Wealden Times | WT191 | January 2018 | Interiors supplement inside

PRICELESS 

JANUARY 2018 

INTERIORS SUPPLEMENT inside 

Inspirational Interiors • Fabulous Fashion • Delicious Dishes

Ex Display Kitchens On Sale 

Visit our Tunbridge Wells showroom 

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

UK distributor of Decking, Cladding & Flooring Products by Thermory ® 

www.roundwood.com

OAK FRAMED BUILDINGS | QUALITY DECKING & CLADDING 

OAK & WALNUT FLOORING | HOME & GARDEN FEATURES 

Tel: 01435 867 072 

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

MINTERIORS 

JFine hand crafted kitchens and bespoke furniture

01580 291221 jminteriorsuk.uk Biddenden Showroom

Potts Ltd 

Kitchens, Bathrooms & Interiors 

Superior Surroundings

Kiln Barn Road, East Malling, Maidstone, Kent, ME19 6BQ 

01732 848444 www.potts.ltd.uk

WITHOUT THE MAJOR SURGERY 

TRANSFORM IT 

WITH TREND

Give your kitchen a stylish new look without the pain and disruption of ripping out the old one. 

Our beautiful worktops, doors and splash backs are made to measure, covering your existing surfaces 

precisely, leaving a seamless, luxurious finish. Our surfaces can withstand just about anything your life 

throws at them. Hot pans, sticky fingers, even stickier spills, no problem thanks to our tough, easy-care 

construction. What’s more, our own expert craftsmen can often transform your kitchen in just a few days. 

For a free consultation call 0808 256 5048 or visit our showrooms 

soon to be 

Tunbridge Wells, Longfield Rd, TN2 3QF 

gt-tunbridgewells.co.uk 

Maidstone, Newnham Court Shopping Village, ME14 5LH 

trend-maidstone.co.uk

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 

• Ofsted Outstanding 

- Day & Boarding 

• Selective Entry 11+ & 13+ 

• New Year 7 Entry 

• 96% A*-C GCSE 

• 71% A*-B A Level 

• Oxbridge & Medical Success 

• Expanse Co-Curricular 

Provision, inc. CCF and DofE 

Visit our website 

www.cranbrookschool.co.uk 

Call 01580 711800 

wealdentimes.co.uk 

10 

CranbrookSchoolWT191.indd 1 11/12/2017 16:06

HAND 

CRAFTED IN 

ENGLAND 

●TRADITIONAL 

EST 2003 

● 

E 

RB ES P O K E F U RN IT U 

Contents 

January 2018 

56 

138 

116 

24 

37 

56 

83 

85 

90 

113 

NEW YEAR – NEW HOUSE 

Maggie Alderson’s property picks 

JANUARY NOTEBOOK 

Fill your diary with handpicked 

events going on 

around the Weald 

LET THERE BE LIGHT 

A contemporary barn conversion 

with a bright outlook 

GET THE LOOK 

Emulate Tanya and 

Richard’s clean, airy style 

DOG-FRIENDLY 

Find out who’s here to look 

after our furry friends 

SAVOIR-FLAIR 

A stunning apartment by interior 

architect Daniel Hopwood 

GET THE LOOK 

Achieve sleek style inspired by 

our second featured house 

116 

131 

134 

137 

138 

147 

151 

LAYER BY LAYER 

Kate Watts chooses cosy casuals 

for a chic winter wardrobe 

ORGANIC SKINCARE 

Jo Fairley’s natural picks 

NEW YEAR’S 

RESOLUTIONS 

Discover this month’s 

beauty secrets 

GET FIT FOR SPRING 

IN THREE MONTHS 

Let Sarah-Jane Holt show you 

how in our first instalment... 

SUPPER SUPERSTARS 

Juliet Bidwell’s recipes for 

seeing in the New Year 

WINTER SWEET 

Jo Arnell explains how to scent a 

garden throughout the cold snap 

STUDY SWAP 

The benefits of student exchanges 

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 © 2018 JPS Media Ltd. The views of the advertisers and contributors are not 

necessarily those of JPS Media Ltd. 

154 

159 

161 

167 

171 

172 

FRESH LEARNING 

WT investigates the appeal 

of forest schools 

HEALTHY MINDS 

Susan Elkin emphasises the importance 

of pupils’ mental health awareness 

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS 

Seeking legal advice in January..? 

WHAT’S ON? 

Find out... 

COMPETITION 

Win a dog-friendly break 

from PetsPyjamas 

FABLES FROM THE FARM 

Jane Howard looks forward to some 

new arrivals at Coopers Farm 

INTERIORS 

SUPPLEMENT 

20 pages of 

fabrics, furniture 

and accessories 

After page 114. 

Sponsored by 

Interiors 

A Wealden Times Supplement 

11 

TBF 

04WT191Supplement.indd 1 11/12/2017 12:46

Robertsbridge 

A simply stunning Victorian house in a desirable edge of village setting 

6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms. Self-contained annexe with kitchen/sitting room, 

bedroom and shower room. Garage and 2 stables. In all about 1.47 acres. Further land available 

by separate negotiation. 

Guide price: £2,500,000 

KnightFrank.co.uk/TNW170329 

simon.biddulph@knightfrank.com 

01892 310700 

KnightFrank.co.uk/tunbridge-wells 

julia.robotham@knightfrank.com 

01892 310700 

KnightFrank.co.uk/country 

@KF_HomeCounties 

KnightFrank.co.uk

Under Offer 

Our understanding of the 

ever-changing market enables us 

to price your property accurately. 

And with our local knowledge 

and extensive network of London 

offices, you can rely on Knight 

Frank to get you moving. 

Call us today on 01892 310700 to 

discuss your property search or to 

arrange a free market valuation. 


Mayfield 

A beautiful Edwardian house with long southerly views over its own pasture land 

5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 4 reception rooms. 1 bed coach house. Double garage, 

stable block, greenhouse, menage and tennis court. In all about 39 acres. EPC: E. 

@KF_HomeCounties 

KnightFrank.co.uk 

Under Offer 


Matfield 

A beautifully presented Grade II Listed Georgian farmhouse in an enviable position 

5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 4 reception rooms. Detached cottage. 2 garages for up to 5 cars. Swimming pool house, tennis court, 

greenhouse, pond and vegetable garden. In all about 19.27 acres.

SHOWHOME 

NOW OPEN 

THURSDAY–MONDAY 

NEW YEAR, NEW HOME… 

Penny Close, Boughton Monchelsea, Kent, ME17 4HY 

10am–4pm* 

Overlooking a cherry orchard in the beautiful village of Boughton Monchelsea, 

this collection of 4 and 5 bedroom homes are not to be missed! 

TAKING RESERVATIONS - CALL NOW TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT 

*Call for appointments at all other times 

01622 673086 

enquiries@sibleypares.co.uk 

sibleypares.co.uk

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

HARPERS AND HURLINGHAM 

SOLD 

2017 

SOLD 

2017 

SOLD 

2017 

SOLD 

2017 

CRANBROOK £1,699,500 

RURAL MARDEN £1,650,000 

GOUDHURST £1,595,000 

GOUDHURST £1,595,000 

SOLD 

2017 

SOLD 

2017 

SOLD 

2017 

SOLD 

2017 

SOLD 

2017 

CRANBROOK £1,595,000 

We would like to thank 

everyone for participating 

in our Christmas Raffle 

at the Wealden Times 

Midwinter Fair 

SOLD 

2017 

THE OLD RECTORY £1,350,000 

SOLD 

2017 

We raised an incredible 

£1,610 

For Cancer Research 

SOLD 

2017 

KILNDOWN £1,295,000 

SOLD 

2017 

The Team at Harpers & 

Hurlingham 

would like to wish 

everyone a 

Happy and Healthy New Year 

RURAL BIDDENDEN £1,200,000 

SOLD 

2017 

BETHERSDEN £1,200,000 

CRANBROOK £995,000 

BIDDENDEN £995,000 


HAWKHURST £925,000 

HAWKHURST £895,000 

Sales & Lettings Team 

Harpers&Hurlingham 

The Cornerhouse, Stone Street, Cranbrook 

01580 715400 

www.harpersandhurlingham.com 

LONDON OFFICE: KENSINGTON 020 7938 2311 

Jane Emilie Chez Cathy Sarah Debbie Jane A Debbie S Janey Caroline Dianne

West LaW n 

f O r s A L E 

Loose Village Offers in Excess of £670,000 

An ELEg A nt dE tA chE d dO ubLE frO ntE d VictO riA n rA gstO n E h O usE 

• Entrance Hall • 3 Reception Rooms • Kitchen/Breakfast Room • Utility Room 

• 2 Basement Rooms • 3 Double Bedrooms, 1 en suite • 1 Family Bathroom • Gardens 

• Large Garage and Workshop • EPC: E 

Mill Street, Loose Village, Maidstone, ME15 0EE Telephone: 01622 747510 

sJD – Developing potential 

ColinMcKelvieWT190.indd 1 13/11/2017 17:21 

If you think your land or property has development 

potential, why not give us a call without obligation 

and in confidence. 

Many of our clients retain our services and, 

in the majority of cases, pay our fees saving 

property owners significant costs. 

Call us now 

For regular updates, visit us at twitter.com/projects 

Contact Stephen Donnelly on 

07739 514350 or 0845 456 8969 

web: sjd-projects.com • email: steve@sjd-projects.com 

Commercial buildings for residential conversion • Former public houses • Redundant buildings for redevelopment 

Buildings for conversion or replacement • Houses for improvement • Large sites on the edge of town • Barn conversions 

Large gardens in residential areas • Major regeneration projects 

We are alWays on the lookout for lanD anD property With Development potential 


16 

SJDprojectsWT191.indd 1 30/11/2017 17:16

Rye, East Sussex - £385,000 

A Grade II listed cottage in a tucked away town location. 

Living room, and dining room, kitchen, breakfast room, study, 

2 bedrooms. Garden. Parking space available separately. 

Littlestone, Kent - £495,000 

Formerly 2 coastguard cottages converted to one property 

to provide spacious family home over three floors with views 

over golf course. Sitting/dining room, fitted kitchen/breakfast 

room, 4 double bedrooms, 3 bath/shower rooms. Garden. 

EPC E 

Icklesham, East Sussex - £895,000 

A modern detached house in a rural position with orchard 

and paddock. Living room, dining room, family room, kitchen/ 

breakfast room, utility, 5 bedrooms. Double garage. Gardens 

and grounds of approx. 6 acres. EPC E 

Winchelsea Beach, East Sussex - £545,000 

Well presented modern detached house backing onto the 

River Brede with views. Living room, open plan kitchen/ 

breakfast room and dining area, Study/bedroom 4. Three first 

floor double bedrooms. Large rear garden, Double garage, Off 

road parking. EPC C 

Iden, East Sussex - £550,000 

A well presented detached Grade II Listed period property 

off a quiet country lane. Sitting room, open plan kitchen/ 

breakfast room & family room, dining room/bedroom 4, inner 

hall, shower/cloakroom, three bedrooms, bathroom. Garden. 

Camber Sands Beach, East Sussex - £1.1m 

A rare opportunity to purchase a modern glass fronted house 

right on the beach with views across Rye Bay. Open plan 

living area with vaulted ceiling and kitchen. Large mezzanine 

bedroom and ground floor bedroom. South facing deck. 

Parking. EPC F 

RYE OFFICE 01797 227338 

MAYFAIR OFFICE 0870 112 7099 

phillipsandstubbs.co.uk

Our new apartment 

is just what we were 

looking for. Knowing 

everything is going 

to be taken care 

of is a joy. 

LUXURY RETIREMENT COMMUNITY, HEXTABLE, KENT 

Emerson Park, Hextable: discover an exceptional choice 

of beautiful, elegant apartments all designed for active, 

independently-minded retirees. Live life to the full with 

exclusive private amenities, on-site services and fullymanaged 

maintenance – all from as little as £315,000*. 

• Reception/concierge 

• Club room lounge & restaurant 

• Exercise studio & gym 

• Hair and beauty salon 

• Cinema/TV room 

• Private transport service 

• Recreation and social 

events calendar 

• 24 hr emergency call 

system to on-site staff 

Take control today. To find out more, and 

to visit the show suite, call 01322 515417. 

SHOW SUITE OPEN Monday to Saturday 10am – 4pm OTHER TIMES (INC. SUNDAY) AVAILABLE ON REQUEST 

Emerson Park, Rowhill Road, Hextable BR8 7RL 

Web: www.cinnamoncc.com/emersonpark 

* Other costs and charges apply, please talk 

to our advisors for further information.

MAXIMISE THE VALUE 

OF YOUR LAND 

Have you got a large 

garden or plot of land? 

We are experts at working 

with owners to maximise 

the full value of their land 

Industry leading experts 

We take care of the planning permission! 

The risk-free way to maximise your land 

Zero cost to you! 

Planning laws are changing 

Act now before its too late! 

What our clients say… 

"The team had a huge amount of 

knowledge and every step was handled 

in a professional manner. Their excellent 

relationship with the local planning 

department helped achieve a fantastic 

result for us. We would have no 

hesitation in recommending them to 

anyone who wants to achieve planning". 

Amanda and Robert Petch 

June 2016 

"The cost involved to try and 

get planning on our land 

were just not feasible for us. 

Working with Country House 

meant we didn’t have to risk 

our money as they took care 

of everything" 

Mr C Partridge (Loose, Kent) 

September 2016 

For a free appraisal call 0843 557 4080 

www.maximisemyland.co.uk 

sales@countryhousehomes.co.uk 

“Guy and team at CHH did a fantastic 

job securing planning permission on 

our rear garden plot. Although a fairly 

problematic application (which took 

over 18 months), they kept us informed 

throughout the entire process. 

I would certainly use them again” 

David J (Oxted, Surrey) 

January 2017

SALES / LETTINGS / MANAGEMENT 

VISIT US AT HUNTERS.COM 

HERE TO GET you THERE 


Five Bedrooms | Four Reception Rooms | Two En Suites | CSCA 

NO CHAIN. An individual detached family home, set on a approx. 5 acre plot. 

This deceptively spacious home has been lovingly extended by the current 

owners, which offers plenty of space for any family’s needs. 

EPC Rating D 

TENTERDEN £500,00 - £550,000 

Five Bedrooms | Three Reception Rooms | High Spec Kitchen & Bathrooms 

Immaculately presented detached family home with a stylish contemporary 

interior to include impressive 34’ Kitchen/Reception Room, situated in a 

convenient location within 1 mile of the much sought after High Street. 

EPC Rating B 

TENTERDEN £470,000 

Four Bedrooms | Modern Fitted Kitchen | Cloakroom | En Suite 

A beautifully presented modern detached family home with 2 reception rooms, 

garage and driveway for 2 cars, situated in a much sought after location, within 

easy access to the picturesque tree lined High Street of Tenterden. 

EPC Rating C 

TENTERDEN £475,000 

Four Double Bedrooms | Two Reception Rooms | Two En Suites | Utility Room 

A stylish and immaculately presented detached family home on a very soughtafter 

cul-de-sac, providing easy access to local Primary and Secondary schools, 

and the tree lined High Street of Tenterden. 

EPC Rating C 

NORTHIAM £375,000 

Three Bedrooms | Scope for Improvement | Driveway & Garage 

NO CHAIN. A spacious detached bungalow situated in the highly sought 

after village of NORTHIAM with immediate access to the local amenities and 

local doctor’s surgery. 

EPC Rating D 

ROLVENDEN £875,000 

Open Plan Living Space | Detached Double Garage | Located In the CSCA 

A truly unique and one of a kind three bedroom detached home that has 

been converted from a water tower, set in grounds of 1.4 acres with farreaching 

views over the surrounding countryside in a popular village. 

EPC Rating D 

HERE TO GET you THERE 

TENTERDEN 

01580 763 278 

ASHFORD 

01233 613 613 

HYTHE 

01303 261 557 

Over 150 independently owned branches across the UK. 

FOLKESTONE 

01303 210 335 

MEET YOUR LOCAL Tenterden Team! 

Jake, Andrew & Laura 

Over 200 independently owned branches across the UK.

01580 761650 

www.philberts.co.uk 

FOR SALE 

FOR SALE 

LANGLEY KENT OIEO £700,000 

Large four bedroom detached property with outbuildings and large Workshop 

occupying a good sized plot. This country home retains many original features which 

include: cast iron fi replaces, dado rails, coving and an elegant staircase. Large 

windows allow natural light to fl ood the rooms to this spacious home. Two of the 

double bedrooms have en-suite shower rooms, with the master bedroom boasting a 

walk in dressing room and French doors opening onto a Juliette balcony. 

ENERGY RATING: E 

FOR SALE 

STAPLEHURST £475,000 

Four bedroom modern detached property situated in a private corner position on a 

sought after development close to the village centre. The property consists of: Lounge/ 

diner, Conservatory, Kitchen, Study, Cloak room, Master bedroom with en suite, three 

further bedrooms, family bathroom, double garage and good size gardens 

ENERGY RATING: D 

FOR SALE 

WOODCHURCH OIEO £400,000 

A generously proportioned four bedroomed village property off ering versatile family 

accommodation and situated in a popular road with in Woodchurch. The property 

consists of: large lounge with feature fi re place, two further receptions, kitchen and 

conservatory. The fi rst fl oor off ers four good size bedrooms. The master room has a small 

anti room that would make a delightful en-suite. The garden is situated on three sides and 

there is a purpose built workshop plus double garage and parking to the rear. 

ENERGY RATING: E 

TO LET 

BURWASH PARK OIRO £215,000 

This delightful 48’ x 20’ two/ three bedroom park home is located on an exclusive 

rural site consisting of only 20 units. The property boasts a good sized plot which is 

maintained by the owner to a high standard, with double drive and single garage. 

TO LET 

HIGH STREET, TENTERDEN 

£1400PCM 

Unfurnished. Available Now. 3 Bedroom Victorian Town House located in the centre of the 

high street. Flexible family accommodation arranged over 4 fl oors. Garage and Parking. 

EDEN BARN, YALDING 

£1350PCM 

Unfurnished. Available December. Delightful 3 bedroom newly converted barn located 

in the centre of the village. Garden and off road parking.

NOW 

LAUNCHED 

SHOW HOMES OPEN 

Computer generated images 

WELCOME TO CHURCH VIEW 

CHARACTER FAMILY HOMES 

DESIGNED FOR MODERN LIVING 

Elegantly crafted two, three, four and five bedroom homes. 

Perfect for shopping, local leisure activities and close to 

schools and Tenterden’s boutique High Street. 

Prices from £395,000 with Help to Buy available. 

OPEN DAILY, 10AM TO 5PM 

0800 587 5171 

churchview-tenterden.co.uk

HOUSE OF THE MONTH 

1. 

1. 

New Year – new house 

Maggie Alderson finds homes for a fresh start in 2018 

Happy New Year – how’s your head? Hopefully recovered from the 

turn of the year celebrations, as by now you are possibly engaged 

in that most blighted of traditions: New Year’s Resolutions. 

Was there ever a worse idea for the bleak week in which we all return 

to work, in trousers which have become noticeably tighter, under 

extreme pressure to get the goddam tree out of the house before the 

bad luck deadline, and sworn off the food prep gin and tonic? 

What a time to give up everything nice and start exercising. Just when 

the weather generally gets properly grey and grim, we pressure ourselves 

to take off our cosy trackies (which would better be called ‘sofa-ies’) 

and woolly jumpers to put on scanty active wear and prance about. 

New Year’s Resolutions are an idea with built-in obsolescence. I can’t think 

of a worse way to start a fresh new year than by setting goals for myself that 

I am more likely to fail with at this point than at any other in the calendar. 

Copping one eyeful of my Lycra-described, Christmas-inflated torso in 

the mirror at a Zumba class is a guarantee I will never return for another one 

and will probably stop to pick up a comfort Topic bar on the way home. 

Much better to sidle quietly into the new year, cutting back progressively 

from the grotesque Yuletide food and drink consumption levels (one mince 

pie? why not eat the whole packet?) and walking the dog a little bit faster, 

to gently ease yourself down a few ounces on the scales and then towards 

the prospect of jumping up and down a bit in public. In tight outfits. 

But there is one new resolution you could very positively 

embrace now – moving to a new house. Whether it’s a brand 

spanking new build, or gloriously old itself, just new to you - what 

more exciting way to embark on the latest chapter of life? 

1. Sweethaws 

Where? Sweethaws is a short drive 

south of Crowborough, Tunbridge 

Wells under ten miles to the north and 

Gatwick Airport a little over 20 miles 

away. Jarvis Brook mainline station is 

approximately three miles, with trains 

to London in just over the hour. 

What? A spacious stone-built Arts 

and Crafts detached family home 

set in landscaped gardens with many 

period features including stone mullion 

windows, oak joinery, exposed oak and 

parquet flooring and original fireplaces. 

The ground floor comprises a large 

hall, dining room, drawing room and 

original sun room with sliding doors to 

the garden. The kitchen/breakfast room 

can be entered from the garage and has a 

butler’s pantry and a larder. Upstairs are 

five bedrooms and two bathrooms. The 

gardens are a particular feature with a 

large paved sun terrace, swimming pool, 

sauna and changing room, landscaped 

terraces and established planting and lawns. 

In addition there is a vegetable garden 

and seating terrace enjoying spectacular 

views towards the South Downs. 

How much? Sweethaws has 

a guide price of £1,175,000 with 

Freeman Forman, Tunbridge Wells. 

01892 640260 freemanforman.co.uk 


24

2. 

3. 

4. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

2. Waystrode Hall 

Where? Waystrode is in a rural 

location on the edge of Cowden village 

within an Area of Outstanding Natural 

Beauty and Metropolitan Greenbelt, 

15 minutes’ drive from East Grinstead 

and 20 from Tunbridge Wells. 

What? A superb Grade II* listed Tudor 

manor house with historic records going 

back to the 13th century, within gardens 

and grounds of nearly 8 acres. The house 

has been sensitively refurbished, with a 

wealth of features including exposed wall 

and ceiling timbers, oak floor boards, 

lattice and leadlight windows, inglenook 

fireplaces, high ceilings, a bespoke kitchen/ 

breakfast room and underfloor heating to 

the ground floor. From a huge reception 

hall, the ground floor has two further 

reception rooms and a large kitchen/ 

breakfast room giving on to the dining 

room with French windows. There are 

three bedrooms and two bathrooms on the 

first floor, with two more beds and another 

bath above. Further accommodation 

comprises a large detached cottage, an 

oast house, a coach house and a Grade 

II listed timber frame barn which has an 

impressive double height vaulted interior. 

How much? Waystrode has a guide 

price of £3,250,000 with Knight Frank, 

0207 861 5115 knightfrank.co.uk 

3. Romford Road 

Where? 20 Romford Road sits half a 

mile northeast of Pembury village, three and 

a half from Tunbridge Wells and six from 

Tonbridge. Paddock Wood station is just 

a few minutes’ drive with regular services 

to Charing Cross and Cannon Street. 

What? The house has been imaginatively 

extended and refurbished to create a 

comfortable and modern family home, 

light and spacious, with high ceilings, 

contemporary fixtures, and extensive 

glazing. The flowing south-facing open 

plan ground floor has a kitchen/dining/ 

sitting room with a wide expanse of 

bi-fold doors to an al fresco dining area, 

with plunge pools. There is a separate 

family room. Upstairs the master bedroom 

has a vaulted ceiling incorporating 

rooflights, a window overlooking the 

garden and a well-appointed en suite wet 

room; three further good-sized double 

bedrooms, two en suite. The second floor 

has an eaves double bedroom with 

rooflights to the front and rear and a 

further bathroom. Outside, beyond 

the terrace, the south-southwest-facing 

rear garden is mainly laid to lawn. 

How much? 20 Romford 

Road has a guide price of £945,000, 

care of Savills, Tunbridge Wells. 

01892 507000 savills.co.uk 

4. The Grange 

Where? The Grange is a superb period 

country house and equestrian facilities located 

in the heart of the Kent Weald. Nestling 

in the desirable village of Plaxtol east of 

Sevenoaks, enjoying unparalleled views over 

the adjacent countryside. Central London 

is 31 miles and Sevenoaks station six miles. 

What? The Grange is a substantial early 

Grade II* 17th century house, re-fronted 

in 1702 and remodelled in 1926 by Sir 

Edwin Lutyens, with fine period features 

and superb panelling. The ground floor 

rambles gloriously from the impressive 

galleried reception hall over five reception 

rooms, plus a huge kitchen/breakfast room. 

The bedrooms are set over two floors with 

a double-aspect master bedroom, plus an 

additional four bedrooms, two bathrooms 

and a guest suite. The second floor consists of 

three bedrooms and a cinema room. Further 

guest accommodation in the self-contained 

annexe that offers a sitting room, kitchen, 

bathroom and two bedrooms. The well 

maintained and beautifully designed garden 

features a swimming pool and tennis court. 

The equestrian facilities consist of a stable 

yard, an all-weather manège and three large 

paddocks, plus 25 acres of pasture land. 

How much? The Grange is on 

the market at £4,350,000 via Sotheby’s. 

01932 860537 sothebysrealty.co.uk

www.elliottreid.co.uk

The Kitchen is the Heart of Your Home 

See how we can transform your home today www.bentonskitchens.co.uk canterbury@bentonskitchens.co.uk 

Showroom: 17 Maynard Road, Canterbury, Kent CT1 3RH Telephone: 01227 767576

SALE NOW ON 

Wake up beautifully 

At Hypnos, comfort comes guaranteed. But whilst every bed is individually handmade by master craftsmen 

using the very finest natural and sustainable materials, it is you who carefully designs the look of your bed 

and creates a beautiful centrepiece for your bedroom. So, to be sure that you enjoy a healthy night’s sleep and 

wake up feeling revitalised and refreshed, visit our Showroom and design a Hypnos bed that’s just right for you. 

www.hypnosbeds.com 

Gordon Busbridge Ltd 

THE FURNISHING STORE THE NAME TO TRUST SINCE 1911 

289/297 LONDON ROAD ST LEONARDS Tel: 01424 420368 

www.busbridges.co.uk 

58/58B SEASIDE ROAD EASTBOURNE Tel: 01323 730637 

email: sales@busbridges.co.uk 

Hypnos is proud to be Carbon Neutral

Design & Planning 

Restoration 

New Build 

Barn Conversions 

Extensions 

Joinery 

COX 

Developments 

(Charing) Limited 

www.coxrestorations.co.uk 

www.coxdevelopmentscharing.co.uk 

NATIONAL AWARD WINNER COX DEVELOPMENTS 

(CHARING) LIMITED – BEST SMALL DEVELOPMENT 

For a free consultation please contact: 01233 714950 

www.coxrestorations.co.uk 

Established 1986

Luxurious new care home opening spring 2018 

We are the difference between quality and excellence and between 

caring at work and caring like family. If you need help finding care, 

we will do whatever we can to be the difference you need. 

Residential Care | Dementia Care | Respite Breaks 

Call 01322 771792 | Visit cinnamoncc.com 

Emerson Grange Care Home Emerson Park, Rowhill Road, Hextable, Kent, BR8 7FP 

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OH YES 

Image: Ben Roddy as Mrs Smee in Peter Pan, this year’s Marlowe Theatre pantomime. Copyright: Tim Stubbings 

IT IS! 

Saturday 25 

November to 

Sunday 18 

February 2018 

A celebration of the 

history of pantomime, 

told through one of the 

UK’s largest collections. 

Laugh, boo and hiss at this brand new 

hands-on exhibition featuring posters, 

props and costume designs from the 

David Drummond collection, recently 

acquired by the University of Kent. 

The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge 

18 High Street, Canterbury CT1 2RA 

Free admission 

thebeaney.co.uk 

A Beaney exhibition organised in partnership with 

the University of Kent Special Collections & Archives 

department, with special thanks to Evolution Productions. 

Co-curated with Jo Dyer, 

Animate Arts Company.

Wedding Bliss... 

For all those planning a 2018 wedding, or who just received 

a ring for Christmas, Hever Castle will be setting up its three 

fairytale venues as if for a wedding on Sunday 21 January 

from 12 to 4pm. At this one of a kind wedding showcase 

visitors can meet the team behind the brilliance, chat with 

a collection of recommended suppliers and explore the 

stately grandeur of the castle, the country house style of the 

Astor Wing and the scenic lakeside Guthrie Pavilion. More 

information is available online at hevercastle.co.uk. 

January 

notebook 

Exhibitions & events 

near you this month... 

© National Trust / Charles Thomas 

The Other Churchill... 

Chartwell is celebrating Clementine, the beloved 

wife of Sir Winston Churchill, with a winter 

exhibition unveiling never before seen objects and 

uncovering the incredible stories of her life. The 

Mulberry Room will also be exhibiting work from 

local community groups which explores women’s 

history since 1918, where you can also add your 

own pieces, and there will be a trail where you can 

learn about Clementine’s hobbies, interests and 

pursuits. Find out more at nationaltrust.org.uk. 

Neeps & Tatties... 

Whisky cocktails, a traditional piper, and a 

delicious four-course meal prepared by exclusive 

head chef Byron Hayter including Haggis, 

neeps and tatties, cockaleekie soup, and whisky 

cranachan. Ashdown Park Hotel and Country 

Club have the perfect classic celebration ready for 

Burns Night on Thursday 25 January. Tickets are 

£69 and more information is available online at 

ashdownpark.com. 

Dino Live... 

Learn about the creatures which inhabited the 

Earth over 65million years ago as Hall Place’s 

Great Hall and Tudor Kitchen are taken over by 

animatronic dinosaurs for you to learn about, draw 

and take pictures with from Sunday 8 January to 

Saturday 4 February. Entry is just £5 for adults, 

£3 for under sixteens and free for babies under 

eighteen months. Visit hallplace.org.uk for all terms 

and conditions. 

freeimages.om/OveTøpfer 

Holiday on Ice... 

This year Holiday on Ice explores the theme of 

Time by taking audiences on a journey through 

the most treasured memories of people’s lives 

from Monday 5 to Sunday 14 January at the 

Brighton Centre. This wintry treat has spellbinding 

visual effects, stunning costumes by Michael 

Sharpe, music featuring Coldplay, Bublé, and 

Seal and a cast of highly skilled skaters led by 

talented director/choreographer David Liu. 

For all the details visit brightoncentre.co.uk. 

Oh Yes It Is!... 

Celebrate pantomime with The Beaney at this 

hands-on exhibition running until Sunday 18 

February. Oh Yes It Is! features posters, costume 

designs and memorabilia spanning over 200 years 

from the David Drummond Collection, one 

of the largest collections of its kind in the UK. 

The exhibition also includes interactive elements 

including dress up, colouring and immersive panto 

scenes. More details at canterburymuseums.co.uk. 

Silk Screens... 

Learn a new skill for 2018 with Rachel Moore 

guiding you through the basic principles and 

techniques of silk screen printing on Saturday 

27 January. Maidstone Museum’s collections will 

provide inspiration as you experiment with papercut 

stencils to produce bold and effective prints. 

One metre of fabric and a tote bag are provided 

to print onto, but you can also bring your own 

materials to try something different. For more 

details go to museum.maidstone.gov.uk. 

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Does divorce inevitably mean war? 

The simple answer is no! 

It is a commonly held belief that when a relationship breaks down, there must be 

a winner and therefore there must be a loser. It is that belief and the fear of being 

the “loser” that leads so many people to fight, even before they have had a chance 

to consider what it is they are fighting for, but what if there was another way… 

Collaborative Law is a process in 

which each person is supported by 

their own collaboratively trained 

lawyer. Rather than communicating 

through Solicitors’ letters and 

emails, the parties and their 

lawyers attend meetings at which 

they are free to discuss every 

possible issue arising from the 

breakdown of the relationship. It 

is only through those discussions 

that real, constructive progress 

can be made and an agreement 

reached which is tailored to 

their specific circumstances. 

One of our clients has described how 

he found the collaborative process: 

“Collaborative divorce was not 

something we had heard of. In fact, 

we were wary of engaging lawyers 

as we didn’t want an amicable split 

to become acrimonious. When we 

were told about collaboration it 

seemed ideal, so we agreed on this 

route. The experience has been a 

real eye opener. Sitting in a room 

together and discussing what is 

best for both parties in a relaxed 

and supportive way has turned a 

scary situation into one that has 

actually helped us to retain trust 

and an ongoing friendship. And 

our lawyers have been excellent, 

they have facilitated rather than 

directed – meaning that it has 

been my wife and I who have jointly 

made all the decisions. The crime 

here is that collaboration is not 

more visible to divorcing couples.” 

Therefore, before engaging in a 

war which will inevitably take you 

down a path of no return, consider 

the alternatives and decide for 

yourself which option is truly best 

for you both now and in the future. 

If you would like further advice we 

offer a free 30-minute meeting. 

Please contact our team secretary 

Khaila Reid on T: 01892 502 335 

or E: kreid@bussmurton.co.uk 

and quote ‘Wealden Times’. 

Please get in touch with our Family team who will be happy to help. 

Melanie den Brinker 

Margaret Evans 

Lora Grogan 

Julie Taylor 

Kristy Underwood 

www.bussmurton.co.uk T: 01892 510 222 

TUNBRIDGE WELLS | CRANBROOK | EAST GRINSTEAD | DARTFORD 

Buss Murton Law LLP is a Limited Liability Partnership No. OC345994 and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

DISCOVER CLAREMONT 

SENIOR SCHOOL & SIXTH FORM OPEN MORNING 

Saturday 20 January 2018 | 9.30am - 1pm | 01580 830396 

13+ SCHOLARSHIP ASSESSMENTS 

For entry into Year 9 in September 2018 | 22, 23 & 24 January 2018 

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Scholarship 

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Academic, Music, Sport, 

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“Pupils benefit from an excellent all 

round education - an atmosphere of 

enjoyable, collaborative endeavour 

permeates school life, and is reflected in 

high achievement across a wide range 

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THE GRANVILLE IS AN 

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We combine the very best of a Prep school 

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innovation celebrated. 

www.granvilleschool.org 

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girls 3–11 and boys 3–4 years 

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OPEN DAYS 2018 


Saturday 19th May 

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Saturday 13th October 

FOREST SCHOOL OPEN DAY 

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Saturday 17th March 

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13+ Entry: 

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Sixth Form Entry: 

Saturday Sixth Form 23rd June Entry: 

Saturday 

Saturday 

22nd September 

23rd June 

Saturday 22nd September

BRINGING LEARNING TO LIFE 

To arrange a visit, please contact Clare Harrison: 

admissions@theprep.org.uk • 01732 762336 

www.theprep.org.uk 

An independent day school for boys and girls aged 2-13 

CHALLENGE • CREATIVITY • COMMUNITY 

SevenoaksPreparatoryWT191.indd 1 08/12/2017 12:11 

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PREPARATORY SCHOOL OPEN DAY 

TUESDAY 6 th MARCH 9.30am -12pm 

WHOLE SCHOOL OPEN DAY 

WEDNESDAY 14 th MARCH 9.30am-1pm 

Beechwood is a co-educational, day and 

boarding school for pupils age 3-18. With 

a team of inspiring teachers that encourage 

the next generation of pupils to achieve 

their full potential. 

To find out more, please contact registrar@beechwood.org.uk 

• Excellent subject choice 

• Small classes 

• Minibus service available 

• Scholarship opportunities 

• Set in idyllic grounds in 

Tunbridge Wells 

Pembury Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3QD 

www.beechwood.org.uk t: 01892 532747 


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FREE 

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Find out more at our 

FREE open day event 

Saturday 20 January 2018 

10am - 12pm at Benenden 

Hospital, Cranbrook TN17 4AX 

Our specialist consultants and full 

aftercare programme will help you to 

reach and sustain a healthy weight. 

Join us for an informal presentation, 

meet our consultant surgeon and dietician. 

You can also book a free initial one-to-one 

consultation before 28 February 2018. 

To book your place at our open day 

event, or your free consultation, call 

our Private Patient office now on 

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*Free consultation offer applies to self-funding patients booking an initial consultation. 

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE 

Financial provision for children 

of a ‘common-law’ marriage 

One of the main misunderstandings 

in family law is about legal rights 

when a so-called ‘common law’ 

marriage breaks down. Claire 

Tollefson of law firm Cripps explains 

the reality of the situation. 

Many people believe that those who 

live together have the same rights 

upon separation as those who are 

divorced – but this is not true. As the law 

stands, it is possible to live together for 

years and then leave with no financial 

responsibility for those left behind 

when the relationship breaks down. 

This can be particularly worrying where 

there are children in the relationship, 

where one parent is facing the prospect 

of raising children without any financial 

support beyond child maintenance. In 

these situations assistance can be found 

in underused legislation in Schedule 

1 of the Children Act 1989, which sets 

out the power of the court to address 

the financial needs of a child. 

The court has the power to make a number 

of orders in relation to children as follows: 

1. Maintenance over and above that 

assessed by the Child Maintenance 

Service: The maximum assessment 

is based on an annual gross salary 

of £156,000. Therefore, if the 

parent earns more than that, they 

will not be obliged to pay any 

more in maintenance by the Child 

Maintenance Service. The court can 

order that this be ‘topped up’ to take 

account of the additional income that 

the parent has available to them. 

2. Maintenance for ongoing educational 

expenses: This includes nursery and 

school fees and expenses related 

to education, or costs attributable 

to a disability such as additional 

help as required, running an 

appropriate car or respite care. 

3. Lump sum orders: The court can 

make any number of lump sum orders 

during a child’s minority. These can 

be for expenses incurred with the 

birth of a child or maintaining a child, 

such as clothing and baby equipment, 

a family car, furnishings for a new 

home, etc. A parent can apply for 

lump sums as many times as is 

needed during their child’s minority. 

4. Provision of a property: A property 

can either be transferred from one 

parent to the other, or be purchased 

by one parent for the occupation of 

the other and the children. Unlike 

lump sum orders, the court can 

only make an award of property in 

respect of the same child once. 

The key point to be aware of is that 

claims under Schedule 1 must be for the 

benefit of the child, not the parent. This 

means that, for example, it is highly likely 

that if an order is made for one parent 

to transfer a property to the other or 

buy one for them for the children to be 

housed appropriately, once the children 

are 18 that property will revert back to 

the parent who provided it initially. 

The thought of court proceedings can be 

daunting and an understandable concern is 

the cost of embarking on potentially lengthy 

and acrimonious proceedings. There are 

alternative methods of dispute resolution, 

such as mediation, collaborative law or 

arbitration. However, if your co-parent is 

unwilling to provide for their children it 

is likely to be necessary to issue a claim 

at court. If this happens it is possible to 

make a claim for your legal costs on an 

ongoing basis - so lack of funding should 

not be a deterrent when considering 

how best to provide for your children. 

Resolution, the national organisation 

of family lawyers, has called for the 

introduction of some rights for cohabiting 

couples when they separate, such as the 

provision of maintenance for a limited 

period of time, and other automatic rights 

to financial provision similar to those 

that married couples are entitled to if 

they divorce. Reform in this area would 

undoubtedly provide fairer outcomes 

on separation and would include 

financial provision for children. Until 

such time as those changes are made, 

parents should be aware that there is 

legislation that can help them if they 

are facing an uncertain future following 

the breakdown of their relationship. 

Claire Tollefson 

If you would like any information about 

the claims that could be made on 

behalf of your children please contact 

Claire Tollefson on 01892 506191 / 

claire.tollefson@cripps.co.uk. 

www.cripps.co.uk @crippslaw This article gives examples and is intended for general guidance only

Editor’s 

Letter 

g &C g alleRy 

Our January issue hits the shelves just before the start of the 

New Year, perfect timing if you’re looking for inspiration for 

a memorable, indulgent, yet simple to prepare New Year’s 

Eve menu. Juliet Bidwell’s tasty trio of recipes is sure to be a crowd 

pleaser if you’re hosting friends or family to see in 1 January at home. 

Clean, contemporary lines are key where this month’s houses 

are concerned. First, see how the Johnsons have transformed 

a dark barn into a bright and spacious family home before 

moving on to an apartment expertly created by celebrated 

interior architect Daniel Hopwood. We’ve edited Get the Look 

pages at the end of each article to help you along the way to 

emulating their wonderfully uncluttered living spaces. 

Redecorators, look no further. Turn to our special Interiors 

Supplement for the latest furniture, lighting and accessories to 

create rooms to be proud of. Read on from after page 114. 

Brave the January weather with our new stylist Kate Watts’ 

hand-picked collection of layering essentials and discover 

something new with beauty tips from Jo Fairley as she shares 

her ultimate organic skincare favourites. This is also the 

month we publish our first instalment of Sarah-Jane Holt’s 

three-part fitness regime to get us up and exercising for spring 

– burn off the Christmas excess with achievable workout 

goals (you can even watch our ‘how to’ instructional videos 

with Sarah-Jane herself online at wealdentimes.co.uk). 

CaROline Deane’s 

s olo e xhibition 

ending on 7th Jan 2018 

gROup e xhibiT i O n 

by our local artists starting on 8th Jan 2018 

m any O f O u R gifT i T ems aR e 

s T ill available pO s T ChR isT mas 

Enjoy your Wealden Times and we hope you’ve had a 

wonderful Christmas – here’s to a healthy 2018. 

Wealden Times Team 

Editor ............................................................................................ Lucy Fleming 

Editorial Assistant ........................................................................Rebecca Cuffe 

Digital Editor ...................................................................................Emily Pavey 

Fashion Editor ................................................................................... Kate Watts 

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

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

Rob Cursons 

Freya Bruce 

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 

Opening Times 

m on-s at: 11am - 7pm 

s un (December): 12pm - 5pm 

g &C g allery, 8 Camden Road, 

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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 

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Northiam 

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• The Stores 

Rye 

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• Phillips & Stubbs 

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Sandhurst 

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• Mimi Bakery 

Sheffield Green 

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Boundaries 

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JIVE 

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SSwanConsultingWT191.indd 10 30/11/2017 15:15

Let there be light 

Words: Maggie Alderson Photographs: David Merewether 

Styling: Helen Barton 

Location was key when Tanya and Richard 

Johnson moved back to the UK from Dubai. 

The Surrey Hills barn conversion that they set 

their sights on was devoid of natural light and 

filled with stripped pine until the couple brought 

it into the 21st century through experimenting 

with proportion and the clever use of windows 


56


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African American Literature 

10 weeks from Fri 23 February 

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An introduction to Writing for 

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Workshop Day Saturday 3 March 

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4 weeks from Tues 6 March 

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A Brief Introduction to Ancient 

Greek Art 

Study Day Wed 21 March 

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tonbridgeadmin@kent.ac.uk 

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Study Day Sat 24 February 

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Study morning Sat 24 February 

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University of Kent 1-2.indd 1 07/12/2017 16:06 

UniversityOfKentTonbridgeCentreWT191.indd 1 07/12/2017 16:21 

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58 

CPGlassWT190.indd 1 14/11/2017 17:04

Previous pages: Downstairs offers spacious, open-pan living Above: The kitchen is on the south-facing rear side of the house. Previously a dark 

room, Richard opened up the space and installed three Velux windows so light pours in, right through into the dining area 

While the words ‘barn conversion’ sound very 

romantic, the resulting homes can be a bit 

problematical – no longer a barn, but not quite 

a house, with furniture sitting slightly oddly within. Dark, 

oddly proportioned rooms in unexpected places, windows 

at funny heights and treacherous low-hanging beams. 

So how inspiring to walk into this dwelling, which 

is a barn converted into a modern living space, more 

like a cool city loft than a house, a series of flowing, 

articulated volumes, with different ceiling heights 

 


The challenge was 

to make their new 

country home work 

for their 21st century 

lifestyle and the 

sophisticated midcentury 

style furniture 

they’d amassed in 

their big city days, 

which clearly took 

some vision.

THE WINTER EXHIBITION 

INCLUDING 

NEW WORKS BY 

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RyeArtGalleryWT191.indd 1 12/12/2017 12:44 

Nicholas Ramsden 

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Please call to arrange a private consultation at work or place of residence. 

T: 01483 860591 

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NicholasRamsdenWT191.indd 1 05/12/2017 McAllisterThomasFineArtWT191.indd 15:22 

1 07/12/2017 12:38 

McAllister Thomas Half Page 2.indd 1 07/12/2017 10:39

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1 11/04/2016 10:53 


62 

Rolvenden.indd 1 23/07/2014 17:31

Above: The couple bought the dining table and chairs from West Elm in Dubai. 

adding interest. It has all the interesting features of a 

converted building – the beams here are spectacular 

300 year-old oak – but no sense of folksiness. 

That wasn’t quite the case when Tanya and Richard 

Johnson bought it two years ago. They were moving 

back to the UK from Dubai and were all set up with 

a house in London to buy – but at the last moment it 

fell through, in that fateful way houses sometimes do. 

When there is another better house waiting for you… 

“We already had our son Jay,” says Richard, 

 


This page: A door off the dining room leads into the children’s playroom, with a comfy 

sofa, plenty of toy storage and one wall of map of the world wallpaper 

“and the new baby, Elle, was imminent, so we 

needed a home. Tanya is from this area and we heard 

that the Granary opposite this house was for rent, 

so we took it – then this came up for sale and we 

already loved living here, so we jumped at it” 

The appeal of the location is very clear. It’s within 

hiking distance of the famous picnic spot of Box Hill, 

the highest point in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding 

Natural Beauty and one of the National Trust’s top 

ten best places to picnic in the UK, as featured in Jane 

Austen’s Emma (where the picnic did not turn out so well 

for the eponymous heroine, Mr Knightley got very 


64

Winter Sale starts 

Wednesday 27th December 

All ranges shown can be seen at our Eastbourne store – offering 3 floors of the very best 

traditional and contemporary living, dining and bedroom furniture. 

Wealden House, Cross In Hand 01435 863921 116 South Street, Eastbourne 01323 722921 

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OPEN DAY 

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Come and enjoy some complimentary drinks and canapés. 

Speak with our friendly designers about all the latest 

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319 St. Johns Road, Southborough, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9XE | 01892 289070

Above: Another door from the dining area leads through to a generously sized bedroom, painted in Farrow & Ball Skimming Stone. 

A striking arrangement of framed flower prints hang over the headboard, taken from a book called the The Temple of Flora by a 

botanist Robert John Thornton 

cross…). “In summer it’s twenty minutes’ walk across 

the fields to Dorking station,” says Richard “and then 

it’s under an hour to London to Waterloo or Victoria.” 

With that cruisy commute and Tanya’s parents nearby, 

suddenly living in the country made total sense – even 

for people with glamorous careers in high-end fashion 

retail (Richard) and the film industry (Tanya). 

The challenge was to make their new country 

home work for their 21st century lifestyle and the 

sophisticated mid-century style furniture they’d 

 


Above: Richard and Tanya created the ‘inside/outside’ feeling they craved by glazing the entire southfacing back wall of the sitting 

room with ‘Crittall-style’ windows and French doors 

amassed in their big city days, which clearly took 

some vision. “It was very barn-y,” says Richard. “Not 

much natural light, lots of stripped new pine and 

we wanted to bring some of our own personality 

without detracting from the rural character.” 

They immediately painted all the new wood – leaving 

the magnificent original beams singing out in their 

glorious natural state – and set about bringing the light. 

Their first step was to put skylights in the very high 

ceiling of the sitting room and cement flagstone tiles on 

the floor, to bounce the newly harvested light around. 

They also glazed the entire southfacing back wall 

of the sitting room with ‘Crittall-style’ windows 

and French doors, giving them that sought-after 

‘inside/outside’ feeling for the summer months. 

“We used Heritage Windows, rather than Crittall’s,” 

said Richard. “I’d thought I’d hate myself for not 

getting the ‘real thing’ but I actually love them. 

They are set into the floor and fit so beautifully.” 

Another standout feature of this space is the large 

ceiling light fitting, with oversized dimpled glass shades 

suspended from a reclaimed oak frame, like a puppet’s 

control bar, which Richard commissioned from a local 

craftsman to blend with the existing oak. He also sourced, 

through extensive Google searches, some of the fixtures 

throughout the house including a black iron leaning 

industrial bookshelf and the industrial light fittings. The 

generously sized blue armchairs, from sofa.com, echo 

the scale, in keeping with the amazing ceiling height. 

That created a beautiful light space which greets you 

through the glazed partition from the entrance hall – 

the real challenge was then to improve the light in 


68

We make wooden letters up 

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AvantGardeIntWT191.indd 1 08/12/2017 JosephMcCarthyWT191.indd 12:41 

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SSwanConsultingWT191.indd 2 30/11/2017 WyndhamVacationRentalsWT191.indd 15:15 

1 06/12/2017 16:38

SussexStoneWT188.indd 1 14/09/2017 11:31 

traditional SUSSEX STONE handmade furniture 

Kitchens 

Bedrooms 

Studies 

Showroom: 78 London Road, Southborough 

Tunbridge Wells, Kent. TN4 0PP 

Tel: 01892 533273 

Web: Woodworkkitchens.co.uk 

Woodwork 1-2.indd 3 06/11/2017 11:09 


70 

WoodworkWT190.indd 1 09/11/2017 16:09

Right: A large spread-winged owl, digital 

artwork created by Richard, looms over 

the galleried entrance hall 

the adjoining dining area, which 

is in the middle of the house with 

no windows. They tackled this 

by making radical changes to the 

kitchen, which is on the southfacing 

rear side of the house. 

“When we moved in there was 

just a narrow door in and out,” 

says Richard, “so we opened that 

up to a big square space, put in 

an extra kitchen window over the 

counters and then more Heritage 

metal windows and doors, out 

onto the garden. We also put 

three Velux in the ceiling so light 

could really pour in and then 

penetrate back through the bigger 

opening into the dining area.” 

The utility room’s floor-toceiling 

Shaker-style cupboards are 

painted matt black, which is very 

effective – not at all looming and 

gloomy as you might fear, but 

very chic and sophisticated with 

the black and off-white kitchen 

theme, which has an impressive 

Rangemaster at the other end. 

Leading off from this light and 

airy space is the children’s playroom, 

with a comfy sofa, plenty of toy 

storage and one wall of map of 

the world wallpaper. “There were 

double doors into this room,” says 

Richard, “but we took them out 

to keep the flow. Now we’re 


Right: The entrance hall flooring tiles 

are by Ca’Pietra Below right: Richard 

sourced the oversized dimpled glass shades 

that illuminate the sitting room online 

thinking we might put them back 

to get some peace! We’re going 

back and forth with that one…” 

On the far side of the playroom – 

out through a second door, back into 

the dining area, which adds to the 

lovely sense of flow – is the ground 

floor guest suite. This generously 

sized bedroom, with a modern 

bathroom off it, is painted in Farrow 

& Ball Skimming Stone, set off by 

a striking arrangement of framed 

flower prints over the bed. “They are 

from the book I owned, called the 

The Temple of Flora by a botanist of 

the Regency era, called Robert John 

Thornton,” says Richard. “I used to 

get the book out once in a while for 

a look and it seemed such a waste, 

so I decided to cut them out and 

frame them. I hated to do it, but I 

thought at least they will be seen. En 

masse I think they work really well.” 

The shutters in here – and in 

all the bedrooms – were already 

in place when they moved in, 

but in thirsty-looking dry pine. 

Painted, they give the rooms a 

tailored look with a country feel, 

much better than curtains which 

could have easily looked twee. 

Back out in the dining room 

again we pause to admire the 

flowing space once more – “It’s 

great for entertaining,” says 


72

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BarbicanCarStoreWT190.indd 1 13/11/2017 18:22 

Back From Black 

Beam Renovation Ltd 

Renovating Beams Since 1997 

“Well, what can I say, the room looks fabulous, so much lighter 

without losing character and has exceeded our expectations! 

Thank you for completing the work without any mess.” 

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BackfromBlackWT188.indd 1 18/09/2017 12:29

Happy New Year 

to all our customers 

Your Local Independent Carpet & Flooring Retailer 

Tilsmore Court, 89 High Street, Heathfield, East Sussex TN21 8JA T: 01435 862000 

Unit 5, Bell Lane, Bellbrook Industrial Estate, Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 1QL T: 01825 766422 

sales@pennellscarpets.com pennellscarpets.com 

Free customer parking available at both sites. 

Sale Now On

Richard used to spend weekends browsing for mid-century pieces. Now 

his browsing is strictly on Google sitting at the beautiful mid-century 

desk in the airy mezzanine office space on the first floor hall 

 


This page: The shutters in all the bedrooms 

were already in place when the couple moved 

in, but in thirsty-looking dry pine. Painted, 

they give the rooms a tailored look with a 

country feel, much better than curtains which 

could have easily looked twee. 

Richard – and the dining table, which they found in 

West Elm in Dubai, before the American company 

opened in the UK. The chairs and stools at each 

end, were a limited edition, also from there. 

Back out through the sitting room, up the steps 

into the entrance hall, at the bottom of the stairs is 

a vintage Habitat coat stand. This is a trophy from 

the days, before kids and a demanding job, with a 

lot of foreign travel, when Richard used to spend 

weekends browsing for mid-century pieces. 

Now his browsing is strictly on Google sitting at 

the beautiful mid-century desk – from those earlier 

days – in the airy mezzanine office space on the first 

floor hall. The print above it is by Japanese artist 

Takashi Murakami, part of a large art collection, 

some of it by Richard himself, not all of which is 

yet on the walls. In fact a lot of it is still stored 

leaning against the wall in the master bedroom. 

 


76

LIVING SPACES MADE BEAUTIFUL 

ONCE A YEAR 

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Specialists in indoor and outdoor swimming pools, 

servicing, maintenance and improvements. 

Telephone: 01233 840336 

Web: www.xlpools.com

Above: The 300-year-old oak structure of the barn criss-crosses Jay’s room at the top of the house 

After the light-filled spaces downstairs this room is a bit 

of a surprise, having just one small deep-set window in 

the thick wall, making it dimly lit and giving an idea of 

how dark the barn would have been before they brought 

the light in. But in the context it’s not at all gloomy, 

more calming and nurturing. A cocoon to relax in. 

In the children’s rooms there are also shuttered 

windows with a lovely skylight in Elle’s room giving a 

bird’s view of the sky. As we make our way back along 

the hall to the stairs, with me following Richard, I 

 


MARTIN MOORE STONE 

Tunbridge Wells 0330 311 6574 

www.martinmoorestone.com

Above: Like her brother’s, Elle’s room benefits from shuttered skylights 

notice him automatically duck his head as we pass under some pretty low-slung 

original beams. “You learn pretty quickly to avoid them,” he says laughing. 

Clearly a few sharp blows to the head were more than worth it to bring up 

your family in a such a cool space in the middle of glorious countryside. 

Address Book: 

ca’pietra capietra.com 

The Heritage Window company 

theheritagewindowcompany.co.uk 

West elm westelm.co.uk 


Winter Lifestyle 

Staplehurst Nurseries 

& Frankie’s Farmshop 

Winter Bedding, Pots, Gifts, 

Brunch, Coffee & Cake 

7 Days a Week! 

Closing December 24th at noon, reopen January 5th 2018 

Clapper Lane, Staplehurst, TN12 0JT 01580 890713 

Opening times: 9am-5pm Monday to Saturday, 

10am-4pm Sundays & Bank Holidays 

StaplehurstNurseryWT191.indd 1 13/12/2017 13:05 

Woodstoves • Fireplaces • Interiors • AGA • Gas Fires 

Aga authorised showroom 

Aga cookshop in store 

31 Wincheap, Canterbury CT1 3RX • 01227 457643 • www.heatdesignkent.co.uk • dthomas@heatdesignkent.co.uk 


82 

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

Velvet Cushion 

in Curry Yellow, 

£335, Abode Living, 

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Skagerak DO Shelf 

System 2 Shelves, £369, 

Cloudberry Living, 

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Midi Pendant, 

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darlighting.co.uk 

Oversized Ochre and 

Grey Trim Cushion 

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Persora, persora.com 

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Armchair in 

Stone Grey, 

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Miasto Armchair Ink 

Blue Velvet,£339.99, 

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Connor Pale Grey 4 

Drawer Chest, £749, 

Artisanti, artisanti.com 

Bronze stick lamp, 

£889, Besselink & 

Jones, besselink.com 

Lene Bjerre Dara 

Sofa, £2600, 

Sweetpea & Willow, 

sweetpeaandwillow.com 

Glenore Bed, £1050, Darlings of Chelsea, 

darlingsofchelsea.co.uk 

Paco Desk, 

£399, Made, 

made.com 

Cult Living Moroccan Style 

Berber Diamond Rug 100% Wool 

Cream, £180, Cult Furniture, 

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MedicalDetectionDogWT191.indd 1 13/12/2017 FindersInternationalWT191.indd 16:13 

1 05/12/2017 18:09 

petsworldkent.co.uk 

LUXURY 

DOG HOTEL 

now open 

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*Subject to T&Cs & Availability 

for all new pet hotel customers 

From Monday to Friday we will be offering new pet 

hotel customers an opportunity to leave your dog with 

us for the day so we can assess their individual needs* 


84 

GreenWorldWT191.indd 1 12/12/2017 16:47

Pets 

Dog Friendly 

WT catches up with three organisations that 

look after the needs of our beloved pets 

The Holiday Company: 

Denise Elphick from PetsPyjamas 

What type of breaks do you offer? 

We offer unique dog friendly breaks which can be 

booked directly through our dedicated Pet Concierge 

who advise customers on the perfect pet getaway for 

every breed and budget. Every dog receives a free 

personalised pet travel kit with every booking. 

The Charity: 

Elianne Reed from Animal Angels Global 

Why did you decide to start the charity? After my 

science degree, my aim was to do a Masters in Veterinary 

Epidemiology and then work for a large animal charity. After 

seeing the huge amount of stray dogs in Spain however, I 

decided to start my own charity, starting by rehoming longterm 

shelter dogs. 

What’s the charity’s aim? To rescue animals in urgent 

need and to continue with our neutering and education 

programmes in developing countries, through our new 

programme NeuterAid. We also have an emergency food 

programme for street dogs in the UK and overseas. 

How do you fund your work? We are finding it very difficult 

at the moment. All of our work is reliant on voluntary 

donations and currently we are struggling to commit to our 

2018 programmes due to lack of funds. 

Can people rehome dogs through the charity? Yes – through 

our two rehoming programmes, Nobody Wants Me forgotten 

animals, and Breton Spaniel Rescue. 

How can people help? We urgently need help with 

fundraising, PR and our website as well as business 

development. We have helped over 5,000 animals but need 

more volunteers to be able to continue with our expansion. 

Find out more by emailing info@animalangelsglobal.org 

or call 07716 864447. 

Where can I travel to with my dog? You can travel 

anywhere in the UK with PetsPyjamas, to France and 

beyond. Our team can advise on the most suitable place 

for your dog whether it is a five star hotel, boutique 

hideaway or coastal cottage. We have unique deals or our Pet 

Concierge can devise a tailor-made doggie trip for you. 

Do you offer hotels AND cottages? Yes we offer hotels 

– from five star to stylish pubs with rooms and B&Bs 

as well as country houses and a range of cottages. 

They are all handpicked for their dog friendliness, 

with lots of extra treats for your dog and where 

they will receive as warm a welcome as you. 

What’s your favourite dog friendly stay? I loved my recent 

stay at an old abbey, the Abbaye de la Bussiére, in Dijon. It’s 

really gorgeous and Rufus and Heidi got a fabulous welcome. 

I also adored Cliveden where the dogs became ever 

so slightly grand to match the hotel vibe and the 

Cary Arms in Devon with their beautiful 

luxury beach huts and where the dogs swam in the sea! 

How much extra does it cost to take my dog? Dogs go free with 

PetsPyjamas and we like to encourage everyone to take their dog 

away with them. My dogs just love their holidays especially if 

they involve lots of country walks or runs on the beach and they 

make our holiday much more fun too! 

Denise Elphick is Co-founder and Creative 

Director of PetsPyjamas.com. A former travel 

journalist she travels extensively with her two 

Norfolk Terriers, Rufus and Heidi, who are the 

Pet Inspectors visiting PetsPyjamas’ extensive 

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The Vet: Antony Hinge from Barrowhill Vets 

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Making the decision to move 

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apartment that would work 

with their busy travelling 

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90


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KarensFoamStoreWT191.indd 1 06/12/2017 11:34

Previous page: It is clear that art is important to Mike and 

Caroline, and their numerous pieces are shown off to good 

effect by the muted colour scheme in the open plan area of the 

apartment This page: The kitchen, with its sculptural chandelier 

by Lyndsey Adelman, blends seamlessly into the living room. 

Adjacent to the kitchen, a desk unit acts as a home office 

After years of living abroad, Mike and Caroline decided 

to move back to England. It was to be a permanent 

move, but they still travel extensively and so needed 

to find a place that would be easy to extricate themselves 

from and also be an appealing and welcoming home to return 

to. They had found an apartment in what was once an 

93

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This page: The spacious 

entrance way, with its artful 

piano coat rack is wonderfully 

uncluttered 

industrial building. “The battery factory had 

lain empty for a while and saw a variety of 

uses prior to its eventual conversion in the 

1990s,” says Mike. “The developer that took 

it on made three units; two from the existing 

units and one purpose built, but constructed 

with character to maintain the uniqueness of 

the original building.” There are now 89 flats 

that form a complex within the grounds of the 

old factory. Mike and Caroline bought a 90 

square metre studio apartment in one of the 

original units. Almost immediately they knew 

that they wanted to make some major changes. 

The previous occupants had made a very 

pleasant and perfectly acceptable job with the 

interior, but it wasn’t quite what the couple had 

wanted. They also knew what an upheaval an 

interior makeover could be. “After spending my 

youth renovating old properties and making 

too many trips to DIY emporiums, I knew I 

didn’t want to do that again,” says Mike sagely. 

“We loved the pared back, slightly industrial 

feel of the building,” he says, adding, “it was 

light, but with very high ceilings. We could 

have been minimalist and streamlined, but

Above: The Bulthaup kitchen is deceptively large for a one bedroomed apartment. “We had enough kitchen to go into a medium 

sized house, but it fits beautifully in this space,” says Mike 

some of that style is too cold and clinical. We wanted to make 

it warmer without compromising the integrity of the space.” 

Not an easy task and one that would require considerable 

thought and expertise. Mike and Caroline made a bold 

decision and chose to commission an interior architect. 

“This was a once in a lifetime opportunity really,” Mike 

says, “although I was a bit sceptical at first. It is not an easy 

decision, especially when you’ve spent all your younger 

life doing DIY because you can’t afford to employ people.” 

They were clear in their requirements, but it took a while 

for them to find the right person. “We wanted to find 

someone that bonded the rigour of architectural planning 

with design flair.” It is a combination that is not often 

found within one person, or even a whole company, but 

they did eventually find the right man for the job. 

Enter Daniel Hopwood (he of the BBC’s amateur design 

programme The Great Interior Design Show and also President 

of the British Institute of Interior Design. Daniel is an 

architect by training, and having run Studio Hopwood for 

the last twenty years, is able to offer his clients that rare thing: 

design led architectural solutions. “The brief was to make a 

warm, manageable and efficient home: ‘a machine for living,’” 

says Mike, “but also one that would stand the test of time.” 

Having just returned from Dubai, they were in the 


96

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Above: The streamlined look of the apartment is partly down to the fact that all the practical, 

fiddly details have been incorporated into the design – electric points are recessed and there are no 

radiators to worry about, because all the warmth comes from underfloor heating. 

useful, but slightly daunting, position of starting from scratch. 

“Being on the move the whole time means that you discard as 

you move and start to travel light. When we lived in England 

before, we had a Victorian house, and so none of our existing 

things really fitted the new scheme.” They began anew 

and pared everything back – literally, as the interior of the 

apartment was completely stripped back to a concrete shell. 

This meant that they could give Daniel a free reign with 

the overall design, but the couple were still completely 

involved in the process – going to showrooms, looking at 

samples and choosing colours and furnishings. Daniel’s 

team at Studio Hopwood took the legwork out of it 

for them, as Mike explains: “Their office did hours of 

meticulous – and probably tedious – work researching 

and sourcing. I came back for meetings every 6 weeks 

or so and probably had about 5 meetings and 3 site 

visits.” The turnaround from approved concept to 

finished project was impressive, especially considering 

that everything had to be taken up to an apartment on 

the second floor. “They started work in December 2015 

and were finished by the following May,” says Mike. 

Much of this smooth running process was down to the 

construction team, a company called PSP Project Ltd. “Those 

guys were exceptional – meticulous and detailed. If it didn’t 

work, it was stripped out totally and re-done,” says Mike. 

“Of course you pay for it, but you get value for the money 


Mike and Caroline made a bold decision and chose to commission an interior architect. “This 

was a once in a lifetime opportunity really,” Mike says, “although I was a bit sceptical at 

first. It is not an easy decision, especially when you’ve spent all your younger life doing 

DIY because you can’t afford to employ people.” 

 


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102 

ThorndaleFurnishersWT179.indd 1 07/11/2016 12:55

The linear brass inlays are picked up as 

a theme on the walls too, which are also 

made from grey stained oak. The golden 

lines serve to unite and streamline the space, 

running across the ‘hidden’ doors to the 

bedroom, bathrooms and a storage area. 

in the end. There was a cooling off period just after the 

job was finished, so they basically came back in September 

and did any snagging and any minor readjustments then 

– once we had lived with things for a while. There weren’t 

really any, but they are still in touch now, two years on, 

and would come and sort anything whenever we asked.” 

The high level of workmanship is plain to see, but it is the 

combination of Daniel Hopwood’s vision, together with the 

superlative finishes that brings the whole interior together. 

There are many ingenious practical ideas in this interior, but 

what is equally ingenious is that they combine so seamlessly 

and create a spacious and streamlined feel to the whole 

apartment. Daniel sees the space as one, so that each ‘zone’, 

as he would call it, works as an independent area, but also as 

part of the whole. “In order to maximise the available space, 

Dan talked us into doing away with the second bedroom, 

so that we could have two generous bathrooms and a larger 

hall.” This also means that there is no need to scrimp, or 

compromise. The result is that nothing looks out of scale 

and the proportions of each room are luxuriously spacious. 

With the overall idea of proportion and scale in his mind, 

Daniel also put in carefully sectioned suspended ceilings. 

Along with lowering the very high ceilings, this had the 

practical advantage of hiding the services and, Mike says, 

This page: The attention to detail throughout the apartment is sublime – in a wall of beautiful geometric wood panelling, it is almost 

impossible to tell where the doors to the bedrooms and storage area are 


This page: In the bedroom there are other 

ingenious solutions to prevent clutter. A wall at 

the end of the bed features storage behind that 

also serves to make a partitioned dressing area 

“it also delineated the different areas, helping 

to divide one large space into a hall, living 

room and kitchen.” Cleverly, this ‘zoning’ 

occurs at ground level too, as the floor surfaces 

change and align with the ceiling sections. 

The kitchen tiles are made from porcelain; the 

look is quarried limestone, but very functional, 

with none of limestone’s disadvantages. A 

herringbone of oak, stained to match the 

kitchen floor tiles, subtly indicates the change 

from kitchen space to living room, together 

with a thin brass rod that runs exactly parallel 

to the ceiling panel above. The linear brass 

inlays are picked up as a theme on the walls 

too, which are also made from grey stained oak. 

The golden lines serve to unite and streamline 

the space, running across the ‘hidden’ doors to 

the bedroom, bathrooms and a storage area. 

The attention to detail here is sublime – it 

is almost impossible to tell where the doors 

are, and the entrance way, with its artful 

piano coat rack is wonderfully uncluttered. 

There is also plenty of stylish trickery going 

on with storage in this property too. It has 

all been designed to maximise space, but has 

had to add to the overall aesthetic; everything 

has been very carefully chosen to work 

together and create one seamless look. There 

is a Bulthaup kitchen, which is deceptively 

large for a one bedroomed apartment. Mike 

smiles, “we had enough kitchen to go into a 

medium sized house, but it fits beautifully in 

this space.” I see no sign that it is an actual 

kitchen. “It is easy to put things away,” 

he stresses, “because there’s enough space; 

there are plenty of cupboards, and most 

of the time there’s only the two of us.” 

Adjacent to the kitchen there is a desk unit 

that holds a safe, a printer – basically a whole 

office in one small cupboard. In the bedroom 

there are other ingenious solutions to 


104

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Above left: A herringbone of oak, stained to match the kitchen floor tiles, subtly indicates the change from kitchen space to living 

room and bedroom Above right: What appear to be quarried limestone floor tiles are actually porcelain – very functional, with none 

of limestone’s disadvantages 

prevent any potential clutter. There is a wall at the end of the 

bed with storage behind that also serves to make a partitioned 

dressing area. Caroline even has a ‘pop up’ dressing table 

with a mirror that folds cleanly down into a base unit. 

The streamlined look is partly down to the fact that all 

the practical, fiddly details have been incorporated into 

the design – electric points are recessed and there are no 

radiators to worry about, because all the warmth comes 

from underfloor heating. The lights – well, the lights are 

the exception and have become works of art or design 

classics, so serve as focal points as much as anything else. 

The bathrooms in particular have excellent lighting. “All 

my adult life I’ve wanted an electric shaving mirror,” says 

Mike “and now we have two!” And (how luxurious is this?) 

the mirrors are also heated so that they don’t steam up. On 

the panel above the bed there is a pair of slinky and iconic 

Serge Mouille lights from the 1950s, but the most dramatic 

and alluring light of all has become the central feature 

 


With the overall idea of proportion and scale in his mind, Daniel also put in carefully 

sectioned suspended ceilings. Along with lowering the very high ceilings, this had the practical 

advantage of hiding the services and, Mike says, “it also delineated the different areas, helping 

to divide one large space into a hall, living room and kitchen.” 

 


108

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This page: The bathrooms in particular have excellent lighting. “All my adult life I’ve wanted an electric shaving mirror,” says Mike 

“and now we have two!” The mirrors are also heated so that they don’t steam up. 

of the apartment – a magnificently organic and sculptural 

chandelier by Lyndsey Adelman. It is one of her ‘Branching 

Bubble’ series and hangs with elegant poise above the dining 

table. This chandelier totally transcends the classic design 

mantra ‘form follows function,’ becoming a pure work of art. 

It is clear that art is important to Mike and Caroline, and 

their numerous pieces are shown off to good effect by the 

muted colour scheme in the open plan area of the apartment. 

The paintings in the bedroom contrast beautifully with the 

bedroom wall, which is a pure, strong blue. Vibrant accent 

colours are used elsewhere in the apartment, too – to draw 

the eye and to break up the neutrals. A deep orange vertical 

panel is particularly appealing (this is a favourite colour 

of mine, but I must learn from Mr Hopwood that less is 

more…). The restrained, seamless look is enhanced by using 

a limited colour palette across different textures and finishes. 

And by making sure that they encompass all areas, the elegant 

Minotti furnishings look effortlessly at home, and all the 

other details have been chosen to reflect the overall scheme. 

The entire apartment exudes a highly groomed and 

understated atmosphere of both comfort and self assured 

poise. Creating such a space from a stripped back concrete 

box, or ‘shellout,’ calls for a large shellout of another kind, 

but the results speak for themselves. It is a truly fabulous 

apartment. Having gone through the whole design and build 

process with the team they employed, would they recommend 

it? “Yes,” is the firm response. “But you really need to move 

out completely until the work is done. Be prepared not to 

be present.” The couple have achieved exactly what they 

wanted, and more. “I have now come to see the merits of 

really good design and contract work,” says Mike. “Overall 

it was like doing a Grand design,” he pauses and smiles “... 

without the hair pulling stage.” A measure of true success. 

Address Book: 

To see more of daniel Hopwood’s residential 

projects, visit danielhopwood.com 

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Handrails • Architrave 

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Porch Columns • Skirting 

...and much more 

Unit 4 & 5, Wheel Farm Business Park, Wheel Lane, Westfield, East Sussex TN35 4SE 

FOR COMMISSIONS, BESPOKE DESIGNS AND ANY CORPORATE ENQUIRIES PLEASE CALL 01424 752000 

info@wood-turning-uk.co.uk www.wood-turning-uk.co.uk 

/chairsandupholsteryshop 

Barleywoodltd191.indd 1 11/12/2017 15:33 

/tozerchairs 

Derroll Tozer’s 

Fine UpholsTery 

127 Camden rd 


Kent, Tn1 2Qy 

01892 614 122 

www.derrolltozerfineupholstery.com 


2 

Chairs&UpholsteryShopWT190.indd 1 20/11/2017 16:32

STUNNING HANDLES FOR DOORS & DRAWERS 

www.theseplease.co.uk 

shelving company 

• A simply stunning range of over 800 gorgeous glass and 

ceramic cupboard knobs, mortice handles and hooks • 

• Our original designs. Mix and match styles. 

Transform kitchens. Upscale furniture • 

• Online store www.theseplease.co.uk 01435 817153 • 

• Trade accounts www.thesepleasetrade.co.uk • 

bespoke shelving cupboards 

bespoke shelving & cupboards 

wall shelves • alcoves shelves • alcove cupboards 

contact wall shelves • alcoves • www.shelvingcompany.co.uk 

shelves • alcove cupboards 

contact 07958537989 • www.shelvingcompany.co.uk 

’tasha 

ThesePleaseWT191.indd 1 06/12/2017 12:34 

ShelvingCompanyWT191.indd 1 12/12/2017 19:05 

Specialise in Swedish & French interiors, 

original antique beds & furniture, 

Bespoke Zinc Top Tables. 

Forstal Farm Goudhurst Road Lamberhurst Kent 

Tel: 01892890769 www.tashainteriors.co.uk 

Knitting Wool & Haberdashery Ribbons, Buttons, Elastic, Sewing Aids 

Curtain Making & Upholstery Fabrics, Linings, Tapes, Hooks & Much More 

ALL STYLES OF CURTAINS, HAND MADE IN OUR WORKSHOP 

We can supply fabrics or make up your own 

CURTAIN TRACKS & POLES SUPPLIED 

Including electric curtain tracks 

BLINDS Roller, Roman, Vertical, Venetian, Pleated 

UPHOLSTERY & LOOSE COVERS also cushion replacements 

2 The Oast, Clockhouse Farm, Coxheath ME17 4PB Established 1976 

01622 744265 or 746454 www.aquariussoftfurnishings.co.uk 


TashaInteriorsWT182.indd 1 14/03/2017 AquariusSoftFurnishingsWT191.indd 14:22 

1 04/12/2017 15:43

Wealden Times Ads 1-4 (August 2016)_D&S 1/4 page 12/08/2016 10:58 Page 1 

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We create striking interior and exterior doors in the finest solid oak, ranging 

from simple planked doors to intricately carved panels finished in moulded 

framework modelled on the styles and design of the 17th century. 

+44 (0)1580 243331 

www.deaconandsandys.co.uk 

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DeaconSandyWT184.indd 5 09/05/2017 BellHouseInteriorsWT191.indd 12:58 

1 05/12/2017 18:02 

Whether you are embarking 

on a creative venture, home or 

commercial building endeavour, 

Autentico will always provide 

a quality, honest and versatile 

product to suit your aspirations. 

Pop in 9am-5pm Monday to 

Friday for workshops, colour 

consultations, shop and more! 

4 The Glenmore Centre, 

Moat Way, Ashford, 

Kent TN24 0TL 

AutenticoPaint 

01233 878303 

autentico-paint.co.uk 


4 

AutenticoWT189.indd 1 02/10/2017 16:40

HAND 

CRAFTED IN 

ENGLAND 

E 

● 


WT Interiors Supplement 

TBF 


EST 2003 

Contents 

Midnight 

Magic, page 8 

KITCHENS 

BEDROOMS 

& BATHROOMS 

01892 723083 

www.traditionalbespokefurniture.co.uk 

UNIT 2, THE COPPICE, PETTERIDGE LANE, MATFIELD, KENT TN12 7LP 

Exceedingly well 

made furniture 

SofaS • BedS • ChairS • r ugS 

Proudly hand built in Britain 

by master craftsmen 

8 Midnight Magic 

Decorate with deep 

navy hues and natural 

woods 

11 Table Trends 

Stylish coffee tables 

12 Shelf Confidence 

Storage and 

display solutions 

15 Book Nooks 

Create the ideal space 

to escape with a 

good read 

16 Work Space 

Home office picks 

19 Light Up Your Life & 

Lightbulb Moments 

We select the best 

pendant, table, 

statement and 

floor lights 

By appointment only: 01233 840847 

www.huutt.com 

HUUTT-WT191.indd 1 06/12/2017 15:54 

Light Up Your 

Life, page 19 

Work Space, 

page 16 

Table Trends, 

page 11 

M: 07951 081215 

T: 01580 761628 

E: info@clarksonandson.co.uk 

www.clarksonandson.co.uk 


ClarksonAndSonWT190.indd 1 15/11/2017 13:01

ENSOR 

interior design 

fabrics & wallpaper • curtains & blinds • headboards & upholstery • lighting • home accessories 

www.ensorinteriordesign.co.uk 

xxxx Wealden Times volunteer Showrooms ad_Layout 1 in 13/12/2017 Frant, nr 15:49 Tunbridge Page Wells 1 and Cuckfield, nr Haywards Heath 

EnsorInteriorDesignWT191.indd 1 07/12/2017 17:20 

Volunteers needed 

It’s the time of year when people start making New 

Year resolutions. So why not start the new year by 

donating some time to your local children’s hospice? 

If you have a few hours to spare in 2018, Demelza 

Hospice Care for Children are always looking for 

volunteers to do everything from helping in our charity 

shops to fundraising to catering. 

Volunteers save Demelza over a £1m a year, giving 

over 150,000 hours. If you can spare a few hours, 

please contact volunteering@demelza.org.uk 

www.demelza.org.uk 

Registered Charity No. 1039651 


6 

Demelza191.indd 1 13/12/2017 16:07

HAND 

CRAFTED IN 

ENGLAND 

E 

● 



TBF 


EST 2003 

Midnight 

Magic, page 8 

KITCHENS 

BEDROOMS 

& BATHROOMS 

01892 723083 



FABRIC, 

WALLPAPER, 

FLOORING 

& MORE 

JANUARY SALE 

mistersmith.co.uk 

Editor’s Letter 

The decorations are coming down, the piles of 

Christmas presents have been tidied away, and 

the kitchen is returning to normality after the 

onslaught of drinks parties and family meals... Make the 

most of time spent indoors this January and take on a 

decorating project. We start off our supplement with a 

rich mood board of deep navies with metallic and wood 

accents to transform your room into an inviting haven – 

whether it be kitchen, living room, bedroom or bathroom. 

If you’re looking to update rather than overhaul, we’ve 

tracked down quick fixes in the form of coffee tables, 

shelving and lighting and edited a selection of furniture 

and accessories for home offices and book corners. 

Enjoy your Interiors Supplement. 

MisterSmithInteriorsWT190.indd 1 14/11/2017 10:07 

GOUDHURST ANTIQUES & INTERIORS 

COLLECTABLES & 

DECORATIVE FURNITURE 

Light Up Your 

Life, page 19 

Work Space, 

page 16 

HIGH STREET GOUDHURST KENT TN17 1AL 

01580 211119 


GoudhurstAntiques&InteriorsWT191.indd 1 13/12/2017 11:09

3. 

1. 2. 

4. 

10. 

11. 

12. 

13. 

14. 

15. 

16.

5. 

6. 

9. 

8. 

7. 

18. 

Midnight 

Magic 

17. 

20. 

Rebecca Cuffe 

edits navies and 

natural tones with 

a hint of metallic 

19. 1. Beaten Leather in Walnut, available on 

selected furniture, from £495, Loaf loaf.com 

2. Marquee Stripes wallpaper in College Stripe, 

£65/10m, Cole & Son cole-and-son.com 

3. Ferm Living Lines wallpaper in Dark Blue, 

£69, Cloudberry Living cloudberryliving.co.uk 

4. Bobbin of cotton cord (300m), £24, Curated 

Living curatedliving.co.uk 5. Lizzo Cesto wallpaper, 

£169, Evernden Interiors everndeninteriors.co.uk 

6. Thor Raw Umber Leather Handles with Brass 

Finish, £13.99, Dowsing & Reynolds dowsingandreynolds.com 7. Hague 

Blue no.30 paint sample pot, £4.50, Farrow & Ball farrow-ball.com 

8. Rivoli Bitter Chocolate fabric, available on furniture orders, John 

Lewis johnlewis.com 9. Washed Cotton in Rope, available on selected 

furniture from £355, Loaf loaf.com 10. Sophie Allport Highland Stag 

fabric, £24/m, Bell House Fabrics & Interiors bellhousefabrics.co.uk 

11. Cassia Graphite fabric, £69/m, Designers Guild designersguild.com 

12. Metro Dark Grey wall tile, 32p each, Tile Mountain tilemountain.co.uk 

13. Series Woods Professional Harbour Oak Laminate Flooring, £14.99/ 

m 2 , UK Flooring Direct ukflooringdirect.co.uk 14. Clever Linen in Lava 

Grey, available on selected furniture from £385, Loaf loaf.com 15. Caledonia Lismore textured 

wallcovering, £240/10m, Cole & Son, cole-and-son.com 16. Bond Street No. 219 paint sample 

pot, £4.25, Mylands, mylands.com 17. Tape measure (part of Sajou vintage style boxed sewing 

set, £48), Curated Living curatedliving.co.uk 18. Wooster Plain Wool Farrow & Ball Rug, from 

£1,150, The Rug Company therugcompany.com 19. Colour Card, Farrow & Ball farrow-ball.com 

20. Bothy Iron Age Metal Scoop Handle, £6.99, Dowsing & Reynolds dowsingandreynolds.com

FrenchDepot 

Photo courtesy of www.goodnestone.com 

The largest French furniture 

warehouse in the South. 

5000sq.ft. of French furniture 

and effects including 

over 200 French beds. 

Telephone Hastings 

01424 423703 

www.thefrenchdepot.com 

Rectory Interiors 

FABRIC & WALLPAPER SHOWROOM 

www.rectoryinteriors.co.uk 

The Old Forge 24 Wish Street Tuesday - Friday 9.30 - 16.00 

Rye TN31 7DA 01797 222511 Saturday 10.00 - 16.00 

FrenchDepotWT160.indd 1 11/05/2015 RectoryInteriorsWT182.indd 17:07 

1 13/03/2017 16:23 

Malcolm & Jane. Truro, Cornwall. 

Finally found the perfect sofa to align 

with their obsession for stripes. 

It’s your story. 

So it’s tailored to you. 

Winter 

Sale 

Alwinton large sofa in Walloon Stripe, as shown. 

Alwinton large sofas from £1,180 in Gibraltar House Fabric. 

Let’s design together 

The Estate Yard, Eridge, Nr Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN3 9JR 

Call us on 01892 572 309 or visit sofasandstuff.com 


10 

SofasAndStuffWT191.indd 1 04/12/2017 16:20

Colonial Teak 

Coffee Table, £695 

PUJI 

puji.com 

Shore Round Driftwood 


Alexander & Pearl 

alexanderandpearl.co.uk 

Solid Oak Coffee Table with 

Hand Carved Covered Cup 

& Cover Legs, £4,340.87 

Deacon and Sandys 

deaconandsandys.co.uk 

Eichholtz De Soto Coffee 

Table Set of 3, £2,995 

Sweetpea & Willow 


MENU Turning Table 

in Black Ash, £449.95 

Black by Design 


Table 

Trends 

Stylish surfaces to sit your coffee on 

Rustic Trunk Coffee 

Table, £675 

Smithers of Stamford 

smithersofstamford.com 

Orion Coffee Table, £379 

Atkin & Thyme 

atkinandthyme.co.uk 

Madison Glass 


M&S 

marksandspencer.com 

Eichholtz Galileo Coffee Table 

in Gold, £2,695 

Sweetpea & Willow 


Amiri Coffee Table 

Was £555, Sale £445 

Lenleys 

lenleys.co.uk 

Rhonda Antique Gold Cage 

Glass Coffee Table, £599 

Artisanti 

artisanti.com 

Circular Marble Side Table £265 

Audenza 

audenza.com 


HAND 

CRAFTED IN 

ENGLAND 

E 

● 



TBF 


EST 2003 

Small Scallop Shelf in White, £20 

Bobby Rabbit 

bobbyrabbit.co.uk 

Indah Dark Cubic 

Display Unit, £895 

Puji 

puji.com 

KITCHENS 

BEDROOMS 

& BATHROOMS 

01892 723083 



Fowler Tall Shelving Unit 

Multicolour Ash, £299 

Made 

made.com 

Save Empress Wu Drinks 

Cabinet By Mineheart, £4,299 

Lime Lace 

limelace.co.uk 

The Alcor Drinks Cabinet, 

£5,745 

Chaplins 

chaplins.co.uk 

Shelf Confidence 

Get your life in order with our shelving picks 

Hamilton Industrial Cabinet, £485 

Hegron de Carle 

hegrondecarle.co.uk 

Vintage Style Mannequin with 

3 Tier Shelf Base, £325 



Spread Bookshelf, £535 

Urban Avenue 

urbanavenue.co.uk 

Ontario Bookshelf, £385 

PIB 

pib-home.co.uk 

Black Display Shelf, £1,895 

Shimu 

shimu.co.uk 


12

HAND 

CRAFTED IN 

ENGLAND 

TBF 


EST 2003 

E 

● 


KITCHENS 

BEDROOMS 

& BATHROOMS 

01892 723083 


UNIT 2, THE COPPICE, PETTERIDGE LANE, MATFIELD, KENT TN12 7LP

15 

RobinsonWaters 

Kitchen 

Lintel 

ARCHITECTS 

54 

new build? 

renovation? 

extension? 

Cloakroom. 

UP. 

Entrance Hall 

Entrance 

Lobby 

EI 

EI 

E v E r 

I n t E r 

E v E r n d E n 

I n t E r I o r s 

ARCHITECTURE 

steel beam. 

Innovative and practical 

Personal and professional 

Sustainable and affordable 

Contemporary and traditional 

studios: 

Sitting Room 

sevenoaks 

25% OFF 

All Shutters* 

hawkhurst 

Study 

Lintel 

Lintel 

Finished Level Ground Floor 100.250 

3263 

architects@robinsonwaters.co.uk 

Tel: 01580 754806 

www.robinsonwaters.co.uk 

01580 713778 

www.everndeninteriors.co.uk 

info@everndeninteriors.co.uk 

Stone Street • Cranbrook • TN17 3HF 

RobinsonWatersWT155.indd 1 09/12/2014 EverndenInteriorsWT191.indd 14:40 

1 05/12/2017 09:44 

Lintel 

2373 

58 

Internal area of the Ground Floor 121.4 sq. metres. 

11 

8 

hastings 

Distinctive Interiors & Design. Specialists in handmade curtains, blinds, shutters, upholstery and soft furnishings 

Situated just off the High Street www.skinnersoftunbridgewells.co.uk 

6 Castle Street, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1XJ Tel: 01892 532003 

Email: sarah@skinnersoftunbridgewells.co.uk *Ordered in Jan/Feb 2018 


14 

SkinnersWT191.indd 1 05/12/2017 11:49

Book 

Turing Bookcase, 

Nooks 

£2,560 + VAT 

Oficina Inglesa 

oficinainglesa.com 


Tess Large Tree Bookcase, £800 

Babatude Boutique 

babatude.com 

Style your reading corner with 

literary inspired accessories and the 

comfiest furniture to sink into 

KITCHENS 

BEDROOMS 

& BATHROOMS 

01892 

www.traditionalbesp 

UNIT 2, THE COPPICE, PETTERIDGE LANE, MATFIELD 

Bigwig Bunny Lamp in 

Silver, £145 

Respire 

respireliving.com 

Bicycle Bookends, £38 

The Contemporary Home 

tch.net 

Alice in Wonderland Print, £25 

Cottage in the Hills 

cottageinthehills.com 

Charcoal Cob Weave Throw, £59 

The British Blanket Company 

thebritishblanketcompany.com 

Mischa White Salon Chair, £1,250 



Ferdinand Armchair by John Sankey, 

£1,595, Jan sale price £1,275 

Respire 

respireliving.com 

Voyage Maison Study 

Cushion, £47 

Cotswold Trading 

cotswoldtrading.com 

Izola brass bookmark, 

£14.95, Henry Tibbs, 

henrytibbs.com 

Book Rest Lamp, £40 

Smithers of Stamford 

smithersofstamford.com 

Antique Book Stool, £99 




HAND 

CRAFTED IN 

ENGLAND 

E 

● 



TBF 


EST 2003 

Heaven Sends Wooden 

Weekly Clip Board, £12.99 

Magical Story 

magicalstory.co.uk 

Rodeo A5 Leather Clipboard, £12 

Paperchase 

paperchase.co.uk KITCHENS 

BEDROOMS 

& BATHROOMS 

01892 723083 



Large Letter Board, £78 

Papermash 

papermash.co.uk 

Pied De Poule Wallpaper 

By Wonderbold, £189 

Lime Lace 

limelace.co.uk 

Corkframe Cork Message 

Board in Portrait, £95 



Bendt Wire Memo 

Board Copper, £25 

Made 

]made.com 

Authentic Models Empress 

Reading Glass, £80 

Henry Tibbs 


Work 

Space 

Get on top of important business 

Wooden Blackboard 

Leon, £240 

PIB 

pib-home.co.uk 

Aria Black Wood & 

Metal Desk, £1,009 



Daphne Retro Occasional 

Chair, £119.99 

My Furniture 


Newgate Cookhouse Wall 

Clock in Linen White, £70 



Manya Wood Table Lamp in 

Copper, £185 

Out There Interiors 

outthereinteriors.com 

Izola Letter Opener, £20 

Henry Tibbs 


Bakelite Telephone Silver, £49.99 

Dowsing and Reynolds 

dowsingandreynolds.com 


Leff Brick Clock in Copper/ 

Black, £309 

Rume 

rume.co.uk 

16

winter sale 

30% OFF 

EXTRA 5% OFF 

Sale Prices on all Dunlopillo models 

FREE MATTRESS PROTECTOR 

with any bed purchase worth up to £100 

01227 766655 | lenleys.co.uk 

Roper Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7EL 

01622 753073 | clarkesfurnishers.co.uk 

Sandling Road, Maidstone, ME14 2RF

Kate Joyner 


Hand-Finished 

Curtains & Blinds 

Fabrics & Poles 

Upholstery 

& Loose Covers 

Wallpaper & Paint 

Lighting & Carpets 

Official Distributor of 

The New England Shutter Company 

The Interior Shutter Company 

T: 01580 754064 M: 07905 118994 

E: james@interiorshutter.co.uk 

The Paper Mill Oast, Hinksden Road, Benenden, Kent TN17 4BA 

01580 240708 – 07930 507047 – lucy@katejoyner.co.uk 

www.katejoyner.co.uk 

Image courtesy of Colefax & Fowler 

SHOPPING 

ELSEWHERE 

CAN SERIOUSLY 

DAMAGE YOUR 

WEALTH! 

Maison Meublés 

Highgate Lodge, Rye Road, Hawkhurst, Kent TN18 4EP | Tel: 01580 755611 

KateJoynerWT188.indd 1 14/09/2017 InteriorShutterCompanyWT163.indd 17:25 

1 10/08/2015 15:54 

ISC TNESC AD V1.indd 1 03/06/2015 09:54:55 

MADE‐TO‐MEASURE – WE WILL BEAT ANY WRITTEN QUOTE 

Why pay more elsewhere? 

All furniture made-to-fit any space - any configuration 

of your choice and finished in any Farrow & Ball 

colour or natural timbers. All at no extra cost - eg. 

2 door, 1 drawer wardrobe – £595, all the above 

applies and you will not pay a penny more. 

No M.D.F., no chipboard, no veneers. 

Plus we supply a free local delivery service. 

Delivery is also available to a wider area. 

Too good to be true?!! See for yourself. 

Handcrafted, reclaimed oak and reclaimed 

pine furniture. Bespoke made‐to‐measure 

furniture at no extra cost. 

Apologies for any inconvenience caused, we are now up and running again. 

You are invited to visit our new showroom in the historic Kent village 

of Hawkhurst for the complete Maison Meublés experience. 

An eclectic range of furniture and accessories for the home. 

Free Delivery. Open Monday to Saturday 9.30am - 5.30pm. Closed Wednesday and Sunday 


18 

MaisonMeublesWT183.indd 1 21/04/2017 17:45

Light Up 

Your Life 

1 2 

1. Heart LED Light On Stand, £36, Audenza audenza.com 2. Whitney 5lt Chandelier, £570 inc. VAT 

Elstead Lighting elsteadlighting.com 3. Alexander Swing Arm Floor Lamp, £2,352, Besselink & Jones 

besselink.com 4. Vita Asteria Pendant Light in Forest Green, £179, Black by Design black-by-design.co.uk 

5. Neon Yellow ‘Love’ Light, £65, Mini Maison minimaison.co.uk 6. Vita Aluvia Floor Lamp, £288, 

Black by Design black-by-design.co.uk 7. Lene Bjerre Maise Pendant in Calm Green, £130, Sweetpea & 

Willow sweetpeaandwillow.com 8. Sylvie Antique Silver Table Lamp with Black Shade, £225, Respire 

Living, respireliving.com 9. Muse Floor Lamp, £839, Urban Avenue urbanavenue.co.uk 10. Arabella Palm 

Candelabra, £149, M&S marksandspencer.com 11. Titan Size 5 Pendant in Yellow, £475, Original BTC 

originalbtc.com 12. Sammode Musser 88 Light, £1,200, Dyke & Dean dykeanddean.com 13. Norm 06 

Medium White, £63.75, Rume rume.co.uk 14. Kaiser Idell in Matte Black, £503, Rume rume.co.uk 

4 5 

6 

7 

3 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

wealdentimes.co.uk

HAND 

CRAFTED IN 

ENGLAND 

E 

● 



2 

3 

TBF 


EST 2003 

4 

6 

1 

KITCHENS 

BEDROOMS 

& BATHROOMS 

01892 723083 



5 

7 

Lightbulb 

Moments 

8 9 

1. Rouen 5 Light Pendant, £348, Dar Lighting darlighting.co.uk 2. Cadiz Seven Light, £227, Noxu Home 

noxuhome.com 3. Endless in Pure Natural, £280, Escapology escapologyhome.com 4. Roma 3-Light Glass 

Chandelier, £499, Ensor Interior Design ensorinteriordesign.co.uk 5. Trianon 6-Arm Chandelier, French 

Bedroom Company, £220 frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk 6. Navigator Black Pendant Light, £199, Lenleys 

lenleys.co.uk 7. Double Horizontal Library Light, £741, Besselink & Jones besselink.com 8. Flynn Caged 

Floor Lamp, £2,988, Silk Shade £180, both Skinners of Tunbridge Wells skinnersoftunbridgewells.co.uk 

9. PHugo Copper and Concrete Floor Lamp, £139, Abode Living abodeliving.co.uk 10. Olgo 

Floor Lamp, £825, Lenleys lenleys.co.uk 11. Fin Floor Light, £315, Original BTC originalbtc.com 

12. Copper Delight Floor Lamp, £129, French Bedroom Company frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk 

10 

11 

12 


20

Don’t be left 

in the dark 

We believe in a 

different perspective. 

ILLUMINATIONS 

37-41 Camden Road, Tunbridge Wells TN1 2PS 

01892 533 454 

146-7 Queens Rd, Hastings TN34 1RP 

01424 722 147 

Olivia large sofa, £2,560 Camilla cushions, £63. 

Concepts, 8 Market Street, Rye, TN31 7LA 

01797 225222, conceptsrye.com 

neptune.com 

IlluminationsWT188.indd 1 19/09/2017 ConceptsWT191.indd 17:25 

1 08/12/2017 15:29 

BEDROOM & KITCHEN FLAIR LTD 

Est since 1978 

Free design & quotation 

Bespoke fitted or freestanding furniture 

Extensive range to suit all styles and budgets 

Full kitchens, refurbishments & home office also available 

WWW.BEDROOMFLAIR.CO.UK 01622 729855 169 TONBRIDGE ROAD, MAIDSTONE, KENT ME16 8NA 


BedroomFlairWT191.indd 1 08/12/2017 13:07

Layer 

by layer 

Photographs: David Merewether 

Styling: Kate Watts 

Model: Monica 

Hair: Libby Meech 

Make-up: Mica Aherne 

Keep toasty this January 

with thick, tactile knitwear 

Wool beret, £30, Mohair blend wrap cardigan, 

£100, leather ankle boots, £215, Antoine & Lili 

antoineetlili.com; wool blend shawl, 

£95, Butlers Emporium 

trouva.com/boutique/butlers-emporium-in-tn343ee 


116


dressing undeniable beauty 

www.odyl.co.uk 

01580 714907 

Happy 2018 to all our 

customers old and new! 

LINDAPOPEOPTICIANS 

FACEBOOK.COM/LINDAPOPEOPTICIANS 

WWW.LINDAPOPEOPTICIAN.CO.UK 

RYE ROAD • HAWKHURST 

TELEPHONE 01580 753744 

OdylWT190.indd 1 07/11/2017 LindapopeWT191.indd 12:58 

1 05/12/2017 12:55 

Over 40 years experience 

specialising in coats of arms 

With over 10,000 coats of arms, crests & 

monograms seal engraved since 1970 

18 carat 

signet ring 

seal engraved 

9 carat white 

gold cuff link, 

3D engraved 

coat of arms 

Lingerie & Swimwear Boutique 

Marie Jo • PrimaDonna Twist • Aubade • Empreinte 

Lise Charmel • Lingadore • Wacoal • Felina • Royce 

Clearance sale now on 

96 High Street, Rye 

01797 224116 SirenandPearl 

Rodney J Rigby F.I.P.G 

Goldsmith & Designer 

Hand & seal engraver 

Handmade signet rings, cuff links 

& bespoke 3D blazer buttons 

in gold, silver & platinum 

T: 01892 724951 info@rodneyjrigby.com 


118 

SirenAndPearlWT191.indd 1 11/12/2017 RJRigbyLtd-90mmx130mm-February-2017.indd RJRigbyLtdWT189.indd 16:36 

1 1 06/02/2017 05/10/2017 23:46 12:19

Check coat, £82.95, 100% cotton tassel neck jumper, £56.50 Serendipity Fashions serendipityfashions.co.uk; 

cashmere lined leather gloves, £69, Antoine & Lili antoineetlili.com; faux fur hat, stylist’s own 


Wool blend coat, £148.95, straight 

leg trousers, £74.50, Serendipity 

Fashions serendipityfashions.co.uk; 

breton stripe top, £24.95, pendant 

necklace, £18, The Lilac Room 

lilacroom.co.uk; pompom hat, 

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trainers, stylist’s own

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GoldenFleeceWT191.indd 1 04/12/2017 CharityFarmWT191.indd 17:36 

1 30/11/2017 16:43 

Starts Monday 8th January - 

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cashmere and silk knitwear 

Shop Online, Click & Collect 

at shersbys.co.uk 

Keep cosy this winter with Cashara 

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Cranbrook has free car parking 

Telephone: 01580 720003 Find us on Facebook 


CasharaWT191.indd 1 11/12/2017 ShersbyJewellersWT191.indd 18:08 

1 11/12/2017 12:02

A Magical 

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Above left: Cashmere scarf, £35, Cashara cashara.co.uk; high neck jumper, £69, 

pleated midi skirt, £65, The Lilac Room lilacroom.co.uk 

Above right: 100% virgin wool coat, £295, check dress, £110, Antoine & Lili antoineetlili.com; cashmere scarf, £35, Cashara 

cashara.co.uk; leather shopper, £35, Butlers Emporium trouva.com/boutique/butlers-emporium-in-tn343ee; necklace, stylist’s own 


Reversible cashmere cape, £175, Cashara cashara.co.uk; Bordeaux beret, £19, brooch £19, 

ditsy print dress, £45, The Lilac Room lilacroom.co.uk; belt, stylist’s own 


124

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1 13/12/2017 16:21 

We are nursery specialists, 

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126 

LittlePoppetsWT184.indd 1 24/05/2017 16:12

Above left: Shawl scarf, £20, Electric Pineapple electricpineapple.co.uk; fingerless gloves £19.95 Butlers Emporium 

trouva.com/boutique/butlers-emporium-in-tn343ee; cropped trousers, £100, Mohair blend poncho, £85, Antoine & Lili antoineetlili.com; 

trainers, stylist’s own 

Above right: Biker jacket, £79, Embroidered Skirt, £65, The Lilac Room lilacroom.co.uk; 

Mohair Blend Jumper, £100, Antoine & Lili www.antoineetlili.com; boots stylist’s own 


Our team of expert paediatric consultants offer a surgery 

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01892 741150 

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Wool blend coat, 

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cashmere v-neck jumper, 

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clutch, £14.59, neck scarf, 

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Caring for people in their homes 

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JasmineHomecareWT174.indd 1 13/07/2016 PureniqueWT191.indd 11:02 

1 06/12/2017 14:32 

Chiropractic care treats Neck and 

Back pain · Headaches · Sports 

Injuries · and much more. 


130 

TWChiropracticAndShockwaveClinicWT190.indd 1 20/11/2017 14:38

Beauty 

skincare 

Organic 

Josephine Fairley gives her edit of the best natural products available 

freeimages.com/henriquelantin 

New Year is the time of year when we often clean up 

our acts, cutting out sugar from the diet, taking on 

the 10,000 steps-a-day challenge – and/or changing 

our approach to skincare. For many, that means taking a 

‘cleaner’ approach – opting for more natural, even organic 

choices. And boy (or maybe girl!), what choices we now have! 

Once upon a time, back in the day, I actually chaired the 

Soil Association Health & Beauty Standards Committee, 

helping to set the standards for these products. I can best 

describe wrestling with the many different complexities as 

exhausting (but worthwhile). I could never have imagined 

then, however, the options we now have for skincare (from 

top to toe), in terms of the textures, the fragrances and the 

results offered. Quite simply, there have been quantum 

leaps forward in all of these – which means there’s never 

been a better time to ‘go organic’, with your beauty regime. 

And that probably accounts for the 13% market growth 

last year alone (according to Soil Association figures). 

First, the nitty gritty. The only way to be 100% sure that 

the product you’re buying is truly organic – which will 

eliminate a long, long list of synthetic ingredients, while 

also ensuring ingredients are sustainable (as opposed to 

derived from petrochemicals) – is to look for certification. 

That might be from the USDA Organic, or Soil Association, 

Ecocert or COSMOS, the Europe-wide standard. (And in 

fact, most European products now carry both their local 

certification symbol and the COSMOS mark.) Beware 

of ‘fake’ organic labels – unlike in the food world, there’s 

currently no law stopping beauty companies splashing the 

word ‘organic’ on their product, even if it only contains a 

waft of organic ingredients. (Or none at all.) If in doubt 

as to whether a symbol’s genuine, resort to Google. 

What, for me, are the benefits of organic beauty? I should 

start by saying I’m not actually a ‘chemi-phobe’. I tend to 

think that our risk of developing diseases like cancer has 

much more to do with what we eat and our stress levels (not 

to mention chemicals we breathe) than from putting a dab of 

this or that on our faces or bodies. But I like to know where 

my food comes from – and I like to know where my beauty 

products come from, and that I’m treading more lightly on the 

planet through my beauty choices. I also just plain love, love, 

love the power of botanicals, whose skin-and-hair-boosting 

credentials go way back to the time of wise women, in many 

cases. Only now, via clever extraction and formulation 

techniques – which have got way cleverer even since my 

time on that committee – these products rival anything the 

mainstream, ‘conventional’ beauty brands have to offer. 

But where to start? First off, check out what has just 

become my favourite new brand – full stop. Austin Austin 

is a father-daughter duo offering (so far) fabulously scented 

treats for hair, hands and body – and at affordable prices, too. 

I’m frankly loving the washes and lotions, but my favourite 

is the glorious Neroli & Petitgrain Body Cream, £14 for 

120ml, which is now centre-stage on my bedside table for 

generous late-night slathering. Eye-catching, almost Jean 

Cocteau-esque line drawings on the packaging mean this 


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132 

WilliamCharlesWT187.indd 1 21/08/2017 DrChristineWT179.indd 12:50 

1 09/12/2016 11:22

Beauty 

range doesn’t look like anything else out there – and I can’t 

wait for them to add facial skincare to their repertoire. 

If you’re looking for a one-stop organic beauty multitasker, 

meanwhile, you can’t do better than Neal’s Yard 

Remedies Wild Rose Beauty Balm, £40 for 50g – a serial 

award-winner which just walked away with a Gold Beauty 

Bible Award in the Multi-Purpose Balms category (for a 

full run-down of results, visit beautybible.com). I don’t have 

room to list the many and various beauty challenges this 

rises to, but near the top of the list, for me, is its ability to 

melt away make-up and leave skin super-soft, when used 

in combo with a good old muslin cloth. While you’re at it, 

check out the ever-growing Frankincense range from Neal’s 

Yard: state-of-the-art anti-ageing skincare which has also, 

down the years, wowed Beauty Bible’s diligent testers. 

I’ve become a massive fan of the Bamford range, meanwhile, 

over the past few years – the skincare ‘sister’ of Daylesford 

Organic foods. For me, so much of a product’s allure is down 

to smell – and Bamford’s are sublime: highly sophisticated 

aromatherapeutic blends, which are infused into luxe textures 

(and at luxe prices, I should probably add). Perfect for winter 

skin is a duo of products in the Restore-Rejuvenate range: 

Restore Elixir facial oil, £75 for 15ml, which sinks in fast 

yet plumps skin with just a drop of two of the rosehip-oilbased 

blend, and the ultra-rich, glow-getting Nourishing 

Mask, £70 for 45ml, offering a texture that’s like whipped 

cream, packed with shea butter, repairing cotton thistle 

extract and lashings of hyaluronic acid, among the other 

botanical skin-boosters. If I could only choose one ‘desert 

island’ Bamford product, though, it would be the luscious 

tub of Jasmine Body Cream, £38 for 200ml (a positive snip 

compared to the facial skincare), which imparts a scent of 

orange blossom and jasmine that is exactly how I imagine 

heaven to smell. N.B. I like the transparency of Neal’s Yard 

and Bamford: they tell you exactly how much of the formula 

is organic, if it’s not 100% (and despite massive leaps forward, 

some ingredients are still, alas, not available organically). 

Other favourite organic brands/finds of mine include 

Balm Balm, Odylique (their Creamy Coconut Cleanser is 

a true beauty classic), Nourish (check out the Illuminating 

Face Shimmer – a unique product which delivers an instant 

boost to lacklustre skin and is great under make-up), and 

new kids on the block Freshious. Among my many other 

organic ‘loves’ is Made for Life by Spiezia Organics range, 

from a long-established Cornwall-based organic name. 

(Their Sore Skin Relief Balm is a go-to for any kind of 

irritation/dryness, for me – and it’s worked mini-miracles 

for friends with eczema or serious sensitive skin flare-ups.) 

Meanwhile it’s definitely worth noting that superfacialist 

and beauty author Alexandra Soveral’s own gorgeous 

products are also certified organic – which tells you 

everything about how seriously organic is being taken. 

As a short-cut to other certified organic brands, I advise 

that you check out soilassociation.org (Organic Beauty & 

Wellbeing is a drop-down sub-menu in the Organic Living 

section, which links to a wide range of certified brands). 

There’s also a great post within the brand listing dedicated 

to how to avoid greenwashing, in your beauty products. 

But the bottom line is: can you be green and gorgeous? 

The answer? absolutely. And as New Year’s beauty resolutions 

go, it’s one I’d like to see every beauty-hound make. 

Jo Fairley is co-author of The Beauty Bible series of 

books – and for more beauty and fragrance updates from 

her, visit beautybible.com and perfumesociety.org. 


Health & Beauty 

New Year’s Resolutions 

Alison Derrick of BeeInspired Natural Skincare shares her beauty secrets 

Credit: FreeImages.com/Iva Villi 

do you have a beauty 

regime? Mornings I wake 

myself up with a ‘chemicalfree’ 

shower followed by a 

light cream for my sensitive 

skin. We’ve created a 

gentle Calendula Cream 

so I’m tending towards 

using that everywhere. 

I prefer the natural look 

and don’t wear foundation. 

On high days and holidays 

I use a dry face powder 

to lightly flatten any 

redness, with blue smudgy 

eyes and bright lips! 

Night-time sees a quick 

pass the parsley 

As we approach the hungry 

gap in the vegetable garden, 

it’s worth remembering that 

parsley can be so much more 

than just a garnish. A parsley 

plant will last a full year in the 

garden, overwintering before 

setting seed the next summer, 

and it’s high in vitamins K, 

C and A, plus folic acid and 

beta carotene. Elevate parsley 

from the side of the plate to 

splash of water with 

our gentle beeswax soap 

and more Calendula 

Cream followed by 

Lavender Hand Cream 

which helps me sleep. 

do you have a particular 

product you couldn’t live 

without? My SOS for 

stings, occasional break 

outs and skin issues is 

our Propolis Cream as it 

knocks most things on 

the head. I am feeling 

hugely evangelical about 

propolis and how clever 

the bees are in producing 

this amazing ingredient! 

I wear Mac ‘So Chaud’ 

Lipstick – perhaps not the 

best ethically but I love the 

intensity of the hot orangey/ 

red and the fact that it 

doesn’t need reapplying. 

What’s your ultimate 

pampering treat? My recent 

guilty pleasure is having 

my eyebrows threaded by 

a lovely beautician and I 

feel liberated! I stopped 

the painful plucking in 

my early 20s, but recently 

realised that if I’m to age 

gracefully I need to look 

a little more groomed! 

Pampering takes a back 

the centre with this winter 

pesto which is quick to make, 

packed full of goodness and 

perfect with a bowl of pasta 

on a dark January evening. 

Whizz up 1 cup of shelled 

walnuts, 2 cups of fresh 

parsley, ½ cup of grated 

cheddar and ½ cup of extra 

virgin, cold-pressed rapeseed 

oil in the food processor. 

Add black pepper to taste. 

seat as I garden for two 

days a week along with 

running and developing 

BeeInspired. My dream 

pamper day would include a 

massage, yoga, a manicure/ 

pedicure or perhaps a 

drawing/painting session. 

Or gin, always gin! 

Who’s your style icon? 

Difficult question! I love the 

casual tailored look typified 

by Margaret Howell, and 

Audrey Hepburn’s chic 

glamour and poise, with 

her ability to retain her 

lifelong distinctive style. 

I have bought favourite 

unique pieces at artisan 

fairs, from designers such 

as Terry Macey. I favour 

a boxy classic artisan 

style, in natural fabrics 

often blues and greys 

with colourful scarves, my 

weakness, all reflecting my 

life as a designer-maker. 

Visit beeinspiredcreams.buzz 

for more information on 

BeeInspired’s skin care 

range inspired by ingenious 

and industrious bees. 

Products are created 

from bees raised by 

Alison and lovingly and 

painstakingly made by her. 

Beautiful 

bottoms 

Fresh from winning 

gold at The Green 

Parent Natural Beauty 

Awards 2017 for their 

Skin Salvation Intensive 

Moisturising Ointment, 

Purepotions baby & 

child range seems a 

natural choice for mums 

and dads looking for 

chemical-free skincare for 

their little ones. WT Lucy 

had used their Ointment 

on her daughter’s eczema 

after a recommendation 

from a friend, with 

impressive results, so 

was interested to gave 

their Lavender Nappy 

Salve a try. Its creamy, 

moisturising formula, 

very subtly scented, glides 

onto delicate bottoms to 

leave a soothing barrier. 

This beeswax-based 

formula is so rich, that 

Purepotions advise that 

each 50ml pot is likely 

to last over a month. It’s 

already gathered glowing 

reviews on their website, 

and is conveniently sized 

to slip into handbags 

and changing bags. It 

can even be used on 

adult hands, feet, lips 

and faces that need 

a little TLC over the 

winter months. £8.99 for 

50ml purepotions.co.uk 


134

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Month 1 

weekly challenge 

1 x fast weekly walk – 30 mins 

1 x home workout – 20 mins 

Health 

Get fit for spring 

in three months 

Follow Wealden Times home-fitness programme. 

1 

Personal trainer and nutritionist Sarah-Jane Holt has developed a fitness 

programme especially for Wealden Times readers. Starting with two 

weekly sessions in month one and building to three sessions over months 

2 and 3 we promise it’ll help you feel fit and fabulous in time for spring. 

The first steps towards improving your fitness can feel overwhelming but they don’t need 

to be. Small progressive changes to your routine will result in long lasting improvements to 

your overall health and wellbeing. By following our 3 month post-Christmas challenge, you 

will slowly build up your fitness, confidence and motivation to stay healthy all year long. 

In our first month we set you two weekly challenges, a weekly workout and a 

weekly walk. These challenges increase in difficulty, frequency and duration over the 

coming months until, by the end of March, you have built in a solid and maintainable 

exercise routine and are feeling the benefits of your increased fitness and health! 

2 

3 

4 

5 

Contact Sarah-Jane on 07772 416993 

or see sarahjaneholt.co.uk 

January: Home Workout 

Exercise for 30 seconds, followed by a 30 

second rest, and repeat each exercise 4 times. 

Visit Wealden Times website for a 

video demonstration of all exercises 

1. Squat – With feet just wider than 

shoulder width, make sure your knees 

track over your second toe, keep your 

chest up, pushing your bum backwards 

and sit down on an imaginary chair. 

Squeeze your glutes and come back up 

to standing, again making sure those 

knees track over your second toe. 

2. Press-ups – If you are new to exercise, 

I suggest doing press-ups on bent knees. 

Make sure your hands are directly under 

your shoulders, squeeze your bum and 

brace your tummy. As you lower your 

chest down, your elbows go back slightly. 

Make sure you take your whole body with 

you…as you drive back up to straight arms 

focus on keeping your shoulders down. 

3. Single Leg Lowers – This great core 

exercise can significantly help with 

back pain. Lie on the floor, both 

knees in the air, with feet off the 

ground. Take a big breath into 

your tummy and push your lower 

back into the floor as you exhale 

and pull your tummy button 

towards your spine. You need to 

maintain this pressure against 

the floor as you lower one heel 

to the floor. Bring that foot 

137 

back up, take a deep breath in, breathe 

out and repeat on the other side. 

4. High Knees – This exercise has the 

goal of getting that heart rate up. It is 

a jumping exercise so if you don’t feel 

confident to do this yet you can change 

it to a fast march with high knees. 

5. Floor Angels – This targets upper 

back and works on posture. Lying on 

your back, feet flat on the floor, bend your 

knees keeping your bum, lower back, 

upper back and head in contact with the 

floor. With your elbows and wrists on the 

floor, elbows in line with your shoulders, 

move your arms up until hands meet 

above your head and then bring your 

elbows down just below shoulder level, all 

the time keeping those 4 points in contact 

with the floor. 

Nutrition Tip 

After a month of possibly drinking a little 

too much alcohol, we need to rehydrate. The 

goal is to build up to drinking 2-3 litres of 

water a day. Water is often overlooked but it’s 

an essential part of a healthy diet, enabling 

the body to function properly, transporting 

nutrients efficiently, accessing fat stores for 

energy and allowing us to train hard and 

recover well. Thirst is also often mistaken 

for hunger so being hydrated can also help 

control our calorie intake. Buying a 2 litre 

water bottle and filling it every morning can 

help you track your intake each day.

100 Years of Education, 1000 Years of History 

NORTHBOURNE PARK SCHOOL 

DAY & BOARDING SCHOOL FOR NURSERY TO 13 YEAR OLDS 

TONBRIDGE 

New Year, 

New Challenge, 

New Career? 

Opening June 

Adjacent to Tonbridge Tr 

Full daycare • 3 months to 5 years • Open 

Junior’s Day Nursery is looking 

to recruit practitioners for our 

Outstanding For Nursery more information Cranbrook. on Child places and Staf 

Email: tonbridge@juniorsdaynursery.co.uk M 

www.juniorsdaynurse 

Dan Goldsmith Photography 

Due to an increase in children attending our nursery we are 

recruiting several practitioners for the New Year. So, if you 

are passionate about children, their development and quality 

childcare, and would like to work for a company that values 

its staff and encourages career development, please email 

cranbrook@juniorsdaynursery.co.uk for an application form. 

Open Mornings 

Saturday 24 th February 2018 

and Saturday 05 th May 2018 

northbournepark.com | 01304 611 215 | admissions@northbournepark.com 

Northbourne Park School, Betteshanger, Kent CT14 ONW 

@NorthbourneParkSchool 

#IamNorthbournePark 

Previous experience in working with children is desirable, but 

not necessary as training can be undertaken. Job offers will be 

subject to DBS checks and references. 

cranbrook@juniorsdaynursery.co.uk or Telephone 01580 713 033 

tonbridge@juniorsdaynursery.co.uk or Telephone 01732 365 188 

www.juniorsdaynursery.co.uk 

NorthbourneParkSchoolWT191.indd 1 13/12/2017 JuniorsDayNurseryWT191.indd 11:31 

1 13/12/2017 14:23 

100 

Ye 

Y 

ars 

Battle Abbey 

The door 

that opens 

so many more... 

of 

Education, 1000 

Enabling ideas and confidence to flourish, inspiring minds and 

unleashing potential. A first class education at Battle Abbey 

will open doors to a whole world of opportunities. 

1912 

Y 

ars 

Ye 

- 2012 

of History 

YEAR 7 SCHOLARSHIP AND ENTRANCE EXAMS 

January 26th and 27th 2018 



Please contact Lucy Jackson Registrar for further details. 

Email registrar@battleabbeyschool.com Tel 01424 772385. 

Battle Abbey School 

Battle Abbey School 1912 - 2012 

Tel: 01424 772385 www.battleabbeyschool.com 


158 

BattleAbbeySchoolWT191.indd 1 04/12/2017 16:08

Food 

pewter candlesticks, 

£40 each, small 

pewter dish, £25, large 

pewter dish, £45, 

glass stars, £6.50 each, 

Happy & Glorious 

happyglorious.co.uk 


DaleHillWT191.indd 1 11/12/2017 15:48 

Cookery Courses ■ Chef’s Table ■ Private Parties 

Corporate Events ■ Hosted Meetings ■ Children’s Courses 

10% off all courses 

during january and february* 

Telephone: 01892 528700 

Telephone: Email: school@rosemaryshrager.com 

01892 528700 

Email: school@rosemaryshrager.com 

*PLEASE QUOTE WEALDEN TIMES WHEN BOOKING 

Chef’s Table Dining Experience 

with ever-changing menus created by Michelin trained chefs 

One Day & Weekend Cookery Courses 

with Rosemary Shrager & Iain More 

RSCookerySchool RSCookerySchool 

RSCookerySchool 

www.rosemaryshrager.com 

RSCookerySchool 

www.rosemaryshrager.com 


140 

RosemaryShragerWT191.indd 1 08/12/2017 16:08

Food 

Fig, Blue Cheese & Walnut Salad 

Serves 8 Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time: no cooking required 

• 8 figs, cut into quarters 

• 150g Roquefort or 

blue cheese, crushed 

• 100g halved 

walnuts, roasted 

• 4 chicory, green & 

red, leaves separated 

• 100g mixed leaf 

micro-herbs, or baby 

mixed-leaf salad 

For the Dressing 

• 60ml walnut oil 

• 20ml cider vinegar 

• 1tsp Dijon mustard 

• 1tsp honey 

• salt & pepper, to taste 

1. Whisk all the dressing ingredients 

together and taste for seasoning. 

2. Make up the salad and arrange prettily. This salad 

could be put together six hours beforehand, and 

then spoon over the dressing just before serving. 


GoudhurstInnWT191.indd 1 08/12/2017 15:12 


142 

CasalavendulaWT187.indd 1 23/08/2017 16:39

Food 

pork Tenderloin with Apple & Balsamic sauce 

Serves 8 Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 35 mins 

• 1.2kg pork tenderloin 

• 3tbsp grainy mustard 

• 140ml apple juice 

• 4tbsp balsamic vinegar 

• 180ml chicken stock 

• 30g butter 

1. Preheat oven to 190˚C. 

2. Trim the tenderloin and spread mustard along 

the loin. Place in a roasting tin and pour in 

the apple juice and balsamic. Roast for 20-25 

minutes… it may need a little longer! 

3. When cooked, drain the apple and balsamic juice 

into a saucepan, add the stock and boil to reduce 

for 5-10 minutes until it thickens. Finally, add 

the butter to give the sauce a glossy finish. 

4. Serve with sliced, griddled apples. 

celeriac and potato Gratin. 

Serves 8 Prep time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 40 minutes 

• 1kg celeriac, peeled 

• 1.2kg potatoes, peeled 

• 6 sprigs of thyme, pulled 

• 300ml double cream 

• 300ml full fat milk 

• 20g butter 

• 60g Gruyère, grated 

• salt and pepper 

1. Preheat oven to 180˚C. 

2. Firstly, butter your gratin dish. Slice the celeriac and 

potatoes thinly in your food processor or on a mandolin. 

3. Heat the milk and cream together. 

4. Layer the celeriac and potato in the gratin dish, 

seasoning with salt, pepper and thyme between layers 

and adding a soup ladle of the warm cream mixture. 

5. Finish with a layer of potato and top with 

grated Gruyère. Bake for 40 minutes or 

until the celeriac and potatoes are soft. 

small pewter 

dish, £25, Happy 

& Glorious 

happyglorious.co.uk

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Food 

panettone & White chocolate Bread & Butter pudding 

Serves 8 Prep time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes 

• 500g panettone, sliced 

• 50g butter, melted 

• 100g white chocolate, 

coarsely grated 

• 300ml full fat milk 

• 300ml double cream 

• 3 eggs 

• ½tsp vanilla extract 

• 80g caster sugar 

• 1tbsp muscovado sugar 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 

2. Brush the sliced panettone with the melted butter. 

3. Place the panettone upright in an ovenproof dish and 

sprinkle the grated white chocolate between the slices. 

4. Heat the milk and cream with the 

vanilla extract until scalding. 

5. Whisk the eggs and the sugar together, add the cream 

and milk, whisk again, and strain through a sieve. 

6. Pour evenly over the panettone. Sprinkle with 

muscovado sugar and bake on the middle 

shelf of the oven for 35 minutes. 

7. We serve a mango, papaya, passion fruit and 

redcurrant salad with this pudding. 

Juliet Bidwell creates innovative, individually designed 

menus for parties, weddings and a variety of social 

occasions through her company Juliet’s Catering. To find 

out more call 01797 270347 or see julietscatering.co.uk. 

glass stars, £6.50 

each, Happy 

& Glorious 

happyglorious.co.uk

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W: www.katsuragardens.co.uk 

E: philip@katsuragardens.co.uk 

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KatsuraGardensS34.indd 1 21/07/2017 CityEscapesWT187.indd 11:32 

1 16/08/2017 15:53 

BEAUTIFUL BESPOKE GARDENS 

Professional and award winning garden designers, 

specialising in providing designs, project 

management and installation of instant gardens. 

Supply of fine topiary and mature hedging. 

Telephone 01580 852315 or 07507 877685 

www.mcgeachygardendesign.co.uk 

info@mcgeachygardendesign.co.uk 

Every garden provides a chance 

to create something unique, using 

the opportunities presented by 

the site to design a garden that 

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own, spend time in and enjoy. 

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Telephone 07775 902842 

HBGardenDesign 

@harrietbarker_gardendesign 


146 

McGeachyGardenDesignWT190.indd 2 13/11/2017 HarrietBarkerGardenDesignWT189.indd 18:52 

1 11/10/2017 11:33

Garden 

Winter Sweet 

Jo Arnell warms up the winter garden with 

fragranced seasonal blooms 

Flower power 

There is not much that flowers at the bleak dark start 

of the year. What blossom there is tends to be small 

and weather resistant. Flowers hang their shy heads 

or modestly tuck themselves behind evergreen leaves. 

Some are so small that they’re almost invisible – walk 

too fast and you might not notice them at all. What you 

will notice though, is their scent. Many winter flowers 

make up for their lack of colour and size with powerful 

fragrances – designed to attract pollinating insects. 

Sadly for the plants, most of the insects have either died, 

or are waiting out the winter, as larvae, or in stasis as adults 

– hiding in log piles, garden sheds and the gaps in our 

window panes. Because there are so few of them around, 

the plants have to compete for their attention. Just as we are 

drawn by the scent of a bacon sandwich or freshly baked 

cake, any insects that are still out and about are lured by 

the promise of nectar wrapped up in a fragrant flower. 

Deciduous shrubs 

Many of the early flowers appear on bare stems, long before 

any leaves start to grow. Once the leaves do appear these 

shrubs revert to being straggly nothings, but right now they 

are the stars of the show. Winter Sweet (Chimonanthus 

praecox) is one of these humble bushes, with small cream 

coloured flowers perfumed with hints of citrus. Lonicera 

‘Winter Beauty’ is a winter flowering shrubby honeysuckle 

that produces masses of sweetly scented flowers in January 

and February. It is the scent that is beautiful, not the 

bush. Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Deben’ is better behaved 

with small pink buds opening to become highly fragrant 

white flowers. These shrubs are well suited to a pathside 

position, but they need to be able to bow out and 

retreat into the background once they come into leaf. 

If you have the space for a specimen, try a Witch Hazel: 

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida’ has scented flowers that 

climb its bare branches like little yellow spiders. It also has 

good autumn foliage, which helps to redeem the other 

eight months of dull green leaf. Grow it as a specimen, as it 

eventually gets quite large. 

A delicate climber for a 

sunny, sheltered position 

is Clematis cirrhosa var. 

balearica. Each cream 

coloured bell is speckled 

reddish brown, and the 

citrus scent is released 

on sunny winter days. 

Evergreens 

Daphnes are the ultimate 

winter plant. Many 


Garden 

are beautiful, evergreen and highly scented. Daphne odora 

‘Aureomarginata’ is one of the earliest. It is slow growing 

with variegated evergreen foliage, but has a really intense 

and sweet, Jasmine-like fragrance. Daphnes do need to be 

grown in exactly the right conditions in order to thrive. Not 

too wet, not too cold, not too exposed. Imagine inviting 

the plant version of Goldilocks into your garden… 

For most of the year Mahonia japonica is a large, dull and 

prickly evergreen, but in the depths of winter its thick stems 

are topped by impressive yellow flower spikes that brighten 

the darkest of days and smell of lily-of-the-valley. Mahonia 

x media ‘Charity’ is one of the biggest and boldest to grow. 

If you are looking to impress with scent rather than size, 

try the hard to pronounce (and spell) Sarcococca confusa, 

which luckily also goes by the easier name of Christmas 

Box. It is not an exciting plant to look at – in fact most 

people don’t notice it at all, so I tend to plant it behind 

something unscented but good looking. The problem with 

this is that the plant in front often takes all the credit for the 

amazing fragrance of the unremarkable looking Sarcococca. 

I’ve taken to calling it the ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ plant. 

Fragrant foliage 

You might need to brush past a plant with aromatic leaves 

in order to enjoy their scent, or even cut some to bring 

inside and add to winter arrangements. The fragrance 

is usually held within the concentrated sap, rather than 

flowers. We are all familiar with Rosemary and Lavender, 

but many pines, firs and spruces have distinctive aromas. 

Much maligned conifers can have lovely fragrances when 

their leaves are bruised or crushed. Some have the typical 

conifer type foliage, but Cupressus macrocarpa (the lime 

green one sold as bedding), releases a fresh citrus fragrance. 

Myrtle is an ancient and revered plant, once believed to have 

magical properties and associated with Aphrodite and Venus, 

the goddesses of love. It is an attractive, small leaved evergreen 

that will provide a pretty backdrop for other plants later in 

the season. Apparently every part of the myrtle is fragrant. 

Where to grow 

Scented plants are best grown in a sheltered place, or at 

least somewhere that traps the fragrance, so not out in an 

exposed or windswept place. They need to fade into the 

background in the warmer months to make way for all the 

colourful lovelies and herbaceous-ness, but near enough for 

you to catch their perfume. Let’s face it, it’s hard enough 

to go out at all in the winter, let alone go for a stroll down 

to the bottom of the garden. So plant them by the door, 

or in the front garden, by a path – even where you keep 

your dustbins – somewhere that gives an excuse to walk 

past them. Many are suitable for growing in containers too 

and the great thing about a plant in a pot is that it can be 

moved away from centre stage once it’s done its thing – if 

you can move it that is – and provided that you don’t then 

shove it somewhere out of the way and forget about it. 

Bring some scents inside 

There is a neat trick you can do with early flowering 

shrubs. If there’s nothing scented around, try 

Forsythia, Pussy willow or even Blackthorn from the 

hedgerow. Bring in a few twigs or small branches with 

flower buds on and place them in a vase of water. 

In a couple of days – sometimes within just a few 

hours, the tight buds will open, blossoming as if 

an early spring has sprung in your living room. 

It is tempting to hunker down and stay inside at 

the moment, but finding plants daring to bloom 

in the depths of winter is an uplifting thing. It was 

a revelation to me that there were so many winter 

flowering plants in the first place; discovering that 

most of them are also scented has been a double 

delight. We will never experience the intense fragrance 

of a winter garden from the stuffy confines of our 

sitting rooms though, so let’s get out there. 

For info on 2018 gardening courses 

and to book contact Jo Arnell 01233 

861149 hornbrookmanor.co.uk 


148

We’ve got designs ! 

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Tradi'onal or contemporary, large or small, the team at Gardenproud 

can help you create a garden you’ll be proud of. Established 2007, we 

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GardenscapeWT191.indd 1 27/11/2017 GardenproudWT190.indd 15:34 

1 07/11/2017 09:50 

For Brilliant Year Round Results 

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

Adam Sutton BSc (Hons) Environmental Science | Tim Playfoot BA (Hons) Garden Design 

Tel:01892 722699| Adam:07979 362241 | Tim:07990 751353 | www.playfootgardendesign.co.uk 


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

DAY & BOARDING SCHOOL IN EAST SUSSEX FOR GIRLS & BOYS AGES 2- 13 YEARS 

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME 

Scholarships available in Academic, Sport, Music, Art and 

Drama for September 2018 entry. 

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS FRIDAY 19TH JANUARY 2018 

Scholarship Assessment dates 2018 

Saturday 3rd February: Academic assessments 

Monday 5th February: Practical assessments 

OPEN DAYS 

Friday 2nd February 9.30 -12 & Saturday 3rd February 9.30 -12 

For further information please contact Karen Cooper on 

01580 880413 or admissions@vinehallschool.com 

www.vinehallschool.com 

ROBERTSBRIDGE, EAST SUSSEX

Education 

Study Swap 

Just how popular do student exchanges prove 

to be, and what are the benefits of choosing 

to study abroad. WT finds out... 

Cranbrook School 

How do students apply for an exchange – who is/what 

subjects are eligible? The students sign up on a first comefirst 

served basis, anyone studying French is eligible. 

Does an exchange necessarily involve foreign stays or 

travel? It does, as we go to Bayeux (Normandy) with the 

Y9s for 6 days, and we go to St Jean-de-Luz (Basque area) 

with the 6th form for one week. The students also receive 

their exchange partners in Cranbrook for a similar amount 

of time. The two visits are within a term of each other. 

What are the benefits of studying elsewhere? In MFL, 

the home stay is invaluable to absorb the language, as 

each student is hosted individually in a French family. 

It also brings an individual human dimension to the 

experience of an exchange. We have group visits to see 

local sites, which also bring an historical dimention to the 

exchange, as the French and British histories are closely 

linked. The time spent in schools is also a great eye opener 

for our students, as they can visualise their counterparts 

in their academic and social environment. 

What type of feedback do you get from students and 

host schools? The students fill out a feedback sheet after the 

exchanges, which helps us assess the success of some activities 

and of the exchange itself. The schools usually give verbal 

feedback and emails, but their keen interest to repeat the 

experience every year is positive feedback in itself. The teachers 

and I review the programme of activities every year, in order 

to achieve the most positive experience for the students. 

How popular have exchanges proved to be? In general, about 

20 Y9s sign up for the Bayeux exchange, and the 6th Form 

exchange is a lower number as our 6th form is much smaller. 

For the 6th form, we join forces with Kent College to get 14 

students to take part. The St Jean students are split between 

the two schools during their Kent visit, even though we join 

together for out-of-school visits. Kent College and Cranbrook 

travel together to St Jean and do a fully joined visit there. 

Considering our number of students, I would say 

the exchanges are popular. We are starting a miniexchange 

experience with our Y7s in the summer; they 

are in contact with a school in Le Touquet, and will 

visit the area and the school in the summer term. 

cranbrookschool.co.uk 

Sevenoaks Prep 

How do students apply for an exchange – who is/ 

what subjects are eligible? At Sevenoaks Prep, all Year 

6 pupils are invited to take part in our French Exchange 

programme and the vast majority of students participate. 

Does an exchange necessarily involve foreign stays or travel? 

The annual exchange sees our pupils travel to Villeneuve d’Ascq 

near Lille in the Easter Term, before the French students return 

to Sevenoaks a few weeks later. It is a relationship cultivated 

between the two schools by the Head of French at Sevenoaks 

Prep, Mme Clark, and her counterpart in Lille, Mme Delannoy. 

What are the benefits of studying elsewhere? Our pupils 

are put into pairs and assigned a host family in Lille who will 

have a son or daughter of a similar age. It is a very popular 

highlight of Year 6 and an experience through which pupils 

get to develop their independence, social skills and resilience, 

by learning to overcome any initial nerves that come from 

stepping out of their comfort zone. As well as practising their 

French language, they learn about French history and culture 

by visiting a national art museum and our pupils are always 

eager to welcome their French partners back to their homes 

to spend a few days together again. It is wonderful to see 

how the friendships develop over email before and after the 

visits, and to watch the young students’ confidence grow as 

they enjoy time away from their own countries and culture, 

bonding over shared interests like sport, singing and films. 

How popular have exchanges proved to be? The 

exchange programme is so popular that it has been 

running for over six years now, and will continue to 

be an important part of the Year 6 curriculum. We are 

fortunate that our parents are so supportive of it and 

hope that it will continue successfully for a long time. 

theprep.org.uk 

“They return to school 

in the UK with unique 

knowledge and experiences, 

able to encourage and 

inspire others to consider 

similar exchanges” - 

Sutton Valence School 

 


SaintRonans 

@saintronans 

www.saintronans.co.uk 

/SaintRonans 

© Sarah Clark Photography 

www.saintronans.co.uk 

© Sarah Clark Photography 

“What’s not to love...” 

“What’s not to love...” 

173 BRSM eams taken in 2016, 61% merit or disncon 

15 30 musical Music Scholarships groups and awarded a full school in the orchestra last five years 

66% 173 BRSM of children eams take taken individual 2016, music 61% lessons merit or disncon 

15 8 whole musical school groups concerts and a per full school year orchestra 

66% 100% of of children take taught individual to read musiclessons 

8 whole school concerts per year 

100% of children taught to read music 

Good Schools Guide 2017 

Good Schools Guide 2017 

...about Music at Saint Ronan’s? 

30 Music Scholarships awarded in the last five years 

...about Music at Saint Ronan’s? 

“They do things differently at 

Discover Saint Ronan’s 

Discover Saint Ronan’s 

Saint Ronan’s - delivering a first 

“They do things differently at 

class education, with dollops of 

Saint Ronan’s - delivering a first 

humour and eccentricity” 

class education, with dollops of 

TATLER UK PREP SCHOOL 

OF THE YEAR 2017/18 

humour and eccentricity” 

TATLER UK PREP SCHOOL 

OF THE YEAR 2017/18 

Book an appointment on 01580 752271 or e-mail emmatv@saintronans.co.uk 

Book an appointment Boys & Girls 3-13 onyears 01580 | Founded 752271 1883 or | Hawkhurst, e-mail emmatv@saintronans.co.uk 

Kent | 01580 752271

Sutton Valence School 

Education 

How do students apply for an exchange? During the 

summer of 2017, pupils from Sutton Valence School 

enjoyed exchange trips to India, Australia and New 

Zealand. These exciting opportunities were advertised 

to pupils whilst in Year 10, inviting them to apply to 

undertake the overseas trip following the completion 

of their GCSE exams in the summer of Year 11. 

does an exchange necessarily involve foreign stays/travel? 

The five boys and girls who visited India worked as exchange 

students at the Mathieson Music School in Calcutta for two 

weeks. They travelled unaccompanied to India and stayed 

on the School campus throughout their time there. The 

three girls who enjoyed a seven-week exchange experience 

at Roseville College in Sydney, Australia and the two girls 

who went to the Waikato Diocesan School for Girls in New 

Zealand all stayed with carefully selected host families. 

What are the benefits of studying elsewhere? The benefits 

to the pupils participating in exchange trips are enormous. 

In addition to gaining an appreciation of other cultures, 

the experience of travelling independently and working 

alongside people from a range of countries, greatly increases 

their personal confidence and communication skills. 

They return to school in the UK with unique knowledge 

and experiences, able to encourage and inspire others 

to consider similar exchanges. Acting as hosts for pupils 

visiting from exchange partner schools further develops 

their skills and awareness of their own surroundings. 

What type of feedback do you get from students and host 

schools? Feedback from both pupils and host schools has 

been resoundingly positive. The Principal of Roseville College 

in Sydney commented that she was thrilled by how well the 

exchange had gone and how delightful the Sutton Valence girls 

were. One of the exchange participants has already been offered 

a position as a gap student at Roseville College following her A 

levels. The group who visited Calcutta felt extremely fortunate 

to have had the opportunity to work with the orphans and 

are planning to visit the school again after their A level exams 

in 2019 to continue to make a positive contribution. 

How popular have exchanges proved to be? The 

Sutton Valence School exchange trips that took place 

in 2017 were very popular and well supported by the 

community. The School recognises the tremendous 

value of these experiences in developing individuals 

and plans to facilitate similar opportunities for its 

pupils over the coming years. 

It is hoped that the range of 

exchange destinations for Sutton 

Valence pupils may be expanded 

in the future to include China 

and Nepal as the School 

continues to develop strong 

relationships in these countries. 

svs.org.uk 

SpringGroveSchoolWT191.indd 1 11/12/2017 15:08 

OPEN 

DAYS 

..................... 

TUE 30TH 

JANUARY 

ENQUIRE ABOUT OUR 

DIAMOND 

SCHOLARSHIPS 

Brickletots 

Creative play sessions 

to encourage children’s 

natural curiosity. 

Messy Mondays 

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Inspiring minds, 

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Independent Preparatory School 

for Boys & Girls aged 3 -11 

Bricklehurst 

Manor School 

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Bardown Road, Stonegate, Wadhurst, 

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www.bricklehurst.co.uk 

Follow us on facebook @Bricklehurst 


BricklehurstManorWT191.indd 

Wealden Times_December 2017.indd 

1 

1 

11/12/2017 15:49 

17:25

Education 

Fresh Learning 

WT discovers the benefits of studying outdoors and the 

rise in the appeal of forest schools 

Chinthurst School 

What are they? A ‘Forest School’ is an outdoor learning 

programme which originated in Scandinavia. It brings 

tremendous benefits to children and the sessions, run by qualified 

Forest School practitioners, develop confidence, creativity 

and self-esteem. It is also great fun and our Kindergarten 

look forward to their weekly trip to the woods. They go in all 

weathers and each session begins with the children looking 

for changes since their last visit. Crunchy leaves in autumn or 

beautiful spring bluebells are woven into stimulating learning 

experiences which involve exploration and investigation. 

The discovery of a fairy door for example (which has been 

surreptitiously placed at the base of a tree) sparks an exciting 

investigation to find twigs and leaves to build a fairy house. The 

children fill their ‘prickly, tickly’ boxes with items found in the 

undergrowth and share their treasures with each other. At the 

end of each session, they are given a chance to reflect on what 

they have enjoyed the most and their individual progression 

is observed and used when planning for the next visit. 

Why do parents like them? Our parents recognise 

that the sessions enable the children to learn important 

skills whilst benefiting from freedom and fresh air. 

They see it as a welcome break from technology and 

a reconnection with nature and imaginative play. 

Why do schools like them? The sessions are great fun but they 

are also enormously beneficial to development. Our programme 

helps children try new things and encourages risk taking within 

safe limits. Activities are designed to help them make judgements 

such as how they will climb onto a log or perhaps negotiate a 

small space when building a den. The risk benefit process is 

constantly managed and monitored by the Forest School leader 

to ensure the children can explore and investigate safely. 

How successful are they? The Forest School 

programme is excellent at fostering important life skills 

such as resilience, confidence and creative learning 

helping each child to be the best they can be. 

How do they work following the traditional school 

curriculum/assessments? Development of the individual child is 

at the heart of education at Chinthurst and underpins everything 

we do. Forest School sessions are an important part of the 

curriculum and supplement learning by building independence. 

chinthurstschool.co.uk 

 


154

Cultivate curiosity. 

Encourage creativity. 

Scholarship 

programme 

for entry into Years 5 & 7 

September 2018 

Academic, Music, Sport, 

Drama and Art 

dulwichprepcranbrook.org 

Dul WT Scholarship ad half page.indd 2 10/10/2017 22:14 

DulwichPrepWT190b.indd 1 07/11/2017 10:07 

An outstanding independent 

school for boys and girls aged 0-18 

Exceptional academic results at A Level and IB 

Scholarships available in Year 7, 9 and 12 

Gifted and Talented development programme 

Garden Cottage Nursery from age 0-3 

Idyllic 80 acre site with our own farm 

Come and visit us 

01227 763 231 


KentCollegeCanterburyWT191.indd 1 06/12/2017 14:28

Archie 

Lower Sixth 

Scholar 

You are warmly invited to our 

Senior School Open Morning 

Saturday 10 March 2018 

9.30am to noon (Entry at 13 and 16) 

HMC – Day, weekly and full boarding 

Boys and girls 13 to 18 

To register please contact: 

admissions@bedes.org 

T 01323 843252 

or online at bedes.org 

Bede’s Senior School 

Upper Dicker 

East Sussex BN27 3QH

Vinehall School 

What are they? Forest Schools embrace opportunities offered by 

the outdoors to extend learning and play beyond the classroom 

door. At Vinehall our wonderful grounds inspire learning 

across the curriculum, encouraging children to become more 

aware of and engage joyfully with the natural environment 

throughout the seasons in an exciting and creative adventure. 

Why do parents like them? The outdoors is a wonderful antidote to 

the demands of our modern life and helps to connect our generation 

of children with the pleasures of the natural world. Used well, Forest 

Schools are one way of offering a structured approach to using 

the outside, engaging children in a different way and providing a 

safe way of exploring the ‘wild’. Parents should be urged to look 

beyond glossy Forest School marketing to find out more about what 

happens in practice; there are plenty of ways to promote children’s 

well-being through the outdoors, encouraging happy and healthy 

children. We ended our summer term by bringing families together, 

smoking a wild salmon over the camp fire and participating in a 

competitive den building evening. Great fun was had by all! 

Why do schools like them? The outdoors provides an opportunity 

to bring the curriculum alive and to explore the potential of the 

(free!) natural materials around us. For example, our Nursery have 

created fairy gardens and made potions, as well as enjoyed a bear 

hunt (or two) in the woods. Reception classes have discovered 

who laid the egg in the forest (it was a dinosaur!), noticed 

seasonal changes and been able to embed their mathematical 

skills using twigs to compare and measure. Older children have 

pretended to be ‘hunter gatherers’, linking with their history 

topic, collecting fruits and berries to cook over the camp fire. 

Camp fire activities are wonderful, not just for enriching topics, 

but for promoting safety and for bringing together the ages. 

How successful are they? Outdoor learning engages the 

children’s interest and encourages hands-on investigation and 

observation to promote learning at a deep level, even if it gets 

messy. It provides an opportunity to promote important lifeskills 

including building resilience, confidence, independence, 

risk-taking and collaborative learning. Qualities such as openended 

problem solving, have-a-go attitudes and a space in which 

to trial ideas without worrying about making mistakes, are all 

valuable formative experiences for our children’s future lives. 

How do they work following the traditional school curriculum/ 

assessments? Staff are encouraged to be creative when delivering 

learning opportunities; they weave in activities to cover set objectives 

while engaging the children’s interest and developing important 

life-skills and knowledge. If we can nurture a sense of wonder and 

encourage our children to appreciate the natural world around them, 

as future leaders at any level they will have a heightened awareness and 

empathy for our special, yet vulnerable planet. Therefore the outdoors 

has the potential to support a holistic learning and global change. 

vinehallschool.com 

Sutton Valence 

Preparatory School 

svs.org.uk 

One School, 

many journeys 

Every child is cherished for who they are 

Traditional values, small class sizes 

Glorious location, superb facilities 

Outstanding Early Years provision 

Proven exam success for independent and state entry 

Please contact Mrs Anne Leckie: T: 01622 842117 | E: leckiea@svs.org.uk 


SuttonValenceWT191.indd 1 08/12/2017 16:59

100 Years of Education, 1000 Years of History 

NORTHBOURNE PARK SCHOOL 

DAY & BOARDING SCHOOL FOR NURSERY TO 13 YEAR OLDS 

TONBRIDGE 

New Year, 

New Challenge, 

New Career? 

Opening June 

Adjacent to Tonbridge Tr 

Full daycare • 3 months to 5 years • Open 

Junior’s Day Nursery is looking 

to recruit practitioners for our 

Outstanding For Nursery more information Cranbrook. on Child places and Staf 

Email: tonbridge@juniorsdaynursery.co.uk M 

www.juniorsdaynurse 

Dan Goldsmith Photography 

Due to an increase in children attending our nursery we are 

recruiting several practitioners for the New Year. So, if you 

are passionate about children, their development and quality 

childcare, and would like to work for a company that values 

its staff and encourages career development, please email 

cranbrook@juniorsdaynursery.co.uk for an application form. 

Open Mornings 

Saturday 24 th February 2018 

and Saturday 05 th May 2018 

northbournepark.com | 01304 611 215 | admissions@northbournepark.com 

Northbourne Park School, Betteshanger, Kent CT14 ONW 

@NorthbourneParkSchool 

#IamNorthbournePark 

Previous experience in working with children is desirable, but 

not necessary as training can be undertaken. Job offers will be 

subject to DBS checks and references. 

cranbrook@juniorsdaynursery.co.uk or Telephone 01580 713 033 

tonbridge@juniorsdaynursery.co.uk or Telephone 01732 365 188 

www.juniorsdaynursery.co.uk 

NorthbourneParkSchoolWT191.indd 1 13/12/2017 JuniorsDayNurseryWT191.indd 11:31 

1 13/12/2017 14:23 

100 

Ye 

Y 

ars 

Battle Abbey 

The door 

that opens 

so many more... 

of 

Education, 1000 

Enabling ideas and confidence to flourish, inspiring minds and 

unleashing potential. A first class education at Battle Abbey 

will open doors to a whole world of opportunities. 

1912 

Y 

ars 

Ye 

- 2012 

of History 





Please contact Lucy Jackson Registrar for further details. 

Email registrar@battleabbeyschool.com Tel 01424 772385. 

Battle Abbey School 

Battle Abbey School 1912 - 2012 

Tel: 01424 772385 www.battleabbeyschool.com 


158 

BattleAbbeySchoolWT191.indd 1 04/12/2017 16:08

Healthy Minds 

Education 

Susan Elkin stresses the importance of mental health awareness in schools and at home 

Credit: FreeImages.com/Picaland 

2017 was a big year for mental health awareness. Let’s 

hope 2018 is even better because classroom statistics 

about the mental health of our young people are dire and 

worsening.The estimate is that, at any one time, around 30% 

of school pupils have unresolved mental health issues. That 

means that there are three in every class. In my time – both in 

‘challenging’ high schools and ‘privileged’ independent ones 

– I have seen it all. I’ve witnessed self-harm, eating disorders, 

damaged self esteem, depression, anxiety, children being 

traumatised by bullying and much – far too much – more. 

Well, first we need to acknowledge it and talk about 

it. January is an ideal time since, for many, it is said to 

be the lowest point in the year. Mental health matters 

as much as physical health. There is no more reason to 

be ashamed of, say, anorexia than of chicken pox. 

Bravo Prince Harry who spoke openly about his own problems 

last year. He and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have 

put their weight, including a £2m grant from The Royal 

Foundation, behind the stigma-breaking Heads Together. 

Meanwhile Theresa May promised last year that every 

school would have a mental health first aider. At present, 

some 00013MHSWT185x130_Layout schools have a counsellor but 1 19/09/2017 many do not 14:03 and, Page in 1 

practice, there can be a long wait to see him or her. 

Teachers will try, of course, because the vast majority 

of them care deeply about the welfare of their pupils. The 

difficulty is that few have the relevant training to help 

effectively and therefore might make things even worse. 

I often think about a 15-year-old I taught. Let’s call her Michelle. 

Deeply troubled she was given to scraping her finger nails hard 

down the back of her other hand so that both her hands were 

permanently raw, sore, bleeding and often infected. I was head 

of year and Michelle’s kind friend would bring her, distressed, 

to my office almost daily. I listened and did what I could but 

of course it was way beyond my experience and expertise to 

give much real help. In the end poor Michelle was admitted 

to a rural mental hospital – when such places still existed. 

Youngsters like Michelle are in every school. A few of 

them – the worst scenario – are suicidal. Yes, we have to find 

ways of getting professional help to them quickly. It would 

also help a bit, I think, if we – every parent, grandparent, 

sibling, teacher and the rest – stopped setting them up to fail. 

They don’t have to have a dozen top grade GCSE passes, a 

perfect body or a beautiful face for life to be meaningful. And 

we should be telling and showing them that every day. 

Not too big, Not too small, Just right. 

The perfect size school to unlock the potential in every child. 

We have an enviable record of Cranbrook entry success over the past 10 years, a 100% CE pass rate 

and each year our pupils win scholarships to many leading independent senior schools. 

MARLBOROUGH 

HOUSE 

SCHOOL 

Marlborough House School, Hawkhurst, Cranbrook, Kent TN18 4PY 01580 753555 


MarlboroughHouseWT188.indd 1 19/09/2017 14:17

ThomasHaywood 

Specialist Family Solicitors 

Tunbridge Wells - Maidstone - London 

Sarah Haywood : 01892 765013 

www.thomashaywoodsolicitors.com 

ThomasHaywoodSolicitorsWT175.indd 1 11/08/2016 14:56 

Co-educational, day & boarding school for 3-18 years in South East England 

Junior School Open Morning 

Friday 26 January 2018 

Come and take a look - all welcome! 

Junior School 

Academic Scholarship Morning 

Saturday 3 February 2018 

Scholarships available for academically able children 

aged 6-10 years, currently in Year 2, 3, 4 or 5 

T: 01843 572912 

E: jsadmissions@slcuk.com 

College Road, Ramsgate, Kent CT11 7AE 

www.slcuk.com 


160 

StLawrenceCollegeWT191.indd 1 07/12/2017 15:19

Legal 

Know Your Rights 

WT investigates tricky legal issues that tend 

to rear their heads in the New Year 

freeimages.com/ Jasmaine Mathews 

Stephanie Calthrop-Owen 

Partner and Head of Family Law, at Morrisons Solicitors LLP 

Who pays the school fees on divorce? 

Deciding your marriage is finally over can be one 

of the hardest decisions you ever make – but for 

most, yet more tough decisions lie ahead. 

For many of my clients, one of the hardest questions is : “Can 

we afford to keep our children in their private schools, with 

all their friends and the teachers they adore?” or, put another 

way: “Can we afford to unsettle them further by making them 

change school, at what is already such a difficult time?” 

This issue can be a very hot topic for debate between 

separating parents and it is no small matter. The cost of 

private education these days is simply eye-watering: on 

average, £10,753 for boarders per child per term and 

£4,473 for day school*. In total that’s the princely sum of 

£225,813 for boarders, £93,933 day school, from age 11 to 

18 – and don’t forget annual increases, which can be well 

ahead of inflation, plus uniforms, school trips and so on. 

So how can they be funded? What are the options? 

Well there are many, but these are the most common solutions: 

• For the lucky few, there might be the luxury of helpful relatives 

coming to the rescue (very often the children’s grandparents), 

or even an educational trust fund set up by family. 

• For the rest of us, funding usually has to come 

from earned income or, for some, from capital 

(savings, or sale of house or other assets). 

If you opt to fund the school fees from income, this can 

be either from one parent if there’s a higher earner, or 

*Independent School Council figure Census, 2017 

through an agreed split, or fixed 

contributions from each party. 

Many clients prefer long term security 

for school fees and, where they can, will 

choose to secure them with a capital 

fund, usually carved out of the sale 

proceeds of the family home or other 

property. Parents can then share control 

of the fund and decide whether it 

includes school uniforms, trips, sixth 

form, further education and so on. 

All of those solutions depend on agreement 

between the parents; what if they cannot agree? 

Well, there are options. Nowadays, family lawyers will 

usually refer you to mediation as a starting point. The 

advantages of this are generally a quicker, cheaper and 

more personal solution. However, this only works when 

parties are able to agree matters, and not all can. 

If mediation fails, you can apply to the Family Courts 

for a specific issue order under the Children Act. 

Alternatively, think about the relatively new but rapidly 

rising option of family law arbitration for a quicker 

process, more tailored to the needs of your situation. 

Whatever arrangements you choose to make, 

it’s always very important to keep the welfare of 

the children at the forefront of your minds. 

For more information on this topic please contact Stephanie 

Calthrop-Owen, Partner and Head of Family Law, at Morrisons 

Solicitors LLP: sco@morrlaw.com or ks@morrlaw.com 


Legal 

Fiona McIntosh, Cripps 

Putting your house on the market in the spring? 

Then be the early bird and instruct your solicitor now to 

ensure all the paperwork is in place, that any avoidable issues 

have been ironed out and your own questions are answered. 

Missing documents – commonly planning consents 

and building regulation certification – regularly cause 

problems. Explain to your solicitor what works have 

been done to the property so any gaps in the paperwork 

can be identified and, hopefully, dealt with. 

Boundary problems are another common issue that are all too 

often not identified until too late. Check title plans against what 

is on the ground and discuss any discrepancies with your solicitor. 

If you’re selling a flat, ask your solicitor to check the lease to see 

what conditions, if any, you have to comply with in order to sell. 

How long is the lease – will it be acceptable in today’s market? 

Moving home is expensive. First time buyers will be grateful 

for the relief from Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) announced 

in the November Budget. To find out if you are able to benefit 

from that relief, talk to your solicitor. Might you have to pay 

the SDLT surcharge? That could have a significant financial 

impact on your plans. Again, speaking early on to someone who 

understands this complex tax will help you plan the financial 

aspects of your move and could even save you money. 

The days may be short 

and your house and garden 

suffering the ravages of winter, 

but it’s not too early to start 

planning for the spring. 

For more information 

contact Fiona McIntosh at 

fiona.mcintosh@cripps.co.uk, call 

01892 506126, or see cripps.co.uk. 

Mustafa Sidki, Warners Solicitors 

Faulty Christmas present? 

If you have bought or been given something for 

Christmas that does not work it is important to 

know what rights you have. Increased protection 

is now available to consumers following the 

introduction of the Consumer Rights Act 2015. 

If you are unhappy about any goods you have 

bought or any services you have been provided with, 

the best way to resolve the issue is often by taking the 

matter up with the business. If this does not work 

consider using a third-party, such as a solicitor, to try to 

break the deadlock. If this fails to resolve things then 

as a last resort the matter can be referred to the court. 

Know Your Consumer Rights: 

• You have 30 days to reject a faulty 

item and get a full refund 

• A ‘tiered’ remedy system is in place for faulty 

goods. Whether a customer is entitled to a refund 

depends on how long they have owned the item. 

• Failed repairs: after one failed attempt by the retailer 

to repair or replace a faulty item, the customer is 

entitled to ask for a refund or price reduction. 

• A second repair or replacement: If the customer 

does not want a refund or price reduction, 

they have the right to request another repair or 

replacement to be paid for by the retailer. 

• Deductions from refunds: No deduction 

can be made from a refund in the 

first six months after purchase. 

For more information contact Mustafa Sidki, 

01732 770660, m.sidki@warners.law 

Francesca Braham, ThomasHaywood Solicitors 

How to deal with separation or 

divorce in January... 

Each January, newspapers feature an article on “Divorce 

day”, being the first working day in January when family 

lawyers are allegedly inundated with new instructions! 

The theory is that the stresses of Christmas and/or the 

motivation of a New Year’s Resolution results in many 

seeking divorce advice at the earliest opportunity. 

The team at ThomasHaywood Solicitors each 

have over 20 years’ experience as specialist family 

lawyers and know this is not the full story. 

It is true that we usually have more initial enquiries in 

January but these come in throughout the month rather 

than our being inundated with calls on the first working 

day. Often people who contact us in January have not made 

a sudden decision to split over the Christmas period but 

the New Year gives them an impetus to make that change. 

Christmas is tough when you have relationship issues 

with the media focus on everyone having an idyllic time 

with their family. A client’s decision to contact us will 

usually be a culmination of months of consideration 

rather than a specific reaction to the Christmas chaos. 

Separation or divorce can be bewildering. Emotional 

support from family and friends is invaluable, but be wary 

of taking advice from them as every family circumstance 

is different and generalisations can 

be very unhelpful. It is important 

to take formal legal advice at 

an early stage from a specialist 

family lawyer. Whatever your 

circumstances, ThomasHaywood 

Solicitors will do our best to support 

you and advise you in the most 

practical and cost-effective way. 

For more information contact Francesca 

Braham on 01892 765014 or see 

thomashaywoodsolicitors.com 

freeimages.com/mikegoodwin 


162

Registered charity 1101358 

From the School of the Year, expect a winning formula. 

Maya Raman Jones came to Sevenoaks 

when she was eleven. In the Sixth Form she studied 

Chemistry, English, Maths, History, Biology, Russian 

and Theory of Knowledge. 

“At eleven I really loved English. Later on, 

the sciences turned my head! But as the IB curriculum 

at Sevenoaks is so broad, I didn’t have to choose 

between the arts and sciences until I applied to 

university – by which time I was sure Chemistry was 

the one for me.” 

Which explains why Maya is now reading 

Chemistry at the University of Oxford and dreaming of 

a PhD and a career in scientific research. 

www.sevenoaksschool.org 

Maya scored an impressive 44 in the International Baccalaureate (IB) and is now in her first year at Oxford. 

Our commitment to the IB is unwavering after 40 years, thanks to world-class, life-shaping results like this.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE 

Divorce can devastate - but it doesn’t have to be that way! 

Research has shown that a bad divorce can have a deep and lasting impact on 

children, begging the question why parents are still not embracing alternative less 

adversarial options open to them? 

IT has a profound influence 

doesn’t take a degree in 

child psychology to know 

that family breakdown 

on the children involved. Divorce is 

increasingly prevalent in society yet 

studies show that the negative effect 

on children caught up in family feuds 

is no less intense than it was years 

ago when divorce was far rarer. 

The damage is lasting too. The 

Economic and Social Research 

Council says the effects can stay 

with children long into their 30s and 

beyond. Youngsters who experience 

parental divorce are at a “higher risk 

of social and psychological problems 

later in life”. Divorce can also have 

tangential impact on children’s lives. 

Research by family law association 

Resolution found that nearly one 

in 10 adults leave their jobs due 

to stress following a break-up. 

The more acrimonious the 

divorce, the greater distress 

suffered by the whole family, 

which is why it is important for 

couples to find pathways with 

the least amount of conflict. 

Fortunately, alternative far less 

hostile routes a re available; ones 

that are more collaborative and less 

harmful to children caught up in 

the process. Unfortunately, public 

awareness and understanding of 

these options remains very low. 

Collaborative law 

Collaborative Law makes it 

possible for separating couples 

to work together with their 

specially trained lawyers, as a 

team to find a resolution to the 

inevitable issues arising from 

separation and divorce, including 

divorce, financial implications and 

issues regarding arrangements 

for the children’s care. 

This innovative process enables 

the couple, rather than their 

lawyers, to be in control of their 

separation. They work with the 

lawyers to identify the issues, 

which are resolved via a series of 

non-confrontational meetings. 

The process of face to face 

meetings is designed to minimise 

hurt, upset and the loss of 

self-esteem, often caused by 

acrimonious court proceedings. 

The aim is to focus on the future 

needs of the whole family and 

fairness, with a view to building 

and maintaining communication 

between the couple, an essential 

component for any successful 

parental relationship post divorce. 

Mediation 

Mediation is another process 

that places the couple firmly in 

the driving seat, taking control 

of their separation. The process 

takes place in tandem with the 

traditional legal process and is 

carried out by specialist trained 

professionals, who help the couple 

identify unresolved issues and 

seek to work with them to reach 

an agreement which can then 

be approved by the Court. 

Mediators are not relationship 

counsellors, they are not appointed 

to delve into the cause of the 

marital breakdown. Their role is 

one of an independent neutral, 

providing broad legal information, 

meaning solicitors will still need to 

be appointed to advise each party, 

albeit typically at a lower cost. 

Once terms are agreed, the 

mediator will produce a summary 

of the arrangements agreed, 

including financial details, 

divorce and matters concerning 

the children. Solicitors will then 

receive this information and 

will convert the terms into a 

legally binding document. 

Should you wish to discuss 

anything mentioned in this 

article, please contact Warners’ 

family team on 01732 747900 to 

discuss whether you qualify for 

an initial FREE appointment. We 

can also be contacted through 

our website or by emailing 

enquiries@warners.law

Legal 

freeimages.com/ Julia Freeman-Woolpert 

Richard Hearne at Whitehead Monckton 

The most common reasons to use 

a solicitor in January... 

Everyone should consider having a Lasting Power of Attorney. 

LPAs are legal documents that allow you to choose the people 

(know as Attorneys) who will be able to manage your affairs 

should you ever be unable to do so for yourself. Although 

often associated with the elderly client, mental or physical 

incapacity can strike, suddenly and unexpectedly, at any age. 

There are two types of LPA: 

• Property and Financial Affairs which, as the names 

suggest, will cover your financial assets and home 

• Health and Welfare, which covers your medical and 

care-related decisions. This LPA also requires that 

you decide whether to empower your Attorneys to 

make “life-sustaining” decisions on your behalf. 

LPAs can be drafted in a number of different ways, on 

the one hand, in very general terms or else, with specific 

preferences and directions provided to your Attorneys. 

Careful thought should be given to the people you wish 

to appoint as your Attorneys and how they should act. 

It is strongly advised that professional advice is sought to 

ensure that the documents are drafted in the best possible 

way and that all pros and cons are thoroughly discussed. 

Not having an LPA in the event of incapacity 

can leave your family needing to face applying 

to the courts to manage your affairs, which can 

be both a lengthy and expensive process. 

To discuss Lasting Powers of Attorney further, contact 

Richard Hearne at Whitehead Monckton on 01580 

767532 or richardhearne@whitehead-monckton.co.uk. 

Relationship at 

breaking point? 

The breakdown of any relationship can be very 

distressing. Whitehead Monckton family lawyers 

can help you through this stressful and painful time. 

We offer sensitive, constructive and cost effective legal 

advice. All our lawyers are experienced members 

of Resolution, committed to a non-confrontational 

approach to resolving family problems. 

An initial fixed cost meeting for just £100 (inc VAT) 

with one of our lawyers can help you see your 

way forward and understand your legal position 

and options. 

Our town centre offices in Canterbury, Maidstone 

and Tenterden are conveniently located so please 

call to set up your initial discussion: 

Emma Palmer on Canterbury 01227 643276 

Dawn Harrison on Maidstone 01622 698051 

Daniel Bennett on Tenterden 01580 767527 

www.whitehead-monckton.co.uk 

www.whitehead-monckton.co.uk 

Whitehead Monckton Limited (no. 08366029), registered in 

England & Wales. Registered office 72 King Street, Maidstone, Kent, 

ME14 1BL. Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation 

Authority under no. 608279. 

WT 1/18 


WhiteheadMoncktonQTRwt191.indd 1 13/12/2017 12:21

What’s On In January 

Art 

Sat 9 Dec - Sat 10 Feb 

Maidstone Museum, St Faith’s 

Street, Maidstone ME14 1LH 

Concealed 

An exhibition exploring ideas 

of concealment with the ‘Art 

Textiles: Made in Britain’ group 

and invited artists including 

Sandra Meech and Sylvia Paul. 

Info: museum.maidstone.gov.uk 

Fri 15 Dec - Sat 24 Feb 

Huguenot Museum, 95 High 

Street, Rochester ME1 1LX 

Margo Selby: 

Pick by Pick 

Beautiful hand-woven framed 

textiles from internationallyrenowned 

textile artist and 

designer Margo Selby, including 

new pieces specially made for 

the event, are showcased in 

this temporary exhibition. 

Info: huguenotmuseum.org 

Sat 20 Jan - Sat 24 Mar, 

Tues-Sat 9.30-4.30 

Artichoke Gallery, Church 

Street, Ticehurst, East 

Sussex TN5 7AE 

THROUGH THE WINDOW 

A mixed show featuring 

Paintings, Sculpture, 

Ceramics and Jewellery 

Entry: Free 

Info: 01580 200905 / 

artichokegallery.co.uk 

Burns Night 

Thurs 25 Jan 7pm 

Ashdown Park Hotel & 

Country Club, Wych Cross, 

Near Forest Row, East Sussex 

RH18 5JR 

Burns Night 

Whisky cocktails, a traditional 

piper, and a delicious fourcourse 

meal prepared by 

exclusive head chef Byron Hayter 

including Haggis, neeps and 

tatties, cockaleekie soup, and 

whisky cranachan, all add up 

to a traditional celebration of 

Scottish bard, Robert Burns. 

Entry: £69 

Info: ashdownpark.com 

Children & Families 

Weekends throughout 

Dec & Jan 11am - 3pm 

Bodiam Castle, Bodiam, 

Robertsbridge, East 

Sussex TN32 5UA 

Candlelit Stories 

The candlelit tower of 

this 14th century moated 

castle hosts costumed 

storytellers for medievalinspired 

children’s stories. 

Entry: Normal admission charges 

Info: nationaltrust.org.uk 

Sun 8 Jan - Sat 4 Feb 

Hall Place & Gardens, Bourne 

Road, Bexley, Kent DA5 1PQ 

Dino Live 

Learn about the creatures 

which inhabited the earth 

over 65million years ago as 

Hall Place’s great hall and 

Tudor kitchen will be taken 

over by animatronic dinosaurs 

for you to learn about, draw 

and take pictures with. 

Entry: Adults £5, Children 

under 16 £3, Babies 

under 18months Free 

Info: hallplace.org.uk 

Shows & Exhibitions 

Mon 4 Dec - 4 Feb 11am - 3pm 

Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, 

Tunbridge Wells TN3 8JN 

Inside the exhibition 

To celebrate a decade of Scotney 

Castle being open to the 

public, this exhibition invites 

you to explore the items of its 

varied and vast collection. 

Entry: Free 


Sat 13 Jan - Sun 25 March 

Petworth House and Park, 

Petworth, West Sussex 

GU28 9LR 

William Blake in 

Sussex: Visions 

of Albion 

A unique exhibition which 

celebrates Blake’s three years 

in Sussex with over fifty loans 

from such prestigious collections 

as the British Museum, V&A 

and Tate. See the Sussex coast 

as Blake saw it while living in 

a cottage in Felpham, where 

he saw “visions of Albion” 

and original drawings by 

Philip Pullman, President 

of The Blake Society. 

Entry: £16 


Sat 27 & Sun 28 Jan 

Hop Farm, Maidstone Road, 

Paddock Wood TN12 6PY 

Rock, Gem ’n’ 

Bead Show 

Exhibitors from across Europe 

will show an amazing selection 

of crystals and precious stones 

ranging from pocket money 

prices to thousands of pounds. 

Info: thehopfarm.co.uk 

Friends & Social 

Weds 24 Jan 7.30pm 

Sevenoaks Bookshop, 147 High 

Street, Sevenoaks TN13 1XJ 

Evening with 

Matt Haig 

Bestselling author Matt Haig 

comes to Sevenoaks Bookshop 

to talk about his latest novel 

How to Stop Time, the fiction 

winner of this year’s Books 

are my Bag Readers Awards. 

Entry: £8 in store, £8.50 online 

Info: 01732 452055 / 

sevenoaksbookshop.co.uk 

Garden 

Tues 9 Jan 11am - 12.30pm 

Nymans, Staplefield Lane, 

Handcross, West Sussex 

RH17 6EB 

Lead Ranger’s Walk 

Join the Nymans rangers for 

a walk around their ancient 

woodlands, taking in all of 

its seasonal highlights, and 

learning about looking after 

the beautiful, diverse habitat. 


Sat 27 Jan 9.30am - 4pm 

Bore Place, Bore Place 

Road, Chiddingstone, 

Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7AR 

Winter Pruning Day 

Learn to restore and maintain 

both apple and pear trees 

through winter pruning. By 

establishing structure and 

reducing overcrowding you can 

encourage trees to make new 

growth and produce larger fruit. 

Info: boreplace.org 

Sports & Leisure 

Sat 6 Jan 7pm 

Hove Lawns, Hove, East 

Sussex, BN3 2WN 

Brighton Glow Run 

Start the new year with this 

glowing late night 5k run. 

Load up on neon accessories 

and stickers before your run 

across the beautiful Brighton 

seafront to get your medal in 

this vibrant and unique race. 

Info: blitzrun.com 

Theatre 

Mon 5 - Sun 14 Jan 

Brighton Centre, Kings 

Road, Brighton, East 

Sussex BN1 2GR 

Holiday on Ice: Time 

With spellbinding visual 

effects, stunning costumes by 

Michael Sharpe, music featuring 

Coldplay, Bublé, and Seal and 

talented director/choreographer 

David Liu leading a cast of 

highly skilled skaters, this 

holiday extravaganza takes 

audiences through a journey 

in time, exploring the most 

treasured memories of our lives. 

Entry: From £22 

Info: brightoncentre.co.uk 

Thurs 25 Jan - Sat 3 Feb 

Chichester Festival Theatre, 

Oaklands Park, Chichester, 

West Sussex, PO19 6AP 

The Jungle Book 

This colourful new adaption 

of Rudyard Kipling’s family 

classic by Jessica Swale is an 

unforgettable adventure with 

music by Joe Stilgoe and 

direction by Max Webster. 

Entry: £10 

Info: cft.org.uk 

Sun 28 Jan 2pm 

Hazlitt Theatre, 36 Earl 

Street, Maidstone ME14 1PP 

Little Red 

Riding Hood 

A playful pantomime 

 


GREAT DIXTER NURSERIES 

Northiam, Rye, East Sussex, TN316PH 

Tel. 017979 254044 • www.greatdixter.co.uk 

The Nursery at Great Dixter 

was set up by Christopher Lloyd 

in 1956 and we use the same 

traditional methods to this 

day. The majority of plants are 

propagated in the Nursery and 

our peat-free potting compost 

is made on site from loam 

cut from our own turf heaps 

gathered from the surrounding 

Dixter fields. 

Our compost produces strong 

and healthy plants that are easy 

to water and re-wet and will 

establish themselves more easily 

in your garden because they are 

already used to ‘real’ soil. 

Mail order available now through to March 2018 

Visit our website to see plants in-situ in the garden and send 

your list of requirements to us for delivery or collection. 

Great Dixter Nurseries - open all year round 

April to end of October 

Monday to Saturday: 9am to 5pm 

Sunday: 10am to 5pm 

November to end of March 

Monday to Friday: 

9am to 12.30pm & 1.30pm to 4.30pm 

Saturday: 9am to 12.30pm 

Sunday: Closed 

We also stock hand-picked Great Dixter seed, Whichford 

terracotta pots, Sneeboer garden tools and other sundries such 

as cane tops and tarred twine. 

New plant catalogue 

published January 2018 

Visit: 

www.greatdixter.co.uk/nursery

What’s On In January 

for children aged three and 

above. A combination of 

puppetry, storytelling and 

pantomime elements, with 

live music, dancing and 

audience interaction, makes 

this sparkling, silly story the 

perfect introduction to Panto. 

Entry: £13.50, 

Concessions £11.50 

Info: parkwoodtheatres.co.uk 

Mon 29 Jan - Sat 3 Feb 

The Marlowe, The Friars, 

Canterbury, Kent CT1 2AS 

Of Mice and Men 

This brand new production of 

Steinbeck’s heart-wrenching 

classic tale of friendship, 

humanity and the American 

dream comes to the Marlowe 

from the producers of Avenue 

Q, The Crucible, American 

Idiot and Flashdance. 

Entry: £12.95 - £37.75 

Info: marlowetheatre.com 

Workshops 

Sun 14 Jan 

Art of Mine, Little Budds 

Farm, Coldblow Lane, 

Thurnham, Maidstone, 

Kent ME14 3LR 

Silver Clay 

Jewellery Making 

This beginners’ workshop 

will teach you to make two 

beautiful pieces of silver 

jewellery using a special silver 

clay produced in Japan. 

Entry: £100 

Info: thisartofmine.co.uk 

Sat 20 Jan 10.30am - 12.30pm 

The Huguenot Museum, 

95 High Street, 

Rochester, Kent ME1 1LX 

Colour & Stripe 

Workshop with 

Margo Selby 

A yarn winding workshop 

exploring stripe, colour, palette 

and proportion to develop a 

confident, instinctive approach 

to colour with the support 

of some basic theory. 

Entry: £20 

Info: huguenotmuseum.org 

Sat 20 Jan 10am - 1pm 

RSPB Pagham Harbour 

Visitor Centre, Selsey Road, 

Sidlesham, Chichester, 

West Sussex PO20 7NE 

Bird Watching 

for Beginners 

This series of 5 monthly classes 

will build your knowledge and 

identification of local birds, 

with basic bird watching kit 

included in the first workshop. 

Entry: £10 per class, RSPB 

Members £8, Whole Course 

£40, RSPB Members £32 

Info: rspb.org.uk 

Sat 27 Jan 10am - 3.30pm 

Maidstone Museum & Art 

Gallery, St Faith’s Street, 

Maidstone, Kent ME14 1LH 

Introduction to Silk 

Screen Printing 

Learn this new skill for 2018 

with Rachel Moore guiding 

you through basic principles 

and techniques. The museum 

collections will provide inspiration 

as you experiment with papercut 

stencils. One metre of fabric 

and a tote bag are provided to 

print onto, but you can also 

bring your own materials to 

try something different. 

Entry: £47 

Info: 01622 602838 / 

museum.maidstone.gov.uk 

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 February 

issue is 15 January 2018. 

Ibbett Mosely 

AuctIoneers & VAluers 

Limited Liability Partnership 

The Auctioneer's Next Sales Will Be On 

Wednesday 24th January 2018 & 

Wednesday 28th February 2018 

Commencing at 12.30pm | Viewing 10.00am - 12.30pm 

At Ibbett Mosely Auction Rooms, Argyle Rd, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1HJ 

Tel: 01732 456731 Web: www.ibbettmosely.co.uk 

125 High St, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1UT 

Registered in England No. 0C341637 Regulated by RICS Registered at the Sevenoaks office as Ibbett Mosely Surveyors LLP 

Gardening Courses 

IbbettMoselyWT191.indd 1 01/12/2017 12:45 

Gift Vouchers for 2018 courses 

HORNBROOK MANOR FARM, WOODCHURCH 

Contact Jo 01233 861149 www.hornbrookmanor.co.uk 

HornbrookManorWT190.indd 1 13/11/2017 15:15 

Clangers, Bagpuss and Co 

Sissinghurst Castle Garden 

11 November 2017 - 4 February 2018 

Organised by the V&A Museum of 

Childhood, Clangers, Bagpuss and Co 

tells the story of these much-loved 

family favourites. 

Call 01580710700 for details 

nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden 

When you visit, donate, volunteer or join the National Trust, your 

support helps us to look after special places for ever, for everyone. 

© National Trust 2017. The National Trust is an independent registered charity, number 205846. 

Photography © National Trust Images\Bagpuss © Smallfilms, Image © Victoria and Albert Museum, London. 

#nationaltrust 


SissinghurstCastleWT188.indd 1 14/09/2017 12:26

Beauty 

Gardens 

Wealden Wealden Times Times - Bazaar - Classified 

Vanity Lane 

natural deodorant & skin care products 

handmade - local - vegan 

underarms - yoga - body - lips 

reusable, recyclable packaging 

free local delivery 

www.vanitylane.co.uk 

VanityLaneWT191.indd 1 05/12/2017 BattleMowersWT190.indd 14:44 

1 06/11/2017 15:43 

Clare Langdon 

INTERIORS 

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 

Home & Interiors 

David Hall 

ClareLangdonWT184.indd 1 12/05/2017 16:19 

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 

Battle Mowers Ltd 

Special Branch 

Pruning, hedgecutting, 

replanting, tree removal, stump 

grinding, waste, ethically recycled 

Fully qualified & Insured 

Freephone 0800 037 9383 or call 01622 890623 

alex@specialbranch.com 

(Design by Mimi Pinto www.mimipinto.com) 

SpecialBranchWT189.indd 1 11/10/2017 11:27 

Highest quality 

Tennis surfaces 

Merry Christmas 

Main dealer for 

THE ESSENCE OF FINE 

BRITISH LAWNS 

For further information please phone 01424 773096 

or-email: battlemowers@btconnect.com 

www.battlemowers.co.uk 

visit our showroom at The Granary, Station Rd, Battle. TN33 0DE 

DavidHallWT108.indd 1 14/01/2011 15:27 

and all weather garden play areas 

MG Contracts is a family business with over 35 years’ 

experience in building tennis courts and sport areas. 

The company provides free surveys & quotations. 

All courts are constructed to high specifications 

and are supported with a long guarantee. 

Nevill Estate Yard, Eridge, Tunbridge Wells, TN3 9JR 

01892 543233 

www.thepianoshopkent.co.uk 

Please contact us for further information: 

The Whym, Manchester Rd, Ninfield, East Sussex TN33 9JX 

01424 892265 07831 643835 mgsc@btconnect.com 

www.martingurrtennissurfaces.co.uk 

MG Contracts 

PianoShopWT180.indd 1 04/01/2017 MsgsportsWT185.indd 16:06 

1 20/06/2017 16:12

Competition 

Win a dog-friendly break 

up to the value of £250 

Love to get away but hate the thought of leaving your 

four-legged friend behind? If like many dog lovers, 

some of your best times are spent with your hound 

then here’s your chance to make new memories in style, with 

a truly dog-friendly holiday through PetsPyjamas.com. 

PetsPyjamas are offering one lucky winner the chance to win a dogfriendly 

break of their choice up to the value of £250, plus a Canine Traveller 

Kit gift box for their dog! Take your pick from more than 2,000 dog-friendly 

hotels, cottages, country houses and B&Bs around the UK and Europe, 

many with exclusive packages, inclusive deals and fantastic doggie extras. 

Having sent over 12,000 owners and 15,500 dogs on breaks since 

PetsPyjamas’ official launch in 2014, the company knows all about 

creating holidays with the extra bow-wow factor. So, let their expert 

Pet Concierge team find the perfect getaway for you and your dog. 

How to enter: For your chance to 

win a dog friendly break, just answer the 

following question: When was the official 

launch of PetsPyjamas? Enter your answer 

with your contact details* in the online form 

at wealdentimes.co.uk/competition or post 

to: The PetsPyjamas Competition, Wealden 

Times, 21 Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent 

TN17 3HF by 31 January. The prize will 

be issued as £250 travel gift vouchers. Gift 

vouchers cannot be exchanged or refunded 

for cash. PetsPyjamas.com is under no liability 

for replacement or refund should vouchers 

be lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed 

whether they have been redeemed or not. 

Furthermore, we reserve the right to refuse 

any vouchers that have been modified, 

damaged or defaced. Gift vouchers are only 

valid with a unique voucher code. Gift 

vouchers are valid for one travel break and 

valid for 12 months. *All entrants’ details will 

be passed on to PetsPyjamas and Wealden 

Times Events. Please let us know if you 

do not wish your details to be passed on. 

Congratulations to Christine Burford who wins our November competition for Beer For A Year from Shepherd Neame 


Jane Howard’s 

Fables from the Farm 

Jane looks ahead to 2018’s new arrivals 

The New Year means new arrivals 

at Coopers Farm. Don’t think 

we have to wait until spring 

for the action to start. It’s all go as 

soon as the decorations are down. 

First out of the stalls will be the Queen 

Bee. She will have stopped laying around 

the end of October and spent the winter 

in the hive being surrounded by a cluster 

of worker bees who feed her honey 

and shiver to keep her warm. Once the 

evenings get a little longer, 

around late January, she will 

start laying again with the 

first new bees of the season 

hatching three weeks later. 

Next will be the hens. 

Our hens are old-fashioned 

breeds, Buff Sussex, Red 

Sussex and Speckled Sussex, 

big blousy birds as opposed 

to the much smaller modern 

brown hybrid chickens. 

The latter have been bred 

to lay an egg 365 days a year and also 

never go broody whereas our girls have a 

very different agenda. Come September, 

production grinds to a halt – technically 

known as coming off lay – and doesn’t 

start again until the days begin to draw 

out in early January. (They’re quicker off 

the mark than the queen bees.) But blow 

me down if their tiny bird brains don’t 

soon turn to thoughts of motherhood and 

before long some will start going broody – 

sitting tight on their eggs so that they hatch 

“Our hens are 

old-fashioned 

breeds – big 

blousy birds as 

opposed to the 

much smaller 

modern brown 

hybrid chickens.” 

into chicks. Luckily they don’t all opt for 

motherhood, so as long as Phil the cockerel 

obliges, a happy compromise is reached 

with eggs and chicks all round by Easter. 

Then come the lambs which arrive from 

early March. Last October as the evenings 

drew in the two rams went in with 60 

odd ewes (about the most two could cope 

with). The rams were fitted with raddles – 

harnesses that hold in place a wax crayon 

between their front legs. When the ewe 

comes into season they will 

mount her and leave a big 

waxy mark on her rump. 

And by changing the 

colour of the wax crayon 

every couple of weeks we 

know the order in which 

they will lamb. This year 

it will be orange, green 

and then – new to us – a 

rather fetching purple. 

Next up Malcolm 

the scan man arrives to 

not surprisingly scan them to determine 

whether they are having a single, twins 

or triplets. We have a handy can of sheep 

friendly spray paint to hand and mark 

them up with a blob on their shoulder 

for singles, a blob on tail for twins and a 

line down the spine for triplets. So come 

March when it all kicks off in the lambing 

shed, if there’s a problem that calls for 

investigation (rubber gloves job) at least 

you know whether you’re dealing with 

four legs, eight or, heaven forbid, twelve. 

The cows were scanned last summer 

and the vet is able to pretty accurately 

determine how far in calf they are. So 

the first will arrive mid-March which is 

convenient because whoever is on the allnight 

lambing shift can also keep an eye 

on the cows, leaving the other person to 

have a cosy night of uninterrupted sleep. 

The only animals on the farm that 

don’t participate in this seasonal birthing 

bonanza are the pigs. No daylight hours 

nonsense for them, the sows will come 

into season at the drop of a pin, any time 

of the year and also as soon as you wean 

their last batch of piglets. Imagine! 

By the time we’ve worked our way 

through all these arrivals we’re pretty 

exhausted but right now the anticipation 

is wonderful. Happy New Year. 

Follow Jane Howard – and the farm 

– on Instagram @coopersfarm 


172

Being pushed 

out of your 

workplace? 

We’ll help 

you push 

back. 

Please call for Slater a brochure and Gordon visit (UK) our LLP showrooms is authorised and 

regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. 

Unit 9, Chart Farm, Seal Chart 

Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0ES 

Tel: 01732 762682 

www.rencraft.co.uk 

81 Calverley Road 

Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2UY 

Tel: 01892 520730 

Offices in London and 

throughout the UK 

Call 0203 319 2685 

slatergordon.co.uk 

Family Employment Estate Planning, Wills and Probate 

Property Crime Dispute Resolution Personal Injury

S ALE STARTS 29th DECEMBER 

J OHN SANKEY SLIPPER CHAIR IN LEATHER 

WAS £3495 SALE PRICE £2295 

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w ww.WoodcocksInteriors.co.uk

Wealden Times | WT191 | January 2018 | Interiors supplement inside

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