Wealden Times | WT228 | May 2021 | Restoration & New Build supplement inside

RESTORATION & NEW BUILD SUPPLEMENT inside

Inspirational Interiors • Fabulous Fashion • Delicious Dishes

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Contents

May 2021

HOUSE OF THE MONTH

Maggie Alderson selects her

favourite properties on

the market right now

NOTEBOOK

News and events to look

forward to this month

ARTFUL RESTORATION

An extensive cottage restoration

for a couple of art lovers

GET THE LOOK

Find products to give your

home a creative edge

SAVE THE WORLD

Rebecca Cuffe’s green edit

THE HOUSE THAT

INSTAGRAM BUILT

Explore striking holiday suites

in a Margate apartment

101

102

104

GET THE LOOK

Colour-up, Margate style

TIME TO BREAK FREE

Kate Watts styles

timeless timepieces

FEELING FLUSH?

Josephine Fairley gives her

advice for tackling rosacea

BODY LOVING

GOODNESS

Sarah Maxwell’s continues her

quest for body confidence

NOURISH TO FLOURISH

Expert advice from

nutrition and lifestyle

coach Charlotte Lau

LAZY DAY DINING

Relish a relaxing brunch with

three easy-to-prepare recipes

Published by Priceless Media Ltd. Kettle Chambers, 21 Stone Street,

Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3HF | Call 01580 714705 | Email info@priceless-group.com

advertisers & contributors are not necessarily those of Priceless Media Ltd.

111

116

121

122

124

FORGET ME NOT

Jo Arnell explains why she has

a soft spot for biennials

LET’S GO WILD!

Sue Whigham takes a closer

look at the UK’s wildflowers

MEET THE HEAD

We chat to Marlborough House

School’s Eddy Newton

WHAT’S ON?

Find out...

SLOW, GROW, EAT

Zoë Colville gives us the

latest from the farm

RESTORATION

& NEW BUILD

SUPPLEMENT

20 pages of

constructive

advice and ideas.

After page 88

S C

WTSH76SupplementP1.indd 1 21/04/2021 16:37

Be Yourself

at Claremont

NEW

Nursery &

Pre-Prep building,

opening Summer

2021

Open House Week

Monday 17 May - Saturday 22 May

Visit claremontschool.co.uk/events to register.

Nursery & Prep School

St Leonards, East Sussex TN37 7PW

01424 751555

Senior School & Sixth Form

Bodiam, East Sussex TN32 5UJ

01580 830396

enquiries@claremontschool.co.uk . claremontschool.co.uk/events

2019

Editor’s

Letter

Welcome

back

We are now Open

How incredible it’s been to see customers breathing life

back into our local high streets as boutiques, salons

and restaurants open their doors (or gardens) for

the first time in months. Whilst there’s no doubt we’ve still

got a fair way to go, and safety remains the greatest priority,

it certainly felt like a real treat stepping into a real-life clothes

shop this week for a post-lockdown treat with my daughter.

Despite a peppering of frosts to keep us on our toes, I am

hopeful that sunshine-filled days are on the cards as summer

approaches. And with the promise of warmer weather comes the

drive for home improvement. This issue’s Supplement takes a

look at extensions, new builds and non-structural components,

alongside restoration advice. Whether you’re hoping to show

your house at its best for a summer sale, looking to maximise

the potential of what you’ve got or thinking of going down

the new build route, this is sure to be an interesting read.

Keeping with the restoration theme, our first featured

interior has been a labour of love and skilled craftsmanship

for a couple who fancied downsizing from a rural setting to a

central village location. See how they designed their extensive

restoration of a pair of cottages into a space to suit their

lifestyle and interests from page 32. If you’ve always wanted to

experiment with colour, check out how the arty team behind

Margate Suites have tackled the revamp of a flat into holiday

accommodation. With amazing sea views and a truly memorable

application of vibrant decor by local artists and creatives,

they’re sure to leave a lasting impression on lucky guests.

Elsewhere, Josephine Fairley gives her recommendations for those

battling with rosacea and health gurus Sarah Maxwell and Charlotte

Lau guide you through positive changes to improve wellbeing.

SALE

NOW

RE-OPENING OFFERS AVAILABLE

THROUGHOUT THE STORE

Enjoy your Wealden Times and we hope to

see you at the Midsummer Fair in July

For an exceptional home

Wealden Times & Surrey Homes Team

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

News & Features Editor ...............................................................Rebecca Cuffe

Design Director ..........................................................................Anthony Boxall

Design Assistant...........................................................................Phoebe O’Leary

Executive Chairman ...................................................................... Julie Simpson

Managing Director .............................................................. Vivien Cotterill-Lee

Sales Managers ..................................................................................... Jen Crisp

Lisa Gordon-Hughes

Senior Account Managers ............................................................... Maria Hurley

Rachel Norrie

Wealden Times Show Director ....................................................... Flo Simpson

Senior Account Manager, Events ....................................................... Jude Brown

01227 766655 | lenleys.co.uk

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Sandling Road, Maidstone, ME14 2RF

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McALLISTER THOMAS FINE ART

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RECENT WORKS

ANNABEL PLAYFAIR

OPENS 22 MAY 2021

For further information please

contact the gallery

McALLISTER THOMAS

117 High Street

Godalming

Surrey GU7 1AQ

01483 860591

www.mcallisterthomasfineart.co.uk

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08:38

House

Month

of the

£1,950,000

List It!

Maggie Alderson picks her favourite Grade II homes on the market

Trenly Farm

The dream: A joyous combination

of a classic Grade II listed

farmhouse, with inglenooks and

lovely beams – which has been

beautifully updated for modern

living – including an in-keeping

annexe with a contemporary

interior, which could be used as a

chic granny flat, or a holiday let.

Where: A rural hamlet between

Cranbrook and Hawkhurst.

Setting: In farmland, right on the

edge of Bedgebury Forest – literally

a few metres from the property.

Beds: 4 Baths: 3 in the main

house, with two more beds,

a bathroom and a shower

room in the annexe.

Special features: Fabulous parquet

floors, a Crittall partition through

to the kitchen and a copper

bath in the master bathroom.

Pleasing details: There is

permission in place to convert

two attic rooms into two more

bedrooms and a bathroom.

Outside: Lawns all around,

with flower and shrub beds and

a paved terrace for entertaining

outside each building.

Time to town: Staplehurst station

is a 20 minute drive, then around

an hour to Charing Cross.

Agent: Harpers & Hurlingham,

Cranbrook 01580 715400

harpersandhurlingham.com

priceless-magazines.com

Little Mill

£1,395,000

The dream: A Grade II listed house of great

character, on a welcoming L-shaped plan, with

the exterior partly tile-hung, partly weatherboard,

with a red-tile roof, tall chimneys and creepers

growing up the front. The three reception rooms

are all double-facing and there is a separate pantry

by the kitchen. It has a lift to the upper floors.

Where: In the hamlet of Little Mill,

a mile from East Peckham.

Setting: On the edge of the hamlet amid

agricultural land, next to the river.

Beds: 5, plus an attic room. Baths: 3

Special features: A large unconverted barn

which would make delightful secondary

accommodation, with the right permissions.

Pleasing details: The River Bourne runs along

the side of the garden, with a lovely riverside walk.

Outside: Really special mature gardens with

mature trees, shrubs and lawns, plus brick terraces

and a delightful brick summerhouse and log store.

With paddocks it comes to just over six acres.

Time to town: Direct trains from Paddock

Wood, 4 miles away, to Charing Cross in an hour.

Agent: Lambert & Foster, Paddock Wood

01892 832325 lambertandfoster.co.uk

Iwood Lane Barn

£2,500,000

The dream: An exceptionally well-done

conversion of a Grade II listed barn, with a

plethora of golden beams and vaulted ceilings,

within 4,500 square feet of living space. The

ground floor is in the open-plan style, perfect for

modern living. There is a one-bedroom annexe,

with a kitchen, attached to the main house and

a separate home office/workshop building.

Where: A short drive from the picturesque village

of Rushlake Green, four miles from Heathfield.

Setting: Among farmland, off a quiet lane, in

an elevated position with views to the coast.

Beds: 6 Baths: 4

Special features: A lovely Neptune Henley

kitchen, with marble worktops.

Pleasing details: A bespoke countrystyle

bar, perfect for entertaining.

Outside: A private fishing lake,

within four acres of land.

Time to town: Stonegate station is

fifteen minutes away, then an hour and

ten minutes to Charing Cross.

Agent: Foley & Neville, Cowbeech

01312 380069 foleyandneville.co.uk

13 priceless-magazines.com

SALES / LETTINGS / MANAGEMENT

VISIT US AT HUNTERS.COM

HERE TO GET you THERE

TENTERDEN £1,595,000

A substantial six-bedroom family home

with stunning far reaching countryside

views, which sits upon a 1.1-acre plot,

offering a rare and exciting opportunity

to purchase an impressive family home,

with enormous potential for fl exibility

of use and on-site income potential.

Situated in a most enviable position

within easy reach of Tenterden. With

its large, fl exible layout, good sized

grounds, outbuildings, and holiday let,

this property could provide for a variety

of lifestyles and would be ideal for

buyers looking to enjoy the good life.

RURAL TENTERDEN £800,000

An immaculately presented oak framed

detached home located in a peaceful

semi-rural location close to both the

pretty village of Biddenden and the

tree lined high street of Tenterden.

Recently converted and extended,

the property provides an impressive

open plan kitchen/dining room/lounge

plus three double bedrooms and two

bathrooms. It also offers a wrap around

garden with a plot size of 0.25 acres and

is approached via electrically operated

gates giving access to ample parking and

a very private garden. EPC D

OVER

25%

RESERVED

A development of 28 CONTEMPORARY

apartments located within the HEART of

Ashford Town Centre built to a HIGH specifi cation.

Built by Local Developer Clarus Homes.

1 Beds from: £185,000 | 2 Beds from: £220,000

Over 150 independently owned branches across the UK.

HERE TO GET you THERE

ASHFORD

01233 613 613

FOLKESTONE

01303 210 335

HYTHE

01303 261 557

MAIDSTONE

01622 278 003

TENTERDEN

01580 763 278

LAND & NEW HOMES

03301 200 750

Over 200 independently owned branches across the UK.

‘Our Focus Determines Your Reality’

HARPERS AND HURLINGHAM

HOOK GREEN £1,250,000

BARN CONVERSION WITH ANNEXE

• Kitchen/breakfast room • Sitting Room with open

fireplace • Principal bedroom ensuite • Three further

bedrooms • Double Garage • Grounds of approx.

1.5 acres • Detached One Bedroom Annexe with garden

• EPC: tbc

Good access to mainline rail station

SMARDEN £1,100,000

GRADE II LISTED WEALDEN HALL HOUSE

• Sitting room • Dining room • Acres • Study • Three

reception rooms • Kitchen • Utility room • Cloakroom

• Five bedrooms (three ensuite) • Family bathroom •

Gardens and grounds approx. 1.8 • Garage/workshop/

stables/hay barn • EPC: n/a

Sought after location

SMARDEN £750,000

CHARMING DETACHED COTTAGE

• Two receptions with inglenooks • Fitted kitchen •

Principal bedroom with ensuite • Two further bedrooms

• Bath and Shower room • Attractive gardens • River

frontage • Walking distance to all village amenities •

EPC: n/a

Viewing highly recommended

STAPLEHURST £695,000

IMMACULATELY PRESENTED FAMILY HOME

• Stunning open plan kitchen/breakfast room/sitting

room • Further reception and study • Four bedrooms

(two ensuite) • Family bathroom and shower room •

Enclosed gardens, courtyard and terrace • Walking

distance to mainline station and village • EPC: tba

Cranbrook School Catchment

Harpers&Hurlingham

The Cornerhouse, Stone Street, Cranbrook

01580 715400

www.harpersandhurlingham.com

Sales & Lettings Team

Jane Emilie Chez Cathy Sara Debbie Debbie S Sharon Caroline Dianne

Wendy

MAXIMISE THE VALUE

OF YOUR LAND

Have you got a large

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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

Impression

Land & Property Experts

F O R S A L E

FO R S A L E

Ewhurst Green, East Sussex Guide Price: £2,000,000

A A detached A four-bedroom modern farmhouse

ring, Kent Guide Price: expansion £330,000-£360,000

or horse grazing if if required if Three significant general purpose ancillary & & &

agricultural/viticulture buildings

Planted In all to o self-build sites with planning permission for

vines for producing between 18-22 tons tons tons per per per In In all all extending to to approx. 22.14 acres

annumfor for pressing

idential development, offered for sale individually

nning consent for both a detached 2-bed dwelling

809ft²) & a detached 4-bed dwelling (2,508ft²)

ference: 20/00313/AS - Ashford Borough Council

th plots total in all approx. 1.06 Artist’s acres

Impression

435 864455

www.btfpartnership.co.uk

233 740077

F O R S A L E

FO R S A L E

Knockholt, Kent Guide Price: £495,000

A A semi-detached A three-bedroom cottage with with with wellkepkepkept

residential gardens and and and off-road parking

Detached outbuilding with with with planning consent for for for

conversion into into into a a detached a double garage & & & store store

well-

Part Part Part of of the of the the house is ofis of non-standard construction

No No Nonward chain

Challock Office

Further 12.70 acres south-facing banks for for for vineyard

Additional land land land may may may be be be available

EE Eheathfield@btfpartnership.co.uk TT T01435 864455

EE Echallock@btfpartnership.co.uk TT T01233 740077

Challock Office

FO R S A L E

Charing, Kent Guide Price: £330,000-£360,000

Two Two Two self-build sites sites sites with with with planning permission for for for

residential development, offered for for sale for sale sale individually

Planning consent for for both for both both a a detached a 2-bed dwelling

(1,809ft²) & & a & a detached a 4-bed dwelling (2,508ft²)

Reference: 20/00313/AS - - Ashford - Borough Council

Both Both Both plots plots total total total in in all in all all approx. 1.06 1.06 1.06 acres

Challock Office

Homeowners, make

yourself at home

with our holiday

property experts

Enjoy national reach

and expertise with our

local, personal,

Kent & Sussex service

Find out more today at

kentandsussexcottages.co.uk

or call us on 0800 3689358

PLOT OR NOT?

If you think your land or property has development potential,

why not give us a call without obligation and in confidence.

KentAndSussexHolidayCottagesWT228.indd 1 12/04/2021 12:22

WE ARE ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR LAND AND PROPERTY WITH DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL

Many of our clients retain our services and, in the majority of

cases, pay our fees saving property owners significant costs.

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 and major regeneration projects.

Contact Stephen Donnelly on

07739 514350 or 01892 579937

website: sjd-projects.com

email: steve@sjd-projects.com

For regular updates, visit us at

twitter.com/projects

priceless-magazines.com

SJDprojectsWT227.indd 1 25/02/2021 10:59

KENTISH STYLE, BERKELEY QUALITY

Now launched – book your appointment today to view the

show home and discuss how we can help you move.

This beautiful collection of 3, 4 and 5 bedroom homes and 1 and 2 bedroom apartments

effortlessly combines country living with a modern lifestyle.

Foal Hurst Green is surrounded by meadows, a new 5-acre nature reserve and is adjacent to the 29 acre

Foal Hurst Wood. Here, the countryside is yours to explore, while Paddock Wood town centre and station

are just one mile away, with regular rail connections into London Bridge in just 41 minutes. *

One and two bedroom apartments from £252,000 †

Three, four and five bedroom homes from £441,000 †

CALL 01892 887 329 OR VISIT FOALHURSTGREEN.CO.UK

*Travel times are approximate only. Sources: trainline.com and Google maps.

†Prices correct at time of print. Photography is indicative only.

www.foalhurstgreen.co.uk

Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Spring Cleaning

The team at Purple Rhino tell us all you need to know about

cleaning your property’s exterior to boost its value.

How much experience do you

have? A family-owned business,

Purple Rhino is headed up by Teodora

and Darran Smith, and has been soft

washing properties throughout East and

West Sussex, Kent, and Surrey for many

years - Darran himself has over 38 years

of experience in exterior cleaning!

Can you tell us about your roof

cleaning? We’re very proud of our

roof cleaning, as Purple Rhino is the

only roof cleaning company in Kent to

provide a transferable stain-free warranty

certificate backed by SoftWash Systems®,

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from experience that exterior home

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property›s value too. Removing ugly

stains from roofs gives a home a sense

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particularly effective on modern

properties, which can quickly become

stained with fast-growing ancient

Cyanobacteria. These bacteria are

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swathes of organic matter colonising

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What is the best way to remove

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how to remove these mosses, lichens

and moulds, most of us think a pressure

washer is the tool for the job, but

harsh water pressure can damage the

very surface you are trying to clean.

At the very best, pressure washing

will give the organic matter a quick

haircut, which rapidly grows back

thicker than before. Purple Rhino use

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method, soft washing. This is the

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the exterior of your property. All types

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cladding, render, brick and stone

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gave us a call instead, we could send

over a fully trained soft wash systems

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render looking great again. Purple

Rhino was the first UK company to

adopt the soft wash system method of

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on residential properties, so we

know what we’re talking about!

Purple Rhino are offering FREE home

surveys and fully written quotations and

would be delighted to be of service to you.

Call 01233 550100 or visit

purple-rhino.co.uk to find out more.

Family.

It’s complicated.

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Consistently ranked amongst the best in the country, we are expert

in all areas of family law. You will find us empathetic, discrete

and supportive. The sort of people you want by your side.

To book a video/telephone consultation to discuss

your divorce or separation for a fixed fee of £199,

please visit www.crippspg.co.uk/family-law

“The stand out firm for matrimonial

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Notebook

What to do and see near you this month

Take off !

Image by Corinne Pardey

Opening up

As its grounds, buildings and galleries reawaken, Watts Gallery looks

forward to welcoming visitors back this season. From 26 April the

Watts Chapel and the grounds will be open to explore, as well as

their lovely tea shop (takeaways only) and The Watts Shop, from

which you can purchase art from the Watts Contemporary Gallery

spring exhibition, Anita Klein: Together. This exhibition will open

with the Contemporary Gallery on 1 May. In partnership with

Eames Fine Art, Anita Klein: Together will show work by Anita

Klein, one of Britain’s finest contemporary artists, including

a number of works exhibited for the first time. The other

galleries will then reopen on 17 May, with a last chance to see

Art & Action: Making Change in Victorian Britain, a look at

how artists of the period used art as a catalyst for change and to

highlight inequality. Then, in the summer we’ll see the return

of the onsite Make Space family programme, Art Club for

teenagers and Creative Courses for adult learners, which should

be booked in advance while spaces last! wattsgallery.org.uk

Birds of Prey displays resume at

Groombridge Place on 19 May

2021. These popular shows, which

take place twice a day, will include

many beautiful birds of prey along

with interesting commentary from

the handlers. Daniel Clark, UK Owl

and Raptor Centre says, “After what

will be 5 months of not being able to

conduct our flying demonstrations, we

are so excited to welcome guests back

from the 19th May at Groombridge

Place to watch our birds as they

show off their flying abilities right

over the top of the heads of the

audiences.” The displays are included

with admission to Groombridge

Place where visitors can also enjoy

the formal gardens, which overlook

the moated manor house, and all

the attractions in the Enchanted

Forest. Book in advance online at

groombridgeplace.com

Art for

everyone

To celebrate

their reopening after months of

lockdown, Trew Art are welcoming

customers back with many pieces with

50% off, alongside a discount of 15%

off stock art. Browse the gallery’s wide

selection of original art, specialised glassware

and sculptures along with a collection

of limited edition prints. Traditional,

contemporary and modern abstract styles

are all covered and they’ll be displaying

many new originals and special collectable

limited editions. For more information,

and to browse online, visit trewart.com

23 priceless-magazines.com

Notebook

Open for business

Fenwick and Bentalls stores are back with a bang this

May! After reopening in April, stores in Tunbridge

Wells, Canterbury and Kingston are keen to show off

their latest brands, pop-ups and dining experiences.

Bentalls Kingston welcomed back shoppers safely

on Monday 12 April with a number of new brands

from the likes of BoConcept, Ergo and Start-Rite as

well as reintroducing Presented By who launched

their space just before the last lockdown. Fenwick

Tunbridge Wells have unveiled their new

Trinny London pop-up where you can shop

from Trinny Woodall’s makeup range, loved

by beauty experts. And Fenwick Canterbury’s

outdoor dining will be in full swing in their

alfresco café bar. The Fenwick online shop

fenwick.co.uk will remain open for orders, as will

the Fenwick Concierge and Call and Collect

Services. Plus, two-hour complimentary parking

will be in place across the three stores when

spending £50 or more in store (until 31 May).

Dream steam

Spa Valley Railway in Tunbridge Wells

will be reopening on Saturday 22 May

2021. Events include: 30 & 31 May’s Bank

Holiday Steam & Diesel Trains, 26 & 27

June’s Recreating Bulleid Pacific No. 34095

‘Brentor’ and 17 & 18 July’s Spring

Steam Weekend, including ‘Sir Keith

Park’. For a full programme, see

spavalleyrailway.co.uk

Meet the

makers

Visit Market Square, Tenterden,

on Saturday 1 May between 10am

and 4pm for the Creative Market,

where you can browse work by

makers and artists from the

surrounding area.

Re-ignite

your

curiosity

If you have exhausted your skills

in lockdown discover more with

Curious House. Kicking off on

May 17th, courses for the month

include willow weaving, paper

sculpture, modern calligraphy

and sculpting with wire. Details

of these and others throughout

the year are at curioushouse.net

LOOK FORWARD:

Rye International Jazz and Blues Festival

is set to return to the seaside town

and surrounding areas this June. With

performances from Macy Gray, Rumer,

Gabrielle and Incognito on the schedule,

events will be running until October

showcasing the finest in jazz, blues, R&B,

soul, funk, contemporary and crossover

music. Keep up to date with the festival,

and all their latest news, at ryejazz.com

istock.com/Silvia Jimenez Izquierdo

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HERITAGE SPECIALISTS

BUILT ON REPUTATION & QUALITY

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01580 242925

www. c r a n b r o o k r o o f i n g . c o. u k

CLAY TILE , SLATE & CEDAR ROOFING

Email info@bussmurton.co.uk Call 01892 510 222

TUNBRIDGE WELLS

EAST GRINSTEAD

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Buss Murton Law LLP is a Limited Liability Partnership No. OC345994

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Untitled-3 1 05/11/2019 Ashford&CranbrookRoofingWT223.indd 10:54

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Cleaning Roof Cleaning Brick Cleaning Wall Cleaning Wood Restoration

Caring for your pets

through the pandemic

With everything that’s been

happening recently, it’s all too

easy to forget about the health

of our animals. So many practices

have closed or been forced to make

cuts, making regular veterinary care

difficult. Just because the world has

ground to a halt doesn’t mean claws

stop growing or teeth clean themselves.

Then there’s the more important preventative treatments such as

vaccinations and worming. These regular trips to the vet are what

keep our furry family members healthy. That regular contact

enables us to notice any changes that might be an indication of

something more serious.

Here at Heronden, we’re proud of the fact that we’ve managed to stay

open and offer a full service to our clients - though you might have

been the one left shivering in the car while your pet was inside in the

warm. We’ve also been able to deal with pretty much everything that’s

been thrown at us - from broken legs

to tumour surgery. That’s because,

unlike a lot of practices, we deliver

referral-level diagnostics and treatment

in-house. So you don’t have to wait for - or travel to - appointments at

referral centres.

We already offer orthopaedic and soft-tissue surgery, ultrasonography,

radiology, full laboratory analysis, even acupuncture. And now we’re

expanding our Nurse Clinics. These can be booked free of charge for

any little worries you might have, as well as weight and dental checks

or advice on diet and nutrition.

If you’re one of the many people who have taken their first steps into

pet ownership during lockdown, we’d love to see you at one of our

free Nurse Clinics. lt’s so important to

make regular vet visits with your new

friend, and we pride ourselves on being

with you through every stage of your pet’s life.

It’s been clear during the pandemic just how important pets are to us

- for friendship, for company and for solace. It’s only right that we

should look after them as they look after us.

The caring, independent veterinary practice in Tenterden

Pickhill Business Centre · Smallhythe Road · Tenterden · TN30 7LZ

Telephone: 01580 763303 · Email: info@herondenvets.co.uk

www.herondenvets.co.uk

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

My sciatica

was so bad, it

was a struggle

just to put

my socks and

shoes on…

Phil Parsons from Staplehurst

was struck with back pain and

sciatica at the age of 38. But this

wasn’t surprising given the stress

his body had suffered during his

very physical career.

His job as a freelance lighting technician

meant he was lifting heavy equipment and

stretching his body to its limit on a daily basis.

He often worked long and unsociable hours;

taking care of his back wasn’t always a priority.

However, when the shooting

sciatic pain in his leg began to impact

on his daily activities, Phil knew he needed

to take his health seriously. He explains:

“To begin with, the sciatic pain would

come and go, and it was manageable with

painkillers. But soon it became constant and

started to affect the way I moved. It felt like I

had a tight wire between my lower back and foot,

stopping me from bending and stretching.”

Soon, Phil found it increasingly

difficult to go about his usual daily activities:

James Pickering’s team is changing the lives of

slipped disc and sciatica sufferers with IDD Therapy

Phil’s strenuous job took a toll on his back, but IDD Therapy allowed him to continue working

“The pain began to impact on simple

things which I’d taken for granted, like

drying myself after a shower and putting

my socks and shoes on. Travelling to jobs

became more and more difficult too; getting

in and out of a car was a real struggle.

Worst of all, was the effect it had on

my family life: relationships at home were

strained. I was unable to keep up the pace

with my two young children, and my poor

wife had to put up with my moods; I felt low

and exhausted by the constant pain and the

last thing I wanted was to be around people.”

“As the programme progressed, the

changes were huge. I’ve been free of

sciatica for over a year now.”

Phil sought advice from his GP;

surgery was discussed, but with the risks

and waiting times, Phil knew this would

be his very last option. In the meantime,

he’d tried sports massage to ease the pain,

but this only gave him temporary relief.

Phil’s pain came to a head in Summer

2019. When a friend mentioned that they had

been treated successfully with IDD Therapy

- a specialist disc treatment - at Wealden

Osteopaths, Phil was keen to investigate. A

consultation with Clinical Director James

Pickering confirmed that IDD Therapy was the

best option. James says: “I referred Phil for an

MRI scan and it confirmed my thoughts that he

was suffering a disc bulge which was irritating

his sciatic nerve – IDD Therapy is our firstchoice

treatment for this type of disc-related

condition; it uses gentle pulling forces to relieve

pressure on the discs and surrounding nerves.”

Phil was hesitant initially:

“To be honest, I was a bit cynical about IDD

at first, but the pain was so bad I was willing

to try anything. James told me I needed to

commit to a series of treatments, but he assured

me that the result would be a significant

improvement in my pain and mobility. I

was also relieved to hear that I’d be able to

continue working during my treatment.”

Phil found the treatment relaxing and he

was encouraged by the results after each session:

“Initially, I noticed small improvements

in my pain and mobility after each session. As

the programme progressed, the changes were

huge. I was still suffering from a little bit of

sciatic pain - something I felt I might have to

live with - but James assured me

that my body would continue to

heal after treatment, now that IDD

had given it a kick start. He was

right: two weeks later, I woke up

with no sciatic pain whatsoever.

I’ve been free of sciatica for over a year now.

If I get the occasional tightness in

my back from working particularly strenuous

days at work, I can stretch my back out

using the exercises James has shown me.

I’m still astonished at the difference IDD

Therapy has made to my health and quality of

life. My children have got their active Dad back;

we now enjoy bike rides, camping and plenty of

outdoor activities as a family. Great news during

the first lockdown, when I was their teacher:

unsurprisingly, PE was their favourite subject!”

Don’t let back pain, neck pain or sciatica

put your life on hold. For a FREE 15

minute phone consultation with one of

our experts, call 01580 212833 or email

enquiries@wealdenosteopaths.co.uk

Thomas

Mansfield

Wills & Inheritance Planning

Planning for your future does not have to

be costly or complicated

Having a Will gives you control over who

receives your assets and, if you have younger

children, it allows you to assign legal guardians,

should anything happen.

If you are intending to leave everything to your

partner and/or children without any complex

wishes, then we are now offering a new Simple

Will service at an affordable price but without

compromising on our specialist advice and

service.

And we have now extended this offer to Lasting

Powers of Attorney (LPA). If your circumstances

are straightforward and not complicated, we

can draft a Simple LPA for a fixed fee.

Thomas Mansfield Solicitors

Legal experts in Inheritance Planning, Powers of

Attorney, Wills, Court of Protection and Probate.

OUR NEW SERVICES

Our new Simple Will Service costs

£225 plus VAT for a single Will

£295 plus VAT for two “mirror” Wills.

Our new Simple LPA Service

Prices start from £350 for a single application

Call today on 01892 337540

For more information and the terms of these

offers please visit our website:

www.tmwillsandprobate.co.uk

TUNBRIDGE WELLS LONDON SEVENOAKS TONBRIDGE MAIDSTONE

We simply could not operate

our life-saving service

without the support of

people like you.

Please help us to save lives

by donating today.

Visit: aakss.org.uk/donate

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ThomasMansfieldWT227-WEALD.indd 1 23/03/2021 KSAA 09:54 half vertical.indd 1 21/04/2021 11:17

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Artful

Restoration

Words: Jo Arnell Styling: Holly Levett

Photographs: David Merewether

Utilising the skills of a handpicked

team of talented

local trades, Tim and Eve

have realised their dream

of a home to grow old in

with the carefully considered

renovation of a pair of

cottages with huge potential

33 priceless-magazines.com

Luxury Kitchens since 1892

Clear structures, sensible space. +SEGMENTO Y

Poggenpohl Tunbridge Wells

39-41 The Pantiles | Tunbridge Wells | TN2 5TE

phone 01892 240745 | tunbridgewells@poggenpohl.com

www.tunbridgewells.poggenpohl.com

Previous pages: The sitting room exudes warmth and

comfort with a palette of rich reds and squashy sofas

This page: The new kitchen by Howdens spans across

the back of the house and opens into the garden

Down a leafy lane, nestled comfortably behind

a church, is a white weatherboarded house.

From the outside this is a very pretty building;

two cottages knocked into one, fairly typical of many

vernacular buildings in the area, not much is given away

about what lies within. There are some vases and bottles

of blue and green glass peeking out from a tiny window,

there’s a new porch with a beautiful green oak frame;

nothing to prepare us for the step over the threshold,

the step out of the ordinary and into another world.

Wow...

“Yes, that’s what most people say when they come in,”

laugh the owners, Tim and Eve, as we are welcomed

inside. For we are not standing in a hallway, or even in

the front room, as so often happens in old buildings,

but in a double-height, oak-framed atrium lined with

fabulous books and objects. As first impressions go, this

one has to be among the most surprising and beguiling.

Some clever magic has been worked within these walls.

The couple had been thinking of downsizing,

but weren’t fully ready to move when they saw the

property, Tim explains. “We’d been in our other house

for twenty-six years and the maintenance on the

35 priceless-magazines.com

Art is the couple’s other passion and is in glorious evidence throughout

the house. There are many paintings by favourite artists Richard

Adams, the late Anne-Catherine Phillips and Ros Lyons.

twelve acres we had – for the horses and the land, was

increasing year on year. We also had to drive everywhere

for everything. It’s great now, we can just go out of

the front door and be at the shops in an instant.”

To say that the building needed updating and repair

is an understatement, especially when you consider how

long it had been since any refurbishments had been made.

The same family had lived in the house since 1949 and

many of the rooms looked as if they dated from around

that time. “It obviously needed a lot of work, but we saw

the potential,” says Tim. “Luckily we were able to carry on

living at the farm while all the work was being done.”

The work being a two storey extension on the back

of the house, large internal modifications, re-plumbing

and rewiring and generally bringing the building

up to (and far beyond) scratch. The build took

eighteen months, not helped by lockdown, but now

it is complete the standard of finish throughout the

house is exemplary. “Do it once, do it properly,” says

Tim. “This is the last house that we will live in.”

They have certainly done it properly, and boldly and

with style. Tim and Eve have made an adventurous

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THE STONE TILE WAREHOUSE

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SouthernAdhesivesWT225.indd 1 04/01/2021 16:13

Above: The sitting room is papered in Classic Silks by Galerie. Playful Fornasetti cushions nestle on the sofa below some of

Tim and Eve’s favourite artworks

architectural leap with this building, turning the renovation

project into a masterclass of design and construction. The

work could not have been undertaken however, without an

amazing team, starting with their architect John Bullock

of John Bullock Design. “John said that he needed to see

what’s important to us. We said: books and paintings. And

then he made the bold suggestion of raising an atrium

up through the house, and lining it with books.” This

has completely transformed the interior of the house,

opening it up, flooding it with space and character.

The oak bookshelves and staircase have been expertly

constructed by Pat Wingham of Creative Joinery, their

talented joiner. “He is such a craftsman,” says Tim, pointing

to a wonderful door carved in a linen fold design. “But the

atrium is his finest hour.” A dark wooden handrail snakes its

way along the banisters from the very top of the house to the

base of the stairs, finishing in a lustrous coil in the hall. At

first glance it looks as if it’s made from ebony, but the wood

is oak, but a magical ancient oak called Bog Oak, retrieved

from ancient wetlands where it has been preserved, where it

fell, for thousands of years – 5,300 to be precise, in the dark

and damp, steeped in tannins and partly fossilised, it is the

rarest of woods, very strong and durable and of an exceptional

quality and finish. “I just love wood,” says Tim simply.

This feeling for wood is evident in the two story

extension to the house. This is now a light filled kitchen

that opens out to the garden with the master bedroom

above. Here there is another masterstroke, because the roof

of the extension has two gables, which by turn doubles the

amount of oak frame within the master bedroom. This

39 priceless-magazines.com

“We have hung one hundred and twenty seven pictures in the

house,” Tim says. What better way to invest than in the things you

love and then be able to see and enjoy them every day

Above: In Tim’s study artwork

and wallpaper combine in the

form of a huge custom-printed

mural that stretches across

one wall, commissioned from

Rockett St. George Right: The

downstairs cloakroom is papered

in Eve’s favourite wallpaper –

Seahorse by Barneby Gates

priceless-magazines.com

Carol Peace Sculpture Exhibition

Over 30 pieces for home & gardens 8 th - 23 rd May

The show will also feature drawings and paintings.

Reading, Bronze, Height 59cm Refl ected, Bronze, Height 54cm Two Circles, Bronze, Height 85 cm

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WoodworkWT227.indd 1 04/03/2021 11:29

This page: A double-height,

oak-framed atrium is lined with

fabulous books and objects

room spans across the back of the house and is vaulted

into the apexes. Every piece of the frame is exposed. Paul

Cresswell at Sackville Oak Frames made the frames at

his workshop in Kent. They took around nine weeks to

make, but just three days to install on site, and it must

have been thrilling to see it coming together so seamlessly.

Tim points to a single dark peg in a beam, “This is so that

you know it is one of Paul’s frames, it’s his signature.”

The frames next to the bathroom and dressing

room are glazed, necessitating a creative invention

within the fixings from Paul to ensure that the glass

panels don’t shatter as the oak flexes and settles. A hint

of the wonderfully verdant colour in the bathroom

gleams through the oak frame high above the bed.

“I love the oak frame,” Tim says, as we gaze around the

huge vaulted room. “Every piece of it – and the double

gable. I didn’t want any of it covered over, so it’s all exposed.

And,” he adds, “I feel vindicated that it looks just right.”

The bedroom is decorated simply, the walls are Farrow

& Ball’s Schoolhouse White and the wonderful floor

length curtains couldn’t really be anything other than

William Morris, that great celebrator of artisans and

43 priceless-magazines.com

This page: The guest bedrooms are wallpapered in designs by Colefax & Fowler – a wisteria design called Seraphina (above), which

Eve was tempted to use again in the second bedroom before deciding on another lovely floral featuring birds and peonies (top)

craftsmanship, in his Tulips and Honeysuckle design.

Behind the master suite is a dressing room and good

sized bathroom, also vaulted. One wall and the splashback

above the basin are clad in gleaming copper, strikingly

contrasted with the rich bright green of the walls. Eve

points out the washstand; once a babies’ changing

station, it has been cleverly repurposed and has a whole

new lease of life as a stylishly crafted basin unit.

We climb up another flight of stairs into the attic; which

manages to be an airy, dreamy, yet geometric space, tucked

under the eaves, papered in stars in the colours of twilight

(or dawn) and designed for the couple’s grandchildren. It

was a complicated room to wallpaper. “The decorator said

that it would be quicker to stencil on the stars,” laughs Eve.

There is one area left unpapered – where the wooden frame

of the extension is again on view. This has become a reading

nook for the children in defiance of the suggestion that it be

made into a storage cupboard. “We don’t want storage,”

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“John said that he needed to see what’s important to us. We said: books and

paintings. And then he made the bold suggestion of raising an atrium up

through the house, and lining it with books,” This has completely transformed

the interior of the house, opening it up, flooding it with space and character

Top: A guest bathroom features a striking artwork of a swimmer by Jacqueline Marr Above: The couple’s extensive book

collection sweeps through the heart of the house

47 priceless-magazines.com

This page: The master bedroom is situated in the two

storey extension that Tim and Eve added to the house.

The oak frame was made by Paul Cresswell from Sackville

Oak Frames, taking around nine weeks to construct in his

Kentish workshop, but just three days to install on site

“I love the oak frame. Every

piece of it – and the double gable.

I didn’t want any of it covered

over, so it’s all exposed. And,”

Tim adds, “I feel vindicated

that it looks just right.”

explains Tim, “we just want to make the best use of

the space.” Oh, how I yearn to follow that maxim.

Descending from the stars back onto the

second floor, the other bedrooms are also

wallpapered; one in a charming Wisteria design

called Seraphina, which Eve was tempted to

use again in the second bedroom, but decided

on another lovely floral featuring birds and

peonies. They are both by Colefax & Fowler.

The curtains in these rooms are plain and

black-out lined, but both sport cute little pompoms

on their edges. All the curtains in the house

were made by the team at H V-J Interiors.

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THE LEADING AUCTIONEERS IN THE SOUTH EAST

A Henri Selmer, Paris 1959

Mark VI brass lacquered alto saxophone,

serial no. M.82599 SOLD FOR £3,400

• Regular selected sales including

Fine Art, Asian Art, Jewellery, Silver,

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and Furniture

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(Payment made in two working days)

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For a FREE valuation on items you would like

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Bespoke oak stairs and balustrades are one of our specialities; complex,

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DeaconSandyWT228.indd 4 07/04/2021 LolaAndMaseyWT228.indd 12:52

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SofasAndStuffWT228.indd 1 07/04/2021 15:54

This page: The master bedroom’s vibrantly green and spacious ensuite features a copper splashback and wall below its soaring vaulted ceiling.

The washstand once served as a babies’ changing station

Out in the hall and landing the wall colour

is Farrow & Ball’s Eating Room Red – the ideal

colour for the consumption of books.

Tantalising glimpses of Tim and Eve’s extensive book

collection are on view at every level. Eve collects children’s

literature and Terry Pratchett novels, while Tim is a collector

of GA Henty, and among other things, Wisdens cricketing

almanac. The generous bookshelves are peppered with

whimsical objects too – from mischievous artworks by Marie

Prett to the cute, functional and semi-obedient mice lamps.

Art is the couple’s other passion and is in glorious

evidence throughout the house. There are many paintings

by favourite artists Richard Adams, the late Anne-Catherine

Phillips and Ros Lyons. “We have hung one hundred

and twenty seven pictures in the house,” Tim says, as if

remembering the positioning of every one of them. What

better way to invest than in the things you love and then

be able to see and enjoy them every day. “Pictures are

far more satisfying than share certificates,” he adds.

In Tim’s study artwork and wallpaper combine in the

form of a huge mural that stretches across one wall. “It

came from Rockett St. George,” says Eve. “They send it to

a company in Spain – you give them the dimensions and

the image and they print it to fit.” The result is seamless

and looks just like a painted mural. The rest of the study

is painted in contrasting Farrow & Ball Hague Blue.

The sitting room exudes warmth and comfort.

Contemporary sofas sit happily in front of a wood

burner, and there is a hint of the simple Arts &

Crafts style in the fireplace surround and bookshelves,

mixed in with a hint of the high Victorian in the

richly coloured Classic Silks wallpaper by Galerie.

Even the smallest room has not been forgotten and is aptly

celebrated. The downstairs cloakroom is papered in Eve’s

51 priceless-magazines.com

Top: The attic is a space which has been designed with the couple’s

grandchildren in mind. This airy, dreamy space, tucked under the eaves,

is papered in stars Above: An unpapered area where the wooden frame of

the extension is again on view, provides a reading nook for the children

favourite wallpaper – a charming, soft, silveryblue

design called Seahorse by Barneby Gates.

Clear thinking from the outset has resulted

in the interior’s streamlined – and Tardis-like

feel. How satisfying to live in a house that

has been brought back, not just to life, but

into a new era of existence. With the help of

their designers and artisans Tim and Eve have

been able to visualise, create – and now enjoy

– an interior of exquisite craftsmanship and

finish. “We have been influenced by talented

local people who should be recognised,” says

Tim. “We don’t want to show off, although

of course we are proud of the house.”

In great design form, as ever, follows

function. This can clearly be seen everywhere

here in the simple, skilful and imaginative

craft of creating this unique home. There is

also enormous warmth and charm here – and

a touch of magical whimsy, which Tim and

Eve’s grandchildren will absorb and enjoy

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Just Fascias

Dominic Walmsley

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of replacement fascias, soffi ts, cladding, bargeboards,

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JustFasciasWT225.indd 1 08/12/2020 DominicWalmsleyWT228.indd 10:56

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Wealdon Times May 2021.indd 1 31/03/2021 15:34:33

New

patients

welcome

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you don’t need to be a member or have insurance.

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53 priceless-magazines.com

BupaUkWT218.indd 1 24/02/2020 11:54

STOCKISTS OF:

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by Sporting Saint

Come visit us in store

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Our store is open 5

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IN THE COUNTRY

ASHFORD ROAD

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KENT

ME13 0NX

Wed - Sun: 10am - 4pm

inthecountrykent.co.uk

01233 742700

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FROM A SINGLE ROOM

REFRESH TO WHOLE

HOUSE PROJECTS

Room design

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and automation

01580 241614

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LilyMatthewsWT228.indd 1 16/04/2021 17:49

With the help of their designers and artisans Tim and Eve have been able to

visualise, create – and now enjoy – an interior of exquisite craftsmanship and finish

– “Alexa turn off the mice!” Eve commands, and the

mice lamps within the bookcases obediently turn off.

The atrium, as it rises up through three storeys has

become the oaken heart of this house and stands as

a beautifully constructed, wooden framed testament

to the couple’s love of books, art and creativity.

Address Book:

Pat Wingham at Creative Joinery creative-joinery.com

H V-J Interiors hvjinteriors.com

John Bullock at John Bullock Design johnbullockdesign.com

Rockett St. George rockettstgeorge.co.uk

Sackville Oak Frames sackvilleoakframes.co.uk

55 priceless-magazines.com

ThomasHaywood

Family Law Solicitors

Tunbridge Wells - Maidstone - London

Sarah Haywood : 01892 765013

Juliet Franklin : 01892 765017

www.thomashaywoodsolicitors.com

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The complete kitchen service...

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Made to measure

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Get the

LOOK

1 Grape chandelier £1,104 Besselink & Jones besselink.com 2 Kubla Khan gold chinoiserie wall mural £99/roll

Feathr feathr.com 3 Solid oak wardrobe with paneled doors, fluted columns, decorative cornice & dental mould

Greg Wright Handmade Furniture gregwrighthandmadefurniture.co.uk 4 Clarence chair £1,125 Darlings of

Chelsea darlingsofchelsea.co.uk 5 Mars Pinto traditional wooden rocking horse £275 The Rocking Horse Toy Shop

therockinghorsetoyshop.co.uk 6 Jellycat bramwell lamb £18.50 Whippersnappers whippersnappersonline.com 7 Duchess

supreme carpet in shortbread heather £44.99/m2 Carpetright carpetright.co.uk 8 Napolionic soldiers tea caddy table

lamp £802 Besselink & Jones besselink.com 9 Fornasetti losanghe candle £165 LuxDeco luxdeco.com 10 Orsina solid

walnut coffee table £359 Greenway Furniture greenwayfurniture.co.uk

57 priceless-magazines.com

Wealden Times

Midsummer Fair

Your favourite shopping event is

back and it’s better than ever!

4 DAY

EVENT

Thursday 1st -

Sunday 4th July

Wealden Times

Midsummer

Fair

1ST-4TH JULY 2021

PRE-BOOKED

TICKETS ONLY

Quote WTF at

wealdentimes-fair.co.uk

to claim your

discount

1st - 4th July 2021

Hole Park, Rolvenden TN17 4JB

SAFE

SHOPPING

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Purchase online at wealdentimes-fair.co.uk

Wealden Times

Midsummer

Fair

1ST-4TH JULY 2021

Summer fashion

shopping

We don’t let just anyone have a stand at the

Fair. Heaven forbid! Every one of our forty

independent fashion stallholders has been chosen

by our event editorial team based on a number

of criteria but chiefly whether you, our guests

and readers, will love what they sell.

Exhibitors

4 DAY

EVENT

Thursday 1st -

Sunday 4th July

To whet your appetite, we’ve highlighted a handful

of the brands who’ll be there. We can’t wait – we

are so ready to go shopping for new clothes!

In the unlikely

event that the Fair is

cancelled, due to the

rolling back of COVID

restrictions, tickets

bought more than 2

weeks in advance will

be refunded

Pictures taken in 2019

Stop and sip

the rosé!

Join us in the Hay Bale

Zone, generously sponsored

by Pennywood Tours, for

breakfast, lunch, or afternoon

tea. Or enjoy a glass of rosé,

whilst you compare purchases

with friends.

Hay Bale Zone sponsored

by Pennywood Tours

Meet the designers!

One of the joys of shopping at the

Fair, is that almost without exception

you’ll meet the person who designed,

sourced or bought everything

you see. Provenance, passion and

exceptional product knowledge. And

how nice to buy directly from the

people who’ve put their heart and

soul into the item in your hand.

Once you have

visited the Fair

take a stroll

around Hole

Park Gardens

Stop and smell the roses

Your ticket to the Fair also includes

entrance to the glorious Hole Park

Gardens – itself worth £9.00 – so do

take a moment, after you’ve shopped, to

enjoy them in full summer bloom. Be

sure to find the carved Bear Tree, and if

you have young children let them play

on the garden swing.

PRE-BOOKED

TICKETS ONLY

Quote WTF at

wealdentimes-fair.co.uk

to claim your

discount

Shoulders down shopping

To make your day as safe and enjoyable

as possible, there will be more space

between stands, hand sanitiser will be

widely available, and guests will be asked

to wear masks inside our marquees.

To help social distancing and give you

peace of mind, each ticket will have an

entry time, so we can balance our guest

numbers across the day. So please book

your ticket now, to get the date and time

you want.

SAFE

SHOPPING

HAND

SANITISER

SOCIAL

DISTANCING

Odyl, Aiti London , KaHo, Clare Johnston,

Sian Esther, Elizabeth Rose (Brand: Hale Bob),

Crash Bang Kids, Ella & Cherry, No Logo Chic,

SW19 London, TW Seven

For more information and a full list of our

exhibitors so far, visit wealdentimes-fair.co.uk

Sissinghurst Castle Farmhouse B&B

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You’ll fi nd in store:

• Loose food by weight, including

beans, pulses and legumes,

herbs and spices, rice and pasta,

cereals, nuts and snacks.

• Household and body liquid refi lls.

• Eco friendly, alternative products

for the body, home, and life.

Unit 15 Park Mall, Ashford, TN24 8RY

01233 754048 | barebazaar.co.uk

SissinghurstCastleFarmhouseWT227.indd 1 16/03/2021 BareBazaarWT228.indd 09:57

1 15/04/2021 14:44

GREEN

BLUE

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ORDER

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Order gardening supplies online from

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collection in Bodiam, East Sussex.

Green walls

Garden irrigation

Soil & compost

Barks & mulches

Tree stakes & ties

@greenbluegardens

greenbluegardens.com

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GreenBlueUrbanWT228.indd 1 21/04/2021 10:28

SAVE THE WORLD

Shop our guide to planet-friendly producers, brands and businesses

Buy the Weigh is a zero-waste refill shop that opened

in the heart of Ticehurst in August of last year. The

shop aims to give people a chance to buy exactly the

quantities they need without over spending and

without the need for single use plastics. You can go

there to support local suppliers and pick up baking

products, local eggs and milk, pastas and rice, herbs

and spices, cereals, dried fruit and nuts,

chocolates and sweets, cleaning refills,

plastic-free homeware, fresh locally

made bread and croissants, delicious

teas and coffees to go and much, much

more! buytheweigh.shop

Super Stores

A simple swap to one of these zero-waste shops, even occasionally, for your weekly shop could make a big

difference reducing the amount of single-use plastics going straight to landfill

Bare Bazaar in Ashford is a newly opened zero-waste alternative

grocery shop. It is the creation of local mum Kati, and strikes a

nice balance of being environmentally conscious without being

preachy – admitting that no one’s perfect but still giving us a

chance to do better. This shop’s playful motto is “food, but nude”

which sums it up really! It’s filled with all sorts of the basics we

buy everday from shampoo to spaghetti and you can also shop

online for local delivery, or arrange a convenient time to collect an

order. barebazaar.co.uk

Pedrick’s, based in Caterham, was one of the

first zero waste shops to open in Surrey back in 2019. The

first lockdown hit just 5 months after their opening but the

store rose to the challenge and introduced a plastic free

home delivery service, the first of its kind in the UK,

within two weeks! The last year has been a tough

one, but with steely determination to help

people reduce their plastic consumption,

and some incredible support from

the local community, this innovative

supermarket is not only still here, but

on the cusp of expansion into new

stores across the local area! pedricks.co.uk

all that

POWER

Solar PV

Converting the sun’s energy to solar power

has some big positive effects on your carbon

footprint, your finances and the sustainability of

the planet. Installing solar PV (solar panels) is one

of the top ways to reduce your carbon footprint as

solar power is completely clean and doesn’t produce

any CO2 emissions. Of course, the benefits to the

environment are tenfold, but they can also save

the average homeowner £50-80 a month or £500-

£800 annually. With no moving parts, they will

need very little maintenance and will continue

to produce free, clean energy for many years

after your original investment has paid off.

Your property may also increase in value as

more and more people look to implement

sustainable energy solutions.

Add ons

Local expert – Founder and CEO of

The Little Green Energy Company –

Simon Dudson, tells us the benefits of

harnessing solar power tlgec.co.uk

Once you’ve got your solar panels, you can

then reduce your footprint even further by

adding an electronic vehicle (EV) charger,

which uses solar power to charge cars, or a

home battery like the Tesla Powerwall, to keep

your energy available for use during the night or

through heavy cloud cover. If you go for a Tesla

Powerwall you can also take advantage of the

Tesla Energy Plan tariff, selling back your stored

energy to the grid so you’re not only saving

money on energy bills, you’re also being paid

for the energy you don’t use! Customers of

The Little Green Energy Company report

negative utility bills for the majority of

the year with this system in place.

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GT_90x130_10_3_21.qxp_Layout 1 10/03/2021 09:47 Page 1

eco-friendly homeware

Recycled

Family Picnic

Set: £20

BOX TOPIARY

Our topiary specimens will add lasting and

imaginative design to your garden

River Garden Nurseries has many years of

experience in growing and designing box topiary in

Otford, near Sevenoaks, Kent

Ring or email to arrange a visit

box@river-garden.co.uk

07717 277175

www.river-garden.co.uk

Recycled Individual Dining Sets: £6.50

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The House That

Instagram Built

Words: Antonia Methuen

Photographs: David Merewether Styling: Holly Levett

Kooky, unique and oh-somemorable,

Margate Suites’

collaboration between local

artists, interior designers and

tradespeople has resulted

in a vibrant collection of

holiday apartments which

provide the perfect place from

which to explore this seaside

town, alive with creativity

71 priceless-magazines.com

Expert care

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Previous pages & above: The Courtyard Suite

is an interior collaboration between upholsterer

Jess from Poh Maluna, interiors and set designer

Amy Exton from Margate Location House and

carpenter Elouise Farley, alongside a host of local

artists and craftspeople. (You may remember

seeing Amy’s house in our February 2018 issue)

For some people, lockdown has offered

a small chink of positivity. It has been

a chance to recalibrate their business,

providing an unexpected opportunity to adapt

and expand creative ideas that might have been

bubbling around for some time. For Margate

restaurateurs Nadine and Simon Morriss,

the past year of limited or no trading, has

enabled the couple to not only expand their

hospitality business, the Buoy & Oyster in

Margate’s Old Town, but to also transform the

top two floors of their Grade II listed property

into super stylish holiday let apartments.

As the UK is set for yet another summer of

staycations, the timing couldn’t be better.

73 priceless-magazines.com

Nadine has let the imagination of Amy and the Studio Margate team run

riot and the effect is magnificent, daring and yes, 100% selfie ready!

Margate Suites is a bold re-imagination of what holiday

let properties can be. “I call them immersive escapes by the

sea,” says Nadine. “I wanted to create something completely

different that would be non-seasonal, fun to stay in and

very Instagram friendly!” Indeed one could say that it was

Instagram that built the entire concept of Margate Suites.

Nadine started the ball rolling, wanting to find a local team

to help her develop her old flat that sits above her restaurant.

Out of that vision, a brand new female collective of interior

creatives has emerged. Studio Margate comprises interior

designer Amy Exton (@amyexton) a set designer by trade

who owns Margate Location House, Jess at Poh Maluna (@

pohmaluna) who creates fantastical upholstery and carpenter

extraordinaire Elouise at Lady Wood (@ladywood_)

The Courtyard Suite is the first project the group has

worked on together. A Miami-meets-Art-Deco Hollywoodmeets-1980s

apartment, the space is a love story to colour,

texture and shape. With only a very minimal budget,

Amy has taken Nadine’s flat and turned it on its head.

Walls, ceilings and floors have been colour matched in

paint and vinyl to create a vibrancy that verges on the

neon. Hand-dyed voile curtains only further enhance the

Margate sunshine, saturating the colours so much that

each room seems to pop and fizz. Furniture has been

priceless-magazines.com

Preserving your place in history

For a brochure or home consultation call 01797 366895

www.anthony-hicks.co.uk

This page: The rooms seem to glow from the inside out with coral pinks and orange in the main bedroom and aqua green and blue in the

Mermaid Room, above

kept minimal and upcycled with hand-painted Facebook

marketplace finds. Nadine has let the imagination of

Amy and the Studio Margate team run riot and the effect

is magnificent, daring and yes, 100% selfie ready!

Nadine explains how Amy wanted the colour to sing,

even when standing in the apartment’s small hallway. The

rooms seem to glow from the inside out, each of the pastels

complementing the other, from the coral pinks and orange

of the main bedroom to the aqua green and blue of the

Mermaid Room to the pink and white candy stripes of

the living area, to the blue, violet and pink sunset walls of

the courtyard area. Pastels they may be, but nothing like

you will have ever seen before. It feels as though you have

slipped into the artwork of a classic 80s album cover.

Margate Suites offers truly sweet dreams by the sea. Paying

homage to the nearby sandy beaches, sticks of rock, the

50s inspired theme park Dreamlands and Margate’s quirky

British seaside aesthetic, the apartment will appeal to the

thousands of us looking for an alternative staycation this

summer. Who needs Ibiza when you’ve got an apartment

with more Instagram backdrops than Amnesia?

It will be no surprise that a former member of Love

77 priceless-magazines.com

This page: The Mermaid Room’s scallop shell bed is a custom-made design

by “Lady Wood” Elouise Farley. Local artist Georgie Berryman’s (@georgie.

berryman) statement life rings are scattered throughout the apartment

Island has already been to the apartment for a photo shoot.

Could it be the large upholstered two-step raised round bed,

upholstered entirely in coral velvet, with its abstract semicircular

headboard that could make Jackie Collins blush?

Might it be the sculpted shell-edged blue green alcove that

leads you up two steps into an enclosed double cave-bed,

worthy of an Indian Maharaja? Could it be the sunset ombre

disco-effect courtyard or the candy pink stripes that scream

‘beach time fun’? It’s totally bonkers and yet it totally works.

The living and kitchen area play on the kitsch beach hut

look. The 80s fusion of aqua, pink and bold highlights of

bright orange, featured in the spray painted kitchen cabinet

handles, tap and retro-styled toaster, kettle and microwave, sit

perfectly against the clean white metro-tiled splash-back.

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This page: The Coral Room channels ‘80s

Hollywood sunshine feels’ with reclaimed

furniture and a custom-made round bed

A sense of the outdoors is also tangible

in the outdoor rug, the upcycled rattan

and metal garden style furniture, the

kitsch dolphin coffee table and local

artist Georgie Berryman’s (@georgie.

berryman) statement life rings that are

scattered throughout the apartment.

The success of the Courtyard Suite

has given Nadine the impetus to

continue her transformation of the

building to the floor above. Again a

local creative was called on to assist.

Leanne Walsh (@yardgirlmargate)

has taken the brief for the Emerald

Suite and run with it. A completely

different direction from the first floor

apartment by Studio Margate, Leanne

has provided yet another large dose

of Margate’s quirky interior design

81 priceless-magazines.com

Above: The success of the Courtyard Suite has given Nadine the impetus to continue her transformation of the building to the floor above,

the Emerald Suite, which is now nearing completion. In complete contrast to The Courtyard Suite, this collection of rooms has taken on an

altogether deeper-toned and textural theme with velvets, lace and florals

magic. Just as Instagram friendly, the two bedroom apartment

(one double, one twin) nods most definitely to the ‘more

is more’ ethos of American artist Tony Duquette’s OTT

house Dawnridge. Leopard print, palm print, Japanese and

Chinese, 17 th century all jostle for attention in Nadine’s

Margate version of Duquette’s Beverly Hills original.

Leanne has merged Moulin Rouge, chinoiserie, floral,

Versace and animal print in what can only be described as

an ode to the other great Lockdown story, Tiger King.

Unlike the actual open space of the Courtyard Suite below,

the top floor apartment recreates the outdoors with a fake

living wall and ceiling packed with plants and coloured fairy

lights that brings the apartment’s hallway to life. Nadine calls

it her ‘magical secret garden’. The bedrooms are both essays

in boudoir maximalism. Whereas the floor below is all about

saturated sunshine and pastel brights, the Emerald Suite

is an ode to sensuality with dark green and black painted

walls and ceilings, a romantic Gypsy-caravan style antique

lace four poster bed, gold lurex privacy curtains, red chaise

longue, rattan bedheads, floral wallpaper and fake flowers

and lots and lots of leopard. For the Emerald Suite it is all

about pattern and lots of it. If you are looking for white

minimal beach chic then this is definitely not for you (luckily

Nadine has that look covered in her more traditional beach

suites, Pearl and Samphire that overlook Margate Sands).

For those visitors thinking of booking a weekend getaway

then Nadine has really thought of everything. As the

apartments are part of the building which houses her seafood

restaurant as well as Nadine and Simon’s latest venture

Beach Buoys fish and chip shop, guests can simply click and

collect their food and cocktails after a day on the beach,

with no need to wait or queue! Complete staycation

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ForestCareWT228.indd 1 19/04/2021 WhiteheadMoncktonWT225.indd 11:45

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Leanne has merged Moulin Rouge, chinoiserie, floral, Versace and animal print in

what can only be described as an ode to the other great Lockdown story, Tiger King

bliss. “When we decided to do this renovation project,” says

Nadine (who also gave birth to her second child during

the second lockdown), “I wanted it to be an entirely local

team. I wanted it to be women-led and I wanted to help

support Margate’s amazing creative talent. It’s been such a

hard year for us all, especially the hospitality and creative

sectors, I thought we could all help each other out. I never

could have envisaged what the girls have managed to

achieve. They have turned my flat into two very different,

but equally amazing dream-like fantasies. I still walk around

and have to pinch myself that I once called this home!”

Address Book:

To find out more about a stay at Margate Suites, find them

on instagram @margatesuites or visit margatesuites.co.uk

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Tunbridge Wells . 79 Calverley Road . TN1 2UY . 01892 548111

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DreamDoorsWT227.indd 1 17/03/2021 13:26

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Contents

7 CASE STUDY: THE TIME WARP

A historical parsonage

gets a reboot

9 CASE STUDY: VINTAGE

OUTLOOK

A masterclass in stylish glazing

11 FORM & FUNCTION

All you need to know about

Verandahs

13 SCL’S 6 STEPS TO TAKE

BEFORE STARTING

A NEW PROJECT

To build or not to build? Find out

the steps to the answer

15 SHINY & NEW

A sneak peek at the latest top-end

new builds in Surrey

17 HOW TO: PERSONALISE

A NEW BUILD

Interiors advice from SGS

Architectural Interiors

GarollaWT225.indd 1 11/12/2020 12:55

No more draughty, rotten,

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TO REVAMP YOUR ROOF

Advice on how to renovate

a roof the right way

20 CASE STUDY: BRINGING

BACK THE BARN

The story of a gloriously

modernised barn

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fit sash windows, retaining the

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5 priceless-magazines.com

SashWindowHeritageWT187.indd 1 15/08/2017 15:18

A.T. Palmer Ltd

Restoration Specialists Est.1949

CELEBRATING 70 YEARS IN BUSINESS

| Employed Skilled Workforce

| Renovations & Extensions

| Conversions & Alterations

| Design & Build

T: 01233 770077

Smarden Business Estate, TN27 8QL

atpalmer.co.uk

Restoration & New Build Supplement sponsored by S C

Case Study:

The

Time

Warp

Clague Architects recall one of their favourite

Kentish restoration projects, a house trapped between

two eras, brought into the 21st Century

Our first impression of the Parsonage

was that of a 17th century home that

had once been extended with a Victorian

makeover and was now in a state of

arrested decay. It had clearly been loved by

many over the years but now had become

trapped in time. The task at hand for

us was to transform the interior of the

property, working closely with interior

designer Charlotte Crosland, forming

and submitting the planning and listed

building application along with overseeing

the project onsite and acting as contract

administrators. With some clever tricks

and good design, it was clear the house

could become a very special home.

The property was now in private hands

but was previously the home of the local

Parson, and had been excessively extended

in the Victorian period to be befitting

of the clergy linked to the local estate.

Because of this, the house was something

of a tale of two centuries. The 17th century

baffle entry home was brick built with

historic timber joists and beams, and a

large brick-built stack. Meanwhile, in the

Victorian wing, beautifully ornate and lofty

rooms were filled with an air of high status.

With so much history and character

packed into one house, the challenge

was to maintain as many of the original

features as possible while also giving it a

renewed sense of vitality and continuity. In

the formal drawing room, for example, we

had to do extensive repairs to the windows

and introduce new underfloor heating

throughout, but the rest of the Victorian

features were left intact and celebrated. The

delightful cornicing was in great condition

because it was protected by a historic

double ceiling, preventing movement

on the floor above from interfering with

the decoration below. Likewise, in the

hallway, the cornice and skirting were left

intact, and our works focused on a new

underheated stone floor and some interior

design magic to add light and warmth.

The historic timber was maintained

as much as possible throughout the 17th

century areas. We carried out repair work

to the historic joists in the snug, and, in

the new dining room, the original floor

was given a makeover and the ceiling was

repaired from above, leaving the timbers

in place and visibly unaltered from below.

This room was one of the bigger projects

of the house as it was originally the old

kitchen. The owners wanted to move the

kitchen so that it could look out over the

expansive gardens to the south, which

meant that this room became the new

dining room, and we could really show

off its glorious fireplace, and make it

usable for its intended purpose. Another

big project which had great results was

the wine cellar. The entirety of the cellar

floor was dug out, with the historic

bricks set aside and stored to then be laid

back on top of the new floor, so that we

could get a striking contrast between the

authentic brickwork and the room’s new

bright walls and contemporary storage.

In the end, the worn-down house

once divided by the two periods that

formed it, was brought together by

adding a third period: the present. The

contemporary styling throughout gave

the house a common thread to connect

the varying architectural styles, and

some much needed TLC made the many

character features both as good as new

and firmly rooted in their history.

clague.co.uk

7 priceless-magazines.com

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priceless-magazines.com

AcornGlasslineWT225.indd 1 30/11/2020 13:04

Restoration & New Build Supplement sponsored by S C

Case Study:

Vintage

Outlook

Urban & Grey talk us through a

fabulous project installing vintage

style windows into a Surrey home

Claire McFadyen, owner of Louisa Grace

Interiors, approached us with an exciting brief,

a clear vision, and some design requirements,

for the glazing elements of a stunning restoration and

build project. Claire’s interiors company focuses on rustic,

original, vintage furniture which features throughout the

property so she had her heart set on something that would

highlight and enhance those aspects of her design.

The soon-to-be-refurbished property, was located in

beautiful leafy Surrey. Surrounded by green fields, the

doors and windows were to be a key feature, bringing

some wow factor to the spaces and framing the beautiful

country views outside. We were of course delighted to

assist, our ‘steel look’ heritage range fitted the design

brief perfectly – something in keeping with the age of

the building, vintage but at the same time stylish and

contemporary.

The system has all the advantages of modern aluminium

profiles, featuring the thermal breaks and vintage flair of

steel but in a hybrid version that eliminates drafts. As well

Left, Above & Top Left: The

same New-York loft style

glazing is used throughout

the living space in doors,

skylights and windows for a

sense of continuity.

Above: Claire McFadyen’s choices of

a freestanding kitchen with no upper

cupboards and a big chandelier, keeps

all eyes up towards the bright feature

windows. Right: A classic Belfast sink

adds to the vintage vibe of this country

kitchen, and it sits front and centre

beneath the windows so you can look

out at the view while washing.

as quality design and the preference for slim sight lines,

thermal efficiency is an extremely high priority for our

clients, so this range is becoming very popular. It is also

surprisingly competitively priced, and manufacturing to

delivery can be expedited to meet the build timings and

deadlines. The heritage range offered every option Claire

could possibly need with French doors, single doors,

fixed screens, tilt and turn, side hung or top hung open

out casements. Plus, the classic bars are designed to suit

the client’s preference and can be formed of very slim

horizontal bars, cross over bars or true dividers.

Since completing, we continue to see a lot of interest

and demand for art deco, New York loft style windows,

doors and screens. They look fantastic in both modern and

old properties and can be used for internal room dividers

and partitions. We think this beautiful project really

showcases the beauty and versatility of our aluminium

Heritage Steel Look range, combined with the stunning

interiors – a project Urban & Grey are very proud to have

been played a part in.

urbanandgrey.co.uk

9 priceless-magazines.com

Your Dream, Our Vision

Specialists in the supply & installation of contemporary bespoke aluminium glazing systems.

Our showroom & offices are based in a historical boatyard overlooking the River Thames in Hampton.

Specified by Architects, recommended by Contractors, referred by Clients.

Sliding Doors • Bifold Doors • Steel Replacement French Doors, Screens & Windows

Residential Front Doors • PAS 24 Bifold Doors • Internal Pivot Doors & Screens

Winter Gardens • Orangeries • Rooflights • Lanterns • Glazed Garden Rooms & Verandas

Urban & Grey Ltd

Constable’s Boatyard

5-9 Thames Street

Hampton

TW12 2EW

Telephone: 020 8979 6367

info@urbanandgrey.co.uk

www.urbanandgrey.co.uk

Bi2Fold

Giving your home a new look

Form

& Function

High Spec Bespoke Doors and Windows

Quality bi fold doors and windows with craftsmanship

fitting and stylish design based throughout the south east.

A classic verandah is a stylish and worthwhile feature to add to a

renovation, striking a pleasant first note for all those entering a property

Family run business

10 Year Guarantee

Free no-obligation quote

Porches were originally created

hundreds of years ago to offer

shelter when entering a property.

Over recent years they have

risen in popularity again, and

it’s no surprise given that they

are both practical and pretty.

With the recent trend for

architectural styles inspired by

bygone eras, it’s the perfect time

to invest in character features

like this to give a property some

memorable personality and a

pleasant welcome every time you

walk in the front door. With

all this in mind, we asked the

team at one of our favourite

local, family-run businesses,

The Traditional Verandah

Company, all about them.

How do you make your

porches and verandahs?

Structures from The Traditional

Verandah Company are made from

new materials, with designs based

on original porches and verandahs

from Georgian and Victorian

times. They are made in Kent

from marine-grade aluminium and

laminated safety glass which will

stand the tests of time beautifully.

What maintenance do they require?

A structure from The Traditional

Verandah Company is built

to last and requires hardly any

maintenance – a wipe over with a

damp cloth is all that’s required.

What sort of property

do they suit best?

These fine structures sit

comfortably on both old and

new homes, providing a touch

of period charm and that much

sought-after kerb appeal. We

have all sorts of colours available,

along with several finishes to suit

every colour scheme and taste.

We also have various column

options from solid and sturdy to

slim and elegant, and three stylish

corner brackets to choose from.

Do you include installation

of the finished product?

A full service from design to

installation is provided to each

client, along with architect’s plans

of the project. The friendly office

team are available throughout

the process to answer any

questions and provide updates,

with the experienced installation

team on hand for the efficient

and hassle-free installation

of your chosen product.

What makes you a good business

to go to for a porch or verandah?

With over 20 years’ experience,

we are a local company offering

high-end quality of both

products and service so you can

buy with confidence from The

Traditional Verandah Company.

thetraditionalverandahcompany.co.uk

Free measuring service

Design and Installation

0776 8668 164 | 0782 1124 89

Lines open 9am - 5pm Monday - Friday

www.bi2fold.co.uk

Any RAL colour

Bi2FoldWT228-QRT.indd 1 19/04/2021 20:16

WEALDEN

CONCRETE

Wealden Concrete are a family run business delivering ready mix

concrete throughout the Weald of Kent and East Sussex.

For more information call us on

01580 714747

info@wealdenconcrete.co.uk

www.wealdenconcrete.co.uk

• Ready mix concrete

• Aggregates

• Concrete pumping

• Friendly advice from local experts

Your local

ready mix experts

11 priceless-magazines.com

WealdenConcreteWT228.indd 1 08/04/2021 12:31

oxrestorations.co.uk

Barn Conversions

Extensions

Joinery

Design & Planning

Restoration

New Build

Barn Conversions

Extensions

Joinery

Design & Planning

Restoration

New Build

www.coxrestorations.co.uk

COX

Developments

(Charing) Limited

Design & Planning

Restoration

New Build

Barn Conversions

Extensions

Joinery

Barn Conversions

Extensions

Joinery

www.coxrestorations.co.uk

Design & Planning

Restoration

New Build

COX

www.coxrestoration

Developments

(Charing) Limited

Design & Planning

Restoration

New Build

Barn Conversions

Extensions

Joinery

www.coxrestorations.co.uk

For a free consultation please contact: 01233 714950

www.coxrestorations.co.uk

Established 1986

For a free consultation please contact: 01233 714950

For a www.coxdevelopmentscharing.co.uk

free consultation please contact: www.coxrestorations.co.uk

01233 714950

For a free consultation www.coxrestorations.co.uk

please contact:

Established

01233 714950

NATIONAL AWARD WINNER COX DEVELOPMENTS 1986

(CHARING) LIMITED www.coxrestorations.co.uk

– BEST Established SMALL DEVELOPMENT

1986

CoxRestorationWT138.indd 1 15/07/2013 15:12

For a free consultation please contact: 01233 714950

www.coxrestorations.co.uk

Established 1986

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

CoxRestorationWT202.indd 1 20/11/2018 12:33

CoxRestorationWT187.indd 1 CoxRestorationWT187.indd 1 21/08/2017 12:14

21/08/2017 12:14

CoxRestorationWT138.indd 1 15/07/2013 15:12

ltation please contact: 01233 714950

w.coxrestorations.co.uk

Established 1986

For a free consultation please conta

www.coxrestorations.

Established 1986

15/07/2013 15:12

CoxRestorationWT138.indd 1

For a free consultation please contact: 01233 714950

www.coxrestorations.co.uk

Established 1986

CoxRestorationWT138.indd 1 15/07/2013 15:12

priceless-magazines.com

TimberGroupWT228-HLFH.indd 1 13/04/2021 15:39

6SCL’s

steps

to take before starting

a new project

SCL Groundworks share advice for getting a clear idea

of what it will take to get you your dream new-build

or extension, before you start out sclgroundworks.co.uk

To prepare land for a new-build or extension, the

preferred starting point is often to get in touch with

an architect to create the design of the project.

Once the architect has created an initial scope of

specification for what you wish to achieve, you will

be able to go to a structural engineer to organise the

groundworks. Finding the right engineer is just as

important a step as finding a good architect, as the groundworks

will create the base that the building will rely upon. This can

take up to 4 weeks depending on the complexity of the project.

Your engineer may ask for tests such as boreholes, or

soakage tests to be undertaken. It is also advisable to take

soil samples to analyse their waste classification, as this can

have a large impact on the cost of the project. These can

take two or three weeks for results from tests being carried out.

Don’t miss our June issue’s

Kitchen & Bathroom Supplement

full of ideas to remodel and update

Out from 1st June

Obtaining quotes for services and utilities. This is

also important for new-builds as the quotes provide

contractors clear information at the beginning of the

project and help prevent any unknown costs early in

the build. This would usually take four weeks from contractors

receiving information and drawings, to allow for a visit to the

site and a competitive price to be drawn up. When obtaining

quotations from contractors it is important for them to visit

the site to understand access, ground levels and other external

factors. To get an accurate quote you should also give them:

• full but concise information on how long

you wish for the build to take

• clear detailed drawings of the plans

• payment term information

• clarification on whether you expect to hold a retention

(a percentage of the project’s valuation which is held

for a rectification period of the works). This is usually

12 months at 5%, with 2.5% paid on completion and

2.5% paid once the rectification period is complete

Speak with local estate agents about the value the project

could add and compare this against build costs to assess

potential returns and whether the scheme is viable.

Weigh up all of your costs against what you could

gain from the project and make a decision!

13 priceless-magazines.com

May 2021 Kitchen and bathroom ad.indd 1 20/04/2021 16:38

CALL US TODAY: 01227 711621

OR VISIT: WWW.SCLGROUNDWORKS.CO.UK

ACCREDITED

CONTRACTOR

TRUSTED FOR MORE THAN

40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

KINGS YARD, THE STREET,

KINGSTON, KENT, CT4 6JQ

Shiny

& New

To give you an insight into what’s out there (and just because we like looking at

pretty things) we’re exploring the gold standard of new-build properties

Restoration & New Build Supplement sponsored by S C

Hawksmoor Homes is known

for producing luxury properties

with an obvious attention to

detail and fine craftmanship.

Which is why we are so excited

to get a sneak peek at their latest

development, Victoria Gardens.

How many properties will there be

and when will they be completed?

There will be just four new

detached homes. They are due

for completion early in 2022

and will be built to the luxury

specification and exceptional

quality that Hawksmoor

Homes is renowned for.

Where is Victoria Gardens?

Victoria Gardens is located

in the lovely village of West

Horsley in Surrey, off the popular

residential cul-de-sac, Silkmore

Lane. West Horsley is a classic

picturesque Surrey village, a

peaceful pace surrounded by rural

countryside and the beautiful

Surrey Hills, interlaced with

public footpaths, bridleways,

and safe cycling routes.

How easy is it to to get to London

from such a countryside paradise?

It’s well placed for multiple

mainline stations; Horsley

Station is only ten minutes away

by car and offers regular trains

that can get you to Waterloo in

under an hour. Otherwise both

Guildford and Woking stations

are only a short drive away.

What makes these homes special?

Their beautiful design, which

echos the original cottages of

the English countryside, with

all the advantages of modern

construction and generously sized

rooms. No expense is spared, with

handmade materials outside and

a luxurious specification inside.

Can you tell us about

the outdoor space?

Named after our favourite flowers,

each house in Victoria Gardens

boasts a high specification,

thoughtful layout, and detached

garage. Generous gardens and

a private cul-de-sac entrance

give a sense of privacy with

a touch of exclusivity.

What influenced the design?

The chocolate box

English Cottage.

What special features are

included with these properties?

The master bedroom suites are

of particular note, featuring

vaulted ceilings and extravagant en

suites. On the ground floor, the

show is stolen by Martin Moore

kitchens with Miele appliances,

but the stylish Chesney Burlington

fireplaces in the drawing rooms are

also quite lovely. These houses truly

offer luxurious living for those who

appreciate understated elegance.

How much do the properties cost?

Prices start at £1,150,000 for

Plot 1, a four-bed called The

Primrose. Plot 2, the three-bed

Wisteria, is the most expensive

at £1,535,000 and Plots 3, The

Violet (three-bed) and 4, The

Peony (four-bed) are £1,350,000

and £1,465,000, respectively.

hawksmoorhomes.co.uk /

thevictoriagardens.co.uk

15 priceless-magazines.com

Restoration & New Build Supplement sponsored by S C

How to:

Personalise

a new build

Transforming a white-walled, brand-new tabula rasa

of a new-build can be a real mission! So we asked SGS

Architectural Interiors for some expert advice

We are fortunate enough to work with

clients who are constructing architectdesigned

new-build homes, but it can be

challenging to imagine living in a house

you’ve only seen as a two-dimensional

drawing. Whether your new build is a

one-off or one of a few, the challenge is

always to make the shiny new property

into a comfortable home which is

personal to you. Our job is to bring these

plans to life and help our clients visualise

the moment they will step through the

door into their dream home.

A new build home is a blank canvas and

a fabulous opportunity to get creative. A

great starting point is to introduce colour.

Often new builds are finished in developers’

white, so identify your preferred colour

palette and start applying it. To find that

colour palette, you can take influence from

your personal fashion taste, inspirational

artwork, or the wonders of nature. Start

compiling images of the colours and

interiors you are drawn to and you’ll soon

begin to develop a palette that is truly

unique to your home.

You can quickly make a new build feel like

home by introducing familiar things. Just

because you’re moving into a new property,

doesn’t mean you should feel like you have

to start from scratch with all your interior

furnishings and accessories. Simply hanging

a favourite picture or reusing an occasional

chair with happy memories, will help to

make you feel at home.

to install a pendant or add personality with

some wall lights. Layering light is important

in every interior, so adding a feature table

and floor lamps is also a good way to soften

the lighting and create a more intimate

atmosphere. Think of these light fittings like

jewellery accents and another opportunity

to add your personality to the space with a

statement light fitting.

Where we are involved in the construction

of a new build, we often work with

character grade timber floors or reclaimed

stone and specify unlacquered finishes which

patina for door handles and bathrooms

if the client wants the home to feel preaged.

If you are purchasing a new build,

then adding vintage furniture or accessories

can add this same character and soften the

pristine finishes.

Finally, don’t forget the outside. Often

new builds look like they have popped up

out of the ground and they need some help

to become established in their setting. We

always work with landscape designers at

an early stage in our new build projects, so

that planting and finishes can be installed

as early as possible and will have more

time to weather and grow around the

property. Adding outdoor furniture and

planted pots to your home will soften the

junctions between the surface finishes and

will immediately make your new build stand

out from the rest. The key to any interior

is to create a home which serves the owners

lifestyle and reflects their personality,

Don’t underestimate lighting. Often new

builds are lit with grids of overhead downlights,

but hopefully there is an opportunity

the same is true with a new

build to make it a home.

sgsdesign.co.uk

17 17 priceless-magazines.com priceless-magazines.com

A reputation

built on quality

craftsmanship

and service

Regular maintenance of

replacing broken, slipped or

missing tiles could prevent the

need for a complete renewal.

Always replace with top

quality matching tiles.

Kent Peg Tiling,

Listed Building &

Conservation Specialists.

High quality work

by experienced award

winning craftsmen.

01797 270 268

kentpegs.com

Check that the

pointing of brickwork

on chimneys and parapet

walls is intact. Also check for

loose mortar on ridge and hip

tiles. If replacing on a listed

building, lime mortar

should be used.

Check lead

flashings to walls

and chimneys and,

if needed, make sure

lead work meets LSTA

specifications (see

leadsheet.co.uk).

Clean out

your gutters,

valleys and box

gutters to avoid

leaks.

priceless-magazines.com

KarlTerryWT228-HLFV.indd 1 08/04/2021 15:07

Restoration & New Build Supplement sponsored by S C

Check with your

local conservation

officer if Listed Building

Consent is needed (it

always will be for Grade

1 and 2* properties).

Only use an

established company.

A good starting point is The

National Federation of Roofing

Contractors, who have a register of

vetted heritage approved contractors

(see nfrc.co.uk). NFRC contractors can

also self certify that all works comply

with relevant building regulation

through the Roofing Competent

Person Scheme nfrccps.com

Karl Terry’s

to revamp your roof

Top

tips

Renovating your roof can really transform an

older property, but it’s worth making sure you

get advice and work from trustworthy sources, so

we asked Karl Terry for some tips kentpegs.com

Seek references

and follow them up.

Your contractor should

be able to provide details

of current work they

have completed.

Avoid loosely

worded estimates,

aim to get a fixed price

quotation which details

all the specifications and

materials that will be used.

This way you can budget

and not be surprised

with extras.

On tiled roofs,

remove moss. Excessive

moisture and inadequate

drying can cause problems

(often on a north slope or

shallow pitch). Poor quality

tiles are more susceptible

to frost damage in areas

with moss growth.

Make sure your roof

is well insulated but also

especially well ventilated. Too

much insulation and not enough

ventilation can cause condensation.

Upgrading of insulation is a

requirement of current building

regulations when re-roofing.

19 priceless-magazines.com

Restoration & New Build Supplement sponsored by S C

Case Study:

Bringing Back

the Barn

Architects Theis + Khan tell us the tale of a recent masterpiece of a barn conversion

Burwash Barn was a real project right from

the offset, it had enormous potential but

was obviously going to require lots of work

to fulfil it. The idea was to provide additional family

accommodation for a Grade II listed 17th century

farmhouse in East Sussex. Alongside the main

house was a building which was comprised of three

divided barns. The clients wanted to convert this

outbuilding into a sitting room, studio bedroom and

bathroom as well as a garage and outside store, all in

a style that complimented the

historical nature of the property

and honoured the building’s

authentic character and features.

Originally built as part of

the farm, the agricultural

outbuilding that we began

with was an uninsulated timber

structure with rotten sole plates,

damage from water ingress, and

roofs in need of repair. We had

to meticulously survey and strip

back the structures before we

started rebuilding. We carefully

removed the existing foundations

and installed new ones, and used

traditional carpentry methods

with the tenons pegged, to

replace the existing timber

with new oak. The buildings had also moved over

time, which actually gave them a sense of age and

personality which the clients were keen to keep, so

the natural undulations within the roof structure

were not corrected. They also wanted to keep the

original structure of the building visible, so, rather

than installing the insulation between the studs and

joists, we installed new insulation over the existing

structure, exceeding building regulation requirements,

and forming a warm roof. The existing rotten oak

cladding boards were also removed and replaced with

new oak boards to match what was there before. As

for the roofs, the main barn roof had been replaced

with corrugated sheet and the lower roofs had many

damaged Sussex peg tiles. To fix this we mixed

reclaimed tiles in with the surviving originals to ensure

the roof kept its traditional appearance, and also added

bat ‘slots’ for detail.

The original building was divided into three barns

that were not interconnected, and one of the key

changes we made was to link them all together to

allow the buildings to flow into each other. The

Wealden District conservation

officer allowed a small opening

in the wall between the lower

barn and the main barn, which

was enough for us to install a

new stair. The conservation

officer was also keen that the

building retained its original

open elevation, which meant the

new sliding glass doors had to

be installed behind the original

posts and bracketed from the

existing structure. The end result

is large contemporary glazed

sliding doors and windows which

really show off the original studio

structure while also opening up

some enchanting views to the

countryside beyond.

Once all the work was done to make the structures

sound and habitable, the landscaping was also altered

to create a new vehicular entrance to the north of the

site, enabling the old track to be subsumed into the

field to minimise hard standing surfaces. Meanwhile,

inside the outbuilding, the interiors were decked

out with modern oak flooring, and oak doors and

windows to once again maintain the woodsy tone of an

old barn, with flush glazing and a beautiful statement

concrete fireplace bringing the whole thing elegantly

up to date with gentle touches of contemporary flair.

theisandkhan.com

priceless-magazines.com

Surrey, Sussex

& Hampshire’s

Premier Oak

Framed Specialist

Surrey Oak Barns is a specialist

oak frame contractor offering a

complete and seamless multitrade

service, from simple garages

and garden rooms to fully finished

buildings, all tailored to meet our

client’s specific requirements.

We offer a complete service from

design, planning and construction

through to completion, ensuring

our clients achieve their aspirations

for oak buildings from a single source.

Surrey Oak Barns is the only oak

framed contractor to be awarded

Chartered Building Company

status which identifies those

businesses that are committed

to quality of product and service,

integrity of conduct and concern

for client’s needs.

01483 420 258

info@surreyoakbarns.co.uk

www.surreyoakbarns.co.uk

Who’s Wearing What

boutique

The independent boutique

in the heart of St Leonards-on-Sea

2021 Collections

Surrey’s Leading

Occasion Wear

Boutique

www.melitaboutique.co.uk

57 High Street, Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8AF

Tel: 01276 856308

MelitaOfChobhamWT228.indd 1 09/04/2021 18:15

dressing undeniable beauty

35 High St,

Cranbrook

www.odyl.co.uk

01580 714907

Understated womenswear

in natural fabrics

New SS21Collections

Standout in colour, texture

and fl attering styles…

Exciting looks you’ll love

and feel good in

Who’s Wearing What boutique

34 London Road, St Leonards-on-Sea TN37 6AN

Opening Hours:

Tuesday to Saturday 10am – 5pm

01424 272925

@whoswearingwhatboutique

whoswearingwhatboutique

www.whoswearingwhat-boutique.co.uk

priceless-magazines.com

OdylWT228.indd 1 13/04/2021 whoswearingwhatboutiqueWT228.indd 16:11

1 14/04/2021 15:49

Time to break free

Kate Liz Watts styles watches for every occasion

Photographs: David Merewether

Zeppelin mesh bracelet, £269, Omega Studio, St Leonards on Sea 01424 552237, Instagram @omegastudiostleonards

iStock.com/Nataliya Belova

Clockwise from bottom

left: Zeppelin brown leather

£279, Danish Design bronze

mesh bracelet £125, Danish

Design gold mesh bracelet

£150, Danish Design suede

strap £150, all Omega Studio, St

Leonards on Sea 01424 552 237,

Instagram @omegastudiostleonards;

Swole Panda bamboo watch

£59.95, County Clothes, Bexhill

on Sea, Tenterden, Reigate,

Sevenoaks, Canterbury

countyclothesmenswear.co.uk

Clockwise from top left: Omega

automatic chronometer £895,

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Beauty

Feeling Flush?

All is not lost if rosacea comes knocking, as Josephine Fairley explains

istock.com/lavendertime & onairjiw

Fact: redness, in skin, can really cause the blues. Broken

veins and flushing are pretty easy to cover up; some of

us are simply ‘blushing beauties’, prone to occasional

bouts of redness. That can, however, be the first sign of fullblown

rosacea, in which the texture of skin is ultimately

altered – becoming lumpy, bumpy spots (sometimes

pus-filled), on the nose, cheeks, chin and forehead.

Although a fiery complexion can affect young women,

for others the problem really kicks in as we reach middle

age, when a surprising number of us become afflicted by

what is known as papulopustular rosacea, or acne rosacea.

Frustratingly, the causes of redness and rosacea are still pretty

mysterious – basically something in the bloodstream triggers

the swelling of blood vessels in the skin, causing inflammation

(redness and soreness). It can come and go, in cycles, or be

an ongoing problem. Generally, the typical weapon in a GP’s

toolkit is a course of antibiotics – but our observation is that

this doesn’t fix the problem long-term. (And with the growing

problem of antibiotic resistance don’t we really want to reserve

antibiotics for conditions that really need the big guns?)

Triggers are notoriously individual, including foods,

alcohol, stress, pollution and peri-menopause. (Though men

can suffer too – and usually don’t feel they have the option

of concealing their rosacea with make-up.) Genes may be

at play, predisposing some people to rosacea/redness – and

it shows up much more on people with thin, fair skins.

Over the years, at Beauty Bible, we’ve come across

thousands of people experiencing rosacea – even though

every single one feels like the only person on the planet

– and have put together a sort of toolkit for sufferers.

Keep a food/skincare diary. Write down everything that

you eat, and the products you use on your skin, especially

if there’s something new. Eventually you may be able to

piece together links between food/flare-ups or products/

breakouts. (I’ve a friend who calls her rosacea ‘pizza-face’

because she unfailingly gets it after an Italian takeaway.)

Monitor your reaction to ‘heating’ foods. Caffeine, red

wine, curries and so on affect redness-prone people differently.

The only advice is to turn detective and track your own

personal response, logging them in your diary, as above.

Take turmeric faithfully. This Indian spice can be

a lifesaver for minimising flare-ups: take a 400 mg

capsule morning and night. Try and sneak turmeric

into as many dishes as you can – ideally, chopped

turmeric root, but if not, the powdered variety.

Use face products with zinc oxide. As well as providing

sun protection and helping wound-healing, this mineral

is anti-inflammatory so helps with most skin conditions

including rosacea and also acne. Other helpful antiinflammatory

ingredients to look for on ingredients

lists include emu oil, red raspberry oil and aloe.

Take specific supplements. In addition to a good antiinflammatory

diet (plenty of nuts and seeds, vegetables and

fruit, oily fish if you’re not vegetarian), California-based skin

expert Marie Veronique Nadeau advised us that it’s ‘an

absolute must’ to supplement with vitamin C,

vitamin D3 and omega-3 essential fatty acids.

Rosacea patients may also need more of a

specific and powerful antioxidant called

SOD (Superoxidedismutase), so add

that in too. N.B. Marie Veronique

advises avoiding iron

supplements, particularly if

you have severe rosacea,

as iron may aggravate it.

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Beauty

Probiotics can help. As well as increasing omega-3

essential fatty acids both in the diet and as a supplement,

Victoria Health pharmacist Shabir Daya advises taking a

probiotic supplement: “These beneficial bacteria will help

to rid the gut of potential toxins that inflame the skin

but more importantly they may ensure that the specific

bacteria do not proliferate.” You might also want to

consider anti-inflammatory herbs, such as red clover and

echinacea, plus yellow dock and dandelion, which have

mild diuretic properties to help eliminate toxins. Shabir

advises that a topical serum with pycnogenol (a powerful

antioxidant and anti-inflammatory) may also help: “It

immediately reduces redness and inflammation and also

strengthens the collagen matrix and in doing so reduces

the capability of these toxins to inflame the skin.”

Beware the sun (and sunbeds). Ultraviolet light and

particularly UVA – the longer wave length rays that are

linked to skin damage and also now to skin cancers – seem

to affect some rosacea sufferers severely. Everyone should take

care in the sun – i.e. always wear sun protection and never

fry your skin. But for anyone with skin sensitivity of any

kind, it’s wise to avoid sunscreens with a chemical sunblock

since they are known to be more likely to cause irritation.

Opt instead for sunblocks using minerals, preferably

zinc oxide (see above). Beyond that, avoid anything with

citrus essential oils and any product at all with alcohol.

Seek out effective products for redness. At Beauty Bible,

we put dozens of redness treatments through their paces

each year, and have identified that some products really

can help. From the strangely-named Danish brand, check

out Ecooking Anti-Redness Cream, £32 for 50ml, a

matte-finish product which offers two ingredients that have

performed well in tests on UV-induced stress, inflammation,

redness and itching: Poros cocos (better known as China

root) and Phragmites kharka extract, from the grass family,

together with chamomile. Another high-performing

product: Rosalique 3-in-1 Anti-Redness Miracle Formula

SPF50, £29.99 for 30ml. It’s always a bit ambitious when

any brand puts ‘miracle’ in the name of its products, but

this offers instant comfort and the potential of long-term

improvement for sensitive and red complexions. It is

instantly concealing, and works longer term via soothing

bisabolol, panthenol, urea, shea butter and zeolite.

My friend and Wealden Times contributor Maggie

Alderson has established that the key – certainly for

her – is to use skincare that is utterly ‘clean’ and free

from all chemicals. She ‘joined up the dots’ (or possibly

spots) on this after experiencing amazing results from

a local range by the name of Rock Rose. (And we love

blowing the trumpet for local brands, don’t we?)

As Maggie wrote for my beautybible.com website, “This

range literally changed my life. For the first time in 15 years

I am now able to leave the house without a full face of

make-up, which for so long was essential to cover the raw,

red rosacea pimples which speckled my chin and cheeks.

And it’s not only the mortifying festering spots I’ve been

freed from – all the skin on my face is smoother, plumper

and more nourished looking. I don’t know when my skin

last looked and felt this good. People have commented.

Even my teenage daughter has complimented me (faints).”

Maggie raves in particular about Rock Rose Beauty

Nourishing Facial Oil, £34 for 30ml and Rock Rose

Beauty Moisturising Balm, £28 for 50ml (available

for normal-sensitive/dry/combination-oily skins), at

rockrosebeauty.co.uk; you can also enjoy Rock Rose

facials at Treatment Rooms at The Old Rectory in

Hastings Old Town, which stocks the range.

So: don’t despair. You may have to play Miss Marple, to

unravel the triggers – but in my experience, when you

do that, it’s possible to adjust your routine (and maybe

cut down on the deliveries), and no longer see red…

Visit beautybible.com for Jo’s daily ‘loves’ and features.

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100 100

Wellbeing

Body Loving Goodness

Sarah Maxwell stresses the importance

of learning to take care of yourself

The idea of what constitutes

the perfect body has changed

frequently over the decades,

from Kate Moss (90’s chic) to the

touched up images of perfectly sculpted

bodies we see everywhere now.

It’s at this time of year that I’m

inundated with requests from fitness

and slimming magazines and health

websites to come up with a perfect plan

to get in shape for the summer. With

everything we’ve been through in this

last year, I thought it was time to make

a change and show you a different but

highly successful way to make positive

changes to your body image, lose weight,

feel great and enjoy our new freedoms.

Firstly, I would like to tell a little of

my story and why I do the job I do.

I remember the exact moment when I

developed a negative image of my body. I

was 14 years old and had up until then

been a very skinny child. As puberty

descended on me in full throttle, puppy

fat started to lay down (this is actually

quiet natural, your body is changing

from a child into an adult during that

time). I was immediately taken to a local

doctor and put on a strict diet. This

unfortunately took me down a path of

extreme exercise and disordered eating.

At the age of 21 I embarked

on my first training course as a

health and fitness professional.

It’s a big admission but I have to

confess, I still hated my body.

Every day I weighed myself (more

than once a day) and beat myself up

because my body didn’t conform to

what was considered the right type of

body (especially as I had embarked on

a career where the perfect body meant

everything). I followed the standard

theory of eating less and moving

more, but it wasn’t working for me

and neither did the daily step onto the

scales (it doesn’t work for everybody).

After many years of working with

people to lose weight and feel great,

I can tell you that I encourage most

of my clients to throw away the scales

because the power they have over our

body image is shocking and, in most

cases, greatly hampers long term weight

loss. Not only is it hugely liberating to

throw away the step of shame (this is

what I call weighing scales), the results

I see from this simple act are fantastic.

I have spent many years teaching self

esteem and body confidence workshops

to young adults. I show them positive

examples of body image, emphasising

the importance of wellbeing and health

through proper nutrition, regular

exercise, good sleep, stress management

and relaxation. All of these are equally

important to sustain long term

weight management and with that

naturally comes a dramatic increase

in self esteem and body confidence.

One of my favourites to follow on

social media is @sundaymorningview

(a self-love magazine that shares what

real bodies look like, and it has some

wonderful mental-health information).

Affirmations really do work!

Science really does back up the

effectiveness of positive affirmations.

If you want to check out the

technical bit for yourself, the

following link is a good read:

https://www.healthshots.com/mind/

happiness-hacks/we-decode-the-sciencebehind-affirmations-and-how-theycan-infuse-positivity-in-your-life/

Below is an affirmation that I have found

very effective for myself and my clients.

I recommend trying this for 7-10 days.

Repeat it out loud a few times a day and

see if you feel a shift in how you feel.

“I feed my body healthy nourishing food

and give it healthy nourishing exercise

because it deserves to be taken care of.”

Worth giving it a try, don’t you think?

Sarah Maxwell is a multiple awardwinning

Fitness and Lifestyle coach

and mum of two who juggles a lot

of balls. Find out more about Sarah

and her work at sarahmaxwell.com

Sarah shares her Fitness and Lifestyle tips

on Instagram @sarahmaxwelllifestyle

101 priceless-magazines.com

Nourish to

Flourish

Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach

Charlotte Lau explores the link

between food and mood...

The brain, a powerful but fragile organ that accounts

for just 2-3% of our body weight yet makes up for

around 20-25% of our daily energy requirement. It

is responsible for our thoughts and feelings which affect our

mood and actions so it is vital to feed and nourish it properly.

We are all familiar with how our mood itself can affect our

food choices, such as seeking comfort food when we feel low

or a change in appetite when stressed. However, the food we

choose to eat daily plays an important part in supporting and

maintaining brain health for the long term. Some research

observes that a Mediterranean diet – high in fruits, vegetables,

nuts, and legumes with moderate consumption of poultry,

eggs and dairy products, and only occasional consumption of

red meat – is associated with a reduced risk of depression.

Give it a go...

keep your friendly bacteria happy

A gut feeling is an instinctive human sensation –

butterflies in our stomach when we fall in love,

feeling sick when we are nervous – and something

we rely on to help us make decisions. Our gut

bacteria affects how we feel, our mood and how alert

we are in our everyday lives. It is no coincidence

that the gut is sometimes called ‘the second brain’.

The constant two-way communication that occurs

between our gut and our brain is known as the gutbrain

axis. Our gut microflora (friendly bacteria)

play an important role in our mood and the best

way to keep them happy is to eat a varied, colourful

high-fibre diet. Fibre is essentially the back bone

of plant-based foods so include more wholegrains,

legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds in your

diet. There are thought to be over 100 different

types of fibre so diversity is key. Feed your brain by

increasing your omega 3. This type of fat, found in

wild, oily fish such as salmon and in plant-based

sources like walnuts and flaxseeds has been shown

to increase bacteria that may improve mood.

Learn to... fill your own cup

Just as we nourish our bodies with food, it is equally as important

to give the same level of care to nourish our minds, too. The body

and brain need fuel, but they also needs stillness and relaxation.

Many of us feel, ‘switched on’ from the moment we wake, so it

is no wonder that one in four people in the UK experience some

form of mental health problem each year. Prioritise time to rest and

unwind. Studies have found that time spent in nature helps lower

stress levels, improves mental focus and mood and decreases anxiety

and even symptoms of depression. Seek out nature; that may be

a park, forest, garden or simply a window box full of greenery to

help nourish your brain. Move your body. Regular movement can

be beneficial for treating anxiety and stress. A short burst of energy

such as 2 minutes doing star jumps or a brisk walk can boost your

mood and help reduce stress. Do something you love. Of course

our jobs and families are important but really think… what brings

you joy? When you find something that you really get ‘lost in’

and engage with regularly, you may find yourself feeling calmer,

more resilient to daily challenges and ultimately, a little happier.

Charlotte runs Plume Nutrition, where she offers support and advice

for weight management, controlling cravings, sleeplessness, stress

and increasing energy levels. Find out more at plumenutrition.com

Step away from... the happiness thieves

A typical western diet, high in refined

carbohydrates and sugars can play havoc with

our blood sugar levels. It is these repetitive

peaks and troughs in our blood sugars (and

subsequent high and low moods), that not

only affects our food choices making us reach

for more sugary based foods, but also causes

changes in our hormones which can affect

anxiety, irritability and hunger. Reduce sugar

and refined carbohydrates which damage your

friendly bacteria and instead build meals from

whole foods, like fresh vegetables and quality

sources of protein. Avoid artificial sweeteners

and highly processed foods such as ready meals,

many breakfasts cereals and sugary soft drinks

as they are all detrimental to your gut health.

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102

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Lazy Day Dining

With the warmth of summer just in sight, enjoy lazy mornings

with loved ones tucking into a leisurely brunch outside. You can

whip up these tasty treats in around half an hour, giving you more

time to catch up after so many months apart or an opportunity

to while away a few hours enjoying your garden in the sunshine

Recipes: Liz Franklin, Caroline Artiss & Laura Santtini

Photographs: Steve Painter, Ed Anderson & Con Poulos

Baked oat milk porridge with pears,

almonds & date syrup

Prep time: 10 mins Cooking time: 30 mins Serves 4-6

You might wonder why anyone would oven-bake porridge, when it takes so

little time to cook the conventional way? Well, it does mean that you can swap

standing at the stove and stirring constantly for simply mixing everything

together and leaving it to morph into breakfast heaven under its own steam,

while you soak in the bath or even go back to bed with your book!

• 160g jumbo oats

• 1.2 litres oat milk

• 75g mixed seeds

• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 3 medium ripe, but firm

pears, cored and diced

• 80g mixed dried berries (sultanas/

golden raisins, goji berries, inca/

golden berries, cranberries, etc.)

To Serve:

• 2 tbsp toasted flaked almonds

• 4-5 tbsp date syrup

• extra oat milk

1 Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F)

Gas 3. Mix the oats and oat milk

together. Stir in the seeds, vanilla

bean paste, ground cinnamon,

diced pears and dried berries. Pour

everything into a roasting pan, cover

with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

2 Remove from the oven and

spoon into bowls. Scatter with the

toasted almonds and drizzle with

date syrup and extra oat milk

as desired. Serve at once.

105 priceless-magazines.com

Marmite (yeast extract) cake

Prep time: 15 mins Cooking time: 30 mins Serves 10-12

Marmite cake has a rich

flavour and is a must-try

for all umami enthusiasts.

Serve it warm from the

oven at brunchtime,

sliced into neat slabs.

• 70g butter

• 170g sugar

• 1 egg, beaten

• 160g plain flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp salt

• 250ml whole milk

For the topping:

• 120g butter

• 2 tsps Marmite

• 60g grated

Cheddar cheese

You will need: a 23 x

33cm Pyrex baking dish

1 Preheat the oven to 190°C

Gas 5. Beat the butter and sugar

until light, creamy and smooth.

Add the egg and beat well.

2 Sift the dry ingredients

together. Alternate adding the

dry ingredients and the milk

to the butter mixture. Mix

gently until well combined

and the batter is smooth. Pour

the batter into the baking dish

and bake in the preheated

oven for 25-30 minutes.

3 To make the topping, simply

melt the butter and mix in the

Marmite/yeast extract. Five

minutes before the cake is ready,

remove from the oven and prick

all over with a fork. Pour over

the melted butter and Marmite

mixture and sprinkle with the

grated Cheddar cheese. Return

to the oven for the final 5

minutes until the cake is cooked

and a skewer inserted into the

centre comes out clean, and the

cheese has melted and turned

slightly golden. This cake is best

served warm from the oven.

priceless-magazines.com

106

Heirloom tomato

& smoked

mackerel salad

Prep time: 15 mins Cooking

time: 11 mins Serves 2

The delicious saltiness of this

oily fish makes it the perfect

partner for the heirloom

tomatoes and caramelised

onions. This is ideal for a

summertime brunch, when

tomatoes are in season and

a lighter dish fits the bill.

• 100g rocket

• 3 heirloom tomatoes, sliced

• freshly squeezed juice

of ½ lemon

• a pinch of salt

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 smoked mackerel fillets

(peppered fillets work well)

For the Caramelised Onions:

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large red onion, sliced

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

For the Greek Yogurt Dressing:

• 115g Greek yogurt

• 1½ tbsp freshly

chopped mint

• 1 tbsp freshly chopped

flat-leaf parsley

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• ¼ cucumber, finely chopped

• a pinch each of salt and

freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tsp honey

• ½ tsp lemon zest

Start by making the caramelised onions. Heat the oil in a frying

pan/skillet over a low heat, add the onion and cook slowly for

10 minutes, stirring every now and then. Once soft and beginning

to caramelise, add the vinegar and cook for a further minute. Take

off the heat. Whisk/beat all the ingredients for the Greek yogurt dressing

together in a small bowl and set aside. Put the rocket/arugula and tomatoes into

a large mixing bowl with the lemon juice, salt and olive oil. Toss to coat everything in oil,

then arrange on serving plates. Break the mackerel up using your hands – this way you can feel for bones and

discard any. Arrange the mackerel on top of the salad. Top with the caramelised onions and spoon over the

dressing. Serve immediately.

These recipes were extracted from

Lazy Day Brunches published by

Ryland Peters & Small (£9.99) Photography

109 priceless-magazines.com

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110

GardenproudWT225.indd 1 08/12/2020 17:46

Forget-Me-Not

Jo Arnell explores how biennials are the often overlooked heroes of a successful planting scheme

istockphoto.com/Ukususha

Imagine a plant that looks after itself, one that will

flower early, that will grow in difficult shady situations,

that after flowering will quietly, sometimes even

decoratively, set seed for the next generation and then

bow out, and allow summer flowers to take centre stage.

Well, I give you, ladies and gentlemen, the biennial. A

national treasure if ever I saw one. While we are busy

trying to coax our pampered and expensive garden centre

lovelies into bloom, up they pop, asking for nothing,

giving masses and, once established, rewarding us year

after year. I have found myself complaining about

the cheerful abundance of some of them (yes, you,

forget-me-nots), but would never be without them.

So what exactly is a biennial? The clue is in the name, in

that they flower every other year, bi-annually. Ostensibly

they are annuals, but they spread their flowering season

over two calendar years – from summer to the following

spring, instead of from spring until autumn. Biennials

owe their existence to the changing of seasons – and the

fact that the leaves fall off the trees as winter approaches.

The consequence of the trees staying bare until April is a

leafless chink of light in early spring where the biennials

have found a niche, opportunistically blooming before the

canopy of leaves closes over them. They are the natural

colonisers of woodland glades and hedgerow edges, adapting

their lifestyle to the sequences of light and shade. It is

for this reason that a biennial will germinate and grow a

whorl of basal leaves during the first year – to be ready to

burst into flower early and make the most of the spring

sunshine. This makes them ideal for growing in tricky areas

of the garden; many, like foxgloves, forget-me-nots and

honesty, seem to positively enjoy dry shade, so will grow

under trees, on the shady side of walls and other bleak,

godforsaken places (and we all have our share of those).

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WCLandcraftWT223.indd 1 28/08/2020 10:20

Honesty makes a good

companion for bulbs

Garden Perfection

City Escapes provide domestic & commercial garden solutions

Good Companions

Biennials are excellent plants to grow among spring bulbs;

they flower at around the same time and can be used to

contrast, harmonise or generally enhance the appearance of

a spring display. If you love tulips – and most of us do – you

may not love their large and floppy leaves quite so much. A

frothy skirt of forget-me-nots or eye-catching counterbalance

of honesty will do a good job of hiding, or distracting,

from the less than lovely tulip leaves – that must be left on

to strengthen the bulbs for next year. Be careful not to let

the biennials swamp emerging bulbs and young perennials

though, as they will do a good job of blocking light as well as

fading bulb leaves and may overwhelm other young plants.

Forget-me-nots in particular can enthusiastically smother

emerging perennials, so may need thinning and weeding out.

Self-sowers

Biennials have a (mostly) welcome habit of self-seeding,

so you should only need to sow them once. You can allow

them to self-sow – often they will find the very best places

for themselves and grow away more strongly than those you

have carefully planted. Depending on your style of gardening

– which may be related to the time you have available, the

self seeders can be managed in two ways, or in a combination

of the two. The first is to allow nature to take its course

and let the plants self-seed where they like. This way many

serendipitous planting combinations can occur, with plants

finding exactly the right places to grow, often in situations you

would never have positioned them in – and sometimes in far

better ones. This works best if your garden is fairly weed-free,

if not, you will need to be able to identify your plants at an

early stage and try to separate the weedlings from the seedlings.

Most self-seeding plants germinate best in free-draining soil,

and will struggle on heavy, claggy clay. Try to open up the

structure of clay soil by incorporating organic matter and

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KatherineOliverGardenDesignWT227.indd 1 01/03/2021 16:34

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114

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grit. Self-seeding then becomes a happy

accident and looks natural and unforced.

The problem is that the plants are

choosing where they want to grow

and this may not be where you

would plant them. Judicious weeding

becomes the order of the day – and

this is sometimes harder than it seems;

there’s something unkind about weeding

out healthy, happy plants, even if they

are growing in the wrong place.

Methods of seed dispersal

vary wildly and evolution has

come up with some ingenious

methods for this. Many seed

capsules are triggered to literally

explode, because the purpose is

to propel the seeds as far away as

possible. This can make collecting

seed frustrating, as the timing

in some situations needs to be

just right – collect too early and the

seed won’t be ripe, collect a second

too late and the capsule has burst

and hurled its contents to the wind.

The other method is to collect the seed and

sow it yourself – either in pots to plant out later, or in

situ. Labour intensive, but keeps you in charge of the

show. A few very basic pieces of equipment are needed;

paper bags or envelopes, a pen for labelling, kitchen paper

Beautiful Biennials

Foxgloves (Digitalis) – graceful

tall spires, very useful for shady

positions. The native foxglove

is usually mauve-pink, there

is also a beautiful white form,

Digitalis alba and cultivars

in shades of apricot, pink,

mauve and cream. Some are

short-lived perennials and will

last longer than two years.

Forget-me-nots (Mysotis) – a

froth of tiny blue flowers – they

will spread all over your garden

if you let them. Looking pretty

under tulips, forget-me-nots

will provide a veil to cover their

foliage. Pull up after flowering

and to thin out if they are

swamping other plants.

Wallflowers (Erysimum) –

another good spring companion

for bulbs. Available in lots

of colours, wallflowers are

spicily scented. Sow them

yourself, or buy as bedding and

plant out in the autumn.

Sweet William (Dianthus

barbatus) – related to pinks, these

often gave charming bi-coloured

flowers with frilled edges

Brompton stocks (Matthiola

incana) – highly scented

spires of flowers in pastel

shades, these can be biennial

or short-lived perennials.

They will need a sheltered

site and winter protection.

Honesty (Lunaria annua) –

these pop up in purple sort white

and are useful for their pale and

delicate papery seed-heads too.

for drying, a sieve or sheet of paper for separating seeds

from the pod – and a nice dry, windless collecting day.

Biennials are hardy plants and are sown in late spring

to midsummer – you can sow the seed into a pot or seed

tray, or directly into the ground. I often find a bit of

space in the veg patch and sow a few rows of foxgloves,

Sweet Williams or wallflowers into a sort of nursery

bed. Once the seedlings emerge, thin them out to give

each one a bit more room to grow. In the autumn they

can be carefully lifted and transplanted to the place

where they will flower in the following spring.

Packed with nectar

I would happily grow biennials for their sheer charm, but

they are very good for wildlife too. Biennials are brim full

of nectar – they are insect pollinated and their only job is

to set seed as soon as they can, so they make it as easy as

they can for the insects – many are scented to lure in a wide

range of creatures including night pollinators such as moths

and beetles. Flowers like foxgloves even advertise the route

to their nectaries with little bee landing strips – often in the

ultra-violet end of the spectrum and not always visible to

us, but look closely and you will see the speckled insides of

the tubular flower is in definite rows leading deeper inside.

Biennials appear just as insect numbers are building up and

this coincides with the main bird nesting season. Give the

insects plenty of nectar and you will also be feeding the birds.

Cool and serene, Digitalis alba, the white foxglove

For details of Jo’s gardening courses visit

hornbrookmanor.co.uk or contact Jo on 01233 861149

115 priceless-magazines.com

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This week I managed to book myself into two

Zoom lectures at the same time. I’ve obviously

been at home too long. But the one that was so

special came from the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve’s Barry

Yates. He talked about all manner of flora and fauna to be

found down at the Reserve: 4,355 different species, 300

of which are very rare. This tally included 508 flowering

plants, 144 different lichens and 34 fungi. I talked about

Viper’s bugloss in relation to shingle gardens last month

but what I didn’t mention, because I didn’t know, is that

these plants are home to four of the rarest insects on

the Reserve. Three micro moths and a weevil! He spoke

of plants with wonderful names, among them the tiny

Common whitlowgrass, and Coltsfoot which was and

is used to treat all manner of respiratory conditions.

The Woodland Trust has a database called Nature’s

Calendar where they ask for sightings of Coltsfoot

(sometimes known as horsehoof or ‘the son before the

father’ in that their cheery bright yellow daisy-like flowers

appear before the leaves). They are using the information

provided by the public to gauge the effect of climate

change but haven’t yet resolved whether this plant is

flowering earlier as our springs warm up (yes, really!) or

whether they are appearing later as a result of the previous

autumn’s temperatures. They can begin flowering as early

as February but this year, surely, that must be doubtful.

One of the other plants he mentioned is Danish scurvy

grass which is effectively a seaside plant as it thrives in

salty conditions. Hence being spotted at Rye Harbour.

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FenceHubWT227.indd 1 10/03/2021 21:33

116

From left: Cowslip Primula veris;

Lady’s bedstraw Galium verum, Common

knapweed Centaurea nigra and ox eye daisies

Leucanthemum vulgare; Cowslip in situ;

Snakeshead fritillary Fritillaria meleagris

Let’s go Wild!

Sue Whigham takes a look at the charity Plantlife’s initiatives to study the nation’s wildflowers

istockphoto.com/emer1940

Interestingly, the plant has started moving inland due to

the salting and gritting of some our roads and can now be

found in profusion on the side of motorways. Believe it or

not, the turbulence caused by fast traffic is useful in that

the seeds are spread far and wide as a result. As the name

implies, the leaves of scurvy grass are full of Vitamin C and

were eaten by sailors between journeys to treat their scurvy.

Plantlife, a British conservation charity, celebrated its

30 th anniversary in 2019 and now owns nearly 4,500

acres of nature reserves across the UK where at least

80% of wild flowers can be found. Prince Charles is its

Patron and he instigated, with Plantlife, the Coronation

Meadows Initiative to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of

the Queen’s Coronation. And as a result of this project,

over a thousand acres of new meadows have been created

over the UK. Children were involved in the sowing of

the wildflower meadow in Green Park, London. What

a project for them to be part of. Maybe this will go

some way to improving on the lamentable fact that we

have lost 97% of our meadows since the Thirties.

The charity owns a large reserve up near Rochester on

the North Downs called Ranscombe Farm and it’s best

known for its arable cornfield flora which of course with

years of heavy use of chemicals and constant ploughing

have been struggling across the country. It seems that in

the late 19 th Century one of the most common plants there

was the tiny fine-leaved fumitory (Fumaria parviflora).

It disappeared but was found again in 2013 as its seeds

had laid dormant on the site for years. 2019 was a good

year for the plant but it disappeared again last year.

I’ve mentioned it because for the first time we’ve

found three plants, in flower, in the vegetable patch here

but there is just one problem and that is that a rather

pretty lady pheasant is sitting on a clutch of eggs in my

raised bed. We’re going to have to rig up a net over the

fumitory so we can collect seed later in the year rather

than let her brood lay them bare when they hatch.

The Spotter Sheets that Plantlife provide on their

website are really useful. (They also have a new App).

We’ve printed off April and May’s so far and their count

list gives 72 species to spot. Perfect for children (and us)

to find and perhaps learn something about. One spotted

in Brede High Woods this week was Greater Stitchwort;

one of its names being ‘pop-guns’ as later in the year its

ripe seeds explode noisily when they are ripe and go in

all directions! It is also a sign of an ancient hedgerow.

Last year the charity’s Every Flower Counts lawn survey

had participants finding over 600,000 individual wild

flowers in a total of 9,100 square metre patches of lawn.

This year they are launching No Mow May and Every

Flower Counts will be taking place at the end of May.

So I think it would be fun to mark out a square metre

of garden and see what comes up or leave parts or all

of your lawn to itself. It would save time, reduce your

carbon footprint and of course, save money. Maybe like

a friend in Benenden who gardens on green sand, lucky

thing, a lizard orchid might appear. She reports that

hers is on the way up now and I can’t wait to see it

117 priceless-magazines.com

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HarrierGatesS60.indd 1 20/09/2019 11:11

Lizard orchid

Himantoglossum

hircinum

Transform

Your

Outdoor

Space

Cuckoo flower

Cardamine pratensis

again. It is such an astonishingly beautiful plant.

Now that so many more people are ‘discovering’ the

countryside, and soon could perhaps visit some of the

restored meadows across the country, they will have the

chance to experience the sheer pleasure in seeing some

of these plants. There is a growing movement to create

meadows on both a large scale and in tiny domestic areas.

You’ll probably have heard about the mini-forests that are

being created; both on urban and suburban sites as well

as in the countryside. The same can be done with wild

flowers. If there is anything good that has come from the

pandemic it is that people have realised how much that is

joyful is on their doorsteps; bird song, wild flowers, trees…

and that they too can join this burgeoning movement of

‘meadow makers’. I was talking to a friend of mine about

my mother who remembered verges full of cowslips in

her childhood. We can get these memories back. Cowslips

self seed like mad so all you need is one plant and it will

do the rest! The same friend has childhood memories

of grasshoppers in their thousands in the countryside

as well as all manner of other insects and of course

these would have brought in birds like swallows and my

favourite, swifts. We can have this again and just think

of the benefits to our collective health and wellbeing.

Sue Whigham can be contacted on 07810 457948

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Marlborough 120 House School, Hawkhurst, Kent, TN18 4PY

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Mr Eddy Newton, Headmaster of Marlborough

House School, reminisces on his own school days

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What did you enjoy

most at school?

Maths, Latin and History, as well as all

sports – I was less good at the creative

subjects, but had a good logical mind,

a lot of energy and could run fast!

Who was your favourite

teacher and why?

Mr McDonnell, my Latin teacher.

He was known as Flash, as he had a

yellow sports car, was very cool and

had played rugby at a high level.

You only started as

Headmaster of Marlborough

House in September last

year, what are you hoping

to bring to the school?

A sense of energy and purpose, based

around 33 years’ experience in prep

schools. Marlborough House does

so many things well and I want

to celebrate that fact – we are also

launching a new commitment to ‘The

Great Outdoors’, including an outdoor

classroom, planting 200 trees and

setting up an Eco-Committee. I believe

that education is quite simple – high

standards in the classroom and a wealth

of opportunities outside in the form

of sport and other activities. I want

Marlborough House to be full of lively

but thoughtful children, who think

about others and give of their best.

Can you tell us about a

career highlight?

About 7 years ago, I spent a year

as Chairman of IAPS, the prep

school organisation. I led the Heads’

Conference that year and on the

opening day I spoke to the press,

introduced Sally Gunnell to the

stage, read a lesson in Westminster

Abbey and sat next to Terry Waite,

our guest speaker, at dinner. That’s a

day I’ll never forget. Oh, and getting

married and raising a family.

What do you think makes

Marlborough House special?

The attention to the individual

is outstanding. I know that lots

of schools claim that this is so,

but here it really is. The warmth

of the relationship between the

staff and the pupils is lovely.

If you could teach anyone

– either present day

or from history – who

would you choose?

I’m glad to be teaching children

now, as I think the combination of

academic and character education

is far superior to even a few years

ago. From the past, it would

have been fascinating to teach

Roger Bannister, obviously a great

runner but also a great medic and

individual, although I did teach

his grandchildren in the 1990s!

What are you looking forward

to this coming year?

A return to normality! It was so joyful

to welcome the children back in

March and we are optimistic that we

can offer almost everything, including

sports fixtures against other schools,

in the summer term. We also ran

a holiday club before Easter which

allowed the children to socialise with

each other in a relaxed environment.

It was very cheerful and rewarding.

marlboroughhouseschool.co.uk

121 priceless-magazines.com

What’s On in May

AUCTIONS

EXHIBITIONS

’

priceless-magazines.com

“The Shopping Event Of The Season”

garden.

GriffinTeachingWT226.indd 1 02/02/2021 18:23

ADLLearningWT228.indd 1 30/03/2021 11:17

Sun 30 May 2021 – Sun 13 June

Online

BAREFOOT OPERA

CONTEMPORARY

ART AUCTION

In association with Charleston

Farmhouse and Gorringe’s

Auctioneers, this online auction

will sell paintings, sculpture and

other artworks by more than twenty

established contemporary artists,

including a new bronze portrait of

Virginia Woolf. The online gallery

will be available from Saturday

1 May and bidding will be from

Sunday 30 May to Sunday 13 June

barefootopera.com / gorringes.co.uk

CREATIVE COURSES

Tues 18 May

Curious House, Gauntlets,

Battenhurst Road, Stonegate,

East Sussex TN5 7DU

PAPER SCULPTURE:

SU BLACKWELL

Work with old books to

create lifelike, delicate paper

bluebells and snowdrops, using

watercolours and paper sculpting

techniques developed by Su.

No experience necessary.

Entry: £95 plus £10 for materials

curioushouse.net

Weds 19 May

Curious House, Gauntlets,

Battenhurst Road, Stonegate,

East Sussex TN5 7DU

MODERN CALLIGRAPHY:

LUCY BERRIDGE

Learn modern calligraphy, the

art of beautiful handwriting.

Designed for complete beginners

or those wanting to refresh their

skills. This delightful course is all

about getting started and taking a

very relaxed approach to the art.

Entry: £95 plus £15 for materials

curioushouse.net

Tues 25 May

Curious House, Gauntlets,

Battenhurst Road, Stonegate,

East Sussex TN5 7DU

SCULPTING WITH

WIRE: JANE MCCALL

Inspired by Alexander Calder’s

“Drawing in Space”, create a

three-dimensional figure from

wire mounted on wood, that

will give the impression that

the subject is in motion.

Entry: £95 plus £15 for materials

curioushouse.net

Until Sun 16 May

The Lightbox, Chobham Road

Woking, Surrey, GU21 4AA

BRIDGET RILEY:

PLEASURES OF SIGHT

WOKING

Celebrating Bridget Riley’s 90th

birthday this year, this exhibition

will explore the artist’s love of sight

and how it surprises us. Delve into

the historical roots of Bridget Riley’s

art and working methods, through

a selection of exemplary works.

Examples will be drawn from each

decade – from the 1960s to the

present day – with oils, prints and

preparatory colour studies forming

a retrospective which will explore

the artist’s enduring exploration of

colour, structure and perception.

Entry: Day Pass £7.50, Lightbox

Members and Under 21s Free

thelightbox.org.uk

29 May 2021 – Sun 4 July

The Beaney House of Art and

Knowledge, 18 High St,

Canterbury CT1 2RA

SAINT THOMAS BECKET –

WORLD CELEBRITY HEALER

Part of a programme of events

developed by partners from

across the UK and a platform to

commemorate the remarkable life

and death of Thomas Becket. The

exhibition showcases loans from

The British Museum, The Arts

Council Collection, University of

Kent, Canterbury Cathedral and

Canterbury Museums & Gallery.

canterburymuseums.co.uk/the-beaney

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 or Surrey Homes for

only £15+VAT. Please supply up to 200

words that should include date, time,

venue, contact for enquiries and any

entry price to whatson@priceless-group.

com or send with payment (cheques

payable to Priceless Media Ltd.) to

What’s On, Priceless Media, Kettle

Chambers, 21 Stone Street, Cranbrook,

Kent TN17 3HF. Priceless Media

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+VAT. Deadline

for the June issue is 7 May 2021.

I N T E R I O R S

Coming Soon!

Wealden Times

Midsummer Fair

Thursday 1st – Sunday 4th July, 9am-4.30pm

Hole Park, Rolvenden TN17 4JB

“The Shopping Event of the Season”

Inside four large marquees and within the grounds you’ll

discover more than 200 hand-picked independent retailers

selling contemporary and vintage home and garden wares,

fashion, gifts and jewellery. Whilst outside the tents, you’ll

find products and plants to enhance your garden.

One of the real joys of this fair, is that almost without exception

you’ll meet the person who designed, sourced or bought everything

you see. Provenance, passion and exceptional product knowledge.

We love buying directly from the people who’ve put their heart

and soul into the item in our hand, and know you will too.

Food, Glorious Food

If you’re a foodie, culinary treats await from independent producers,

wine makers and brewers, offering fresh, local produce and cuisine

from all corners of the earth. Plan your visit with friends so that you

meet for breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea and enjoy freshly brewed

barista coffee, delicious street food or simply a glass of fizz. Tickets

are timed, so do make sure that you co-ordinate your entry times.

secondary Primary logo logo & pattern

clare langdon clare langdon clare langdon

I N T E R I O R S

secondary logo & pattern

clare langdon

Made to measure curtains, I N T E Rblinds I O R Sand soft furnishings

I N T E R I O R S

Showroom by appointment

clare langdon

I N T E R I O R S

clare langdon

ClareLangdonWT200.indd 1 12/09/2018 17:10

C = 20

C = 0

M = 15

M = 5

Y = 72 colour palette Y = 5

K = 5

K = 60

Clare Langdon business card 3 heavier font.indd 1 15/05/2018 21:49

Gotham Book

fonts

clare langdon

01580 712209

colour 01580 palette

clare@clarelangdoninteriors.co.uk

712209

clare@clarelangdoninteriors.co.uk

www.clarelangdoninteriors.co.uk

Association House, St David’s Bridge,

Association

Cranbrook,

House,

Kent,

St David’s

TN17 3HL

Bridge,

Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 3HL

Caleigh

I N T E R I O R S

fonts

- Family C = 20 Business C = 0 -

M = 15

M = 5

Gotham Book Caleigh

Y = 72

Y = 5

K = 5

K = 60

I N T E R I O R S

Wood Floor

Sanding

We also restore wooden kitchen tops

FREE estimates - call any time

07794953597 gerardgrover@gmail.com

Ibbett Mosely

AUCTIONEERS & VALUERS

Limited Liability Partnership

AllWoodsSandingServicesWT2171/8.indd 1 21/02/2020 12:55

The Auctioneer's Next Sale Will Be On

Wednesday 16th June 2021

Currently to be held online only at

easyliveauction.com/ibbettmosely at 11.00 a.m.

Viewing by appointment only, please contact us for more information.

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

Free Written Quotes • Fully Insured

IbbettMoselyWT228.indd 1 07/04/2021 14:20

Gorgeous Gardens

This year’s timed ticket includes entrance to the beautiful

gardens of Hole Park (normally £9.00). A tour of their

stunning grounds will inspire keen gardeners and provide a

wonderfully relaxing counterpoint to all that shopping!

Entry: £14 but quote WTF (Wealden Times Friends) for a special

discount. To book tickets please visit: wealdentimes-fair.co.uk

Office: 01580 713599

Mobile: 07856 947840

www.the-wrightway.com

123 priceless-magazines.com

WrightWayPainters&DecoratorsWT227.indd 1 08/03/2021 13:09

Slow,

Grow, Eat

Hairdresser-turned-shepherdess, Zoë Colville farms

nearly 100 acres of land near Maidstone with her

partner, Chris Woodhead. With prime focus on

their animals’ wellbeing, together they rear cows,

sheep, goats and pigs, eventually selling their meat

through The Little Farm Fridge. This month,

Zoe reflects on misconceptions surrounding

lamb and why education is so important

Before we kept livestock I’d never seen a dead animal,

except a fox on the side of the road maybe. I never

even saw our cats Winston and Xenon after their

demise either. Add that I was a vegetarian for almost ten

years before meeting Chris, the fact that we now run

a little butcher’s shop off the farm is pretty crazy!

This often has me wondering about the general public

and their knowledge of the meat they are eating, and

how much education is truly needed. There have been

a fair few situations where I’ve had conversations with

people and found myself thinking, “How do you

not know that?” And then reminding myself that I wouldn’t

have known either. Unless you actively go looking for that

information, it’s not just fed to you like other topics. I

believe schools are the answer; schools and social media.

During lockdown last year we had a couple and their dog

watch us load the newborn lambs onto the top deck of the

trailer and the ewes on the bottom, the lovely lady asked,

“Oh no they aren’t off to slaughter are they?” And Chris and

I looked at each other thinking it was a windup. But she was

very serious, I can see how calling it ‘lamb’ can be confusing.

Little do most people know that the animals look more like

ewes than they do lambs when they are sent to the abattoir.

Some will be a heavier carcass than me, that’s a far cry from

the cute little thing hopping all over the field at sunset. Most

of our lambs will go for meat when they are 6-7 months and

older. They will be weaned naturally by their mother before

this age and are on average 40kg as a minimum weight. I

hope this can go some way to help clear up the misconception

that they are babies separated from their mothers.

I have lots of people asking if I receive a lot of abuse on

my social media from activists and in actual fact it’s quite the

opposite. I did a poll and 15% of my followers choose to not eat

meat, yet actively follow us, often engaging in conversation and

that is a huge compliment to how we care for our livestock. I

think there aren’t many things I can’t show on Instagram, as long

as you explain in detail what’s happened and – most importantly

– why. Anything can be taken out of context, an image, a

comment, a video, but I am of the mindset that if you are clear

and matter-of-fact about the explanation it will limit any kind

of miscommunication and leaves very little room for confusion.

The Little Farm Fridge Recipe of the month

How to cook it... Beef Shin

Try this super-simple Mexican-inspired stew

• Serves 4

• 1 pack Little Farm Fridge

Beef Shin

• 1 sachet taco seasoning mix

• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes

Follow Zoe on Instagram @thechiefshepherdess

and @thelittlefarmfridge. You can order

meat online at thelittlefarmfridge.co.uk

• 1 organic beef stock cube

• salt & pepper

• honey – I do 2 drizzles!

Sear the shin in oil and the seasoning and then pop

it in a slow cooker with the remaining ingredients for

the day! Serve with fluffy rice, finely chopped chillies

and coriander – maybe even a little soured cream.

istockphoto.com/andreusK

Dream Big,

Shine Brighter

An incredibly nurturing day and flexi-boarding

school inspiring 3-13 year old boys and girls

to fulfil their extraordinary potential.

dulwichprepcranbrook.org

Open Week

17th - 21st May

Shortlisted

Creativity award

Student Wellbeing

dulwichprepcranbrook.org

JOHN SANKEY

S AY E R S L A N E • T E NTE RDE N • 015 8 0 7610 0 8

Wealden Times | WT228 | May 2021 | Restoration & New Build supplement inside

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