Wealden Times | WT182 | April 2017 | Gardens supplement inside

PRICELESS
february april
2017
Wealden Times
The lifestyle magazine for the Weald
wedding gardenS Supplement inside
Inspirational Interiors • Fabulous Fashion • Delicious Dishes

Designers and makers of handmade kitchens
The difference is in the detail

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, Kent TN1 2UY
Tel: 01892 520730
www.rencraft.co.uk

Chippy Oak Framed Garage Kits now
available from just £2,395
www.roundwood.com

OAK FRAMED BUILDINGS | | QUALITY DECKING && CLADDING
OAK && WALNUT FLOORING | | HOME && GARDEN FEATURES
Tel: 01435 867 072
Round Wood | | Newick Lane Lane | | Mayfield | East | East Sussex | | TN20 6RG 6RG

01580 291221 jminteriorsuk.uk Biddenden Showroom

MINTERIORS
JFine hand crafted kitchens and bespoke furniture

GERMAN ENGINEERED KITCHENS
MODEL SHOWN
WHITE WHITE AND AND GREY GREY LACQUERED LAMINATE DOORS, WHITE WHITE QUARTZ & MARBLE & WORKTOP, SIEMENS APPLIANCES – £18,793* – KRIEDER SHOWROOM – 3 – Chapel 3 Chapel Place, Place, Tunbridge Wells, Wells, Kent Kent TN1 TN1 1YQ 1YQ – 01892 – 01892 619721 – info@krieder.com – – www.krieder.com
– * Price * Price includes includes delivery, delivery, cabinet cabinet furniture, furniture, appliances, worktops worktops and and VAT VAT

5 High Street, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3EB
01580 715144
Email: cranbrook@kingsfords.net www.kingsfords-solicitors.com
We offer an excellent, swift and friendly service.
Conveyancing - Wills & Estates - Commercial Law -
Matrimonial Law - Prenuptial Agreements - Litigation -
Employment Law - Family Law - French Property
Conveyancing Services from £550.00+VAT
Wills from £215.00+VAT / Mirror Wills from £295.00+VAT
Lasting Power Of Attorney (LPA's) from £195.00+VAT
(Initial fixed-fee appointments also available at our Cranbrook offices)
Litigation Solicitor from £200.00+VAT
Matrimonial Solicitor from £150.00+VAT
We will always try and match any quotation
Kingsfords Solicitors Limited registered office address 2 Elwick Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 1PD
Regulated by the Solicitors regulation Authority 621466
KingsfordSolicitorsWT172.indd 1 10/05/2016 11:20
QUALITY CLOTHING AND A PERSONAL SERVICE
MEYER-HOSEN , established in 1960 in
Germany, are producers of high quality
formal and casual trousers of European
manufacture.
Using some of the finest fabrics , and
only cottons bearing the Fair Trade
Certification Mark MEYER trousers are
renowned for their Quality, Comfort, Style
and Fit.
This Spring/Summer season’s ranges
comprise ultra lightweight wool blends,
sand washed cotton, pima cottons
and kapok, in a bright colour palette,
with two-tone and over-dyed fabrics,
contrasted by trims and summery linings.
MEYER ensures that its products have
a high-quality of finish, a good fit
throughout all sizes and are comfortable
to wear.
We are pleased to offer a comprehensive
range of MEYER trousers in all three of our
stores, with sizes from 32 to 46 waist in
many ranges, and very much look forward
to having the opportunity of showing
you the new MEYER collection, together
with the other ranges of exciting summer
clothing we have to offer.
• New store opening April in Sevenoaks
• Celebrating 40 years trading in Kent
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
wealdentimes.co.uk
8
CountyClothesWT181.indd 1 21/02/2017 14:59

Contents
April 2017
24
56
GARDEN QUEST
Maggie Alderson goes in search
of ideal locations for egg hunts
132
156
GET READY TO PARTY!
Colourful childrenswear
for girls and boys
165
132
MAIN COURSE
WT speaks to Rosemary Shrager about
the importance of apprenticeships
49
56
80
92
102
127
APRIL NOTEBOOK
Fill your diary with hand
picked events going on
around the Weald
CALL TO ALMS
A milliner’s retreat
GET THE LOOK
Emulate the Cheyneys style
IN HOUSE
Rebecca Cuffe edits her
favourite interior trends
TRUE ORIGINS
Jennifer Stuart-Smith explores a
beautiful Wealden farmhouse
FLOOR PLAN
Chic floor coverings
147
151
153
155
156
FRESHEN UP
Josephine Fairley tackles
problematic teenage skin
ACTIVE APRIL
This month’s bitesize
health news
THE BIG MIND &
BODY SPRING CLEAN
How to tidy up your regime
WALKING - WHERE
ARE ALL THE PEOPLE?
Julie Simpson shares her
favourite Wealden walks
EASTER FEAST
Rosemary Shrager’s
Easter goodies
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 wealdentimes.co.uk
copyright JPS Media Ltd 2017©. The views of the advertisers and contributors are not
necessarily those of JPS Media Ltd.
169
175
181
182
NUMBER CRUNCHERS
Susan Elkin analyses
performance targets
WHAT’S ON?
Find out
COMPETITION
Win a Firepod pizza oven worth £445
FABLES FROM THE FARM
Jane Howard deals with the
repercussions of the bird flu scare
GARDENS
SUPPLEMENT
Take inspiration
from our 34 page
special for a super
stylish outdoors.
After page 166
Gardens
A Wealden Times Supplement
View the new Garden Directory online at wealdentimes.co.uk
9
Sponsored by
06WT182Garden Supplement.indd 1 21/03/2017 10:19

Hawkhurst
A beautiful Grade II Listed family home in a prominent position in the Moor area
of Hawkhurst
5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 4 reception rooms. Double garage, log store and swimming pool (all in
need of refurbishment). Cranbrook School Catchment Area.
Guide price: £1,400,000
KnightFrank.co.uk/TNW160251
simon.biddulph@knightfrank.com
KnightFrank.co.uk/tunbridge-wells
01892 310700
@KF_TWells
KnightFrank.co.uk

Horsmonden
A Grade II Listed converted oast in a wonderful position
8 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 5 reception rooms. Architecturally designed. Car port and large timber terrace.
Cranbrook School Catchment Area. In all about 2.18 acres.
simon.biddulph@knightfrank.com
KnightFrank.co.uk/tunbridge-wells
01892 310700
Guide price: £1,900,000
KnightFrank.co.uk/TNW160215
@KF_TWells
KnightFrank.co.uk

Land & Property Experts
East Farleigh, Kent
A compact and versatile commercial and agricultural estate bounded by the B2010
and Forge Lane in an accessible location in the Medway Valley south of Maidstone.
The Commercial Yard and Buildings include:
• A range of offices, workshops and storage units let on Landlord and Tenant
(contracted out) Leases or Licences with a rental income of approx. £145,000
The Grade I Agricultural Land includes:
• 16.33 acres of top fruit including Pears and Bramley Apples and 65.56 acres of
well roaded arable land.
FOR SALE BY FORMAL TENDER AS A WHOLE OR IN TWO LOTS. CLOSING
DATE TO BE CONFIRMED
Guide Prices And Legal Pack On Request
Challock Office
Appledore, Kent
A new 5 bedroom detached house - EPC Band B
Central Village location within walking distance of local amenities
Paddock land to the rear with rural views
Two agricultural barns in need of upgrading
• In all approx. 7.05 acres
Guide Price £850,000
Challock Office
Bells Yew Green, East Sussex
A Grade II Listed Farmhouse - EPC Band C
Located in an quiet rural position
Managed woodland and 3.5 acre lake
Games Room, outbuildings and Biomass boiler
• In all approx. 178 acres
Guide Price £4,600,000
Challock Office
Near Rotherfield, East Sussex
5 Bedroom Farmhouse - EPC Band D
Stable Yard and Sand School
Enclosed pasture fields
Direct bridleway access
• In all approx. 6.5 acres
Guide Price OIEO £850,000
Heathfield Office
Brasted, Kent
Superb farm building complex with converted farmhouse - EPC Band C
Extensive period outbuildings with potential
Planning to extend the house to total of 4,000 ft 2
Popular rural location close to Sevenoaks
• In all approx. 6 acres
Guide Price £2,000,000
Challock Office

‘Our Focus ‘Our Determines Focus Determines Your Reality’ Your Reality’
harpers and hurlingham
egeRton £1,495,000
Striking Georgian family home · Four/five reception
rooms · Stunning kitchen/breakfast/dining room · Five/
six bedrooms (three ensuite) · Annexe: Kitchen/living
room, bedroom with ensuite and balcony · Grounds
approx 1.4 acres · Stable block and outbuilding · EPC: D
Idyllic no-through country lane location
goudhuRst oIeo £1,295,000
Period family home in tranquil location · Triple
aspect drawing room · Kitchen/breakfast room ·
Three bedrooms (one ensuite) · Two attic bedrooms
(interconnecting) · Tennis court · Gardens and grounds
approximately 6.7 acres · Scope to extend · EPC: n/a
Cranbrook School Catchment Area
RuRal MaRden £1,250,000
Grade II Listed farmhouse with detached barn · Three
reception rooms · Kitchen/breakfast room · Utility
room · Five bedrooms (one ensuite) · Barn with lapsed
planning · Outbuilding with scope to convert (stpp) ·
Tennis court · Gardens of approx 2.3 acres · EPC: n/a
Rural yet convenient location
hawkhuRst £1,100,000
Charming Elizabethan farmhouse · In need of
refurbishment · Four reception rooms · Spacious
kitchen/breakfast room · Six bedrooms (one ensuite) ·
Swimming pool · Garden and grounds approximately
2.9 acres · Far reaching countryside views · EPC: n/a
Cranbrook School Catchment Area
Harpers&Hurlingham
The Cornerhouse, Stone Street, Cranbrook
01580 715400
www.harpersandhurlingham.com
London offiCe: KenSingTon 020 7938 2311
Lettings Team
Sales Team
Charles Janey Chez Jane Cathy Sarah Debbie Jane A Debbie S Caroline Dawn
Dianne

SALES / LETTINGS / MANAGEMENT
VISIT US AT HUNTERS.COM
HERE TO GET you THERE
Pluckley £775,000
Impressive and characterful Grade II listed medieval farmhouse with a
wealth of period features, standing in grounds of 4.4 acres with outbuildings
Four Bedrooms • Two Reception Rooms • Two En Suites • EPC Exempt
Smarden
P.O.A
Impressive grade II listed three bedroom Oast House with attached three
bedroom annexe, set in 1.45 acres of mature gardens
Three Reception Rooms • Flexible Accommodation • Double Garage • EPC Exempt
Tenterden £599,995
Elegant three/four bedroom Edwardian Townhouse built in 1905.
Positioned on the enviable tree lined High Street of Tenterden
No Chain • Cloakroom • Double Garage & Parking • EPC Rating D
Wittersham £575,000
Striking double fronted Victorian attached property with a wealth of
period features in the desirable village of Wittersham
Four Bedrooms • Two Reception Rooms • Rural Views • EPC E
Meet your local Tenterden Team!
Branch Partner, Andrew Barker has been in the estate agency business since 2000.
Andrew has comprehensive local knowledge, having worked in Tenterden and the surrounding villages throughout his career.
Over 150 independently owned branches across the UK.
Myself, Laura & Jake are highly motivated in offering our customers a fi rst class service,
“we’re here to get you there”
TENTERDEN 01580 763 278
ASHFORD 01233 613 613
Over 180 independently owned branches across the UK.
HYTHE 01303 261 557
FOLKESTONE 01303 210 335

The Property Ombudsman
Boughton Monchelsea Excess £1,600,000
A handsome early Victorian former Vicarage in a tranquil setting with
breathtaking views • 5 Receptions • Kitchen/Family Room • 6 Bedrooms •
3 Bath/Shower Rooms • Double Garage • Swimming Pool • Tennis Court •
Gardens and Grounds of about 2.3 acres in all • EPC F
Staplecross Guide Price £1,500,000
A splendid Grade II listed country house with guest cottage and excellent leisure
facilities with spectacular views • 4 Receptions • Kitchen • Master Bedroom with
en suite • 5 Further Bedrooms • 3 Further Bathrooms • Guest Cottage • Indoor
Swimming Pool • T. Court • Outbuildings • Circa 3 acres • 45 acres by sep neg
East Farleigh Guide Price £1,250,000
A substantial Grade II listed former Vicarage providing over 5,500 sq ft of
accommodation ideal for dual family occupancy • 4 Receptions • Kitchen/
Breakfast Room • Basement • 5 Bedrooms • 3 Bathrooms • Attic Rooms •
Various Outbuildings • Gardens and Grounds • Over half an acre
Sissinghurst Excess £1,000,000
A very special Grade II listed village house and period barn amid established
gardens offering immediate access to amenities • CSCA • No Onward Chain
• 3 Receptions • Kitchen • 5 Bedrooms • 3 Bathrooms • Oak Framed Barn •
Swimming Pool • Double Garage • Approaching an acre
Kilndown Guide Price £850,000
A beautifully presented attached period house providing exceptional family
entertaining space in the village • CSCA • 4 Receptions • Kitchen/Breakfast
Room • 4 Double Bedrooms (1 en suite) • Family Bathroom & Shower Room
• Cellar • Swimming Pool & Summerhouse • 0.43 acres in all • EPC D
Cranbrook Excess £675,000
An individual family house amid landscaped grounds within walking
distance of the High Street • CSCA • 4 Receptions • Kitchen • 4 Bedrooms
(1 en suite) • Family Bathroom • Double Garage • Summerhouse • About 0.5
acres of Landscaped Gardens • EPC E
coming 26 January 2015

Rye, East Sussex - £299,950
A well presented Grade II listed end of terrace house set
on the outskirts of Rye, offering accommodation over
three floors. Kitchen, living room, store room, garden
room, 2 bedrooms. Garden to rear. EPC E
Beckley, East Sussex - £795,000
A well appointed, detached New England style property
with views to the rear. Dining hall, living room, family room,
study, open plan kitchen/breakfast room, utility room,
master bedroom with en-suite, 3 further bedrooms, large
garden. EPC D
Guestling, East Sussex - £795,000
A substantial detached family house in beautiful order
with far reaching rural views towards the sea. Sitting
room, dining room, study, large conservatory, kitchen,
master bedroom suite, 4 further bedrooms. Double garage.
Garden. EPC D
Rye, East Sussex - £350,000
A three storey three bedroom town house in need of
modernisation situated in the conservation area of the
Ancient Town and Cinque Port of Rye with views of the
Strand Quay and moorings on the River Brede. Garage
nearby. EPC E
Icklesham, East Sussex - £359,950
A detached 1930s three bedroom house in the centre of the
village. Open plan living room and kitchen, bedrooms 2 & 3.
First floor landing with study area, bedroom 1 with sitting
room and en suite bathroom, Off road parking, Garden to
the side. EPC D
Udimore, East Sussex - OIEO £845,000
A 5/6 bedroom Edwardian house with stunning 360° views
to the English Channel and over farmland. Kitchen/breakfast
room, two receptions, conservatory, utility room. Double
garage/workshop with studio flat above. 1 acre garden. EPC F
RYE OFFICE 01797 227338
MAYFAIR OFFICE 0870 112 7099
phillipsandstubbs.co.uk

MAXIMISE THE VALUE
OF YOUR LAND
Have you got a large
garden or plot of land?
We are experts at working
with owners to maximise
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Industry leading experts
We take care of the planning permission!
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Act now before its too late!
What our clients say…
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result for us. We would have no
hesitation in recommending them to
anyone who wants to achieve planning".
Amanda and Robert Petch
June 2016
"The cost involved to try and
get planning on our land
were just not feasible for us.
Working with Country House
meant we didn’t have to risk
our money as they took care
of everything"
Mr C Partridge (Loose, Kent)
September 2016
“Guy and team at CHH did a
fantastic job securing planning
permission on our rear garden plot.
Although a fairly problematic
application (which took over 18
months), they kept us informed
throughout the entire process.
I would certainly use them again”
David J (Oxted, Surrey)
January 2017
For a free appraisal call 0843 557 4080
www.maximisemyland.co.uk

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
The secret to fi nding the perfect property?
The enduring popularity of TV shows such
as ‘Relocation, Relocation’ and ‘Escape to
the Country’ is testament to our nation’s
continued fascination with property and
buying homes. Within forty-fi ve easy
viewing minutes, couples are shown three
properties, often leading to a quick ‘from
the pub’ negotiation and the deal is done.
If only buying a home was that easy.
As most of us know, buying property is
usually time-consuming, frustrating,
confusing and downright stressful. In so
many other areas of life we now turn to
a professional to solve complex problems,
yet many house hunters overlook the
fact that help and advice is available
for them by working with a property
fi nder. Unlike estate agents, property
fi nders solely represent the interests of the
buyer; ensuring that the property being
purchased is exactly what the future
homeowner needs – not just about the
number of rooms, but fi tting their lifestyle,
budget and personal requirements.
Of those aware of the property fi nder’s
services, many assume that they are only
for people who are moving into an area
from away, but this is far from the truth.
Local experts Garrington regularly work
with local clients who are frustrated by the
lack of stock and can’t fi nd anything to buy
and busy clients such as entrepreneurs/
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to fi nding and moving into their next
home. Other groups who fi nd the service
valuable are the older generation who
may have been out of the property market
for some years and value the support
and impartial advice given at a time of
great change and emotional turmoil.
The benefi ts of using property fi nders
will always vary from one buyer’s needs
to another, but invariably help with the
following:
Finding hidden gems
Contrary to popular belief, property
portals do not show the whole of the
‘for sale’ market and even where agents
use these sites to advertise ‘discreet sales’,
buyers can be sure there are a number
of highly attractive properties available
‘under the counter’ only to be shown to
a select few of serious applicants.
Property finders give their clients
access to properties that are not being
seen by the general public – either
because estate agents are willing to
share privileged information with a
trusted fellow professional, or because
the property finder has sourced some
elusive ‘off-market’ properties directly
from homeowners. Last year, Garrington
identified several such properties
like this in areas such as Wadhurst,
Hamstreet and the surrounding villages.
Expert negotiation
Despite the ongoing political uncertainty
being experienced, the stock shortage
of homes for sale has meant that asking
prices around Sevenoaks and Tunbridge
Wells have remained surprisingly robust.
Ensuring that buyers pay the right
amount in light of a property’s merits
(and shortcomings), market conditions
and other comparable properties
that have sold in the area means that
price negotiations are based on sound
thinking and facts, rather than just an
asking price less a percentage, typical
of unrepresented buying situations.
Property finders can also help with
sealed bid scenarios, where experience
has shown that success can be achieved
not just by offering the highest amount
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Objective problem solving
Whilst many buyers believe that fi nding
a property is the hardest part of buying
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A skilled property finder will co-ordinate
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experts when specialist advice is needed,
problem solve and give impartial advice
on whether an unexpected issue is
surmountable, or if it would be prudent
to walk away from a deal. Indeed, the
nature of the market is that both sellers
and buyers alike remain price sensitive
at the moment so careful brokering by a
trusted advisor on the side of the buyer
can help navigate around problems and
lead to a successful outcome all round.
Mandy Bissell
Garrington
If you would like to discuss your
property search requirements,
learn about local market conditions
and explore how using a property
finder can make purchasing a
property much easier for you,
Garrington offers a complimentary
initial meeting without obligation.
Please contact Mandy Bissell to
arrange a meeting, e-mail her, or
visit the Garrington website for
more information.
Tel: 01892 882892
Email: info@garrington.co.uk
www.garringtonsoutheast.co.uk

sJd – developing potential
If you think your property
could be developed, why not
give us a call without obligation
and in confidence.
Many of our clients retain our
services and, in the majority of
cases, pay our fees saving property
owners significant costs.
Call us now
for regular updates, visit us at twitter.com/projects
Contact Stephen Donnelly on
07739 514350 or 0845 456 8969
web: sjd-projects.com • email: steve@sjd-projects.com
We are alWays on the lookout for property With developmental potential
SJDprojectsWT182.indd 1 08/03/2017 17:01
Computer generated image
N O W L A U N C H E D - R E S E R V A T I O N S B E I N G T A K E N
THE OLD ORCHARD, CHARTWAY STREET, SUTTON VALENCE ME17 3JA
A development of five 3, 4 & 5 bedroom new homes, ready for occupation summer 2017
Call our selling agent now for more information and to book your personal appointment
Guide prices from £465,000 | T: 01622 673086 | E: enquiries@sibleypares.co.uk
Follow us for updates: @MillwoodDHomes millwooddhomes MillwoodDesignerHomes
www.millwooddesignerhomes.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
20
SibleyParesWT182.indd 1 17/03/2017 10:17

Residential Sales
www.hobbsparker.co.uk
COMING SOON
£1,175,000
A well appointed Edwardian family house of wonderful
proportions set in imaginatively designed formal style
gardens. Ashford Int Station – 5 miles. EPC Rating E
Tenterden
£925,000
Grade II listed 18th century house with two separate
cottages which offer the possibility of intergenerational
living or useful income generation. EPC Rating NA
Stalisfield Green
£895,000
Views across open countryside - a fabulous
converted barn with purpose built workshop/studio
suitable for a number of uses. EPC Rating D
Appledore
£695,000
4 bedroom detached country cottage on the rural
edge of the village, extensive outbuildings, beautiful
gardens, pool. In all about ½ acre. EPC Rating E
Nr Aldington
£895,000
Fabulous barn tucked away at the end of a farm track,
2 acres of garden and paddock, 4 bay wagon lodge garage
with accommodation over. EPC Rating D
Benenden
£895,000
Grade II listed period farmhouse, 3 bay garage and other
outbuildings. In all about 1.4 acres. Further land available.
CSCA. EPC Rating NA
Hobbs Parker Estate Agents
Tenterden 01580 766766 | Ashford 01233 506260
01580 766766

THE BRUNSWICK - Affordable luxury in Rye
Spacious double fronted 3 bedroom detached homes with parking
and private gardens from £380,000
FAMILY
BEDROOM 3
LOUNGE
CPD
WC
KITCHEN
/ DINER
BEDROOM 1
BEDROOM 2
WDR
HALL
EN-SUITE
FAMILY
BATHROOM
WDR
First Floor Plan
Ground Floor Plan
A collection of delightful New England style homes a short walk from Rye centre overlooking an
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Offering three bedrooms with en-suite to master bedroom.
Glazed conservatory overlooking private rear garden. All houses have oak laminate floors and
carpets throughout with under floor heating and Bosch appliances
ARONCORP
Freephone: 0800 612 7933
sales@ValleyParkRye.com
www.ValleyParkRye.com

Weald Property half - 1 property.qxp_half page 11/07/2014 15:42 Page 1
Residential Sales • Management and Lettings
01580 242700
wealdproperty.net
Moving this Spring? Let the Country House specialists with over 30 years of local
property expertise make it happen for you, on your terms……seamlessly.
TO LET
FOR SALE
Benenden £4000pcm Horsmonden OIEO £895,000
Weald Property – bespoke estate agent
Spring Offer Instruct Weald Property in April 2017 and receive a complimentary garden design appraisal from one of the
South East’s leading garden / landscape designers, Catherine Berkeley (see below).
2 Windmill Oast, Windmill Farm,
Rolvenden, Kent TN17 4PF
CatherineBerkeleyWT178.indd 1 08/11/2016 12:53

HOUSE OF THE MONTH
1.
1.
Garden Quest
Maggie Alderson hunts down the best hiding places for Easter eggs
Like many great British annual traditions, we imported the Easter Bunny from
America. That great nation of marketing geniuses has long done a fine trade in
converting slightly creepy figures of ancient European folklore into adorable
cuddly characters perfect for flogging product while cheering everyone up. Win win.
It was in this spirt that Santa Claus as we know and love him – jolly,
tubby, red of cheek – was invented by Coca-Cola in the 1930s. Earlier
Christmas present deliverers Saint Nicholas, the Nordic god Wotan
and Britain’s original Father Christmas, weren’t nearly so affable.
The Easter Bunny in its original European incarnation of an egg-hiding
mammal fertility symbol was actually a hare, an animal perfect for conveying
the idea of spring’s fecundity, because lady hares can actually get pregnant
again while they are still carrying a litter. It’s an impressive feat of breeding (if
a nightmarish prospect…), but bunnies won, because they’re cuter and have
fluffy tails and we’ve all cuddled one. There’s a reason Beatrix Potter wrote Peter
Rabbit rather than Harold Hare. The Easter Hare is also a less attractive prospect
to the modern child, because on his arrival in America with 18th century
German immigrants to Pennsylvania, he hid real eggs, albeit painted ones.
As the fluffy egg-concealing white rabbit took on across the United States
the eggs became chocolate, which required attractive baskets to be collected in
and the Easter Egg Hunt as we now know it had arrived. And what a lovely
thing it is, to watch over-excited children – some of them nearly of university
age, in my experience – running around a garden searching for tiny foilcoloured
treats, with a larger chocolate rabbit or chicken the ultimate prize.
Also fun for parents, is the concealing of the eggs, while a grandparent
distracts the small ones inside – nearly as thrilling as tiptoeing in with
a Christmas stocking. The key thing is to have the right garden to
do it in, with lots of different areas for hiding and hunting.
1. Badsell Park
Where? Badsell Park sits aside a small
hamlet, surrounded by woodland and
pastures, one mile from the picturesque
village of Matfield and just five from
Tunbridge Wells. Paddock Wood
station, with its 45 minute link to
London Bridge, is three miles away.
What? Cutting to the chase: it’s hard
to imagine a better location for an Easter
egg hunt…there’s a beautiful maze in the
garden. The very attractive Grade II listed
farmhouse has been beautifully updated for
modern living with an open plan kitchen/
breakfast room, complete with Aga and a
large open fireplace, opening to the garden
from two places and to the conservatory.
There’s a 30ft drawing room and a cosy
sitting room. Upstairs there’s a principal
suite with an adjoined shower room, three
further bedrooms and a bathroom, with
two more bedrooms on the second floor.
How much? With a guide price of
£2,675,000, Badsell Park is on the market
with Knight Frank Tunbridge Wells. Call
01892 772942, or browse knightfrank.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
24

2.
3.
4.
2.
3.
4.
2. Birchetts
Where? Birchetts is situated on a
quiet country lane on the outskirts of
the popular village of Ticehurst, 11
miles from Tunbridge Wells. Stonegate
and Wadhurst stations have regular
services to Charing Cross and the A21/
M25 road and motorway network are
easily accessible. There are interrupted
views to Bewl Water from the garden.
What? A very attractive barn
conversion, the three bedrooms, en suite
shower room and family bathroom are
on the ground floor, which allows the
first floor sitting room to enjoy the full
beamed height of the building. The
kitchen and dining room are adjacent.
There is a study/fourth bedroom on
the second floor. The gardens cover an
acre, with lots of interesting areas for
Easter egg concealing, plus a natural
duck pond with a stream and summer
house which overlooks two ornamental
ponds. (So you would have to keep a
firm eye on small egg hunters…)
How much? Offers in excess of
£745,000. Contact Freeman Foreman,
Tunbridge Wells 01892 640318
or look at freemanforeman.co.uk
3. The Dairy House
Where? The Dairy House sits in
the quiet pretty village of Loose, with
the Loose Stream running through
it, on the rural fringes of Maidstone,
with its rail links. There is a junction
to the M20 15 minutes away.
What? The original building dates to
the 16th century, with the beams to show
for it, with 20th century extensions. The
ground floor has three reception rooms,
plus a workshop and the kitchen. The
bathroom is also on this floor. Upstairs
are three bedrooms, with a walk-in
closet and a further room in the attic.
The house has brilliant potential for
more contemporary room arrangement
without losing any of its charm. Outside
the garden is a delightful mix of superbly
stocked mature borders, lawns, plus
a vegetable patch and mature trees.
How much? The Dairy House is
on the market for £599,000 with Fine
and Country, West Malling. Call 01732
222272 or head to fineandcountry.com
4. Catsfield Place
Where? Catsfield Place is situated at
the end of a long drive, in the unspoiled
countryside to the west of Battle, with
views over the South Downs AONB.
Catsfield village is nearby, with Battle
the nearest town, just two miles away,
with twice hourly trains to London.
What? It would be easier to answer,
what hasn’t it got? Study, sitting room,
two drawing rooms, family room,
computer room, garden room…
Swimming pool, yoga studio, full pubstyle
bar, disco. This house has it all
– encased in a glorious 17th century
manor, where one of Marie Antoinette’s
ladies-in-waiting was sent to hide her
jewels. There are eight bedrooms and at
least four bathrooms. And that’s just the
main house. There are nearly three acres
of grounds, comprising beautiful formal
gardens, with a walled garden full of rose
borders and shrubs, landscaped lawns,
fields and an area of woodland. Plus
various sun terraces and patios. You could
hold several Easter egg hunts at once.
How much? For this extraordinary
house, offers are invited in the area of
£1,825,000. Contact Fine and Country,
Cranbrook on 01580 715000 and
have a look on fineandcountry.com
25 wealdentimes.co.uk

THE MULTIROOM
COLLECTION
Our collection of wireless speakers is designed to connect into one Multiroom audio system,
allowing you to simultaneously play different music in different rooms – or the same tune in all rooms.
bang–olufsen.com
INTEREST FREE FINANCE
AVAILABLE
Enjoy the Multiroom experience from as little
as £40 per month.
Visit us at your local Bang & Olufsen store to
find out more. Terms & conditions apply.*
MULTIROOM COLLECTION
Bexleyheath
155 Broadway
Bexleyheath
Kent DA6 7EZ
Tel: 020 8303 2760
Bromley
62 High Street
Bromley
Kent BR1 1EG
Tel: 020 8466 8080
LIKE Cambridge
NO ONE ELSE
29 Magdalene Street
Cambridge
CB3 0AF
Tel: 01223 464400
Maidstone
37 Royal Star Arcade
High Street
Maidstone ME14 1JL
Tel: 01622 756756
Tunbridge Wells
66 Mount Pleasant Road
Tunbridge Wells
Kent TN1 1RB
Tel: 01892 527525
*Example. Purchase of 2 x Beoplay M5 speakers (RRP £529 each) Total Cash Price £1,058 less £98 deposit. Loan amount £968 repayable by 24 monthly payments of £40. Total amount
payable (including deposit) £1,058, 0%APR (representive). Written quotations available on request. Credit is available to over 18s and subject to status. Deposit is required. Cost of
installation is not included. Offer available from 13th March to 31st May 2017. Participating stores act as credit brokers and only offer credit products from a small panel of lenders.

OPEN DAY 20th May, 11am-4pm
Guest chef • Wine tasting from Majestic Wine • Cake treats from Hollie’s Little Cakery
Competitively priced kitchens from as little as £5,000
See our website: www.kutchenhaus.co.uk
Call in for a free quotation
Free Designs Free Quotations All Kitchens delivered Pre-built Free Parking
Visit our website or our showroom in Tunbridge Wells
1st floor, 319 St John’s Road (above Majestic Wine), Southborough, Tunbridge Wells TN4 9XE
01892 289070
Tunbridge Wells . Sutton Coldfield . Manchester . York . Brentwood . Beverley . Farnborough

Women’s health – New technology
helping to beat Breast Cancer
We do
breast health
checks…
Our One Stop Breast Clinic now offers
3D mammograms helping to detect
Breast Cancer with greater accuracy
If you are over 40 with no
symptoms, you can
self-refer for a
3D mammogram*
We are currently the only private hospital
in Kent to offer the latest advances in
digital mammography; 3D Digital Breast
Tomosynthesis.
Patients seen in our One Stop Breast Clinic
will have the option of 3D mammography.
The benefits speak for themselves:
• Improves breast cancer detection by
approximately 25%
• Smaller cancers can be identified more easily
• Particularly benefits those with dense breasts,
especially younger women
• Fewer patient recalls
Early detection is key. Make Spire
Tunbridge Wells your hospital of choice.
What our patients say…
I found the whole experience whilst
having the scan to be very quick indeed
and more importantly I was made to
feel very comfortable by the staff’
TWells patient
I just wanted to say how lovely the staff in
x-ray department were yesterday when I
went for a mammogram.Everyone was so
friendly and professional
Local GP Practice Manager
To book an appointment in the One Stop Breast
clinic call our Customer Services Executive on
01892 741150
www.spiretunbridgewells.com
* Patients can self-refer for 3D mammograms if they are
experiencing no symptoms and do not have any family history.
Fordcombe Road, Fordcombe, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN3 0RD

Affordable,
Simple and Safe:
Motorised Blinds
FREE
NO OBLIGATION
NO OBLIGATION
HOME VISIT,
HOME VISIT,
QUOTATION AND
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FITTING
FITTING
For For the
the ultimate
ultimate in
in timeless
timeless elegance
elegance look look
no no
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than
Blind Blind
Blind Design’s Design’s
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range of blinds, of
of shutters shutters and
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blinds. curtains.
Call Freephone
0800 988 1071
For Your Free Home Visit
Unit 6, Harvington Business Park, Brampton Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 9AF
Unit 6, Harvington Business Park, Brampton Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 9AF
Mon Fri 9am 5pm, Sat 9am 2pm
Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm, Sat 9am - 2pm
Telephone 01323 509 661 Freephone 0800 988 1071
Telephone 01323 509 661 Freephone 0800 988 1071
www.blind-design.co.uk
www.blind-design.co.uk

TAKE THE MASERATI WAY
Levante. The Maserati of SUVs. Starting at £54,335 OTR
The road you choose to travel might not be a road at all. A quick trip might turn
into the adventure of a lifetime, because there’s no reason to stay on the beaten
track when you can create a path of your own. The Maserati Levante was designed
with world-class engineering prowess and features Q4 intelligent all-wheel-drive and
sophisticated air-suspension systems, which allow you to enjoy a fully capable SUV with
outstanding Maserati driving dynamics.
MOTORLINE MASERATI MAIDSTONE
Bircholt Road, Maidstone, ME15 9XY
Phone: 01622 616 424 | www.motorline.co.uk/maserati
Official fuel consumption figures for the All New Maserati Levante Diesel in mpg (l/100km): Urban 34.4 (8.2), Extra
Urban 42.8 (6.6), Combined 39.2 (7.2). CO 2 emissions 189g/km. Fuel consumption and CO 2 figures are based on
standard EU tests for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Model shown is a Maserati
Levante Diesel MY17 at £66,640 On The Road including optional Luxury Pack at £5,950, 21 inch Anteo alloy wheels
at £2,695, Driver Assistance Pack at £1,450, panoramic sunroof at £1,200, Rear laminated privacy glass at £350
and bi-xenon front headlamps at £660.

DESIGN & PLANNING | RESTORATION | NEW BUILD | BARN CONVERSIONS | EXTENSIONS | JOINERY
For a brochure or home consultation call 01797 366895
www.anthony-hicks.co.uk

BurrswoodBootcampWT182.indd 1 10/03/2017 16:26
Luxurious Italian Furniture
Grand Design Furniture
We specialise in Italian furniture, stylishly designed and made in Italy. Take a look at our bedroom
suites, dining room suites and lounge furniture. Grand Design Furniture UK are the main UK supplier
for all the Italian furniture products we sell. We offer the most competitive prices in the UK.
Why not visit our shop in Orpington to see the complete range of Italian furniture that we have available?
115 High Street, Orpington, Kent BR6 0LG Tel: 01689 891600
www.granddesignfurniture.net romaninteriors@hotmail.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
32
GrandDesignFurnitureWT182.indd 1 22/03/2017 11:56

Design & Planning
Restoration
New Build
Barn Conversions
Extensions
Joinery
Cox Developments (Charing) Limited
www.coxrestorations.co.uk
For a free consultation please contact: 01233 714950
www.coxrestorations.co.uk
Established 1986

CAcres of beautiful gardens and woodland to enjoy
ome and experience the wide range
of flexible healthcare services,
guest stays and wellbeing events
Rehabilitation following a hospital stay or illness
Respite care
Assisted stay for those who would like a holiday
but need a little help
Outpatient services, counselling, physiotherapy
and hydrotherapy
Guest stays and therapeutic stays
Church and Spiritual Wellbeing events
Tea room, bookshop and gift shop open everyday
Call Reservations 01892 865988 to find out more
www.burrswood.org.uk
email: enquiries@burrswood.org.uk
The Dorothy Kerin Trust. Registered Charity No. 1095940
Transforming lives through whole person care
MAYS TERRACOTTA
incorporating
CROSS IN HAND HEATHFIELD
EST 1983
A267
B2203
BurrswoodWT182.indd 1 03/03/2017 14:31
★ Horam
MAYS
Mays Service Stn
Terracotta
✹
Horam
Manor Farm
HAILSHAM
A267
★
Horam
Post Office
Horebeech
Lane
The Secret Garden
at
Horam Manor Farm, Horam,
Heathfield, East Sussex TN21 0JB
Tel: 01323 847281
www.maysterracotta.com
TERRACOTTA
CLOSING DOWN SALE
STARTS 1st APRIL
Seeking Alternative Site
wealdentimes.co.uk
34
MaysTerracottaWT182.indd 1 22/03/2017 17:21

WWW.HANDMADERUGS.CO.UK
104, HIGH STREET, TENTERDEN, KENT, TN30 6HT
Tel 01580 762524
Tuesday to Saturday 10 to 5
30-31, HIGH STREET, BATTLE, E. SUSSEX, TN33 0EA
Tel 01424 772944
Monday to Saturday 9.30 to 5
Modern and Traditional Handmade Rugs
Furniture and Accessories
WWW.MOREBYDESIGN.COM
“Gazni J49” Ivory/ Powder Blue 3.00 x 2.50
Also available from Stock 4.00 x 3.00; 2.40 x 1.70; 1.80 x 1.20; 2.40 x 0.80 and other sizes to order
Also comes in other colours including Navy, Burgundy , Green and Charcoal
History In the Making
A rug is a breathtaking work of art with thousands of hand-tied knots woven in intricate designs,
one knot at a time. Memories become woven into them as they slowly absorb your family history
and become family heirlooms. Building a home is about collecting pieces that you will want to
have forever, pieces that one day your children or grandchildren will be proud to own.

01227 767576 www.stellisonselectrical.co.uk
Visit our 10,000 square foot Electrical Superstore in Canterbury
ENJOY UP TO £100
CASHBACK REWARD
When you buy a selected AEG kitchen appliance
and claim up to £100 in cashback.
Wincheap Industrial Estate, 17 Maynard Road, Canterbury, Kent CT1 3RH
Monday - Saturday 9:00am-6:00pm Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm

sizes &
The ultimate in comfort
Our ultimate offer!
Consul recliner
and stool from
£899
Save £350 *
S M L
£899 £999 £1099
3
available in
COLOURS
with immediate delivery
Batick Cream & Oak
Batick Mole & Walnut
Batick Wild Dove & Oak
*Terms and Conditions apply. Available only in Batick Cream leather with Oak wood finish, Batick Mole leather with Walnut wood finish and Batick Wild Dove leather with Oak wood finish. Stressless ® Consul Classic
Small chair and stool £899 RRP £1249. Stressless ® Consul Classic Medium chair and stool £999 RRP £1349. Stressless ® Consul Classic Large chair and stool £1099 RRP £1549. Offer available while stocks last.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Oak Framed Garage Prices Reduced
Round Wood of Mayfield have recently announced that they have been able to reduce the
price of their Chippy oak framed garage kits by 10%, despite the current economic climate.
Their traditional CH2G (two-bay
with gable roofline) model has
been reduced even further - so is
now available for just £3,295 +VAT.
Like many businesses, they
have been facing the double
blow of a falling pound and
rising raw material costs. These,
however, have been more than
offset by the recent efficiency
savings they have achieved
by analysing and developing
manufacturing activities.
This year-long process has required
significant investment - particularly
in machinery - but has proved
more than worthwhile given the
savings that are being passed
on, with oak framed garage kits
now available from just £2,395.
The range of ‘Chippy’ kits
comprises 47 standard designs,
from 1 to 4 bays, in a variety of
roof profiles. Additional options
of half-bays, log stores and side
aisles allow for most requirements
to be catered for (although
modifications are possible).
Kit frames appeal to many
customers as they are predesigned,
represent excellent
value and are typically
available on shorter lead times.
Round Wood even keep some
of their frames in stock.
Chippy kits are also suitable for selfassembly
by general tradespeople
and even accomplished DIY
enthusiasts; full instructions are
supplied and posts are pre-cut
and numbered. Dry fitting in the
workshop ensures quality and
ease of build once on site.
Alternatively, Round Wood do
have their own teams that travel
nationwide to assemble both
kit and bespoke frames. They
can also carry out groundworks
and roofing should a full
service solution be required.
A further advantage of Chippy
kits is their possible exemption
from planning requirements.
As the ridge heights are below
4m on all designs, permitted
developments rights are granted
for the majority of projects. The
smaller frames in the range are also
exempt from Building Regulations
(having an internal footprint
of under 30/m 2 ), providing
certain site criteria are met.
For more information on Chippy
kits, you can call Round Wood of
Mayfield on 01435 860 260, or visit
their dedicated garage kit website:
www.oakframedgarages.co.uk.
Round Wood supply nationwide
from their base just outside
of Mayfield. In addition to
oak framed buildings they
offer hardwood decking, oak
and walnut flooring, joinery
products and garden features.
1 Bays from £2,155, 2 Bays from £3,295
3 Bays from £5,285, 4 Bays from £7,085

THE BIG CAT SANCTUARY
OPEN DAYS
20 TH - 23 RD JULY 2017
A fun day out for all the family. Come and visit our
cats including tigers, lions, leopards and cheetahs.
Enjoy face painting, BBQ, falconry display,
bouncy castle, arts & crafts and stalls.
11:00am - 5:00pm (Last entry 4:00pm)
Weekdays £15.00 | Weekends £17.50
Advanced booking only - book your
place today by visiting our website
www.whf.org.uk
The Big Cat Sanctuary, Headcorn Road,
Smarden, Kent TN27 8PJ | 01233 771915
Charity Reg No. 1104420

When you delve into Knole's past, it
helps us secure its future.
Knole's historic showrooms and state-of-the-art
conservation studio are now open.
Experience the world-class collection of furniture and artwork,
enriched by upgraded lighting and enhanced displays.
Many of these objects have been treated and cleaned in the
new conservation studio, which is now open to visitors to
explore.
Call 01732 462100 for details
nationaltrust.org.uk/knole
#nationaltrust
When you visit, donate, volunteer or join the National Trust, your support helps us
to look after special places like Knole for ever, for everyone.
© National Trust 2017. The National Trust is an independent registered charity, number 205846. Photography © National Trust Images\James Dobson.

SPRING LINEN
COLLECTIONS
Give your bedroom an instant boost this spring by simply updating your bed linen. At Fenwick we have
an extensive range of collections, from cool contemporary designs, geometric shapes in subtle tones to
uplifting displays of bright florals that will transform your room from winter to spring in an instant.
Layer up your bed linen with beautiful contrasting cushions and throws that will tempt you at the end
of a busy day and where you can unwind on a relaxing weekend and enjoy!
Let us inspire you with our Linens Spring Edit
HARLEQUIN MOMENTUM DEMOISELLE
Adapted from a wallpaper design in Palmetto, Demoiselle’s dramatic large-scale dragonflies sweep
across a central panel on this graphite-coloured duvet cover, which is printed on 200 thread-count,
100% cotton sateen, with a plain reverse. One bold dragonfly adorns the centre of one of the
Oxford pillowcase designs and the other design is a plain option with cover stitch detail in gold.
Layer the bed with luxuriousness with the 100% cotton velvet quilted throw (170 x 220cm) with
linen binding, and the cushion featuring printed and embroidered dragonflies on 100% silk, with
the reverse and piping in cotton velvet.
DOUBLE DUVET COVER £105 | KINGSIZE DUVET COVER £120
SUPER KING DUVET COVER £140 | OXFORD PRINT PILLOWCASE £25
OXFORD PLAIN PILLOWCASE £25 | CUSHION 40x60cm £60
THROW 170x220cm £195
Introducing Momentum’s stunning
Demoiselle towels, that feature three
elegant dragonflies on a plain ground.
Based around a sophisticated colour
palette, these opulent towels will
elevate your bathroom to a new level
of luxury.
GUEST £12 | HAND £16
BATH £32
FENWICK CANTERBURY AND TUNBRIDGE WELLS

Introducing the new collection from murmur, a subtle and sophisticated homeware
brand; perfectly suited to the idea of ‘slow living’. The Murmur ‘Design
and Living’ concept provides an antidote to our hectic lives. Going back to basics
with natural materials this collection has been lovingly brought together to create
a relaxed, subtle, understated mood that echoes the desire for calm in an overly
busy world.
With a simple, less-is-more ethos the collection offers an extensive selection of
cushions, throws, bed and bath linens. New patterns and colours inject a soft
summer vibe with simple print motifs in muted shades.
MURMUR MOSAIC
The Mosaic bed linen features a Japanese
inspired small-scale geometric pattern, in a
pared back palette of grey tones set against
a soft white ground. Printed on softest 300
thread count cotton percale and edged
with just a simple double stitch detail.
SINGLE DUVET COVER £70
DOUBLE DUVET COVER £85
KINGSIZE DUVET COVER £95
SUPERKING DUVET COVER £110
OXFORD PILLOWCASE £17
Soft sumptuous cushions and throws
add texture and colour. Accessorise this
collection with:
ETCH CUSHION £45
An embroidered leaf pattern in warm
white thread on dyed grey linen with a
plain reverse. 50x50cm.
MATSU CUSHION £40
Scandi inspired hand drawn stitch effect
in warm white on a grey ground with
a plain reverse. 50x30cm.
DEW THROW £130
A chunky knitted throw in two tone grey
with a distinct diamond repeat pattern on
the front with a plain reverse. 130 x170cm.
FENWICK CANTERBURY AND TUNBRIDGE WELLS

MURMUR HAMA
An all-over small scale geometric print in
deep indigo tones introduces subtle, simple
pattern to the Hama duvet cover and oxford
pillowcase. Self-reversing and finished with
a stylish double stitch detail. Woven in
300 thread count cotton percale for a soft,
comfortable handle.
SINGLE DUVET COVER £70
DOUBLE DUVET COVER £85
KINGSIZE DUVET COVER £95
SUPERKING DUVET COVER £110
OXFORD PILLOWCASE £17
Accessories can be layered beautifully in
a mixture of scale to create a comfortable
place to relax within your living space.
Accessorise this collection with:
DAB CUSHION £45
A simple scale grid embroidered design
cushion in indigo and white inspired
by Scandinavian simplicity with a plain
reverse. 50x50cm.
MATSU CUSHION £40
Scandi inspired hand drawn stitch effect
cushion in warm indigo and white with
a plain reverse. 50x30cm.
SAIL THROW £120
Made using 100% pure new wool, the Sail
throw has a contrasting fringe in a gentle
white that continues throughout the throw
in a flecked, floral inspired weave adding
to the homespun yet delicate texture.
150 x183cm.
MURMUR BATH
The complete Murmur bath collection
allows you to transform your bathroom into
a tranquil retreat. Available in Hama, Curve
and Japanese floral designs. from left to right
HAMA HAND 50x100cm £18
CURVE BATH 70x140cm £30
JAPANESE FLORAL BATH 70x140cm £25
MURA WASH BAG £35
MURMUR ROBES
100% linen available in blush, indigo and
linen hues. £85
FENWICK CANTERBURY AND TUNBRIDGE WELLS

SANDERSON WISTERIA FALLS
This bed linen has a fabulous, trailing wisteria
blossom design, featuring beautiful butterflies
and birds darting between the branches.
Originally hand-painted in watercolour, this
free flowing pattern has now been digitally
printed onto 200 thread count, 100% cotton
percale. The floral face of the duvet cover
and Oxford pillowcase are complemented
by a plain parchment coloured reverse.
A coordinating mohair style throw in lilac
tones and a digitally printed floral cushion
with cord piping and contrasting lilac reverse
complete the Wisteria Falls bed linen range.
SINGLE DUVET COVER £90
DOUBLE DUVET COVER £105
KINGSIZE DUVET COVER £120
OXFORD PILLOWCASE £22
CUSHION 50x30cm £50
THROW 140x185cm £120
SANDERSON LAURIE
The Laurie duvet cover features a soft edged,
medium scale damask design that’s perfect
for a modern classic décor. The duvet cover
and oxford pillowcase are woven in a fine
55% linen /45% cotton blend, edged with
cord piping and reverse to a plain cotton
percale in a soft lilac tone. Completing the
Laurie bed linen range is a linen blend
cushion, which features an embroidered
diamond pattern on the face and a
coordinating lilac reverse. Add warming
layers to the bed with the Manderley
mattelassé throw in the Amethyst colourway.
SINGLE DUVET COVER £95
DOUBLE DUVET COVER £120
KINGSIZE DUVET COVER £140
OXFORD PILLOWCASE £30
CUSHION 50x30cm £50
MANDERLEY THROW 240x260cm £195
St George’s Street Canterbury Kent CT1 2TB | 01227 766866
Royal Victoria Place Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 2SR | 01892 516716
www.fenwick.co.uk

Furniture for Dining, Living, Bedroom & Home Office
RIMINI
MARINO
ROMANA
ercol.com
The Furniture Event
20% off furniture orders PLUS 10% off * interior design
SATURDAY 25TH MARCH UNTIL SATURDAY 22ND APRIL
HOOPERS | MOUNT PLEASANT ROAD | TUNBRIDGE WELLS | TN1 1QT | 01892 530222
*Exclusions may apply, Please ask in store for details.

Egg-stravaganza...
If you like a good Easter egg hunt then the National Trust
and Cadbury really are the dream team. This year they will be
encouraging Kent and East Sussex to explore a myriad of the
most muddy and magical elements of the British countryside.
There is something for everyone with ten hunts running from
Friday 14 to Monday 17 April, at locations such as Sissinghurst
Castle Garden and Ightham Mote. Each trail costs £3 or less and
more details can be found by hopping over to easter.cadbury.co.uk
April
notebook
Exhibitions & events
near you this month...
Metamorphosis...
Charlton Park in Canterbury is offering both free
and bespoke workshops to accompany Theatrical
Niche Ltd’s performance of Metamorphosis by Steven
Berkoff, given that it is multidisciplinary and on
the German syllabus. There will be a free post-show
Q&A and free puppetry workshops can be claimed
by group bookings of 8+. Metamorphosis comes to
Charlton Park on Friday 28 April at 7.30pm, with
the Puppetry workshop at 5.30pm – please reserve
places in advance. Tickets cost £12, £10 (concs), £8
(groups of 6+) 01227 831355 charlton-park.org
A Fair to Remember...
Find fashionable vintage, French brocante and
decorative antiques for the home and garden on
Saturday 15 to Monday 17 April at Penshurst
Village Hall. Relax with delicious teas from
Rose and Olive and help to raise money for the
community. Meet the Fixing Dad team from the
BBC to hear the story of one family’s fight against
type two diabetes and the new Prudential Ride
London challenge. More at fixingdad.com
Play On...
‘The Local Amateur Musical Players’ (LAMPS)
come back in full force. After the closure of their
home for almost 60 years in Southborough, they
now return to their birthplace of Tonbridge. To
celebrate both the organisation and its president’s
90th birthdays they invite you to witness the
much loved comic operetta The Mikado, which
is a tantalising cocktail of ‘exquisite Japanese
traditions’, ‘cheeky Britishness’ and ‘antiestablishment
silliness’. For booking and info call
01732 304241 or visit lamps.org.uk
It’s all about Yew...
On Saturday 22 April, Viv Hunt, head gardener
at Godinton House and Gardens, will host an
intimate and inspirational workshop on topiary,
covering everything from tool and plant selection
to longterm maintenance. For just £30 you will
be treated to coffee upon arrival, a tour of the
garden’s stunning 12 acres, and a practice session
shaping your own potted yew to take home.
Booking is essential so call 01233 643854 or visit
godintonhouse.co.uk for more information.
Darryl Curcher Photography
Literary Festival...
From Sunday 30 April to Tuesday 2 May,
Chiddingstone Castle Literary Festival will play host
to celebrated authors, poets, actors, and theatrical
groups, including Radio 4’s Rev. Richard Coles and
Beirut hostage survivor, Terry Waite. Sunday will
be aimed at adults, Monday at families and there
will be a dedicated Schools Programme on Tuesday.
A creative writing competition will also run in the
lead-up to the event which gives children the chance
to win a signed book. Visit chiddingstonecastle.org.uk
or call 01892 870347 for more details.
Old School...
Head over to the Old School Hall in Maidstone on
Monday 17 April to browse and buy at a fabulous
antique and vintage market featuring 24 indoor
and outdoor traders selling antique, vintage, retro,
preloved, jewellery, collectible, upcycled and just
plain weird stuff. Refreshments will be available
and parking is nearby. Entry is just £2 per adult,
or £1 after noon. Call 07703 525138 or email
oldschoolevents1@hotmail.com to find out more.
49 wealdentimes.co.uk

Explore behind the scenes
open Morning
Thursday 4th May
Dulwich Preparatory School
Cranbrook
Meet our Headmaster, chat to parents and pupils, take a tour.
registrar@dcpskent.org • 01580 712179 • dcpskent.org

Editor’s
Letter
Isn’t it fantastic to have some glorious sunshine? Even
just the slightest peek of blue sky is enough to lift the
winter blues in anticipation of unleashing the summer
wardrobe. Let’s hope it sticks around for a while!
This issue is home to our annual Gardens Supplement
– possibly my favourite of the year. Alongside our regular
contributors, we’ve interviewed TV favourites Danny Clarke
and Mark Lane ahead of their appearances in the brand
new Garden Hub at Wealden Times Midsummer Fair
this June. We can’t wait to see them in action – you can
get a preview of all that’s on offer at the Fair from page
85, or look online at wealdentimes.co.uk/events where you’ll
find a full exhibitor list. We hope to see you there.
We’ve photographed two beautifully contrasting interiors this
month – a quirky revamped almshouse and a quintessentially
traditional Wealden farmhouse. See how the owners have
preserved the integrity of the buildings on pages 56 and 102.
In the spirit of Easter, we visit Rosemary Shrager’s Cookery
School in Tunbridge Wells to photograph a three-course
celebratory lunch that she created in collaboration with her
apprentices. Try out her special recipes at home from page 156.
Enjoy your Wealden Times!
Wealden Times Team
Editor ............................................................................................ Lucy Fleming
Editorial Assistant ........................................................................Rebecca Cuffe
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
Sarah Norwood
Nick Robinson
Distribution .................................................................................Emma Murphy
Wealden Times Events Team
Sales Director ..................................................................................... Joy Adams
Show Director ................................................................................. Flo Simpson
51 wealdentimes.co.uk
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ErasOfStyleWT182.indd 1 07/03/2017 12:49

Call to Alms
Words: Maggie Alderson Photographs: David Merewether Styling: Lucy Fleming
wealdentimes.co.uk
56

Originally built to house the poor in the
nineteenth century, Cheyneys Almshouse is
now home to Fortnum & Mason in-house
milliner Adrian Howard and his partner
Sven. After stumbling across it in The
Guardian’s ‘Wreck of the Week’ feature and
falling in love with it, the couple tranformed
the once boarded-up, derelict property into a
spacious and unusual retreat
57 wealdentimes.co.uk

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58
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Previous pages: The main feature of the spacious new kitchen is a huge classic kitchen dresser, which Adrian’s parents bought at an
auction in Rye Above: Under the kitchen’s central work table there’s a Fortnum & Mason crate, full of more china treasures which are
in everyday use. Adrian made the tea cosy out of old ties
The first impression of Cheyneys Almshouse is
of a neat Dutch-gabled cottage of great charm
and character, but as you reach the front door
it becomes clear that this might not be the modest little
country home it appears to be from the outside.
Stopping to admire the two elegant stone dogs
on either side of the front step, you notice that the
multiple pairs of boots and shoes scattered around it,
as if just discarded after a walk, are all planted with
the tiny hardy succulents known as houseleeks.
Once owners Adrian Howard and his partner Sven
welcome you in – and a very warm welcome it is – your
eyes and brain go into overdrive, trying to take everything
in. Interesting objects and visual puns abound.
The vestibule is pretty much filled by a huge chair like a
carved wooden throne. There’s an equally outsized Venetian
glass mirror in a very small sitting room to the left. Above is a
lampshade made from a straw boater. Stepping through into
the kitchen extension, you are met by a male shop window
dummy dressed in a guard’s uniform and a crash helmet, next
to a station map from a Jubilee Line underground station.
Hanging from the tiny mounted horns of African
game animals are rows of exquisite hats. In the
kitchen itself, there’s a lady mannequin wearing a
chic red cloche hat, her torso covered in postage
stamps… (I later find out her name is Gladys.)
Like the Tardis crossed with Gringotts, Cheyneys
Almshouse is much bigger than it looks and a secret
repository for a treasure trove of fascinating stuff, all of
which has been sourced, scavenged and sought out by
Adrian and Sven, who are Olympic standard bargain
hunters, scouting the legendary boot fairs of nearby
59 wealdentimes.co.uk

Icklesham village and the many antique emporiums of
Hastings Old Town, among more obscure sources.
They clearly have the ‘eye’, that particular talent
of spotting diamonds in the rough – and the house
itself was just such a find. “It was in the ‘Wreck of
the Week’ feature in The Guardian,” says Adrian,
laughing, showing me the original press cutting, which
they have proudly framed in the downstairs loo.
The fact that the boarded-up property was so derelict and
rat infested the estate agent refused to step through the door
and they had to make their first inspection by torchlight
did nothing to put them off. “It was love at first sight,” says
Adrian. “It took us ten years to do it up on a very strict
budget, but it was so much fun. It was an adventure.”
The main structural work was to add a new two-storey
extension at the back to create the large kitchen/breakfast
room and two extra bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs.
“The original 1842 building, put up by an alms trust
which was created in 1611 to provide housing for the poor,
was built as two tiny houses with a shared staircase,” says
Adrian. “When we took it on, it was still set up as two
dwellings, with a flat-roofed 70s single storey extension
at the back containing two miniature kitchens and
Left: Gladys the mannequin stands in one corner of the kitchen
wearing a chic red cloche hat, made by Adrian Below: Major
Lynch – a male shop window dummy dressed in a guard’s uniform
and a crash helmet – stands next to a station map from a Jubilee
Line underground station. The Jubilee line station sign was bought
as a tribute to Her Majesty the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
wealdentimes.co.uk
60

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a bathroom. Luckily, the front is listed but the ugly
extension wasn’t so it was fine to knock that down and
start again. Although the outside loo is listed…”
The main feature of the lovely spacious new
kitchen, with French doors out onto the garden, is a
huge classic kitchen dresser, which Adrian’s parents
bought at an auction in Rye. “It was so big we had to
have it cut down to fit in the space,” says Sven.
And it needs to be that size to showcase just a tiny
fraction of their collection of china. The day we visited
Sven had it dressed ready for Easter with figurines of Peter
Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck and various sheep, decorative
eggs in egg cups and a whole set of china resplendent
“When we lived in Germany,” Adrian
explains, “I had a shop called ‘Brit Bits’
selling bric-a-brac I would bring over from
England. I used to get bored sitting in
there, so I got a sewing machine and started
making cushions. That led on to door
sausages and aprons and then I made some
tea cosies out of bits and pieces I had lying
around. People would always put them on
their heads, so I started making hats...”

Above left: The walls of the downstairs loo are covered
with framed photographs, prints, cards and letters with
personal meaning Above right and below: The original
1842 building was built as two tiny houses with a shared
staircase. On the landing two small runs of stairs face each
other – one original and the other copied for the extension
with running bunnies, alongside at least four other china
services – and that’s just the tip of the porcelain iceberg.
Adrian opens one of the cupboards and takes out a plate
which he holds up to the light of the French window, revealing
the head of a geisha painted on the underside. “It’s Japanese,”
he says, “I got the whole set at Elm Tree boot fair…”
Under the kitchen’s central work table there’s a
glorious Fortnum & Mason crate, full of more china
treasures which are in everyday use – and the provenance
of both the crate and the table are keys to the very
interesting life Adrian and Sven have shared.
Sven is German and they spent six years living there,
in the city of Halle, twenty miles from Leipzig, while he
was finishing his studies. The kitchen table came from
there. “We found it on the street,” says Sven, laughing.
“In Germany we have this thing called Sperrmüll [NB
capped first letter is correct for nouns in Deutsch,
jawoll, bitte] where large waste objects can be left out
on the street one day a month and we found this.”
“It’s fantastic,” adds Adrian. “You can get a
wealdentimes.co.uk
64

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66
BellHouseWT182.indd 1 21/03/2017 B-At-Home-WT182.indd 14:12
1 21/03/2017 14:46

This page: Adrian made the bedspread and cushions in the
master bedroom out of an old curtain of his mother’s
calendar from the council to tell you when it will be
in each neighbourhood and I would tour them…”
Sven shows me that the wooden table has a large
drawer with two large enamel basins set in it. “Once
this would have been the kitchen sink,” he says. “Now
it’s perfect for preparing food. When your friends
arrive and you don’t want them to see the mess, you
just scrape it in to the bowls and close the drawers.”
Adding to the interest in this one piece of furniture – and
we still have the whole house to see at this stage – Adrian
then explains the provenance of the slab of slate on top of
it.“My father found it in a wood near our house where I
grew up in Sidcup and it was just too good to leave there,
so every time we went for a walk he would drag it a few
more metres until finally he could collect it in the car. He
kept it for years and now it’s just perfect on top of this.”
And remember the Fortnum & Mason crate sitting
underneath the table? That’s a hint to Adrian’s current
life – he’s the in-house milliner in that most fabulous
of London retail institutions, the first they’ve had
working on the floor of the store since 1958.
Then taking it on again – a key to how he came
to have such an extraordinary job is sitting on top of
the slate worktop: a tea cosy made out of old ties.
“When we lived in Germany,” he explains, “I had a shop
called ‘Brit Bits’ selling bric-a-brac I would bring over from
England. I used to get bored sitting in there, so I got a sewing
machine and started making cushions. That led on to door
sausages and aprons and then I made some tea cosies out
67 wealdentimes.co.uk

This page: One of the spare rooms is home to another
mannequin, called Charlie (above). It’s their family tradition for
everyone to dress up for Christmas dinner. A pale blue 1930s
bell boy’s suit, with the traditional chin strap hat, which Adrian
wore a couple of years ago, hangs on the end of the bed.
of bits and pieces I had lying around. People would always
put them on their heads, so I started making hats…
“When I began to see people walking round the town
in them I thought maybe it was something I should follow
up… Really, it was a hobby which spiralled out of control.”
When Sven finished at university – he’s now the head of a
school languages department – they moved back to the UK
and Adrian enrolled to train as a milliner. When he’d finished
the course he went to see Philip Somerville, the Queen’s
milliner, to ask if he could do work experience with him.
“He gave me three weeks and I stayed five years,” says
Adrian. “It was wonderful. One of my jobs was dropping
the hats off to Buckingham Palace for the Queen.”
“Philip was a very good friend and mentor. Until he
died two and a half years ago, I would have tea with
him once a week and he kept giving me guidance.”
Indeed Mr Somerville’s presence pops up around
the house in the form of a lovely Parker Knoll chair
wealdentimes.co.uk
68

KITCHENS
FOR REAL COOKS
It’s time for a new kitchen, the
one you’ve always wanted.
Replacement aluminium windows
for period and new homes
See us at:
STAND B310
The Conservation Range
• Single or dual RAL colours
• Fit into timber or direct to stone
• A-rated energy efficiency
• UK manufactured
Craftsmanship modern & ancient
www.hammertons.co.uk
01435 868611
Sunset Farm • Heathfield Road
Cross in Hand • TN21 0UJ
For expert advice call 08008 401 508
www.thwc.co.uk
Showrooms at: Sevenoaks Dorking Beaconsfield Loughton
The finest of British
Country Outbuildings
HammertonsWT176.indd 4 05/09/2016 HeritageWindowCompanyWT182.indd 15:54
1 10/03/2017 09:51
"The Garage was perfect for our situation.
Help and advice was given all along the way.
It was delivered on time and erected perfectly
by your excellent team."
Mr T. Cambridgeshire
Oak fronted Carriage Houses, Open Barns,
Free standing Timber Garages
Above: Our versatile range of Carriage Houses. Right: Traditional Double Garage, Open Barn.
www.passmores.co.uk
Rochester, Kent ME2 4DR Telephone: 01634 290033
Passmores Est.1909, Kent’s best manufacturer, FSC certified, erecting service, tiling service
planning service available, nationwide delivery, large showground, full colour brochure.
69 wealdentimes.co.uk
PassmoresWT175.indd 1 11/04/2016 10:54

Cinder
&
Rose
EVENTS
Handmade in
Britain
with a
10 Year
Guarantee
Wake up
beautifully
Welcome to Cinder & Rose Events
We love to organise events and can help with any size or type of event.
From cosy tea parties to birthday gatherings, engagement parties to
weddings, company team building days to fundraising events.
Do you want us to give you some creative input? Find you an amazing
venue and negotiate on your behalf? Organise the whole event? We
can do it all.
Our knowledge of Kent and what it has to offer is second to none and
we have fantastic links with local event suppliers. These local
businesses take pride in their offering and their attention to detail is
exemplary. That's why we work with them.
We'd love to hear from you.
www.cinderandrose.com
events@cinderandrose.com
01227 720265 / 07702 354340
100
95
75
25
5
0
Cinder&RoseWT182.indd 1 22/03/2017 09:51
At Hypnos, comfort comes guaranteed. But whilst every bed is
individually handmade by master craftsmen using the very finest
natural and sustainable materials, it is you who carefully designs
the look of your bed and creates a beautiful centrepiece for
your bedroom. So, to be sure that you enjoy a healthy night’s
sleep and wake up feeling revitalised and refreshed, visit our
Showroom and design a Hypnos bed that’s just right for you.
www.hypnosbeds.com
Sandling Road | Maidstone | Kent ME14 2RF
T: 01622 753073 | www.clarkesfurnishers.co.uk
Visit our Showroom:
Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm & Sundays 10am to 4pm
Hypnos is proud to be Carbon Neutral.
wealdentimes.co.uk
70
LenleysWT182.indd 1 02/03/2017 JosephMcCarthyWT182.indd 15:43
1 09/03/2017 15:20

This page: The bathroom features an amazing bright blue 1920s
washbasin – not actually plumbed in, but too beautiful to leave
in the second-hand yard in Hastings Old Town. Its vibrant
colour is matched by a pair of pale blue grosgrain mule slippers
Adrian couldn’t resist from Fortnum & Mason
in the kitchen and a beautiful purple shamrock plant
with its borscht-red leaves cascading down a jardinière
upstairs, which were both presents from him.
But perhaps the Royal milliner’s greatest gift to Adrian
was his professional finesse which is gloriously apparent on a
table in the area between the kitchen and the sitting rooms.
Presided over by the male mannequin spotted on the
way in (whom I’m told is called Major Lynch, after the
father of a friend whose uniform he wears) is an array
of Adrian’s amazing hats and the tools of his trade – hat
blocks, feathers, rolls of special textiles. These are works in
progress which he brings down from London to work on.
“I thought about arranging it ready for the photographer,”
says Adrian, “then decided to just leave them…”
He was right, that tablescape couldn’t have looked more
71 wealdentimes.co.uk

Above: The two guest rooms, in the original south side of the house, are packed with more found treasures. In the pink bedroom, hat
pins, hat boxes, Victorian laced boots, tiaras and bow ties share space on top of a chest of drawers
enticing if a stylist had laboured over the arrangement for
hours. I try on a Jackie O style pillbox and immediately feel
I could mingle convincingly at a royal wedding. “That style
is very good for ladies who travel,” says Adrian, adjusting
it to fit perfectly on my head, “because they can put it in
a cake tin in their luggage and it won’t get squashed…”
Tearing ourselves away from that bounty, we head
upstairs, my head swivelling to look at all the interesting
things – not least their many collections, of egg cups,
cruet sets, German bottle stoppers and the biggest,
Adrian’s ongoing collection of silver nail buffers.
With the second storey of the extension there are
now four bedrooms, each with its own special character.
Adrian and Sven’s room has a genteel Edwardian
wealdentimes.co.uk
72

COSI
Log Burning & Multi-Fuel Stoves Range Cookers
Full Installation Service
Chimney Sweeping
Organic Kitchen Textiles
• Woodburning & Multifuel Stoves • Range Cookers
• Stove Fitting • Chimney Sweeping
• Stove Maintenance • Accessories
Call 01227 787 587 www.cosi.co.uk
58-60 Wincheap, Canterbury CT1 3RS sales@cosi.co.uk
CosiWT182.indd 1 22/03/2017 HamletBuildingsWT169.indd 16:09
1 29/01/2016 14:20
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.indd 2 08/02/2017 09:45
73 wealdentimes.co.uk
WoodworkWT181.indd 1 08/02/2017 10:04

COLLINS BESPOKE
BEAUTIFUL KITCHENS
www.collinsbespoke.com
info@collinsbespoke.com
Unit 40 Old Surrenden Manor,
Bethersden, TN26 3DL
01233 822595

Above: Maximillian the mannequin watches over the pink room in his German army helmet. The wall outside the green bedroom
features a sign from the Victoria Line, bought at a boot fair in tribute to Queen Victoria, who was monarch when the house was built
feel with a suite of furniture from that period and a
quilted bedspread Adrian – one of life’s natural makers
– created from some old curtains of his mother’s.
One of the spare rooms – home to another mannequin,
called Charlie, the first Adrian acquired – is used to store
their large collection of fancy dress outfits. It’s their family
tradition for everyone to dress up for Christmas dinner
and they spend the whole year thinking about it.
A pale blue 1930s bell boy’s suit, with the traditional
chin strap hat, which Adrian wore a couple of years ago,
hangs on the end of the bed. It looks like something
from the Grand Budapest Hotel, but he found it in a
vintage clothing shop in Norman Road, St Leonards.
The bathroom opposite is packed with more finds,
including an amazing bright blue 1920s washbasin
– not actually plumbed in, they had a working basin
already, but too beautiful to leave in the secondhand
yard in Hastings Old Town. Its vibrant colour is
matched by a pair of pale blue grosgrain mule slippers
Adrian couldn’t resist from Fortnum & Mason.
On the landing outside two small runs of stairs face
each other. The one to the south was the original and they
copied it for the extension. Adrian made the stair runners
himself, using scraps of old carpet. “It all cost about £80.”
The other two guest rooms, in the original south side
of the house, are packed with more found treasures too
numerous to mention. In the pink bedroom, hat pins,
hat boxes, Victorian laced boots, tiaras, bow ties, Klaus
the bear, and in the green bedroom, a Fortnum & Mason
biscuit tin showing a cross section of the store, which
includes Adrian at his millinery table on the second floor
(where his professional name is Adrian Phillip Howard).
The floor plan – and equally fascinating contents – is
repeated in the two original reception rooms below. The
sitting room on the right is a pale primrose yellow, the snug
on the left is a slightly deeper pink than the room upstairs.
The wall colours throughout the house are beautifully
subtle in this way, but unlike the litany of Farrow &
75 wealdentimes.co.uk

The wall colours
throughout the house are
beautifully subtle, but
unlike the litany of Farrow
& Ball paint names most of
us spout, Adrian and Sven
can’t remember what any of
them are. “Our decorator
came with some paint
charts and we chose them
all in twenty minutes,”
says Adrian. “I think they
were mostly Dulux. Then
I added a bit of extra
white here and there…”
Left: Adrian and Sven bought the light
fitting in the sitting room from an
antiques shop in Bruges. Below left:
Adrian embellished the vintage wig
stand with hundreds of crystals, sequins
and buttons. He had the trumpet as
a boy Below: A vintage school map
of Germany hangs over a sofa that
used to belong to Adrian’s parents
76

The Oak Glasshouse Company
We design & build oak sunrooms, oak kitchen
extensions, oak orangeries and garden offices.
Please phone or email to request a brochure,
07522 544158, email info@theoakglasshouse.co.uk
www.theoakglasshouse.co.uk

At Love Blinds we offer a wide
range of beautifully made
plantation shutters, blinds and
window coverings.
We specialize in the shutter business,
combining years of experience with the best
quality products available on the market to
provide an unbeatable price and service.
Fully guaranteed
Free fitting & measuring
Natural Stone Specialists
LoveBlindsWT182.indd 1 22/03/2017 11:46
Now offering 0% finance
- subject to status and terms
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
wealdentimes.co.uk
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
WE NOW HAVE A NEW STATE OF THE ART FACTORY AT FRAMFIELD
78
SussexStoneWT180.indd 1 18/01/2017 11:41

This page: The snug. Adrian made the straw
boater into a lampshade. He found the Venetian
glass mirror on the street in London
Ball paint names most of us spout, Adrian and Sven can’t
remember what any of them are. “Our decorator came
with some paint charts and we chose them all in twenty
minutes,” says Adrian. “I think they were mostly Dulux.
Then I added a bit of extra white here and there…”
This is what you can do when you are naturally blessed
with an aesthete’s eye, which, in Adrian and Sven’s case, are
starting to roam… With this project lovingly complete,
their fancy has turned to a new wreck and there can be no
doubt that even if it’s infested with vermin and hot and
cold running damp, it will end up a treasure of wonders.
Address Book:
Adrian Phillip Howard, Fortnum & Mason, London
ap.howard@yahoo.co.uk / fortnumandmason.com
20th Century Funking Junk, Courthouse Street, Hastings Old Town
Elm Tree and Robin Hood Boot Fairs, Icklesham
(Sunday mornings from Easter onwards, weather depen ding)
Harborough Nurseries Guestling, Hastings TN35 4LU
01424 814220
Kaisen Antiques Rochester 01634 814132 kaizenantiques.co.uk
Robert’s Rummage, High Street, Hastings Old Town
The yard, Courthouse Street, Hastings Old Town
79 wealdentimes.co.uk

Get the look
A silk Khotan rug, Chinese
Turkestan, circa 1920, 243 x
160cm, £1950, Joshua Lumley
joshualumley.com
Mogg Hubertus
‘antler’ coat hooks,
£110, Go Modern
gomodern.co.uk
Lene Bjerre Lucca
Chandelier, £845,
Sweet Pea and Willow
sweetpeaandwillow.com
Swaggamuffin
chair, £945, Loaf
loaf.com
Edwin Jagger 3 piece
shaving set ivory colour,
£77, Annabel James
annabeljames.co.uk
Bell jar table lamp,
£20, Kikkerlandeu
kikkerlandeu.com
Personalised Map, £50,
Maps International
mapsinternational.co.uk
Courteenhall mirror,
£195, The Chandelier
& Mirror Company Ltd
chandeliersandmirrors.co.uk
Rackety sideboard,
£495, Loaf, loaf.com
Jordana Blue And
White Ceramic
Lamp, £202,
Artisanti
artisanti.com
Lab Bottle Candle,
£22.50, Alchemy
and Thistle
alchemyandthistle.
etsy.com
Venetian Orchid
Mirror, £225, French
Bedroom Company
frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk
80

THE RITUAL, REINVENTED.
For lifestyles that demand perfection, Kaelo introduces sophistication to celebration.
Meticulously crafted in the Cotswolds, each Kaelo experience is seamless,
serving your finest wines perfectly chilled with elegance, not ice.
Iceless moments, priceless memories.

WE BELIEVE
That change is as good as a rest
Believe it or not, our Henley oak kitchen used to be seen as our most
traditional, our most classic, and our most refined collection.
But we knew it had hidden depths. So we took it apart and looked at
all of the pieces from the inside-out and from the outside-in. Then we
added new ones. To those of you who knew it before, it might look
familiar, but it’s an entirely new era of design.
It’s Henley, redefined. Now available in both oak and painted.
neptune.com
Neptune Tonbridge, 1-2 Tannery Road, TN9 1RF
01732 351866, info@neptunetonbridge.com

Burnhill Kitchens
Proud Winners of the
Gold Award for Best
Kitchen Design
2015 & 2016
Open 7 days a Week
01732 373515
www.burnhillkitchens.co.uk

Pre-book
discounted
tickets online
now!
Using this code
WT1
Featuring the Healthy Living Festival & Garden Hub
HOLE PARK, Rolvenden, TN17 4JB
8th, 9th & 10th June 2017
See online for ticket details & special offers
BOOK ONLINE: wealdentimes.co.uk/events
TICKET HOTLINE: 01580 713915
TICKETS: On the gate: £9.50
Sponsored by
HARPERS AND HURLINGHAM
Garden Hub & Healthy Living Festival Sponsored by
CANTERBURY & TONBRIDGE
TONBRIDGE

Wealden Times Midsummer Fair 8th -10th June 2017
Danny Clarke
Garden Designer
Mark Lane
Garden Designer
Whitney
Hedges
Head Gardener,
Fairlight Hall
Quentin
Stark
Head Gardener,
Hole Park
Gardening
Visit the Garden Hub sponsored by Neptune
Canterbury & Tonbridge for three days of talks
and workshops. Whether you have a courtyard
or couple of acres, our experts will have plenty
of gardening tips to inform and inspire.
Hole Park
This is one of the best known gardens in Kent, a worthy winner of
Visit Kent’s Garden of the Year award in 2016. Four generations
of the Barham family have created a wonderful 16 acre garden in a
magical parkland setting that must be everyone’s dream. Extensive
yew hedges and herbaceous borders should be at their best for our
opening, with meadow and woodland gardens to explore as well.
The colourful gardens enjoy far reaching views over the hills,
woods and fields of the picturesque Kentish Weald. They are
a skilful mix of formal design and more naturalised planting,
giving colour throughout the seasons. The Weald in the
Garden of England offers a wide variety of gardens, large and
small, to interest and captivate gardeners and non-gardeners
alike. Hole Park Gardens hold their own against the more
well-known gardens of Sissinghurst and Great Dixter.
wealdentimes.co.uk
86

Tickets on sale now
Ticket Hotline: 01580 713915
wealdentimes.co.uk/events
Liz Lark
Yoga,
Supremo
Anissa
Germain
Pilates director,
Bora
Healthy
living
Madeleine Shaw
will be in the Healthy
Living Theatre on
Thursday 8th June
Meet the expert
Madeleine Shaw
Madeleine Shaw is a nutritional health
coach, qualified yoga instructor,
bestselling cookery writer & creator
of the Glow Guides App.
Diet and exercise lie at the heart of a healthy life.
We’ve brought together a team of experts from the
worlds of nutrition, exercise and health who will be
speaking in the Healthy Living Theatre sponsored by
Benenden Hospital over the three days of the fair.
What inspired you to do this book?
I think the easiest way to get
healthy, nutritious and fresh food
is from locally grown produce.
Seasonal food is amazing - it tastes better
and is healthier on your bank balance!
What are your top 5 store cupboard/
fridge essentials for a healthy diet?
Leafy Greens - kale, spinach, rocket etc.
Free-range Eggs
Avocado Oil
Berries
Lentils
Davina
McCall
TV personality &
Healthy Living
guru
Sarah
Jane Holt
Nutritionist &
personal trainer
When and why did you start practising
yoga? I moved to Australia when I was
18 and a friend took me to a class. I
fell in love with it immediately. The
movement, the meditation and the way
it makes you feel, it’s a way of life.
Madeleine Shaw’s A YEAR
OF BEAUTIFUL EATING is
published by Orion Books in
hardback & eBook on 20 April
2017, priced £20/£10.99
87 wealdentimes.co.uk

Wealden Times Midsummer Fair 8th -10th June 2017
Wyse London
WYSE Maddy
Large Star, £170
wyselondon.com
yuniont
Modern Kaftan
Neck T-shirt, £45
yuniont.com
Burrow and
Hide
Sterling Silver Horse
Shoe Necklace, £40
burrowandhide.com
Bella Jane
Jewellery
Gold stack
£120
bellajanejewellery.
co.uk
Fashion
My Twirl
Zoe, £53
mytwirl.co.uk
&
Accessories
At Wealden Times we have a passion for fashion and can’t wait
Amulette
to browse amongst the handpicked exhibitors selling clothes Labyrinth rings,
and jewellery at this summer’s fair. We’re looking forward to from £95, Labyrinth
visiting regular stands as well as meeting up with first time ring charms, from
exhibitors. Here are some of the products which will be
£22.50
available at Hole Park in June.
amulette.co.uk
Bush Bells
Kikoy towel, £32
bushbells.com
Ridley London
Margot Liberty silk
maxi dress, £369
ridleylondon.com
Possum Merino
Two tone poncho,
£110
possummerino.co.uk

TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Ticket Hotline: 01580 713915
wealdentimes.co.uk/events
Isabelle Fox
Jean mini dress,
£325
isabellefox.com
Tea and
Tequila
Holbox Flamingo
clutch, £95
teaandtequilatrading.
com
Meet the maker
Amulette
Awarded Best Collection 2017 at the Company
of Master Jewellers Awards, Amulette is
British jewellery designed and created by Lisa
Harris from precious metals set with unique,
handpicked gemstones and diamonds.
What do your customers tell you they like about your
products? The pieces are personal and unique, and
my customers love the fact that they can create their
own piece. The Labyrinth rings are individual to you,
simply select your charms and slide them onto your
base ring, change and rearrange whenever it suits you!
Romney
Marsh Wools
Lambs wool Scarf,
£45
romneymarshwools.
co.uk
Have you always been creative? I carry a
sketchbook and a camera everywhere. I am a
country girl and constantly inspired by nature
- hence the themes of insects, flowers and bees
which run through all my collections.
Please tell us about the journey from design process
to market place Everything begins with a sketch and
notes, then once I have a final sketch I sculpt the pieces
into wax. Once I’ve chosen the precious metals and
gemstones, a new fabulous piece of Amulette is born!
Millie Manu
Lola-Rose playsuit,
£59
milliemanu.com
What are your proudest moments so far? My very
first Labyrinth ring was an amazing moment! Amulette
won the Great British Design Competition sponsored
by the UKTI in 2016 and now we are finalists in
this year’s UK Jewellery Awards - fingers crossed!
What can we look forward to from Amulette
at the Wealden Times Midsummer Fair? I
have designed a new collection including some
new charms for the Labyrinth rings, so it’s an
opportunity for a first look at those. I’m looking
forward to seeing customers, both new and old.
wealdentimes.co.uk

Wealden Times Midsummer Fair 8th -10th June 2017
the Great
Garden crafts
V29 Swag Vase £138.
base £35, sub base £46
garden-crafts.co.uk
Outdoors
Where better to find glorious plants and outdoor accessories
than in the ‘garden of England’ amongst the formal borders
of the Hole Park Estate? Everything the keen garden could
possible wish for will be on display, from shrubs and
herbaceous plants to garden furniture and statuary...
Elham Valley
Shepherd’s Huts
Shepherd’s Hut
£14,500
elhamvalleyshepherdhuts.
com
Roundwood
Corten Steel Fire Pit
from £65
roundwood.com
Neptune
Aloe Succulent, £8
neptune.com
Cat and Mouse
Landscapes
Baltimore Summerhouse,
from £5500
catandmouselandscapes.com
Oarsum
Deck chair, £95
oarsum.co.uk
Beech Bridge
Plants
Verbascum ‘Apricot
Pixie’, £6.50
beechbridgeplants.
co.uk
Grandadad Rob
Designs
Epsom eight nest, £1,031
granddadrobdesigns.co.uk

TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Ticket Hotline: 01580 713915
wealdentimes.co.uk/events
Beech Bridge
Plants
Iris ‘jane phillips’ £7
beechbridgeplants.co.uk
Firepod
The Firepod, £445
thefirepod.com
Meet the maker
Mark Casswell
The Barefoot Welder specialises in high quality
bespoke metal work. He accepts commissions and
works under the watchful eyes of his security team
Frank & Ernie (two miniature Daschunds!)
TeePea
Teepeas, £140
facebook.com/
myteepea
Roundwood
Clayfibre Chelsea
Trough Planter,
from £21
roundwood.com
What do your customers tell you
they like about your work?
That everything is hand made by me in my workshop
in Marden and not in a factory. I remain small enough
to give the personal touches, ensuring my pieces
match my client’s personality and vision, but big
enough to push myself and overcome challenges.
Please tell us about the journey from
design process to market place?
People ask where my inspiration comes from and,
honestly, it just pops in to my head! Being dyslexic I’m
lucky I can visualise a new piece easily, then I make
sure it’s eye-catching, high quality and will last for years
to come. I began making chimeneas using miniature
cardboard versions of my unique shape: then it was just
a case of working out how to make them happen.
With commissions, I’ll meet a client, sketch some designs
and, once they’re agreed, I’m in the workshop with my
welder in hand doing my thing, playing with metal.
What is your proudest moment so far?
My first client commission had an industrial feel, with
towering RSJ columns, treads back-filled with polished
concrete to match the flooring and finished with beeswax
to give a satin finish. It was a huge challenge,
partly due to its enormous scale, but it helped me to
realise I can do anything when I put my mind to it.
What can we look forward to from The
Barefoot Welder at the Midsummer Fair?
Other than my bare feet?! I have some new, exciting
products tucked up my sleeve and if the visitors are lucky
the security team may even make an appearance!
wealdentimes.co.uk

Interiors
In House
Between textures, colours and prints, there is a lot to consider when embarking on a room project, but a wellresearched
approach can have the power to transform a room with intrigue, personality and drama. Over the
next few pages, we’ve taken five themes to liven up your rooms with tactile fabrics and desirable accessories...
1.
2.
10.
3.
9.
Fine
Lines
4.
8.
5.
7.
6.
1. Valbonella Alchemilla fabric, £103/m, Designer’s Guild, designersguild.com 2. Tessella BP 3605 wallpaper, £86/roll, Farrow & Ball, farrow-ball.com
3. Genevieve Bennett Spot Lattice fabric in Indigo, £35/m John Lewis, johnlewis.com 4. Colours Scandi Triangles Wallpaper in Soft Lemon, £12/roll, B&Q,
diy.com 5. Shouchikubai 4501 wallpaper, £112/roll, Farrow & Ball, farrow-ball.com 6. Chevron fabric in Mineral, £15/m RRP, Studio G, studiog.uk.com
7. Diamond Dot fabric in Wedgwood Blue, £65/m, Lewis & Wood, lewisandwood.co.uk, 8. Luxor (105/1005) wallpaper, £80/10m, Cole and Son
cole-and-son.com 9. Lattice wallpaper, Clarke & Clarke, clarke-clarke.co.uk 10. Puzzle (105/ 2008) wallpaper, £110/10m, Cole & Son, cole-and-son.com
wealdentimes.co.uk
92

Eclectic Living
Interiors
Hong Kong
Hexagon Rug in
Blue Grey, £49.99,
The Rug Seller
therugseller.co.uk.
Geometric Wall painted in French Grey Scandinavian blue,
and antique rose, all £39.50 for 2.5L. Chair in Scandinavian
Blue Versante Eggshell, £50.95 for 2.5L, all Autentico,
Ashford 01233 878303 autentico-chalk-paint.co.uk
Geometric
Living...
CK095 Chalk White Round
Crackle knob, £3.50, These
Please 01435 817153
theseplease.co.uk
Artisan Footstool in Grade A
Fabric, £395, Lenleys, Canterbury
01227 766655 lenleys.co.uk
Retro Skandi Chair with
Natural Wood Leg, £99.99,
Sue Ryder, sueryder.org/shops
Tweedmill Jigsaw
yellow throw, £59.95,
Black By Design
black-by-design.co.uk
City Lights Linear
Chandelier,
£834, Elstead
Lighting, Alton
01420 590510
elsteadlighting.com
Set of 3 Hexagon
Tealight Holders, £5,
B&Q, diy.com
Geo Metallic Cushion, £39,
Lenleys, Canterbury 01227
766655 lenleys.co.uk
Lena Coffee
Table, £149,
Marks & Spencer
marksandspencer.com
93 wealdentimes.co.uk

Botanical
Bedroom...
Wallpapers and fabrics from top to
bottom: 1. Sanderson Magnolia &
Blossom Wallpaper, £215 per panel,
Lenleys, Canterbury 01227 766655
lenleys.co.uk 2. Renovated main
bedroom in a rural Georgian residence,
featuring Fleming by Larsen Velvet
Curtains and Adam’s Eden by Lewis &
Wood Wallpaper and Blinds. Project
by Skinners of Tunbridge Wells 01892
532003 skinnersoftunbridgewells.co.uk
3. Sanderson Wisteria Falls Wallpaper
£215/panel, Lenleys, as before
4. Saverne Viola Fabric, £79/m
Designers Guild, designersguild.com
Interiors 1.
2.
Delphinium Cushion,
£14.99, Dobbies
dobbies.com
Diversity Accent
Chair, £399,
Furniture Village
furniturevillage.co.uk
Floral Bedset,
£40, Next
next.co.uk
Wisteria Floral
Embroidered Duck
Egg Cushion,
£50, Laura Ashley
lauraashley.com
3.
Rose Garden
Easter wreath, £45,
The Contemporary
Home tch.net
4.
Teal Leaves Table
Lamp base, £165,
and shade, £60, both
Elstead Lighting,
Alton 01420 590510
elsteadlighting.com
wealdentimes.co.uk
Sunflower mirror, £59,
Marks & Spencer
marksandspencer.com
94

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95 wealdentimes.co.uk
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96
FarninghamPineOakWT176.indd 1 21/09/2016 09:41

Daisy Side
Plate, £6, M&S
marksandspencer.com
Interiors
Roberts DAB
Revival Gloss
Radio, £199, Very,
very.co.uk
This is the Life wood print,
£28 Next, next.co.uk
Franklin Green
Pendant, £114
Elstead Lighting,
Alton 01420 590510
elsteadlighting.com
Aqua/Raspberry and Summer
Colourway including Batik, Kediri
Nusa, Amba, and Maduraall £15/m,
Studio G, studiog.uk.com
Vibrant
Kitchen...
Farm Forest, £180 (above)
and Black Dandelion,
£200 (below) Stools,
Izzi Rainey izzirainey.com
Aranami BP 4604
wallpaper, £97,
Farrow & Ball
farrow-ball.com
Derby Adjustable
Stool, £235,
Clarkes, Maidstone
01622 753073
clarkesfurnishers.co.uk
Shutters, £230-
£400, The Interior
Shutter Company
01580 754064
interiorshutter.co.uk
Orchidea
Schiaparelli cotton
satin, £62/m,
Designers Guild
designersguild.com
CK279 Orange Zest Polka
Dot knob, £3.50, These Please
01435 817153 theseplease.co.uk
Ananas Tropical cotton,
£14.99/m Prestigious
Textiles prestigious.co.uk
At home with Ashley
Thomas White ‘Sunshine
On A Cloudy Day’ slogan
print tray, £10, Debenhams
debenhams.com
wealdentimes.co.uk

Interiors
Colours Zara
Silver Stripe Glitter
Wallpaper, £18,
B&Q, diy.com
Laterza Ivory
Wallpaper, £59/roll,
Designers Guild
designersguild.com
Cosmos Wallpaper from the
Zaniah Collection by Today
Interiors, £274/roll, Lime Lace
limelace.co.uk
Isabella 3 light Solid
Brass Bathroom Light
£399, Elstead Lighting,
Alton 01420 590510
elsteadlighting.com
Metallic
Bathroom...
Junipa Leaf Antique
Emboss Small Vase,
£70, House of Fraser
houseoffraser.co.uk
Whimsical Woods and Stars
Wallpaper, £78, Cole & Son
cole-and-son.com
Pewter Soap dispenser, £73,
Tenterden House Interiors,
Tenterden 01580 764481
tenterdenhouseinteriors.co.uk
Maze Mirror
£275, Lenleys,
Canterbury
01227 766655
lenleys.co.uk
The Nickel Bateau, £4,500
plus VAT, Catchpole & Rye,
Tunbridge Wells 01892 526996,
catchpoleandrye.com
Putney bathroom
spot satin nickel,
£40, Garden Trading
gardentrading.co.uk
Leon in teal J905F-01,
£95/m Jane Churchill
janechurchill.com
Copper Bull Skull Wall
Hanging, £225, Alexander &
Pearl, alexanderandpearl.co.uk
Dorado, Oyster J159W-01,
£89/m, and Zander,
Copper J164W-04, £60/m,
Wallpapers both Colefax &
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98

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MediterraneanStudioWT182.indd 1 14/03/2017 HUUTT-WT182.indd 12:47
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A complete interior design service
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Our dealers exhibit all over the country at vintage &
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wealdentimes.co.uk
100
BattleInteriorsWT182.indd 1 14/03/2017 NutleyWT180.indd 15:32
1 12/01/2017 16:13

Authentic Models
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houseology.com
Interiors
Aldsworth Narrow
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Garden Trading,
gardentrading.co.uk
Hanson Leather Paper Tray,
£44, and Pen Pot, £17,
Neptune, Tonbridge 01732
351866 neptune.com
Gold Crochet Cushion,
£30, The French
Bedroom Company
frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk
Newton Sideboard,
£699, Atkin & Thyme
atkinandthyme.co.uk
Delyth Sheepskin
Rug, £79, Neptune,
Tonbridge 01732
351866 neptune.com
A Study in Texture...
Balzac Zinc fabric,
£89/m, Designers Guild
designersguild.com
Large Office Desk
£1,215, Lenleys,
Canterbury 01227
766655 lenleys.co.uk
Laroche Platinum
fabric, £83/m
Designers Guild
designersguild.com
Harris Tweed Braemar
Chair, £1,483, Lenleys,
Canterbury 01227
766655 lenleys.co.uk
UMBRA Madera wall
clock in black/walnut,
£50, Black By Design
black-by-design.co.uk
Caledonia Collection
Hamilton 101/3014
wallpaper, £1,600/10m,
Cole & Son cole-and-son.com
Rigging Table Lamp
£225, Elstead Lighting,
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elsteadlighting.com
101

True Origins
Words: Jennifer Stuart-Smith Photographs: David Merewether Styling: Lucy Fleming
wealdentimes.co.uk
102

Immersed within three acres of glorious gardens, Peter and
Jane’s historic family home, a stunning Wealden farmhouse, is
tantalisingly full of mystery and intrigue.
103 wealdentimes.co.uk

JACK FRAME
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wealdentimes.co.uk
104
McAllisterThomasFineArtWT182.indd Half Page - Wealdon 1and Surrey.indd 1 16/03/2017 EdgeBespokePictureFramingWT181.indd 10:23 11:22
1 30/01/2017 15:57

Previous pages: The front reception room is on the
eastern end of the house and features a sunken fireplace
This page: The garden is a dreamy combination of
mature lawns, magnificent topiary and intimate spaces
divided by box hedging and moss-covered walls
Anyone who has ever read The Secret Garden by Frances
Hodgson Burnett will understand the magic and
intrigue that can be conjured up by a sprawling, ancient
building surrounded by an equally fantastical garden... For
many of us, visiting such a place, whether it is a National Trust
property, or a special family home, awakens our childhood
curiosity and imagination in a way that few other things do.
The family home of Jane and Peter, a former hall house in the
heart of the High Weald, is just such a place – and one that
is certain to pique the curiosity of adults and children alike.
“This has been the perfect house for us, and our children,”
says Jane, who moved here with her husband in 1984. “Our
children adore the place, and now we have four grandchildren
and two more on the way...”. The house, when they bought it,
was in need of some serious modernisation but this did not deter
the couple who clearly have an affinity for tricky, timber-framed
buildings. “We had moved from another former hall house, near
Headcorn,” says Jane, “so we knew what we were taking on.”
“Lots of people told us that it was known as the coldest
house in Kent,” adds Peter. “But I’m sure there are lots of
houses they say that about! Plus it had small leaks in lots of
105 wealdentimes.co.uk

This page: A pair of dams creates two lovely ponds. “The
sound of water is lovely though it’s not quite so nice when it’s a
rampaging torrent!” explains Jane
places.” So, it was not exactly everyone’s idea of a cosy family
home. However, once the essentials were dealt with (rewiring,
heating installed, secondary glazing fitted and leaks fixed) the
couple were able to start making this historic building into a
family home – a process that has continued until the present
day. Jane and Peter have only recently added a beautiful
kitchen extension, with a huge south-facing window.
“Every generation thinks that what it is putting in
or adding, is an improvement,” says Peter, “though the
following generations sometimes disagree. Either way, our
home has evolved with us as a family.” The stunning
wealdentimes.co.uk
106

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108
SofasAndStuffWT182.indd 1 08/03/2017 17:10

This page: The new kitchen extension was built by Hurstway
Construction. The lamps on the sideboard (above) came from
one of the Wealden Times Fairs and the trough/planter in the
middle of the windowsill is from Capital to Coast in Cranbrook
new extension, built from reclaimed timbers and featuring
a vaulted ceiling, is a seamless addition. “A lot of this was
because of the grandchildren,” says Peter. “We realised,
once everyone was married, that we didn’t have enough
room for everyone to sit down and have breakfast together
or Christmas lunch.” As well as providing essential space,
it is also the perfect spot from which to view the garden.
The garden, though hard to do justice in words, is a
dreamy combination of mature lawns, magnificent topiary
and intimate spaces divided by box hedging and mosscovered
walls. It is clearly a labour of love, though Jane makes
light of this: “The topiary only really needs cutting once a
year,” she says. There is a pool area, protected by a low wall
and manicured hedge as well as a selection of timber-clad
outbuildings, with Kent peg title roofs. It’s the kind of garden
that just cries out to be explored – and it’s easy to imagine their
grandchildren running along the paths, squirting one another
with hose pipes and jumping into the swimming pool.
“We have done a lot of work on the garden,” says Jane.
“Although we had a few yew and beech hedges when we
arrived, we have planted many more. It’s been great fun
trying to put in some structure.” A love of gardening is
something the couple share with one another, but it is also
something they like to share with others, through their work
with local charity, the Gardening for Disabled Trust.
“We get so much pleasure from gardening ourselves it
makes you realise how awful it must be if you can’t do it
109 wealdentimes.co.uk

When Jane and Peter bought the house in 1984, much of the work that had been carried out
in the 1930s remained, as some of it does today, though not all of the work was to their taste,
however: “He built on an awful kitchen wing, which we have since knocked down,” says
Jane. In its place, they built an extension which is now home to a living-room-cum-snug on the
ground floor with a huge spare bedroom overhead.
wealdentimes.co.uk
110

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ThomasHaywood
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111 wealdentimes.co.uk
ThomasHaywoodSolicitorsWT175.indd 1 11/08/2016 14:56

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Above: The dining room is in fact the oldest in the
house Right: A corner of the downstairs bathroom
anymore,” says Jane. “Through the charity, we try to inspire
people to do what they can with whatever financial support
we can give them.” The Trust, which was formed 48 years
ago, is a voluntary organisation, based in the Weald of Kent,
which gives grants to people all over the United Kingdom to
help them continue to garden, despite disability or advancing
illness. Jane has just sent out invitations for the plant fair they
are hosting at the end of this month [April], where about 20
specialist growers are expected to attend and visitors get a rare
glimpse of this very special garden. “It’s a lot of fun – and it
helps that we have masses of space for parking,” says Jane.
But, less about the garden, and back to the magnificent house
which, despite its complex history gives the outward impression
of never having changed. “It’s good to hear that, from the front,
it’s as if it has always looked like this. Planning restrictions and
guidelines on a house like this are very strict, so we’ve had to
work within them,” says Jane. Viewed from the front, their
home is an impressive brick, timber and tile-hung Wealden
farmhouse, symmetrical, with two storeys plus attic rooms.
The house dates from the 15th century and was a hall house
in origin, though the original house was destroyed by fire and
rebuilt in the 17th century, when it was pivoted on its axis to
face north. The building was then divided in the 19th century to
create two cottages but turned back into a single dwelling in the
1930s. Today it is much larger than the hall house it replaced.
When Jane and Peter bought the house in 1984,
113 wealdentimes.co.uk

This page: The front reception room’s sunken fireplace was
apparently the only warm place to sit. “My theory is, that the
man who did all the work in the 1930s raised the floor – making
the fireplace appear sunken,” says Jane
much of the work that had been carried out in the 1930s
remained, as some of it does today: “It had been radically
altered; they built a lot of walls and dug out ponds and
did all sorts of things. But overall, they gave it a lot of
love.” It featured in Country Life during the 1930s, which
would suggest that the restoration and work on the garden
was of some note, though not all of the work was to Jane
and Peter’s taste, however: “He built on an awful kitchen
wing, which we have since knocked down,” says Jane.
In its place, they built an extension which is now home
to a living-room-cum-snug on the ground floor with a huge
spare bedroom overhead. As with the kitchen extension,
the living room and upstairs bedroom join seamlessly
with the older structure: “We got nice old bricks from
Symonds Salvage at Bethersden – and the floor over there
is made from the ceiling of a railway station,” says Jane,
pointing to their old dining area, next to the kitchen.
Despite being such an old house, and in some ways a typical
Wealden timber-framed building, it is surprisingly light
inside with large rooms and relatively high ceilings. “It’s quite
surprising, isn’t is?” says Jane. “Friends say it has a slightly
Tuscan feel about it.” I am eager to see more, and Jane has
promised to show us the oldest room in the house – the only
part of the house that survived the fire in the 17th century.
The room – next to the open-plan kitchen, dining
wealdentimes.co.uk
114

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115 wealdentimes.co.uk
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Despite being such an old house, and in some ways a typical Wealden timber-framed building,
it is surprisingly light inside with large rooms and relatively high ceilings. “It’s quite surprising,
isn’t it?” says Jane. “Friends say it has a slightly Tuscan feel about it.”
117 wealdentimes.co.uk

Previous page: The hall curtains were made from fabric bought
from Bell House Fabrics & Interiors in Cranbrook and sewn by
LilyMatthews This page: The gun above the fireplace is from
Saudi Arabia, it’s a Bedouin Tribal Rifle
room and living room area – acts as a formal dining room
and was painted in a striking pillarbox red by Jane’s father.
It is smaller, darker and with a lower ceiling than the other
rooms and, despite Jane’s assurance that the house does not
have any unusual spirits, the room is strikingly cold. Perhaps
my childish imagination is getting the better of me?
We proceed to the front of the house, where the couple
have created an unusual but effective downstairs washroom.
“This wall here,” says Jane, “would have been part of the
‘solar’ in the original hall house, with sliding screens that
opened into the main hall and cooking / social area.” You
can still see where the sliding doors would have fitted.
Typically, a Wealden hall house, or yeoman farmer’s house,
would have had four bays with the two central ones forming
the main hall, open to the roof, with the hearth in the middle.
There would also have been two doors to the outside, at one
end, forming a cross passage. The open hearth would later
wealdentimes.co.uk
118

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119 wealdentimes.co.uk
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JUST SHUTTERS | MAKING YOUR HOME SHINE
Understanding that your house is your home is at the
very heart of our thinking, from design consultation
that focuses on your style and needs, through to fi tting
where we ensure that your house is treated like a home,
not like a building site! For years to come you will admire
the practicality and style of your beautiful shutters.
Call us today on 01892 575858
justshutters.co.uk
KITCHENS
BEDROOMS
& BATHROOMS
01892 723083
www.traditionalbespokefurniture.co.uk
UNIT 2, THE COPPICE, PETTERIDGE LANE, MATFIELD, KENT TN12 7LP
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1 15/03/2017 14:43

Left: Jane and Peter found the bannister post outside. “It was
obviously an old gate post, we found it in the garden and linked
it up with the beams.” Below: A large spare bedroom is on the
top of the former kitchen wing
have been moved towards the cross passage and become a
fireplace with chimney. The fact that this house was spun on
its axis in the 17th century, makes it all the more curious.
Jane has her theories about various rooms, including their
current reception room, on the eastern end of the house...
“This sunken fireplace is an interesting thing. My theory
is, that the man who did all the work in the 1930s raised
the floor – making the fireplace appear sunken. It’s believed
that this room had a loom in it. It wouldn’t fit a loom in
it now, but it would if you took the floor down to the
original level.” The farmhouse also, at one time, included a
dairy – reflecting the changing industries over the years.
Upstairs, Jane and Peter’s home now has six bedrooms
and three bathrooms – a far cry from the original hall house
structure: “It’s funny, the children, despite being grown up
all still have rooms they call their own,” says Jane. The attic
contains one enormous bedroom, with wonderful old beams
plus a smaller bedroom with bunk beds for the grandchildren.
“We stack ’em high in there,” jokes Jane. The larger
121 wealdentimes.co.uk

Above left & left: The contrasting decor of the first floor
bathrooms Above right: A firepace in one of the guest rooms
now houses a studded trunk
bedroom has only recently been vacated by her youngest
daughter: “But I have a feeling there will be people to stay
very soon.” The house almost seems larger upstairs, with
long landings that twist and turn around gnarled beams.
“This is our room,” says Jane, showing us into a large,
double-aspect room, with a beamed ceiling and warm,
pinkish walls. “We took the black staining off the old beams
and left the plaster bare, rather than painting it as it’s such a
glorious colour.” A striking, almost-black carved cupboard
takes pride of place next to the bed. “I’m very fond of that
piece,” says Jane. “It’s a linen cupboard, which I got from
Cindy over in Rolvenden. It gives me joy every time I think
about it and how it’s ended up in a spot where it’s completely
perfect.” Light streams in through the leaded windows on
both sides of the room, completing the tranquil scene.
From outside the bedroom window comes the sound of
running water– a stream that, with the help of a couple of
dams, has been turned into two rustic fish ponds. “There was
talk that this was some sort of monastic property at one time
and that the pond had a particular variety of leech in it, that
was used for medical purposes,” says Jane. It seems that the
curious history of this place goes on and on... My, what lucky
children, who get to run amok around this fabulous house
and garden, uncovering secrets and tales at every turn.

CELEBRATING
1974 - 2017
CELEBRATING
CELEBRATING
1974 1974
-
-
2017
2017

Traditional Craftsmanship
for Modern Applications
Garages & Porches
Garden Buildings
Homes & Extensions
Quality Buildings at
Competitive Prices
Caraco
Marble Granite Quartz
01435 868611
www.caraco.co.uk
Sunset Farm, Heathfield Road, Cross in Hand TN21 0UJ
chartwelloakbuildings.co.uk
Call for a quote 01959 447477
Filston Farm, Filston Lane, Sevenoaks, Kent TN14 5JU
HammertonsWT172.indd 1 13/05/2016 ChartwellOakBuildingsWT177.indd 11:20
1 14/10/2016 10:51
ARCHITECTURE • INTERIOR DESIGN • PROJECT MANAGEMENT • FURNISHINGS
www.thorntonallaninteriors.com e: lisa@thorntonallan.com t: 07720 099033
wealdentimes.co.uk
124
ThorntonAllanInteriorsWT182.indd 1 16/03/2017 14:13

This page: The master bedroom features stripped dark beams
and bare plaster
Address Book:
For more information on the Gardening for
Disabled Trust Plant Fair on 27th April, see
gardeningfordisabledtrust.org.uk/events-and-news/
Bell House Fabrics & Interiors Cranbrook
01580 712555 bellhousefabrics.co.uk
Cindy’s Antiques, Regent Street, Rolvenden
LilyMatthews 01580 241614 lilymatthews.co.uk
Symonds Salvage Bethersden 01233
820724 symondssalvage.co.uk
125 wealdentimes.co.uk

UK
www.STONEWRIGHTUK.com
Durable, Desirable, Affordable
Natural Stone For Your Home
• Natural Stone Floor Tiles • Fire Hearths •
• Kitchen Worktops • Bathroom Tops •
• Product Consultation Service •
• Granite • Quartz • Marble •
• Slate • Limestone •
Instant estimate available at www.stonewrightuk.com
Opening Hours 8.00am - 5.00pm Monday - Friday
Saturday by appointment only
Unit 1, Ninn Farm, Ninn Lane, Great Chart, Ashford, Kent TN23 3DA
Tel: 01233 650944 E: info@stonewrightuk.com
JoshuaLumleyWT182.indd 1 06/03/2017 StonewrightUKWT172.indd 10:20
1 12/05/2016 10:54
Derroll Tozer
Chairs & Upholstery Shop
Renowned for its high quality upholstery and
unbeatable service, the Chairs & Upholstery Shop
has built an impeccable reputation in Tunbridge
Wells since it first opened there 12 years ago
• Specialist fine antique upholstery
• Upholstery & re upholstery traditional & modern
• Loose covers • Hand made sofas & chairs
• Hand made foot stools • French polishing
127 Camden Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2QY | Tel: 01892 614122 | Mobile: 07768 665592
Email: tozerchairs@aol.com | www.chairsdesign.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
126
Chairs&UpholsteryShopWT174.indd 1 20/07/2016 16:04

Anatolian
kilim handknotted
flatweave from India,
from £330 (180x120cm),
Milners, Ashtead
01372 271871
milners.com
Interiors
Floor Plan
WT tracks down the finest flooring
from beautiful hand-weaved rugs to super smooth tiles
Simple, colourful or the ultimate in luxury, choosing
the right flooring can make or break an interior
scheme. Go back to basics when embarking
on a new project and don’t be afraid to experiment
with colour, pattern and texture, just as you would
with the room’s paint, paper or soft funishings.
Could you opt for a warm, grained wood and accessorise
with an antique or contemporary rug? Or spruce up
existing boards with a fresh coat of floor paint? Think about
room traffic – will certain areas require a durable surface,
like stone or tile? Here are a few of our favourites...
carpets & rugs
Fine ikat
silk handknotted
from India, from £965
(180x120cm), Milners,
Ashtead
01372 271871
milners.com
Bessarabian
kilim, from Romania
or Moldova circa. 1920
(220x170cm), £1,450, Joshua
Lumley Ltd 01233 756072 /
07900 901756
joshualumley.com
A rare Spanish carpet,
probably Cuenca, circa.
1950 (292x209cm), £3,300,
Joshua Lumley Ltd 01233
756072 / 07900 901756
joshualumley.com

www.woodandstonefloors.co.uk
Design Studio 1a,
Linton Hill, Maidstone,
Kent, ME17 4AL
01622 74 33 99
The Pheasantry, The
Green, Westerham,
Kent, TN16 1FY
01959 56 56 57
WoodandStoneFloorsS19.indd 1 21/04/2016 15:17
4 The Glenmore Centre, Moat Way, Ashford, TN24 0TL
wealdentimes.co.uk
128
AutenticoWT175.indd 1 17/08/2016 11:35

floor paints
Interiors
blocks, clockwise from
far left: Blueprint No. 50,
Boathouse No. 33, Lemon Salts
43, Cotton Street No.3 (against
Boathouse No. 33 background),
floor paint £68 for 2.5l,
Mylands mylands.com
STONE FLOORING SPECIALISTS
STONE FLOORING SPECIALISTS
íÜÉëíçåÉíáäÉï~êÉÜçìëÉ
íÜÉëíçåÉíáäÉï~êÉÜçìëÉ
ëíçåÉíáäÉï~êÉ
ëíçåÉíáäÉï~êÉ
THE STONE TILE WAREHOUSE
THE STONE TILE WAREHOUSE
PORCELAIN TILE RANGES ON DISPLAY
eÉêÉ=~í=qÜÉ=píçåÉ=qáäÉ=t~êÉÜçìëÉ=çìê=ÅçãéêÉÜÉåëáîÉ=ê~åÖÉ=çÑ
wall eÉêÉ=~í=qÜÉ=píçåÉ=qáäÉ=t~êÉÜçìëÉ=çìê=ÅçãéêÉÜÉåëáîÉ=ê~åÖÉ=çÑ
and floor tiles ~êÉ=ÉëéÉÅá~ääó=ëçìêÅÉÇ=íç=çÑÑÉê=ÉñÅÉääÉåí=î~äìÉK
wall and floor tiles ~êÉ=ÉëéÉÅá~ääó=ëçìêÅÉÇ=íç=çÑÑÉê=ÉñÅÉääÉåí=î~äìÉK
bñéÉêí=~ÇîáÅÉ=~åÇ=áåëí~ää~íáçå=ëÉêîáÅÉ=~î~áä~ÄäÉ
sáëáí=çìê=t~êÉÜçìëÉJpÜçïêççã=råáí=NMI=fåíÉÖê~=jbI=_áêÅÜçäí=oç~ÇI
bñéÉêí=~ÇîáÅÉ=~åÇ=áåëí~ää~íáçå=ëÉêîáÅÉ=~î~áä~ÄäÉ
sáëáí=çìê=t~êÉÜçìëÉJpÜçïêççã=råáí=NMI=fåíÉÖê~=jbI=_áêÅÜçäí=oç~ÇI
m~êâïççÇI=j~áÇëíçåÉI=hÉåíI=jbNR=Vdn
m~êâïççÇI=j~áÇëíçåÉI=hÉåíI=jbNR=Vdn
MNSOO=STVNRT=ïïïKíÜÉëíçåÉíáäÉï~êÉÜçìëÉKÅçKìâ
MNSOO=STVNRT=ïïïKíÜÉëíçåÉíáäÉï~êÉÜçìëÉKÅçKìâ
clockwise
from above left:
Menta, Antique Turquoise,
Brazilian Bird, Heliotrope, Passion
Red, Versante Matt, £48.95 for 2.5l,
Versante Eggshell, £50.95 for 2.5l,
Autentico 01233 878303 autenticochalk-paint.co.uk
SouthernAdhesivesWT169.indd 1 03/02/2016 16:49
Quality
hardwood floors
supplied & fitted
by craftsmen
Showroom: The Barn, Main Road, Sundridge, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN14 6EE
For a free no obligation estimate call us on 01959 563063
visit our website: www.dbwf.co.uk
129 wealdentimes.co.uk
DavidBrownWT182.indd 1 21/03/2017 12:58

VISIT OUR
LARGE
SHOWROOM
Extensive Range
of Wall and
Floor Tiles
TIle Library Co. Ad. 61W x 63H 20/1/09 17:09 Page 1
Kitchen Tiles. Bathroom Tiles. Floor Tiles.
Shear Farm Oast, North Road, Goudhurst, Kent TN17 1JR
Mon-Fri 9.30 - 4pm | Wed 9.30 - 3pm | Sat 10 - 4pm
Tel: 01580 212700 www.tilelibrary.co.uk
Freelands Tiles
124-126 London Road, Dunton Green, Sevenoaks
Tel: 01732 459 765 | OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
www.freelands-tiles.co.uk
The International Tile Store Tunbridge Wells
TileLibraryWT182.indd 1 21/03/2017 FreelandsTilesWT172.indd 10:48
1 23/05/2016 12:53
The Warehouse, Tunnel Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 2BT
T: 01892 514004 | W : www@tilematesgroup.com
n Experienced & professional
n Extensive showroom over two floors
n Easy parking
wealdentimes.co.uk
130
TilematesWT182.indd 1 09/03/2017 14:13

ceramic, stone & wood
Interiors
Charterhouse
tumbled limestone,
£83.94 per m, The
Tile Emporium, Reigate
01737 223922
thestonetileemporium.
com
Chalet
Porcelwood tiles,
£59.94 per m, The
Tile Emporium, Reigate
01737 223922
thestonetileemporium.
com
Bespoke French
Versailles Galet Parquet
Panel finished with reactive
stain and oil. Prices start from
£180 per m², David Brown
Wood Floors Ltd, Sevenoaks
01959 563063
dbwf.co.uk
Moiety
Monochrome
floor tiles,
£29.95m², Walls &
Floors Ltd.
wallsandfloors.
co.uk
Product, £price
Company
website
Pure
Waterproof Flooring
in Grey Ash, £102
per pack (2.21m²), Pure
Bathroom Collection,
purebathroomcollection.
co.uk
Patchwork
multi-colour
Encaustic tiles, £89.70
per m, The Tile Emporium,
Reigate 01737 223922
thestonetileemporium.
com
wealdentimes.co.uk

Get ready
to Party!
Liven up your little one’s wardrobe with fun, vibrant and playful pieces
Photos: David Merewether
Styling: Helen Barton
Left: ‘Isabelle’ dress, £58 Right: ‘Amelia’
dress, £58, both My Twirl mytwirl.co.uk
See My Twirl at Wealden Times Midsummer Fair,
8-10 June at Hole Park, Rolvenden wealdentimes.co.uk/events
133 wealdentimes.co.uk

‘Tabby’ playsuit, £55, Milliemanu 020 8878 7863 milliemanu.com
See Milliemanu at Wealden Times Midsummer Fair,
8-10 June at Hole Park, Rolvenden wealdentimes.co.uk/events
wealdentimes.co.uk
134

LOVELL & VIE
lingerie swimwear
Aubade
PrimaDonna
Empreinte
Marie Jo
Wacoal
b.tempt'd
Chantelle
Fantasie
Hanro
Huit8
DKNY
Moontide
Lidea
Hanky Panky
46 Holly Bush Lane, Sevenoaks TN13 3TL
01732 454445 www.lovellandvie.co.uk
the Italian Wardrobe
2-4 Castle Street, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1XJ
01892 514143 www.theitalianwardrobe.co.uk
LovellAndVieWT182.indd 1 13/03/2017 ItalianWardrobeWT181.indd 16:53
1 08/02/2017 15:44
Independent Family Business
Treating your feet for over 60 years
Various fittings, styles and fashion
www.guestsshoes.co.uk
5 High Street, Crowborough, East Sussex TN6 2QA
Also at 23 Mount Ephraim, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 8AE
135 wealdentimes.co.uk
GuestsShoesWT182.indd 1 13/03/2017 12:15

Joules check shirt, £30.95, Joules
dino rucksack, £24.95, Charity Farm
Countrystore, Cranbrook 01580
713189 charityfarmcountrystore.co.uk;
Geox flick in green, £40, The
Golden Boot, Maidstone 01622
752349 thegoldenboot.co.uk

Abi Gurney Hat Hire
By appointment only…
No 6, The Colonnade, Rye Road,
Hawkhurst, Kent TN18 4ES - 01580 752118
12 High Street, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7JF - 01797 224 369
27 High Street Lewes Sussex BN7 2LU - 01273 480896
Mon-Sat 10am-5.30pm www.cordeliajames.com
www.abigurneyhathire.co.uk
01825 713448
abigurneyhathire@gmail.com
CordeliaJamesWT181.indd 1 17/02/2017 AbiGurneyWT182.indd 09:39
1 02/03/2017 15:35
NEW SPRING SUMMER
COLLECTION NOW IN
Exquisite Top Designer
Clothing, Shoes & Accessories
at up to 80% OFF!
£10 OFF if you mention this advert
22 High Street, Cranbrook
Open from 10am 6 days a week
Telephone 07841 374952
A unique and exclusive, high brand fashion and accessories
shop, selling exquisite clothing with gorgeous fabrics,
distinctive designs and styles that will capture your
imagination and suit your pocket.
Telephone 01825 791792
www.theamazinglavendersisters.com
Unit 5 Trading Boundaries, Sheffield Green,
Sheffield Park, Uckfield TN22 3RB
Also visit Kontrast, our beautiful shop in Lion Street, Rye
wealdentimes.co.uk
138
EmmaPoveyWT181.indd 1 16/02/2017 KontrastOfRyeWT182.indd 11:48
1 22/03/2017 09:56

Georgina dress, £65, Milliemanu 020 8878 7863 milliemanu.com
See Milliemanu at Wealden Times Midsummer Fair, 8-10 June at Hole Park, Rolvenden wealdentimes.co.uk/events
139 wealdentimes.co.uk

Are you ready for
the April showers?
The Clever Dresser
Boutique stocks
some of the most
sought-after brands
of the moment
Alice + Olivia
Rebecca Taylor
DVF Diane Von
Furstenberg
MCQ McQueen
Milly New York
Duffy
360 cashmere
AG jeans
Mercy Delta
Pyrus
CleverDresser
Tel: 01797 224271
16 Lion Street, Rye, E.Sussex TN31 7LB
e: shop@thegoldenfleece.co.uk
w: www.thegoldenfleece.co.uk
@goldenfleecerye
6 Bank St. Sevenoaks,
Kent TN13 1UW
01732 453 002
www.thecleverdresser.com
THE CLEVER DRESSER
BOUTIQUE
STYLISH SHOES FOR STYLISH FEET
Shersby
GoldenFleeceWT182.indd 1 13/03/2017 CleverDresserBoutiqueWT180.indd 15:58
1 16/01/2017 16:32
FINE JEWELLERS
George Cottage, High Street, Cranbrook
Cranbrook has free car parking
www.shersbyjewellers.co.uk Telephone: 01580 720003
shersbyjewellers@aol.com Find us on Facebook
wealdentimes.co.uk
140
ManukaShoesWT182.indd 1 17/03/2017 ShersbyJewellersWT182.indd 11:31
1 08/03/2017 17:01

‘Charlotte’ dress, £59,
Milliemanu 020 8878
7863 milliemanu.com;
Clarks ‘Little Weave’ shoes,
£26, The Golden Boot,
Maidstone 01622 752349
thegoldenboot.co.uk
See Milliemanu at Wealden
Times Midsummer Fair, 8-10
June at Hole Park, Rolvenden
wealdentimes.co.uk/events

Linda Pope
Presenting a
Pretty Spring
Palette
facebook.com/LindaPopeOpticians
Rye Road • Hawkhurst
Telephone. 01580 753744
Swattenden Lane | Cranbrook | TN17 3PS
01580 713189
www.charityfarmcountrystore.co.uk
LindapopeQRTWT182.indd 1 07/03/2017 CharityFarmWT182.indd 09:38
1 08/03/2017 13:10
cashmere and silk knitwear
Come and see
Oscar nominated
Bafta winning
Shuna at her shop
in Heathfield
Market
Men’s and women’s
vintage clothing
and accessories
New for S/S 2017,
at Cashara
Moutaki
Not Shy
Lauren Vidal
Deck
Diana Wilson Arcana
BCharmd
Varca
Holster
Kapten & Son
Tuesday mornings and by appointment
01435 883394 or 07831 258582
shuna
¹ @btinternet.com
1920s–1960s items always wanted. Also Chinese
embroidered clothes, Ossie Clark, Biba.
Come and browse the new collections whilst enjoying a
glass of champagne at our Ladies Shopping Event
Wednesday Come and 19 th browse April 5.00–9.00pm
our new
Spring/Summer Collections
Complimentary goody bag with every purchase & NEW Loyalty Card
23 High Street, Tenterden TN30 6BJ
23 High Street, Tenterden TN30 6BJ
Telephone 01580 761222 Email sales@cashara.co.uk
Telephone 01580 761222 Email sales@cashara.co.uk
Shop online at at www.cashara.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
142
ShunasVintageClothesWT182.indd 1 17/03/2017 CasharaWT182.indd 13:24
1 07/03/2017 15:35

Left: Joules long sleeve
applique top, £22.95
Right: Joules pug print
tee, £9.95, both Charity
Farm Countrystore,
Cranbrook 01580 713189
charityfarmcountrystore.co.uk;
trousers, models’ own

Above left: Shirt, £55, Milliemanu 020 8878 7863 milliemanu.com; Joules shorts (4 years), £19.95, Charity Farm Countrystore,
Cranbrook 01580 713189 charityfarmcountrystore.co.uk
Right: Joules check shirt, £30.95, Joules shorts (7 years), £22.95, Charity Farm Countrystore, as before; trainers, model’s own
wealdentimes.co.uk
144

personalised
jewellery
celebrate your past
Celebrate your past with a personalised blue plaque
featuring your
location and an official
Ordnance Survey map of a location important
to you. Uniquely designed and assembled in our
Kent studios, these personalised pendants and
charms are made in sterling silver or cufflinks
and key rings in a range of other metals. Prices
start at £25. Get in touch for more information.
Use the code b0rn10 for a 10%
discount on your first order
www.bornandbredjewellery.co.uk | 07824 185470
dressing undeniable beauty
www.odyl.co.uk
01580 714907
New to Heathfield!
BornAndBredJewelleryWT182.indd 1 08/03/2017 OdylWT182.indd 17:20 1 15/03/2017 10:54
N˚37
Opening Friday 7 th April
We are an independent womenswear boutique in
Heathfield High Street, offering quality clothing and
accessories, with collections chosen for their
comfort, style and versatility from brands including:
Masai ∙ Adini ∙ Sahara ∙ Cutloose ∙ InTown
Capri ∙ Eva TraLaLa ∙ Join Clothes ∙ Brodie ∙
GR Nature ∙ Amazing Woman ∙ Ochre Knitwear
We look forward to welcoming you to browse in our
relaxed friendly atmosphere.
N˚37 High Street Heathfield East Sussex TN21 8HU ∙ 01435 868414
145 wealdentimes.co.uk
No37-WT182.indd 1 17/03/2017 14:21

Running Hub 134x88 So Mag 04.15_Running Hub 134x88 So Mag 04.15 21
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RUNNINGHUB.CO.UK
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148 LONDON RD, SOUTHBOROUGH, T’ WELLS, TN4 0PJ
T: 148 01892 LONDON 530559 RD, • SOUTHBOROUGH, E: RUNNINGHUB@UWCLUB.NET
T’ WELLS, TN4 0PJ
T: 01892 530559 • E: RUNNINGHUB@UWCLUB.NET
Our Private Care Service carers can come
to your house; help assist you with an
outing in either your car or theirs. 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
RunningHubWT160.indd 1 18/05/2015 TownCountryHomecareWT133.indd 11:42
6 04/02/2013 16:20
www.sencio.org.uk
JOIN NOW,
GET 1 MONTH FREE
BENEFITS OF JOINING
3 Badminton, squash and table tennis court hire
3 7 day advanced online booking for classes
3 All exercise classes are free for All-In-One members
3 Complimentary use of all three of our centres
T&CS APPLY: OFFER VALID 01/02/17 – 31/03/17. A set-up fee of £15 per person applies, first direct debit free of charge.
Only applicable on All-in-One 6 month committed memberships. See www.sencio.org.uk for more details.
EDENBRIDGE LEISURE CENTRE
Stangrove Park, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 5LU
01732 865665 | elc@sencio.org.uk
SEVENOAKS LEISURE CENTRE
Buckhurst Lane, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1LW
01732 470700 | slc@sencio.org.uk
WHITE OAK LEISURE CENTRE
Hilda May Avenue, Swanley, Kent BR8 7BT
01322 662188 | wolc@sencio.org.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
WeldenTimes_HalfPage_W185mm_x_H130mm.indd 1 06/01/2017 08:47
146
SencioCommunityWT181.indd 1 07/02/2017 11:58

Freshen
Up
Beauty
Josephine Fairley tames
unpredictable teenage skin
In the age of the ‘selfie’, I’ve discovered that teenagers
fret more about skin than ever. Notwithstanding
the fact that they can download filters which blur
spots and redness, make skin look radiant and lips
bigger, there seems to be more pressure than ever to
look ‘perfect’. Therefore, skin woes – in particular, spots
– seem to be even more anxiety-inducing in 2017.
No question: spots and breakouts can seriously
zap confidence and self-esteem, though; I have many
a young woman in my ‘circle’ who have been badly
affected, not wanting to meet with friends, rock up
for family get-togethers or take those ‘selfies’ – and
generally feeling very isolated despite this being an
incredibly common problem. Some of the rules for
caring for acne/blackhead-prone complexions remain
the same as they ever did. But there are, happily, some
innovative products and gizmos which are worth trying
on teen and troubled skin. The skincare world has
truly woken up to the challenges young
“The most
important step is
cleansing. End.
Of. Removing
bacteria and the
sebum that clogs
skin is really
important.”
women (and boys) face – and is offering
an increasingly wide range of solutions.
The most important step is cleansing.
End. Of. Removing bacteria and the
sebum that clogs skin is really important.
But this doesn’t mean blitzing skin
with ultra-strong products; it means
taking a softly-softly approach. First
off: no cleansing wipes. (Or only if
the alternative is quite simply going
to bed with make-up on; these are a
for-emergencies-only solution.) My
go-to cleansing recommendation remains Liz Earle
Cleanse & Polish, £15.50 for 100ml starter kit – but
other great choices include Cetaphil Gentle Skin
Cleanser, £8.99 for 236ml, and Derma E Purifying
Gel Cleanser, £15 for 175ml. (The whole Derma E
Purifying range is just brilliant for problem skins – see
my recommendation for a great moisturiser, below);
you can find both these ranges at victoriahealth.
com – and I quote their founder Shabir Daya on
acne, below. For an occasional deeper treatment, try
the Amie Radiant Dawn Exfoliating Wash, £4.95 for
150ml. The bottom line is that learning to cleanse
scrupulously is the best possible foundation for a
lifetime’s regime. One important tip, though: always,
always wash hands thoroughly before cleansing your
face, to avoid transferring dirt and bacteria to the skin.
Try a cleansing gizmo. Technology can prove a boon
to problem skins – in the form of some of the new deep-
cleansing ‘gadgets’ that have hit the market. I’ve
had great reports from teens who’ve used the Foreo
Luna, , £85 (a birthday-pressie price), which has soft
silicone ‘nodules’ and works in roughly the same
way as a sonic toothbrush, with micro-vibrations
loosening dirt – along with sebum and general gunk.
Ditch the toner. I once tried an experiment with
a Very Famous Toner because I’d heard that it could
take off nail varnish. It did. Many toners targeted
at teen skins are just way, way too harsh. If you
want a feeling of freshness after cleansing, switch to
good old-fashioned rosewater – which does the job
beautifully, gently (and smells delicious). Neal’s Yard
Rehydrating Rose Toner, £16 for 200ml, is honestly
as good as it gets (and was formerly known as ‘rose
water’ – so I’m not contradicting myself, here!).
Every skin needs moisturiser. Oil and water are
different – and for healthy cell communication,
moisturiser is a must. (It ensures skin
feels comfortable, too – and makeup,
which I’ll come onto, glides on
smoothly.) Choose one specifically
for oily or combination skins: The
Ordinary Natural Moisturizing
Factors + HA, £4.90 for 30ml,
Cetaphil Moisturising Cream,
£9.99 for 100g, from that greatfor-tricky-skins
range, or Derma
E Very Clear Moisturizing Cream,
£18.95 for 56g. Liz Earle Skin Repair
Light, £20.25 for 50ml pump,
is another perennially great choice. (I’ve
always liked that Liz Earle offers a travel/
trial size of much of their range – a good way
to check out whether your skin gets on with
something; a 15ml tube will set you back £8.)
Don’t trowel on the slap. It’s so, so tempting
to cover up every blemish – but skin needs
to breathe. A lighter coverage, with perhaps
an extra dot of concealer where there are
breakouts, will ultimately do your skin more
favours than applying a full-coverage base. As a
new handbag must-have for problem skins, I’d
thoroughly recommend Bioderma Sébium Global
Intensive Purifying Care, £14 for 30ml, which sets
out to control sebum with a one-shade-suits-all,
lightly tinted cream featuring AHA-esters said to
‘biologically treat’ the causes and consequences
of blemishes. It’s matte without being at all flat-
147 wealdentimes.co.uk

Beauty
Concept
Hair
salon
50 High Street, Tenterden 01580 762 564
Book online at www.williamcharleshair.co.uk
or through our facebook page
WilliamCharlesWT174.indd 3 05/07/2016 12:49
looking (actually, too-matte accentuates the lumpiness of
breakouts), and it’s a great make-up base if someone doesn’t
feel this is enough coverage. You flip open the lid to reveal a
green-tinted balm which calms the redness of a blemish while
delivering its antibacterial cargo of ingredients. For more coverage
for acne-prone skins, one of the best is Clinique Anti-Blemish
Solutions Liquid Makeup, £25 for 10ml, along with Tarte Water
Foundation, £30 for 30ml (tartecosmetics.com), and (affordably)
Rimmel London Stay Matte Foundation, £5.99 for 30ml.
Follow lifestyle advice, too. For wellbeing wisdom, I generally
turn to pharmacist Shabir Daya of the authoritative beauty
and health website victoriahealth.com. As Shabir notes: “The
look of your skin is a direct reflection of your overall health.
Taking simple but essential measures will reap rewards not just
in the look of your skin, but also in your overall confidence.”
He says it is worth noting the following. (Much of which is
probably what any mother would tell her teen – but it may
be more authoritative coming from outside the family!)
Grains and sugars. Elimination, whilst difficult,
even for a few weeks will most likely result in a
major improvement in the look of your skin.
Water. Drink plenty of water. Hydrating your body
will help with the elimination of waste, improve
skin tone and facilitate regeneration of cells.
Sleep. A good night’s sleep will help to reduce stress levels and
lead to a clearer skin. Your body’s healing processes on the
whole take place at night and that includes your skin. (It’s good
advice to try to get a teenager to ban mobile devices from the
bedroom, since these are now known to keep us awake.)
Exercise. Exercise encourages circulation and helps support
the greater excretion of toxins through the pores.
Balance of bacteria. This is especially important if you
have been using antibiotics for skin problems since
these destroy the beneficial bacteria within the gut that
are involved in the breakdown of foods, removal of
toxins within the gut as well as enhancing the digestive
process. There are many probiotic supplements on the
market so ensure that you use a high quality one.
To which I can only add: remember, there’s
more to life than ‘selfies’. Listen to music. Spend
time with friends. Get out in the fresh air. And
the skin challenges which seem so overwhelming
when staring at the screen of an iPhone (or in the
mirror) may not seem so all-important, after all.
Visit Jo Fairley and Sarah Stacey’s beautybible.com
for the latest health and beauty news and product reviews.
wealdentimes.co.uk
DrChristineWT179.indd 1 09/12/2016 11:22
148

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150
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Health & Beauty
Active April
Wealden Times talks to personal trainer and nutrit ionist Sarah-Jane Holt...
Do you have a beauty
regime? I cleanse and
moisturise but that’s as
complicated as it gets. I use
natural organic products as
much as possible. Caudalie
foaming face wash is a
god-send as it’s quick and
easy to use in the shower.
Beyond products I drink
two litres of water a day
and focus on including a
wide variety of vegetables
in my diet. Being hydrated
and making sure you are
eating enough vitamins and
minerals really will make
such a difference to the skin.
Beauty does come from
within in more ways than
one and what you put into
your body will reflect itself
in the way you feel and look.
Do you have a particular
product you couldn’t
live without? Mascara, no
matter how I feel a bit of
mascara will always make
me feel a bit better!
What’s your ultimate
pampering treat? A back
That essential Easter icon, the
hen’s egg, is nature’s perfect
convenience food. With
an abundance of essential
vitamins, minerals and a highprotein
content (they contain
all eight essential amino
acids) eggs make a delicious,
affordable and versatile
contribution to a healthy diet.
In the past, cholesterol
levels in eggs were
considered a health risk and
recommendations were made
that they should be limited to
four a week. These findings
massage! Training a lot
throughout the week
can really affect muscle
tension and tightness and
a good deep tissue massage
can certainly make a big
difference, plus it’s super
relaxing so a win all round!
Who’s your style icon? I
don’t really have a style icon
but someone who I really
look up to in more ways
than just their look is Jessica
Ennis. Her ability, power
and talent is incredibly
inspiring, beyond that she is
Go to work on an egg...
have now been over-turned
by new research which shows
that cholesterol in food has a
much smaller effect on blood
levels of total cholesterol, and
harmful LDL cholesterol,
than was previously thought.
With a clean bill of health,
all major organisations
– including the British
Heart Foundation and the
Department for Health –
now recommend eggs as
part of a healthy diet.
Their high protein content
makes eggs a great breakfast
a great ambassador for sport
and fitness and I think a
role model for all women.
Having previously trained
and worked as an actress,
Sarah-Jane now works
as a personal trainer and
nutritionist with Matt
Roberts in London and
with private clients in Kent.
Sarah-Jane will be speaking
in the Healthy Living
Theatre at Wealden
Times Midsummer Fair
on Healthy Habits
for Busy Mums.
if you’re looking to lose
weight: they’ll make you feel
fuller for longer and there
are only 78 calories in every
egg. A word of advice, boiled,
poached and scrambled are
best, avoid a fatty fry-up -
that would be egg-sessive!
Soft Touch...
Arbonne’s ABC baby range
comprises a Body Lotion,
Hair & Body Wash, Nappy
Cream and Sunscreen.
Naturally inspired and
scientifically tested, each of
the formulas are a blend of
mild, soothing ingredients
like chamomile, aloe vera and
calendula that are safe to use
on a baby’s delicate skin. WT
testers especially loved the
Water Resistant Sunscreen
SPF 30 which provided an
effective barrier against the
sun’s damaging rays without
a whole host of chemical
nasties that pop up in other
sun protection lotions. The
Nappy Cream came in a close
second with a smooth and
silky texture that formed an
excellent moisture barrier to
help keep baby’s bottom rash
free. Prices start at £17. To
buy, speak to local consultant,
Sara, on 07718 924159 or
visit arbonneinternational.co.uk
151 wealdentimes.co.uk

Book your
FREE
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Why put your life on hold while
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Choosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient
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Book your free consultation between
1st March and 14th April 2017
Benenden Hospital
offers a wide range of
treatments, including:
General surgery
Gynaecology
Respiratory
Urology
Orthopaedic
Gastroenterology
Call us now on 01580 232 498
www.benendenhospital.org.uk
Free consultation offer applies to self-funding patients booking an initial consultation. Appointments must be booked between 1/3/2017 and 14/4/2017 and completed by 19/5/2017.
Follow-up appointments and treatments are excluded from this offer. Availability of appointments may be limited for some specialities. Additional chargeable diagnostic investigations
may be recommended by your consultant to confirm your diagnosis. For more information and full terms and conditions see benendenhospital.org.uk or call 01580 232 498.

Health
The Big Mind &
Body Spring Clean
Our bodies are pre-programmed to spring clean themselves if we let them, as Julie Simpson explains...
It’s April, and time for a clear out. In the rush to
throw open the windows and defrost the fridge,
don’t forget to put aside some time for a self
spring clean to re-energise your mind and body.
This isn’t as hard as you think, in fact it’s really simple!
Nature designed our bodies with a built-in elimination
system to get rid of toxins and make way for the fuel we
need for perfect health. The message is, look after your
elimination system and it’ll look after you. All you need to
do is to move out of its way and let it get on with its job ...
Here are four easy ways to give yourself a spring clean in April
EAT HEALTHILY
Give your digestive system a rest so the main digestive
elimination organs - the liver and kidneys - can do their
job. Use whole foods and prepare meals from scratch. Eat
mainly plant foods (whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans)
with small amounts of good quality protein (free-range
meat and poultry, fish and eggs) and cut out processed
foods. Eat your last meal of the day early to allow a
13-hour fast between supper and breakfast. This gives
your body time to process food and your cells to renew.
A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP
7-8 hours sleep a night allows the brain to process the day’s
information, detoxing the mind while the body rests and
repairs. For a good night’s sleep, cut out caffeine and alcohol
( a nightcap may help you drop off but you’ll be up again at
3am); create a ‘sleeping space’ (soft lighting, comfy bedding and
ban the telly and mobile phone); establish a sleep routine and
rituals (a warm bath, lavender oil on the pillow) and avoid all
screen time for at least a couple of hours before you turn in.
STAY HYDRATED
Our bodies are between 50-75% water and it’s vital to drink
to stay hydrated. The kidneys filter 120-150 quarts of fluid
daily and need water to do their job. Flush out your system
with plenty of water and cut the bad boys caffeine and
alcohol because, as well as overburdening the liver, they are
also dehydrating. The jury’s out on the exact amount we
should drink each day but feeling thirsty and passing dark,
strong smelling urine are both signs of de-hydration. The
government recommends eight glasses a day, and, for the
purposes of loving your elimination system, make these water.
BREATHE
The lungs are one of the largest organs in the body, and,
with each inhalation they supply the body with the oxygen
it needs while the inhalation carries away the stale air. For
the full benefits, aim for good steady breathing with each
breath starting in the abdomen, then filling the lungs and
rising to the top lobes, just below the collarbone, aiming for
a slightly longer inhalation than inhalation. Seek out green
spaces away from traffic pollution – trees are natural air
filters – or walk along the beach so your lungs can take in
good quality air, and exhale the stale stuff you don’t need.
So, by all means sign up to a boot camp or fully fledged fast if
that suits your purse and personality but don’t underestimate the
power of the body to cleanse itself. All you have to do is allow
it a little space and kindness and get out of its way for a while.

Unit 1 - The Cellars
3-5 High Street
Tenterden
Kent, TN30 6BN
Tel: 01580 765222
www.tenterdenopticians.co.uk
OUR SERVICES
• Sight Tests
• Contact Lens Fittings
• Spectralis 4D Eye Checks
• Dry Eye Specialist Services
• Coloured Overlay Assessment
• Optical Styling
• Private Ophthalmology
• Hearing Care
Right in the middle of Tenterden,
through the doors of a Dickensian
shop-front, lies the world of Tenterden
Opticians. This is an opticians like no
other; from the gold-leaf French chairs
by the window bay, the nice hot drink
offered to every customer upon arrival
for their appointment, the state of the
art Italian shop-fittings, the cuttingedge
technology in the consultation
ABOUT US
rooms, to the most beautiful frames
money can buy - each visit is
guaranteed to be a pleasant experience.
We are an independent practice with
strong focus on clinical services,
provided by an excellent team of
clinicians who share their time between
their hospital posts and private practice.
As a boutique optical retailer, we pride
ourselves in working with some amazing
independent frame designers and
manufacturers like Lindberg, Cartier,
Dita, Cutler and Gross, Tom Davies,
Victoria Beckham and many more. With
over 1000 frames in stock and ability to
order tens of thousands more, there is
something here for every one. A lot of
our frames can be customised for size,
shape and colour to ensure a perfect fit.
Proud suppliers
of the amazing
Drivesafe lens by
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WELCOME
We are proud to announce
that Mrs Tanya McKie has
joined our clinical team. She
is a highly qualified and very
experienced optometrist
with strong clinical
background in both hospital
and independent practice.

Health
Walking -
Where are all the people?
Julie Simpson steps out in search of the loveliest Wealden wanders
A
few years ago, we had a
visitor staying from the Czech
Republic. Her first question
was: Where are all the people? She’d
been amazed to find, driving back from
the airport, that the country lanes were
empty of walkers. How did people
get to work? To school? Simple, we
explained, most of us who live in the
country, now get around by car and
public transport. These days, walking
has been relegated to recreation.
And at what cost? Because, whatever
our age or fitness, walking is one of the
simplest, most enjoyable and versatile
forms of exercise there is, and it’s free.
To quote the NHS website, regular
walking has been shown to reduce the
risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart
disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, stroke
and some cancers. However, to reap
the full health benefits, you need to
walk with moderate intensity, in other
Along the way...
Hythe Bay Fish Restaurant
Near the start of your walk, right on
the beach this has good coffee and
excellent food
words, faster than a stroll. A good guide
is to be able to hold a conversation as
you walk but to feel that your heart
rate is up and that you’re working up
a gentle sweat. A pedometer – or one
of the many free health apps – will
tell you how many steps you’ve
walked and keep a track of distance.
The recommended goal for optimal
health benefits is 10,000 steps or
about five miles a day. This may
sound steep, but start small, say
1,000 steps a day and build up.
In Kent and Sussex we’re lucky to
have fabulous walks with hills, nature
reserves and miles of coastline to
explore. Here’s one of my favourites,
it’s a very easy five miles and perfect for
beginners as it’s on the level throughout.
Better still, you won’t get muddy, it’s
peppered with great watering holes and
eateries and, best of all, you’re always
walking next to the sea.
The Ship Inn, Sandgate
At just over half way, this pub is perfect
for a pint and food’s good too.
Loaf, Sandgate High Street
Take a 2 min detour through the village
to this fun café – good for coffee,
Coastal walk
Hythe to Folkestone Harbour
Beginning at Fisherman’s Beach, Hythe,
at the top of St Leonard’s Road, head east
along West Parade following the promenade
past the golf course and along the Sandgate
Esplanade for 3 miles until you reach
Sandgate village. Continue to follow the
path as it ducks behind the coastguards
cottages and shops, snakes around Radnor
Cliff and the Lower Leas Coastal Park and
eventually brings you to your destination,
Folkestone Harbour.
It’s worth visiting The Old High Street,
now Folkestone’s Creative Quarter, which is
full of interesting shops and cafés. It weaves
up the hill from the harbour into the town
centre from where there’s a regular
bus service back to Hythe from
Folkestone Bus Station.
breakfast or a light lunch
Rocksalt, 4-5 Fishmarket, Folkestone
Reward yourself with a real treat -
lunch or dinner at Mark Sargeant’s
stylish restaurant and bar with
panoramic views over the harbour
155 wealdentimes.co.uk

wealdentimes.co.uk
156

Food
Feast
Easter
Fresh from the kitchen of her Cookery School in Tunbridge Wells
Rosemary Shrager and her apprenticeship team share four exceedingly delicious
Easter recipes that are bound to impress this Bank Holiday weekend...
Photographs: David Merewether
Smoked haddock Scotch egg
Makes 16 eggs Prep time: 3 hours (inc. cooking eggs & potatoes & cooling) Cooking time: 4 minutes
• 16 quail’s eggs or 6
medium eggs
• 2 large baking potatoes
• 500g smoked haddock
(undyed) skinned and
lightly poached in milk
• handful of chives and
parsley, very finely cut
• zest of one lemon
• salt
• pinch cayenne
for the coating
• 50g plain flour
• 3 eggs well beaten
• 250g panko breadcrumbs
• salt
• pinch cayenne
for the curry mayonnaise
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 300ml sunflower oil
• juice of one lemon
• salt and pepper
• 20g curry powder
• 2g turmeric
• 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1. To make the Scotch eggs, first cook
the quail’s eggs in boiling water for
2 minutes (large for 4 minutes) then
put straight into iced water. Allow
to cool before removing the shell.
2. Put the potatoes into an oven at 180˚C
and cook for about an hour until soft.
Leave in longer if needed. Remove and
allow to cool, scoop out the potato from
the skin and put through a ricer or sieve.
3. Chop the smoked haddock finely, put
into a bowl and add the chives and
parsley, cayenne and zest and mix well.
4. Add the potato to the mixture (not
all at once, it’s just to bind the whole
thing together). Season well.
5. Peel the eggs carefully, they will be
delicate being soft. Take a small ball
of the haddock, enough to cover the
egg. Flatten it so it wraps around
the egg. Repeat with the rest of the
eggs, put onto a floured tray and
place in the fridge for an hour.
6. Once the egg has rested, roll in flour
then egg, then panko breadcrumbs
with a pinch of salt and cayenne added.
When finished, put into the fridge again
for another hour to rest, if possible.
7. Heat up the sunflower oil in a deep fat
fryer to 180˚C and cook the eggs for
approx. 4 minutes, turning until golden.
8. To make the mayonnaise, put the egg
yolk and mustard into a bowl and whisk.
Add the oil, drop by drop, until it
becomes thick. You can now start adding
the oil a little faster. When finished, add
the lemon and curry powder, turmeric
and chilli sauce, check for seasoning.
157 wealdentimes.co.uk

Rolvenden.indd 1 23/07/2014 17:31
Cookery Courses ■ Chef’s Table ■ Private Parties
Corporate Events ■ Hosted Meetings ■ Children’s Courses
10% off all courses
during APRIL and MAY*
Telephone: 01892 528700
Telephone: Email: school@rosemaryshrager.com
01892 528700
Email: school@rosemaryshrager.com
*PLEASE QUOTE WEALDEN TIMES WHEN BOOKING
Chef’s Table Dining Experience
with ever-changing menus created by Michelin trained chefs
One Day & Weekend Cookery Courses
with Rosemary Shrager & Iain More
RSCookerySchool RSCookerySchool
RSCookerySchool
www.rosemaryshrager.com RSCookerySchool
www.rosemaryshrager.com
wealdentimes.co.uk
158
RosemaryShragerWT182.indd 1 09/03/2017 11:19

Food
Navarin of Lamb
Serves: 6-8 Prep time: 30 mins Cooking time: 1½ hours
For the lamb
• 1 whole shoulder of
lamb, cut into 4cm
squares
• 1 large onion
• 60g butter
• 4 cloves garlic,
chopped
• 8 medium turnips,
peeled and quartered
• ½ bottle of red wine
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 tbsps tomato purée
• 800ml stock
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 dsp dark brown
sugar
For the garnish
• 24 shallots, peeled but
kept whole, stalk on
• 450g button
mushrooms
• 30g butter
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 8 rashers dry-cured
back bacon, sliced into
strips
• 2 tbsps parsley, finely
chopped
• 400ml stock (lamb or
chicken)
• 2 tbsps finely chopped
parsley
• 32 baby potatoes
1. Using a large frying pan, soften the onions in olive oil
and put them into a heavy ovenproof casserole dish.
2. Sear the meat in batches in hot oil and add
them to the onions. Add the butter and let it
melt over the meat and onions, sprinkle on the
flour and the sugar, turning it all together.
3. Now add the garlic to the frying pan, cook it briefly
then deglaze the pan with the red wine. Let it bubble
for a minute and pour it into the casserole, followed
by the stock, the tomato purée and the thyme.
4. Add the turnips to the casserole, bring the whole
thing to simmering point and then put into the oven
for about an hour and a half. Test to see if the meat
is tender and allow it to cool until you need it. It
will happily stay in the fridge for a day or two.
5. To prepare the vegetables, simmer the shallots in stock
for about five minutes, remove with a slotted spoon,
then add the mushrooms and simmer them for 5
minutes. Strain them, reserving the stock. Melt the butter
in a frying pan and stir in the sugar. Put the cooked
mushrooms and shallots into this, turning them to make
them slightly caramelised. Add 2 tablespoons of the
reserved stock, stirring it all together (save the rest of
the stock for soup). Allow it to cool until you are ready
to serve. Fry the bacon in a little oil until it is crisps.
6. Now boil the potatoes until just cooked, add to the meat
with the shallot and mushrooms, fold in gently.
159 wealdentimes.co.uk

Food
Vanilla pannacotta
Serves: 2 Prep time: At least 3 hours (inc.
setting time) Cooking time: 15 minutes
For the pannacotta
• 250ml double
cream
• 1½ leaves of
gelatine
• 2 tbsps caster sugar
• 1 vanilla pod
For the roasted rhubarb
• 2 sticks rhubarb
• zest of 1 orange
• 3 tbsps sugar
• 3 tbsps water
1. Lightly heat the cream with the vanilla pod
and sugar until simmering. Soak the gelatine
leaves in cold water until soft. Remove from
water and squeeze off excess water, remove
cream from the heat and stir in gelatine until
all dissolved. Place into dariole mould and
allow to set in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
2. Cut the rhubarb into batons and place into
a roasting tray, sprinkle the sugar and orange
zest and pour over water, cover with tinfoil and
bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 180˚C.
3. Remove foil and finish cooking in oven for about 5
minutes, until rhubarb is soft but not falling apart.
4. Place the rhubarb onto the plate and use
the remaining syrup to coat the rhubarb
and drizzle on the plate.
wealdentimes.co.uk
160

Tours and Tastings
at Hush Heath Estate
Enjoy a fantastic day at Hush Heath Estate & Winery,
the home of award-winning Balfour Brut Rosé. Now
open 7 days a week, including Bank Holidays, from
11am-5pm for visitors and wine-lovers to experience
FREE Self-Guided tours and tastings. No need to book.
New for 2017 – Free Guided Tours on selected dates
Enjoy a free guided tour by one of our winery experts, 2½
hours including: A full Estate tour and winery tour followed
by a tutored tasting of our award winning wines and ciders.
Sun 30 th April 11.30am & Sun 14 th May 11.30am
Please note there are limited places so please call
01622 832794 to book your place
hush heath estate, five oak lane, staplehurst, kent tn12 0ht
01622 832794 www.hushheath.com
HushHeathWineryWT182.indd 1 07/03/2017 11:03
VISIT OUR
HUSH HEATH
WINERY
NO NEED TO BOOK
7days a week
11am-5pm
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Refreshingly Hush Heath. Passionately Local.
Hush Heath Estate owns two fabulous local pubs that offer great food along with
beautiful boutique hotel rooms, with gardens and dining terraces, all within a few
miles of the Winery. All day dining available.
CRANBROOK ROAD – GOUDHURST
KENT – TN17 1DX
01580 211 451
www.goudhurstinn.com
LOWER ROAD – WEST FARLEIGH
KENT – ME15 0PE
01622 814 717
www.thetickledtrout.com
PASSIONATELY PLAYING OUR PART AS CHAMPIONS OF GLORIOUSLY REFRESHING ENGLISH WINES AND CIDERS HUSHHEATH.COM
161 wealdentimes.co.uk
GoudhurstInnWT180.indd 1 19/01/2017 10:12

WINNER
Food and Drink
Innovation
AWARD WINNING GIN FROM THE SILENT POOL IN SURREY
Open seven days a week, from 10:00am to 3:00pm. For details and to order online, visit the website.
www.silentpooldistillers.com

Food
Simnel Battenberg cake
Serves: 6 Prep time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 25-30 mins
To make perfect Battenberg squares, Rosemary
recommends using a special Battenberg Tin. She
uses a Silverwood tin, available at Lakeland
lakeland.co.uk/70952/Silverwood-Battenberg-Tin
• 175g unsalted
butter, softened
• 175g golden caster
sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1tsp vanilla paste
• 175g self-raising
flour
• pink colouring
paste
• 4tbsp raspberry jam
• 350g marzipan
1. Cream the butter and sugar until very pale
and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, vanilla
paste and flour until you have a smooth
batter. Divide the batter exactly in half,
and put into two bowls. In one bowl add
a small amount of pink colouring paste,
folding until completely combined.
2. Divide the mixture between the sections of
the tin – two sections per batter colour.
3. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a
skewer inserted into the centre comes
out clean. Allow to cool and remove
the cake pieces from the tin.
4. Paint the jam over the long sides of the cake
and put one of each side by side, then put the
other two pieces on top, alternating the colour
to achieve that classic chequerboard pattern.
Paint the remaining long sides with the jam.
5. In icing sugar, roll out 290g of the marzipan
and wrap the cake completely. Put the cake
seam-side-down to hide the rough edge.
Trim the edges with a sharp knife dipped in
hot water, weigh 6x10g balls of marzipan to
place on top and then gently blowtorch.
163 wealdentimes.co.uk

The George Inn
High Street, Robertsbridge East Sussex TN32 5AW
01580 880315 www.thegeorgerobertsbridge.co.uk
Treat yourself to
a Spa Experience
Time relaxing in the bubbling hot
water of the saline hydrotherapy
and swimming pools, enjoying
the steam rooms and saunas.
Being pampered with luxurious
spa treatments to rejuvenate
both body and mind.
Bar, Restaurant
& Rooms
Taking bookings for Easter
Choose from a range of Spa Treatments
or Spa Packages which include:
Spa Mornings, Afternoons & Spa Days
from £85.00 pp
Relaxing Spa Breaks from £150 for 2
Live music on 30th April, 4-6pm
GeorgeInnRobertsbridgeWT182.indd 1 16/03/2017 LondonBeachWT182.indd 17:02
1 22/03/2017 14:33
Easter Sunday Lunch
Easter Egg Hunt For Children!
• £20 per person – 3 Course Lunch
• £10 per child 12 & under
Sunday 16 th April
To book please contact 01580 202103
e. marketing@dalehill.co.uk w. dalehill.co.uk
Ticehurst, Wadhurst, East Sussex, TN5 7DQ
wealdentimes.co.uk
164
DaleHillWT182.indd 1 06/03/2017 14:58

Food
clockwise
from left:
Rosemary and
apprentice Lauren-
Louise present the Lamb
Navarin; Lauren-Louise
and tutor, Shenley
Moore
Main Course
Rosemary Shrager talks to Lucy Fleming about the new apprenticeships
on offer at her Cookery School in Tunbridge Wells
Why did you decide to offer apprenticeships?
Rosemary: “I came down to Tunbridge Wells to set up
the Cookery School with the intention of eventually
offering apprenticeships. When I was learning to cook,
I was desperate for a mentor – I kept books and wrote
about food – and ending up putting myself through
apprenticeships that I organised myself. I learned on the
job, searching out the relevant expertise for each area that
I wanted to find out more about. For me, to give back
what I truly loved myself was the most important thing.
I love to see students develop. It’s a wonderful
way to begin. An apprenticeship scheme in the
catering industry is one of the most logical ways
of starting out as you’re learning on the job.
Before, we didn’t have the infrastructure to do the
marketing to let people know that we were offering
apprenticeships, so I decided a year ago that I needed to
find a partner who was able to fulfil the side that I couldn’t.
And that’s when I found Hadlow – through a bit of a stroke
of luck. We were at the Kent Choices for You Careers Fair
at Detling and Mark Lumsdon-Taylor, Hadlow’s Deputy
Group Principal and Deputy CEO happened to be there.
Mark came to see me and I explained our situation and he
decided that there was a future in us working together.
Months later, we’re now in partnership with the Hadlow
group. It’s the best partnership, as they are able to deliver
what we haven’t got – the marketing side, the apprenticeship
side, the funding side. I am absolutely over the moon with it.
I honestly do believe that they can offer us as much as we can
offer them. Here we have a high-end catering side whereas
at Hadlow they don’t – we can deliver an introduction into
live shows, work experience, getting apprentices into top
restaurants. I have had students here working on set on
a TV show – now that’s experience! They have also been
invited to Abu Dhabi and Dubai and we’re doing exchanges
with universities in the Scottish Highlands and Ireland,
too. I’ve even got them into the Royal Tent at Buckingham
Palace where they’ve met the Royals. I’ve been able to
introduce them to a world that they wouldn’t necessarily
have had the opportunity to become involved in before.”
How do apprentices apply?
Shenley Moore, Tutor: “We take apprentices from 16 years
of age, working on NVQ 2, 3 & 4. There is space for up
to 40 here. To apply, prospective apprentices would either
phone the Cookery School or Hadlow College and come
in for an interview to talk through their skills, before being
enrolled. You can apply at any time throughout the year.”
What’s the response been like?
Rosemary: “It’s just beginning, it’s brilliant! We’ve got more
and more students coming on board. We’ve got interviews –
there’s lots going on. Lauren’s been with us for nearly three
years, she absolutely loves it!”
Lauren-Louise Nicholson, apprentice: “I did my level 2, went
travelling for a year and I’ve come back to do my level three.”
Rosemary: “It’s perfect – I love it! I’m so lucky. I
have some wonderful people working here and
teaching – they’re incredible, they really are.”
To enquire about an apprenticeship, email
ABCGroup@hadlowgroup.ac.uk, call 01732 372888 or
fill out the online application form at rosemaryshrager.
com/the-cookery-school/apprenticeships/.
165 wealdentimes.co.uk

Tidy Offers
From Honda
Take control of your garden
this weekend with fresh
cut price offers
petrol mowers starting from
only £299
www.godfreys.com
Tel: 01732 74 1177 Email: sales@godfreys.co.uk
Godfreys, Otford Road, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN14 5EG

Gardens
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02.17

WT Garden Supplement
Course Work, page 33
Contents
Garden Clinic, page 11
Fresh Air, , page 18
6 Vegetables with meals
in mind
Jo Arnell’s tasty picks
11 Garden Chic
2017’s horticultural
trends
13 If you could go to any
garden in the World
Our garden experts’
memorable choices
15 Made to Measure
TV presenter and
writer, Mark Lane talks
us through his love of
the outdoors
17 The Instant Gardener
BBC presenter Danny
Clarke explains what
drew him into the
world of horticulture
18 Fresh Air
Brilliant garden ideas
21 April Treats
Sue Whigham’s spring
goodies
27 Project plant!
WT finds out about
The Woodland Trust’s
tree disease solution
29 The Forgotten Harvest
Michael White gets
cooking with weeds
33 Coursework
Book onto a learning
experience near you
33 Make a scarecrow
Get your child’s
school involved
in Harpers
& Hurlingham’s charity
competition
34 Directory
The garden a-z
The Instant Gardener, page 17
Editor’s Letter
I
love getting out in the garden and, after a mammoth weed
clear, (wrongly timed, seasonally speaking) hedge attack
and plant cleansing session over the last few weekends,
I think we’re starting to be able to see light at the end of a
tunnel of winter neglect! If you’re raring to get gardening,
this month’s supplement is positively packed with perfect
expert tips, trend advice, shopping inspiration and plenty of
how-tos for a heavenly horticultural spring and summer.
The Forgotten Harvest, page 29
Enjoy your
Garden Supplement
5
wealdentimes.co.uk

WT Garden Supplement
Vegetables
with meals in mind
Dish up your home-grown feasts with pride by following Jo Arnell’s tips for growing success
wealdentimes.co.uk
6

WT Garden Supplement
The soil is warming and it’s time
to sow some vegetables. This
year I’m trying to tailor the
crops I grow to what – and how much
– we actually eat. I’m sure that I’m
not alone in suffering from the ‘grow
it and throw it’ regime which comes
from sowing too many plants, or from
growing prolific crops like courgettes
that never seem to stop. It’s not always
easy to judge how much is enough. For
the time-pressed, crops that are quick
and easy to grow, harvest and prepare
are also a must. Vegetables that are
used in favourite recipes, crops that
taste much better than shop bought
– that are worth the effort – should
go onto the list too. Deciding what
to grow, and when, can be a bit of a
minefield, but with a little thought at
the beginning of the season (let’s not
make a meal of that bit) we can grow
“If you are short of time,
but still want to grow
something, then salad
leaves are wonderfully
quick and simple”
some useful ingredients, save money
and eat fresh and healthy vegetables.
Plot for portion size
This won’t work for everyone, or for
every crop, but I have found that
dividing your plot up into ‘meal sized’
sections can help with planning out
how much of some things you will
need. The dividing lines don’t need
to be permanent and the size of crop
will depend on how many are in your
household. I’ve found it successful for
peas and beans (dwarf and broad),
for salad crops, beetroot, spinach,
broccoli and herbs like coriander
and flat-leaved parsley. Some of these
can be sown in succession so that (in
theory) the beds can be used several
times during the growing season.
Salad days
If you are short of time, but still want
to grow something, then salad leaves are
wonderfully quick and simple to grow
from scratch. Scatter a pinch of seeds
straight from the packet (remember
portion sizes – it’s easy to sow too much)
and within a few weeks – earlier if you
like baby leaves – they will be ready to
harvest. You can make up your own mix
of seeds, or buy ready mixed packets of
salad seed. Rocket, mustard and stir-fry
mixes of oriental leaves tend to bolt (run
to seed) when grown in hot weather, so
are best sown in the spring and autumn.
Once you get into the habit of sowing
a few leafy crops, you will discover how
easy it is – and how much cheaper and
fresher your salads will be. Most will
keep growing as you cut them too –
hence the ‘cut and come again’ idea.
Convenience food
Some vegetables are tricky. They can be
tricky to grow, a magnet for pests and
Credit: FreeImages.com/John Byer
7 wealdentimes.co.uk

We’ve got designs !
on your garden!
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8-*/"'6$*'9:*;6"*/"'

WT Garden Supplement
diseases and all in all
can put you off growing
your own completely. If you
are not able to check on your plot
every day, then you’ll need to grow
reliable, hardy and pest resistant crops
that won’t mind if you miss a few days
of tending. Root crops like beetroot
and potatoes are good, chard seems to
be indestructible and I find leeks and
kale to be resistant to the worst of the
weather, and not especially attacked by
pests (if kale is prone to whitefly and
caterpillars, sow later in the summer).
These hardy crops will sit out there
in the soil, patiently waiting to be
harvested all through the winter.
Herbs
Herbs can be grown in the smallest
of spaces and will even thrive in
containers or on a sunny windowsill.
They do need a sunny spot and
free draining conditions, as most of
them are native to the sun-baked
Mediterranean. Depending on what
you grow, a little will go a long way,
so you should only need one rosemary
bush (it may need to be kept pruned)
and a few chive, thyme and oregano
(or marjoram) plants. Watch out for
mint plants; you may find these are
best grown in a pot, as they spread
about rampantly if left unchecked. If
you have a bigger space available, then
a designated herb garden in a sunny
place, preferably near to the house,
will be as pretty as it is productive.
Back door bounty
If your vegetable patch is at the very
bottom of the garden, or if you don’t
Grow some ingredients
have room for a dedicated space in
which to grow vegetables, then some
containers by the back door will easily
keep you supplied with salads and herbs
through the season. The big advantage
here is that you can just lean out of
the door and pick herbs for cooking
and fresh salad ingredients, without
having to put on your coat and wellies
and go trudging out to your patch.
Slow but sure
The seeds of some root crops – potatoes,
parsnips and large carrots take quite
a long time from sowing to harvest.
Onions and leeks need to be sown
early in the season because they take so
long to bulk up. Once they’re planted
out (grow them in a pot first, because
the seedlings are like tiny blades of
grass) you can forget about them until
the winter. If you want long white
shanks on leeks, either dig them up
and replant them into a deeper hole, or
earth up around the base of the plants.
Harvests and holidays
It’s worth looking on the back of the
Leeks - great to grow in the winter and versatile: use
in soups, casseroles, risotto and quiche.
Courgettes - a prolific summer crop, easy to incorporate
into lots of dishes: fritters, in Ratatouille, or even cake.
Tomatoes - home grown have more flavour. Grow big, beefsteak ones
to stuff and make sauce, smaller varieties for snacking, salads and tarts.
At the end of the season the less ripe make wonderful chutney.
Garlic and herbs - easy to grow and use in small quantities, herbs will
also benefit from regular cutting to keep them tidy and fresh looking.
seed packets (there are also useful
charts online) to find out what the
approximate sowing to harvest times
are for certain crops; this will give you
an idea of what to expect, and help you
to plan when, and how much, to sow.
Annoyingly the harvest may fall while
you’re on holiday, and hopefully it’s
not too late this year to do something
about it (or you will just be encouraging
friends and family to enjoy the bounty
while you’re away…), so make a note
to sow crops like beans, lettuce and
courgettes, which need regular picking,
either late or early, so that you stand
a chance of catching the harvest.
The plot to plate journey should
be uncomplicated, and, if possible,
easier and cheaper than going to the
supermarket. If you are short of time,
or limited in terms of space, choose
carefully. I have a few stalwarts that
I tend to grow each year and then
other crops come and go, depending
on the time and space available. It
makes sense to get the best from the
vegetables we grow, so keep the mantra
of quality and versatility in your mind
as you peruse the catalogues and racks
of seeds at the garden centre. It is
time to get sowing now, so let’s open
those packets and get out there.
Jo Arnell will be running a new
gardening course in her garden. Gain
some practical skills and a year of
gardening inspiration. Book now on
hornbrookmanor.co.uk 01233 861149
Credit: FreeImages.com/Mohamed Aly, Cory Lievers
9 wealdentimes.co.uk

15
RobinsonWaters
Lintel
ARCHITECTS
54
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City Escapes provide domestic & commercial garden solutions
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Design & Construction
Small one off works
Turf care management
Problem area Solutions
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Seasonal Bedding plant displays
Approved pesticide/
herbicides operators
Habitat Management
RHS qualified gardeners
Tel: 01435 868211 | M: 07831 302107 | E: damian@cityescapes.co.uk
www.cityescapes.co.uk
ARCHITECTURE
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11
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Finished Level Ground Floor 100.250
3263
architects@robinsonwaters.co.uk
Tel: 01580 754806
www.robinsonwaters.co.uk
hastings
CityEscapesWT166.indd 1 30/10/2015 RobinsonWatersWT159.indd 12:07
1 13/04/2015 11:31
West Kent Shooting School
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wealdentimes.co.uk
10
WestKentShootingWT182.indd 1 13/03/2017 FairlightHallWT182.indd 14:30
1 17/03/2017 10:21

WT Garden Supplement
Garden Chic
WT checks out the latest garden trends and how
they can be applied to your own outdoor space
Credit: FreeImages.com/Dejan Ignjatovic
Credit: FreeImages.com/Marie Jeanne Lliescu
Credit: FreeImages.com/Greg Hurley
Andrew McCoryn
Head Gardener of Leeds Castle
This year I am expecting a renewed interest in English gardening. The seasons will be
celebrated more during 2017 especially autumn with late-flowering plants and leaves.
Colour combinations in flowers, particularly herbaceous perennials, will create more
comments and Conifers will finally gain more attention in the latter part of the year.
Apply some of these trends to your own garden by growing hardy plants such as tulips,
irises, clematis and roses, available from my recommended Kent nurseries such as Iris of
Sissinghurst, Palmstead Nurseries and The Potted Garden. 01622 765400 leeds-castle.com
Hanging
Double Cacoon
Sky Blue
£270.00
Dragon
Gardens with
products from
Corker
Round Happy
Cocooning Fire
Table, Grey
£599.00
Langton
Round Chair
£99.99
Mick Corkery
Managing Director, Corker
2017 will see people prolonging
those hazy summer days and utilising
their garden as an additional room.
2016 trends of natural stone
paving and outdoor living products
will continue into 2017, both of
which Corker Outdoor Living
and Landscape Supplies offer in a
huge range of choice and variety.
Growth within the Porcelain stone
market is anticipated for 2017 along
with colour schemes that focus on a contemporary
look, including greys, whites, blacks and light browns.
Find out how you can transform your garden and
include these trends by heading to Corker, situated on
the A228 near Paddock Wood. Wander around their
inspirational show gardens, open 14th April, and shop
until your heart’s content, thanks to the wide range of
paving, turf, sleepers, outdoor furniture and more.
Corker Outdoor Living & Landscape
Supplies 01892 833325 corker.co.uk
11 wealdentimes.co.uk

Creating Beautiful Gardens
for Brilliant Year Round Results
Wealden Country Landcraft
Wealden Country Landcraft
For all your design, construction and maintenance requirements, contact:
Adam Sutton BSc (Hons) Environmental Science | Tim Playfoot BA (Hons) Garden Design
Tel:01892 722699| Adam:07979 362241 | Tim:07990 751353 | www.playfootgardendesign.co.uk

WT Garden Supplement
Credit: FreeImages.com/claudiameyer
Jo Arnell,
Hornbrook Manor
I would go to Monet’s garden
in Giverny, but I’d have to go
back in time too – to the day I
visited when I was just 18. The
shutters on the house were so
vividly green, the bridge over
the pond reflected on the water, the Irises and
Waterlilies were flowering, and there were very few
visitors. I’ve not gone back since, in case it changes
my memory of that perfect morning.
WT gardening expert, Jo, provides garden
consultations, makeovers and appraisals
alongside running gardening courses from her
home in Woodchurch, Kent. 01233 861149
hornbrookmanor.co.uk
If you could go to any garden in the World...
Jo Arnell, Jen Stuart-Smith and Juliet Sargeant share their ultimate garden picks
Jen Stuart-Smith,
Blooming Green
I would love to visit Arne
Maynard’s garden, Allt-y-bela, in
Monmouthshire. It’s got it all really:
a romantic Welsh tower house at
its heart, surrounded by quirky
topiary, roses, fruit, vegetables and
wildflowers, all of which are linked
to the Elizabethan house and the
surrounding landscape. Arne started
with a relatively blank canvas, so
this garden really shows off his
talent, and what can be done if you
have a clear vision. Magical!
Jen runs Blooming Green
with her cousin, Bek Bibby
(pictured above, right),
where they produce seasonal,
organically grown PYO
and wedding flowers.
bloominggreenflowers.co.uk
No-dig
guru, Charles
Dowding, will be at
Blooming Green on Sunday
14 May from 11-3pm for a
special talk followed by lunch
cooked by Home Gurr’own’s
Nicci Gurr. Book online at
bloominggreenflowers.
co.uk
We ask garden lovers and experts to name
their three favourite gardens in Kent,
Surrey and Sussex
Juliet Sargeant, Designer of the Chelsea Goldmedal
winning Modern Slavery Garden 2016
The best gardens move your spirit and draw on your emotions.
I would love to visit Sacro Bosco in Italy, because its creator
intentionally un-nerves the visitor with shocking edifices
and thought-provoking references. ‘The Park of Monsters of
Bomarzo’ is not meant to be comfortable or even beautiful – borne
out of its owner’s grief for his dead wife, its sculptures speak of
passion through the ages. A reminder of the power of landscape.
For more information on the services that award-winning garden
designer Juliet undertakes call 01273 300587 / 07934 496118
julietdesigns.co.uk
13 wealdentimes.co.uk

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Beautiful gardens waiting to be discovered
The 12th Century Leeds Castle sits within 500 acres of magnificent parkland and formal gardens.
Amongst many horticultural delights, visitors will discover tranquil woodland walks, exotic
Mediterranean terraced gardens and the beautiful cottage style ‘Culpeper Garden’ with shapes,
colours and scents to enjoy across the seasons.
Weekly garden tours available between April and September.
leeds-castle.com
wealdentimes.co.uk
14
28096J1 LC Gardens Wealden 185 x 130.indd 1 06/03/2017 14:20
ZestLtdLeedsCastleWT182.indd 1 06/03/2017 15:54

WT Garden Supplement
Made to
Measure
Garden designer, TV presenter and
writer, Mark Lane talks us through
his love of the outdoors
For those that don’t know, how did
you get into gardening? Both sets of my
grandparents were very keen gardeners.
My paternal grandparents had a large
garden and I would spend hours following
my grandfather around. He taught me
how to sow seeds, how to divide plants,
how to put colours together and more
importantly close my eyes and listen to
the garden. I remember to this day lying
on my back in the middle of the main
lawn on a very hot summer’s day with my
eyes closed and smelling the roses as their
scent was carried along on the breeze. I
cherish all of these memories, although
it was not until much later when my
partner and I bought our first house in
London, and then in Pluckley, Kent, and
now in a small village on the outskirts of
Canterbury that I really started gardening.
With each move we acquired a larger
plot and when I became a landscape
designer and BBC gardening presenter I
started to look at plants, gardening and
horticulture in a much broader sense.
How has gardening helped you? Without
gardening I would be a completely
different person today. I was born with
spina bifida and several years ago I was in
a car crash which resulted in me being a
wheelchair user full-time. I was very lucky
to have spent some of my rehabilitation at
the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital
in Stanmore where I was introduced
to horticultural therapy. I was already
gardening by this point but through
slight adjustments to posture, pacing my
gardening activities and being introduced
to alternative ways of doing gardening
my rehabilitation took an upward turn,
and I have not looked back since. I love
every aspect of gardening, from sowing a
seed and watching it grow, to composting,
pruning and even weeding. I spend hours
outside gardening and every stress of
modern day life seems to disappear and
my breathing slows down. I also love my
job as a landscape designer, and being in a
wheelchair has not stopped me, nor has it
hindered me with site surveys, designing
and managing projects. Gardening is
good, both physically and mentally, for
my health and wellbeing. I am living
proof. This is why I am honoured to
be the first Health, Wellbeing and
Community Ambassador for Groundwork
and an Ambassador for Thrive.
When planning a garden that is
wheelchair friendly, where do you begin?
The first thing to consider is the person in
the wheelchair. Do they use a wheelchair
all of the time? What is their condition or
disability? How far can the person reach?
Can they twist their body, lean forward
or use their hands? I suppose what I am
saying is that every wheelchair user is
different, and every wheelchair is different.
There are regulations that stipulate how
wide a path needs to be, for example,
but depending on the size of the garden
adjustments may have to be made in order
to work specifically for an individual. In
most cases, the hard landscaping must
be firm, stable and level. There needs to
be enough traction to a surface to stop a
wheelchair sliding, but too much traction
can make it very difficult for someone
who self-propels their wheelchair.
Regulations aside, a big aspect of designing
or planning a garden for a wheelchair user
is their viewpoint. People in wheelchairs
see a garden from a much lower position
so a focal point in a garden may have to
be tweaked slightly. Planting feels taller
to a wheelchair user, so the right use of
plants needs to be taken into account
and lighting needs to assist and not
blind. So, there are many considerations,
too many to write about now.
What’s the most valuable piece of
gardening advice you’ve ever been given?
Have a go, have patience, enjoy yourself
and not to be disappointed if a plant dies.
What’s been your biggest gard ening
challenge to date? As a landscape designer
I think it is about to start, but I cannot
say what it is for. As a gardener in my own
garden, nervously opening for the first
time this year for the National Garden
Scheme. I know the garden has to look
its best from May to September, so a lot
of preparation in March and April.
What are you working
on at the moment?
Filming for BBC Gardeners’ World,
acting in my Ambassadorial roles,
writing for magazines and currently
designing and managing ten projects.
Mark Lane will be talking in The Garden
Hub at Wealden Times Midsummer
Fair on Saturday 10 June 2017. For more
information see wealdentimes.co.uk/events
15 wealdentimes.co.uk

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wealdentimes.co.uk
16
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WT Garden Supplement
The Instant
Gardener
BBC presenter Danny Clarke explains what drew
him into the world of horticulture
Why gardening? I think the bug
for gardening was as a result of my
parents asking me as a child to tidy
their outside space. I remember toiling
for what seemed like ages cutting the
grass with a pair of shears and a push
mower. I can’t say that I enjoyed it
because it seemed like a chore. But years
later when I owned my first property
I found that working on my patch of
land evoked childhood memories of
the scent of roses, the beauty of the
nodding daffodils in the wind, and
the smell of the grass during its first
cut after its winter dormancy. Before
I knew it I was hooked and the seeds
for my future career were sown.
What was your favourite part
about being on BBC One’s The
Instant Gardener? For me the best
part about being on The Instant
Gardener was the camaraderie among
everyone on the show, from the
bosses at 12 Yard who produced the
show right through to the runners.
I have forged some great friendships
which I’m sure will last a lifetime.
What’s your favourite local garden?
Great Dixter in Sussex which used to be
owned by the late Christopher Lloyd has
given me so much inspiration. I just love
his relaxed style of planting as well as the
man’s willingness to push boundaries.
Out of all the great gardens this is the
one I probably visit the most. There is
certainly a little bit of Great Dixter in
many of The Instant Gardener projects.
What’s the most valuable piece of
gardening advice you’ve ever been
given? My very first client was a lady
called Jo Bryant. She had the most
amazing larger than life personality
along with the most beautiful garden
which was the love of her life. What she
didn’t know about gardening you could
write on the back of a postage stamp. A
fantastic teacher, I knew her for three
years until her untimely death. I suppose
it wasn’t the advice she gave me that
was so valuable but the way she would
alter my state of mind. For example, if
I arrived at her property and it was a
cold rainy day, she would greet me with
that booming smile of hers and the first
thing she would say is “Danny, how
lovely to see you, what a dramatic day.”
What she was saying is there is no such
thing as a bad day and there’s a beauty in
everything if you choose to look for it.
What’s your biggest
gardening challenge
to date? That’s an easy
one. The first garden
I ever designed and built. It could
have been an absolute nightmare
because the client was very testing. I
remember thinking. “If this is what
this job’s all about then I’m going to
find an office job.” I’m glad I didn’t!
What are you working on at the
moment? I’ve been spending my time
adjusting a friend’s garden in Romney
Marsh. It’s a lovely property which
doesn’t really need my input. The job
has involved opening up the views
into the surrounding countryside by
cutting back shrubs and re shaping
trees on its boundaries, installing raised
beds in the vegetable garden, returfing
some areas and doing a general tidy.
There’s been lots of clearing and
burning which I really enjoy. You just
can’t beat the smell of wood smoke.
Danny Clarke will be talking in
The Garden Hub at Wealden
Times Midsummer Fair on Friday
9 June 2017. For more information
see wealdentimes.co.uk/events
17 wealdentimes.co.uk

WT Garden Supplement
Heritage Seeds
Antirrhinum, £2.99,
Historic Royal Palaces
historicroyalpalaces.com
The Crown Windsor package
includes a timber pavilion with
thatch or cedar tiled roof, a
wooden table and benches, seat
cushions and deep-filled back
pillows, marine-grade blinds
delivery and installation, for
£19,950. Crown Pavilions 01491
817856 crownpavilions.com
Twine String Holder, £14.99,
Historic Royal Palaces
historicroyalpalaces.com
Small Stone Rabbit,
£16.99, Dobbies
dobbies.com
Abella Planters,
£60-£165, Cedar
Nursery, Cobham
01932 862473
landscaping.co.uk
Fresh Air
Alfa Pizza Duetto Wood
Fired Oven, £3,950, Cedar
Nursery, Cobham 01932
862473 landscaping.co.uk
Create your own unique garden style with our
pick of buildings, furniture and accessories
Wild and Wolf Thoughtful Gardener
Bird House, £19.95, Charity Farm
Country Store, Cranbrook 01580
713189 charityfarmcountrystore.co.uk
Valencia Day Bed,
£2,695, Cedar
Nursery, Cobham
01932 862473
landscaping.co.uk
Julie
Dodsworth
Orangery Mid
Cuff Gloves,
£12.99,
Dobbies
dobbies.com
Terracino planter, £50, Cedar
Nursery, Cobham 01932
862473 landscaping.co.uk
Wild and Wolf Homefront
allotment set, £14.95, Charity Farm
Countrystore, Cranbrook 01580
713189 charityfarmcountrystore.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
18
Charlbury Oak Table,
£1,750, with Emerald
Acrylic Wine Glasses,
£12.95 each, Rosara 01869
340350 rosara.co.uk

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01892 740866
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20
LamontLawrenceWT133.indd 1 07/02/2013 17:07

WT Garden Supplement
April Treats
Sue Whigham selects some beautiful spring
goodies to bring your garden to life
Whilst March is the month when things start
tentatively unfurling and lifting their heads
above the parapet, only to flinch as another
stormy day approaches, April really is the time when
spring flowers start bursting into life. And of course it’s
the month when bulbs really come into their own.
Then there is the blossom on the crab apples, the
pears and the dramatic appearance of magnolia flowers
while in the woods the iconic bluebells carpet the
ground before the deciduous leaf canopy grows over
and they lose much of the light. It is interesting how so
many spring blooming plants are shade lovers or partial
shade lovers and of course for the same reason.
Wood anemones carpet the ground in shady areas early in
the month. A. nemorosa (AGM) is one of the earliest of spring
flowers and its star-shaped white flowers are so refreshing
after a long winter. Once they have finished flowering, their
foliage disappears until next year. They take a very long
time to spread and you may want to grow A. blanda instead
which self sows rapidly. There are blue and white forms of
Anemone blanda. A choice wood anemone is A. nemorosa
‘Robinsoniana’ (AGM), named after William Robinson, which
is a pale blue and which looks wonderful with cowslips.
My mother, now in her ninety-third year, remembers
clouds of cowslips growing wild in her youth and just ready
for the picking. These are our native primulas, P. veris,
and their lemony yellow flowers last right through until
May. They are just lovely and wow, they spread rapidly so
that we too can have a sea of them although perhaps not
on the verges and in the meadows as they used to be.
One of my favourite groups of plants in April are the
Credit: FreeImages.com/helenhumphrey
“...in the woods the
iconic bluebells carpet
the ground before the
deciduous leaf canopy
grows over and they lose
much of the light”
21 wealdentimes.co.uk

WT Garden Supplement
pulmonarias or lungworts. Every garden should have them.
They just seem to get on with it and now come in the most
fantastic forms. They too are best in dappled shade and
most thrive where other plants find conditions difficult.
They are native to Europe and the UK hence their ability
to do well here. They look great with early flowering plants
such as the hellebores and the brunneras. I notice that
the pure white flowers of P. ‘Sissinghurst’ are beginning
to flower now. They come in blues, pinks and red as well
as a combination of colours which change as they mature.
I’m very taken with P. officinalis ‘Blue Mist’ with its large
pale blue flowers and spotted leaves and P. ‘Blue Ensign’
which has rich blue flowers which combine beautifully
with the mauve flowers of its neighbour, a cardamine that
has been dormant all summer, reappearing in March,
the clump spreading out a bit more each year. Some of
the pulmonarias have wonderful long silver leaves like P.
longifolia ‘Majeste’. Another treasure is P. ‘Opal’, again with
silvery leaves and opalescent flowers of the palest blue.
Another group of April lovelies are the epimediums,
also known as Bishop’s Hat and, more appropriately, Fairy
Wings. I think actually that I would have them at the top
of my list of ‘would like lots’. We have the European forms
which are pretty hardy here and then the absolutely gorgeous
Japanese and Chinese forms. They are really fun to collect as
their foliage and their flowers are simply exquisite with the
flowers seemingly floating above the leaves on impossibly
fine stems. The other thing is that many of them are
wealdentimes.co.uk
22
PetalsForPlantsWT182.indd 1 13/03/2017 10:13

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email: production@indexmagazine.co.uk email: production@indexmagazine.co.uk
email: Below is a proof of your ad to be published in the
azineproduction@indexmagazine.co.uk
Positions in the magazine cannot be guaranteed except where special
tel: 01892 517320
email: production@indexmagazine.co.uk
PLEASE NOTE The content of the advertisment it will be taken that this advert is acceptable in
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23 wealdentimes.co.uk
GreenThumbWT181.indd 1 09/02/2017 11:19

ED422 HURST GREEN V2.qxp_Layout 1 17/03/2017 14:36 Page 1
LET’S GET
GARDENING
With Ernest Doe Power
Image: FreeImages.com/Marcin Wojciech
WE HAVE 1000’s OF PRODUCTS TO HELP YOU
CREATE & ENJOY THE PERFECT GARDEN
There’s so much more in your local country store...
We’re online too: ernestdoeshop.com
The Foundry, Hurst Green,
Etchingham TN19 7QP
Tel: 01580 860495
fantastic ground coverers. At Great Dixter a venerable old
crab apple, M. floribunda, growing near the oast, appears to
rise from a carpet of E. pinnatum subsp. colchicum (AGM).
I love Christopher Lloyd’s description of Euphorbia
palustris’s lime green ‘flowers’ as literally sparkling perhaps
with ‘a tiny crystal of nectar in the centre of each flower’.
It is a particularly nice euphorbia with a good spread and
an average height of a couple of feet as well as lime green
inflorescences. Perfect for giving a dramatic backdrop to
bright tulips. Another spurge that takes itself here and there
and then flowers in April is E. amygdaloides var. robbiae. It’s
not a rich and rare plant and it pops up usually where you
haven’t planted it but it produces loose limey ‘flowers’ from
rosettes of dark evergreen leaves which are just great with
bright spring bulbs. Have a look at the Cottage Garden
at Sissinghurst in April to see the first of the euphorbia
flowering. Each spring I admire Euphorbia polychroma
there and mean to grow it. Greenish yellow flower heads
last for weeks, are SO cheerful and are perfect for the front
of a border. I haven’t grown it myself but it might be an
idea as I usually go for huge plants like E. mellifera and
E. stygiana which grow into completely unruly giants.
And finally, the hellebores, most of which started
flowering long before April, are treats in the spring garden.
One that is completely different from the hellebore hybrids
we grow and collect is the Corsican hellebore, Helleborus
argutifolius. I saw a clump in full flower yesterday and it
is a very dramatic, beautiful thing. The combination of
big bold trifoliate leaves, distinctively veined and many
bunches of apple green flowers is very striking. I couldn’t
help noticing that seedlings were coming up merrily in
the gravel surrounding it. A midnight raid perhaps?
Sue Whigham can be contacted on 07810 457948 for
gardening advice and help in the sourcing and supply of
interesting garden plants.
wealdentimes.co.uk
ErnestDoe&SonsWT182.indd 1 17/03/2017 15:30
24

SHOWROOM OPEN WEEKEND
Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd April 10am-4pm
Bring this advert to enter a Free
Prize Draw for a Bell Jar Planter
The best kept trade secret in the Weald for pots, planters and garden furniture.
Kibblewhite Gibbs Reed No.3 Barn, WT Half Pashley Page Ad Road, Nov'15_Kibblewhite Ticehurst, East WT half Sussex, page TN5 ad CMYK 7HE (185 www.capital-garden.com x 130) 12/11/2015 10:29 Page T 1: +44(0)1580 201 092
picture
CapitalGardenProductsWT182.indd 1 06/03/2017 16:01
your perfect
garden...
With over 50 years of experience, we are the garden design and landscaping
specialists of choice for properties throughout Kent & East Sussex. Friendly
and professional, we pay meticulous attention to detail and take pride in creating
the gardens of our clients’ dreams. Get in touch with our dedicated team to start
visualising your own Eden, today.
Quality garden design and landscaping since 1963
Call: 01580 850394 Or Visit: www.kibblewhitegardens.co.uk
25 wealdentimes.co.uk
KibblewhiteWT167.indd 4 27/11/2015 12:46

Multi Award Winning Company
SPATA Pool Contractor of the Year 2015
Specialists in indoor and outdoor swimming pools,
servicing, maintenance and improvements.
XL Pools Ltd, The Parlour, Saracens Dairy,
Pluckley Road, Pluckley, TN27 0SA
Telephone: 0845 20 60 420
Email: enquiries@xlpools.com
www.xlpools.com

WT Garden Supplement
Project Plant!
Do you have spare land to plant some native trees? Help The Woodland Trust to
combat the spread of tree diseases with its specially selected tree packs
As part of a campaign to help protect the
countryside from ash dieback and other tree
pests and diseases, The Woodland Trust is urging
landowners across the UK to consider buying one of
its new ‘Targeting Tree Disease’ tree planting packs.
Unfortunately, cases of tree disease are on the increase
across the country, with two that tree health specialists
are particularly interested in: sweet chestnut blight
and acute oak decline.
Sweet chestnut blight first reared
its head in Kent in 2011 where
it was dealt with effectively, but a
small number of cases have recently
been confirmed at further sites in
Devon, where work is currently
underway to confirm the rate and
area of spread. Acute oak decline
has been recorded since 2006, and research into how the
condition spreads is ongoing. At present the disease is
largely concentrated in Central and South East England.
Ash dieback has now been recorded in over 1,000 locations
and has been confirmed in every county across England.
In response to the threat, The Woodland Trust has created
‘Targeting Tree Disease’ tree packs which contain 45 cellgrown
saplings, 40-60cm in height, which the charity has
chosen from species carefully selected to best replace trees
“Our Targeting Tree Disease
packs give the opportunity
for people to pre-empt any
losses which could occur
in the countryside.”
which will be lost to disease and to strengthen the landscape
against other threats. You can choose three species from
oak, wild cherry, silver birch, hornbeam and beech.
John Tucker, Woodland Trust director of woodland creation,
comments: “Ash dieback is the most commonly known
threat currently, but there are other pests and diseases which
could spread here. Our Targeting Tree Disease packs give
the opportunity for people to pre-empt any losses which
could occur in the countryside. Of
course, they also will provide other
benefits such as shade, shelter and
creating homes for wildlife.”
The charity also offers a wide
variety of other tree schemes to
the public. The Trust piloted the
tree pack scheme in 2015 in five
counties, with over 400 packs being
taken up by members of the public. It is aiming to plant 64
million trees by 2025 and all its trees are grown in the UK
from seed sourced from locations also throughout the UK.
To buy your tree pack, for £60, visit woodlandtrustshop.
com. For more information about tree pests and diseases,
visit forestry.gov.uk/pestsanddiseases or observatree.org.uk and
report any potential sightings of ill health in trees to the
Forestry Commission via Tree Alert forestry.gov.uk/treealert.
27 wealdentimes.co.uk

Sissinghurst Flowers
made with love
Weddings Life Events Courses
www.sissinghurstflowers.co.uk
Telephone: 01580 852144 / 07977 142447
Springing in
to ACTION
bedding
JanesEventsWT182.indd 1 17/03/2017 MadeWithLoveWT182.indd 15:37
1 21/03/2017 14:29
200,000 geraniums
bright hydrangeas
perennials
pots & planters
plants
7 days a week
wealdentimes.co.uk
Clapper Lane, Staplehurst, TN12 0JT Clapper Lane
01580 890713
01
Opening tim
1
Opening times: 9am-5pm Mon-Sat
10am-4pm Sun
Call: 01580 890713
frankiesfarmshop.co.uk
Clapper Lane, Staplehurst, TN12 0JT
28
Open 7 days a week, 9am-5pm Mon-Sat 10am-4pm Sun
CrownOakBuildingsWT165.indd 1 19/10/2015 StaplehurstNurseryWT182.indd 10:43
1 20/03/2017 17:24

WT Garden Supplement
dandelion
The Forgotten
Harvest
Expert forager Michael White
explains there’s more use
for garden invaders than
just compost fodder as he
explores edible weeds
Freeimages.com/AdrianaHerbut
chickweed
Productivity is everything in the
vegetable garden and to that end
every square inch and no end of
loving labour is employed to conjure
a good yield from the precious loam.
But what of the forgotten harvest,
the unbidden crop which appears
in the absence of work and care?
Weeds are easy to write off with a one
way ticket to the compost, but in fact
many are perfectly edible and can bring
a whole new dimension to cropping
the veg plot. At this time of year the
weed harvest is even more precious,
as it supplies fresh salad leaves and
greens, at a time when many cultivated
crops haven’t even germinated.
At the top of my tasty weed list
is chickweed stellaria media, a great
coloniser of cultivated ground which
forms tangled mats during the winter
months. To me it’s the iceberg lettuce
of the foraging world, mild and
sweet with a superb crunchy texture.
Select the young growth and use it
as a bulk salad ingredient or lightly
steamed for a delicate vegetable dish.
The dandelion taraxacum officinale
needs no introduction and despite
traditional beliefs, will not
29 wealdentimes.co.uk

Kent Garden Show
& NAFAS Regional Flower Show
Sat 27th, Sun 28th & Mon 29th May
Gates Open 9.30am - 5pm (last admission 4pm)
Featuring over 300 exhibitors with a wide variety of goods.
Floral marquees with stunning fl oral displays including
medal winners from Chelsea. There is a food hall,
craft pavilion, brass band & children’s rides.
Garden furniture, water features, garden sheds and
buildings, tools, sculptures, & much more.
Jacqueline Aviolet & Tom Hart-Dyke will be in attendance
all weekend to give answers to your gardening questions.
Tickets available now.
WT Garden Supplement
hairy bittercress
Tickets
available at
the gate & online
Prices: Adults £8.00,
Seniors £7.00
Children up to
age 16: Free
Sorry no dogs
01795 474660
www.kentgardenshow.com
The Kent Showground, Detling ME14 3JF
GardenShowWT182.indd 1 17/03/2017 10:58
INVITES YOU TO… TO...
“Walk on the Wild Side!”
Easter Monday 17 17 th th April April 10.30am - 3.30pm
●
FREE
Free
entry!
entry Various
● Various countryside attractions
countryside attractions
● Craft Farmers fair stalls market Family ● Family friendly friendly woodland walk walk
● The Craft Leeds fair Castle stalls falconry Enjoy ● a Enjoy coffee a coffee & cake & cake in our in our new
team
Sage & new Time Sage Café & Time Café
● Chainsaw carving display ● And much more!
Kenward Road, Yalding, ME18 6AH
For more information or to book a pitch at this event:
Contact us for more details
visit: kenwardtrust.org.uk call: 01622 814187
kenwardtrust.org.uk
or email: enquiry@kenwardtrust.org.uk
@kenwardtrust
enquiry@kenwardtrust.org.uk
Kenward Road, Yalding, ME18 6AH
01622 814187
Registered charity no. 1146481. Registered in England no. 7931728.
Registered Charity No 1146481
have you wetting the bed if you eat it. Try using the
young shoots sparingly to add a little chicory-esque
piquancy to a warm salad of duck confit - the results
are stunning! Also the effort taken in digging out the
long roots will be well rewarded if, after a quick scrub
they are baked until black and brittle, then ground
to make a caffeine free alternative to fresh coffee.
Though there are many more to choose from, hairy
bittercress cardamine hirsuta (the name belies its edible
qualities) completes my gourmet trinity of spring weeds.
They pop up just about anywhere on bare ground and
produce distinctive florets of cress shaped leaves. The
young growth has a wonderfully peppery tang, almost
identical to the cultivated cress of windowsill fame.
Fresh or cooked, bittercress will give a wild kick to all
sorts of dishes including salads, tarts and pasta dishes.
Welcome then to the enlightened world of
weeding, where with the prospect of a good meal
every pull is a pleasure, every dig delight!
Please remember that the correct identification
of edible plants is vital! Use a decent field guide,
or search the web using a plant’s Latin name, for
information and images from reputable web sites.
Michael White is a foraging and self sufficiency
expert who heads the business ‘Rural Courses’.
To contact him, or to find out more about the
courses he runs please visit ruralcourses.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
KenwardTrustWT182.indd 1 20/03/2017 09:55
wealdon times_WoW ad_90x130.indd 1 17/03/2017 20:21:39
30

ALL THE
INGREDIENTS
FOR YOUR
DREAM
GARDEN.
www.corker.co.uk
At Corker we can supply everything from topsoil to timber,
paving to parasols and fencing to furniture. Enjoy a coffee
and wander around our inspirational show gardens, opening
Friday 14 th April. We have loads of unique ideas and products
you won’t find in your average garden centre because at
Corker, we don’t do average. Pay us a visit on the A228
near Paddock Wood or call 01892 833 325.
MAKE YOUR GARDEN A

www.elliottreid.co.uk

WT Garden Supplement
Course Work
The newest member of the WT team,
Rebecca Cuffe, tracks down a handful of
the best gardening tutorials around
For all you readers out there oohing
and ahhing over the gorgeous images
in our gardening supplement this
month before quickly sinking into a sigh
over the daunting prospect of how to recreate
something like that for yourself, you are
not alone. Like gardens themselves, often a
gardener needs a little nourishment before
their real talent blooms into life. Whether
you’re an experienced gardener interested in
learning something new or a complete novice
who just wants to know where to begin,
there are options out there for everyone.
Wisley Gardens in Surrey (rhs.org.uk/
gardens/wisley) have myriad options for all
skill sets, interests and levels of expertise with
courses and tutorials covering everything
from photosynthesis to botanical cocktails.
These courses are often run by the RHS team
but others feature guests and experts such
as the gardens’ curator, Matthew Pottage,
and renowned plantsman Noel Kingsbury.
Claire Brown will also be tutoring on The
Perpetual Herb Garden in October, and
runs talks and workshops herself through her
business, Plant Passion (plantpassion.co.uk),
which focuses on locally grown flowers. This
is a great option for those who love local
and are interested in arranging bouquets
for their homes or as gifts to others.
Meanwhile, Kew Gardens (kew.org) and
Painshill in Surrey (painshill.co.uk) both
have a number of courses and lectures
which you may find helpful if you’re
interested in capturing the beauty of the
garden in photography or illustration, as
well as their courses on gardening itself.
Jo Arnell’s comprehensive year long
course at Hornbook Manor in Woodchurch,
Kent (pictured) (hornbrookmanor.co.uk), is
run in small, informal groups, so there’s
plenty of chances to ask Jo any questions
you may have over some homemade cake.
The course lasts a full year but you can
also book an individual course if there’s
a particular field you’re interested in.
Godinton House is also well worth a visit,
as they run gardening events throughout the
year (gardeningworkshops.co.uk/godintonhouse.
co.uk). You may have noticed in our own
April Notebook that they are holding a
topiary workshop this month, but there
is more to learn with head gardener Viv
Hunt, who has combined forces
with professional gardener Fiona Abrahams
in monthly workshops since November.
For the foodies of the Weald there are some
invaluable learning opportunities at Brogdale
Collections (brogdalecollections.org). As the
home of the national fruit collection, there
are few better places than Brogdale to learn
about fruit, food and foraging in the British
countryside, with courses on grafting, pruning,
orchard design or cider making, to name a few.
One last tutor worth a try is Steve Edney,
who is head gardener at The Salutation
in Sandwich (the-salutation.com) and runs
classes limited to only eight people. These
courses include light lunch and refreshments
in their £80 price as well as demonstrations,
practical work, tours and invaluable advice.
Make a Scarecrow Competition
Take part in Harpers & Hurlingham’s charity competition at
Wealden Times Midsummer Fair for the chance to win £250 for your child’s school
Harpers & Hurlingham in Cranbrook
are inviting schools and children’s
organizations to take part in ‘Making a
Scarecrow’ competition. All entrants will be
displayed in the Harpers & Hurlingham stand
at Wealden Times Midsummer Fair at Hole
Park, Rolvenden on 8, 9 & 10 June 2017.
The general public will be invited to judge the
winner, whilst at the same time raising money
for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. The winning
school/organization will also receive £250. To
participate please call Jane at Harpers and
Hurlingham on 01580 715400 and join in
the fun! The competition is open to children
aged 10 and below, who must enter as part
of a school or children’s organisation, rather
than as individuals.
HOW TO MAKE A SCARECROW
• Build the frame. Begin by centring a 5 foot
(1.5 m) stick near the top of a 6 to 8 foot (1.8
to 2.4 m) stick, rake handle or garden pole.
This creates the shoulders of the scarecrow.
Fasten the shorter stick in place using a
screwdriver and screw, some twine, or hot glue.
• Put the shirt on. Button up the front,
then tie the arm ends and bottom
of the shirt using twine or wire.
• Stuff the shirt with straw, hay, leaves,
grass clippings, wood chips and rags.
• Put the overalls on. Make a hole in
the seat of the overalls for the vertical
stick to pass through. Stuff the legs.
• Give him hands.
• Give him feet.
• Make the head using burlap or a pillowcase
• Give your scarecrow facial features. Ideas
include using a pen to draw them on, cutting
out felt shapes, using buttons for eyes, nose
and mouth,
and bits of
black plastic or
pipe cleaner to
make eyebrows.
• Give your scarecrow
some hair.
• Accessorise. You can personalise your scarecrow
by accessorising it any way you like. His most
important accessory, however, is a straw hat.
Use any old hat you have lying around and
secure to his head with hot glue. Here are
some other (optional) accessorising ideas:
- Tie a red bandana around his collar, or
leave a bright handkerchief peeking out of his
pocket.
- Jazz up his hat using some brightly coloured
plastic flowers.
- Stick an old pipe in his mouth.
- Tie reflective or shiny ribbon to your
scarecrow to add movement and reflect light.
33 wealdentimes.co.uk

Gardens
A Wealden Times Supplement
Directory
Sponsored by
Bumble Bee Solar Fairy
Lights, £8.99 lights4fun.co.uk
ARCHITECTURE,
CONSTRUCTION &
GARDEN DESIGN
Cat & Mouse Landscapes
Herstmonceux 01323
833600 / 01323 843488
catandmouselandscapes.com
City Escapes 01435 868211 /
07831 302107 cityescapes.co.uk
Cross Builders Folkestone
01303 211805 / 07966
496911 cross-builders.co.uk
Crown Oak Buildings
Ltd 01732 866910
crownoakbuildings.co,uk
Elliot Reid Conservatories
Ltd. Herstmonceux 01323
833924 elliottreid.co.uk
Garden & Home Design
Ltd. 07854 221338
gardenandhomedesignltd.co.uk
Gardenproud 07725 173820
reallygardenproud.com
Geoff Tiltman Smarden 01233
770777 / 07775 694963
Homeleigh Maidstone 01622
791111 / Staplehurst 01580
892037 & 01580 892733
/ Ashford 01233 850075
homeleighgroup.co.uk
Hornbrook Manor (Jo
Arnell) Woodchurch 01233
861149 hornbrookmanor.co.uk
Johnsons Garden Buildings
needextraspace.co.uk
Kibblewhite Gardens
Cranbrook 01580 850394
kibblewhitegardens.co.uk
Lamont & Lawrence 01342
825414 Bonnie Lamont: 07786
246530 lamontandlawrence.co.uk
Open View Landscape Design
Ltd. Tenterden 01580 764090
openviewlandscapes.co.uk
Robinson Waters Architects
Cranbrook 01580 754806
robinsonwaters.co.uk
Wealden Country Landcraft
Tonbridge 01892 722699
Adam: 07979 362241
Tim: 07990 751353
playfootgardendesign.co.uk
EVENTS & PLACES TO GO
Fairlight Hall fairlighthall.co.uk
The Garden Show at
Firle Place Firle 21-23
April 01243 538456
thegardenshowonline.com
Kent Garden Show The
Kent Showground, Detling
27-29 May 01795 474660
kentgardenshow.com
Kenward Trust Yalding 01622
814187 kenwardtrust.org.uk
Leeds Castle leeds-castle.com
Pashley Manor Gardens
Ticehurst 01580 200888
pashleymanorgardens.com
West Kent Shooting School
Brenchley 01892 834306
westkentshooting.co.uk
FEATURES
Chilstone Langton Green
01892 740866 chilstone.com
Symonds Salvage
Bethersden 01233 820724
symondssalvage.co.uk
XL Pools Pluckley 08452
060420 xlpools.com
FLORISTS
Sissinghurst Flowers 01580
852144 / 07977 142447
sissinghurstflowers.co.uk
LAWN MAINENANCE
Battle Mowers Ltd
Battle 01424 773096
battlemowers.co.uk
Capital Garden Products
Ticehurst 01580 201092
capital-garden.com
Ernest Doe Power Etchingham
01580 860495 ernestdoeshop.com
Godfreys Sevenoaks
01732 741177 godfreys.com
Green Thumb 01892 835808
weald@greenthumb.co.uk
Kent & Sussex Lawns 08454
670258 kentsussexlawns.com
Lawn Revival Team 01580
712129 lawnrevivalteam.com
SHOPPING & SUPPLIERS
Capital Garden Products
Ticehurst 01580 201092
capital-garden.com
Corker nr. Paddock Wood
01892 833325 corker.co.uk
Cranbrook Iron
Hawkhurst 07765 344298
cranbrookiron.com
Gardenscape
Newenden 0800 854663
gardenscapedirect.co.uk
Petals for Plants
Broad Oak 01435 884111
petalsforplants.co.uk
Staplehurst Nurseries
& Frankie’s Farmshop
Staplehurst 01580 890713
frankiesfarmshop.co.uk
TREE SERVICES
Fernshire Tree Services 01580
890462 fernshiretrees.co.uk
VERANDAS & AWNINGS
SBI 0800 0742 721
sbiproducts.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
34

New Gardening Course
We know trees.
We’re professional tree surgeons covering
Kent and East Sussex.
Join Jo Arnell at her garden in Woodchurch for 2017s new
practical gardening course. Learn how to prune, sow seed,
take cuttings, design a border and care for your plants through
the seasons. Tools and cake supplied. No experience needed.
Contact Jo Arnell 01233 861149 www.hornbrookmanor.co.uk
Monthly on Friday & Saturday morning
Our commitment is to deliver a comprehensive
range of high quality tree work, from delicate
pruning operations and hedgecutting,
to replanting and complete tree removal.
01580 890462
fernshiretrees.co.uk
insured experienced professional
Creating gardens
of distinction
HornbrookManorWT180.indd 1 11/01/2017 FernishireTreesWT172.indd 12:43
1 09/05/2016 10:19
Fernshire Ad-A5landscape.indd 2 06/06/2011 13:41
Pop-up Shop Now Open
Ockley Road, Hawkhurst TN18 4DP
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
All Garden Construction &
Maintenance • Drives
Paving • Walling • Fencing
Untidy Gardens Made
Tidy • Grass Cutting
bespoke ironwork for home & garden
07765 344298
www.cranbrookiron.com
Open: Wednesday - Saturday
LANDSCAPING
DESIGN & BUILD
Creating a Garden of Style
& Quality, within your budget
• Hard & Soft Landscaping
• Buildings & Structures
• Lighting Schemes
• Drawn & Visualised by Computer & Hand
• Local Authority Approvals Managed
Call Brian 07854 221 338 for a Free Quotation
Qualified – University of Greenwich/Hadlow
Pre-Registered Member of the Society of Garden Designers
GeoffTiltmanWT168.indd 1 18/01/2016 CranbrookIronWT177.indd 15:41
1 25/10/2016 15:41
Glass Verandas with traditional or modern looks.
Remote control awnings and large patio covers.
Specialist conservatory shading products
For more information view our website:
www.gardenandhomedesignltd.co.uk
0800 0742 721 sbiproducts.co.uk
167 wealdentimes.co.uk
GardenAndHomeDesignWT182.indd 1 21/03/2017 SBIWT178.indd 18:08 1 23/11/2016 11:44

www.vinehallschool.com
Easter Fun!
Monday 10th - Thursday 13th April
A fun filled week, activities including:
cooking, crafts, Easter egg hunt, Easter
bonnet parade and outdoor fun in the woods...
3-7 years, 8.30am-3.30pm
Book individual days or the whole week. Snacks provided
Please bring a packed lunch, change of clothes, waterproofs and boots!
£25.00 per day or £85 for 4 days
Early booking recommended as limited spaces
Please book through the Office at Vinehall School
office@vinehallschool.com / 01580 880413
Vinehall
R O B E R T S B R I D G E , E A S T S U S S E X
DAY & BOARDING SCHOOL FOR BOYS & GIRLS AGED 2-13

Education
“
W
hat counts can’t be counted and what can
be counted doesn’t count.” No one knows
whether Einstein really said it but whoever
came up with the observation, I agree with it totally.
The ‘counting’ which dogs education these days – from
league tables to SATS performance targets and
all the rest of it – has killed learning for its own
sake. And I strongly suspect it has taken the
love of learning with it in far too many schools.
When, many years ago, I was choosing
my A Level options I desperately wanted
to do zoology because I was fascinated by
biology and craved more. Now, I am no scientist. I’d long
since thankfully abandoned physics and chemistry. Most
of the students opting for zoology were high fliers doing
an all science programme with a view to medical school,
research science and the like. So I was a bit of a maverick.
To her eternal credit and my profound gratitude, the head
BS_WEA_TIM_90wx130h.qxp_Layout 1 22/03/2017 17:30 Page 1
Number Crunchers
Susan Elkin looks at school performance targets and statistics
“My interest counted
for something more
important than
examination statistics”
of science allowed me to do it, knowing that I wouldn’t do
well in the exam. I adored the subject and that was enough
for her. My interest counted for something more important
than examination statistics. I had a wonderful time for two
whole years and the learning has stayed with me for life.
Well, we all know that would never
happen today. Schools have to get the best
results they can in everything – results which
should be a marginal end product have
turned into the tail which wags the dog.
Everything has to be ruthlessly quantified.
I meet far too many teachers and heads
who tell me, for example, that there’s no time for drama,
music or free-range reading because all the focus is on passing
exams. They miss the point, of course, that wider learning
and experiences enhance progress in all subjects. Achievement
is mysteriously transferable. The child who does well, say
in the school play or develops skills in painting, is quite
belong
L O V E W H A T Y O U L E A R N
Discover the Virtue of Learning
Take a fresh look at Bethany School and discover a
world of freedom. No limiting your options, just the
independence and support you need.
Join us at our next Open Morning
Open Morning
Tues 2nd May
9.00am - 11.30am
Entrance Assessments
for September 2018
Sat 11th November
bethanyschool.org.uk 01580 211273
registrar@bethanyschool.org.uk
BETHANY SCHOOL, CURTISDEN GREEN, CRANBROOK, KENT TN17 1LB
“
co-ed day and boarding
I love the environment at
Bethany, because the rural
setting is so peaceful. I’m
happiest when I’m being
creative in Design & Technology,
and I want to go on to become
an Architect.
“
Maria-Bisila Dougan, Year 11
Design & Technology Scholar.
NORTHBOURNE PARK SCHOOL
DAY & BOARDING SCHOOL FOR NURSERY TO 13 YEAR OLDS
OPEN MORNING
10am - 12.30pm
Pre-Prep and Prep School
Saturday 6th May 2017
Pre-Prep
Friday 12th May 2017
T: 01304 611215
E: admissions@northbournepark.com
Northbourne Park School, Betteshanger, Deal, Kent CT14 0NW
www.northbournepark.com
169 wealdentimes.co.uk
BethanySchoolWT182.indd 1 22/03/2017 NorthbourneParkSchoolWT182.indd 17:37
1 14/03/2017 16:01

Registered charity 1101358
Where are the skills our children will need
to discover new planets?
Well, creative thinking skills are embedded in the
curriculum at Sevenoaks School, so in theory we need
look no further.
Our alumni certainly go on to achieve extraordinary
things; equipped as they are with the skills they need to
change the waiting world.
Lars Blackmore for example, mastered creative
thinking at Sevenoaks. He left in 1998, studied robotics
at MIT, earned a PhD and went to work for NASA. Primary
objective: how best to land a craft on Mars.
It’s worth considering then, that many of the skills
your child may need to make a significant impact, can be
acquired here at Sevenoaks.
www.sevenoaksschool.org
Every day at Sevenoaks, students practise creative thinking, critical thinking, complex problem solving, negotiation, team working and
service provision – essential skills our alumni will use to excel at jobs which have yet to be invented and to reshape their universe.

Education
likely to be making good progress in maths as well.
Bearing all this in mind it was privilege and a pleasure
recently to visit Springhead Primary School at Talke Pits near
Stoke-on-Trent. The school works with the Royal Shakespeare
Company as a ‘hub’ to encourage Shakespeare being done
actively and enjoyably across the area. I was there to see an
RSC 90 minute production of The Tempest in the school
hall which the children were fizzing with excitement about.
A group from another school joined the audience and both
Gregory Doran, Artistic Director of the RSC and Jacqui
O’Hanlon, Director of Education were there. In the evening
there was a second performance open to the local community.
This very enlightened school – headteacher: Brian Anderson
– devoted the whole of last term to The Tempest. Children
enthusiastically showed me Miranda’s bedroom and Caliban’s
den which they’d created in corridors. They’d also written
stories, painted pictures, explored language, studied the science
and mathematics of storms and the history and geography
behind the play. It was utterly inspirational and just shows
how you can foster the love of learning in a way which really
counts and follow the National Curriculum. It need not be a
banal box ticking exercise. Schools everywhere please note.
Susan Elkin is the author of Encouraging Reading (Continuum,
2008) and Unlocking the Reader in Every Child (Ransom, 2011).
Be all
you can be
St Ed’s is a school where every pupil is connected by a love of learning, the pursuit of possibility and the
challenge of being the very best they can be.
01227 475601 | www.stedmunds.org.uk
Open Morning
Wednesday 10th May, 9.30 - 11.30am
171 wealdentimes.co.uk
StEdmundsWT182.indd 1 21/03/2017 17:11

SaintRonans
@saintronans
www.saintronans.co.uk
/SaintRonans
© Sarah Clark Photography
www.saintronans.co.uk
© Sarah Clark Photography
“What’s not to love...”
“What’s not to love...”
Good Schools Guide 2016
Good Schools Guide 2016
...about the Forest School at Saint Ronan’s?
...about the Forest School at Saint Ronan’s?
100 acres of stunning woodland with rides and mudslides
No paper, no pens, no ceilings, no walls…..
Building 100 acres dens of stunning and roasng woodland marshmallows with rides and mudslides
Roosng No paper, on no logs pens, whilst no ceilings, sipping no hot walls….. chocolate
Tasng Building wild dens garlic and with roasng friends marshmallows
Watching Roosng on tadpoles logs whilst under sipping the Troll hot Bridge chocolate
Hunng Tasng wild minibeasts garlic with and friends spong birds
Telling Watching stories tadpoles in the under Hobbit the House Troll Bridge
Hunng minibeasts and spong birds
Telling stories in the Hobbit House
“This lot achieve loads of
scholarships, with leavers to more
“This lot achieve loads of
than 60 different seniors
scholarships, with leavers to more
in the past decade”
than 60 different seniors
Tatler Schools Guide 2017
in the past decade”
Tatler Schools Guide 2017
Discover Saint Ronan’s
Discover Saint Ronan’s
Book an appointment on 01580 752271 or e-mail emmatv@saintronans.co.uk
Book an appointment Boys & Girls 3-13 onyears 01580 | Founded 752271 1883 or | Hawkhurst, e-mail emmatv@saintronans.co.uk
Kent | 01580 752271

Open Day
Saturday 6th May 2017
9.15am – 12 noon
The Principal will speak at 9.30am
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 and girls aged 10
T: 01634 888590 E: admissions@kings-rochester.co.uk www.kings-rochester.co.uk

BLUEBELL RAILWAY
This iconic
and historic
locomotive will
make its only
visit to the South
East. More
information
is available
on website.
Bright Bricks
Build It Weekend
27th & 28th
May
13th–19th
April
Visit of Flying
Scotsman
Steam rides and
LEGO ® , who
could ask for
anything more?
Help us build a
LEGO ® mosaic
and ‘make and
take’ a LEGO ® toy.
Come and join us from 5th to 7th May 2017
Friday and Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday 11am to 5pm
St.George’s Church in the heart of the village will be exhibiting
an abundance of amazing artwork by over 45 artists and
craftspeople for you to browse, buy and take away.
The work ranges from contemporary watercolours, oils,
pencil drawing, sculpture, ceramics and much more.
There’s something for everyone, for every space and budget.
Treat yourself or find the perfect gift –
the Wrotham Arts Festival is a great day out with a
lovely café serving hot food as well as delicious cakes.
You can find us by following directions to TN15 7AH
and there’s plenty of parking too!
A FREE event the whole family can enjoy!
(See website for details)
For more information 01825 720800 www.bluebell-railway.com
Further details can be found at www.wrothamartsfestival.co.uk
Or join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wrothamarts
The Contemporary
Craft & Design Fair
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wealdentimes.co.uk
RHS Garden
WISLEY
Purchase
direct from
190 of the very
best makers
in the UK
27 April - 1 May
9am – 6pm Thursday to Sunday
9am – 5pm Monday
The UK’s most
popular Craft Fair
Admission to Garden
also gives admission to
Craft Fair • GU23 6QB
Held in floored marquees
Free Garden entry for
RHS Members • Last entry
1 hour before closing •
Garden open until 6pm daily
www.craftinfocus.com T: 01622 747325
174
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Arts and Crafts
Ibbett Mosely
AuctIoneers & VAluers
Limited Liability Partnership
The Auctioneer's Next Sale Will Be On
Wednesday 3rd May 2017
Commencing at 12.30pm | Viewing 10.00am - 12.30pm
At Ibbett Mosely Auction Rooms, Argyle Rd, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1HJ
Valuation Day - Wednesday 10th May 2017 11am to 4pm
Crown Inn, School Road, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 5PQ
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
Sat 1 April-Sat10 Jun
Maidstone Museum & Bentlif
Art Gallery, St. Faith’s Street
Maidstone, Kent ME14 1LH
Japan: A Floating
World in Print
Over 60 eighteenth to twentieth
century ukiyo-e prints collected in a
surprising and delightful exhibition.
Entry: Adults £4 (£3.50
online), children free
Info: 01622 602838/
museum.maidstone.gov.uk
Sat 1 April-Sat 24 June
Tues-Sat 9.30am-4.30pm
Artichoke Gallery, Church
Street, Ticehurst TN5 7A6
In the Garden
This lovely exhibition brings
together a collection of artists
who specialise in what nature
has to offer. Capture the spirit
of spring and make it last with
artwork including paintings,
sculpture, ceramics and jewellery,
or just come to look around this
spacious and relaxed gallery.
Info: 01580 200905 /
artichokegallery.co.uk
Mon 17-Sat 22 April
10am-5pm, 10am-4pm on Sat
Zion Baptist Church,
Tenterden, Kent TN30 6BB
SPRING ART EXHIBITION
The Weald of Kent Art Society
is holding their first Spring Art
Exhibition from Easter Monday.
Discover original works from over
40 artists including watercolours,
oils, sculpture and jewellery.
Entry: Free.
Info: wealdofkentartsociety.co.uk
Easter
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Sat 1-Sat 15 April 10am-5.30pm
Groombridge Place, Groombridge
Hill, Groombridge, Tunbridge
Wells, Kent TN3 9QG
Alice’s Circus
Adventures
Go down the rabbit hole this
easter. Meet all your favourite Alice
in Wonderland Characters at a
day packed full of fun activities
with a circus themed twist.
Entry: Save 10% at
thelittleboxoffice.com
Info: 01892 861444 /
groombridgeplace.com
Sat 1- Mon 17 April
Hever Castle and Gardens, Hever
Rd, Hever, Edenbridge TN8 7NG
Easter Family Fun
at Hever Castle
A magical family-friendly Easter
bunny hunt with the Lindt Gold
Bunny, with the chance of earning a
mini fluffy bunny. There will also be
an Easter bonnet competition and a
castle quiz on the history of Easter.
Info: 01732 865224/
hevercastle.co.uk
Fri 14- Mon 17 April
Spa Valley Railway, West
Station, Royal Tunbridge
Wells, Kent, TN2 5QY
Spa Valley Easter
Specials
Win a family ticket for a day out
with Thomas the Tank Engine,
in the spot the Easter bunny
competition. Every child gets a
free Easter egg for taking part.
Entry: Standard fares
Info: 01892 537715 /
spavalleyrailway.co.uk
Fri 14- Mon 17 April 10am-5pm
Dover Castle, Castle Hill
Rd, Dover CT16 1HU
Medieval Easter
Weekend
Dover Castle takes a fantastical
journey back to the days of fireeating
jesters, deadly dragons
and St. George riding on
horseback to save the day.
Entry: English Heritage m embers
free/ Adult £19.40/ Child aged 5-15
£11.60 / Concession £17.50 /
Family £50.40
info: 0370 333 1181 /
english-heritage.org.uk
Fri 14-Mon 17 April
1066 Battle of Hastings Abbey
and Battlefield, High St, Butter
Cross, Battle TN33 0AD
Easter Adventure Quest
Get hands on with history as you
meet a medieval monk, see if
you are strong enough to carry a
Norman shield into battle, climb
the gatehouse to the rooftop and
experience the stunning views
across the battlefield landscape.
Entry: English Heritage Members
Free, Adult £11.20, Child
aged 5-15 £7.70, Concession
£10.10, Family £32.10
Info: 0370 333 1181 /
english-heritage.org.uk
Sun 16 April 12.30-2pm
Canterbury Cathedral, Cathedral
House, 11 The Precincts,
Canterbury CT1 2EH
Canterbury Cathedral
Easter Lunch
The Cathedral lodge will be
organising a delicious three course
Easter lunch, followed by tea and
coffee, and an Easter Egg hunt in
the lovely Campanile garden.
Entry: Adult £22.95 / child £10.95
Info: 01227 865350 /
canterburycathedrallodge.org
Festivals
Sat 1 April
Kent County Agricultural
Society, Kent Showground,
Detling, Maidstone ME14 3JF
Heritage Transport
Show featuring the
South East Bus Festival
Featuring the South East Bus
What’s On In April
Festival, with over a hundred
vintage buses. Also a must-see for
any vintage vehicle fans with free
tractor rides, miniature railway,
trade stands, ‘Classic for the
Future’ area, and Farmers Market.
Entry: Adult £7 / Free for
children under 14
Info: 01622 630975 /
amy@kentshowground.co.uk
Sat 15 April
Faversham Town Centre Market
Place, Faversham ME13 7AG
Faversham Hat Festival
A weird and wonderful parade
of creative community-driven
festivities. Decorate, make
or create a hat, or just wear a
favourite, see the parade and hat
competition, witness a magic show,
and attend the Hatter’s Dance.
And as if all this excitement isn’t
enough, it also coincides with
the Best of Faversham market.
Info: 01795 227071 /
faversham.org
Sat 15 10am-10pm and Sun
16 April 10am–7pm
John Hendry Pavilion, Kent
Event and Exhibition Centre,
Kent Showground, Detling,
Maidstone ME14 3JF
Maidstone Tattoo
Extravaganza
Featuring Harley Davidson
motorbikes, sword eating, the Miss
Lady Ink UK finals, live music
from local bands, pop up bar,
fairground rides, space for over a
hundred tattoo artists and a wide
variety of trade stands including
nail bar, barbers, and mum’s bakery.
Entry: £4.36-£13.85
Info: 07984 916932 /
eventbrite.co.uk
Sat 15-Mon 17 April
Pierremont Gardens
and Park, High Street,
Broadstairs CT10 1JZ
Broadstairs Spring Fair
This fair boasts over 50 stalls,
featuring the very best of Kentproduced
food and drink.
For children there will be face
painting, an art space and an
Easter bonnet competition.
Info: 01843 871102 /
broadstairsfoodfestival.org.uk
175 wealdentimes.co.uk

9, 10 & 11
June 2017
stumble wood, kent
Off Halden Lane, Rolvenden,
Cranbrook,TN17 4JG
small, intimate & family friendly...where kids can be kids again & you
can relax, immerse yourself in great music, fantastic food &
drink. be together, reconnect or simply escape...if only for a weekend
live music >
SEE WEBSITE FOR LINE UP
kids activities
including woodland
treasure hunts,
storytelling
& B U S H C R A F T
kent's finest
STREET FOOD TRADERS
Woodlands
outdoor
cinema+
silent disco
under the stars
beautiful campsite
+ glamping by the woods
for more information and tickets go to:
www.woodlandsfestival.co.uk
/woodlandsfestivaluk
woodlandsfestivaluk woodlandsfestuk
in aid of
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ICHFLtdWT182.indd 1 21/03/2017 12:02

What’s On In April
Thurs 27-Sat 29 April
Robertsbridge Village
Hall, 11-23 Station Rd,
Salehurst, Robertsbridge,
East Sussex TN32 5DG
Robertsbridge
Literary Festival
Featuring Sussex authors Tom
Connolly, Bronwen Griffiths, Alan
Judd, Charlotte Moore & Vanessa
Nicolson, as well as children’s
spellbinding storyteller Kevin Graal.
Entry: £5, Children’s Event:
adults free, £3 per child
Info: rap.org.uk
Sat 29- Sun 30 April
Groombridge Place, Groombridge
Hill, Groombridge, Tunbridge
Wells, Kent TN3 9QG
Extreme Festival
For the first time ever in the
UK, Extreme festival exclusively
brings The Beast, the world’s
largest inflatable obstacle course,
to Tunbridge Wells! And it
comes with live music, great
food and of course beer.
Entry: £22 (plus £1.70
Booking fee),Under 5s Free
Info: eventbrite.co.uk /
extremefestival.co.uk
Garden
Sun 2 April 10am-6pm
11am and 3pm
Borde Hill Garden, Borde
Hill Lane, Haywards Heath,
West Sussex, RH16 1XP
Borde Hill ‘Camellia
Heritage’ Tours
A guided tour of the Borde Hill
Camellia Garden with camellia
enthusiast, Nick Schroder, tracing
the history of this beautiful flower
back to the Chinese tea merchants
of the eighteenth century.
Entry: £10 including garden entry,
£5 for friends of Borde Hill
Info: 01444 450326 /
sussextopattractions.co.uk
Mon 3-Fri 7 and Mon
10-Fri 14 April
The Canterbury Tales, St.
Margaret’s Street, Canterbury,
Kent CT1 2TG
Medieval Story Garden
Kids get the chance to attend
Knight school, dance around the
maypole, visit the herb garden
to learn medieval medicine
and be whisked away to the
past in a storytelling session.
Entry: Free
Info: 01227 696002 /
canterburytales.org.uk
Sat 8 April 10.30am-12pm
Edwin Budding Gallery, South
Downs Heritage Centre,
Brighton Rd, Hassocks
Behind the Scenes
at the Chelsea
Flower Show
A free illustrated talk with Chelsea
Gold Medal Winner, RHS Show
Judge and TV Presenter, Juliet
Sargent. Juliet will be covering
how to ‘win gold at Chelsea and
stay sane’, what it takes to win the
people’s choice award and how you
can achieve the ‘Chelsea look’.
Entry: Free
Info: 01273 847707 / heritage.
centre@south-downs.co.uk /
southdownsheritagecentre.co.uk
Mon 10-Fri 14 April 1-4pm
Godinton House and
Gardens, Godinton Lane,
Ashford, Kent TN23 3BP
Spring Week
Including a traditional treasure
hunt, children’s crafts and garden
games as well as a different
activity each afternoon with
local artists and craftsmen.
Entry: Adults £5, Children £4,
Tours on Friday additional £4
Info: 01233 643854 /
godintonhouse.co.uk
Fri 21 April-Sat 6 May 10am-5pm
Pashley Manor, Ticehurst, Near
Wadhurst, East Sussex TN5 7HE
Tulip Festival
This spectacular Tulip Festival
sees Pashley Manor carpeted with
over 30,000 tulips, in over 100
varieties Bloms will be on hand
to share their wisdom, and a cafe
will be serving locally sourced
homemade cakes, scones, and
light lunches. There will also
be lovely gifts, souvenirs and
plants on sale and exhibitions of
Garden sculpture and floral art.
Entry: £10.50
Info: 01580 200888 /
pashleymanorgardens.com
Health & Wellbeing
Sun 2 April
Hole Park, Rolvenden,
Cranbrook TN17 4JA
Hole Park Cross
Duathlon
With it’s breathtaking views over
the Weald, and three different
events to chose from, the awardwinning
Hole Park gardens is
the perfect venue for Duathlon
athletes from beginners to pros.
Info: 01580 241344 /
trispiritevents.com
Thurs 20 April - Thurs
15 June 6-7pm
Charing Surgery, 1 Surgery
Close, Charing, Ashford,
Kent TN27 0AW
Relaxation Mindfulness
Meditation
programme with
Yvonne Fernando, NLP
Master Practitioner
& Life Coach
Learn to relax, manage stress
and create a calm mind, for
improved health & wellbeing.
Entry: £65 for 8 week programme
Info: 01233 878474 / 07968
785714 / yvonnefernandonlp.co.uk
Weds 26 April 10am-1pm
Charing Surgery, 1 Surgery
Close, Charing, Ashford,
Kent TN27 0AW
‘NLP & Health’
Workshop with
Yvonne Fernando, NLP
Master Practitioner
& Life Coach.
The role of the mind and
emotions is vital to your state
of health. Positively empower
yourself, through NLP, for
better health & wellbeing.
Entry: £35.
Info: 01233 878474 / 07968
785714 / yvonnefernandonlp.co.uk
Thurs 27–Sun 30 April
Begins at Linton Bull Inn
ME17 4AW (Thurs 27). Ends
at National Trust Punchbowl,
Hindhead GU26 6AB (Sun 30)
THE GREENSAND
SCRAMBLE
The Greensand Way goes from
Linton, Kent passing hop fields
and Leith Hill to finally finish at
the National Trust Punchbowl
in Surrey. Walk, run or cycle, go
just a few hours with the dog, a
whole day or the full distance. This
event is open to everyone, and all
funds go to support The Simon
Trust, a local charity supporting
young adults with autism.
Entry: £10 (plus small booking fee)
Info: eventbrite.co.uk
Music
​Thurs 6-Sat 8 April
Dorking Halls, Reigate
Rd, Dorking RH4 1SG
Leith Hill Musical
Festival
Having opened in March, the
main festival comprising the
competitions and concerts is the
highlight of the LHMF year and
is full of life with musical works
of different periods and styles.
Info: 01403 240093 / lhmf.org.uk
Sat 8 April 7.30pm
St. Mildred’s Church,
Tenterden TN30 6AT
Piano Recital
Award-winning young Polish
pianist Anna Szalucka will
perform works by Haydn,
Chopin, Ravel, Baciewicz and
Szymanowski. Hear Anna’s dazzling
performance in this beautiful
fifteenth century Parish Church.
Entry: £15
Info: 01580 761467 /
friendsofstmildredstenterden.co.uk
Sat 22 April 7.30pm
Rochester Cathedral, Garth
House, Rochester ME1 1SX
Mendelssohn: Elijah
Gravesham Choral Society presents
Elijah, the inventive and intensely
dramatic oratorio that Mendelssohn
regarded as his finest achievement.
Entry: £17/ £5 for full time students
Info: 01474 816684 /
graveshamcs.co.uk
Sat 22 April 8pm
Trinity Theatre, Church Road,
Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1JP
Local & Live
The final sessions of spring is
an eclectic showcase of the best
local talent, hand-picked by
177 wealdentimes.co.uk

What’s On In April
Registered Charity No. 239992
Protecting Wildlife for the Future
KentWildlifeTrustWT182.indd 1 10/03/2017 16:03
music-maestro Paul Dunton.
Info: 01892 678678 /
trinity theatre.net
Shows & Performances
Sat 1 April 7.30pm
EM Forster Theatre,
Tonbridge School, High Street,
Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1JP
Ballet Central
A chance to see future stars of
dance from the touring company
of the Central School of Ballet
showcasing newly commissioned
works and celebrated masterpieces.
Entry: £15, £13 concessions,
£10 groups
Info: 01732 304241 /
boxoffice.tonbridge-school.co.uk
Thurs 6 April
Folkestone Quarterhouse, Mill
Bay, Folkestone CT20 1BN
NT Live at The
Quarterhouse:
Twelfth Night
Tamsin Greig of Friday Night
Dinner, Black Books and Episodes
stars as Malvolia in this exciting
new twist on the Shakespearean
tale of mistaken identity,
comedy and unrequited love.
Info: 01303 760750/
quarterhouse.co.uk
Sat 15 April 12 noon
and 2.30pm
High Street, Guildford
The Passion of Jesus
in Guildford
The Wintershall cast of players
and animals turn the Guildford
high street into the stage of one
of the greatest stories ever told.
Entry: Free
Info: 01483 892167 /
wintershall-estate.com
Wildlife
Sat 1 April-Weds 25 October
Sea Searcher Boat Trips, The
Kiosk Pier Yard, Ramsgate Royal
Harbour, Ramsgate CT11 8LS
Seal and Wildlife
Watching Trips
The National Nature Reserve
take you on a trip to an active
seal colony. The trip also has
the benefit of a range of wild
birds including the rare ingret.
Entry: £20
Info: 07837 562076 /
seasearcher.co.uk
Tues 4 April
Turner Contemporary
Rendezvous, Margate CT9 1HG
Scavenger & Great
Eggcase Hunt
A different kind of egg hunt this
Easter with a day of fun searching
for shark egg cases to help create a
‘marine art masterpiece’. The event
will also continue at Broadstairs
on Weds 5, and Ramsgate
Main Sands on Thurs 6.
Entry: Suggested £1
Info: 01843 233000 /
secure.thanet.gov.uk/
Thurs 20 April 6.30pm
Green Farm, Church Ln,
Shadoxhurst, Kent TN26 1LS
Sam Lee singing with
Nightingales
A chance to listen as some of
the finest musicians in the land
duet with the rare and sweet
song of the nightingale. Sit by
the fireside, immerse yourself in
folklore, and dine on a gourmet,
backwoods feast with fine cheer,
woodsmoke and hearty stories.
Entry: £80, £72 per person for
groups of more than 4, including
feast and alcoholic drinks
Info: admin@thenestcollective.co.uk
/ singingwithnightingales.com
Listings are correct at time of going
to press but may be subject to change.
Readers are advised to check with
venues before making arrangements.
We can list your event in the next issue
of Wealden Times for only £15! Please
supply up to 50 words that should
include date, time, venue, and any
entry price to whatson@wealdentimes.
co.uk or send with payment (cheques
payable to JPS Media) to What’s On,
Wealden Times, Kettle Chambers, 21
Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent TN17
3HF. Wealden Times reserves the
right to edit text to fit space allocated.
If you would like your event listing
to be accompanied by a full colour
reproduction (42.5 x 62.5mm) of a
poster or other pictorial image, the
total charge will be £95. Deadline for
the May issue is 10 April 2017.
wealdentimes.co.uk
178
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Penshurst VINTAGE
& Antiques Fair
Penshurst Village Hall TN11 8BP
Thursday 4 th May 2017
@ 7.45pm
15 th , 16 th , 17 th April
Trade entry Saturday 9.30am
Public 10.30am–5pm
Entrance £2.00
Come and find fashionable vintage,
French brocante & antique treasures in
charming Penshurst. Enjoy delicious
cakes and tea by Rose & Olive.
Being opened by Fixing Dad
on Saturday 10.30am
In association with the BBC and Prudential Ride London
Tickets:
£15 Adults £10 Students
Box Office: 01580 711856
or Online @
www.queenshalltheatre.co.uk
Queen’s Hall Theatre,
Waterloo Road, Cranbrook, TN17 3JD
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179 wealdentimes.co.uk
CHD-WT182.indd 1 17/03/2017 16:52

Home & Interiors
Wealden Wealden Times Times - Bazaar - Classified
Furniture showroom now open
monday to Friday 10am-5pm
s aturday 10.30am-1pm by appointment
repairs - reFinishinG - paint eFFeCts
unit 10 midiC y oast
bodiam business parK tn32 5up
01580 830681 07754427194
atK insantiques.Com
1/4 m ile s outh oF Curlew r estaurant
Clare Langdon
AtkinsAntiquesWT182.indd 1 17/03/2017 SusanSurgeyWT167.indd 11:16
1 26/11/2015 12:41
INTERIORS
Made to measure
curtains & blinds
Tracks & poles
Measuring & fitting service
Home consultation
Fabrics & design advice
Telephone 01233 850829
clarelangdoninteriors.co.uk
Health & Wellbeing
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
DianeWilksWT144.indd 2 20/01/2014 KitchenDoctorWT145.indd 14:32
1 28/01/2014 10:12
ClareLangdonWT177.indd 1 24/10/2016 16:04
Make 2017 Your Health Year!
All you need to know on one website, based
on thirty years
experience in
natural health
promotion and
therapy. This
site offers you
information on
body, diet, stress
& breathing.
Equally useful
for patients or doctors who want to give their
patients more than just “A Pill for Every Ill”.
Visit: www.TotalHealthMatters.co.uk
St.Bridgets, Rye Road, Hawkhurst, Kent. TN18 5DA
The Best Fun-Fitness,
Calorie Burning, Aerobics
Class In Tenterden!
ButeykoWT182.indd 1 16/03/2017 10:08
Building Construction
Stonehurst Construction Ltd.
Professional service covering all aspects of
construction and refurbishment, from the
planning and design stage to completion.
Restoring Quality
Full restoration service, over
25 years’ experience. Including
Cabinet making, French
polishing, finishing / colouring /
distressing, Gilding, Veneering.
Call me for a free quote or
advice. On site work available.
SUSAN SURGEY
Restorer of Fine Antique Furniture
Ashford 01233 877342
or 07712 451104
For examples, please visit
www.susansurgey.co.uk
Renovation & refurbishment
Extensions
Landscaping
Barn conversions
New builds
Oak frame buildings
Free no obligation quotations
References and portfolio
available upon request
stonehurstconstruction.co.uk
T: 01825 830540 M: 07736158515 E: stonehurstconstruction@gmail.com
Piano Shop
StonehurstConstructionWT182.indd 1 14/03/2017 15:12
Thursdays 6:30pm to 7:30pm at
Homewood School Dance Studio
Open to all ages and fi tness levels, come along
to have some fun and improve your fi tness
for more information fi nd us on facebook
wealdentimes.co.uk
Suzercize
180
Nevill Estate Yard, Eridge, Tunbridge Wells, TN3 9JR
01892 543233
www.thepianoshopkent.co.uk
SuzerciseWT181.indd 1 21/02/2017 PianoShopWT180.indd 14:11
1 04/01/2017 16:06

See Firepod at
Wealden Times
Midsummer
Fair this June
Competition
Win A firepod Pizza
oven worth £445
Several years ago David Coward returned from working in the
Italian Alps wishing he could cook pizzas like the ones he had been
enjoying out there. After speaking to his business partner, Tim, the
pair endeavoured to find a suitable product, however they wanted it to
be hassle-free to use, portable and affordable. Eventually David and Tim
realised that the only way to get exactly what they wanted was to design
their own, so, after much research they appointed Jedco of Weybridge
to help with the design process. After over three years of testing and
perfecting, they are now manufacturing their first batch of Firepods.
The Firepod is a portable outdoor pizza oven which converts to a
griddle BBQ and heater for Lava Stones for ‘hot rock’ cooking at your
table. With the special pizza stones in place and the lid on, The Firepod
is a fantastic pizza oven – very quick to reach cooking temperature and
only a few minutes to cook your perfect authentic pizzas. For Hot Lava
Stone Cooking simply replace the pizza stones with the Lava Stone, heat
it up in your Firepod, lift the stone out and place on the board, then
take to your table for cooking ‘Hot Rock’ style, indoors or out. Replace
the lava stones with the reversible griddle – ridged on one side flat on
the other – and you are ready to cook in the Firepod’s third function!
The Firepod is currently available at thefirepod.com.
How to enter: For your chance to win
one Firepod, in a colour of your choice, just
answer the following question: Who helped
David and Tim with the design process? Enter
your answer with your contact details* in the
online form at wealdentimes.co.uk/competition
or post to: The Firepod Competition, Wealden
Times, 21 Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent
TN17 3HF by Friday 18 April 2017. Prize
comprises 1 x Firepod, 2 x Cordierite pizza
stones, 4 x Short oak legs, 1 x Oak stand
(Quadpod), 1 x Pizza peel, 2 x Heat-resistant
gloves, 1 Gas pipe and clip on regulator. Lava
Stones and Griddle available to purchase
separately. There is no cash alternative and
the prize must be taken before July 2017. *All
entrants’ details will be passed on to Firepod
and Wealden Times Events. Please let us know
if you do not wish your details to be passed on.
Congratulations to Kim Bates who wins our March competition for a beauty day spa for two at Grayshott Spa
181 wealdentimes.co.uk

See Firepod at
Wealden Times
Midsummer
Fair this June
Competition
Win A firepod Pizza
oven worth £445
Several years ago David Coward returned from working in the
Italian Alps wishing he could cook pizzas like the ones he had been
enjoying out there. After speaking to his business partner, Tim, the
pair endeavoured to find a suitable product, however they wanted it to
be hassle-free to use, portable and affordable. Eventually David and Tim
realised that the only way to get exactly what they wanted was to design
their own, so, after much research they appointed Jedco of Weybridge
to help with the design process. After over three years of testing and
perfecting, they are now manufacturing their first batch of Firepods.
The Firepod is a portable outdoor pizza oven which converts to a
griddle BBQ and heater for Lava Stones for ‘hot rock’ cooking at your
table. With the special pizza stones in place and the lid on, The Firepod
is a fantastic pizza oven – very quick to reach cooking temperature and
only a few minutes to cook your perfect authentic pizzas. For Hot Lava
Stone Cooking simply replace the pizza stones with the Lava Stone, heat
it up in your Firepod, lift the stone out and place on the board, then
take to your table for cooking ‘Hot Rock’ style, indoors or out. Replace
the lava stones with the reversible griddle – ridged on one side flat on
the other – and you are ready to cook in the Firepod’s third function!
The Firepod is currently available at thefirepod.com.
How to enter: For your chance to win
one Firepod, in a colour of your choice, just
answer the following question: Who helped
David and Tim with the design process? Enter
your answer with your contact details* in the
online form at wealdentimes.co.uk/competition
or post to: The Firepod Competition, Wealden
Times, 21 Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent
TN17 3HF by Friday 18 April 2017. Prize
comprises 1 x Firepod, 2 x Cordierite pizza
stones, 4 x Short oak legs, 1 x Oak stand
(Quadpod), 1 x Pizza peel, 2 x Heat-resistant
gloves, 1 Gas pipe and clip on regulator. Lava
Stones and Griddle available to purchase
separately. There is no cash alternative and
the prize must be taken before July 2017. *All
entrants’ details will be passed on to Firepod
and Wealden Times Events. Please let us know
if you do not wish your details to be passed on.
Congratulations to Kim Bates who wins our March competition for a beauty day spa for two at Grayshott Spa
181 wealdentimes.co.uk

Think you need
a strong partner
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and she frequently acts for clients with
complex financial arrangements,
including business, trusts, third party
interests and foreign property. She also
boasts a wealth of experience advising on
pensions, helping you start your next
chapter with everything you’re entitled to.
Call us on 0203 319 2685
slatergordon.co.uk
Offices in London, Watford, Cambridge,
Milton Keynes and throughout the UK
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, Kent TN1 2UY
Tel: 01892 520730
Family | Employment | Estate Planning | Wills and Probate | Property | Business Legal Services
www.rencraft.co.uk
Slater and Gordon (UK) LLP is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

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• A large range of fabrics & leathers to choose from
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