 mins walk to Warrior Sq station, 

2 mins walk to shops & seafront, 

with free parking available. 

Use of all amenities including 

washing machine, WiFi etc. 

Sharing with a professional, quiet, 

non‐scene fun & friendly guy in his 40s! 

Looking for similar, NO couples, 

must be working/quiet & sane 

please! No time wasters. 

Rental: £400 pcm inc bills except phone. 

OR Can rent per night @ £40. 

(More than 5 nights a deal can be done) 

Reference required for long term lets. 

For more info or to arrange a viewing, please 

call or text Richard on 07523 109534 

ironing made easy 

Full Laundry and 

Dry Cleaning Services 

Free Collection & Delivery 

•Free Collection & Delivery 

•Shirts Only £1.30 

Full Laundry and 

Dry Cleaning Services 

Shirts Only £1.35 

01622 870111 / 01892 575222 

www.iron-maids.co.uk 

Home Tuition 

IronMaidsWT167.indd 1 CLEANING SERVICES 07/12/2015 17:30 

FOR SUSSEX 

Window cleaning from £5. 

Fascias & Gutters. Mobile car & 

Home Tuition 

caravan cleans. House & office 

Former Head Teacher offers, cleans. End of tenants. Carpet 

English, Latin, French and History cleaning. Grass & Lawn mowing. 

to Level- Gcse, ’A’ Level, Pre-University. 

Call 07756 248128 

Very High Success Rate 

Please call 01732 851145 and 

ask for Fredric Gale M.A. (Oxon) Tim'sCleaningServicesWT166.indd 1 11/11/2015 10:21 

Email: fg1948@me.com 


KentWildlifePestControlWT165.indd 1 15/10/2015 RichardHammondWT168.indd 12:36 

1 11/01/2016 FredericGaleHomeTutorialsWT168.indd 14:28 

19/01/2016 1 15:34 

118

competition 

win an overnight stay for two 

people in the 5 star exclusive 

Maiden’s Tower at leeds castle, 

with a full cooked breakfast 

Visitors never forget their first breathtaking vision of Leeds Castle 

in Kent, rising majestically from the moat as it has done for over 

900 years. With 500 acres of beautiful parkland and formal gardens, 

daily activities, free flying falconry displays, special events and year 

round attractions, Leeds Castle is one of the best days out in Kent, 

you will want to come back time and again! Open all year, there is 

something new for everyone to discover every day. Your admission 

ticket allows you to visit as many times as you like across a whole 

year. 

Leeds Castle is also an idyllic setting for the most romantic of 

weddings whatever the season. The choice of historic venues and 

packages will be tailored to meet your requirements by the team of 

experienced Wedding Co-ordinators. From your initial enquiry to 

the day itself, a superb level of service will be provided to ensure you 

have the perfect wedding at “the loveliest castle in the world”. 

During its 900 year history, Leeds Castle has been a Norman 

stronghold, the private property of six of England’s medieval queens 

and a palace used by Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of 

Aragon. More recently, the castle was an elegant early 20th 

century playground for the rich and famous, as Lady Baillie, the 

last private owner, entertained high society down from London 

for the weekends. The Maiden’s Tower is a 16th century stone 

building that was used for weekend house parties in the 1920s. It’s 

now a glamorous self-contained venue perfect for your wedding 

ceremony, evening celebrations and overnight accommodation. For 

more information visit www.leeds-castle.com/Weddings 

For your chance to win an 

overnight stay for two people 

in the 5 star exclusive Maiden’s 

Tower with a full cooked 

breakfast, just answer this 

question: ‘Who was Henry 

VIII’s first wife?’ Enter your 

answer with your contact details* 

in the online form at www. 

wealdentimes.co.uk/competition 

or post to: The Leeds Castle 

Competition, Wealden Times, 21 Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3HF by 19 

February 2016. There is no cash alternative and the prize must be taken midweek 

by March 2017 *All entrants’ details will be passed on to Leeds Castle and Wealden 

Times Events. Please let us know if you do not wish your details to be passed on. 

Fables 

From 

The Farm 

Jane welcomes more 

calves and prepares 

for lambing 

W 

e started calving at Christmas and now, as February 

approaches, we’re almost half way through. We should 

be finished by the end of the month – apart from the 

stragglers – and at Coopers Farm there always seem to be one or two. 

On many farms, these out-of-step girls wouldn’t be allowed. 

Labour is one of the most expensive costs of running a beef suckler 

herd and during calving the stockman needs to be on 24-hour call 

– and get up at 3am to check all is OK. So, not surprisingly, steps 

are taken to ensure the whole herd calves in a tight block of about 

six weeks. This includes some simple and obvious measures like only 

letting the bull run with the cows for two cycles (six weeks) but it 

also pays to have a youngish herd. 

When people discover we are livestock farmers the two questions 

we are most frequently asked are: a) what time do you get up in the 

morning? (answer: not as early as most) and b) how long do farm 

animals live? This is more difficult to answer. A cow is capable of 

producing a calf well into her mid-teens but as she ages it takes 

longer to conceive – often not the statutory two cycles – so she will 

be culled in favour of younger models. I should, I know, adopt such 

a sensible strategy and, when I’ve been doing that 3am shift for two 

months, I always swear I will. But somehow those favourite cows 

always seem to get the benefit of the doubt and a few more weeks 

with the bull. 

While the cows are nearly done and dusted, we’re just getting 

ready to start lambing in March. The scan man has been to PD 

(pregnancy diagnose) the ewes. Like a human scan he simply rubs 

the camera under their belly (though the sheep version seems to 

work through wool). A dot is then sprayed between the shoulders 

if they are expecting a single, above the tail for twins or a strip across 

the rump for triplets – vital information when you have a tricky 

birth and need to know how many lambs are involved. 

We also have to go shopping for all the necessary bits and pieces 

such as iodine navel sprays, castration rings, colostrum powder, 

bulbs for the heat lamps, lubricant jelly, latex gloves, dried milk, 

bottles and teats. The list goes on and on. And finally we need to 

get the lambing shed ready; lots of deep clean straw and individual 

‘mothering up’ pens where the ewe and her lambs will spend the first 

24 hours or so just to make sure everyone has got the hang of the 

mother/ baby bond. 

All that will then remain is to bring the ewes in. When the rams 

went in with the ewes in November they were fitted with a harness, 

known as a raddle, that holds a block of coloured wax between their 

front legs. As they mount the in-season ewe they leave a waxy mark 

on her rump and, as the colour of the wax block is changed after 18 

days, it’s possible to know the order in which the ewes will lamb. 

The shepherd, my husband Adrian, is every bit as sentimental in 

giving the ewes plenty of opportunity to conceive, so the rams stay 

in longer than six weeks and he’ll be getting up in the night well into 

May – when at least it should be heavenly weather! 

Follow Jane on Twitter @coopers_farm 

Congratulations to Shona Brown who wins the January competition for a 

comedy night, supper, an overnight stay and breakfast at The Bell in Ticehurst. 


New This Month... 


Discovered by us... delivered to you 

Bandstand At Sunset 

(left), £2.80; Brighton Pier 

Greetings Card (right), £2.80 

Wealdenfairs.com/artnouvocative 

Lucia 3 Stone Ring (right), 

£99; Mistral Stacking 

Rings (left), £15 

Wealdenfairs.com/meencanta 

Green Garden Chair // £160 


Antique Look Birdcage // £170 


15 Bottle Wine Rack (left), £72; Handmade 

Chest Of Drawers (right), £156, both 

products upcycled from genuine apple crates 

Wealdenfairs.com/vintageapplecrates 

Saltdean Lido Print (left); Scotney 

Castle Print (right), from £39.50 

Waldenfairs.com/rareskillsgallery 

Lemon Extra Virgin Olive 

Oil (above), £12; Murcia 

Sweet Paprika (right), £6 

Waldenfairs.com/deliciouslyspain 

Follow us for new products, 

competitions and promotions.

Introducing... 

Suzie Lee Knitwear 

Having been taught how to knit and receiving an introduction 

to the world of craft courtesy of her nanny and num, Suzie 

Lee has become a proud British designer and maker. Using 

a vintage knitting machine, she creates beautifully soft wool 

scarves, blankets and accessories. 

What inspired you to start your business? After my 

studies I decided that I wanted to pursue knitting full time, whilst also 

being able to create something unique and reflect my love for colour 

and natural fibres. 

Have you always been a creative person? I’ve always 

had an interest in making things since I was a child. My nanny and 

mum both taught me how to knit and do lots of other amazing crafty 

things when I was little which was great fun. 

Did you have any training? After being introduced to the 

craft world by my family, I studied fashion textiles with business 

studies, specialising in knitwear at University of Brighton. 

What influences your product aesthetic? The main thing 

for me was that I wanted to go back to traditional values. More than 

anything I wanted to create and offer a really practical, well made 

product that will last for 25 years and is made in the UK. 

What is the essence of 

the business? My business is 

about creating something special 

for you or a loved one. I believe 

that knitting has an emotional 

element and the soft textures are 

a highlight of something special. 

I love being a British designer 

and maker, so where possible 

I source raw materials for all 

aspects of my business from 

within the UK. 

Tell us about the 

process of creating 

your product? 

Most items 

are machine knitted on my 

vintage knitting machine. First 

I choose the colours of yarn, 

which is mainly British spun 

100% lambswool. I then set the 

pattern to knit the design. To get 

the softest texture I lightly felt 

each item and add the finishing 

touches to create the final piece. 

What’s your favourite 

product from your 

collection? The Fair Isle wrap 

is my favourite as you can wear 

it as a wrap and it’s also super 

cosy as a scarf. It always gets lots 

of admirers when I take it out 

with me. 

Do you enjoy working 

for yourself? I can’t imagine 

working for anybody else, 

although I do enjoy doing 

collaborations with other 

companies. It always results in 

creating something unique. I like 

the freedom of deciding on my 

own working hours and having 

full control of choosing the fun 

stuff like colours and designs. 

What makes all the hard 

work worth it? 

I love the winter time, after 

I’ve spent all year making the 

items, to then bring them to 

my various shows is great. I get 

the chance to meet lovely people and to see their 

reactions to the colours and even help them choose 

something special as a gift for a loved one. 

Clockwise from above, Fair Isle Wrap Scarf in Charcoal & 

Light Grey, £120; Knitted Fair Isle Wrap Blanket, £120; 

Fair Isle Wrap Scarf in Pink, Soft Blue & Coral, £120 

www.wealdenfairs.com/suzieleeknitwear 

www.suziekaylee.com

www.roundwood.com 

Now a UK distributor of Thermo Treated Decking, 

Cladding & Flooring Products by Thermory ®

OAK FRAMED BUILDINGS | QUALITY DECKING & CLADDING 

OAK & WALNUT FLOORING | HOME & GARDEN FEATURES 

Please call for a brochure or visit our showrooms 

Unit 9, Chart Farm, Seal Chart 

Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0ES 

Tel: 01732 762682 

81 Calverley Road 

Tunbridge Wells, Tel: Kent 01435 TN1 2UY 867 072 

Round 

Tel: 

Wood 

01892 

| Newick 

520730 

Lane | Mayfield | East Sussex | TN20 6RG 

www.rencraft.co.uk

76/78 High Street, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1YB 

Tel. 01892 534018 | Fax. 01892 510536 

Email. info@gcollinsandsons.com | www.gcollinsandsons.com 

‘When two halves meet’ 

Designed by Josh Collins

Wealden Times | WT168 | February 2016 | Wedding supplement inside

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