Wealden Times | WT186 | August 2017 | Wedding supplement inside

WEDDING Supplement inside 

Inspirational Interiors • Fabulous Fashion • Delicious Dishes 

PRICELESS 

AUGUST 2017

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

Quality Decking Products 

We We offer a a high-end range of of hardwood, thermo-treated && softwood 

decking boards. Available in in a a range of of dimensions and and profiles. 

Balustrade and and fitting accessories also also available. 

www.roundwood.com

OAK FRAMED BUILDINGS | | OAK && WALNUT FLOORING 

QUALITY DECKING && CLADDING | | HOME && GARDEN FEATURES 

Tel: 01435 867 072 

Round Wood Wood | | Newick Lane Lane | | Mayfield | East | East Sussex | TN20 | TN20 6RG 6RG

WORTH 

WORTH 

UP 

UP 

TO 

TO 

£800 

£800 

FREE 

FREE 

CABINET 

CABINET 

W E DON’T BELIEV E 

in in inflating prices to to reduce them later on on 

We We never have, have, and and we we never will. will. From time time to to time, we we prefer to to 

give give you you something instead. So, So, until until 31 31 st August 2017, we’d we’d like like you you to to 

choose a a cabinet worth up up to to £800 £800 when you you spend £8,000 or more more on on 

any any of of our our kitchen collections. Even Even better, we’ll we’ll give give you you two two cabinets 

worth up up to to £1,600 when you you spend £16,000 or more. 

Arrange a a complimentary design consultation 

in in any any of of our our beautiful stores. 

This This is our our Chichester collection. The The cabinetry is is hand-painted 

in in Shell, costing £9,115 and and has has a a lifetime guarantee. 

neptune.com 

Neptune Tonbridge, 1-2 1-2 Tannery Road, Road, TN9 TN9 1RF 1RF 

01732 01732 351866, info@neptunetonbridge.com 

Neptune Canterbury, Wincheap, CT1 CT1 3TY 3TY 

01227 01227 209300, info@neptunecanterbury.com 

For For full full terms, terms, visit visit neptune.com/kitchen2017

01580 291221 jminteriorsuk.uk Biddenden Showroom

MINTERIORS 

JFine hand crafted kitchens and bespoke furniture

5 High Street, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3EB 

01580 715144 

Email: kld@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 £250.00+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 

KingsfordSolicitorsWT186.indd 1 24/07/2017 16:55 

www.millwooddesignerhomes.co.uk 

The Lenham, The Old Orchard, Chartway Street, Sutton Valence ME17 3JA 

A 4 bedroom detached home with a double garage, ready for occupation Autumn 2017 

Priced at £715,000 | T: 01622 673086 | E: enquiries@sibleypares.co.uk 

Computer generated image 

wealdentimes.co.uk 

8 

SibleyParesWT186.indd 1 14/07/2017 12:41

TEL . 01798 3 481 

07831 86 402 

ALAN_CORDERY@YAHOO.CO .UK 

CLIENT SILENT POOL DISTI LERY 

BRAND SILENT POO LOGO 

DATE 04. 1.2016 

DOCUMENT SPG_IR_LOGO_TEAL.ai 

PRINT PROCE S x 

CYAN MAGENTA 

YE LOW BLACK 

Contents 

August 2017 

24 

45 

50 

73 

80 

50 

ENTERTAINING AL FRESCO 

Maggie Alderson’s houses 

with party perfect gardens 

AUGUST NOTEBOOK 

Fill your diary with hand 

picked events going on 

around the Weald 

BLAZE A TRAIL 

An Instagrammer’s country escape 

GET THE LOOK 

Put Lucinda’s neon 

highlights into practice 

WEALDEN TIMES 

MIDSUMMER FAIR 2017 

A round up of this 

June’s fabulous fair 

105 

111 

115 

117 

118 

120 

INVESTMENT PIECES 

Art and jewellery that 

will hold its value 

JUST SPRAY ‘I DO’ 

Josephine Fairley’s 

bridal fragrances 

PAINTERLY STYLE 

This month’s bitesize 

health news 

H20 

Julie Simpson reiterates the 

importance of keeping hydrated 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS 

Beautify your behind 

with tips from personal 

trainer Sarah-Jane Holt 

131 

136 

139 

143 

144 

82 

SOME LIKE IT HOT 

Jo Arnell’s tropical garden picks 

FEELING BORED? 

Susan Elkin explains that, 

for children, this isn’t 

necessarily a travesty 

WHAT’S ON? 

Find out... 

COMPETITION 

Win a couples retreat at Dale 

Hill Hotel & Golf Club 

FABLES FROM THE FARM 

Jane Howard explains the reasoning 

behind the names of her animals 

82 

103 

OVER THE SHOP 

Explore a home that lives and 

breathes St. Leonards cool 

GET THE LOOK 

Try out Helen’s relaxed 

coastal style 

120 

127 

WORLD INFLUENCE 

Hamerton+Jones share four 

heavenly summer recipes 

WHAT’S NEW? 

Sue Whigham explains what it takes 

to win RHS Plant of the Year 

Published by JPS Media Ltd. Kettle Chambers, 21 Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3HF 

Telephone 01580 714705 Email info@wealdentimes.co.uk Visit wealdentimes.co.uk 

Copyright © 2017 JPS Media Ltd. The views of the advertisers and contributors are not 

necessarily those of JPS Media Ltd. 

WEDDING 

SUPPLEMENT 

24 pages to help 

you plan and style 

your special day. 

After page 108. 

Weddings 

A Wealden Times Supplement 

9 

Sponsored by 

04WT186Supplement.indd 1 26/07/2017 12:14

Broad Oak 

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court, heated swimming pool and carp pond. Garden extending to approximately 3.25 acres. 

Pastureland extending to approximately 10.25 acres. EPC: D. 

Guide price: £2,250,000 

KnightFrank.co.uk/CHO170123 

rupert.connell@knightfrank.com 

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And with our local knowledge 

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Call us today on 01892 310700 to 

discuss your property search or to 

arrange a free market valuation. 

Guide price: £1,100,000 

Matfield 

A newly built family house in a gated development of just three houses 

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Double garage and shed / workshop. In all about 0.26 acres. EPC: C. 

@KF_HomeCounties 

KnightFrank.co.uk 

Guide price: £950,000 

Burwash 

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4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms. Double Garage. Garden. In all about 0.2 acres. EPC: C.

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

harpers and hurlingham 

Great cHart £1,250,000 

Grade II Listed farmhouse · Two receptions 

· Kitchen/breakfast room · Four bedrooms (one 

ensuite) · One bedroom cottage · Pool and pool house 

· Snooker room and gym · Equestrian facilities 

· Grounds approx. 4.5 acres · EPC: n/a 

Must be seen to appreciate all that is on offer 

Biddenden £1,100,000 

Attractive unlisted oast house · Four reception rooms 

· Kitchen/breakfast room · Utility room · Six bedrooms 

(five ensuite) · Gardens and covered terrace 

approximately 1.7 acres · Ample off road parking 

· Quiet rural location · EPC: F 

Cranbrook School Catchment Area 

Headcorn £1,100,000 

Stunning barn conversion with annexe · Barn: Two 

receptions · Kitchen/breakfast room · Utility room 

· Three bedrooms (two ensuite) · Annexe: Reception 

· Kitchen/breakfast room · Two bedrooms 

· Approx. 7 acres · Outbuildings · EPC: n/a 

Viewing highly recommended 

GoudHurst £945,000 

Striking converted chapel with views · Elevated 

position · Two receptions rooms · Spacious kitchen/ 

dining room · Utility room · Four bedrooms (one 

ensuite) · Courtyard garden and balcony 

· Off road parking · EPC: C 

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

HERE TO GET you THERE

Weald Property half - 1 property.qxp_half page 11/07/2014 15:42 Page 1 

Residential Sales • Management and Lettings 

01580 242700 

wealdproperty.net 

Horsmonden / Brenchley £945,000 

Weald Property half - 1 property.qxp_half page 11/07/2014 15:42 Page 1 

2 Windmill Oast, Windmill Farm, 

Rolvenden, Kent TN17 4PF 

Residential Sales • Management and Lettings 

01580 242700 

wealdproperty.net 

A handsome and beautifully appointed, detached Victorian country 

house, set in an idyllic rural location in approximately one and 

half acres of enchanting gardens and grounds, with breath-taking, 

panoramic farmland views. 

Situated on the outskirts of the sought after village of Horsmonden, 

being a short distance (3.3 miles) from the main line train station 

located at Paddock Wood (London Bridge 42 mins), Churn Siding 

dates to the 1880’s, with later additions and this light and spacious 

4 bedroom home has been recently extended and refurbished to 

exacting standards. 

A stunning handmade kitchen / breakfast room with impressive 

‘Total Control’ electric Aga with high tech time control, central island, 

slate flooring and granite work tops lies at its heart, while bright and 

airy adjacent reception rooms, with warm oak flooring and an open fire 

place, provides ideal and welcome entertaining space. The thoughtful 

and impressive attention to detail in this inviting, family home has 

clearly been created with modern living in mind. The useful utility 

room and immaculate and stylish bathrooms are testament to this. 

The pretty, well maintained grounds include an original platform 

from an historic, no longer used railway siding and is perfectly 

complemented by a delightful rose garden, an attractive kitchen 

garden with raised beds, a patio for entering and a large paddock 

suitable for equestrian use. The attractive oak car port / garage is a 

welcome addition and houses the garden store and gym / office. 

Situated on a quiet country lane in ‘Area of Outstanding Natural 

Beauty’, there are excellent local amenities both in the village and 

in nearby towns such as Cranbrook and Tunbridge Wells, a wealth of 

well-respected schools and superb transport links – the A21 is easily 

accessed and nearby Paddock Wood Station (only 3.3 miles away) 

provides main line trains to London. 

Viewings: Strictly by appointment only via Weald Property 

T. 01580 242700 E. info@wealdproperty.net W. www.wealdproperty.net 

2 Windmill Oast, Windmill Farm, 

Rolvenden, Kent TN17 4PF

LUXURY APARTMENTS, MEWS HOUSES 

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CALL 01622 673 086 TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT 

C 

M 

Y 

sJd – developing potential 

SibleyParesWT186i.indd 1 25/07/2017 11:08 

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. 

CM 

MY 

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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 development potential 

SJD-Half 190x133.indd 1 09/04/2017 18:25 


18 

SJDprojectsWT184.indd 1 02/05/2017 15:57

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HELP TO BUY 

at Knights Wood 

Owning your first first home in in Royal Tunbridge Wells should feel feel like like 

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About the scheme 

Help Help to to Buy Buy is is available to to all all new new 

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Our Our marketing suite suite is open is open daily daily from from 

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5% 5% DEPOSIT 

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Example of of a a Victoria two two bedroom house 

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*Help *Help to Buy to is Buy not is available not available to assist to assist buy-to-let buy-to-let investors investors those or those 

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ST. PANCRAS 

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HOUSE OF THE MONTH 

1. 

Entertaining Al Fresco 

Maggie Alderson uncovers homes that are garden party perfect 

Opening an article with the context of the weather on the day of 

writing guarantees it will be an entirely different clime on the day the 

magazine, or newspaper comes out (just as watering your parched 

garden will guarantee a downpour of biblical scale within an hour). 

Knowing all this I will still venture that today I ate lunch and dinner at the table 

in my garden – it was heaven and it’s not the first time I’ve done it this year. I can 

only hope that after writing those words I haven’t condemned it to be the last. 

As a nation accustomed to – and a sneaky little bit proud of – our very 

changeable and ‘unseasonal’ weather, we Brits know to grab such blue sky 

days when they come along, which is why every bank holiday with a positive 

weather forecast leads to supermarkets sold out of barbecue charcoal, sausages 

and coleslaw, as everyone plans a mass stampede to their outdoor plots. 

And the fact that the incident of such al fresco frolicking 

opportunities might be countable on one hand each year makes it 

all the more important to make the most of them by having your 

outdoor wining and dining facilities in place well in advance. 

The same is true for general outdoor lounging arrangements, because just as 

every kitchen must now be ‘eat in’ and feature at least one sofa and a TV, so families 

embracing the indoor/outdoor lifestyle expect this set up in the garden too. 

Popping out to panic purchase a garden dining set, loungers and allweather 

coffee tables on the morning of August bank holiday Sunday is 

unlikely to lead to wise investment buys. And well before you even get to 

that stage it’s vital to have a level surface, within easy reach of the house and 

with the most pleasant outlook from and of your plot ready for them. No 

one wants to be Ethelred the Unready for one of our precious scorchers. 

Better still, buy a house which has a fabulous outdoor entertaining 

and lounging area already in place – as these four do. 

1. 

1. Upper Crisbrook Mill 

Where? Upper Crisbrook Mill 

sits in a nature conservation area in 

the beautiful Loose valley, just a 20 

minute walk along the river from 

Maidstone town centre. High speed 

trains to St Pancras take one hour from 

Maidstone West, the M20 is nearby. 

What? Built in the 18th century 

as a water mill, it was converted into 

a house in the 1970s and has been 

completely renovated by the current 

owners, who got the original mill wheel 

working again. It now supplies all the 

electricity for the house and enough for 

the National Grid to bring in a sizable 

income. The mill pond also provides a 

superb spot to sit and eat, serenaded by 

the sound of the stream. Across a floor 

area of nearly 5,000 sq feet, the ground 

floor features a cellar and snug, dining 

room, kitchen, utility, and bathroom. 

Upstairs are two bedrooms and two 

studies and a further bathroom. 

How much? Upper Crisbrook 

Mill is listed with Fine & Country, 

West Malling at £1,100,000 

Call 01732 222272 or have a 

look on fineandcountry.com 


24

2. 

3. 

4. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

2. Fernclyffe House 

Where? Fernclyffe House has a 

perfect position combining the leafy 

appeal of a large mature garden – 20 

minutes’ walk to Tunbridge Wells 

station. Equidistant between Calverley 

Grounds and Dunorlan Park, all the 

retail and dining delights of the town 

are within happy strolling distance. 

What? A substantial sandstone Grade 

II Listed villa, Fernclyffe House is one 

of the largest and finest residences 

in the town, built in the early 1850s 

by architect William Willicombe, a 

protégé of Decimus Burton. Arranged 

over four floors, the garden level has a 

kitchen/breakfast room, den and a onebed 

apartment. Ground floor houses 

the drawing room, morning room, 

dining and a splendid conservatory. 

Arranged over the two upper floors are 

eight bedrooms and four bathrooms. 

Outside to the front there is a gravel 

terrace with a dining area and a giant 

chessboard overlooking the lawn, to the 

rear is a sleek new swimming pool and 

contemporary dining and lounging area. 

How much? Offers in excess of 

£3,250,000 are sought for Fernclyffe 

House, in the care of Knight Frank, 

Tunbridge Wells. Telephone 01892 

515035, or browse knightfrank.co.uk 

3. Penally 

Where? Penally is located within 

the picturesque hamlet of Monks 

Hampton, on the North Downs, east 

of Ashford, on a quiet country lane 

surrounded by beautiful countryside. 

There are good road links via the M20 

and it’s five miles to Westenhanger and 

trains to London in less than an hour. 

The Kent coast is just 7 miles away. 

What? With its low eaves, dormer 

windows and attractive brickwork, you 

would never guess that this house was 

built in 2002. Greatly expanded and 

improved by the current owners it has the 

charm of a period property with all the 

comforts of a modern one, including a 

cinema room, a gym, a one-bed annexe 

and equestrian facilities with a manège. 

The swimming pool is designed for 

open air chilling with a pool house, an 

outdoor kitchen – and an outdoor TV. 

The modern eat-in kitchen flows into 

a large reception room. The ground 

floor also features the screening room 

and a spare bedroom with en suite. 

Upstairs are four more bedrooms, one 

en suite and a family bathroom. 

How much? Penally is priced at 

£1,600,000, looked after by Fine and 

Country’s Tenterden office on 01580 

766388. Or visit fineandcountry.com 

4. Lested Hall 

Where? Lested Hall is set in a 

semi-rural location on the edge of 

the village of Chart Sutton, five 

minutes from Sutton Valence and 

15 from Maidstone. London is less 

than an hour from Headcorn or 

Staplehurst and the M20 is handy. 

What? A very unusual Grade II listed 

house with medieval origins and 17th 

and 18th century additions, it looks 

completely different from each side, 

with a splendid Queen Anne façade 

to the front, timbers to the side and 

a striking modern treatment on the 

converted grain store annexe opposite 

the house at the back. Between the two 

are professionally landscaped gardens, 

with water features which would be a 

wonderful party setting. Over 5000 

sq feet of house continues the mix of 

500 years of architectural styles in a 

drawing room, morning room, dining 

hall, kitchen and breakfast room. 

Upstairs are six bedrooms and five 

bath/shower rooms. The annexe has 

a further two en suite bedrooms. 

How much? Lested Hall is 

on the market at £1,750,000 with 

Jackson-Stops, Cranbrook. 01580 

720000 jackson-stops.co.uk 

25 wealdentimes.co.uk

loucasteou.com 

Lets Salsa 

LUXURY LATIN DANCE AND FITNESS RETREAT 

Chateau Lou Casteou, Cote d’Azur, France 

Set in the beautiful French Cote d’Azur countryside, minutes from the sea, 

this luxurious dance retreat provides the perfect balance of focussed dance 

classes led by skilled dancing professionals, Latino and water aerobics, coastal 

treks and a visit to a Provencal vineyard, gourmet meals and pampered luxury 

to help guests improve and develop their Latin Dance Skills and fitness levels. 

4 days luxury accommodation in the chateau in 

en‐suite bedrooms with sea or mountain views. 

October 5th-8th 2017 

Please register your interest ASAP to guarantee a place 

Contact: morag@loucasteou.com 

MMBaxterS30-1.indd 1 28/03/2017 11:27 

ENGLISH 

ARTIST DESIGNERS 

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26 

TownerArtGalleryWT183.indd 1 19/04/2017 10:33

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

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28 

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34 

KarensFoamStoreWT186.indd 1 21/07/2017 11:11

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Abdel (detail) by David Cantor, 2016 © David Cantor 

Saturday 8 July to 

Sunday 29 October 2017 

Special Exhibitions Room 

Free admission 

The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge 

18 High Street, Canterbury CT1 2RA 

thebeaney.co.uk 

Image: Shag Resting, Farne Islands, Northumberland, England. Steven Fairbrother 

See website for full opening times 

Exhibition organised by the National Portrait Gallery 

A unique opportunity to view fifty-seven 

portraits by some of the most exciting 

and contemporary photographers from 

around the world. 

Sponsored by

Blooming Bouquets... 

Blooming Green’s two hour workshop on Thursday 3 August 

will teach you to transform a simple selection of flowers and 

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to create a lovely gift using flowers from your own garden. Pick 

your seasonal blooms from the bountiful flower plot at their 

Maidstone farm, then learn how to make a stunning bouquet 

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bloominggreenflowers.co.uk 

August 

notebook 

Exhibitions & events 

near you this month... 

Simply Garden... 

If you’re loving this year’s trend for houseplants, 

this talk by expert horticulturist Sarah Wilson of 

Hastings Old Town’s Simply Garden is a must see. On 

Wednesday 16 August from 7.30 to 9.30pm, The 

Printworks in Hastings will see Sarah offering insights 

into how to select the best plants for your interior 

and ensure they thrive. Attendees will also receive a 

complimentary drink on arrival and a 10% discount 

on a wide range of plants available for sale on the 

night so you can put all you learn to good use. Call 

01424 319093 for tickets at just £8 each. 

Creative Critters... 

Coinciding with Heywood and Condie’s ‘Living 

Garden’ installation, Jerwood Gallery in Hastings 

are offering the chance to draw and explore the 

magnificent world of mini-beasts on Sunday 27 

August. After professional naturalist Andrew Smith 

introduces each creature, Jennie Webber will guide 

you in ninety minutes of observational drawing. This 

is for all levels of expertise to get involved - there is 

even the option of a family workshop. Find out more 

and book in advance at jerwoodgallery.org. 

©English Heritage 

Roll Up! Roll Up!... 

You can’t beat a good old-fashioned trip to the 

circus, and the opulent and enchanting travelling 

theatre of Nicole & Martin offers just that. Expect 

theatrical tales of princes and devils, acrobats and 

jugglers, all told with spellbinding style. The big 

top will be pitched at Walmer Castle and Gardens 

from Thursday 31 August to Sunday 3 September 

with a unique show every evening. To hear about 

each one, pick your favorite, and find booking 

information visit english-heritage.org.uk 

Canteen Social... 

This summer, Canteen Social brings Street Food 

to Kent for the final bank holiday blow out. The 

best hand picked street food traders will take over 

Tenterden’s Market Square for one evening only on 

Saturday 26th August from 7pm. It’s the perfect 

excuse to feast on the likes of Burger Bros, Stoned 

Pizza and One in the Oven. Add to that a bar 

brimming with English wines, Kentish Ciders, and 

local beers as well as music from the best local talent, 

and this one’s got all you need for a great evening 

shared with friends in the heart of the county. Follow 

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PRIDE Brighton... 

Fizzing with fabulousness and glittering with glorious 

colour, the UK’s biggest Pride Festival is set to 

celebrate diversity with irresistible joy from Friday 

4 to Sunday 6 August. True to its inclusive spirit, 

Brighton Pride is intent on bringing a smile to every 

face, whether you cheer on the fantastic Carnival of 

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gardens, or dance the night away at live performances 

from the likes of Louisa Johnson, Years & Years, and 

Pet Shop Boys. Visit brighton-pride.org for details. 

Contemporary Craft... 

The Sussex Guild are giving you two amazing 

opportunities to explore contemporary craft this 

month. First comes Michelham Priory, from 

Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 August, where a collection 

of crafty goodies will be displayed in the Elizabethan 

Barn and a number of marquees. Then on bank 

holiday weekend, the lovely Pashley Manor will 

host another gathering of professional makers in a 

large marquee in front of the manor house. Go to 

thesussexguild.co.uk for more information. 


+44 (0)1892 619721 www.krieder.com

HOMELEIGH TIMBER & BUILDING SUPPLIES 

TRADING 

FOR OVER 

www.homeleighgroup.co.uk 

YEARS 

ESTABLISHED 1966 

Editor’s 

Letter 

Timber & Sheet 

Materials 

Building Materials 

Bricks & Blocks 

If you yearn to introduce a splash of trendiness to your home, 

look no further than our first house this month. Lucinda 

Mitra’s inventive edit of highstreet finds, niche brands and 

creative lighting has resulted in an enviably contemporary interior 

for her young family that has gained a huge Instagram following. 

Helen Robinson’s seaside property is equally as 

enviable. Living the bohemian lifestyle epitomised 

by her St. Leonards boutique, SHOP, Helen has 

transformed her seaside cottage into a tranquil and 

welcoming space filled with all her favourite things. 

This issue is also home to our biannual Wedding Supplement, 

filled with all things gorgeous and bridal to help you on 

your way to creating the day you’ve always dreamed of. 

If you’re feeling peckish, Hamerton+Jones’s 

incredibly tasty summer recipes are sure to satisfy your 

hunger whilst Jo Arnell’s exotic garden picks offer 

a vibrant way to create the lush, outdoor space that 

we’ve always lusted after here in the WT office. 

Turn to our health and beauty pages for the latest 

advice on staying happy and healthy, including tips 

on keeping trim and hydrated – perfect preparations 

for any weddings that may be on the horizon. 

Enjoy your Wealden Times! 

Fencing & 

Landscaping 

Painting & 

Decorating 

Ironmongery 

Plumbing 

& Drainage 

DIY, Aggregates & 

Gardening Products 

Insulation 

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 ....................................................................................... Kate Watts 

Wealden Times Events Team 

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

Show Director ................................................................................. Flo Simpson 

Get Your Home Ready 

For The New Season! 

01622 791111 Hall Road, Maidstone 

01580 892733 Maidstone Road, Staplehurst 

01580 892037 Station Road, Staplehurst 

01233 850075 Ashford Road, High Halden 

47 wealdentimes.co.uk 

HomeleighWT185.indd 1 08/06/2017 12:22

Preserving your place in history 

DESIGN & PLANNING | RESTORATION | NEW BUILD | BARN CONVERSIONS | EXTENSIONS | JOINERY 

For a brochure or home consultation call 01797 366895 

www.anthony-hicks.co.uk

where to find your copy… 

Call 01580 714705 to find your nearest distributor of 

Wealden Times or to have your free copy delivered for 

12 months for just £22 postage 

Distribution of Wealden Times 

published in Cranbrook for Kent & Sussex 

Orpington 

THE 

SUMMER SALE 

WITH INTEREST FREE CREDIT 

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You can get your copy at most railway stations, newsagents 

and prestige stores throughout the Weald. The following 

are our major distribution points and you can also 

visit wealdentimes.co.uk for a complete listing 

Ashford 

• Kingsfords 

Solicitors 

• M&S Food Hall 

• Nutmeg Café 

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Farm 

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Battle 

• British Design 

British Made 

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Benenden 

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• Bloomsburys 

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Bluewater 

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Boughton Aluph 

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Charing 

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& Staff 

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Eridge 

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Etchingham 

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Food & Deli 

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+ Jones 

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butchers 

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Hurst Green 

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Hythe 

• Bank Street News 

• The Chair Lady 

• The Flower Shop 

• Halcyon Days 

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Seafood 

Restaurant 

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Hotel 

• Nutmeg Café 

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William 

Kings Hill 

• Costa 

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Hairdressing 

Lenham 

• Corner House 

Antiques 

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Maidstone 

• House of Fraser 


Marden 

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Village Store 

Mayfield 

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Northiam 

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Pluckley 

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Robertsbridge 

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• The Stores 

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• The Rye Retreat 

Sandhurst 

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Fuels 

Sevenoaks 

• Cook 


• Mimi Bakery 

Sheffield Green 

• Trading 

Boundaries 

Sissinghurst 

• TN17 Food 

& Wine 

Staplehurst 

• Millbrook 

Garden Centre 

St. Leonardson-Sea 

• Shop 

• Who’s Wearing 

What 

Tenterden 

• Cashara 

• Hunters Estate 

Agents 

• Leisure Centre 

• London Beach 

Hotel 

• Rising Star 

• Tenterden House 

Interiors 


• Webbs of 

Tenterden 

• White Lion 

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Ticehurst 

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Tunbridge Wells 

• Fenwick 

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Halls, Royal 

Victoria Place 

and Fountains 

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Place 

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West Malling 

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STATIONS: 

• Ashford 

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• Tonbridge 

• Tunbridge Wells 

• Wadhurst 

• West Malling 

Also available in: 

• Edenbridge 

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PEFC/16-33-795 

The mark of responsible forestry 

SGS-COC-006108 

© 1996 Forest Stewardship Council A.C. 

01622 753073 | clarkesfurnishers.co.uk 

Visit us at Sandling Road, Maidstone, ME14 2RF 


LenleysWT186.indd 1 10/07/2017 14:25

Words: Jennifer Stuart-Smith Photographs: David Merewether Styling: Lucy Fleming 


50

Blaze a trail 

Having decided to swap London life for a home in 

the countryside, Lucinda Mitra took to Instagram 

to document the refurbishment of her new family 

home. After rapidly amassing over 30,000 follows, 

Lucinda’s account, nest_twenty_eight, is now an 

online destination for fresh, contemporary styling 


Employed Skilled Workforce | Renovations & Extensions 

Conversions & Alterations | Design & Build 

A.T. Palmer Ltd 

RestoRation specialists est.1949 

T: 01233 770077 

Smarden Business Estate, TN27 8QL 

atpalmer.co.uk 

Back From Black 

Beam Renovation Ltd 

Renovating Beams Since 1997 

ATPalmerWT176.indd 1 09/09/2016 11:44 

All beams renovated without mess 

A unique system - No blasting 

No damage to the wood 

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


52 

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

It’s often said that we have no idea what goes on behind 

closed doors – and for many of us that’s a blessed 

relief. Even those of us who like having guests may 

still break out in a cold sweat at the thought of people 

arriving unannounced, before we’ve had a chance to 

wash the dishes or have a quick tidy up. So, imagine if 

more than 30,000 people had looked around your home, 

made themselves comfortable on your sofa – in their 

minds at least – and felt free to comment on your decor. 

Welcome to the life and home of Lucinda Mitra, a former 

English teacher and now an Instagram sensation. 

Arriving at the pretty brick house on a cul-de-sac in rural 

Sussex, there’s nothing on the outside that gives away the 

building’s exciting other life. Perhaps unsurprisingly though, 

as you come into the house it feels strangely familiar. Lucinda 

is as welcoming as you might expect from someone who 

is happy to share every corner of her home with a raft of 

‘followers’. She’s also extremely down-to-earth and not at 

all phased by her almost accidental rise to online celebrity. 

“I was a secondary school teacher up in London, then we 

moved out here and I was due to start teaching at another 

school but got pregnant.” Lucinda now shares the house with 

her husband James and their daughter Sienna, 19 months. “I 

Previous pages & this page: Lucinda has painted 

her living room in deep, rich Farrow & Ball Hague 

Blue. The Be Big poster is from Print Club London 

and the sofa is French Connection for DFS 

 


This page: Lucinda wrapped fairy 

lights left over from Christmas around 

a branch that she found whilst out 

walking. The circular mirror above 

the fireplace was from IKEA 

didn’t just want to sit in the country and 

let my brain turn to mush, so I started 

writing a blog.” Since having Sienna, 

however, the blog has had to take a bit 

of a back seat. “I don’t have as much 

time these days,” says Lucinda, “but on 

Instagram I can just take a picture, write 

a caption, and put some hashtags on it.” 

Sounds simple really – though it’s clear 

that having impeccable taste helps too. 

As we come into the hallway, artful 

compositions catch your eye, though it 

still feels like a welcoming family home 

and not contrived: “The beauty of it all 

is that I am doing up the house anyway 

– I’m not doing it for Instagram.” This 

level-headed and practical approach 

is clearly another quality that has 

made her so popular. “It’s not about 

comparing yourself with anyone else 

or worrying about the number of 

followers. Otherwise you’d get paranoid 

and think: ‘This picture didn’t get so 

many likes as the last one!’ So what?!” 

The open-plan kitchen-dining area 

immediately provides impact: “The 

units were here already – they’re my 

latest up-cycling project,” says Lucinda. 

“They were cream less than a month 

ago, so I painted them in Farrow & 

Ball’s Railings, took the knobs off 

and sprayed them copper and did 

the same with the extractor hood.” 

The effect is stunning. “I’m really 

happy with the finished result,” says 

Lucinda, “and, through Instagram, I got 

loads of help and advice from people 

who’ve carried out similar work.” 

Next to the kitchen is a dining 

area, with a dining table topped with 

a striking black and white table 


54

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Tel: 0208 303 2760 

bexleyheath@bang-olufsen.co.uk 

www.bang-olufsen.com/bexleyheath 


of Cambridge 

29 Magdalene Street, 

Cambridge CB3 0AF 

Tel: 01223 464400 

cambridge@bang-olufsen.co.uk 

www.bang-olufsen.com/cambridge 


London 

Freephone 0808 231 0000 

info@beoshop.co.uk 

www.beoshop.co.uk 


of Maidstone 

37 Royal Star Arcade, High Street, 

Maidstone, Kent ME14 1JL 

Tel: 01622 756756 

maidstone@bang-olufsen.co.uk 

www.bang-olufsen.com/maidstone 


of Tunbridge Wells 

66 Mount Pleasant Road, 

Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1RB 

Tel: 01892 527525 

tunbridgewells@bang-olufsen.co.uk 

www.bang-olufsen.com/tunbridgewells

Above left: Lucinda sourced the velvet sofa in the playroom from DFS and the zebra rug is IKEA. The wallpaper is ‘Honolulu’ Palm 

Green from Graham & Brown Above right: A photograph of her grandfather has pride of place on a cow hide drum that belonged to 

Lucinda’s parents 

runner – IKEA – and an array of candles reflecting the trend 

for Scandinavian ‘hygge’ or cosiness. “We had these all out 

around the BBQ at the weekend... which was lovely though 

it did all start to look a bit like a vigil!” says Lucinda, with 

typical lack of pretence. I notice an ancient Singer sewing 

machine in the corner: “My mum picked that up in the 80s, 

from an ad in the local paper. My parents used to store all 

their plastic supermarket bags under it!” Not any more... 

“A lot of things in the house are from my parents: the 

dining table, the Arab chest in the living room, the cow-skin 

drums... they were all just things they had in the garage. 

My mum was from Uganda and my dad grew up in east 

Africa, so a lot of things in the house are from Africa.” Such 

personal items prevent the rooms looking like a brochure. 

French doors lead through to an equally dramatic living 

room, which Lucinda has painted in Farrow & Ball’s 

Hague Blue, with an unusual feature wall painted to look 

almost industrial. “It’s a special lime paint that comes in 

powder form, from a company called Kalklitir. The shade 

is Concrete.” Dark and muted shades make the perfect 

backdrop for pops of colour such as the bright pink velvet 

cushion on the sofa and the ‘Be Big’ pop-art-style print 

from Print Club London on the wall above. Opposite is 

another quirky print, also from Print Club London, called 

66 on the Moon. What with the dark blue, almost black, 

walls, huge round mirror, round clock, and the print it 

feels as if there is a bit of a moon theme. “Oh, I hadn’t 

thought of that!” says Lucinda. Either way, it works. 

Leading off the living room is a room which is currently 

Sienna’s play room, though not for long. “It’s going to become 

a bar area,” says Lucinda. “Poor Sienna’s going to have 

nowhere to play, but she just runs around the house anyway 

so she doesn’t necessarily need a dedicated space.” The room 

works well as playroom and prospective bar, with retro palmleaf 

wallpaper, a mock zebra-skin on the floor and two large 

African drums as low-level tables. “The sofa I bought with 

a voucher from DFS, after we collaborated on Instagram,” 

adds Lucinda, highlighting some of the benefits of 


Since having Sienna the blog has had to take a bit of a back seat. “I don’t 

have as much time these days,” says Lucinda, “but on Instagram I can just 

take a picture, write a caption, and put some hashtags on it.” 

 


58

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HeatDesignWT185.indd 1 20/06/2017 15:31

Left: The kitchen units are painted in Farrow & 

Ball Railings. Lucinda took the knobs and the 

cooker hood details off and sprayed them copper 

Below: Lucinda’s parents used to store their 

plastic supermarket bags under the Singer 

sewing machine before it found a new home in 

her dining room 

building up an Instagram presence. She currently works 

with DFS, Warren Evans and BHS Home, amongst others. 

Upstairs, the main bedroom is dominated by a 

simple wooden Warren Evans bed which the couple 

brought with them from London. “I already really liked 

the company so it was great when they asked me to 

collaborate and do their first ever Instagram takeover,” 

says Lucinda. “It’s all British-made, which is great.” The 

bedside tables are also from Warren Evans, fitting neatly 

in the limited space on either side of the bed, while the 

funky little clip-on reading lights are from IKEA. 

Lucinda is great at mixing up items from affordable 

high-street shops, independent shops – the over-sized 

mirror in the corner was from Hoopers in Tunbridge 

Wells – with family heirlooms and up-cycled items. “The 

wardrobes were left by the previous owners and were orange 

pine, so I painted them with Rustoleum’s Winter Grey 

chalk paint. That was my first up-cycling project when 

we moved in.” It’s a lovely, light and comfortable room, 

but it’s clear that Lucinda’s keen to redecorate. “It’s time 

to re-do this room,” she says, confirming my hunch. 

The en suite has already had the magic touch. “We’ve 

just had the en suite done. It’s quite a generic house in 

terms of structure, design and general look so I said to 

James that I wanted to go for more unusual fittings like 

a black shower tray and black shower door – I quite like 

the industrial look.” Monochrome works well here but 

has been brightened up with the addition of a large Swiss 

cheese plant leaf and little succulents. “I’m not one of 

those people who can commit to one particular style 

throughout the house. I like so many,” says Lucinda. 

Across the landing the main bathroom has had a similarly 

refreshing make-over, with clever painting and up-cycling 

again saving the family money: “It’s quite a generic bathroom, 

so I wanted to give it some character and drama. The radiator 

was already in here and I really liked the shape of it so I 


This page: Liking its shape, Lucinda painted the radiator in the main bathroom black and updated the basin unit with sample 

pots of Farrow & Ball 

just sprayed it black. My followers have gone crazy for it,” 

says Lucinda. The basin unit got a similar treatment... “I 

painted the basin cabinet using a tiny Farrow & Ball sample 

pot, so it cost me about £7.50. Why spend more than £100 

on a new unit when I could just paint this one?” she says. 

Guests in Lucinda and James’ home are lucky enough 

to use this lovely bathroom – and stay in either of the 

two guest rooms. Having four bedrooms was a real perk 

for Lucinda and James when moving out of London and, 

having met Lucinda, it’s clear that having more rooms 

to decorate would also have appealed. “Two weeks ago it 

looked totally different in here,” says Lucinda, as we walk 

into one of the guest rooms. “It’s all about the bedding. 

That’s all you need to change – and the art works.” 

Lucinda has gone for a colour scheme of greys and neutrals 

with pops of reds and orange. “I got some bedding from 

IKEA as I thought that would be a really cheap way to update 

the room.” A few more unusual items add even more 


62

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“I tend to switch 

things round a bit 

in here. The yellow 

throw and bedding is 

from Homesense, the 

geometric cushion is 

from Made.com and 

these cushions are 

from IKEA to match 

the rug on the floor.” 

This page: Accents of black, 

white, grey and yellow contrast 

with the pure white walls of one 

of the spare bedrooms 


Left: The suspended lamps in one of the two spare bedrooms 

are from Wickle in Lewes Below: Lucinda covered the laminate 

floor in Sienna’s room with a large cowhide rug from Homesense 

character, including lamps from Wickle in Lewes and bulbs 

from Dunelm Mill. “Dunelm do the best-value squirrelcage 

bulbs – everyone else charges double,” says Lucinda. 

The other spare room is to the front of the house, 

and filled with afternoon sunlight as well as an array of 

stylish, mostly monochrome prints. “I tend to switch 

things round a bit in here, the artworks and stuff. The 

yellow throw and bedding is from Homesense, the 

geometric cushion is from Made.com and these cushions 

are from IKEA to match the rug on the floor.” 

Over the bedstead is a branch with fairy lights wrapped 

around it. Lucinda collected the branch from the school 

woods when she was a teenager and it’s a design motif she’s 

repeated in the living room. “I went to boarding school 

and my dorm was always spotless,” says Lucinda with a 

smile. “I’d win the weekly prize for tidiest room and I was 

always meticulous about posters and how they lined up!” 

Last but not least it’s time to peek into Sienna’s room, after 

her afternoon nap. “I wanted Sienna’s room to have a pared 

back, calm Scandi feel to it, but I wasn’t a fan of the laminate 

floor,” says Lucinda. “I painted the laminate floor in the guest 

bedroom and toyed with painting the floor in here too,

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Top: The bed and side tables in the master bedroom are from Warren Evans. Groupings 

of prints and objets line shelves along the walls and above the bed 

but in the end I got a cowhide from 

Homesense which covered the floor 

and softens the room – which I didn’t 

feel painting the floor would do.” The 

star blind was already in the room and 

Lucinda bought some vintage Andy 

Pandy curtains from Lewes Antiques 

Market to dress the window a bit more. 

All the other bedrooms are painted 

white, but Lucinda didn’t want 

Sienna’s room to feel too clinical. 

“The furnishings are from IKEA – I 

love how the pale beech wood works 

in here and it’s so cost effective,” says 

Lucinda. As ever, though, she’s used 

one or two more personal items to 

make the room extra special: “The 

bunting was handmade by a family 

friend for our wedding, so it’s lovely 

to see it in Sienna’s room,” she says. 

The finishing touches are 

what it’s all about in this home 

and, after a most enjoyable tour, 

it’s fair to say I’ll definitely be 

following her on Instagram... 


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70 

ThorndaleFurnishersWT186.indd 1 11/07/2017 16:34

Above left: The large mirror in James and Lucinda’s bedroom is from Hoopers in Tunbridge Wells, given to the couple as a house 

warming gift Above right: The newly finished en suite 

Address Book: 

Follow Lucinda on Instagram at nest_twenty_eight 

instagram.com/nest_twenty_eight 

BritishHomeStore bhs.com 

dunelm Mill dunelm.com 

Farrow & Ball farrow-ball.com 

Graham & Brown grahambrown.com 

Homesense homesense.com 

Hoopers Tunbridge Wells 

hoopersstores.com/hoopers-tunbridge-wells-store 

iKeA ikea.com/gb/en 

Kalklitir kalklitir.com 

Made.com 

Print Club London printclublondon.com 

Warren evans warrenevans.com 

Wickle Lewes wickle.co.uk 


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Bobby Rabbit 

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French Connection Zinc 

4 Seater Sofa in Grey 

Combination, £799 

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Cult Living Framed Let’s Dance 

Perspex Print in Yellow, £35 

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GET THE LOOK 

Time Life Lady Reading 

Framed Mono Print, £199 

Artisanti artisanti.com 

Needle Pendant, £76.20 

där lighting group 

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Malini Dorado Cushion, £15.99 

Boutique Camping 

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Black Adnet Mirror, 

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Block Design Hello Coat 

Rack in Yellow, £38 

Black by Design Ltd 

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White A4 Light Box, £30 

Bobby Rabbit, 

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Set of 2 Folium Leaf 

Outline Wall Art, £124 

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When I saw you Monochrome 

Typography Quote print, £9.95 

Made With Love Personalised 

Card Boutique 

madewithlovedesigns.co.uk 

wealdentimes.co.uk

51a George Street, Hastings Old Town, TN34 3EA 

Telephone 01424 319093 · Email info@simplygarden.org 

www.simplygarden.org · simply_garden

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE 

Hastings’ Green Oasis 

Head towards the West Hill Lift along George Street and you will 

find an urban oasis awaits. Step inside Simply Garden where you are 

bound to find your own little piece of green to take home. 

LAUNCHED by Sarah 

Wilson and Jason 

Stevens, Simply Garden 

is located halfway 

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The shop stocks a large selection 

of high quality plants for both 

house and garden, alongside 

hand-picked vintage items, 

pots and gardening sundries. 

Simply Garden was born out of a 

desire to deliver the most up-tothe 

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involvement with the world of 

garden design at the highest level, 

Jason and Sarah strive to bring you 

the latest trends before anyone else. 

The business is built around the 

belief that anyone can garden, 

providing they choose the correct 

plants and receive the right advice 

at the point of purchase. Jason & 

Sarah are horticulturally trained 

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guidance on all aspects of interior 

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plant on sale in the shop is handselected 

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I’m always available to answer 

customer’s queries and I’ve even 

been on home welfare visits to 

check the growing conditions 

and health of people’s plants!” 

For Sarah, it’s all about pushing 

the envelope and looking out 

for the latest innovations, “two 

years ago it was all about growing 

succulents, then last year the trend 

was for terrariums. This year I’m 

experimenting with marimo moss 

balls and water gardens. Every day a 

new and exciting idea comes along 

that can be implemented in our 

indoor and outdoor gardens and 

that’s what I love about my job”. 

Buying plants can be an investment, 

especially if you are interested 

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Simply Garden also runs courses 

and talks, see the Notebook section 

for information on the latest talk 

on houseplants on August 16th 

at The Printworks, Hastings. 

As well as selling beautiful garden 

products and plants from the little 

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consultation service. In addition to 

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design commissions and has won 

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TICKET HOTLINE: 01580 713915 

TICKETS: On the gate: £10 

HARPERS AND HURLINGHAM

Wealden Times Midwinter Fair 16th -18th November 2017 

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galore 

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Moonshine 

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At this year’s Midwinter Fair we’re bringing 

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selling gorgeous gifts, fabulous fashion and 

heavenly homewares. Here’s a quick taste 

of some of the treats you’ll find there... 

Bundle Beds 

Grey & Teal 

Bundle Bed, RRP 

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offer of 20% off, 

so £159.99 

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Aces Speed Shop 

Handmade pewter 

bottle opener 

£22.99 

acesspeedshop. 

co.uk 

The Italian 

Knitwear 

Company 

Red Suede bag, £14.99 

theitalianwardrobe. 

co.uk 

Phiejue 

Mischief 

and Willow Silk 

Wrap, £35 

phiejue.co.uk 

Mols & 

Tati-Lois 

Flaming Juno 

£225 

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com 

Luks Linen 

Handwoven Cari 

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Rivet Distillery 

Dockyard Gin - £28.50, 

Vela Vodka - £27.50, Son 

of a Gun - £30 

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Millie and 

Rose Designs 

The Antique Storage 

Crates (available in a 

variety of fabrics), £155 

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com 

Funky Bunch 

Eucalyptus Wreath 

£49 

bflowers.co.uk

Calderwood 

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Lampshades, from 

£40 

calderwood.cc 

Roy’s Boys 

Friar 

£8 

roysboyssocks. 

co.uk 

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Ticket Hotline: 01580 713915 

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Miss B’s 

Bubbles 

Miss B’s Bubbles bar 

will be serving Prosecco 

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at the Fair 

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Tregear 

Pottery 

Shoal of 

Whitebait, £38 

tregearpottery.co.uk 

Must Chup 

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‘Original’, Must Chup 

‘Kick’ and Must Chup 

‘Big Kick’, 

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must-chup.co.uk 

Casa de l’Oli 

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pressed with Fresh Limes, 

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casadeloli.com 

Angel’s 

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Meet the maker 

Louisa Elizabeth 

Louisa Elizabeth sell hand-illustrated travel 

maps, personalised with colourful push-pins to 

depict special adventures. Louisa Fuller came 

up with the idea in 2013 whilst trying to find 

a present for the man who has everything. 

Can you describe your work? 

Our hand drawn maps allow people to remember 

special travel memories and plan new destinations. Each 

map can be personalised with titles and travel quotes. 

Colourful push pins identify different destinations and 

events: holidays with friends, engagement or wedding 

and even places lived. A pin colour key can be added 

in the left hand corner with personalised categories 

making it easy to spot those important locations. 

What do your customers say they 

like about your products? 

My customers love how we can specifically tailor 

to their personal requirements making each map 

unique. They are often people who enjoy travelling 

and planning trips. I am always told that they’re 

the perfect present for the hard-to-buy-for other 

halves or family member (we all have them!). 

Have you always been creative and did 

you need any specific training? 

I grew up loving drawing, painting and making 

things. I studied at the London College of Fashion 

and then went on to Leeds University to study Art 

and Design, where I specialised in print making. 

Do you have a typical working day? 

Every day is different and brings new challenges which 

is what makes work so exciting. I don’t have any fixed 

routine, although I often start the day by replying to 

emails and sorting through on-line orders. After that can 

be anything from designing new products to meetings. 


Louisa 

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Featuring the Healthy Living Festival & Garden Hub 

This year’s Wealden Times Midsummer Fair at Hole Park in Rolvenden was blessed 

with three days of wonderful weather and we’re delighted to be returning next year. 

We enjoyed three glorious days of 

sunshine at this year’s Wealden Times 

Midsummer Fair, sponsored by estate 

agents Harpers & Hurlingham, which took place 

at Hole Park near Rolvenden on 8,9,10 June. 

Over 8,000 visitors enjoyed the heady mix of 

shopping, eating and relaxing in the sunshine and 

listening to talks from gardening and wellbeing 

experts. Headline speaker Davina McCall 

shared her top ten tips for staying young in the 

Healthy Living Theatre, which was sponsored by 

Benenden Hospital. Other speakers in the theatre 

included international yoga teacher Liz Lark, 

food and healthy living guru and best-selling 

cookery writer Madeleine Shaw plus specialists 

from the worlds of nutrition and exercise. 

Hole Park is famous for its beautiful 

gardens which were open to visitors 

throughout the three days of the fair. 

They made the perfect backdrop 

for a gardening celebration which 

included stands offering plants, 

garden furniture and equipment 

plus a Garden Hub, sponsored 

by Neptune Tonbridge and 

Canterbury, which hosted horticulturalists 

speaking on all things garden. BBC garden 

presenters Danny Clarke and Mark Lane joined 

an impressive line-up of speakers talking on a 

wide range of subjects including biodiversity, 

garden design, bee and chicken keeping and 

growing flowers and vegetables. 

Nearly 300 hand-picked exhibitors in the 

marquees, avenues and outside on the meadow 

did a roaring trade in fashion and accessories, 

home and garden wares and locally produced 

food and drink. Best-dressed stand this year was 

won by first-time exhibitors Yateley Papers, whose 

stunning stationery was displayed to perfection 

in the Purple Marquee. 

We hope you’ll join us at Hole Park 

next year for another wonderful Wealden 

Times Midsummer Fair on 7,8,9 

June. Meanwhile, tickets for our next 

Midwinter Fair at the Hop Farm on 

16,17,18 November are on sale now. 

Hope to see you there! 

80

81

Over the Shop 

Words: Maggie Alderson Photographs: David Merewether Styling: Helen Bratby 


82

Since opening her first store in the late 1970s, Helen 

Robinson has consistently been ahead of the game when it 

comes to cool locations for her to share her effortless sense of 

style. Her current project, SHOP in St. Leonards – a stone’s 

throw from her home on Norman Road – is no different 


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KSEHomeImprovementsWT183.indd 1 21/04/2017 17:52

Previous pages & above: In the main room, the theme of 

white walls and vintage items in bright and pretty colours 

creates a space that is both intriguing and tranquil 

Anyone with an interest in where the next 

cool place in the constant progress of urban 

regeneration/gentrification will be might 

want to get a satellite fix on Helen Robinson. 

In the late 1970s she opened her first shop, for her 

fashion label PX – which was to the New Romantics 

what Vivienne Westwood’s Seditionaries was to punk 

rock style – in James Street, Covent Garden. This was 

after Eliza Doolittle’s market had closed – but long before 

anyone else saw its promise as a retail destination. 

Her next stop was Endell Street (where milliner 

Stephen Jones had his first workshop in her basement) 

and when rents started to get silly there she headed – can 

you guess where? – east to Shoreditch, then Hoxton. 

This was when Commercial Street, now home to 

every upscale brand from MAC to Chanel, was still a 

grotty dump of rag trade sweatshops and the adjacent 

Huguenot houses of Spitalfields were pretty much slums. 

From there she made what seemed at the time – the 

early 2000s – another radical move: out of London to 

Hastings Old Town, before deciding on her current base: 

St Leonards-on-Sea, which must currently be one of the 

coolest regeneration hot spots on the whole planet. 

Helen now lives – and trades – on Norman Road, 

a micro-neighbourhood worthy of a PhD study 

of the process of urban renewal. The western side, 

which we might in the New York style call WeNor, 

is a joy of independent shops, salons and cafés. 

The most glorious of them is the corner spot Helen 

runs with her daughter Holly, as SHOP, selling 

 


“I had a vision for it – I wanted it as light and white as possible and open – the 

whole Greek light thing. It was a massive amount of work and I’d never done it 

before. But if I want to do something, I’m driven to do it anyway,” says Helen 

a wonderfully mixed and gloriously displayed array of 

goods, in a casual perfection of chic bohemian style. 

Nothing pretentious, or overstyled – just right. It’s one 

of those shops which makes you want to buy everything 

in it, or possibly just move in… Which makes it no 

surprise that Helen’s own house has the same effect. 

She’s one of those people who puts a bowl of lemons on 

the kitchen table and it somehow looks like an art work – so 

you are immediately sure that your life would be perfect 

if you could buy exactly that bowl and those lemons… 

So how did this lovely house – and shop 

– happen to be in this location? 

“In 2007 I came down to St Leonards to have a look,” 

she says. “I then found out that my grandmother had 

worked in St Leonards at Eversfield Hospital, as a TB 

nurse in 1910, that was the connection. I looked in the 

window of John Bray and thought ‘how much?!’ and 

bought a house in Croft Road in Hastings Old Town.” 

The move to St Leonards came in 2000 when Holly – 

following in her mother’s fashion footsteps – wanted to 

 


86

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88 

TilematesWT185.indd 1 16/06/2017 16:14

Above: In one corner, Helen has uncovered part of the cottage’s 

sandstone walls, something she has also done in the courtyard – 

stripping back render to the bare rock 

open a clothes shop. “By then Hastings Old Town already 

had stupid shop rents,” she says. “When a large corner space 

came up – it used to be occupied by Eras of Style antiques, 

now in Bexhill – we saw the potential and pounced. 

“We took that over and I bought a very large apartment 

in a big house further inland in St Leonards. It was an 

amazing place – the whole ground floor – but it was 

too far out. I’m a city girl. I like the noise of a town and 

people passing. There were no shops, no community. 

“I put it on the market and it sold immediately and I 

hadn’t even thought where I was going to move to. Then 

early one morning, I saw this house in Norman Road 

online. I’d seen it before and I knew it was right for me.” 

The house is in a row of exquisite workers’ cottages 

built in the 1830s by Decimus Burton, the great Georgian 

architect who designed Wellington Arch, Regent’s 

Park Inner Circle, as well as the splendid buildings in 

this part of town, known as Burton St Leonards. 

“The cottages were built for workers to live in while 

they constructed all the big houses. I knew it was perfect 

for me, because I love living above the shop – and this 

house is as close to living above SHOP as I could find.” 

But while the location and bones of the house were ideal, 

everything else about it was dark and ugly. “When I bought it 

everything was yellow and dark brown – even the window 


This page: Just about everything in the kitchen is from 

SHOP. This includes the rack of wooden shelves by Garden 

Trading and everything in them: enamel bowls and jugs of 

various sizes, vintage cups and saucers and cook books 

frames – with orange pine doors and floors. There was a 

nightmare 1980s gas fire which occupied a space in the 

newly-exposed sandstone wall, and the kitchen was dark 

brown wood and orange. The outside was pebble dash…” 

But with her designer’s eye, Helen could see 

beyond the dark brown and ginger pine to the simple 

elegance of the house beneath – starting with that 

pebble dash, which had to be chipped off by hand. 

“I had a vision for it – I wanted it as light and 

white as possible and open – the whole Greek 

light thing. It was a massive amount of work and 

I’d never done it before. But if I want to do 

 


90

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Above left: Double doors open out from the sitting room into the courtyard where Helen has decorated the space with driftwood and 

pebbles and bunting from SHOP Above right: The bathroom 

something, I’m driven to do it anyway. It was the same 

with SHOP. You have to speculate to accumulate.” 

Also giving her confidence, one great thing 

was in place – the ground floor had already been 

knocked through to create one large airy room. 

“I just put double doors out to the courtyard, so you 

can see right through from the front door, which makes 

it look much bigger and brings in light from both sides. I 

also asked the builder to strip back the 1980s plasterboard 

from the back left corner to see what was underneath 

– and it was the original sandstone, so I’ve left it.” 

Apart from that, the main structural work Helen did 

was to remove the ceiling on the first floor, where the two 

bedrooms are, creating a lofty vaulted space, which completely 

transforms the cottage proportions. So rather than the 

pokiness so often found upstairs in small houses, the top floor 

of this one has the airy romantic feeling of a Paris garret. 

Helen has played up this unexpected scale further by 

putting in an oversized vintage metal ceiling light, found 

at Ardingly antiques fair, at the top of the stairwell. On 

the landing wall is another surprisingly big – and therefore 

perfect – item; a portrait of Christopher Isherwood by 

Fraser Taylor, Helen’s friend, that she bought during an art 

sale at renowned Soho restaurant L’Escargot, in the 1980s 

(when it was the most fashionable place to eat in town…). 

Just as the top of the house is so much more spacious than 

you’d expect, down at the bottom of it, the lower ground floor 

kitchen has no basement feeling, because of the large window, 

looking out onto stairs leading up to the front of the house. 

Here is an area Helen has planted very boldly, with wooden 

box tubs of dramatic succulents and lavender, enclosing a front 

patio area with a table and chairs – a perfect spot for her to sit 

and watch the urban world go by, in this close community. 

The kitchen itself is very simple, with a St Leonards 

junk shop table – “the only thing I could fit in” – 

and Greek-style rush seat chairs from IKEA. “These 

chairs have been every colour known to man.” 

The design is deceptively simple with whitepainted 

Shaker-style cabinets, which look more like 

pieces of furniture than a built-in kitchen. 

“It was built by a local carpenter – Mark Tomlinson 

– out of wood, not MDF. He also did all the windows. 

Helen added a new back door and tongue and groove 

panelling to go over the original sandstone walls, so they 

can breathe. That’s how it would have been when the house 

was built. It had to be bespoke to get the right beading.” 

The kitchen floor is old scaffolding boards supplied by 

Hastings and Bexhill Wood Recycling Ltd., cleaned 


This page: Helen’s bedroom is a gloriously pared back ‘homage to a Greek bedroom’, with white walls and shutters, a bed by Loaf, an 

Indian quilt and Romanian cushion and paintings from a fellow Norman Road trader 

and waxed, read to lay straight onto the concrete. 

Just about everything else in the kitchen – including that 

perfect blue bowl holding the lemons – is from SHOP. 

This includes the rack of wooden shelves by Garden 

Trading and everything in them: enamel bowls and jugs 

of various sizes, vintage cups and saucers and cook books. 

Even European floor brushes, similar to the one hanging 

on the wall above it, are for sale 100 metres down the hill. 

Kitchen implements stored in colourful empty sardine 

and olive oil tins, vintage tin trays, an old French traffic 

sign, wartime Ministry of Information posters (‘Tea revives 

you’, ‘Eat your greens’) and a mix of those lovely bowls, 

add a cheerful blend of bright colours, also reflected in 

paintings. The one of a tiger in a jungle on the stairs, was 

created by Holly for a competition when she was five and was 

subsequently displayed in the Commonwealth Institute. 


94

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96 

WoodworkWT186.indd 1 07/07/2017 15:50

This page: The spare room’s vintage arsenic green shelf has been 

a feature of all Helen’s homes 

It’s from this wonderfully diverse collection of 

vintage and personal objects, where all the colour in 

the house comes. No feature wallpaper walls here. 

“I love colour,” says Helen, “but not painted on walls. 

I like all white, or all grey – walls, ceilings, windows, 

woodwork. I like everything the same colour.” 

Up one floor in the main room, the theme of white 

walls and – mainly vintage – items in bright and pretty 

colours creates a space that is both intriguing, with so 

many interesting things to look at, and very tranquil. 

The squashy old Heal’s sofa, covered in ecru linen 

and scattered with interesting cushions, beckons 

you to curl up and would be equally appealing in 

winter, sitting across from the wood burner which 

Helen put in to replace the old open fire. 

The cupboards on either side of the fireplace are original 

to the house. The stunning front window, which all the 

houses in the terrace have – redolent of Jackanory’s arched 

window – was rebuilt using traditional methods. 

But while the overall feel is wonderfully peaceful, 

looking towards the back of the room, it’s easy to 

imagine lively dinners around the table, with more 

IKEA ‘Greek’ chairs where Helen entertains. 

On the wall at one end of the table is a striking Hindu 

mask, found at the antiques market in Covent Garden 

in the 1980s and to the side another brilliant find, this 

one local to her current residence – a 1960s tourist 

poster for St Leonards. More than just a lovely thing, 

reproductions of it are a staple down the road in SHOP. 

Further along the same wall, over the sofa, is another 

 


Above left: Helen has planted wooden box tubs of succulents and lavender at the front of the house, enclosing a patio area with 

a table and chairs – a perfect spot for her to sit and watch the urban world go by Above right: Many of the items that Helen has 

furnished her home with have come straight from SHOP 

example of Helen’s lifelong skill for finding beautiful things 

in unexpected places. Long before architectural salvage 

became big business and a regular source of homewares, 

she rescued the mirror from the old Lloyds building in 

the City of London, when it was being demolished in 

the late 70s. She’s always been ahead of the game. 

The large English storage cupboard opposite was 

from Heathfield market and is a crucial item in a 

house much smaller than Helen’s previous three 

residences. “It’s got my life in it,” she says. 

Leading on from the corner of sandstone wall 

next to it, she did the same thing in the courtyard, 

stripping back render to the bare rock and decorating 

the space with driftwood and pebbles collected on the 

beach and bunting from – where else? – SHOP. 

Upstairs, Helen’s bedroom is a gloriously pared back 

‘homage to a Greek bedroom’, with white walls and 

shutters, a bed by Loaf, an Indian quilt and Romanian 

cushion and painting from a fellow Norman Road 

(definitely WeNor…) trader, Andrew Hurst of Wayward. 

The spare room next door has a wonderful ‘arsenic 

green’ vintage shelf with pegs, which just happened to 

fit perfectly into the space over the bed, although Helen 

has had it for years. “It’s been in all my homes.” The 

lovely floral painting on it is another old Greenwich 

market treasure. The bed was a Friday Ad £50 special. 

“I had some friends coming and needed one quickly. It 

was brown pine, so I painted it and got a mattress from 

 


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This page: SHOP sells a wonderfully mixed and gloriously displayed array of goods, in a casual perfection of chic bohemian style 

Mattress Man. They’ll make one to any size for old beds.” 

Having inspected every corner of the cottage, we head 

down Norman Road for a cup of tea in the café within 

SHOP, relaxing into the cocooning atmosphere of a 

retail space both perfectly realised – and different every 

time you go in it. None of this is a happy accident. 

“SHOP is not just about shifting stuff,’ says Helen, 

looking round her beautiful space. “We buy things because 

we love them and we want other people to love them. We 

like a free flow, quirky things that work together and we 

move things around all the time – change is everything.” 

The – always brilliant – set up of the merchandise is 

Holly’s job. Before starting the business with her mum, 

she worked in visual merchandising for Topshop. 

They divide responsibilities up in this way – but do 

all the buying together, choosing whatever appeals to 

them. “Stock is very flexible – there’s no ‘that is or isn’t 

what we sell’.” The only fixed thing is that it must be 

what they like. It’s the best kind of family business. 

“There’s a lot of love in SHOP,” says Helen, which is probably 

why it’s such a delightful spot to visit. “It’s really important 

to be surrounded by things that you love. Even if you only 

have two chairs, have lovely ones…”, a philosophy Helen has 

put into perfect practice in both her home and her shop. 

Address Book: 

Visit SHOP at 32-34 Norman Road St Leonards. Find them 

on Facebook and follow on Twitter @ShopNormanroad 

Ardingly Antiques Fair iacf.co.uk/ardingly 

Flowers throughout the shoot were from 

Blue Hen Flowers bluehenflowers.com 

Hastings & Bexhill Wood Recycling Ltd. 

01424 715566 recyclingwood.org.uk 

Heal’s heals.com 

Loaf loaf.com 

Mark Tomlinson 07761 233785 

Mattress Man mattressman.co.uk 

Wayward St Leonards wayward.co 


LIVING SPACES MADE BEAUTIFUL 

THIS KITCHEN WAS DESIGNED AND INSTALLED BY HKS 

OUR DESIGN 

YOUR SPACE 

KITCHEN BEDROOM BATHROOM LIVING SPACES 

01435 866166 

HEATHFIELD HILL HOUSE, MUTTON HALL HILL, TN21 8NL 

ALSO AT: EASTBOURNE • HAYWARDS HEATH • ST LEONARDS-ON-SEA 

www.hks-uk.com

Textured Mini 

Stripe Cushion, £11 

B&Q 

diy.com 

GET 

THE 

LOOK 

Jessica Hogarth Beach Huts 

Framed Prints, £35.00 

Athena 

athenaart.com 

Multi-coloured Pom Pom 

Lace Cushion, £19.99 

Boutique Camping 

boutiquecamping.com 

Katie Alice Festival Folk Breakfast 

Cup And Saucer, £16 

Creative Tops Ltd 

creative-tops.com 

Builders Tea Tin Tray, £10.50 

The Contemporary Home 

tch.net 

Avenue Floor Lamp 

Wood complete 

with Shade, £167.40 

Dar Lighting Group 

darlighting.co.uk 

Colman’s Mustard Tin, £4.99 

Jeremy’s Home Store 

jeremyshomestore.co.uk 

Set of 2 Nibble And 

Share Tapas Jars, £7.50 

Garden Trading 

gardentrading.co.uk 

Pampelune Chair in 

Turquoise, £159 

PIB 

pib-home.co.uk 

Chateau Grey Country Dining 

Table 140 X 90cm, £320.40 

Element One House 

elementonehouse.com 

Chehoma Octopus 

Bowls x 4, £25 

Berry Red 

berryred.co.uk 

Ivory Sheepskin Rug, £55 

The French Bedroom Co 

frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk 

The Pen Duick Model Boat, £65 

The Nautical Company 

thenauticalcompany.com 

103

Eras 

Antiques 

of stylE 

Restoring 

Quality 

Full restoration service. Qualified in cabinet making and 

restoration with over 25 years experience. Specialising in early 

walnut - distressing and finishing. Also French polishing, 

gilding, veneering and waxing. Onsite work available. Never 

over-restored, we just put the love back into your pride and joy. 

9000 SQ FT OF ANTIQUES 

AND VINTAGE INTERIORS 

BEST PRICES PAID, HOUSE 

CLEARANCES UNDERTAKEN 

Plus “Coffee in Style” 

Vintage themed 

coffee lounge 

serving Tea Coffee 

Homemade Cake 

and light Lunches 

We are open 

Monday to Saturday 

9am – 5pm 

nominated 

antiques shop 

of the year 

SUSAN SURGEY 

Restorer of Fine Antique Furniture 

Call me for a quote or advice: 

01233 877342 / 01843 449257 or 07712 451104 

For examples, please visit www.susansurgey.co.uk 

Over 2000 sq.ft. of Antiques, 

Collectables, Vintage, Retro, 

Handcrafted & Unusual Items 

SusanSurgeyWT186.indd 1 25/07/2017 16:19 

The Old Forge Emporium 

The Street, Appledore, Kent TN26 2BJ 01233 758585 

abbeylace@aol.com www.theoldforgeemporium.co.uk 

The Old Station Stores, 

Bexhill West Station, Terminus Road, 

Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex TN39 3LR 

Phone 01424 217640 

Mobile 07974 178760 

info@erasofstyle.com 

www.erasofstyle.com 


104 

ErasOfStyleWT186.indd 1 12/07/2017 OldForgeAntiquesWT174.indd 11:58 

1 18/07/2016 17:24

Art & Antiques 

Investment Pieces 

WT chats wise art and 

jewellery buys with 

two knowledgeable 

antiques experts 

2 

1 

1.‘Conversation’ by Sherree Valentine Daines, signed with initials, oil on board. Sold for £13,970. 2. ‘Two Young Girls on the Beach’ 

by Sherree Valentine Daines, oil on board, signed with initials. Sold for £11,430. 

Ewbank’s Andrew Ewbank discusses 

Surrey artist Sherree Valentine Daines 

“As we’re based in Surrey, it is appropriate to focus on 

contemporary Surrey artists, as these will, of course, have an extra 

appeal to local enthusiasts. Sherree Valentine Daines, who lives 

with her family in Dorking, was born and raised in Surrey, and is 

one of the most consistently popular local artists for our buyers. 

Ewbank’s has had a number of her modern impressionistic 

paintings on sale in recent years, including 13 works in Fine 

Art sale in March 2017. There is always a tremendous amount 

of interest from buyers in the room and those online and on 

the phone, from all over Surrey and beyond. Recent high 

prices for her work include an oil entitled ‘Conversation’ which 

went for £13,970 in December last year, and another oil of 

two young girls on a beach which sold for £11,430 including 

hammer price. Sherree’s husband and son are also artists, so 

do watch out for work by these other members of the talented 

Valentine Daines family, too!” ewbankauctions.co.uk 

 


AUCTIONEERS AND 

VALUERS OF FINE ART 

ANTIQUES AND 

COLLECTORS’ ITEMS 

FREE ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES 

VALUATION DAY 

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 27TH 2017, 10AM TO 4PM 

THE TOWN HALL, TENTERDEN, KENT 

Antiques and collectables 

Jewelry and Watches 

Paintings and sculptures 

Ceramics, Medals and Militaria 

Antique and sporting guns, Coins 

Come along and meet one of our specialists. 

No appointment required. 

1920s emerald and diamond ring 

Sold for £1,200 

Also every Friday 10am to 1pm at our Saleroom in Canterbury. 

thecanterburyauctiongalleries.com 

Victoria Military General 

Service Medal, Sold for £5,700 

CanterburyAuctionGalleryWT186.indd 1 17/07/2017 15:59 

THE LEADING AUCTIONEERS IN THE SOUTH EAST 

• Regular selected sales including Fine Art, 

Asian Art, Jewellery, Silver, Clocks, 

Medals, Watches, Wines and Furniture 

• Weekly sales of antiques, collectables and 

general items from £40 to £1,000 

(Payment made in two working days) 

• Free internet listing for all sales 

• Free auction estimates 

• Valuations for Insurance 

and Probate 

• House Clearance 

A pair of 1930’s 

Art Deco jade, 

black onyx and 

diamond-set 

pear-shaped drop 

earrings, L 4cm. 

SOLD FOR £3,000 

For a FREE valuation on items you would like 

to auction, simply email your images to: 

tunbridge.wells@gorringes.co.uk 

To arrange an appointment call: 

01892 556 860 

www.gorringesauctions.co.uk 

Grosvenor House, Grosvenor Park, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2BF 


106 

4426 Gorringes (WT) (Aug2017) 130x185 Final.indd 1 7/4/17 1:29 PM 

GorringesWT186.indd 1 05/07/2017 10:33

Andrew Ewbank’s 

jewellery pick 

“Buying and selling jewellery through 

a sale-room with a high level of 

knowledge is crucial. Amber jewellery 

is increasingly sought after by buyers, 

the demand is largely due to strong 

interest from buyers in the Middle 

East and China. Increasingly popular 

is organic jewellery like amber and 

coral. Ruby, sapphire, and emerald 

are perennially popular, as they can 

be both beautiful and hard wearing. 

As testament to this, at a recent 

jewellery sale in the summer, one 

of the most dramatic prices, against 

estimate, seen, was for a Victorian 

coral bead necklace. It sold for an 

estimate-busting £3,810 to an online 

buyer. Plus, at the same sale, an 

online battle between two buyers 

competing for a 45cm long Indo- 

Chinese amber bead necklace saw 

a final hammer price of £1,651.” 

ewbankauctions.co.uk 

1 3 

2 

Art & Antiques 

1. Burma ruby and 

diamond cluster ring, 

oval cut ruby of 2.28 

carats within a surround 

of ten round brilliant 

cut diamonds, in 

18 ct yellow gold. 

Ruby certificated by 

IGI stating the ruby 

origin as Burma and 

free of treatment. 

Sold for £6,604. 

2. Victorian coral bead 

necklace, graduating 

beads slightly off 

round in shape. 

Sold for £3,810. 

3. Indo-Chinese 

amber bead necklace, 

with oval shape beads 

ranging in colour from 

yellow to orange with 

white metal spacers. 

1 The team at Gorringes take a look at 

Cecil Rochfort D’Oyly-John (1906-1993) 

“D’Oyly-John was a self-taught artist who took up painting as 

a pastime whilst convalescing in hospital from bomb injuries 

in 1945. His output was considerable during his lifetime and 

he was chiefly notable for his painting technique (the thick 

application of paint with a palette knife instead of 

a brush) and the vivid colours of his Mediterranean scenes. 

He achieved wide public recognition in the 1950s and 

60s due to the publication of many of his works in print 

form, which seemed, fortuitously, to tap in to the increasing 

2 

1. ‘Sunset at Cannes’ by Cecil Rochfort D’Oyly- 

John oil on canvas, signed. Sold for £1700 2. 

‘Cannes’ by Cecil Rochfort D’Oyly-John, oil on 

canvas, signed. Sold for £1900 . 

market for foreign holidays in the sun, now taken for 

granted, that could be enjoyed by the general public for the 

first time. Admirers of his work included the Queen Mother, 

then Queen, who acquired paintings for the Royal Collection. 

D’Oyly-John’s early life was both adventurous and 

shrouded in mystery (his parentage is unknown, but he 

claimed to be the illegitimate son of the artist Augustus John). 

He was born in Durban, South Africa and lived and worked 

all over the world before eventually settling in Brighton, 

then Rottingdean, where he and his wife, Joan, are buried. 

His work continues to be popular at auction, with 

their strong colours and bold, rather poster-like imagery 

complementing modern interiors, at an affordable price. In 

1998 D’Oyly-John paintings were selling for between £200- 

400 at auction. This month, Gorringes sold two paintings of 

Cannes for £1,700 and £1,900 respectively.” 

gorringes.co.uk 


Modern. 

Beautiful. 

Natural. 

Wedding 

packages 

FROM 

£495 

SIMON BOOTH PHOTOGRAPHY 

www.simonbooth.photo 

SB_Wealden SimonBoothPhotographyWT186.indd AD_GW2.indd 1 1 10/07/2017 10:36 10:54 

SALE NOW ON 

Exquisite Top Designer 

Clothing, Shoes & Accessories 

at up to 80% OFF! 

£10 OFF if you mention this advert 

21 High Street, Cranbrook 

Open from 10am 6 days a week 

Telephone 07841 374952 

The Robing Room 

Bespoke Service 

Beautiful handcrafted garments designed 

and made to measure ‘just for you’.... 

Adults & Children 

Prices start from £400 for wedding dresses, 

£85 for lingerie and £100 for Bridesmaids 

www.therobingroom.co.uk 

T: 01233 224985 


108 

EmmaPoveyWT186.indd 1 24/07/2017 RobingRoomWT186.indd 17:29 

1 10/07/2017 10:20

Weddings 

A Wealden Times Supplement 

Sponsored by

Frasers 

KENT’S BEST KEPT SECRET 

The most idyllic setting in the heart of the Kent countryside 

Just think, everything you ever dreamed of can become reality 

At Frasers, the only limit is your imagination 

Coldharbour Farm, Barham’s Mill Road, Egerton, Kent, TN27 9DD 

Tel: 01233 756122 www.frasers-events.co.uk lisa@frasers-events.co.uk

WT Wedding Supplement 

Contents 

All in the detail, page 4 

SUMMER SALE 

NOW ON 

LOVELL & VIE 

lingerie swimwear 

Aubade 

PrimaDonna 

Empreinte 

Marie Jo 

Wacoal 

b.tempt'd 

Chantelle 

Passionata 

Fantasie 

Hanro 

Yawn 

PJ Salvage 

Vanilla 

Huit8 

DKNY 

Moontide 

Watercult 

Hanky Panky 

4 All in the detail 

Helen Barton sources 

bridal gowns with a 

difference 

17 Mix it up 

Statement wedding 

picks 

18 British blooms 

Darling & Wild’s 

quintessentially 

English bouquet 

21 Shake it 

Silent Pool’s gin 

cocktails with a twist 

22 Be our guest 

Sample wedding 

breakfasts 

Editor’s Letter 

46 Holly Bush Lane, Sevenoaks TN13 3TL 

01732 454445 www.lovellandvie.co.uk 

Shersby 

LovellAndVieWT186.indd 1 10/07/2017 16:53 

FINE JEWELLERS 

Romance is back! If you’re looking for dresses 

with a difference, Helen Barton has edited 

a selection of vintage inspired gowns to set 

your style aside from the rest, shot in the beautiful 

grounds of The Old Rectory Estate in Bletchingley, 

Surrey. Elsewhere, find food inspiration, irresistibly 

chic gin cocktails and vibrant accessories! 

Mix it up, page 17 

Shake it, page 21 

George Cottage, High Street, Cranbrook 

Cranbrook has free car parking 

www.shersbyjewellers.co.uk Telephone: 01580 720003 

shersbyjewellers@aol.com Find us on Facebook 


ShersbyJewellersWT184.indd 1 12/05/2017 16:27

All in the 

Detail 

Photographs: David Merewether 

Stylng: Helen Barton Model: Jade 

Location: The Old Rectory Estate, Bletchingley


Flowers, prices on request, Blooming Green bloominggreenflowers.co.uk 01622 298676; 

Dress, £550, Real Green Dress realgreendress.com 01276 513368 


flowers (in hair), 

Blooming Green 


01622 298676; 

Theia Emma dress, £1080, 

Frou Frou Bridal Boutique 

froufroubride.co.uk 

01892 541381

Every bridal 

whim granted 

Swattenden Lane | Cranbrook | TN17 3PS 

01580 713189 

www.charityfarmcountrystore.co.uk 

Telephone 01892 546846 

www.misskayseamstress.co.uk 

35 Mount Ephraim, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 8AA 

CharityFarmWT186.indd 1 03/07/2017 MissKaySeamstressWT186.indd 17:07 

1 29/06/2017 12:51 

DesignsOnDiamonds 

For all your Bridal Jewellery 

We have a stunning collection of 

beautiful high quality diamond jewellery 

set with exceptional diamonds 

Certified diamond Engagement Ri ngs 

Diamond Wedding and Eternity Rings 

Earrings and Pendants for Bride and Bridesmaids 

Visit our Website - DesignsOnDiamonds.co.uk 

Contact - Jacqui@DesignsOnDiamonds.co.uk 

Telephone 07747 824898 

DesignsOnDiamonds 

Facebook 


8 

DesignsOnDiamondsWT186.indd 1 24/07/2017 17:14

Flowers, prices on 

request, Blooming Green 


01622 298676; 

Dress, £425, Real Green 

Dress realgreendress.com 

01276 513368


Flowers, prices on request, Blooming Green bloominggreenflowers.co.uk 01622 298676; Charlie Brear Arlette dress, £1845, 

Frou Frou Bridal Boutique froufroubride.co.uk 01892 541381; Guglielmo Rotta shoes, £195, The Golden Boot 

thegoldenboot.co.uk 01622 752349 


10

A 


Together we will create your unique, perfect day 

Summer Sale Now On 

01580 292992 

Sissinghurst Road, Biddenden TN27 8DQ 

www.bloomsburysbiddenden.com 

Hawkhurst - No6 The Colonnade Rye Road Kent. TN184ES 

01580 752118 

Rye - No12 High Street Rye East Sussex. TN317JF 

01797 224369 

Lewes - No27 High Street Lewes East Sussex. BN7 2LU 

01273 480896 

BloomsburysBiddendenWT180.indd 1 13/01/2017 CordeliaJamesWT186.indd 16:02 

1 25/07/2017 11:47 

cashmere and silk knitwear 

New Collection from Barbour available in store NOW 

END OF SEASON SALE 

Starts 15 th August 2017 with 50% REDUCTIONS & more! 

23 High Street, Tenterden TN30 6BJ 

Telephone 01580 761222 Email sales@cashara.co.uk 

Shop online at www.cashara.co.uk 

Tel: 01797 224271 

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

e: shop@thegoldenfleece.co.uk 

w: www.thegoldenfleece.co.uk 

@goldenfleecerye 


CasharaWT186.indd 1 11/07/2017 GoldenFleeceWT186.indd 17:34 

1 11/07/2017 16:51

Quintessentially British Bridal Boutique filled with 

bridal lace, tweed & jewels.. 

Stephanie Allin, Eliza Jane Howell, Charlotte Balbier, 

Rembo Styling, Minna, Rachel Simpson and many more.. 

By appointment only. 

01304 389710 

info@boutiqueofjules.co.uk 

www.boutiqueofjules.co.uk 

26 Dover road, Walmer, Deal, Kent. CT14 7JW. 

www.countyclothesmenswear.co.uk 

“...don’t mind if 

I 

County Clothes Menswear 

Quality & Personal Service 

BridalBoutiqueWT186.indd 1 21/07/2017 Eaton&JonesWT186.indd 09:54 

1 12/07/2017 16:42 

Canterbury Tenterden Reigate Sevenoaks 

DO” 

Meet Tom Ward 

Looking for an alternative to 

traditional wedding attire? 

Let our personal service 

at County Clothes tailor 

to your individual needs. 

2 ndSaturday 

Saturday 

September 

AT 

County Clothes 

Canterbury 

For details visit our Website 

or follow us on Facebook 

19 St Margaret’s Street 

Canterbury 

Kent, CT1 2TH 

2 East Cross 

Tenterden 

Kent, TN30 6AD 

6 High Street Reigate 

Surrey, RH2 9AY 

14 Bank Street 

Sevenoaks 

Kent, TN13 1UW 

01227 765294 01580 765159 01737 249224 01732 454068 

@countyclothescanterbury @countyclothestenterden @countyclothesreigate @countyclothessevenoaks 


12 

CountyClothesWT186.indd 1 12/07/2017 10:22


Macarons and meringue kisses, prices 

on request, Canary and Cuckoo 

canaryandcuckoo.com; flowers, Blooming 

Green bloominggreenflowers.co.uk 01622 

298676 

Pedro Miralles Fidela sling backs, £149, 

The Golden Boot thegoldenboot.co.uk 

01622 752349 



Nina mini dress, from £600, Tara 

Deighton taradeighton.co.uk 07825 

585051; flower headdress, from a 

selection, Real Green Dress realgreendress. 

com 01276 513368 

We would like to say a big thank you to Trudie from The Old Rectory Estate. To find out about hiring the grounds of this 

beautiful Georgian manor house for your own wedding marquee, visit oldrectoryestate.com or call 01883 743388 / 07515 394506 


14

10% 

OFF 

all summer leather 

handbags! 

Come and get 

dressed at 

Last chance to top up your holiday wardrobe with 

cool linen, silk and cotton, and look out for our exciting 

NEW RANGE of Dresses and Separates from Mistral 

For all 

SHAPES 

and sizes in linens, silks & cotton 

With a w i d e range of accessories and 

wraps to go with them, as well as something a 

little more dressy for drinks on the patio! 

www.taradeighton.co.uk 

85 All Saints Street, Hastings, TN34 3BH 07825 585 051 

Opening Hours: Tuesday—Friday 10.30am—5pm 

Saturday 10.30am—3.30pm 

44 High Street, Charing, Kent TN27 0HX 01233 714689 

Aisle of Dreams Wedding Cars 

TaraDeightonWT186.indd 1 10/07/2017 Elizabeth44WT186.indd 15:31 

1 17/07/2017 12:39 

purely beauty 

Beauty Salon Hawkhurst 

Highly Skilled Therapists using the 

Best Quality Products in everything we do. 

Let us make your dreams come true 

Please see the web site for our full range of fantastic cars 

Big savings on multi-car packages 

Call 01580 753383 

Book Online at www.purenique.co.uk 

Hawkhurst, TN18 4JU 

www.aisleofdreamscars.co.uk 

Tel: 01622 743744 / 07986 455357 / 07803 700070 

Email: aisleofdreamscars@yahoo.co.uk 

Aisle of Dreams Wedding Cars 

@AODWeddingcars 


PureniqueWT186.indd 1 06/07/2017 AisleOfDreamsWeddingCarsWT186.indd 15:40 

1 26/07/2017 09:44

Dale Hill 

Hotel & 

Golf Club 

Wedding Fair 

Sunday 8 th October 

11am–3pm 

FREE ENTRY 

Join us to view our outstanding venue and see 

what we can offer to make your magical day 

special. Browse amongst suppliers and see 

how they can enhance your Wedding day. 

• Canapes & Fizz on arrival • Goodie bags 

• Competitions • Mini Beauty treatments 

• Wedding dresses and accessories • Magicians & Artists 

Plus so much more! 

Register in advance to get a free goodie bag on arrival and to 

be entered into some of our amazing competitions on the day! 

For more information or to register 

attendance please contact 01580 202103 

or email marketing@dalehill.co.uk 

All Inclusive 

Wedding Package* 

• Ceremony Room Hire 

• Evening Sandwich Buffet 

• Arrival Berry Fizz 

• Room Hire for Wedding Breakfast & Evening Function 

• Three Course Wedding Breakfast With Coffee & Mints 

• Draping of the Function Suite 

• Half a Bottle of House Wine per person 

• A Suite for the Bride & Groom 

• Glass of Sparkling Wine for toasts 

• Four Superior rooms available for guests of your choice 

• Evening Disco 

Dates between May & October £3950 

Dates between November & April £3450 

r 

r 

Ticehurst, Wadhurst, East Sussex TN5 7DQ 

w. dalehill.co.uk *Subject to availability


Peter Kaiser ‘Emine’, 

£119, The Golden Boot 

thegoldenboot.co.uk 

01622 752349 

Mavala tolueneformaldehyde- 

and parabenfree 

nail colour, £4.95 each, 

Fenwick fenwick.co.uk 

Mix it Up 

5 Rose Gold & 

White Confetti 

Balloons, £7.99, 

Candle & Cake Ltd 

candleandcake.co.uk 

Lakshmi Beaded 

Crystal Bridal Train, 

£306 

Gibson Bespoke 

Designs, Etsy 

etsy.com 

Spice up your special day with our vibrant wedding picks 

Mavala Happy Zen 

lip colour collection in 

‘Nectar Red’, £12.50 each, 

Fenwick fenwick.co.uk 

Heaven Sends - 

Wishes Wooden Box, 

£10.99, Magical Story, 

magicalstory.co.uk 

Rose Gold Hair 

Comb, £25 

Rock My Vintage 

rockmyvintage.co.uk 

Gold brass antique style 

lantern, £29.95, Made 

With Love Designs 

madewithlovedesigns.co.uk 

Pearl Bracelet, £17.99 

Historic Royal Palaces 

historicroyalpalaces.com 

Ivory Pearl Clutch, 

£25, Rock my Vintage 

rockmyvintage.co.uk 

Interlocking Moroccan Tile Stainless 

Steel Sugarcraft Cutters, £12.60 

Lindy’s Cakes Ltd 

lindyscakes.co.uk 

Create boho chic with Delightfully Lavish’s 

stunning handmade Indian marquees, available 

in a range of sizes delightfullylavish.com

“ 


British 

Blooms 

Lara Haynes from 

Darling & Wild 

talks us through 

her favourite bridal 

bouquet trend 

The current trend I 

am noticing is brides 

requesting natural and 

unstructured bouquets 

using seasonal flowers. I 

am delighted to see a move 

towards seasonal blooms 

and source mainly English 

flowers for this style of 

bouquet. Here I used 

fabulous scented garden 

roses including Romantic 

Antique, Juliet and 

Margaret Merrill with trails 

of garden honeysuckle 

and jasmine, dainty wind 

flowers, dahlias and fluffy 

alchemilla mollis. The pop 

of deeper colour provides 

contrast that really makes 

the peaches and pinks 

sing and the scent was 

amazing – which I also 

think is very important. 

” 

Darling & Wild 

Tunbridge Wells 01892 614851 

darlingandwild.co.uk 

www.delightfullylavish.com 


18 

DelightfullyLavishEventsWT186.indd 1 20/07/2017 10:11

Sissinghurst Flowers 

made with love 

Come and see 

Oscar nominated 

Bafta winning 

Shuna at her shop 

in Heathfield 

Market 

Men’s and women’s 

vintage clothing 

and accessories 

Tuesday mornings and by appointment 

01435 883394 or 07831 258582 

shuna 

¹ @btinternet.com 

1920s–1960s items always wanted. Also Vintage 

Chinese embroidered clothes, Ossie Clark, Biba. 

Weddings Life Events Courses 

www.sissinghurstflowers.co.uk 

Telephone: 01580 852144 / 07977 142447 

ShunasVintageClothesWT185.indd 1 07/06/2017 MadeWithLoveWT180.indd 16:15 

1 12/01/2017 11:30 

Free 

Bouquet * 

I work with you to make your ideas, 

dreams and expectations come to life on 

your special day and to suit your budget. 

Call for a chat and book your 

consultation to receive a Free Bouquet* 

Award Winning Wedding Florist 

in Kent & Sussex 

01892 614851 

darlingandwild.co.uk 

13 Nevill St, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5RU 

Wedding Florist 

Telephone 01435 882814 or 07717 495937 

/bmfloraldesigns www.bmfloraldesigns.co.uk 

*When you place a deposit of £50. Deposit is non-refundable. Offer available through Sept 2017. 


DarlingAndWildWT186.indd 1 18/07/2017 BloomingMarvellousWT186.indd 11:19 

1 24/07/2017 12:34

VIP SEATING 

£20 

FANTABULOUS 

Open air cinema evenings 

DOOR ENTRY 

£5 

The big screen, under the stars. The outdoor movie experience now at 

The Goudhurst Inn and The Tickled Trout. Be on the edge of your seat, in the middle of the 

garden. Films start from 9.00pm with doors open welcoming guests from 8.30pm. 

4TH AUGUST | 1ST SEPTEMBER 

5 TH AUGUST | 2 ND SEPTEMBER 

TO BOOK CALL 01580 211 451 

TO BOOK CALL 01622 814 717 

GoudhurstInnWT186.indd 1 14/07/2017 16:36 

Authentic Nordic Tipis and 

Traditional wooden pole 

Sailcloth Tent hire across 

Kent and Sussex 

Dray Corner Industrial Centre, 

Four Oaks Road, Headcorn, 

Kent TN27 9PB 

0800 999 5552 

www.holmstedevents.co.uk 


20 

HolmstedEventsWT186.indd 1 20/07/2017 09:46

Shake It 

Delight wedding guests with Silent Pool 

Distillers’ creative gin-based cocktails 


Blackberry Shrub 

• 50ml Silent Pool 

Gin (from freezer) 

• 25ml raspberry & 

blackberry shrub 

• 25ml Cocchi 

sweet vermouth 

• 10ml Boudier 

ginger liqueur 

• soda water top 

- approx 50ml 

1. Shake and strain 

first 4 ingredients 

over cubed ice. Top 

with soda, stir. 

2. Serve in a rocks 

glass and garnish 

with a spiked 

blackberry and 

raspberry. 

Aviation 

• 40ml Silent 

Pool Gin 

• 20ml Maraschino 

Liqueur 

• 20ml freshly 

squeezed 

lemon juice 

• 2.5ml Crème 

de violette 

1. Shake and strain 

into a chilled 

cocktail glass 

Albury Flip 

• 50ml Silent Pool Gin 

• 25ml Merlet cherry brandy 

• 3ml saline 

• 10ml Monin Orgeat syrup 

• 25ml pasteurised egg yolk (we use Cocovite) 

• 25ml double cream 

1. Spray chilled glass with Silent Pool 

Christmas Mist (available online). 

2. Shake and fine strain all ingredients. 

3. Serve in a coupette and garnish with fresh 

grated nutmeg. 

Silent Pool G&t 

• 50ml Silent Pool Gin (from freezer) 

• 125ml chilled Fever-Tree elderflower tonic 

• 5ml fresh fine filtered lime juice 

• 2 dashes Bitter Truth cucumber bitters 

• 2 dashes Jade 1901 absinthe 

1. Dash glass with absinthe and bitters. 

2. Build remainder of ingredients 

over cubed ice. 

3. Serve in a Silent Pool glass and 

garnish with lemon balm leaf. 

Find out more at silentpooldistillers.com


Be our Guest 

We asked two venues to gives us a taste of their ultimate wedding breakfasts 

FRASERS 

The Ultimate Wedding ‘Breakfast’ 

To Start 

Delicious pancakes with maple syrup and 

local strawberries, a selection of warm pastries, 

local natural yoghurt and fruit salad. 

And to follow 

Full English breakfast of local sausage, bacon, egg, griddled 

tomato, hash brown, baked beans, Kentish black pudding. 

Served with a delicious glass of Chapel Down Brut. 

Evening Street Food 

Enjoy street food from Frasers’ serving stations such as 

paella with green salad and artisan bread, Thai green 

curry and rice or BBQ goodies like pulled pork with 

BBQ sauce, Venison burgers and marsala marinated 

halloumi burgers, served with artisan bread and salad. 

To drink 

Choose from a varied selection from Frasers’ drink stations: 

Cider Station – Wise Owl Cider, Biddenden Cider 

Ale Station – Kegs of Westerham Brewery Ale 

Wine Station – Hush Heath Pinot Noir, Chapel 

Down Flint Dry, Chapel Down English Rose 

Softy Station – Biddenden Apple Juice 

and Pear Juice, Homemade Lemonade. 

Frasers, Egerton 

01233 756122 

frasers-events.co.uk 

DALE HILL 

A wonderful treat for guests, with drinks 

to complement each course 

To Start 

Cherry tomato and Bocconcini Mozzarella, Sugared 

Crisp Parma Ham, Rocket and Parmesan Salad. 

This is great with Boatmans Drift Chenin Blanc. 

Sorbet 

Passion Fruit Sorbet. Served with 

Bortolotti Valdobbiadene Brut. 

Main 

Roast Sirloin of Scottish Beef, Herb Roasted Potatoes, 

Yorkshire Pudding, Roasted Root Vegetables and Red 

Wine Jus. Accompanied by Azabache Tempranillo Red 

Dessert 

Praline Crème Brûlée, Pistachio Macaroons, Croquant Ice 

Cream. Great with – on its own, just absorb the flavours! 

To follow 

Coffee & Petit Fours. Enjoy with Tia 

Maria or Bell’s Whisky on ice. 

Dale Hill, Ticehurst 01580 202102 dalehill.co.uk 

22

A Magical 

Setting... 

• Breathtaking Scenery 

• Excellent Food and Service at affordable 

prices, with off-peak discounts available 

• 3 Magnificent Function rooms, 

each self contained with their own Bar 

• Licenced for Civil Ceremonies 

• Ample parking 

High Rocks Lane, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 9JJ Tel: 01892 515 532 www.highrocks.co.uk

Advertisement Feature 

Gin is a firm favourite for many 

in the summer thanks to its 

light, botanical flavour and its 

ability to mix with just about 

anything! Hear the story behind 

Silent Pool’s signature gin… 

Our distillers here at Silent Pool Distillery coined the phrase ‘intricately realised’ 

to embody our core values – to be an artisan producer of high quality spirits. 

This philosophy of ‘intricately realised’ is evident 

from the beautiful teal and copper filigree bottle 

design to the refreshingly individual gin inside 

and it’s the thread that runs through the crafting 

not only of Silent Pool Gin, but all our products. 

A desire to capture the essence of England’s beautiful, 

rural landscape in our spirits led us to the Surrey Hills, 

an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. As the principal 

ingredient in gin is juniper berries, which once grew 

abundantly in Surrey, it made perfect sense to be based 

here. With a vision of creating hand-crafted, premium 

spirits, we located our distillery on the bank of the 

spring-fed Silent Pool. The crystal-clear water, which 

springs from a deep natural aquifer, is pumped from 

the pool and filtered on-site before use. The pulse of 

this outstanding landscape beats right through the 

heart of the distillery and the spirits we produce. 

The provenance and exceptional quality of botanicals 

used are at the centre of our vision and are introduced 

during various stages of production. By the obsessive 

hands of our distillers, each essential ingredient is 

carefully selected and, where possible, locally sourced. 

We pass a hose through the open distillery door and 

draw our water from the Silent Pool, and so the unique 

four-stage process of production begins. Our gin is 

entirely crafted within the four walls of the distillery 

with precision and loving care; no part of the production 

is out of our sight, even the bottling takes place here. 

Our multi-award-winning Silent Pool Gin is produced 

in small batches using a custom-made still which 

is heated by steam from a reclaimed English boiler 

that’s fired on local hardwood. It’s all very labour 

intensive, but well worth the effort to create a 

delicate, complex and internationally acclaimed 

gin that is rolling out across the UK, Europe, USA 

and soon Japan. In order to meet rapidly growing 

demand, Silent Pool Distillers are expanding their 

current distillery, converting two adjacent barns into 

a home for their new 1,800 litre bespoke copper still. 

Our distillery is open 

to the public seven 

days a week, 9.30-5pm 

Monday to Saturday and 

10-3pm on a Sunday. 

Please check our 

website for more details. 

www.silentpooldistillers.com

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110 

DrDeborahMcMannersWT186.indd 1 11/07/2017 14:34

Beauty 

Just spray 

A 

wedding is a new start. A door 

to a new life. (Even if you’ve 

been cohabiting for years, I 

can promise you: you will wake up next 

day and feel very different.) And so not 

surprisingly – unless your beloved has 

requested otherwise – it is the perfect 

moment to mark this new beginning 

by veiling with a new fragrance. 

But shopping for that all-important 

fragrance should be seen as much, much 

more than simply another item on your 

‘To Do’ list. Why not take a day – or at 

least a morning – and devote yourself to 

the sensuality and pleasure of the search? 

‘It’s very important not to be stressed,’ 

insists perfumer Lyn Harris, founder 

of Miller Harris and now working out 

of a stunning mid-Century modern 

perfumery and boutique on London’s 

Crawford Street which (trust me) is a 

wonderful place to while away a few 

hours. ‘If you’re in a hurry or feeling 

anxious, you can have a negative response 

to a scent that you might otherwise love.’ 

What’s more, Lyn adds, the production 

of stress hormones can itself change the 

way a fragrance smells on your skin – so 

she suggests shopping with a friend, 

planning a lunch and taking it easy. 

Importantly, fragrances should always 

be skin-warmed before you make up your 

mind about them. Perfume blotters are 

‘I do’... 

Josephine Fairley recommends romantic wedding scents 

fine for helping you to dismiss a fragrance 

– if you don’t like it, move on to the next 

– but you really need to wear a fragrance 

on your body, to know whether you love 

it; individual chemistry subtly alters a 

perfume’s character, on our skin – that’s 

part of the magic, and though sometimes 

we can fall in love-at-first-spritz, it takes 

up to two hours for the base notes (which 

are the lingering fragrance elements we 

really live with) to emerge. So: try up 

to half a dozen fragrances on blotters, 

initially. (Even before that, I tend to sniff 

the caps and nozzles of perfume testers 

– because the oils concentrate there as 

they evaporate – as a first clue, telling me: 

that’s a possible, that’s a no-no.) Label 

them; even I can’t remember what I’ve 

sprayed where (and I do this for a living!) 

Have a coffee. Smell those blotters 

and narrow your choice down to no 

more than three, which you should 

then apply to the skin: one on each 

wrist, one in the crook of one elbow. 

(At this stage, don’t apply any of them 

to your neck: it will dominate.) Then 

go off and have that lunch. Chill. Ask 

your friend’s advice about what smells 

great on you, if you’re unsure – and 

ideally, ask for samples to take home 

and try, longer-term. (Most fragrance 

consultants are more than helpful, if 

you explain it’s for your wedding.) 

10 


fragrance choices 

Estée Lauder Beautiful – not 

for nothing has this often been 

advertised with a bride in the 

ad; it’s swooningly pretty. 

Chanel No.5 – or for a young 

bride, try No.5 L’Eau as a 

fresh and radiant alternative. 

Jean Patou Joy – a classic, 

grown-up, sumptuous floral, right 

up there with Chanel No.5. 

Frederic Malle Portrait of 

a Lady – one of the most 

hauntingly beautiful creations 

of recent years, with an overdose 

of rose and patchouli. 

Calvin Klein Eternity – timelessly 

romantic (and it happens to be 

wedding-inspired), a harmony of 

classic and contemporary notes. 

Antonia’s Flowers (find 

it at SpaceNK) – almost 

photorealistically like walking 

into a florist’s shop with its 

mossy notes of freesia. 

Byredo Flowerhead – 

inspired by the flowers which 

traditionally celebrate an 

Indian wedding (including 

garlands of jasmine), opulently 

petal-perfect and ‘different’ 

Creed Love in White – notes of 

hyacinth and magnolia, like an 

airy, flower-powered breeze. 

Christian Dior J’adore – a 

modern bouquet of flowers 

(including opulent Grasse 

rose at its heart), but almost 

as if warmed by sunlight. 

Jo Malone London Red 

Roses – one of the most 

swooningly romantic rose 

perfumes ever confected. 


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112 

MMBaxterS30-2.indd 1 28/03/2017 15:51

Beauty 

Something else to bear in mind, though: 

your fragrance choice should also reflect the 

style of your wedding. If you’re wearing 

white or ivory, white flower fragrances 

can be perfect, with traditional notes of 

jasmine, lily, gardenia and lily-of-the-valley. 

If your style is more flamboyant and 

exotic, you may go for something more 

sensual: an Oriental, or a floral-oriental 

(which is slightly lighter and fresher than 

an Oriental, but still has beguiling woody 

or spiced undertones). The time of year 

is relevant, too: ‘Lighter for summer, as a rule – unless 

you’re a very outgoing, dark-haired bride,’ advises Lyn. 

But what’s absolutely crucial is to ensure that whatever 

fragrance you choose doesn’t come as a big surprise to 

your intended. What happens if the first time he smells 

it is at the altar – and he hates it? So: you’ll need to 

wear the fragrance around him – and let him get close 

enough to nuzzle it – to ensure it gets a thumbs-up. 

And just what strength of fragrance is perfect, for a wedding? 

Ideally, you wouldn’t wear something stronger than an eau de 

parfum – which should last you through the reception. (You 

might want to buy a Travalo travel fragrance spray – which 

can be filled with your chosen fragrance – to give to your 

matron of honour. You might want to turbo-charge your 

chosen eau de parfum’s staying power, though, by ‘layering’: 

if they exist (there’s a big perfumed bodycare revival going 

on right now), buy the bath and body products that match 

your chosen scent, using them while you bath, applying 

a body lotion and powder and – as that finishing touch – 

the scent itself. Then the fragrance is subtly ‘time-released, 

during the day – especially if you’re going to be dancing. 

Be sure to put on your fragrance before you step into your 

dress, meanwhile, or it can stain – and I suggest applying not 

only to the pulse points at wrist, elbow and neck, but also 

tucking a cotton wool ball that has been sprayed with the scent 

and then allowed to dry, between your breasts inside your bra. 

Why not spray your garter, too? And hair is a wonderful vehicle 

for fragrance: spritz the air and walk through it, or lightly mist 

the hairline. Then your guests will get a lovely whiff of your 

fragrance while you’re kissing them, in the receiving line… 

The simple truth is, your wedding fragrance is much, 

much more than just another accessory. So don’t leave it 

to the last minute, when you’re stocking up on suntan 

lotion, cotton wool and anti-mozzie spray, for your 

honeymoon. Take your time. Indulge your senses. Enjoy. 

Because choosing your perfect fragrance for your perfect 

day can be one of the most sensual, indulgent treats of 

the whole wedding build-up. And if you choose well, 

this could be the start of a long and joyous relationship 

– not just with your husband, but your new scent… 

Jo Fairley is co-founder of The Perfume 

Society, a ‘hub’ for anyone interested in 

fragrance and the sense of smell, offering 

events, discovery boxes and an awardwinning 

on-line magazine about perfume, 

The Scented Letter. 

perfumesociety.org 

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WilliamCharlesWT174.indd 2 05/07/2016 12:49

Are you considering 

a breast reduction? 

Miss Anita Hazari, Consultant Plastic Surgeon discusses the procedure. 

WHY YOU MIGHT NEED IT 

Breast reduction is never an 

essential operation. Weight loss 

may reduce breast size and, 

having lowered your BMI, you 

may find you do not need surgery. 

Correctly fitting underwear and 

clothing can improve comfort and 

appearance. 

The aim of the surgery is to 

give you smaller, better-shaped 

breasts that are in proportion to 

the rest of your body and relieve 

the severity of symptoms from 

large breasts such as backache 

and neck ache. The procedure 

removes fat, glandular tissue 

and skin from the breasts 

making them smaller, lighter 

and firmer. 

THE BENEFITS OF 

SURGERY 

Whatever your reason for 

considering this procedure, it 

can help you: 

• have greater self-esteem and 

confidence 

• feel that your breasts are more 

in proportion with the rest of 

your body 

• wear the clothes you want 

• live a more active lifestyle 

It is important to discuss: 

• your expectations 

• the benefits of the surgery to you 

• any risks, complications or 

limitations 

• family history of breast cancer 

• the need for a mammogram if 

you are 35 years or over 

THE PROCEDURE 

After pre-operative photographs, 

your surgeon will mark the new 

position for nipple in a position 

higher than the old, reducing 

the size of the nipple as well as 

marking the area of skin and 

breast tissue to be removed. 

The procedure usually takes 

about two to three hours. 

Techniques for breast 

reduction vary, but the most 

common procedure involves 

an anchor shaped incision 

that circles the areola, extends 

downwards and follows the 

natural curve of the crease 

beneath the breast. 

Glandular tissue, fat and 

skin is removed and the nipple 

with areola is moved into its 

new position. The skin will be 

brought down from both sides 

of the breast and around the 

areola, shaping the new curve 

of the breast. The nipples 

remain attached to the breast 

and its blood vessels (known as 

a ‘pedicle’). There are several 

variations of the direction of the 

pedicle. I often use the ‘superomedial’ 

or ‘superior’ pedicle. 

However, in some cases, the 

nipples and areola may have 

to be removed completely and 

grafted into a higher position, 

especially if the breasts are 

very pendulous with the nipples 

extremely low. 

Sutures are dissolving under 

the skin and do not require 

removal. 

YOUR AFTERCARE 

The hospital stay is normally 

1-2 days. It will be necessary to 

organise two to three weeks off 

from work. If your job involves 

heavy lifting, longer time may 

be needed. 

POST-OPERATIVE BRA 

You will need to wear a good, 

supportive, non-wired support 

bra, as advised by your 

surgeon, for 6-8 weeks. This is 

to help support the underlying 

tissue and suture lines while 

healing. After surgery there will 

be swelling and your breasts will 

seem high and firm which may 

seem unnatural to you. 

It is essential to wear a good 

quality sports bra and if possible 

a lycra crop top too, to prevent 

the breasts from moving up/ 

down and to maintain the 

results from surgery. 

If you are considering 

having a Breast Reduction 

and would like to discuss 

your options, Miss Anita 

Hazari offers free 15 

minute consultations. 

To book yours call us on 

01892 741150. 

For more information or to discuss booking an appointment call us on 01892 741150 

Take control of your health. www.spiretunbridgewells.com

Health & Beauty 

Painterly Style 

Wealden Times talks to Cathy McClymont, an artist who’s 

a regular exhibitor at Wealden Times Midsummer Fair 

Credit: FreeImages.com/Cristina Miguel 

do you have a beauty 

regime? To be honest I’m 

not really one for a beauty 

regime and never have been. 

My skin is very colourful 

with freckles which I’ve 

always hated. However, now 

I’m in my early fifties, I’m 

starting to think they hide 

Superfoods... 

English Walnuts are harvested 

from late August until the 

end of September and, 

once dried, can be stored 

in their shells in a cool, dry 

place for several months or 

shelled in the fridge for six 

months. Walnuts are rich in B 

vitamins, potassium, copper, 

magnesium and antioxidants 

and are an excellent source of 

anti-inflammatory omega-3. 

Try these instant veggie 

a multitude of flaws and 

maybe – just maybe – help 

with a more youthful look! 

I wash night and morning 

with Tropic skin cleanser, 

tone with rosewater and 

moisturise with Boots 

No.7 anti-ageing cream. I 

keep fit by caring for my 

meatballs, adapted from 

Liana Werner-Grey’s recipe, 

which take just moments to 

make: Put 1½ cups walnuts, 

1 cup sundried tomatoes, 

2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, 

pepper and 1 tablespoon each 

of fresh thyme, rosemary and 

oregano in a food processor 

and whiz till the mixture 

resembles fine bread crumbs. 

Roll the mixture between 

your palms into walnut-sized 

disabled daughter Kitty. 

do you have a particular 

product you couldn’t live 

without? I have a Guinot 

Age Summum facial once 

a month from my beauty 

therapist Yvonne at Aura. 

I paint with oils and 

turpentine – not the best 

things to inhale – so a good 

moisturiser is an essential. 

What’s your ultimate 

pampering treat? Being out 

of doors is a real treat and, 

as an artist, I spend most 

of the summer and winter 

outside in my studio with 

the doors open. I’m so lucky, 

I’ve had my four children 

and can now address my 

first love – painting – and 

make a career out of doing 

something I really enjoy. 

Who’s your style icon? 

My style icon would be 

my Gran, she had so much 

personality and style. I think 

a great smile is an essential 

part of being a ‘beauty’ 

and so is being happy. 

See Cathy’s work on 

Facebook or email 

cathyge@hotmail.co.uk 

meatballs and chill in the 

fridge for 30 minutes. To 

serve, warm the meat-free 

meatballs for 15 minutes on 

a baking tray in the oven at 

150˚C. They’re delicious with 

pasta and fresh tomato sauce. 

Cleanse & 

Moisturise 

It seems particularly apt in 

August to go to the sea to 

find a treatment for hair 

depleted by sunshine and 

swimming in the summer. 

VOYA’s Forget Me Not 

Smoothing Conditioner and 

Silky By Nature Nourishing 

Shampoo are created from 

organic seaweed harvested 

from the Atlantic waters of 

County Sligo. The seaweed 

comes from Ireland but 

the skills of the cosmetic 

scientists, marine biologists 

and dermatologists who 

have created this ethical, 

organic skin-care range 

have been sourced from all 

over the world. Seaweed is 

rich in minerals, vitamins 

and trace elements and its 

extracts have a pronounced 

moisturising effect on the 

hair, increasing lustre, adding 

body and counteracting 

any fly-away, electrostatic 

charge. Both shampoo and 

conditioner are great to use 

with a silky texture and 

subtle scent. 

Forget Me Not Smoothing 

Conditioner, £23 for 200ml, 

Silky By Nature Nourishing 

Shampoo, £19 200ml voya.ie 


Cloudy sight and poor vision? 

Ask about our cataract removal treatments 

Ask 

your GP 

or Optician 

to refer 

you 

Call us on 01580 242 521 

benendenhospital.org.uk 

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England, number 3454120. 

Registered charity number 1065995, Registered office, The Benenden Hospital Trust, Goddard’s Green Road, Benenden, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 4AX

Health 

H2O 

Every organ in the body requires 

fluids to function. Nutrients are 

transported to cells in fluids, 

they flush away waste and prevent 

constipation. Another big benefit of 

staying hydrated is that your mind 

will feel sharper, your energy levels 

will increase and – here’s the big one – 

drinking plenty of fluids will prevent 

you from overeating! As your body 

can’t store fluids for long periods of 

time, regular hydration is essential. 

The amount of water we should drink 

is individual and can range from 1.5 

to 3L a day depending on your body 

mass, the amount you perspire and 

how much you exercise. For example, 

if you’re petite and don’t sweat much, 

1.5L may be fine but if you are 6 ft 4ins, 

exercise for 1 hour and sweat a lot, 3L 

is more appropriate. A good indicator 

of whether you’re drinking enough is 

the colour of your urine, it should be 

clear over the day and not too dark first 

thing in the morning. If you wake in 

the middle of the night and are thirsty, 

start tracking your water intake to see 

Nutritionist Katie Peck explains 

that our bodies are biological 

machines which thrive when 

well-nourished with water. 

how many millilitres you’re drinking over 

the day. Teas and coffees count towards 

your total fluid intake, but make sure 

that the majority of your daily fluid 

intake comes from drinking water. 

During the summer months, we 

tend to drink more to compensate for 

our bodies losing water in the heat. 

Timing of when and how much water 

to drink is important: you don’t want 

to drink large volumes (say more than 

1 pint) at once and, if you aren’t used 

to drinking much water, increase the 

amount you drink gradually over 

several days. I recommend drinking a 

large glass on waking and before meals 

to stimulate your digestion but avoid 

gulping large amounts with food and 

drinking too much in the evening before 

bed so as not to disrupt your sleep. 

Getting your water intake right is a 

balance. Begin by tracking your daily 

intake and paying attention to your 

urine. Overall, trust your judgement 

to know what you feel is right for you 

and, if you feel you need individual 

advice, speak with a health professional. 

Give your 

water the 

wow factor… 

Flavoured ice cubes 

Mint or borage ice cubes can 

transform a simple jug of water from 

functional to fabulous. Place borage 

flowers or chopped mint leaves in 

an ice cube tray, cover with water 

and freeze. Add to sparkling or still 

water moments before serving. 

Cucumber water 

Nutrient-rich cucumbers are made 

up mostly of water but they are also 

an excellent source of vitamins and 

minerals, making cucumber-infused, 

filtered tap water a deliciously 

refreshing way to rehydrate on a 

summer’s day. Slice a peeled cucumber 

into a 1 litre jug, top up with ¾ litre 

of filtered water, topped up with 

ice to stop the slices floating, and 

marinate for an hour in the fridge. 

Try adding freshly squeezed lemon 

or lime juice for a bit of extra zing. 

117

impressions First 

Personal trainer Sarah-Jane Holt gives 

her tips for a peachy posterior 

During a traditional wedding ceremony, the 

main view guests will have of the bride and 

her bridesmaids is from the back. From 

entering the church or registry office, to the final 

moment when the bride and groom are pronounced 

man and wife, can take a while so it’s vital that the 

bridal party’s dresses and hair look great from behind. 

A well-defined waist and shapely silhouette (think 

bridesmaid Pippa Middleton’s back view at her 

sister’s wedding to Prince William in 2011) sets off 

a wedding or bridesmaids’ dress to perfection. 

We asked personal trainer Sarah-Jane Holt for 

three pre-nup exercises to ensure that the bride and 

her attendants look their best on her big day! 

Squats – These are a great all-round exercise that not 

only work all three glute muscles, helping to firm and tone 

a beautiful bottom, but also work on strengthening and 

toning the legs and core as well. To perform a perfect squat, 

start with your feet just wider than shoulder width apart 

and turn your toes out very slightly. On the way down, 

make sure that your knees are tracking over the second toe, 

keep your chest up and imagine you are sitting down onto 

a chair. You will be pushing your bum back slightly then 

bending your knees. On the way up, focus again on knee 

position and on squeezing your buttocks all the way through 

the movement until you are back to a standing position. 

Repeat 15 times, weight can be added to increase strength. 

Raised glute bridges – Lie on your back with your 

knees bent and the bottom of your feet on the edge of a chair 

or sofa so your feet are off the floor. With arms by your sides, 

push through your feet and squeeze your bum to lift your 

hips off the floor. Really focus on squeezing your buttocks as 

hard as you can whilst lifting your hips up. Pause at the top of 

the movement for 3 seconds, squeezing your buttocks all the 

time. Bring your hips back to the floor and repeat 20 times. 

Rear elevated split lunges – These are tough 

but very effective, the elevated back foot places more 

emphasis on the opposite glute working to really tone your 

bottom as well as working to develop leg shape. Stand 

with the back of your knees touching a bench or chair, 

take a decent step away with one foot and then place the 

back foot on the bench behind you. This set-up will help 

to make sure your front foot is the right distance away 

from your back foot. When in this position drop your hips 

straight down to the floor by bending your front knee. On 

the way back up, focus on driving through your front heel 

and squeeze the glute of the front leg. Repeat 15 times on 

each side, you can also add weight for a stronger effect. 

sarahjaneholt.co.uk 

Crowning 

glory! 

The Rye Retreat has a great reputation for 

preparing brides for their big day. We talked to 

them about this season’s trends, wearing a veil 

and how much time to allow in the salon… 

What are the most popular styles this season 

for long-haired brides wanting to wear 

their hair up? ‘Relaxed chic’ is what our 

Brides are looking for at the moment. They 

want something un-done, un-structured 

and whimsically romantic. Tendrils are 

left at the nape and around the face and 

braids are often incorporated to give the 

look a suggestion you might have almost 

done it yourself (if only you could!). 

Does wearing a veil restrict a bride’s hairstyling 

options? A veil doesn’t restrict a 

Bride’s style options at all. Here at The Rye 

Retreat, we sew veils into the hair so that 

there’s no need for lots of clips. We also apply 

this technique to add jewellery to the hair. 

How much time should a bride allow in 

the salon on the morning of her wedding 

day? We will accommodate any time 

necessary, but 2–2 ½ hours is average 

theryeretreat.co.uk 


118

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contact us today: 01580 292 222 | events@charthills.co.uk

Food 

influence 

World 

Photographs: David Merewether Styling: Chloe Cottingham 

Following successful careers in ethical homewares and 

the restaurant industry, Kali Hamerton-Stove and Sarah 

Crysell have combined their passions for food, home design 

and Goudhurst to create Hamerton+Jones. Together they 

create fresh and flavourful food, including salads inspired 

by what’s growing right here in Kent and cooking trends 

from around the world, alongside their curiosity shop cum 

general store. Here they share zesty, colourful dishes, perfect 

for serving at a barbeque or garden party, which would be 

equally at home at a casual dinner party or family lunch. 

Charred Broccoli & 

Fresh Green Salad 

Serves 4 Prep time: 10 mins 

Cooking time: 12 mins 

• 200g tenderstem broccoli 

• 2tsp cumin seeds, lightly toasted 

• pinch of salt 

• 180g runner beans 

• 120g mangetout 

• 200g frozen petit pois 

• 170g fine French beans 

for the dressing: 

• 2 tbsp tahini 

• 1 tbsp olive oil 

• 1 lemon juiced 

• 2 tsp sumac 

• 2 tsp honey 

• crushed chilli flakes, to taste 

• salt & pepper, to taste 

1. Pre-heat oven to 200˚C. Split 

broccoli stems and place on a 

baking tray. Crush toasted cumin 

seeds lightly with some salt and 

sprinkle over broccoli with a 

drizzle of olive oil and bake for 

6-10 mins depending on size 

of broccoli – you want a nice 

black char around the edges. Let 

broccoli cool in baking tray. 

2. Blanch remaining veg in 

boiling water for 2 mins, drain 

immediately in cold water 

until completely cooled and 

place in a bowl of ice water. 

3. Once all veg is cool, mix together 

in a large bowl and scatter over 

your serving plate or platter. 

4. Mix all the dressing ingredients 

together and add crushed chilli 

flakes with salt and pepper to taste 

– a cleaned screw top jar is the best 

for this and the dressing will keep 

in the fridge for a day or two. 

5. Drizzle dressing over 

veg and tuck in. 

 


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Garlic Roasted 

Romano Peppers 



Food 

• 4 red romano peppers 

• 250g baby heritage tomatoes, 

cut into 2 lengthways 

• 250g baby plum tomatoes, 

cut into 2 lengthways 

• 1-2 red chillis, keep whole 

• 2-4 cloves of garlic, finely sliced 

• sprinkle of lemon thyme 

• 1 lemon, cut into thin wedges 

• glug of olive oil 

• red wine vinegar 

• capers 

1. Pre-heat oven to 200˚C. Split 

peppers in half including the stalk 

(makes them more robust) and 

clean out the seeds and white pith. 

2. Place on a large roasting tray cut 

side up. Pop inside your thinly 

sliced garlic slices and then scatter 

in the tomatoes and chilli(s). 

3. Sprinkle over some fresh 

lemon thyme and place in 

your lemon wedges. 

4. Drizzle with olive oil and pop in 

the oven to roast. Keep an eye on 

the peppers as they can turn very 

quickly and go too soft, but 10-12 

minutes should do the job – you 

are looking for slightly charred 

edges to all the veg and the lemon. 

5. Take out of the oven and sprinkle 

over some red wine vinegar 

(to taste) and some capers. 

6. You can take the peppers straight 

to the table if you wish, or serve 

warm or cold the next day. 

Quick Flatbreads 



• 200g plain or wholemeal flour 

• a twist of sea salt 

• 110ml warm water 

• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus 

some for the pan 

1. Place flour and salt into a 

bowl and trickle the warm 

water in whilst mixing – it’s 

best to get stuck in with 

your hands so you can feel 

when it’s coming together 

– then add the olive oil and 

form it into a soft dough. 

2. Kneed the dough for 5 

minutes until smooth. Divide 

the dough into 4 pieces and 

roll each one out with a 

rolling pin – I never worry 

about the shape as flatbread 

is meant to be artisan! 

3. Heat a large frying pan and 

wipe over with olive oil and 

pop in your flatbead. It should 

rise in bubbles which, in turn, 

turn golden brown – about 2 

minutes on each side. Keep 

warm in foil until devoured. 


From Garden to Plate! 

We use fresh, seasonal ingredients, most of which 

are grown in our garden to inspire our ever changing 

menu. Come and enjoy a delicious breakfast, light 

lunch or treat yourself to a slice of homemade cake, 

all served with a view of Bewl Water! 

edible 

flowers! 

Tues-Sat 9-5 

Sun 10-4 

@bealsbarngardens 

@bealsbarngardensnursery 

For reservations please call 01892 783146 

Lower Cousley Wood, Wadhurst, East Sussex TN5 6HJ 

B2100 between Cousley Wood & Lamberhurst, turn off at the No Through Road 

The Bull at Benenden 

Village Pub with Rooms 

Three splendid 

bed & breakfast 

rooms opening this 

August ! 

Each room has it’s own ensuite, 

smart TV, WIFI, coffee machine, 

Bluetooth speaker, cotton sheets, 

sumptuous anti allergy duvets & 

pillows, dressing gowns and 

complimentary toiletries. 

Please drop us a line 

for further information. 

01580 240 054 

www.thebullatbenenden.co.uk 

rooms@thebullatbenenden.co.uk 

Tours and Tastings 

at Hush Heath Estate 

BealsBarnGardensWT186.indd 1 14/07/2017 BullAtBenendenWT186.indd 12:15 

1 21/07/2017 15:55 15:56 

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 27 th Aug, Sun 10 th & Sun 24 th Sept - all 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 


124 

HushHeathWineryWT186.indd 1 05/07/2017 16:38

Food 

Mini Cherry 

Bundt Cakes 

Makes 10-12 mini bundt 

Prep time: 20 mins 


• 125ml whole milk 

• 150g plain flour 

• 125g caster sugar 

• 2 large eggs 

• 75g melted butter 

• 1 tsp almond extract 

• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 

• a good handful of fresh 

cherries, de-stoned and cut 

in half (reserve any juice 

left from de-stoning) 

• 175g icing sugar, for drizzle 

1. Pre-heat oven to 170˚C. 

Grease and flour mini bundt 

tins and pop into the fridge. 

2. Place flour and bicarbonate 

of soda into a bowl and 

stir in the sugar. Add eggs 

into the middle with the 

melted butter and almond 

extract. Mix together and 

then add the milk and 

continue mixing until 

the batter is smooth and 

glossy. Add in the cherries 

and give it a swirl. 

3. Pour until ⅔ full into the 

cold prepped tins making 

sure all the mixture reaches 

all corners of your bundt 

tin. Give a little bang on 

the work surface to even 

out. Place in the oven for 

12-15 minutes and check 

with a skewer when cooked. 

4. Cool on a wire rack in 

their tins and then turn 

out when cool enough to 

handle. Mix icing sugar 

with water or lemon or 

even cherry juice (left from 

de-stoning) until mix is 

still slightly runny. Drizzle 

artfully over your bundt! 

Find out more about 

Hamerton+Jones at 

hamertonjones.com 


Triple Gold Award Winners SPATA 2015 

SPATA Pool Contractor of the Year 2015 

Specialists in indoor and outdoor swimming pools, 

servicing, maintenance and improvements. 

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Telephone: 0845 20 60 420 

Email: enquiries@xlpools.com 

www.xlpools.com

Garden 

What’s 

New? 

After Morus rotundiloba ‘Charlotte Russe’ 

won RHS Plant of the Year 2017, 

Sue Whigham takes a look at the latest prizewinning 

breeds coming to a nursery near you 

Photos: RHS 

A 

four minute walk from Victoria Station takes 

you to Eccleston Square, a wondrous three 

acre garden tended by Roger Phillips for the 

past twenty-four years. Roger is not only a long term 

resident of the square but a complete plantsman 

and author of books like Trees in Britain, a well 

thumbed reference book here, and Wild Flowers of 

Britain which became an international bestseller. 

There were great wisterias towering up into the trees 

as they would in the wild, a National Collection of 

ceanothus and gorgeous roses, not normally hardy in 

the UK, in full bloom. And this was in late spring. 

But I digress, an added bonus was to meet a 

lady on this visit whose last project, whilst working 

at RHS Wisley, was to get the Plants for the 

Future initiative up and running. This project, 

set up in 2014, encourages and advises non 

professional British plant breeders in how to get 

new plants to the market. The idea is to provide 

encouragement and information to anybody who 

might have bred a new plant either intentionally 

or unintentionally and who might want to bring 

it successfully to the commercial market and to 

‘support the horticultural industry as a whole’. 

As well as showing you how to progress your ‘new 

plant’, the initiative also gives you a comprehensive 

understanding of the vital PBR or Plant Breeders’ 

Rights and how to apply for them. These are a 

form of intellectual property rights which will 

Right: RHS Plant of the Year 2017, 

Dwarf mulberry bush, Morus 

rotundiloba ‘Charlotte Russe’ 

 


uy local 

find us in 

TICEHURST 

Creating Beautiful Gardens 

MemorialBenchesWT186.indd 1 17/07/2017 10:20 

For Brilliant Year Round Results 

Wealden Country Landcraft 


Wealden Country Landcraft 

For all your design, construction and maintenance requirements, contact: 

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128 

WCLandcraftWT181.indd 1 07/02/2017 17:19

Garden 

Left: Clematis 

koreana ‘Amber’ 

Below: The 21st 

century mulberry, 

Morus rotundiloba 

‘Charlotte Russe’, 

grown by 89 year old 

Hajime Matsunaga 

from Japan 

give you, as the breeder, exclusivity over the propagating of your 

new variety as well as the marketing side of things. It’ll protect 

your potential income from the plant for several years as long as 

you register the plant within a year of it first coming to market. 

I’ve had a good look at their pretty comprehensive website 

which is well worth looking at if you tinker around in your 

greenhouse cross fertilising plants or even if you find an 

interesting seedling in a flower bed. I always hope that I 

might find a hellebore that is unknown as the parent plant 

produces so many little seedlings each season, none of them 

resembling their parent, that surely there must be just one 

little darling waiting to be discovered. Thompson & Morgan, 

who have a huge plant breeding site outside Ipswich, tell 

the story of a lady finding a primrose yellow foxglove in 

her own garden with flowers emerging around the stem. 

After some time finessing her one foxglove the plant finally 

emerged as Digitalis ‘Primrose Carousel’ and was launched 

onto the market some years later. So it can be done. 

In less than a decade the Plant of the Year award, judged at 

the RHS Chelsea Flower Show each spring has become arguably 

the premier plant award. This year there were thirty-five entries 

which were delivered to a closed room somewhere in the 

showground by, I suspect, horribly nervous nurserymen and 

growers. Just think what a difference winning this award must 

make. Anyway, the thirty-five plants are then whittled down to 

a short list of twenty which then go through to the final round. 

These are then put on show in the Great Pavilion. On 

the Monday, Press Day and the day of the annual Queen’s 

visit, at precisely 11am the judging takes place. The judges 

have to take into account whether the plant really is not only 

new, but also innovative and likely to last the course rather 

than become a ten minute wonder. The voting audience is 

usually made up of the great and the good from all corners of 

horticulture. By lunchtime it is all over and everyone knows 

who the winner is. I don’t know whether there is a grand 

announcement or whether word gets out by osmosis. 

Last year’s winner was a rather lovely clematis, Clematis 

koreana ‘Amber’ exhibited by Taylor’s Clematis. This year, 

however, the award went to an ‘edible’ in the form of a dwarf 

mulberry tree, Morus rotundiloba ‘Charlotte Russe’ which has 

been bred over many years by 89 year old Hajime Matsunaga 

from Japan and was exhibited by the Horticultural Trades 

Association in the Great Pavilion. I see that it is already for sale 

and is described as a 21st century mulberry. Bearing in mind 

that mulberries normally can take up to ten years to fruit, this 

one, a cross between a white and a black, sounds miraculous. 

Apart from being pretty dwarf and absolutely ideal for smaller 

gardens and containers as it only gets to 150cm, it has a list of 

attributes including being able to fruit on both old and new 

wood, with a crop ripening in May on one-year-old plants and 

going on right through until autumn. It is also self-pollinating. 

What else? Yes, it produces delicious fruits which I’ve never 

seen for sale in the shops. I think there’ll be a run on these plants. 

The runner up this year was Salvia ‘Crystal Blue’ which 

was exhibited on Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants stand at 

the Show. This plant was spotted on a nursery in Michigan, 

USA seven years ago growing amongst thousands of S. 

‘Mainacht’. It was isolated and grown on whilst the breeders 

anxiously waited to see if it would revert to being dark but 

this didn’t happen and its distinctly branching habit and 

exquisite pastel blue flowers obviously caught the eye of 

the judges. I can’t wait to join the queue for this one. 

Sue Whigham can be contacted on 07810 457948 for 

gardening advice and help in the sourcing and supply of 

interesting garden plants. 


Bespoke design & build treehouses, playhouses 

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Commercial & International commissions welcomed 

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1 30/10/2015 12:07 

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130 

ErnestDoe&SonsWT173.indd 1 20/06/2016 14:33

Garden 

Some like it hot 

Jo Arnell goes in search of exotic-looking plants that thrive in the great British weather 

The garden can be a sultry place in August; it’s often warm 

and humid, sometimes thundery, but (fingers crossed) 

it can also be hot and dry. The light is different at the 

end of the season and the fresh, clear colours of early summer 

are softening and deepening. It’s time for a change of tone and 

for richer, deeper hues. You could start small and just give your 

houseplants a holiday, as many will appreciate a breath of fresh 

air. Just be careful to put them somewhere shady and don’t forget 

to bring them in before the weather starts to cool. For more 

long-lasting impact there are some exotic looking, but surprisingly 

hardy plants out there to ensure that even if we can’t get away 

for a lush and steamy holiday, we can create a relaxing outdoor 

space, even a little patch of tropical paradise. It is good to know 

(especially for those of us in a permanent holiday mood) that we 

can turn up the heat in the garden borders, whatever the weather. 

Practicalities 

Many of the large leaved, high impact plants come from areas of 

high humidity (hence the large floppy leaves and big bold flowers 

to attract tropical pollinators) and need plenty of moisture to keep 

them looking good. Containers will need lots of watering and 

borders will benefit from a deep, damp mulch of organic matter. 

If the winter is frozen and wet there may be casualties, as these 

plants are eking it out at the edges of their comfort zones. Cannas 

and some Dahlias will need to be lifted and stored over the 

winter somewhere frost-free, where they will wait in a dormant 

state as they retreat into fleshy rhizomes for the colder months. 

Unless you are able to offer protection to tender plants over the 

winter it is best to stick with hardy plants that have a jungle look, 

rather than dicing with the properly tropical. There are plenty of 

lush and leafy plants that will look good all year round and 

Top left: Day Lily Top right & bottom right: Dahlias Bottom left: Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ 


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McGeachyGardenDesignWT186.indd 1 24/07/2017 17:10 

We’ve got designs ! 

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132 

GardenproudWT186.indd 1 20/07/2017 16:08

Garden 

many spectacular flowers that will keep going until the first frosts. 

Lush leaves 

Plants that come from warm and humid places grow big floppy 

leaves because they don’t have to conserve water. In general, plants 

with big, lush leaves will not appreciate scorching, dry conditions 

and will quickly frazzle if planted in poor, free-draining soil and 

exposed to harsh sunlight. Many of them would be instantly killed 

by the faintest touch of frost too, but there are some large leaved 

plants that are able to withstand the worst of our weather without 

much help. The castor oil plant, Fatsia japonica, with its big, 

shiny, palm-shaped leaves will manage well in a shady corner. If 

you have really damp soil, try Rheum palmatum (an ornamental 

rhubarb), Rodgersia, or Ligularia for the lush, leafy look. If you 

are looking for a sun-worshipper, then an architectural cardoon, or 

artichoke will provide large-leaved impact. And for something that 

puts up with almost any conditions, try a plume poppy (Macleaya 

cordata) with big, beautifully sculpted leaves; but beware – mine 

pops up (is this why they’re called poppies?) all over the place. 

Exotic climbers and creepers 

Vines are an essential part of a tropical theme, adding height 

to the heat and helping to create a mini jungle. Climbers 

can be trained on walls or fences to provide a backdrop, but 

they can also work well when grown up supports or obelisks 

within the border. If you want a really jungly look, they can 

be left to scramble about through the borders, using the 

other plants for support, or as trailing ground cover. Choose 

perennials like Passion flowers (Passiflora), the Trumpet vine 

(Campsis), or the deliciously scented Chocolate vine, Akebia 

quinata. Some fast growing, tender climbers are grown as 

annuals and once planted out (after the frosts have passed) 

will race up their supports and flower by late summer. 

 

Top left: Dahlias Top right: Canna Middle & bottom: Colourful, lush borders like these need plenty of water to keep them looking good 


azine 

email: production@indexmagazine.co.uk 

Below is a proof of your ad to be published Positions in the in the magazine cannot be guaranteed except where special 

tel: 01892 517320 

PLEASE NOTE The content of the advertisment it will be taken that this advert is acceptable in 

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PLEASE NOTE The content of the advertisment is the responsibiluty of the 

Drive down our leafy lane & go back 100 years 

advertiser – the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies. 

Positions in the magazine cannot be guaranteed except where special 

positions are agreed in writing and on payment of a Special Position Fee. 

Delve through centuries old oak beams, tiles, bricks, slates, stone, fireplaces, antique furniture, garden antiques & much more... 

ve down our leafy lane & go back 100 years 

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134 

OpenviewLandscapesWT185.indd 1 14/06/2017 14:30

Garden 

 

 

KITCHEN 

GARDEN 

WEEK 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above: Plume poppy (Macleaya cordata) 

Try the Cup and Saucer plant, Cobaea scandens, Black-eyed 

Susan (Thunbergia alata) or Spanish Flag (Ipomoea lobata). 

Annual impact 

Tender annuals need to be sown under cover in early spring 

and kept in a frost free place until it’s safe to plant them out 

in the garden. They grow quickly – many will be flowering 

by June and, because setting seed for the next generation is 

their only aim in life, if regularly deadheaded they will keep 

on flowering until the first frosts. Reliable favourites like 

Cosmos (try a gorgeous bright pink one called C. ‘Dazzler’), 

Tithonia, Antirrhinum and Nicotiana will ensure that any gaps 

in the border will be packed full of colour for the summer. 

Late summer dazzlers 

Whites and pastels can look insipid and dull in the sunny parts 

of the garden; the colour bleaches away and looks wishy-washy 

in strong light. Perhaps it’s something to do with the change 

in light at this time of the year, or the stillness of August, when 

nothing seems to happen, that makes me want to shake things 

up and cause a stir in the borders. Or is it the holiday mood/last 

hurrah that makes me relax and enjoy the clash of hot colours 

around now: a searing pink Dahlia next to a clear bright orange 

Tithonia? Why not? Or lime green Nicotiana, even a bright 

yellow daisy (‘surely not yellow?!’ I hear you cry) up against the 

deep burgundy leaves of Cotinus coggygria, or Heuchera ‘Plum 

Pudding’? Clashtastic! Dahlias, Fuchsias, Rudbeckias and Cosmos 

will happily put on a carnival of colour and will last for ages if 

deadheaded regularly. Jazz it up and let the brash blooms abound. 

It is exciting playing with colours and leaf shapes, 

whether that’s in the garden borders or a few containers 

on the patio. Our seasons seem to be changing and the 

summer and early autumn stays warm for longer now, 

extending the time we can spend outside. So we can stay 

in holiday mood, throw caution and colour co-ordination 

onto the compost heap; let’s make a jungle out there. 

Celebration 

of the kitchen garden; ‘From The 

Garden’ 

cookery book, based on Pashley, on sale 

Also… 

lilies & herbaceous borders in bloom 

Ticehurst TN5 7HE 01580 200888 

pashleymanorgardens.com 

Also… gorgeous lilies & herbaceous borders in 

PashleyManorWT186.indd 1 17/07/2017 09:57 

Garden Design & Planting Plans 

Contact Jo for gardening courses, border planting and 

advice: 01233 861149 jo@hornbrookmanor.co.uk 

Kate Ball 

Individual and bespoke garden spaces 

07870 627145 

www.kateballgardendesign.co.uk 


KateBallWT186.indd 1 11/07/2017 15:32

Feeling Bored? 

Susan Elkin explains that, when it comes to school holidays, this isn’t necessarily such a negative 

Credit: FreeImages.com/Picaland 

It’s the summer holidays – when we tell our children and 

anyone else who cares that they get bored by the second day. 

If it’s true, and I’m not convinced it is, then it’s a new thing. 

I wasn’t a child who adored school. It was just something 

you had to do. It was OK but I’d far rather have been 

somewhere else: at the swimming bath with my friends, 

playing in the park or curled up on my bed with a book 

and a Mars bar, for example, as I did day after day during 

the glorious holidays. Boredom was rarely an issue. 

Today’s children, for all sorts of reasons – some spurious, 

some driven by commerce and some very sensible – are less 

independent than we were. And the loss of freedom to do 

things unsupervised seems to have led, for some, to inertia and 

boredom. And that, I think, is a very sad, pretty destructive thing. 

On the other hand, it has led to the burgeoning of a wide 

range of holiday activities for families who can afford them. 

There is, for example, some sort of performing arts summer 

school local to almost every child in the country – they’re run 

by theatre venues, local branches of chains such as Stagecoach 

and Theatretrain, drama schools and specialist organisations. 

Typically participants work together for a week or a fortnight 

learning skills and then present a mini-show for family and 

Blackland Farm 

Outdoor Activity Centre 

Kayaking 

Canoeing 

Bungee trampolining 

Rock climbing 

Archery 

Crate challenge 

Zip wire 

Abseiling 

Aeroball... 

...and many more! 

friends. There are also US-style holiday camps, such as PGL, 

where they can undertake activities including art, drama, sport 

and more. Look out for entrepreneurial local independent 

providers too. I recently interviewed the man who runs the 

very successful Holiday Drop Off in south London – lots 

of sport and happy children (and parents), it seems. 

So the boredom-busting industry is alive and well. It’s 

also doing a good childcare job – another relatively new 

requirement now that in so many families, both parents 

have to work. Although, unusually for my generation, my 

parents both did too. We lived, literally, over the shop so 

they were always around and able to keep half an eye on 

us as we wandered through en route for a friend’s house or 

the library for another half dozen books to gobble up. 

Twenty-first century school holidays seem to be a matter 

of “Time is something to be killed. Every minute must be 

filled” as John Betjeman pithily put it. I think that if children 

could only be left to their own devices just a little more 

during the long summer break then they might be a) more 

enterprising and imaginative than some of them are and b) 

better refreshed for next term. Boredom can self-sort if it’s 

allowed to. Life is not meant to be rigidly structured 24/7. 

Penshurst VINTAGE 

& Antiques Fair 

Penshurst Village Hall TN11 8BP 

Come and join us for 

fun-filled activity days. 

Why not have your 

birthday party here too? 

Blackland Farm 

01342 810493 

blackland@girlguiding.org.uk 

www.blacklandfarm.org.uk 

26 th , 27 th , 28 th August 

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. 


136 

BlacklandFarmWT138.indd 1 10/07/2013 PenshurstAntiquesFairWT186.indd 17:31 

1 24/07/2017 17:05

CANTERBURY FESTIVAL 

KENT’S INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL 

14 OCT - 4 NOV 2017 

Over 200 events including 

Newton Faulkner 

Imelda May 

Tom Kerridge 

Ballet Black 

Ruby Turner 

Tenebrae 

Tasmin Little 

Rich Hall 

Mary Black 

and much more! 

Further details visit: 

canterburyfestival.co.uk 

Partner and Principal Sponsor 

CanterburyFestivalWT186.indd 1 17/07/2017 12:14 

DOC.YARD 

BACK THIS 

SUMMER! 

WITH MORE EXPERIMENTS 

AND MORE HANDS ON FUN! 

31 ST JULY TO 3 RD 

SEPTEMBER 2017 

Supported by 


CHD-WT186.indd 1 17/07/2017 11:00

What’s On In August 

Arts & Crafts 

award-winning themed grass maze. 

Garden 

This town-wide festival of 

Entry: All included with usual 

music has over 70 events a 

Sat 19 Aug – Sun 3 Sept 

admission except face painting 

Fri 18 Aug 10am – 12.30pm 

day for a full week. With craft 

Lewes, Seaford and surrounding 

Info: 01892 870347 / 

Woolbeding Gardens, Brambling 

workshops, camping, a craft 

areas, East Sussex 

chiddingstonecastle.org.uk 

Lane, Woolbeding, Midhurst, 

and music fair and Concert 

Art Wave 2017 

West Sussex GU29 9RR 

Marquee, there is a great variety 

One of the most popular arts events 

Mon 21 Aug – Sun 3 

Gardeners’ Workshop: 

of things to do at any given time 

in East Sussex, and well worth a look, 

Sept 10am- 5.30pm 

An Introduction to 

in this beautiful coastal town. 

Art Wave 2017 comprises over 100 

Groombridge Place, Groombridge 

Vegetable Growing 

Info: broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk 

venues organised into town and rural 

Hill, Groombridge, Tunbridge 

Woolbeding Gardens’ kitchen 

trails. Enjoy a mix of arts and crafts 

Wells, Kent TN3 9QG 

gardener gives great advice and 

Thurs 24 – Mon 28 Aug 

including paintings, prints, sculpture, 

Wild West Adventure 

practial solutions to growing your 

Various locations in 

jewellery, textiles, ceramics and more. 

A fun filled day of Cowboy crafts, 

own vegetables at home, from 

Rye, East Sussex 

Entry: Free 

fire-side songs, story-telling and 

seed sowing to harvesting. 

Rye International 

Info: artwavefestival.org 

much more including access to 

Entry: £19 

Jazz & Blues Festival 

the Enchanted Forest, Crusoe’s 

Info: nationaltrust.org.uk 

A collection of the finest Jazz, 

Children & Families 

World and birds of prey displays. 

Blues, R&B, Soul, Funk, 

Info: 01892 861444 / 

Sat 26 and Sun 27 10am – 5pm 

contemporary and crossover 

Sat 22 July – Sun 3 Sept 

groombridgeplace.com 

and Mon 28 Aug 10am – 4pm 

stars including Kandace Springs 

McArthurGlen Designer 

St. Mary The Virgin, Maytham 

and Seth Lakeman and venues 

Outlet, Kimberley Way, 

Food & Drink 

Road, Rolvenden, Kent TN17 4LT 

such as Simply Italian restaurant 

Ashford, Kent, TN24 0SD 

Rolvenden Church 

and St. Mary’s Church. 

Summer Shop 

Sun 20 Aug 

Flower Festival and 

Info: ryejazz.com 

The Ashford Designer Outlet 

The Corn Exchange, The 

Art Exhibition 

offers up to 60% off brands such 

Pantiles, Royal Tunbridge 

At this year’s “Matthew’s Gospel” 

Fri 25 – Sun 27 Aug 

as Levi’s, Barbour, Hamleys and 

Wells, Kent TN2 5TE 

themed Flower Festival there will 

Mt Ephraim Gardens, Staple 

Superdry, and this summer the 

Macaron Masterclass 

be an art exhibition by local artists 

St, Hernhill, Faversham, 

centre is transformed with an open 

This hands-on half day course at 

at the Village hall, a variety of stalls 

Kent ME13 9TX 

air summer festival garden complete 

Rosemary Schrager’s cookery school 

and a Swing Night in the church on 

A new Day Festival 

with ice cream stand, inflatable Water 

will teach you to make your own 

Sunday 27 August with the Rye Bay 

The best of prog, rock, blues, 

Walkers, and performances from 

box full of macarons with that 

Crew performing all of your favourite 

and roots all in one terrific 

local musicians. All this is topped 

perfect crunch on the outside, a 

classics. Morning coffee, ploughman’s 

festival, with a great line up 

off with extra weekday events every 

soft inside and delicious filling. 

lunches, and cream teas will also be 

of classic bands including 

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 

Entry: £75 

available throughout the weekend. 

Slade, Big Country and the 

including a giant keyboard, digital 

Info: 01892 528 700 / 

Entry: £10 

legendary Uriah Heep. 

graffiti and T-shirt making. 

rosemaryshrager.com 

Info: 01580 240463 

Info: anewdayfestival.com 

Info: ashforddesigneroutlet.com 

Sat 26 – Sun 27 Aug 

Music 

Summer Activities 

Mon 31 July – Sun 3 Sept 

Brogdale Collections, Brogdale 

Historic Dockyard, Chatham 

Road, Faversham Kent ME13 8XZ 

Thurs 10 – Sat 12 Aug 

Sat 12 Aug 3.30 – 7pm 

Doc. Yard Summer Fun! 

Artisan Cider Festival 

John Darlings Farm, 

Hythe Imperial, Princes Parade, 

The Doc is back with opportunities 

A weekend festival with over 

Edenbridge, Kent TN8 5NP 

Hythe, Kent CT21 6AE 

to learn the mathematical art of 

sixty artisan ciders for you to 

Lee Fest 

Opera in the Park 

curves, how ships work, and how 

sample as you enjoy live music, 

In 2006 sixteen year old Lee Denny 

A perfect chance to check 

to make curves in water. There 

family entertainment, talks, 

founded this festival in his back 

out Hythe Imperial’s new 

will also be an inflatable lifeboat 

demos and local shopping. 

garden on the basis that while his 

formal gardens and Gazebo 

with all the accessories and the 

Info: brogdalecollections.org 

holidaying parents told him not to 

(especially if you’re scouting 

chance to dress up as a lifesaver for 

have a party, they said nothing about 

out wedding locations) in an 

a great family photo opportunity. 

Mon 28 Aug 

festivals. Leefest has since risen to be 

evening of Opera with inclusive 

Entry: Included with annual ticket 

Kent Life, Lock Ln, Sandling, 

the UK’s most celebrated independent 

sparkling wine and canapés. 

Info: thedockyard.co.uk 

Maidstone ME14 3AU 

festival, dubbed ‘a mini version of 

Entry: £38 

Ice Cream Festival 

Glastonbury’ by BBC Radio 1. This 

Info: hytheimperial.co.uk 

Sun 13 Aug 11am – 5pm 

Ice cream vendors, chocolatiers and 

year is Neverland themed with a 

Chiddingstone Castle, 

sweet stalls all gather together to 

line up including Annie Mac, Jake 

Fri 25 – Mon 28 Aug 

Chiddingstone, Edenbridge 

offer you some scrummy samples. 

Bugg and secret special guests. 

The Milk House, The Street, 

TN8 7AD 

To keep you entertained between 

Info: leefest.org 

Sissinghurst, Kent TN17 2JG 

Ancient Egyptian Day 

tasters there will also be a face painter, 

Milk Fest 

An Educational trip back to ancient 

music from The Boogie Woogie Gals, 

Fri 11 – Fri 18 Aug 

The cream of Kent is showcased 

Egypt with a chance to handle 

animal activities and a fun farm ride! 

Various Locations in 

in a full fat long weekend 

3000 year old artefacts, learn from a 

Info: 01622 763936 / kentlife.org.uk 

Broadstairs, Kent 

which celebrates all the good 

professor of egyptology and visit the 

Broadstairs Folk Week 

things in life; good food and 

 


What’s On In August 

drink including the Milk House’s 

Full Fat Festival Top, good music 

from local artists such as Indigo 

Sea, and good produce at the 

homegrown and handmade fair. 

Info: themilkhouse.co.uk 

Thurs 31 Aug – Sun 3 Sept 

Dunorlan Park, Pembury Road, 

Tunbridge Wells TN2 3QN 

Moscow State Circus 

The Royal National Lifeboat 

Institution hosts the UK’s largest 

bigtop with its new art-deco 

production, Gostinitsa, Hotel 

of Curiosities featuring awardwinning 

clowns and Europe’s 

only double Russian swings. 

Entry: Adults from £16.20, 

Children from £14.40 

Info: ticketmaster.co.uk 

Theatre 

Sat 5 Aug 

Mote Park, Mote Avenue, 

Maidstone, Kent ME15 7SU 

Outdoor theatre: 

Alice Through the 

Looking Glass 

Follow Alice and Quantum Theatre 

through the looking glass and into 

the mad and fantastical world 

of Lewis Carroll in this family 

friendly outdoor production. 

Entry: Adults £6, Children £4 

Info: quantumtheatre.co.uk 

Mon 28 Aug 6.30 – 10pm 

Walmer Castle and Gardens, 

Kingsdown Road, Deal, 

Kent CT14 7LJ 

Outdoor Theatre: 

Jane Eyre 

Pull up a picnic blanket at the 

exquisite Walmer Castle and 

Gardens, as the Chapterhouse 

Theatre Company presents a 

moving open-air adaptation of 

Charlotte Bronte’s mysterious and 

beautiful tale of undying love. 

Info: english-heritage.org.uk 


Thurs 17 Aug 6.30 – 8.30pm 

Brandshatch Place Hotel & 

Spa, Brands Hatch Road, 

Fawkham, Kent, DA3 8NQ 

Wedding Open Evening 

This lovely Hotel and Spa 

welcomes you to explore a variety 

of bedroom styles and photo op 

spots with their expert wedding 

co-ordinators and shop wedding 

suppliers with their stamp of 

approval, covering everything 

from stationery to photography. 

Entry: Free 

Info: handpickedhotels.co.uk 

Mon 28 Aug 10am – 2.30pm 

Port Lympne Hotel, 

Aldington Road, Lympne, 

Hythe, Kent CT21 4PD 

Wedding Venue Open Day 

Be sure to register ahead of time for 

this popular wedding open day. Get 

a feel for what this unique venue 

has to offer as you meet the Hotel’s 

award-winning team as well as a 

selection of trusted suppliers and 

explore the venue’s beautiful reception 

rooms, gardens, restaurant and bar. 

Info: aspinallfoundation.org 

Workshops 

Weds 2 Aug 2pm – 4pm 

Smallhythe Studio, Tenterden 

Dreams and Journeys 

Where does your imagination go 

when you take it travelling or let it 

roam free? Spend a playful afternoon 

exploring your dreams and journeys 

and put down some words on a page 

through fun and creative exercises and 

you could connect with yourself and 

gain new insights into who you are. 

Info: smallhythestudio.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 

September issue is 14 August 2017. 

DESIGNER MAKERS 

OF CONTEMPORARY AND 

TRADITIONAL CRAFTS 

EVENTS Contemporary 2012 

ICHFLtdWT186.indd 1 04/07/2017 10:44 

CRAFT 

SHOWS 

CONTEMPORARY 

CRAFT SHOWS 

THROUGHOUT SUSSEX 

Upper Dicker, Hailsham, East 

Sussex BN27 3QS 

www.sussexpast.co.uk 

26 - 28 August 

PASHLEY 

MANOR GARDENS 

Ticehurst, Near Wadhurst, 

East Sussex TN5 7HE 

www.pashleymanorgardens.com 

www.thesussexguild.co.uk 

01273 479565 

3 - 6 August 

MICHELHAM PRIORY 

with craft demonstrations 


SussexGuildWT186.indd 1 05/07/2017 10:20

Garden Services 

Home & Interiors 

Wealden Wealden Times Times - Bazaar - Classified 

InPartyTentsCo 

Stylish & Unique Marquees for weddings & parties 

www.inpartytentsco.com 07917457820 / 01424 753147 

inpartytentsco@aol.com 

Creating gardens 

of distinction 

DECORATIVE & COUNTRY 

FURNITURE 

UNIT 10 MIDICY OAST, BODIAM BUSINESS PARK 

www.atkinsantiques.com 

Please call/text to view 07754427194 

1/4 mile down from the Curlew restaurant towards 

Cripps Corner on B2244 

Clare Langdon 

InPartyTentCoWT169.indd 1 11/02/2016 AtkinsAntiquesWT186.indd 12:44 

1 24/07/2017 16:12 

INTERIORS 

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 

Made to measure 

curtains & blinds 

Tracks & poles 

Measuring & fitting service 

Home consultation 

Fabrics & design advice 

Telephone 01233 850829 

clarelangdoninteriors.co.uk 

www.dhallcabinetmaker.co.uk 

David Hall 

GeoffTiltmanWT168.indd 1 18/01/2016 ClareLangdonWT184.indd 15:41 

1 12/05/2017 16:19 

Events 

Cabinet Maker 

& 

Antique Restorer 

* High Quality Bespoke Furniture 

* Antique Restoration of all types 

* Carving and Copy Carving 

* Polishing 

NO VAT 

Phone 01797 270761 

Email: hallcrocket@aol.com 

IdenSignsWT186.indd 1 25/07/2017 DavidHallWT108.indd 15:51 

1 14/01/2011 15:27 

MAKERS FAIR 

5th & 6th August 

Demonstrations of traditional 

& contemporary craft. 

Admission free. 

10am - 5pm. 

KING JOHN’S NURSERY 

SHEEPSTREET LANE, ETCHINGHAM, TN19 7AZ 

2nd & 3rd 

SEPTEMBER 2017 

10am - 5pm 

OPEN 

STUDIOS 

40 artists working in a range of media showing 

in 19 studios in and around Crowborough 

www.crowborough-arts.org.uk 


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1 07/07/2017 12:05

Competition 

Win A CoUPLeS retreAt At 

dALe HiLL HoteL & GoLF CLUB 

To celebrate the new partnership with their local 

salon, You Time, Dale Hill is offering Wealden 

Times readers the chance to win their new Spa 

Package. The Couples Retreat is designed for two people 

and includes accommodation in a Standard/Superior 

room, a two-course dinner, breakfast and full use of leisure 

facilities, plus one treatment each at You Time salon – 

choosing from either a Full Body Massage or Classic 

Dermalogica Facial. Both treatments are 1hr 15mins each. 

You Time salon is only a six minute drive from Dale 

Hill Hotel & Golf Club. With so many wonderful 

treatments to choose from, it’s hard to know which 

one to start with. Their beauty therapists have a vast 

amount of knowledge and experi ence in all areas of 

tanning, massage and beauty enhancing treatments, 

such as facials and nail care for both men and women. 

Dale Hill has always enjoyed leisure facilities, dining 

and accommodation but has not had a Spa. Partnering 

with a local salon who can provide treatments in excellent 

settings means customers can indulge in a treatment 

before or after a swim or afternoon tea at Dale Hill, 

settle down for a sumptuous dinner in their Wealden 

View Restaurant and relish a peaceful night’s sleep in 

one of the Hotel’s newly refurbished bedrooms. 

Dale Hill also offer Spa Day packages, Spa 

& Golf packages and Hen packages (which, for 

£87pp include leisure facility use, Afternoon Tea 

and a trio of treatments). For more information 

call 01580 202103 or see dalehill.co.uk. 

HoW to enter: Dale Hill Hotel 

& Golf Club are offering one lucky 

reader a Couples Retreat Spa Package. 

For your chance to win* just answer 

the following question: What is Dale 

Hill’s restaurant called? Enter your 

answer with your contact details** 

in the online form at wealdentimes. 

co.uk/competition or post to: The Dale 

Hill Competition, Wealden Times, 

21 Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent 

TN17 3HF by 18 August. There is 

no cash alternative and the prize must 

be taken before 30 November 2017. 

*Prize is valid Sunday-Thursday, 

must be booked in advance subject to 

availability and comprises a Couples 

Retreat Spa Package for two plus 

accommodation in a Standard/Superior 

room, a two-course dinner, breakfast 

and full use of leisure facilities, plus 

one treatment each at You Time salon 

– choosing from either a Full Body 

Massage or Classic Dermalogica Facial. 

**All entrants’ details will be passed 

on to Dale Hill and Wealden Times 

Events. Please let us know if you do not 

wish your details to be passed on. 

Congratulations to Jill Todd who wins our July competition for 20L of Autentico Paint 


Jane Howard’s 

Fables from the Farm 

Jane explores what’s in a name when it comes to bloodlines 

When our holiday cottage 

visitors wander around the 

farm they always want to 

know the names of the animals they meet 

along the way. But truth be told most of 

the stock on the farm – and certainly those 

that will end up as Sunday lunch – don’t 

have a name. So for the younger visitors 

we sometimes make it up – Lucky, Stripy, 

Spot... whatever. All good until they come 

back another year and ask where they can 

find Lucky, Stripy and Spot. But there’s 

always another brown cow, spotty pig or 

bottle fed lamb to serve as a doppelganger. 

But we do have names 

for all the pedigree stock 

– that’s the cows, the bulls 

and sometimes the rams. I 

spend a great deal of time 

contemplating blood lines 

and potential suitors for our 

herd of pedigree Sussex cows. 

Luckily the names are predetermined 

– the Coopers 

pre-fix, followed by the 

mother’s name and then a 

number. Our female “lines” are Daffodil, 

Snowdrop, Delia, Lofty Lily and Heedless 

so among this year’s crop – which is how 

farmers refer to a batch of calves – we 

have Coopers Daffodil 17th and Coopers 

Lofty Lily 10th. Some of the older herds 

in the country, like the Petworth herd at, 

well, Petworth were founded more than 

200 years ago and their female lines are 

now numbered well into the hundreds – 

we’ve hardly got off the starting block! 

“the names are 

pre-determined 

– the Coopers 

pre-fix, followed 

by the mother’s 

name and then 

a number” 

To run a pedigree herd you breed and 

keep your cows and then every three 

years you buy a new bull to bring in 

fresh genes. He “works” for three years 

after which time he has to be sold on 

because his daughters would then be old 

enough to need a bull. And along comes 

a new younger model. No comment. In 

our time here we have had a Supreme, 

a Major, a General, a Wellington and 

now Gorgeous George who is more 

correctly Regent 7th of Goldstone. 

But George came three years ago so 

when he has finished serving the cows 

this summer it will be 

time for him to move on 

to pastures new and for 

us to find a replacement. 

But increasingly this is 

a problem, for only five 

or six Sussex herds breed 

bulls – there’s a great deal 

of time, effort and expense 

involved – and the gene 

pool is getting too small 

for comfort. So another 

option is to get new bull bloodlines by 

crossing the cattle to another pedigree 

breed – a Limousin, Angus or Shorthorn 

say – and then take it from there. 

How does that work? Well the first 

generation cross is 50% Sussex and, say, 

50% Angus and is referred to as an A. If 

that A beast was bred with a pure Sussex 

the next generation would be 75% Sussex, 

B, and one more time and you’d have 

one that was 87.5% Sussex and 12.5% 

other, a C at which point it is considered 

to be pure and can be registered in 

the Sussex Herd Book. All good but 

it takes about 10 years to get there. 

But not everyone agrees with this cross 

breeding. There is a core of breeders who 

consider it vital to retain the original 

Sussex bloodlines. It was back in 1840 

that the lineage of Sussex cattle were 

first recorded and the official Herd 

Book was opened in 1879, so it’s not 

difficult to trace back those animals that 

have never had any “dodgy” ancestors 

and can truly claim to be 100% pure. 

And not surprisingly there aren’t many 

of them. These are identified by an * 

after their pedigree name, as opposed 

to an A, B, C, D or E, and although 

we don’t have any, I can quite see there 

is a role going forward for both. 

Genes, George, Generations…. 

plenty to think about as this 

glorious hot summer continues. 

Follow Jane Howard – and the farm 

– on Instagram @coopersfarm 


144

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Wealden Times | WT186 | August 2017 | Wedding supplement inside

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