Wealden Times | WT250 | March 2023

KITCHEN & BATHROOM SUPPLEMENT inside 

Inspirational Interiors • Fabulous Fashion • Delicious Dishes 

PRICELESS 

MARCH 2023

Designing and handcrafting kitchens since 1994 

MINTERIORS 

JMade in Biddenden by a family business

jminteriorsuk.uk 

Please email or call to make a showroom appointment 

info@jminteriorsuk.uk 01580 291221

9 – 12 MARCH 

Battersea Park, London 

Contemporary art from over 100 galleries 

Book your tickets at 

affordableartfair.com 

Free Shuttle Bus from Sloane Square 

E XPR E S S 

YO U RS E LF 

WITH ART 

Antique Profiles XI, collage by Clare Packer 

£330, Kittoe Contemporary Limited

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE 

Fall in love 

with art this spring 

Enjoy the perfect art filled day out this spring as London’s 

Affordable Art Fair returns to Battersea Park from 9 – 12 March 

Affordable Art Fair is home 

to over 100 exhibiting 

galleries all under one 

roof, bringing together an 

unparalleled selection of emerging and 

established contemporary artists from 

across the UK and around the world. 

Immerse yourself in 1,000s of pieces 

in all styles and genres, from original 

painting and sculpture to printmaking 

and photography – there’s a host of 

brand new art waiting to be discovered. 

Other highlights include a large-scale 

mural which will be created live across 

the week of the Fair by Margate based 

artist David Shillinglaw, and curated 

edits of the best art under £500. 

Soak in all the fun of the fair after 

hours at the Art After Dark Late 

(Friday 10 March) or bring the whole 

family for an inspiring day out on 

the weekend. There are delightful 

bars and eateries to help keep you 

refreshed and refueled, including delicious 

gin from the Silent Pool Distillery 

– the fair’s official Spirit Partner. 

Whether you’re an art afficionado, looking 

to buy your first piece, or freshen up your 

home this spring, Affordable Art Fair is the 

perfect destination to fall in love with art. 

9 – 12 March, Battersea Park 

Evolution London, SW11 4NJ 

Tickets from £10 - £27 

For more information and to book, 

visit Affordableartfair.com 

With the Fair’s preview coinciding with 

International Women’s Day (8 March), 

look out for an exciting exhibition of 

work by female identifying artists from 

the Affordable Art Fair community 

exploring unique and powerful stories.

PHASE 3 NOW RESERVING 

Visit: www.jarvishomes.com 

for full details of the homes 

l 4 and 5 bed luxury houses 

l Prices from £559,000 to £835,000 

l Over 50% sold 

l Stunning open plan kitchen/dining 

l Idyllic ‘hamlet’setting 

with large plots 

l Traditionally built 

brick and block 

l 10 minutes 

from Ashford 

International 

STAMP DUTY 

DEALS AVAILABLE 

Call now for details 

(Terms and Conditions apply) 

sales@jarvishomes.com 01233 630999 

jarvishomes.com 

Our offi ces are in 

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www.kingsfords-solicitors.com 

JarvisNewHomesWT248.indd 1 16/12/2022 16:18 

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Kingsfords Solicitors Limited registered offi ce address 2 Elwick Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 1PD 

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We will 

always try 

& match any 

quotation 

priceless-magazines.com 

4 

KingsfordSolicitorsWT238.indd 1 03/02/2022 15:24

Contents 

March 2023 

24 

70 

48 

10 

19 

23 

24 

41 

42 

48 

63 

HOUSE OF THE MONTH 

Dream homes on the market 

NOTEBOOK 

March events for your diary 

THE MUST LIST 

Keep up-to-date with the latest 

must-see and must-have goodies 

IT’S A COLOURFUL LIFE 

Bedrooms take centre stage in this 

interior designer’s rich-toned haven 

GET THE LOOK 

Get involved with pattern, 

inspired by Evie 

UK STAYS 

Cut down on air miles with our 

pick of holidays closer to home 

BOYS OWN ADVENTURE 

Take a guided tour of Boys Hall 

after its extensive refurbishment 

GET THE LOOK 

Opt for luxe velvets and warm 

woods for a polished finish 

67 

71 

70 

78 

81 

83 

SUPER GREENS 

Shop fashion with 

a spring zing 

HIDE & CHIC 

Rebecca Cuffe compiles 

perfectly polished 

leathers and metallics 

EASY SPRING 

ENTERTAINING 

Charlotte Butterworth 

crafts a menu for a dinner 

party with friends 

PREENED & POLISHED 

Keep your hands and nails 

in tip-top condition with 

Jo Fairley’s expert tips 

HIGH FLYERS 

Sarah Maxwell tries 

out aerial fitness 

NOURISH TO FLOURISH 

Pack in the veg with 

Charlotte Lau 

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

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

Visit priceless-group.com Copyright © 2023 Priceless Media Ltd. The views of the 

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

85 

88 

93 

95 

96 

VERTICAL GARDENING 

The sky’s the limit when it 

comes to a garden’s air space 

THE GLASSHOUSE PROJECT 

Sue Whigham explores a 

fascinating social enterprise that 

harnesses horticultural skills 

MINDS MATTER 

New Beacon champions better 

mental health for pupils 

WHAT’S ON? 

Find out 

FABLES FROM THE FARM 

Jane Howard’s hens hatch a 

welcome spring surprise 

KITCHEN & 

BATHROOM 

SUPPLEMENT 

24 pages of the 

latest trends and 

where to shop them. 

After page 64. 

5

Editor’s 

Letter 

How many times have you wandered into a new friend 

or acquaintance’s home to find yourself surrounded 

by the most enviably beautiful kitchen? Now’s the 

time to make your own space stand out with our run-down 

of the most gorgeous designs to inspire and inform your 

kitchen project. And if you’re feeling extra productive, why 

not tackle the bathroom, too? From golden highlights to the 

prettiest powder rooms, we’ve got the most desirable trends 

wrapped up in our Kitchen & Bathroom Supplement. 

When it comes to updating your look for spring, then 

turn to this month’s fashion pages where we’ve teamed 

warm, tactile leathers with statement metallics for a fresh 

seasonal look. And if bold colour is something you’d love 

to embrace, see how our homeowners have incorporated 

rich hues in their interior schemes, combining pattern and 

texture with carefully selected navies, pinks and greens. 

We loved demolishing this month’s recipes created by Charlotte 

Butterworth. Be sure to give her easy entertaining dishes a go 

from page 70 – believe me, they’re so delicious! In health and 

beauty news this month, makeup aficionado Jo Fairley goes on 

a quest for the ultimate manicure and Charlotte Lau emphasises 

the power of a plant-rich diet, whilst Sarah Maxwell has some 

fun with aerial fitness and reports back to us with her findings. 

As the garden starts bursting back into life, Jo Arnell is on 

hand with her tips for making the most of the ground – and 

air – that makes up your outdoor space by exploring the 

possibilities of vertical planting. And Sue Whigham finds out 

about a horticultural project that is providing prison inmates 

with qualifications to help them rebuild their lives after release. 

Thomas 

Mansfield 

Thomas 

Mansfield 

Thomas 

Mansfield 

The Family Law Solicitors 

The Family Law Solicitors 

WILL YOUR 

The ARE DIVORCE 

Family The Family Law YOU Solicitors Law 

COST GOING Solicitors 

THROUGH A SEPARATION? 

YOU EVERYTHING? 

ARE ARE YOU YOU GOING GOING 

THROUGH A SEPARATION? 

A When it comes to the breakdown of a 

relationship, seeking specialist advice on 

the financial arrangements is crucial. 

Getting specialist advice at the 

right time is crucial. 

At Thomas Mansfield, we have a team of 

Getting Getting specialist specialist advice advice at the at the 

At experienced Thomas Mansfield, lawyers ready to help you 

right we time have right is time an crucial. experienced 

is crucial. 

team of family lawyers achieve ready the to right help outcome. you achieve 

At Thomas At Thomas Mansfield, Mansfield, we have we an have experienced the an right experienced outcome. 

team of team family of family lawyers lawyers ready ready to help to you help achieve you achieve 

the right the outcome. right outcome. 

Finances Collaborative Children Finances Collaborative Children Mediation Agreement Court Litigation 

We We are are with with you you every every step step of the of the way way 

Collaborative Collaborative Finances Finances Children Children Agreement Agreement Litigation Litigation 

We are We with are with you every you every step step of the of way the way 

Enjoy your Wealden Times! 

Wealden Times & Surrey Homes Team 

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

Supplements & Features Editor ...................................................Rebecca Cuffe 

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

Sales Managers ..............................................................................Rachel Norrie 

Lisa Gordon-Hughes 

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

Sarah Norwood 

Sub Editor/Features Writer ................................................................Emily Pavey 

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

Events Manager .............................................................................. Liz Copping 

Events Sales Director ......................................................................... Jude Brown 

Call us today on 




01892 337540 

01483 01483 01483 610499 

610499 

For more information visit our website: 


www.tmfamilylaw.co.uk 





GUILDFORD TUNBRIDGE GUILDFORD GUILDFORD WOKING WELLS WOKING WOKING WEYBRIDGE LONDON WEYBRIDGE ESHER SEVENOAKS LEATHERHEAD ESHER LEATHERHEAD TONBRIDGE FARNHAM FARNHAM BASINGSTOKE 

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

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

7 priceless-magazines.com 

ThomasMansfieldWT240- WEALD (Family Law).indd 1 06/04/2022 09:42

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BUILT ON REPUTATION & QUALITY 

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Ashford&CranbrookRoofingWT248.indd 1 30/11/2022 17:50

House 

Month 

of the 

£3,250,000 

Damien Pestell picks his favourite 

homes on the market 

Wadhurst 

The dream: A gorgeous 

Grade II listed farmhouse set 

in over 8 acres of gardens, 

grounds and pasture land. 

Enjoying stunning views over 

Bewl Water and surrounding 

farmland, the property also 

features a swimming pool, 

tennis court and gym. For those 

who enjoy the active life. 

Where: Just outside the 

historic market town of 

Wadhurst, in the heart of 

the High Weald AONB. 

Setting: Overlooking the largest 

reservoir in the South East. 

Beds: 5 Baths: 4 

Special features: The expansive 

kitchen/diner with vaulted 

ceiling features a gorgeous royal 

blue Aga and has beautiful 

views over the surrounding area. 

Pleasing details: The family 

room is a lovely place to 

snuggle up with a blanket. 

Outside: The ample 

grounds stretch to over 8 

acres and include several 

outhouses and a carport. 

Time to town: From 

Wadhurst station to London 

Bridge in 53 minutes. 

Agent: House Partnership 

01483 266700 

housepartnership.co.uk 


10

£950,000 

- £1,000,000 

Hooe 

The dream: A beautiful period home commanding 

delightful countryside views with original features 

such as high ceilings and sash windows which create 

a sense of spaciousness with an abundance of light. 

Where: On the edge of the ancient village 

of Hooe, just a few miles from the coast. 

Setting: Set back down an unadopted 

lane and private drive, the house is in 

an enviably secluded location. 


Special features: The spacious principal 

bedroom with vaulted ceiling and 

en suite wet room is a delight. 

Pleasing details: The very useful timberframed 

outbuilding could be used for a variety 

of purposes including a workshop, storage 

area or even additional accommodation. 

Outside: Gardens surround the house on 

three sides. At the front there’s a delightful 

raised terrace creating a wonderful place 

to sit and enjoy the views. There is also a 

greenhouse and a thriving vegetable patch. 

Time to town: From Polegate station, 9 miles 

away, to London Victoria in 1 hour and 15. 

Agent: Batcheller Monkhouse 

01424 775577 batchellermonkhouse.com 


£1,100,000 

The dream: A beautifully presented 

home recently renovated and extended 

by the current owners to create a 

unique and light-filled property. 

Where: Langton Green, popular 

with families and just a couple of 

miles outside Tunbridge Wells. 

Setting: Occupying a generous plot on 

a highly desirable residential road. 


Special features: The fabulous open plan kitchen/ 

diner is the real heart of this home and flows 

into the living room with its sleek woodburner. 

Pleasing details: The entrance hall is 

fabulous, flooded with light and setting 

the tone for the wonderful sense of space 

that is enjoyed throughout the house. 

Outside: The very secluded gardens have plenty 

of space for entertaining. To the rear is a garden 

studio, complete with kitchen area and bathroom. 

Time to town: From Tunbridge Wells station 3 

miles away to London Bridge in 44 minutes. 

Agent: Maddisons Residential 

01892 514100 maddisonsresidential.co.uk 

11 priceless-magazines.com

LAST CHANCE: ONLY ONE 4-BEDROOM NEW HOME LEFT 

The Grove, Old Station Road, Wadhurst, East Sussex, TN5 6TZ 

Call Batcheller Monkhouse on 01892 512020 

or email twells@batchellermonkhouse.com 

LEGAL 

COMPLETION 

We are delighted 

to have our first 

completion at 

The Grove development. 

Congratulations to our 

wonderful purchasers 

on your new home|


14

LAUNCH WEEKEND 

4TH - 5TH MARCH 

Nr Canterbury - Kent From £1,025,000 

A stunning development of just four brand new 5 bedroom homes in a popular village with contemporary barn style designs. 

Nearby access to Stelling Minnis 124 acres of rambling walks with pub. 

Grafty Green - Kent Guide price £1,275,000 

A former fruit farm situated in an elevated location 

with a lovely southerly aspect and views across the Weald of Kent. 

Period Farmhouse, cottage, building for conversion plus vineyard. 

In all about 4.45 acres 

Woodchurch, Nr Tenterden - Kent Guide price £895,000 

A distinctive newly constructed 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom contemporary 

detached home, designed to echo a traditional Kent Barn. 

In all just under an acre 

Estate Agents 

Ashford 01233 506260 | www.hobbsparker.co.uk | Tenterden 01580 766766

A NEW COMMUNITY OF 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 

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Hermitage Lane, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 9NT | 0333 321 8903 | hermitagepark@croudacehomes.co.uk

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PurplexMarketingWT250-WEALD.indd 1 15/02/2023 14:58 

Renovations & Alterations 

Barn Conversions & Developments 

ST 

CREATIVE DESIGN FOR 21 CENTURY LIVING 

We breathe new life into historic and listed buildings across Kent, Sussex & Surrey. 

www.jamesclague.co.uk 01227 649073 

Listed & Historic Buildings 

Feasibility & Concept Design Planning & Listed Building Consent Applications Technical Design Building Control Applications 

Construction 


JamesClagueArchitectsWT249.indd 1 19/01/2023 11:38

Be Yourself 

at Claremont 

...unless you’re being someone else 

Open House Week 

Monday 13 - Saturday 18 March 

Nursery & Prep School 

St Leonards, East Sussex TN37 7PW 

01424 751555 

Senior School & Sixth Form 

Bodiam, East Sussex TN32 5UJ 

01580 830396 

To register for Open House Week or book a tour, 

visit the events page claremontschool.co.uk/events 

admissions@claremontschool.co.uk

Notebook 

What to do and see near you this month 

All that Jazz 

istockphoto.com/Maya23K / petrenkod 

Prints & the Paper 

We love to celebrate local artists’ work along with traditional crafts. 

So we’re very happy to hear that The Landmark Arts Centre, 

Teddington, is launching a new biennial printmaking festival 

that will champion the art of hand-printmaking, artists’ 

books and papermaking. The inaugural fair will include a 

whole programme of talks, classes and demonstrations 

alongside special exhibits and over 50 stands of artists 

selling their work directly to visitors. This is a fantastic 

opportunity to learn about the processes involved and 

to see a wide variety of artworks. Among the artists 

you’ll find Lizzie Brewer, a conceptual artist, who has 

been invited to show her artists’ book “10 Meters 

of Mycelium” never before exhibited in its entirety, 

due to the scale of the work. Also exhibiting her 

incredible prints for the first time at the Landmark, 

is Shokoufeh Fallah, winner of the East London 

Printmakers Bursary Award in 2022. 

The artwork above is by Jocelyn Horsfall. 

landmarkartscentre.org/paper-ink-print-festival-2023/ 

Have you heard about the spectacular 

new performing arts venue – Hemsted 

Park? Set in the beautiful grounds 

of Benenden School it incorporates 

Centenary Hall, one of the foremost 

concert halls in the South East. 

The collection of spaces really has 

to be seen to be believed, we highly 

recommend a visit. The debut season 

looks super-exciting so take your 

pick from the line up, which includes 

the BBC Swing Band, comedianquizzer 

Paul Sinha and the London 

Film Music Orchestra. Saturday 22 

April sees world-famous jazz club 

Ronnie Scott’s All Stars present The 

Ronnie Scott’s Story with not-tobe-missed 

live jazz, narration and 

archive photos and footage. Find 

out more and book tickets at 

hempstedpark.com 

Good Eggs 

A floral fiesta of 

daffodils, irises and anemones 

(to name but a few) will herald 

the arrival of spring at National 

Trust’s Polesden Lacey with nearly 

200,000 planted. And on March 25 

this year’s Easter adventure trail will start 

(including responsibly sourced chocolate, 

vegan or free from egg). Get your family 

running wild through time, journeying back 

to when wolves and lynx roamed free. Plus 

there’s the new natural play area to check 

out, views across the rolling Surrey Hills 

and acres of countryside and grounds to 

explore. nationaltrust.org.uk 


Notebook 

Raise a Glass Celebrate Mother’s 

Day in style with a bubbly Afternoon Tea at Balfour Winery. 

Enjoy beautifully presented sandwiches, scones and cakes, 

alongside a glass of sparkling Balfour Wine. Make the most of 

your visit by enjoying a self-guided stroll through the beautiful 

400 acre estate, vineyards and ancient oak woodlands. On 18 

and 19 March from 1pm for £45 per person. balfourwinery.com 

Flower Power 

Blooming Green – near 

Maidstone – are offering two 

workshops the day before Mother’s 

Day at their idyllic HQ, both for aspiring 

florists and growers. A Hand-Tied Posy 

workshop, for those who love working and 

creating with seasonal British flowers, as well as a 

Grow Your Own Cut Flowers Workshop – Awesome 

Annuals, for anyone with green fingers and a love 

of growing. Either workshop offers the perfect 

opportunity to spend quality time with your 

mum – as well as goodies to take home. 

Hand-tied Posy Workshop: £65 and 

Grow your Own Cut Flowers £90. 

bloominggreenflowers.co.uk 

Of Course! An ideal treat for your 

mum or any special person in your life – a nurturing day at 

Curious House. They’ll be well looked after whilst exploring 

their creativity on one of the many courses that range from 

willow weaving and poetry writing to painting and stitching, 

plus many more. Even better, book two places and spend 

some precious time creating together – think of it as a Creative 

Spa Day. Courses run in two wonderful venues on the Kent 

and Sussex borders, The Bell in Ticehurst and Birchwood in 

Flimwell. You can book specific courses or buy a voucher for 

mum or your special someone to make their own choice. For 

dates and course costs see curioushouse.net 

NOT SO LONELY GOATHERD 

Do you know someone who dreams of becoming the G.O.A.T. 

at goat care? The wonderful people at Buttercups Sanctuary 

for Goats are running a goat husbandry workshop on 6 April 

(along with other dates later in the year). You’ll learn all you 

need to know to care for these entertaining creatures and 

could go on to foster for the sanctuary. Buttercups is the only 

registered goat charity in the UK and set in scenic parkland 

a few miles south of Maidstone. Well worth a visit. Find out 

about their open days and the workshop fees and details at 

buttercups.org.uk 


20

Seasonal 

Ethical 

Exceptional 

Matilda Delves Photography - www.matildadelvesweddingphotography.com 

bloominggreenflowers.co.uk 

bloominggreen 

blooming-green-90x130-2023.indd BloomingGreenWT250.indd 1 1 11/01/2023 01/02/2023 RoseberysWT250.indd 18:55 16:47 

1 15/02/2023 12:11 

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With Crufts coming up, now is the 

pawfect time to show our dogs some 

love! Make yours feel like a pampered 

pooch with Barbour’s range of dog 

accessories – this teddy fleece jumper 

for £29.95 is utterly cuddly and great 

for keeping out the last of the winter 

chill in style. barbour.com 

must 

The 

From must-sees to must-buys and 

must-dos, don’t miss this month’s 

round up of what to buy, see, do, 

and generally get excited about! 

Red Nose Day is back on 17th 

March, and whether you’re out 

fundraising or donating from home, 

the new Mr Men and Little Miss 

TShirts are an adorable choice of 

attire. This one is just £12.99 and at 

least £5 goes to help children in the 

UK and around the world. Order 

yours at comicrelief.com 

There’s a new shop in town. That town being 

picturesque Rye, and that shop being the 

equally charming Ferry Road Store. Stocking 

fashion, homeware and lifestyle brands including 

Fenwick & Tilbrook, Made by Lottie Day and Liv 

Thurwell, it’s a lovely spot to pop in and browse 

if you’re looking for a Mother’s Day gift (or a little 

treat for yourself). ferryroadstore.com 

Water Lane in Hawkhurst is the place to 

do lunch this month. It’s a walled garden 

with a vinery and Victorian glasshouses 

that are used for dining throughout the 

winter – English countryside scenery at 

its most charming. And in a new twist, 

they have launched a series of set lunch 

menus inspired by food writers and 

cooks including Simon Hopkinson and 

Joyce Molyneux. Wednesday to Sunday, 

12-3pm, you can get two courses for £27 

or three for £32. Book at waterlane.net 

Emma Dodi’s macarons are almost 

too beautiful to eat... almost. They are 

handmade and painted in London and 

make a lovely gift. These Mother’s Day 

treats come in rose, strawberries and 

cream, and passion fruit ganache flavours 

and are £32 for 6, but if that doesn’t 

tickle your fancy there are loads of other 

options. You could try chocolate hazelnut, 

salted caramel, vanilla, or something more 

adventurous like matcha tea or white 

truffle. emmadodicakes.com 

For gardeners looking 

forward to spring, 

these sunflower seeds are 

sunny and joyful for all the family to 

enjoy planting from March to May. Inspired by 

Nymans in West Sussex, they are a produced in 

a collaboration between National Trust and Blue 

Diamond which also features inspiration from 

other wonderful gardens across the country. They 

only cost £1.99, and at least 10% of that will help 

the work of the National Trust. bluediamond.gg 

Whether you’re looking 

for a Mother’s Day 

pressie or something 

to pamper another 

woman in your life (yourself?) 

for International Women’s 

Day, NoLoGo-Chic’s handprinted 

kimono robes make 

for a stylish and sumptuously 

soft dressing gown for the 

warmer months. This one is 

just £69 at nologo-chic.co.uk 

One thing we must have to enjoy our gardens now the sun is back, and 

spring is approaching, is a good cosy outdoor couch. This Hampstead 

modular option from Bridgman is classic enough to be stylish year after 

year, easily styled up with some accessories, and customisable to fit your 

space. This set is currently discounted too – just £3,779 (down from 

£6,299) including the matching table. bridgman.co.uk 



24

It’s a Colourful Life 

Words: Damien Pestell Photographs: David Merewether 

Bedroom designer Evelyn 

M Lindley describes her 

journey to realise her creative 

passion, sharing how she 

incorporates playful colour 

into her dark-toned interiors 


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Previous pages: The teal and turquoise living area has been papered in Cole & Son’s Palm Jungle. Evie freshened up the pre-loved sofas with some 

new covers. The leopard print footstool came from Cult Furniture Above: At the other end of the room, a walnut drinks cabinet takes centre stage 

I 

did something quite exciting recently, well I thought 

it was exciting. I did my first ever Zoom interview. 

I felt I’d missed out over the last few years, at least 

in a professional capacity. Watching on enviously from 

the sidelines, as it seemed the entire world migrated their 

working lives online. Of course, I’d heard the murmurs 

of discontent – ‘Yet another Zoom call’ – but everything 

is novel the first time you do it and I was finally getting 

to see this brave new world with my own eyes. I was 

about to join the party albeit unfashionably late. 

The call in question was with Evelyn M Lindley – Evie 

for short – a talented young interior designer who had 

recently completed the renovation of her three bedroom 

home in Sittingbourne. Evie describes her style as gothic 

vintage romance, which (while a bit of a mouthful) is 

certainly not going to go unnoticed. Looking through 

photos of Evie’s house before our meeting, I was struck by 

how different it is to others I have visited. A quick look 

at her website revealed another unexpected discovery. Her 

primary focus is on bedroom design and the importance 

of these spaces in childhood and relationship development. 

I’m a big fan of people doing things differently and admire 

anyone undeterred by the status quo. So I was looking 

forward to talking to her about how her work has emerged. 

It was time for our Zoom call and I felt fully prepared 

as I logged on to my new laptop. My joy was short- 


Above left: Gilding features in most rooms of the house, a skill that Evie has been perfecting as she continues her 

interiors journey Above right: A mirror and glass cabinet houses a collection of American toy cars 

lived, however, and delight quickly turned to alarm as 

my computer informed me the camera and microphone 

weren’t detected. After much faffing I reverted to 

plan B and used my phone. As we started the call I 

thought to myself how not that much has changed. 

Before we began looking at the house, I wanted to 

ask Evie what felt like the most pressing question – 

“Why bedrooms?” I probed curiously. “They’ve always 

been the most important room to me,” she explained. 

“When I was younger money was tight, so I didn’t have 

my own room. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I 

got a room of my own and it was the place where I 

learnt about myself and found out who I am. I did 

everything there, I dressed up, I did photography, 

wrote poetry and designed things, like clothes.” 

Not only is the bedroom an important room to 

Evie, she also works with them from a therapeutic 

perspective. “Bedrooms are the spaces where people 

discover who they are as children, but as adults it can 

become a space for two people instead of one. It’s a space 

that can be used to bring two people closer together, 

created by both, which contains all their creative and 

restorative needs.” Grasping the concept, I summarised 

– “OK, so it’s like a cross between interior design and 

couples therapy?” – “Yes, that’s it!” she confirmed. 

Evie has always been a creative person, as a child she 

would spend lots of time being inventive in different 

ways. It led her to designing clothes, writing poetry 

and eventually interior design. “When I was 15 my 

mum told me we could decorate our rooms however we 

wanted and it sparked something in me,” she says. 

Evie left school knowing she wanted to use her creativity 

in her work: “I knew what I wanted to do, but when I left 

school my family told me I would never make any money 

out of being creative, so I went down a more businessy 

route instead.” Over the next few years Evie did everything 

but be creative, taking jobs as varied as a taxi driver to an 

embalmer. She was unfulfilled –“I was just so unhappy and 

it made me really low.” During lockdown she had time to 

think about her situation and decided to do something 

about it, enrolling on a course in interior design. 

Evie loved the course and passed with flying colours. 

“What I really learnt is that I knew it already,” she says and 

started to put what she’d realised into practice. Working 

on projects for friends and families, she transformed 

their homes and, of course, their bedrooms, honing her 

style and understanding of what it meant to her. The 

Sittingbourne house has been the biggest project so far, 


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Above left: The pink hallway, papered in Happy Hills by Rebel Walls, is a pleasing contrast to the deep grey and teal walls of the 

sitting room Above right: Beneath the gallery wall, the bannisters and floorboards are painted in Burlington Arcade by Mylands 

re-imagining the bland and rather characterless interior to 

create a brilliant expression of Evie’s personality: “When 

we first got the house it was just magnolia everything!” 

Of course, there was only one place for us to begin, so 

we started with the two guest bedrooms. The first room 

is the darker of the two, which Evie describes as the 

dark floral room. The walls are painted 

dark holly green from Zinsser, while the 

ceiling is a contrasting lilac from Lick, 

separated by a gold trim. The inspiration 

for the room was a pair of dark floral 

curtains. I asked Evie if she always started 

with something that inspired her. She 

explained, “Yes, I like to find something 

I love and decorate from there.” 

Looking around the room Evie shows 

me some personal items which she has 

integrated into the room. A dresser, which 

belonged to her Nan who sadly passed away, has been 

lovingly upcycled with a set of pine shelves and painted to 

match the walls. Evie explains, “It helps give a sense of space 

and depth to the room.” The centrepiece of the room is a 

striking lampshade from Fringe Handcrafted Lampshades. 

On another wall there’s a large pink kimono displayed 

“The hallway is 

the best place to 

make a dramatic 

impression. You want 

people to say wow, 

but it’s not necessary 

that they like it” 

in the traditional way from Belle Empire in Tunbridge 

Wells. “I’ve always loved kimonos, they were a way of 

expressing myself when I didn’t have any confidence.” 

Evie loves pink and outside the bedroom there is lots 

more, this time it’s a striking gallery area. She explains the 

bold approach, “The hallway is the best place to make a 

dramatic impression. You want people to 

say wow, but it’s not necessary that they 

like it.” The photogenic landing area is 

the main thoroughfare of the house and 

certainly catches the attention. The gallery 

wall is bedecked with a mixture of framed 

prints including lots of inspirational and 

uplifting quotes, a theme throughout the 

house. Evie explains, “As someone who 

has had mental health issues I find them 

really helpful, it reminds me that [when 

times are hard], it does get better.” The 

bannisters and floorboards are painted in Burlington 

Arcade by Mylands, a blue which offers a pleasing contrast 

to the pink, while the stair runners are a clever hack from 

eBay. They’re actually not stair runners per-se, but rugs 

which have been put together to create a runner, which 

Evie tacked and created herself. 

 


Above: The walls of the spare bedroom are painted a dark 

holly green from Zinsser, while the ceiling is a contrasting 

lilac from Lick, separated by a gold trim. A large pink 

kimono, from Belle Empire in Tunbridge Wells, continues 

the powder pink accents in this room Left: The landing 

“We got quoted £700 for stair runners, so I just bought 

three rugs for £28 and stitched them together instead.” 

From the landing we turn into a study which leads 

into the master bedroom which is a very ‘Evie’ peacock 

themed room. “I really love peacocks. It’s designed to 

be an enveloping experience which is comforting and 

warm, like a big hug,” she explains. The inspiration 

for the room this time is the headboard, beaded with 

peacock feathers and upholstered by Evie. The walls 

and ceiling are all painted deep blue spruce, a colour 

which really does feel like you’re being engulfed, but in 

a good way. It’s a deeply relaxing and soothing space. 

Gold is interspersed throughout the room helping to 

bring balance, picked out in the chandeliers and many 

smaller items, including a flamingo and cockatoo. 

Moving back into the study is a totally different 

experience to the first two rooms. Previously just a beige 

walk-through room, it’s been transformed into a bright 

and welcoming space. Original floorboards replace the 

dingy carpet and are painted mustard yellow, which is 

mirrored by the ceiling above. Blush pink walls bring 

some fun, while the cork board is a place for creativity to 

happen, filled with ideas and inspiration. Further items 


32

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34

Right: Evie has created the stair runners by 

stitching together three rugs that she bought 

for £28 each Below right: A second guest 

bedroom has a decidedly tropical theme 

with paper by Congo Geometric Wallpaper 

of note are the inventive upcycled cot 

side, which is used as a rack for Evie’s 

fabrics and the pink Mustard Made 

locker – one of a number of items Evie 

has won in competitions over the years. 

Struck by the use of colour in the 

house, I ask Evie if she has always 

loved bright colours. She explains, “I’ve 

actually always preferred dark tones. 

I’ve never really been comfortable 

using colour that much. But something 

changed when I did my course and 

it opened me up to all these shades 

which I had never used before.” 

Moving back into the landing we 

come into the final bedroom and 

the lighter of the two guest rooms, 

this time with a tropical theme. 

“I had a tropical bedroom in my 

last house and I really liked it, so I 

wanted to do it again, but this time 

on a bolder scale.” An upcycled chest 

of drawers has been given a new 

lease of life with some chalk paint 

and fabric to match the curtains. 

Moving downstairs we enter the 

lounge/cocktail room and it’s every 

bit as wonderful as upstairs. The 

walnut cocktail cabinet is the hub 

of the room, a place where Evie can 

occasionally be seen enjoying a piña 

colada or an espresso martini – she 

confesses, “I just love anything sweet.” 

Cole & Son’s wallpaper continues the 

tropical vibes, while the teal ceiling 

is a further homage to peacocks. 

Evie explains, “I love teal because it’s 

rich yet cosy, bright in the day and 

warming at night.” Going further into 

the room the living area is furnished 

with a striking leopard print footstool 

from Cult Furniture, while both sofas 

are second hand bargains freshened 

up with some new covers. Behind the 

sofas a wooden bureau from Evie’s 

last home has been given a new lease 

of life to match the decor of the new, 

this time it’s deep navy with gold leaf. 

Moving into the kitchen and the 

final room of the house, Evie has 

refreshed the existing units with 

colour, lots of colour. It’s bookended 


This page: The peacock themed master bedroom has 

been designed to be an enveloping experience which is 

comforting and warm, “like a big hug”. Gold accents are 

interspersed throughout the room helping to bring balance, 

picked out in the chandeliers and many smaller items 

with Jes Rose terrazzo vinyl, giving a lovely pink marble effect 

which works rather well. The colour scheme is the same as the 

hallway but with a different blue, which took some adjusting 

to. “I hated it initially,” she explains. “It took me hours to do 

and then when I finished I really wasn’t happy. But I let it settle 

and after a few days I got used to it – now I really love it.” 

Tour complete, Evie and I start to wrap up. I’m really 

impressed with what she has achieved. Her home is an 

experience for the senses. She has created some amazing 

spaces which really transport you into her world. She 

made a brave decision to follow her heart and be creative 

professionally, the result is that she has brought colour into 

her life and created a home which has launched what I’m 

sure will be a wonderful career. Her business is different and 

it feels like she may take her interior design in a new and 

interesting direction. Nurturing people through beautiful 

bedrooms and interiors matters to Evie and it feels like a 

valuable project which could make a real difference. These 

are the businesses that change the way we think and the 

way we do things. Who would have known that I would 

one day be interviewing someone on a screen and getting 

a tour of their house. Maybe soon we’ll all be improving 

our homes and relationships, all at the same time. 

 


36

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Above: Evie has combined pinks 

and yellows in the spacious study, 

where she compiles her moodboards 

Left: The kitchen island has been 

given a revamp with the application 

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Address Book: 

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Jes Rose jesrose.co.uk 

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Stay 1 

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Stays 

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No need for expensive 

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Stay 1: Heckfield Place 

Location: Hampshire 

Sleeps: Up to 4 per room 

Bedrooms: 45 options 

Bathrooms: En suites available 

Special Features: Arboretum, walled gardens, upper and lower lakes, the 

Glass House, the Moon Bar, the Little Bothy Spa, screening room 

Sitting grandly at the heart of a bountiful 438-acre estate in a 

secluded corner of Hampshire, Heckfield Place is a beautiful 

Georgian family home that has been lovingly restored to its origins. 

For dining, there are two signature restaurants. Both deeply 

connected to the surrounding landscape, they are supplied by the 

estate’s Market Garden and organic Home Farm. Once the estate 

stables, Hearth is a warm and inviting dining space with an outdoor 

courtyard and heartfelt classic meals. Meanwhile, the green-Michelinstarred 

Marle serves simple, pared-back dishes and has tranquil views 

across the woodland and lakes. 

To keep you amused there is The Assembly screening room showing 

movies, talks and workshops and The Little Bothy Spa by Wildsmith 

skincare, which will be joined in April 2023 by The Bothy. This 

new addition will offer outdoor hydrotherapies, healing thermal 

experiences, and a Sun Room, as well as a programme of journeys 

in the grounds including Woodland Movement, Forest Bathing and 

Cold Wild Water Immersion Therapy. 

heckfieldplace.com 

let ’s go to... THE COUNTRY 

Stay 2: Marrington Escapes 

Location: Shropshire 

Sleeps: 6-14 

Bedrooms: 3-7 

Bathrooms: 2-5 

Special Features: Secluded hot tubs, inglenook fireplaces, outdoor wood 

fire pits, lots of resident wildlife, nearby otters! 

A rural retreat nestled in acres of beautiful Shropshire countryside. 

From walking and fishing, to otter spotting and stargazing, this 

private estate offers a chance to reconnect with the great outdoors. 

You can get back to nature out in the Shropshire and Welsh hills, 

the National Trust’s Attingham Park and Carding Mill Valley, or the 

popular towns of Shrewsbury and Ludlow, which lie on its borders. 

On the Estate itself, the calming River Camlad winds its way through 

a landscape of spectacular vistas, valley crests and rolling hills. 

With two luxury farmhouses, barns, an ancient Mill and 16th 

century Hall, there is a range of accommodation options to suit any 

group and each cottage has its own history and personality. What 

they all share is a warm but luxurious aesthetic with period features, 

rich furnishings, roaring wood burners and secluded hot tubs – a 

great spot to cocoon yourself away from the hustle and bustle of 

everyday life. The accomodation is all self catering but you can hire 

a private chef through Marrington to really pull out all the stops if 

you’re planning on for a big occasion. 

marringtonescapes.com 


43

Stay 3: Horne’s Place Oast & Barn 

Location: Appledore, Kent 

Sleeps: 6 to 25 

Bedrooms: 3 to 10 

Bathrooms: 3 to 8 

Special Features: Hot tub, indoor swimming pool, open fire, pizza oven 

Horne’s Place Oast and Barn is a fantastic location for a family holiday or 

group getaway. It comprises three properties; the oast house itself (sleeps 

up to 16); the barn (sleeps up to 9) and the old church hall (sleeps up to 

9). It’s right next to the lovely Gusbourne vineyard, where you can visit 

for a tour, romantic picnic for two, or wine tasting experience. 

There’s also plenty on offer for all ages within the property’s outdoor 

spaces, including a large pond, spacious deck, children’s play area, 

barbecue, outdoor pizza oven, indoor heated swimming pool and hot 

tub (housed in a separate building), the Boat House games room and an 

outdoor hot tub. The facilities have been designed with families in mind 

so the pool house has locked doors and is a short walk away from the 

house and garden, the hot tubs have lockable covers and the pond 

area is fully fenced with padlocked gates. 

Originally used for drying hops, the converted oast house has 

been refurbished to a high standard. It has plenty of modern 

conveniences alongside older features like its inglenook fireplace 

and beamed ceilings for perfectly cosy time indoors once you’ve 

been exhausted by all the outside has to offer. 

hornesplaceoast.co.uk 

let ’s go to... 

THE VINEYARD 

Stay 4: Biddenden Vineyards 

Location: Biddenden, Kent 

Sleeps: 2 

Bedrooms: 1 

Bathrooms: 1 

Special Features: Wood-fired hot tub, that vineyard vista! 

Overlooking the vines of Biddenden Vineyards, this enchanting 

cottage offers a rural escape from everyday life that’s ideal for a 

romantic getaway. It has a cosy lounge/diner, compact kitchen, 

shower room and WC, and a quirky and snug king-sized sleeping 

area on the mezzanine accessed via a ladder. 

Outside, steps lead to a secluded garden with a wood-fired 

hot tub, patio table and chairs, BBQ and sun loungers – the 

perfect spot to relax after a busy day and enjoy watching the 

sunset over the vineyard with a glass of Ortega. 

istockphoto.com/ Astronaut Images 

There is plenty to do and see in this spectacular pocket of 

the South East. The Kent and East Sussex coastline just a 

short drive away, there are many footpaths to explore in the 

surrounding countryside, and historic Tenterden is nearby 

too, where you can go to browse independent shops, enjoy 

a delicious meal, or visit Bodiam Castle. Of course, there is 

also the award-winning Biddenden Vineyard. For those keen 

to sample the delights of English wine, you can try either a 

self-guided or private guided tour. 

holidaycottages.co.uk 


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46 

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istockphoto.com/ allou 

Stay 5: Waters Edge 

Location: Greatstone 

Sleeps: 15 

Bedrooms: 6 

Bathrooms: 7 

Special Features: Seaside views, direct access to beach, state-of-the-art 

kitchen, outdoor bar with bbq and pizza oven, cinema room 

Waters Edge is the one of the latest additions to Bloom Stays, 

the Kent specialist holiday letting agency based in Canterbury. 

Overlooking Greatstone beach, there’s access to the dunes from the 

garden via a little gate. There’s even a garden shower for after 

swimming warmth and washing children and dogs. 

Perhaps best of all – if you’re planning a seaside getaway with 

friends and family – is the oh-so-fancy kitchen with every gadget 

you could require down to two dishwashers, two huge ovens 

(imagine Christmas dinner here), double width butler sink, 

Nespresso machine, Le Creuset pans and plenty more besides. 

In the garden, aside from the shower, you’ll find a bar right 

outside the kitchen with Weber bbq, pizza oven and even a paella 

ring and pans. They really have thought of everything. What with 

the cinema room with 85 inch TV, fully loaded with Netflix, Sky 

and Prime TV plus outdoor table tennis and foosball, plus an indoor 

bar, you may not find time to visit nearby Dungeness with its cafés, 

eateries and the famous Pilot pub. 

bloomstays.com 

let ’s go to... THE BEACH 

Stay 6: The Gallivant 

Location: Camber, East Sussex 

Sleeps: Up to 2 per room 

Bedrooms: 20 options 

Bathrooms: All en suite 

Special Features: The Open Space yoga studio, ecological coastal garden, 

Beach Hut Spa, restaurant with sustainable credentials 

A stone’s throw from Camber Sands, The Gallivant is an oasis of 

beachside tranquility. Nearby is historical Rye, with its excellent 

eateries, cobbled streets and charming shopping opportunities, or you 

could just hide out and tour the stunning beaches all around. 

To eat, you can look forward to the fresh flavours of seafood straight 

from the shore and produce from the surrounding countryside. The 

restaurant is one of the most sustainable places to dine in the UK, 

holding a 3-star rating from The SRA. They are also big champions 

of English wine and pour a glass at 5pm every night of the week 

(which is free with The Complete Gallivant package). 

If you’re looking to revitalise, there are daily yoga and wellness classes 

which are taken to the dunes for wild yoga overlooking the beach 

when the weather is kind. They are also currently doing a Cosmic 

Wellness Series – over this month and next there will be events 

including a botanical dyeing workshop, stargazing in the dunes and a 

spring equinox tea ceremony. 

thegallivant.co.uk 


Boys Own 

Adventure 

A Kentish lass and her husband have restored a historic house near Ashford to create 

a magical dream of a hotel Words: Maggie Alderson Photographs: David Merewether 

Above: The Banks room, tucked up in the eaves, is named after Lawrence Banks, who called Boys Hall his home after leasing it from the 

local Knatchbull family in 1762 

Well, this was a new experience. All the houses 

I’ve had the pleasure to visit for this magazine 

are gorgeous and it’s frequently hard to 

tear yourself away from them to go back to reality. 

But never before have I found myself standing with 

my hand on a door frame, listening to the house. 

Connecting with it. Because Boys Hall isn’t like a 

normal building, it has a personality – perhaps not 

surprisingly, considering all that’s gone on in it. 

The door frame in question, carved oak, blackened with 

time, links the huge, welcoming reception area – the centre 

of the original Wealden hall house – with the drawing room. 

But it actually came from a much older house, owned 

by the Barry family, that once stood half a mile away. 

Thomas Boys and his wife, Margaret (née Barry), dismantled 

that and built this one in 1616, using the door frame 

and as many other materials from the old place as they 

could. Architectural reclamation is nothing new. 

 


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This page: This calm and tranquil space enjoys 

a birds-eye view over the garden. The en suite is 

papered in Brunschwig & Fils ‘Bird and Thistle’ 

If only wood could talk… I’m sure this 

door frame could have told me about 

sheltering priests and a King (Charles 

I…) from persecutors, welcoming Samuel 

Pepys as a guest and providing cover for 

all kinds of smuggling shenanigans. 

Perhaps it would even reveal the origin of 

the stash of Medieval gold coins that were 

found under floorboards in 1972. Three of 

them now reside in the British Museum, 

officially called The Boys Hall Hoard. 

Luckily though, I have Boys Hall’s current 

owner Kristie Lomas, who bought it with her 

husband Brad in 2019, to fill me in on it all. 

With so much to go into, we repair 

to an entirely new structure at the back 

of the house, an oak-framed glass-walled 

extension they have built to house the 

restaurant part of the hotel they’ve created. 

It sits on the site where a 1980s swimming 

pool extension stood when they took possession 

of the house, yet even though it’s freshly added, 

it doesn’t appear jarringly new. It looks like 


This page: Romney is one of Boys Hall’s 

super-suites which is accessed via its very 

own miniature staircase. A roll-top bath 

is positioned in front of an original stone 

mullion window 

an old barn that’s been converted. 

Kristie explains. “The beams 

came from trees nearby, but after 

the oak structure was erected, Covid 

delayed the glazing and the structure 

got rained on for a year – and it 

weathered the timber beautifully.” 

It’s not the only new addition 

that looks as though it has always 

been there. On the house side of the 

extension is a courtyard and to the 

garden side, a terrace. Both are new 

– and the work of Kristie’s father. 

A very handy relative to have when 

taking on such a big job as this. 

“Dad is a master craftsman,” says 

Kristie. “He can work with wood, stone 

and brick. He’s been doing projects in 

historical properties for years. He built 

new walls round the inner courtyard 

and the new outer terrace, using old 

bricks and ragstone found on the site.” 

Kristie’s dad, Richard, has another 

talent that’s come in handy – and 

which Kristie has very much inherited: 

finding great things second hand. 

Take the stone plaque on the wall 

along the terrace, saying ‘Boys’. I 

assumed it was original to the property, 

perhaps from an ancient gatehouse…? 

“Dad found it on eBay,” says Kristie, 

laughing. “It came from the playground 

of an old primary school. My whole 

family are hugely into reclamation and 

salvage. When I was a child, on holidays 

in the South of France, Dad and I used 

to go to the tip near where we stayed and 

found the most amazing bric-a-brac…” 

Second-hand smarts has been Kristie’s 

source for just about every piece of 

furniture in the hotel – which is 


52

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Top: Knatchbull features a superking 

half-tester bed. Splashes of orange give 

a cosy feel with texture provided by rich 

velvets and other tactile fabrics. The 

curtains are in Sanderson’s ‘Cantaloupe’ 

Below: Taking its name from a former 

inhabitant, Franklin is in one of the 

most original parts of the house 

why it feels so settled in, immediately on being finished. 

It really looks as though it has always been as it is now. 

The one exception to this is the dining room, where there 

is new furniture, for a very practical reason, which Kristie 

learned from the two bars she opened in Kings Cross earlier 

in her career. “We wanted to go new in this part of the house, 

because from the first bar I opened I learned that vintage 

chairs don’t last in a hospitality setting. The chairs that Ben 

Stokes from Kagu Interiors and I chose are by Bampton and 

we decided to also have banquettes upholstered with fabric, to 

soften the space. And they’re moss green because I absolutely 

love the colour – I think from doing all the gardening.” 

Which wasn’t their original plan to do first… our old friend 

Covid made that happen. The date they moved in seems 

portentous in retrospect – November 2019. So just four 

months in their new home before everything went superweird. 

The move came about after Kristie and Brad married and 

had their first son and she sold her interest in the bars 


This page: Named after Major Ernest Bengough Ricketts, a former Boys Hall owner who was born in 1840, Ernest is a spacious room with 

original hall-house beams 

to her business partner. “I had two years at home with the 

children and then it was time to do something. Brad also 

worked in hospitality in London and it was time for us both 

to have a new project. We were going to buy a hotel on a 

clifftop in North Wales, but that fell through and then I 

saw this – a former wedding venue, that had been on the 

market for five years. Brad’s from Cheshire, but I went to 

school in Ashford and had no idea this place was here.” 

The original plan was to start doing it up room by 

room and they were already renting out the ones that were 

ready on Airbnb, but then Covid hit and all the bookings 

were cancelled. And all the building work. “It quickly 

became hard to get materials, so we started in the garden 

– it was completely overgrown and we cleared it all. My 

dad built the courtyard and we designed and planted a 

Mediterranean style kitchen garden filled with herbs.” 

This work also enabled them to really get to know the 

terrain of the property, discovering an ancient mulberry 

tree, oaks and a pond, with wildflowers galore from 

spring onwards. Plus, they could see where to put more 

terracing, for outdoor dining, and where to apply for 

planning permission to put in some luxury lodges. 

Covid’s restrictions also gave Kristie acres of time to browse 

online auction catalogues. “The early Covid months were great 

for auctions. I found lots of period antiques that were the 

perfect fit for Boys Hall.” A particularly splendid find, from 

Bentley’s in Cranbrook, was the giant Rupert Bevan mirror 

that hangs behind the bar in the dining room. Which 


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Above left & right: Margaret features the 

largest roll-top bath in the whole house, plus 

a separate en suite shower room 

Left: Sovereign’s name is inspired by the 

hoard of seventeen gold coins found in 1970 

during repair work to the house 

“I bought lots of antiques 

not knowing where any of 

them would specifically go, 

but knowing they would 

all find their place. 

We splashed out on 

certain bits and were 

creative with others” 

exactly fitted the space – although it took four men to hang it. 

Also on a pleasingly grand scale are the massive wicker light 

fittings, perfect in the barn-sized space, supplied by Ben Stokes 

of Kagu Interiors, in Tenterden, who collaborated with Kristie 

on the interiors – a very natural fit, because: “We’ve known 

each other since childhood and I adore Ben’s interior style.” 

Having the perfect interior designer based locally chimes in 

with one of the very pleasing details of Boys Hall – wherever 

possible, products are supplied by local companies. 

The compostable tea bags in the bedrooms are by Debonair 

Tea Co, based in Hythe, and the compostable coffee pods by 

Lost Sheep Co in Whitstable. Guest toiletries – in refillable 

bottles – are by Pelegrims, of Aldington, five miles away, 

made using grape extracts from Westwell Winery, seven 

miles away. The hotel’s bespoke fragrance – a blend of rose, 

tomato and oakwood – was created by Hunter Jones in Rye. 

Other decisions I particularly appreciated are not having 

TVs ruining the décor in the beautiful bedrooms (because 

as Kristie says, people bring their own laptops and tablets 

now) and no complicated WiFi code. Your phone just 

hops onto it – which seems like the perfect metaphor 

for the welcoming atmosphere of the house/hotel. 

Going back into the body of the house, from the dining 

room at the rear, you pass through two more ancient 

recycled door frames and the shallow steps of the main 

staircase – one of several, I lost count – and into the 

reception hall, where two six-seater sofas sit next to a 

roaring woodburner, with original Delft tiles behind it. 

Off to one side is the original dining room – now 

available for private parties – a room of such splendour, 

that the famous Victorian novelist, Mrs Henry Wood, 

wrote a piece describing a Christmas party that took place 

there, in her periodical The Argosy. It describes in detail the 

exceptional features of the room, including the painted 

 


58

Equity Release and the Cost of Living Crisis 

ith the cost of living continuing 

to increase all over the UK it is 

Wno wonder that more and more 

homeowners are considering unlocking 

equity in their homes – both for their own 

benefit and in order to help their families. 

The “Bank of Mum and Dad” has never 

been in such high demand as parents 

are using the equity in their own homes 

to help the younger generation onto the 

property ladder. However, this year has seen 

an increase in equity being released to 

supplement income and combat rising costs. 

Local adviser, Sarah Ferrell receives 

many questions regarding the safety 

and cost of Equity Release and says, 

“There has never been a greater need 

for sound and professional advice”. 

Below are some of the common 

questions Sarah gets asked: 

Isn’t Equity Release really expensive? 

While rates are higher than we have 

experience for some years, the beauty 

of many schemes, when compared 

with traditional borrowing, is the facility 

to draw a modest initial sum and also 

create a reserve/drawdown facility for 

future use. This means that you only pay 

interest on the money as it is released. 

Won’t Equity Release affect the 

inheritance I can leave for my family? 

While releasing monies will reduce the equity 

remaining in your home, many of today’s 

plans allow for interest to be paid, rather 

than allowing it to roll up. “Paying as you go” 

can certainly reduce the longer term costs. 

Don’t I need to sell my house to release equity? 

Unlike some of the original “home reversion” 

schemes, most of today’s plans are 

structured so that you retain ownership of 

your home with the lender taking a first 

charge – just like any other mortgage 

What if I want to move house? 

Most of today’s plans are “portable” meaning 

you can move and take the Equity Release 

mortgage with you so releasing equity does 

not necessarily mean you have to stay in 

the same property for the rest of your life. 

As with any financial decision there 

are many considerations and with so 

many different schemes available it is 

essential to be properly advised. 

With over 27 years’ experience in finance, 

Sarah takes pride in the time and care she 

takes with her clients. She is happy to visit 

your home, chat by phone or via video 

conference to provide a free consultation. 

Sarah will offer flexible times to suit her clients. 


Call Sarah on 

01622 631372 or 07789 007447 

or e-mail her at 

sarah@ferrellfinancial.co.uk 

You may find answers to 

some of your questions at 

www.ferrellfinancial.co.uk 

Equity Release can reduce the value of your estate and can affect your eligibility for means tested benefits. 

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Top: The original dining room with its painted fireplace is now available for private parties Above left: A door leads back into the reception 

hall and across to the drawing room, painted a rich aubergine purple (above right) 

fireplace – which are still exactly as they were then. 

From here, across the reception hall and through 

that very special doorframe, you come into the 

magnificent, purple-painted drawing room, both 

grand and cosy, with velvet and old leather club chairs 

clustered round antique trunks and coffers and portraits 

on the wall of some of the illustrious visitors. 

Through an inner hall – this house has rooms I don’t 

have proper names for – you come to the bar, which 

they call The Pub. The shelving behind the bar is an old 

bookcase from a manor house in Windsor and it just fits, 

in that ‘meant to be’ way that happens when someone 

knows what they’re doing furnishing a house from secondhand 

and reclamation sources. And Kristie really does. 

As we tour the ten beautiful bedrooms, all finished 

with a mixture of pre-loved furniture, Kristie gets to 

the nub of how that style of decorating works best. 

We are in a room called Knatchbull – they are all named 

to reflect the history of the house – taking in the lovely 

half-tester bed, the warm old mahogany wardrobe and the 

curtains in Sanderson’s Canteloupe print on velvet. “This 

room had scarlet carpet and mustard wallpaper, black 

 


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OaklandCareWT250.indd 1 20/02/2023 15:57

This page: A picture-perfect arrangement sits on 

top of a reclaimed sideboard in Kristie’s signature 

green in the entrance hall; a deep blue velvet 

sofa from Kagu is topped with large squashy 

cushions in Mind The Gap’s Fasnacht Linen 

1980s built-in wardrobes and a pink marble 

shower in the bathroom…” she says. 

But although the room now looks as 

though it still has the furnishings that 

were there centuries ago, none of it was 

chosen for this room. “I bought lots 

of antiques not knowing where any of 

them would specifically go, but knowing 

they would all find their place.” 

With this approach, the whole house 

feels organic and uncontrived, as though it 

has been furnished over time – and proof 

of the decorating advice that if you just 

buy what you like, it will all go together. 

“We splashed out on certain bits and were 

creative with others,” says Kristie. “My dad 

made the doorframe for the bathroom from 

a walnut tree that had fallen in the garden. 

He already had the door itself in his shed.” 

Something the people who built 

the house in 1616, using bits of their 

old house to such great effect would 

deeply relate to. No wonder it has such 

a happy atmosphere. Which I can’t 

wait to experience as a hotel guest. 

To book a stay or meal at 

Boys Hall, see boys-hall.com 

or call 01233 427727 

Kagu Interiors 

kagu-interiors.co.uk 

Address Book: 

Bentley’s Fine Art Auctioneers 

bentleysfineartauctioneers.co.uk 

Chair Repair Workshop 

chairrepairworkshop.co.uk 

Failte Studio failte.shop 

George and James Furniture 

georgeandjamesfurniture.co.uk 

Hunter Jones hunterjonesstore.co.uk 

Pelegrims pelegrims.com 

Susan Stock Designs 

07973 299595 


62

Get the 

LOOK 

1 Bellamy pendant £165 Pooky pooky.com 2 W3037 Flemish curved arm wall light £350 Besselink & Jones besselink.com 

3 Set of four skeleton coral prints £395 OKA oka.com 4 Contemporary wood panel wallpaper in Sea Foam £16/roll I Love 

Wallpaper ilovewallpaper.co.uk 5 Super King Rum headboard in Porcupine Rocks Giraffe Blossom £1,499 The Headboard 

Workshop theheadboardworkshop.co.uk 6 Satari storage bench £649 Idyll Home idyllhome.co.uk 7 Imperium Plinth bath 

£2,515 The Albion Bath Co albionbathco.nl 8 Elca cushion £100 Tori Murphy www.torimurphy.com 9 Darlington chair 

from £1,313 Darlings of Chelsea darlingsofchelsea.co.uk 10 Nomad Taurus rug from £195 Weaver Green weavergreen.com 


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2 

SouthernAdhesivesWT239.indd 1 16/03/2022 15:56

9 

13 

Contents 

5 

4 ONE POT WONDERS 

We shop all you need to get 

set up for making the best 

one pot meals 

5 NEW TRICKS 

Find out how an old barn 

became a classic kitchen with 

a contemporary twist 

7 BEAUTY & THE EAST 

Be inspired by all things 

Asian in the kitchen 

from aesthetic accessories 

to cookware 

9 CRYSTAL CLEAR 

Gems, stones and crystals 

– we moodboard kitchen 

ideas that pay homage to 

Earth’s most glittering and 

colourful gifts 

4 

7 

9 

An extensive palette of pigment rich, premium paint colours. 

Made to order in six beautiful, water-based finishes: 

Pure Matt | Pure Matt Plus | Claypaint 

Interior Eggshell | Exterior Eggshell | Ultimate Masonry 

Fenwick and Tilbrook Ltd, Norfolk, UK 

T:01362 684125 @fenwickandtilbrook 

www.fenwickandtilbrook.com 

Fenwick&TilbrookWT250.indd 1 15/02/2023 10:37 

Hand 

Painted 

Kitchens 

Plus 

• 

01580 830 610 

Cover Image: istockphoto.com Alice_yeo 

11 

7 

11 SEE THE LIGHT 

Let your lighting choices 

shine with bold and beautiful 

selections that really make 

a statement 

13 FINDING THE BALANCE 

Let’s explore a gorgeous 

kitchen that gracefully 

balances style, colour 

and function 

11 

Transform your 

kitchen at a fraction of 

the cost of a new one 

handpaintedkitchensplus.co.uk 


HandpaintedkitchensplusWT214.indd 1 04/11/2019 09:49

Kitchen Supplement 

One Pot 

Wonders 

Nice and simple, low on 

food waste, energy saving 

and less washing-up – we 

love one pot cooking! 

1 st Row: 5.3L Cast iron casserole dish £45 

Habitat habitat.co.uk; Azure Blue 4.7L oval 

casserole £309 and cereal bowl £17 Le Creuset 

lecreuset.co.uk; Pot grab £11.50 Sophie Allport 

sophieallport.com 2 nd Row: Cast aluminium 5L 

casserole dish £49.50 M&S marksandspencer.com; 

Kew Gardens oven glove £20 Pure Table Top 

puretabletop.com 3 rd Row: Seaweed trivet £16.50 

The Nautical Company thenauticalcompany.com; 

Botanic garden casserole and oven glove £53.99 

Portmeirion portmeirion.co.uk; 3L Cast iron 

casserole dish £38 Dunelm dunelm.com 4 th Row: 

Oven mitt and pot holder set £72 Mindthegap 

mindtheg.uk; 6.2L cast iron casserole £99 

ProCook 5 th Row: Masterclass 5L cast aluminium 

casserole £74 Fenwick fenwick.co.uk; 2.7L cast 

iron casserole £59 ProCook procook.co.uk; 

Seaweed potholder V&A Shop £10 vam.ac.uk 


4


New 

Tricks 

We explore the Canham 

family’s kitchen, a barn 

conversion transformation 

that mixes traditional touches 

with modern a twist to make 

a truly timeless space 

The Canham’s kitchen was once a cow shed and haybarn, but it’s now a bright, modern hub 

of the home, with an uplifting, classic-meets-contemporary design by Neptune Tonbridge. 

“The kitchen was very small,” explained Jonathan Canham. “It was split over two levels with 

a separate utility room.” The Canham’s soon decided – with the help of their architect friend 

and kitchen designer at Neptune Tonbridge, Vicky – that they should remodel the space, 

taking down walls to open up the room. Vicky helped them to envisage the bigger picture, 

advising them at every stage of the project, so that their kitchen could become a space that is 

aesthetically pleasing, but also easy and enjoyable to spend time in every day. 

Jonathan and Suzy’s wish list for their dream kitchen 

included an island in a different colour to the main 

cabinetry, a larder, and Neptune’s Cranbrook shiplap 

panelling for adding texture to their walls. “We got all 

of that, and I actually got two larders,” said Suzy. When 

asked how to describe their Neptune kitchen renovation, 

Jonathan used the word ‘perfect’, while Suzy said, “the 

whole thing has been a bit of a dream actually.” 

When it came to deciding on 

their kitchen look, they knew 

immediately want they wanted. 

“We walked into Neptune 

Tonbridge and fell in love 

straight away with Chichester,” 

said Suzy, who felt it was “the 

perfect compromise between 

tradition and today.” 

Vicky helped them come up with 

some clever workarounds to make 

the kitchen as practical as possible at 

Neptune’s bespoke workshop based in 

their Wiltshire HQ. Vicky explains, 

“I designed bespoke pieces to conceal 

the fuse box and boiler, and adapted 

the larders and cooker surrounds 

too. Jonathan is 6ft 7in tall and does 

about 90% of the cooking (his statistic 

not mine!) so I needed to make sure 

everything worked with the room but 

also for them as a family. We chose a 

marble-like quartz work surface that 

is practical and hassle-free to live with, 

carrying it up behind the hob to act as 

a splashback. Its polished finish reflects 

the light beautifully and is a subtle 

way to make the room feel bigger.” 

When Jonathan and Suzy Canham moved into their barn conversion home in the Kent parish of Frittenden, they opted for a local brand 

that could handle everything for them – design, production and build. Neptune offered a kitchen unique design, using natural timber and 

traditional joinery, and to fit it with a reassuring lifetime guarantee. Find out more about Neptune and get a complimentary 90-minute 

kitchen design appointment at Neptune Tonbridge at neptune.com 


INTRODUCING 

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LE CREUSET GUILDFORD 

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UNIT 45 , WINDSOR ROYAL STATION, SL4 1PJ. • TELEPHONE: 01753 852205 

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4 CHURCH RD, WIMBLEDON VILLAGE, LONDON. SW19 5DL. 

• TELEPHONE: 0208 9440624 

• E-MAIL: WIMBLEDON.STORE.UK@LECREUSET.COM

Camphor carved window panel 

£1,145 Shimu shimu.co.uk 

Yayoi Magewappa bento box 

£138 NishuraEast nishuraeast.com 

Bowl made with 

Kintsugi repair kit 

£28 V&A vam.ac.uk 


Dahlia ceramic 

teapot £39.50 

Oliver Bonas 

oliverbonas.com 

Susumuya 

teapot £145 

Objects of Use 

objectsofuse.com 

Circulon 7-inch stainless steel 

soft-grip handle santoku knife 

£30 John Lewis johnlewis.com 

Ken Hom bamboo 

steamer baskets 

£30 John Lewis 

johnlewis.com 

Seletti kintsugi glass 

£24 Naken naken.co.uk 

Kitchencraft 

teppanyaki grill £48 

Fenwick fenwick.co.uk 

Avifauna Asian 

style painting £255 

Sweetpea & Willow 

sweetpeaandwillow.com 

& Beauty 

the 

East 

Add some eastern flavour 

to your kitchen with 

Asian inspired details 

Fritz Hansen 

ikebana vase £198 

nest nest.co.uk 

Violet Studio 

‘Ramen’ framed 

print from £45 

John Lewis 

johnlewis.com 

Dahlia ceramic 

noodle bowl & 

chopsticks £15 

Oliver Bonas 


Ramen poster from 

£10.95 Desino 

desenio.co.uk 

Gaute teapot 

£14.99 Jysk 

jysk.co.uk 

Chinese tree 

mural wallpaper 

£395 Anna Jacobs 

annajacobsart.com 

Kraak bowl 

£125 OKA 

oka.com 

Matcha starter set 

£75 NishuraEast 

nishuraeast.com 

13 inch spun iron wok made in Britain 

£79 Brit Locker britlocker.com 

Crane bird in Japanese 

wallpaper £85/roll 

Woodchip and Magnolia 

woodchipandmagnolia.co.uk 


The universal beauty 

of natural materials. 

The enduring strength 

of traditional joinery. 

Every hinge, handle and 

runner carefully considered. 

Good design never grows old. 

Tonbridge, 01732 351 866 

neptune.com

Tileworks Oken brick in 

Garnet £54.93/m 2 Original 

Style originalstyle.com 

Jewel onyx aqua porcelain tiles 

£69/m 2 Porcelain Superstore 

porcelainsuperstore.co.uk 

Onyx marble wallpaper 

£16 I Love Wallpaper 

ilovewallpaper.co.uk 

Jewel sky rose rug 

from £1,737 Sonya 

Winner Rug Studio 

sonyawinner.com 

Balance Agate poster 

£8.37 Desenio 

desenio.co.uk 

Crystal 

Tiffany quartz 

drawer handles 

POA Pullcast 

pullcast.eu 

CLEAR 

Amazonite splashback POA 

Cullifords geraldculliford.co.uk 

Peach Melba 

geode agate print 

from £37/m 2 

wallsauce.com 

Naomi crystal 

quartz wallpaper 

mural £26/m 2 

Bobbi Beck 

bobbibeck.com 

Inspired by nature doesn’t have to 

mean all woods and greens. Branch out 

with inspiration from the Earth’s most 

glamorous and colourful offerings – 

semi precious stones, gems and crystals 

Martin Moore kitchen with Asia cream 

quartzite worktops & spashback from Deluxe blue onyx 

£45,000 martinmoore.com effect tiles £49.95/m 2 

Walls and Floors 

wallsandfloors.co.uk 

Rose quartz panel POA 

Cullifords geraldculliford.co.uk 

Caracole agatha sideboard £4,880 

Sweetpea & Willow sweetpeaandwillow.com 

Agate bottle opener 

(from a set with 

a stopper) £25 

Honey Bee Home 

honeybeehome.co.uk 

Moonstone agate bookends 

£220 Sweetpea & Willow 


Achates agate pendant 

£828 där lighting 

darlighting.co.uk 

Agate coasters (set of 4) 

£80 Soho House 

sohohome.com 


By Appointment to 

Her Majesty The Queen 

Glass Restorers 

Wilkinson Ltd 

Sittingbourne 

Hand blown crystal shades, 

each with its own individual 

colour mix and shape. 

Specialist glass blowers. 

Creating custom glassware 

and lighting. 

Hundreds of modern and 

traditional lighting items in stock. 

Family business with over 75 

years experience in lighting. 

Enquire today about having your very 

own unique hand blown shades. 

Sittingbourne, Kent | Tel: 01795 830000 | www.wilkinson-ltd.com 

WilkinsonWT250.indd 1 21/02/2023 12:17 

traditional handmade 

furniture 

Woodworkkitchens.co.uk 


Kitchens 

Bedrooms 

Studies 

10 

01892 533273 

WoodworkWT238.indd 1 04/02/2022 12:15

Image by Chris Snook for Sola Kitchens, Empty State 


Eris bead pendant lamp 

£2,495 OKA oka.com 

Garrick chandelier £520 

Neptune neptune.com 

Light Pipe from £1,120 

Empty State emptystate.com 

Marbled glass and 

brass Esme cluster 

pendant £229 

Cult Furniture 

cultfurniture.com 

Aros framed starburst 

pendant £198 

Elstead Lighting 

elsteadlighting.com 

Aquanura fountain 

chandelier, £1,640 

Sweetpea & Willow 


seethe 

LIGHT 

Textural, colourful, stylishly scaled up and 

sculpturally shaped – there are so many ways to 

spice up your kitchen with lighting so don’t settle 

for anything less than brilliance 

Plantation wall light 

£198 Elstead Lighting 

elsteadlighting.com 

Gem fairy lights £44.95 

Sparkle Lighting sparkle.lighting 

Deja easy fit rattan pendant 

£26.40 där lighting 


The Bertie two tiered feather chandelier 

in flamingo pink £790 Coldharbour 

Lights coldharbourlights.com 

Mumford wall 

fitting £75, with 

rattan shade £30 

Pooky pooky.com 

Shore pendant in oak 

£165 Tom Raffield 

tomraffield.com 

Sintra charcoal 

marble wall light 

lightsandlamps.com 

Osby star lights 

from £13.99 and 

TruGlow candles 

£29.99 Lights4fun 

lights4fun.co.uk 

Layered mercuried 

glass chandelier 

£995 Cox & Cox 

coxandcox.co.uk 

Pentabulous 

chandelier £330, 

with stanlette 

pendants £42 (each) 

Pooky pooky.com 

Brass sputnik flush ceiling light 

£499 houseof houseof.com 


AGA Eco Conversions 

With over a decade of Aga expertise and conversions, 

we’ve been carefully listening to our loyal customers 

who wanted a reliable yet more up-to-date conversion 

than the traditionally utilised 13amp systems. 

The eControl system is a retrofit product that 

converts existing gas, oil, and electric traditional 

Agas to a truly controllable system. 

23 Tally Road, Limpsfield, 

Oxted, RH8 0TG 

T: 07739 409 482 

We provide our electric conversion service for those 

who don’t wish to be parted with their beloved heat 

storage cooker but would like the advantages and 

flexibility of electricity. If you already have an Aga 

range cooker then converting it is a brilliant idea. 

Servicing | Repairs | Refurbishments | Conversions | Removals 

@smartrange_aga @smartrangeaga www.smartrange.co.uk 

SmartRangeWT249.indd 1 09/01/2023 14:16 

BESPOKE JOINERY SINCE 2002 

Nothing short of perfection 

We are masters in wood — designers and 

craftsmen that engineer wood to create 

beauty. Whether it’s kitchen cabinetry, 

windows and doors or an elaborate staircase, 

if it’s wood, we will make it outstanding. 

We combine creative acumen with meticulous 

craftmanship to ensure that what we create for 

your project is nothing short of perfection. 

Call 01580 242996 or 

email office@creative-joinery.com 

Oak bookshelves and staircase project. 

Image by davidmerewether.co.uk 

CREATIVE JOINERY 

FINE ENGLISH CRAFTSMANSHIP 

creative.joinery 


12 

CreativeJoineryWT250.indd 1 13/02/2023 14:15

A beautiful bar and dresser connects 

the kitchen with the living space, 

and looks stunning as a piece 

of furniture in its own right. 


The large double larder and storage unit is as elegant 

and stylish as it is functional. Its pocket doors on 

one side make it convenient for the larder to be 

open when in use without being knocked about and 

the spice racks on the other side provide organised 

storage. The cold shelves across both sides make it 

easy to wipe down any mess, and it is fitted with 

plugs to allow for easy use of kitchen gadgets etc. 

Finding the balance 

We explore a lovely open plan Herringbone kitchen recently completed near 

Fulham, which balances the many contrary demands of family life. Here style 

conceals storage, kitchen fades into living space and shaker chic meets modern sleek 

Above the sink, there is a floating 

shelf and a splashback that 

seamlessly blends with the quartz 

worktop. The bright quartz really 

brings the green of the kitchen to 

life, whilst brushed brass handles 

look pleasing against the cabinets, 

adding little specks of extra shine. 

This mix of classic shaker style and 

modern elements, such as flat fronted 

drawer fronts and square pelmets, 

lends extra dimension to the design. 

Find more inspiring case studies 

at herringbonekitchens.com 

One of the best things about this kitchen is the wonderful use of colour – the two-toned green 

looks incredible in any light and is perfectly complemented by a few hints of bright shades added 

here and there in books, cups, plants and other small accessories. From the sleek lines of the 

cabinets and the symmetry of the space, to the large island and bar just off the kitchen, the design 

is filled with style and joy. The main run features a stretch of lower cabinets with floor-to-ceiling 

cabinets on either side, followed by a fridge freezer and a book case to the right. There is a large 

island in the middle, which perfectly fits the space in between the dining table and living room. 


LUXURY WOOD FLOORING 

AND CLADDING 

Info@havwoods.com | +44 (0) 01524 737000 | www.havwoods.com/uk 

VISIT OUR GUILDFORD SHOWROOM 

Opening hours: Mon - Fri 8am-5pm 

11 North Street, Guildford, Surrey GU1 4AF

Part Two: Bathroom 

sponsored by 

sponsored by

24 

21 

23 

THE BATHROOM SHOP 

Independent bespoke bathroom specialists 

k Bathroom installation 

k Sanitaryware, modern and traditional 

k Taps and showers, modern and traditional 

k Shower enclosures and bath screens 

k Fitted and free-standing furniture 

11 East Cross, Tenterden, Kent, TN30 6AD k Telephone: 01580 763207 

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k Radiators, modern and traditional 

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BathroomShopWT198.indd 1 23/07/2018 14:15 

Contents 

17 SOMETHING BLUE 

Opposite, we explore a 

standout blue bathroom 

packed with style ideas 

19 PRIVATE PEACEFUL 

We list our five top 

ways to dress bathroom 

windows 

21 GOLDEN TOUCH 

Peek inside a renovated 

old bank with a bathroom 

filled with vault-worthy 

golden splendour 

24 

23 ALL THAT GLITTERS 

Get the Golden Touch 

look with all that’s gilded 

and glorious for the 

bathroom 

24 POWER TO THE 

POWDER ROOM 

We’re dreaming of 

fantastical maximalism 

to put the ‘POW’ 

in powder room 

23 

24 

24 

Cover Image: Catchpole & Rye 


TenterdenTilingWT250.indd 1 15/02/2023 12:38 

16

Bathroom Supplement sponsored by 

BLUE 

Amanda Lafontant, senior designer at Aston 

Matthews, explains how she transformed this 

family bathroom into an elegant retreat 

Creating a family bathroom in a period property is 

always a challenge. The bathroom needs to function, 

but there are also architectural details to consider and 

of course, we want it to look great too. When I first viewed this 

space, it had a clunky shower enclosure, dated corner bath and 

utilitarian white tiles which jarred with the décor in the rest of 

this Georgian town house. I spent time with the client to find 

out about their style and how the bathroom would be used. As 

a family of four, they needed a shower and plenty of storage to 

keep the space clutter free, but they also liked the idea of a cast 

iron bath which would nod to the period of the property. 

The room is very spacious, but a slightly awkward shape with a 

big window, so my first step was to change the layout. It made 

sense to swap the position of the shower and the bath, which 

made space for a more spacious walk-in shower. To make this a 

real feature, and a strong visual impact as you enter the room, I 

used a stylish fluted glass screen. We added a built-in shelf to the 

stud wall, with an integral light for an extra sophisticated flourish. 

Meanwhile, the new cast iron Astonian Slipper bath (painted in 

Inchyra Blue by Farrow & Ball) was set at a slight angle for a more 

relaxed, less rigid flow to the room, and to give you a view out to 

the garden while bathing. I suggested under floor heating, so that 

we didn’t need a radiator, 

but included a heated towel 

rail in easy reach of both 

the bath and shower. 

The room already had 

some nice decorative coving 

which I wished to retain, 

but the wall behind the 

new bath was a prime 

spot for a transformation. 

Where once were plain white 

square tiles, there is now 

Designers Guild wallpaper with 

a rich blue/green palette. The 

clients chose it during their 

design service, which includes 

detailed technical drawings and 

a mood board complete with 

3D visuals. 

Another highlight of this design is the bespoke basin unit. We 

designed it specifically for this project so we could make it exactly 

the right size and style. The marble top, handles and paint colour 

were all carefully selected to work well with the décor, and the unit 

provides three large storage drawers plus a spacious worktop for 

soaps and cosmetics. The feature tile from the shower is also picked 

up here, bringing the scheme together. These tiles were chosen to 

combine many warm, subtle tones and bring all the colours of the 

room together. 

Acme unlacquered brass fittings are scattered throughout, from the 

floor standing bath mixer to the basin taps and shower controls 

– even down to the WC flush plate and magnifying mirror. Brass 

works particularly well against the tile, bringing out its golden tones. 

For a luxurious finish, we even added a matching brass trim to 

finish the raw edges of the tiles. 

A vintage mirror and chair add a personal touch along with the 

client’s collection of houseplants. This is now their unique bathroom 

– a space that looks good but works perfectly for them too. 

All images by Alison Hammond 

Amanda is based at Aston Matthews’ Guildford showroom. 

Find out more at astonmatthews.co.uk 


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Tuesday – Friday 10-4 or by appointment 

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18 

WindowSanctuaryWT247.indd 1 14/11/2022 09:19

ABS Shutters 

These Java shutters from The 

VIP Shutter Co are crafted from 

high-grade ABS (acrylonitrile 

butadiene styrene), making them 

fully waterproof, but with a finish 

that doesn’t look plastic at all. 

thevipshutterco.co.uk 


Roller Blinds 

Curtain Call’s Luxaflex LightLine Roller 

Blinds are specially designed to be resistant to 

moisture, heat and sunlight, easy to wipe clean, 

able to filter the light to maintain privacy while 

allowing softly diffused natural daylight through 

when closed. curtain-call.co.uk 

Private 

Peaceful 

A key part of creating the dream spa-like 

bathroom getaway is privacy, so you can escape 

the outside world in your secret haven. These 

are 5 top ways to dress your bathroom window, 

balancing style, sunlight and seclusion 

Venetian Blinds 

These are faux wood Venetian blinds 

from English Blinds and are made 

with a high grade PV to make them 

hardwearing and waterproof. They 

are easy to adjust and in a bright 

white can still leave a room feeling 

light and airy. englishblinds.co.uk 

Window Film 

Pulfrost’s privacy window film is easy to 

apply yourself for a quick fix and comes in 

all sorts of designs including this art deco 

style stained glass effect. purlfrost.com 

Solid Shutters 

For a stunning style statement, full length 

solid shutters are an elegant choice. This 

bespoke option from Thomas Sanderson 

absorbs sound, insulates your room and 

offers complete privacy in a range of 

fabulous colours. thomas-sanderson.co.uk 


NEW BROCHURE OUT NOW 

Tunbridge Wells . 70 Calverley Road . TN1 2UJ . 01892 548 111 

Oxshott . 1 High Street . KT22 0JN . 01372 841 730

Golden 

Touch 

We explore a bathroom that is a 

masterclass in combining old and new 


hen the old Cornish Bank premises at St 

Columb Major became redundant in May 

2017, it looked set to sit idle like so many similar 

properties. That was until Richard and Sarah Balding came 

along with a vision for something special! 

An extensive restoration project followed, ultimately 

transforming the disused commercial building into an 

extraordinary family home. Richard and Sarah’s amazing 

journey was even catalogued on George Clarke’s Remarkable 

Renovations. They championed local tradespeople and 

resources and British-made products throughout, including 

some gorgeous pieces from Catchpole & Rye. Their 

remarkable bath featured in the master bathroom is an 

ingenious example of recycling, created using scrap metal 

from the old bank vault. The “Le Vingt Neuf Bathtub” now 

takes pride of place in their bedroom, bringing a little bit 

of history to this modern transformation, while still feeling 

lavish and decadent. 

Meanwhile, the master en suite is a tale written in gold. 

Catchpole & Rye’s signature La Cage Shower stands quite 

literally bold as brass in its Aged Brass finish, and matching 

brassware is dotted throughout to complement. Teamed with 

thoughtful antique pieces and reclaimed mahogany from the 

building’s original joinery, the room ties into the historical 

value and industrial luxe style of the bedroom perfectly. 

To get this look yourself visit catchpoleandrye.com 


CATCHPOLE & RYE 

KENT ENGLAND 

Exclusive Luxury Bathrooms 

LONDON: 0207 3510940 | KENT: 01233 840 840 | CATCHPOLEANDRYE.COM 

The Brass Bateau with Weathered Exterior. La Loire Bath Shower Mixer in Aged Brass.

A Drummonds bathroom featuring Double Derwent 

lights with fluted shades from £762, round tilt mirrors 

from £996, glass shelves from £378, and a double Locky 

vanity with Arabescato marble top from £8,586 with 

basin taps from £1,290 drummonds-uk.com 


Single dimmer switch 

in smoked gold £53.99 

Dowsing and Reynolds 

dowsingandreynolds.com 

Tall slim gold 

arch wall 

mirror £123.95 

Melody Maison 

melodymaison.co.uk 

Tamara 3 light semi 

flush antique brass 

ribbed glass £156 

dar lighting group 


Small brass door 

knob in gold hexagon 

£7 Pushka Home 

pushkahome.com 

Abode kite deck mounted 

tall basin mixer tap in 

antique brass £489 

John Lewis johnlewis.com 

Jonathan Adler gilded muse 

candle £98 Sweetpea & Willow 


All 

that 

Glitters 

Brass bulkhead round light £109 

Lime Lace limelace.co.uk 

Tradition brass exposed thermostatic 

shower valve, 5 inch fixed head 

and rigid riser £2,822.92 Aston 

Matthews astonmatthews.co.uk 

Medway brushed brass freestanding 

mixer tap £349.99 Bathroom Mountain 

bathroommountain.co.uk 

From statement pieces to fine details – 

add some golden glamour to your bathroom 

Tubby Tub bath 

in gold £1,975 

The Albion Bath Co 

albionbathco.com 

Beaumont basin with 

gold stand £3,518 

West One Bathrooms 

westonebathrooms.com 

Rainshower SmartActive 

130 handshower in 

brushed cool sunrise 

£199.34 Grohe grohe.co.uk 

New Ravenna Egrets custom 

hand-cut mosaic in jewel and 24K 

Gold glass West One Bathrooms 


Divine gold tile £66/m 2 

Porcelain Superstore 

porcelainsuperstore.co.uk 



Nudie Rudie bath mat £65 

Antipodream antipodream.co.uk 

Disco ball macrame 

hanging planter £48 

Rockett St George 

rockettstgeorge.co.uk 

Wavy frame mirror 

£120 Rockett St George 

rockettstgeorge.co.uk 

Beaded bug hook 

£7.50 Oliver Bonas 


Tuscany Botanical mural 

£264/20cm 2 Baked Tile Co 

bakedtiles.co.uk 

Ornate sconce with oval mirror £2,075 

Besselink & Jones besselink.com 

Pierre blush wallpaper £85/ 

roll Woodchip & Magnolia 

woodchipandmagnolia.co.uk 

Lucia storage jar 

£20 Ella James 

ellajames.co.uk 

Fresh bathmat £29.50 

Oliver Bonas oliverbonas.com 

Scottie vanity unit £1,5636 

West One Bathrooms 


Amara Moorish countertop basin 

£899 London Basin Company 

londonbasincompany.com 

Checkered candle £14 Rockett 

St George rockettstgeorge.co.uk 

Metal side table £110 Next next.co.uk 

Madrid curved 

coloured glass wall 

mirror £99 M&S 

marksandspencer.com 

Hide and Seek 

wallpaper £43/ 

roll Lust Home 

lusthome.com 

Swallow drawer knob 

£6.50 National Trust 

nationaltrust.org.uk 

Rebel Knit tourmaline 

wallpaper £135/roll The 

Curious Department 

thecuriousdepartment.com 

Palladian mirror 

£1,495 OKA 

oka.com


POWER 

to the Powder Room 

Who are you going to impress by playing it 

safe? The powder room is your opportunity 

to be brave and max out on style 

Multiple Flowers waterproof wallpaper 

by Wall&Deco £214/m (includes 

glues and sealants) exclusively 

available at West One Bathrooms 

westonebathrooms.com

Su 

Leadin 

Wear 

Bring some of your personality to your wardrobe 

with a personally tailored suit or jacket with a 

choice of fabrics, linings and trims. Complement 

your look with our stylish footwear. 

48 London Road, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 1AS 

01732 902019 | www.suitsshoessir.com 

Surrey’s 

Leading Occasion 

Wear Boutique 

www.melitaboutique.co.uk 

57 High Street, Chobham, Surrey, GU24 8AF 

Tel: 01276 856308 

SuitsShoesSirWT248.indd 1 05/12/2022 MelitaOfChobhamWT250.indd 10:56 

1 07/02/2023 11:32 

C O U N T Y C L O T H E S M E N S W E A R 

R O Y A L T U N B R I D G E W E L L S S T O R E 

N E W S H O E D E P A R T M E N T 

Proud stockists of: 

Barker, Geox, Jeep, Lacuzzo, Sergio Duletti, John White, R M 

Williams, Bugatti and Savelli, boots & shoes 

W W W . C O U N T Y C L O T H E S M E N S W E A R . C O . U K 


66 

CountyClothesWT250-WT.indd 1 13/02/2023 11:12

Super 

Greens 

Harness 

the power of soft leathers and shining 

metallics for an envy-inducing spring wardrobe 

Ball hoop earrings £45, Jean belt £70, Collagerie rock crystal bangle £130, Suede midi skirt £285, 

Maybell metallic sandals £110, all Jigsaw jigsaw-online.com Photograph: David Merewether Styling: Lucy Fleming

Gold flower cut 

out skinny belt 

£22 Oliver Bonas 


Tiny oak leaf pendant £650 

Lucy Sylvester lucysylvester.co.uk 

Hammered stud 

earrings £10 Fat 

Face fatface.com 

Hula bangle in 

silver £260 Lucy 

Quartermaine 

lucyqdesigns.co.uk 

Crew Diana 

leather boot £129 

Very very.co.uk 

Leather dress £350 Jigsaw 

jigsaw-online.com 

Gianetta gold penny 

loafers £85 Dune 

dunelondon.com 

Leather overshirt £350 

Jigsaw jigsaw-online.com 

istock.com/ Esin Deniz 

Eco leather A line skirt in forest green 

£120 Hope Fashion hopefashion.co.uk 

Vegan leather Into The 

Woods tote bag £65 Fable 

England fableengland.com 

& 

Hide 

Chic 

It’s spring, but does that mean your wardobe has to be all 

florals, pastels and frills? NO! The all leather look is still going 

strong and is perfectly polished up with some bright metallics 

Agnes leather jacket 

£299 Whistles 

whistles.com 

Oval earrings £45 

Scream Pretty 

screampretty.com 

Waist belt £105 Marc 

Cain marc-cain.com 

Gold trainers 

£95 Oliver Bonas 


Gold headband £32 

QueenMee Accessories 

queenmee.com 

Sostter metallic 

leather tote £80 

Wolf & Badger 

wolfandbadger.com 

Sophie silk top with metallic 

fringe £340 La Fixé lafixe.com 

Cream leather 

jacket Jaeger 

jaeger.co.uk 

Liverpool street 

faux snake 

multiway bag £219 

Radley radley.co.uk 

Metallic print 

sustainable 

cotton dress 

£42.50 Monsoon 

monsoon.co.uk 

Triple bar hammered 

Nomad cuff £425 

Dower & Hall 

dowerandhall.com 


Golden Trails gold gilded leather shoulder 

bag £750 Aranyani aranyani.com 

68 

Sophia off silver 

leather heels £149 

Calla callashoes.co.uk

UNIT 11 HART SHOPPING CENTRE 

FLEET | HAMPSHIRE | GU51 3LA 

01252 621035 

www.experiencethedifference.co.uk

Easy Spring 

Entertaining 

Charlotte Butterworth, AKA @theneedy.greedy, prepares a 

time-saving and super-satisfying dinner party menu that’s 

simple to put together and perfect to enjoy with friends 

Photographs: David Merewether 


70

Courgette, garlic & 

chilli crostini 

Prep time: 10 mins 

Cooking time: 30 mins, plus chilling 

This easy, healthy but-so-delicious 

courgette dip is gorgeous on crostini 

or pairs beautifully with crisps or 

cucumber to dunk. Perfect with drinks 

and the best way to start an evening. 

Prepare well ahead so it has time to chill 

– it will keep for 3 days in the fridge. 

• 1 courgette, cut into 2cm chunks 

• extra virgin olive oil 

• 3 cloves of garlic, in their skin 

• chilli flakes – half a teaspoon 

approx, but more if you like 

your spice, less if you don’t 

• salt and pepper 

• juice of ½ lemon 

• 1 tbsp Greek yoghurt 

• mint leaves, to decorate 

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Put the courgettes 

and garlic cloves in a roasting tin, sprinkle with 

chilli flakes. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, and 

the salt and pepper. Mix everything together so 

the courgettes are coated in the seasoned oil. 

2. Roast for about 30 mins until they are 

soft, making sure they don’t burn. 

3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 

a few minutes so that you can handle the garlic. 

When cool enough, pop the garlic cloves out of their 

papery skins and put them into a mixing bowl. Add 

the cooked courgettes, lemon juice, greek yoghurt 

and a splash of your finest extra virgin olive oil. 

Blitz using a hand blender. Taste, and season – you 

may want more lemon juice or olive oil too. 

4. For the crostini, simply thinly slice some sourdough 

or other good bread, brush with olive oil and cook in 

a 180˚C oven for 7-10 mins. Allow to cool on a wire 

rack. These will keep in a tin for at least 3 days. 


Award-winning gastropub 

with real ales and decent wines 

Please scan the QR code to book a table at The Royal. 

For larger groups please call 01424 547797 or 

email contact@theroyalstleonards.co.uk. 

The Royal, 1 St Johns Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, TN37 6HP 

PEPPERBOX INN 

TheRoyalWT249.indd 1 18/01/2023 09:43 

Visit our charming pub situated in 

beautiful countryside with outstanding 

views of the Weald of Kent 

Restaurant menu & traditional pub food 

served lunch times and evenings 

Outside terrace | Ample parking 

Walkers & Riders welcome 

Warm & welcoming open log fires 

Open Tuesday to Saturday: 

11.30 - 3pm | 6pm - 10.30pm 

Sunday: 12-5pm 

Food served: 

Lunch 12noon -2pm 

Evening 6pm - 9pm 

Sunday lunches: 

Sunday 12pm -3pm 

01622842558 | www.thepepperboxinn.co.uk | Windmill Hill, Harrietsham, Maidstone, Kent, ME17 1LP 


72 

PepperboxInnWT250.indd 1 14/02/2023 12:54

Roast beetroot & goats 

cheese salad with maple 

roasted spicy nuts 

Roasting beetroots is so easy and the 

beautiful earthy flavour works so well 

with the candied nuts, bitter leaves 

and creamy tangy goats cheese. All 

the elements can be prepared well in 

advance and put together quickly before 

serving. This is delicious as a starter, 

side salad or as a meal on its own. 

• 4 beetroots, topped and tailed and 

cut into wedges (leave the skin on) 

• fresh or dried thyme 

• 50g soft, creamy goats cheese, 

broken into small pieces 

• 70g of nuts – I used cashews, 

walnut pieces and pecan pieces 

• approx 1tbsp maple syrup 

• chilli flakes 

• salad leaves (such as rocket, 

beetroot, baby leaves) 

• balsamic dressing (see recipe below) 

As it’s a salad, please play 

around with quantities. 

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Toss the 

beetroot in olive oil, add the thyme, 

salt and pepper in a roasting tin and 

roast for 40 mins, until tender. 

2. Line a baking sheet with non 

stick baking parchment. Mix the 

maple syrup, a pinch each of salt 

and chilli flakes in a bowl. Add 

the nuts and stir. Spread over the 

baking tray and cook for 8-10 

mins in a preheated oven. Remove 

from the oven and allow to cool. 

3. Assemble your salad by popping the 

leaves on a plate. Add some dressing 

and give it a toss through. Place the 

goats cheese and beetroot pieces on 

next, drizzle over a little more dressing. 

Finally top with the caramelised nuts. 

For the balsamic dressing: 

These measurements are guidelines 

only – you may prefer your dressing 

more oily, vinegary or sweeter. 

• 150ml extra virgin olive oil 

• 50ml balsamic vinegar 

• 1 tsp runny honey 

• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard 

• small clove of garlic, crushed 

• ½ tsp Maldon sea salt and 

crushed black pepper 

Put all the dressing ingredients in 

jam jar and shake like crazy. It should 

emulsify to produce a thick sauce. 

Taste and tweak to your taste.

Beef 

it up: Paley Farm 

specialise in slow grown, free 

range and grass-fed meat. They 

have chosen Sussex cattle, a native 

breed, that is an excellent forage converter 

and thrives on the farm’s Pasture For Life 

grass fed system. All Paley Farm cattle are 

free range, home bred and reared to the 

highest welfare standards to produce 

ethically and sustainably farmed beef 

that’s packed full of flavour. 

paleyfarm.co.uk 

Charlotte’s 

ceramic oven-totableware 

dishes are 

from Wealden Times 

Midwinter Fair favourite, 

Polkadot Parsley 

polkadotparsley. 

com

Now booking for 

Mother’s Day 

Sunday 19th March 

for lunch service until 4:30 pm only 

Beef daube 

Serves 4-6 generously (doubles easily) 

This stunning Provençal beef casserole is lovely to have 

with friends. Make it on Saturday morning to enjoy in 

the evening or on Sunday – it also freezes beautifully. 

The long, slow cook makes the beef meltingly soft, 

and this recipe contains an abundance of veg too. This 

is fabulous served with a crispy baked potato, mash 

or roasted rosemary baby new potatoes, as pictured. 

Trinity’s delicious roast lunches will be 

available alongside our Chefs’ Specials 

Boards and à la carte menu. 

Children under the age of 5 eat for free 

from our children’s menu with full paying adults. 

Mums will be treated to a free 

handmade dessert with their meal. 

• 700g-1kg beef chuck steak or beef 

shin (mine’s from Paley Farm) 

• 30g plain flour 

• olive oil 

• 20g butter 

• 2 onions, finely sliced 

• 1-2 leeks, halved lengthways and then sliced 

• 2 sticks celery, chopped 

• 4 carrots, cut into small batons 

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed 

• 2 bay leaves 

• 2 tbsp herbes de Provence (or use thyme) 

• 2 tbsp tomato purée 

• 30ml brandy 

• 400ml red wine 

• 300ml beef stock (made from a cube if you like) 

• 400g portabellini or chestnut mushrooms, quartered. 

(Leave them out if you don’t like mushrooms!) 

• seasoning 

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Chop the meat 

into chunks, and toss in seasoned flour. Heat a 

casserole dish with 2 tbsp of olive oil. When hot, 

brown the meat for about 3-4 mins. You may 

need to do this in batches. Remove the meat and 

set aside. Make sure you scrape all the bits off the 

bottom of the pan, as they contain lots of flavour. 

2. Add some more olive oil and the butter to the 

pan, gently fry the onions for 5-10 mins. When 

soft, add the leeks, carrots, celery, garlic. Cook 

gently for 15 mins – stir from time to time to 

prevent burning. Then pop in the bay leaves, 

herbs and tomato purée. Cook for a further 

couple of minutes. Finally add the meat back in, 

pour in the wine, stock and brandy. Season. 

3. Bring to a gentle simmer, put a lid on and 

pop in the oven for a couple of hours. After 

this time add the mushrooms, and perhaps 

a bit more liquid if drying out. Cook for a 

further 30 mins. Taste, season and serve. 

 

CHRISTMAS MENU 

The Chapel, 55 High Street, Battle, 

East Sussex, TN33 0EN 

Easy parking within walking distance at 

Mount Street car park. TN33 0AR 

01424 772357 

www.trinityofbattle.co.uk 

Dogs are 

welcome 


TrinityOfBattle-TheChapelWT250.indd 1 15/02/2023 12:44

GIFT A SPARKLING MOTHER’S DAY WITH 

A TOUR AND TASTING EXPERIENCE AT 

OUR VINEYARDS IN APPLEDORE, KENT. 

EXPLORE, DINE AND ENJOY OUR 

AWARD-WINNING ENGLISH SPARKLING WINES. 

GUSBOURNE.COM/TOURS 

KENARDINGTON ROAD APPLEDORE, 

ASHFORD, KENT TN26 2BE

Apple & cherry 

flapjack pudding 

Prep time: 5-10 mins Cooking time: 

30-40 mins Serves 4-6 generously 

This pudding can also double up as a 

treat for morning coffee. The crunchy 

oat topping flavoured with cinnamon is 

a breeze to whizz together. I use frozen 

cherries (bonus of no stones) and the 

apples are roughly chopped – I keep 

the skin on for extra fibre (no food 

waste!). Desperately hope for leftovers 

as it’s gorgeous cold the next day. 

For the topping: 

• 150g butter, melted 

• 150g plain flour 

• 150g oats 

• 100g caster sugar 

• large teaspoon of 

cinnamon 

For the filling: 

• 2-3 large eating apples 

– approx 300g when 

cored and chopped 

• 250g frozen cherries 

1. Melt the butter in a pan on a low heat. 

While the butter is melting, weigh and mix 

all the dry topping ingredients in a bowl. 

Pour in the melted butter and mix until the 

mixture resembles large breadcrumbs. 

2. Chop the apples into chunks (I chop 

mine with an apple corer, no peeling – 

there is lots of goodness in the skin). Put 

in an oven proof dish, tip over the cherries 

and cover with the topping. It will now sit 

happily in the fridge until ready to cook. 

3. Cook in a preheated oven (180˚C) for 40 

mins until the topping is crispy and golden. 

Serve with cream, custard or vanilla ice cream. 

Recipe developer Charlotte 

Butterworth creates delicious, 

easy, healthy recipes that 

work around real life. Find 

more of Charlotte’s dishes 

and advice on Instagram or 

Facebook @theneedy.greedy

Preened 

Polished & 

Josephine Fairley gets to grips with 

products to beautify hands and nails 

istockphoto.com/Anastasia Pechnikova 

Hands, as I am wont to say, 

can give your age away 

faster than a glance at your 

passport. And while I have somehow 

always failed to make professional 

manicures a part of my maintenance 

regime – instead, elevating them to a 

rare, pampering treat – I have always 

strived to make sure my hands and 

nails look more than passable. 

So, this month I thought I’d share 

some of my favourite home manicure 

products and tips. And really, it all starts 

with cuticle care. Sounds dull? Caring 

for cuticles has a double-whammy 

benefit: it nourishes the nail bed, 

improving blood and nutrient flow to 

the nails to make them stronger and 

more flexible, over time; it also gives 

your nails a massive, instant makeover. 

I avoid cuticle remover products, which 

ironically can be quite drying, but 

instead reach for an oil. And you know 

what? Pretty much any old oil will do – 

sweet almond oil is great, but olive oil 

is pretty darned effective, too. Decant 

it into a little dropper bottle and keep 

it on your bedside table. (At a pinch, 

I have been known to soften hard 

cuticles with a dab or two of butter. 

Try it, and you may be surprised!) 

Alternatively, go for a dedicated 

cuticle oil: I’m a big fan of Fresh 

Therapies Nourishing Nail Elixir, 

£11.95 for 10ml, as well as CND Solar 

Oil Nail & Cuticle Conditioner, 

£6.95 for 7.3ml. I’m also a great 

believer in the idea that you’re more 

likely to use a product diligently if it’s 

got a high pleasure factor – which has 

proved the case with Chanel L’Huile 

Camélia Hydrating & Fortifying 

Oil, £28 for 11ml: sexily-packaged, it 

has a built-in gentle ‘hoof stick’, for 

pushing back cuticles as you smooth 

the peachy-toned gel-like liquid 

into the nail area. With regular care, 

cuticles should never need nipping – 

because in my experience, that leads 

to hangnails, rather than fixes them. 

When it comes to filing nails, 

meanwhile, I long ago ditched 

sandpapery emery boards in favour of 

a crystal file. My fave finds? Margaret 

Dabbs Small Crystal Nail File, £12, 

and Ruby Hammer’s red glass nail file 

are both easy to manoeuvre, leaving 

nail tips super-smooth; in the case of 

the latter, you might want to buy it 

as part of the Ruby Hammer Nail 

Kit, £22, which comes in a cute, 

clear pink pouch, accompanied by 

a terrific cuticle ‘pushy’. To create 

a smooth surface for painting, I 

recommend Leighton Denny Quattro 

4-in-1 Nail File & Buffer, £7, to 

shape, buff and glassily shine. 

Now, at that point, you could 

leave your shiny, healthy-looking 

nails stark naked. Or you can paint 

them. I’m aware that lots of readers 

out there will have gel, or shellac, but 

I’m way too impatient to sit there 

during the removal process – so, I 

tend to wear regular polish, to guard 

my nails against knocks and prevent 

flaking. And in the past few years, 

lots of ‘less toxic’ polishes have been 

introduced that aren’t just ‘3-free’ but 

‘10-free’ and even ‘21-free’, avoiding 

the nastiest chemicals (formaldehyde, 

toluene, phthalates, acetone etc). 

They don’t smell so strongly – yet 

there is truly no compromise in 


78

Beauty 

smoothness, shine, durability… 

‘Greener’ brands I’m impressed by, 

then, include Kure Bazaar, who offer 

a 90% natural origin formula that 

features the most unlikely of natural 

ingredients, including potato, wood 

pulp, cotton, maize and wheat – and 

honestly, you’d never know! At £16 

each, shades are fabulous, the polish 

dries fast, and lasts ages without 

chipping. I also swear by their Clean 

Base Coat, £16, which leaves a slightly 

matte finish that leaves nails looking 

clean and chic if worn on its own, and 

Final Touch Top Coat, £16, which 

is wonderfully chip-resistant. Proudly 

British Nails.INC 73% Plant Power, 

£9 each, again boasts a stunning range 

of shades – all ’21-free’, they promise. 

And at the seriously affordable end 

of the market, we have Sally Hansen 

Good. Kind. Pure, £7.99 each, with 

eight rich shades to choose from – 

though I’d call it ‘purer’ rather than 

‘pure’, compared to the other two. The 

key to getting good results from any 

polish, though, is first to shield nails 

with a base coat that protects them from 

staining, and not only to use topcoat to 

seal your manicure but sweep on a fresh 

coat every other day, to extend its life. 

Then when it comes to taking it off 

again…? A great remover. Interestingly, 

the idea that we should never use 

harsh acetone-based products has 

been slightly debunked, because they 

do the job so quickly, whereupon 

you can rinse and nourish again, to 

counterbalance the drying effect of 

the chemicals. Nevertheless, if I’m 

feeling flush, I do treat myself to a 

bottle of Chanel Le Dissolvant, £19, a 

super-gentle but mega-effective polish 

remover (it even has a faintly rosy 

scent), while for on-the-go removal, 

I slip a couple of Fresh Therapies 

Nail Polish Remover Wipes, £7.99 

for 10, in my overnight bag – a little 

more elbow grease required, but they 

do the trick effectively, while being 

natural, and very kind to nails. 

The hand care gesture that I love 

the most, though – and I suspect 

most women feel the same – is lavish 

application of hand cream. My 

recommendation is: keep one by every 

set of taps in your house, as well as 

on your desk, the bedside table and in 

your handbag. I have quite the arsenal, 

ranging from beauty ‘steals’ through 

to uber-luxe choices. I don’t think you 

can beat Heathcote & Ivory’s handcare 

formulations, which are priced from 

just £4 for 50ml: many different 

fragrance options 

(not to mention 

some fab keepsake 

tins, as packaging) 

– but the basic 

formula for all of them 

ticks all my important hand cream 

boxes: rich, sinks in swiftly, lets 

you open a doorknob straight away 

without you having to waft your 

hands round in the air for ages. 

My mid-priced choice is Evolve 

Organic Beauty Timeless Renewal 

Hand Cream, £18 for 75ml, creating 

a wonderful barrier for hands without 

feeling greasy, leaving them fragrant 

with ylang ylang, rose geranium and 

mandarin. And as for super-luxe 

choices, I wouldn’t hesitate to ask for 

these as presents – both very rich, 

both so scented that it’s as if you’re 

wearing perfume on your hands: 

Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle 

Portrait of a Lady Hand Cream, £38 

for 30ml, which swirls with raspberry, 

sandalwood, amber and patchouli, 

and Jo Malone London Jasmine & 

Neroli Luxury Hand & Body Cream, 

£56 for 100ml, a reincarnation of a 

stunning hand cream formerly produced 

by discontinued ‘cult’ beauty brand 

Rodin Olio Lusso, the scent of which 

is like lying under a jasmine bower. 

Last but not least? The nail product 

I’ve been most impressed by isn’t a 

cosmetic, it’s a supplement: Manifesto 

Beauty Vitamin Gummies, £35 for 

60, are so delicious I have to resist 

eating them like candy, but after three 

months of taking them, my nails are 

transformed – longer, stronger, less 

flaky. It certainly didn’t happen 

overnight – but recently, I even 

started having to trim them 

regularly, and realised: it could 

only be the gummies that 

were making a difference. 

But all in all, I’d like to 

put my (really rather nicelygroomed) 

hands together 

and give all of the above a 

big round of applause… 

See beautybible.com for 

more of Jo’s tried and 

tested beauty reviews. 

priceless-magazines.com

IDD Therapy has changed Paul’s life 

Paul even completed the 

punishing Tough Mudder 

obstacle race, finishing 60th 

out of 260 competitors. 

Non-invasive treatment solves 

Paul’s back pain agony 


Paul Bowman has always lived an 

active life. A regular in his local 

gym, he runs his own construction 

business, and loves the physical 

side of the job. “Occasional aches 

and pains go with the territory,” 

Paul explains, “but gradually as I 

got older, low back pain started to 

become a real problem, and about 

three years ago I was referred 

for an MRI scan on my back.” 

The scan revealed two compressed 

and bulging discs in Paul’s lower 

spine. “Back then, I was just 

about managing,” says Paul. “My 

back ached quite a lot, and I was 

losing some of my mobility.” 

Things steadily got worse, and 

Paul started to suffer from sciatica 

radiating down his legs. Another 

scan revealed a nodule in his spine, 

pressing against a spinal nerve root. 

“The sciatica was shooting down 

both legs. I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t 

sleep, I could hardly work. The pain 

was unbearable, and a consultant 

advised surgery on my spine, 

which can be risky of course.” 

Paul decided to take matters into 

his own hands, and discovered 

IDD Therapy, a targeted spinal 

disc treatment, which was being 

offered at Wealden Osteopaths 

& Spine Centre in Goudhurst. 

“I made an appointment with 

James Pickering, the Clinical 

Director. He examined me, and 

recommended 20 sessions of 

gentle treatment on the IDD 

machine. James explained that this 

would gradually decompress the 

bulging discs, and take pressure 

off the nerve root, which was 

causing my terrible sciatica.” 

Because of the severe nature of 

his pain, Paul knew that he needed 

a series of treatments, but actually 

started to feel considerable 

relief after the first four. Within 

a couple of weeks, he was even 

back in the gym, swimming and 

walking for pleasure again. 

“I walked all the way 

around Herm island in a 

single afternoon. There 

was once a time when 

the sciatica was so 

intense it made me fall 

over. Not any more.” 

“Today, I feel fine and I’m near 

enough pain-free. Best of all, I can 

walk long distances again and 

things just keep getting better.” 

“A few months after my course 

of IDD Therapy, my partner and 

I went on holiday to the Channel 

Islands, and I walked all the way 

around Herm island in a single 

afternoon. There was once a time 

when the sciatica was so intense it 

made me fall over. Not any more.” 

“I no longer need the surgery, and 

I’ve avoided all the after-effects 

of that. I would recommend 

this treatment to anyone.” 

James Pickering is delighted with 

Paul’s progress. “We see so many 

patients like Paul, who’ve been 

taking painkillers long term, and 

struggling with other forms of 

treatment, such as physiotherapy. 

People often feel like they’ve 

run out of options, but we offer 

a non-invasive solution that’s 

safe, gentle and effective.” 

“IDD Therapy is an invaluable 

part of our service now, and 

our first choice for long term 

back, neck and sciatic pain.” 

To find out about IDD Therapy 

and other treatments offered at 

Wealden Osteopaths & Spine 

Centre, call: 01580 212833 or visit 

www.wealdenosteopaths.co.uk

Wellbeing 

High Flyers 

Sarah Maxwell explores circus 

skills for every BODY 

istockphoto.com/ blackandbrightph 

Before you skip this page, I’d like 

to reassure you that aerial fitness 

is much more fun and accessible 

to everyone than you would think! 

Hammocks, silks, hoops, trapeze and 

pole are some of the exciting things 

available to you on the circus skills 

menu. Additional courses also look 

very interesting (I fancy trying out the 

fire spinning). Rest assured, you won’t 

be expected to be suspended high off 

the ground – unless that’s something 

you’re particularly aiming for. 

Aerial fitness has something for 

everyone, it’s open to people of all ages, 

abilities and gender – and don’t think 

it’s just for the slim, fit and young. 

It’s a fact that it’s especially brilliant 

for older generations and people 

with disabilities and limitations. 

The focus is on you and what your 

body is able to achieve at a pace and 

level suited to you. In addition to the 

promise of a strong, fit body for those 

participating regularly, it has enormous 

benefits for your mental health too. 

I recently had the pleasure of talking 

to aerial/circus skills coach, Elly Batten 

and finally learning the real story 

behind the urban myth of ‘the teacher 

who ran away to join the circus’. 

Elly was the head of the psychology 

department at a local grammar 

school until she got bitten by the 

the circus bug. She explains, “By the 

age of 37 I had had numerous knee 

operations, was a size 18 and decidedly 

unfit. I couldn’t sit down crossed 

legged or touch my toes, let alone 

contemplate doing anything circus 

oriented, but I kept going back! 

“It has been a great experience 

and such a supportive and friendly 

community, which is great for 

beginners and anyone who finds 

the usual fitness environment too 

much. I have also made some great 

friends during the process.” 

Fast forward 3 years and Elly is now 

a fully qualified aerial/circus coach, 

size 10, brimming full of confidence 

with an infectious joie de vivre. 

Diversity and inclusion are at the 

forefront of everything Elly and her 

fellow coaches do. They are able 

to adapt movements to whatever 

your age ability and needs. 

Working and learning from some 

outstanding occupational therapists 

during my years as a coach, the parallels 

are clear as to how this type of training 

can benefit all ages and abilities in a 

safe, supportive and nurturing way. 

Suspending the body decreases the 

pressure on joints and alleviates spinal 

compression, allowing movement that 

would otherwise be impossible in a 

regular exercise class. In addition, the 

psychological impact when someone 

achieves a movement they thought 

impossible is a wonder to behold! 

Simia Circus offers aerial and 

ground-based circus tuition for all 

ages and abilities. It’s a guarantee that 

whatever your age, disability, weight or 

fitness level, you will be nurtured and 

supported by a highly professional team 

of instructors who are able to work with 

you at a pace and level that suits you. 

Physical & psychological benefits: 

• Increases flexibility and strength 

• Relieves joint pressure and spinal 

compression (enabling free movement 

is a safe and controlled way) 

• Releases tension and stress 

• Increases balance and 

proprioception (body awareness) 

• Greatly improves core strength. 

• Enables you to get into positions that 

would be impossible on the floor 

• Improves back strength and flexibility 

• Increases bone density (essential 

to combat osteoporosis) 

• Improves breath awareness (this 

regulates your nervous system and is a 

key skill used in yoga and meditation) 

• Builds confidence and self esteem 

• Allows you to try new things and 

maintain your interest (boredom 

won’t ever hit doing this) 

More info: 

simiacircus.co.uk 

circusworks.org 

surreycircuscentre.com 

Sarah Maxwell is a multi award-winning 

weight loss, lifestyle and fitness coach. 

Find out more about her work... 

Facebook & Instagram: 

@sarahmaxlife 

Twitter: @sarahmax100 

sarahmaxwell.com 


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Nourish to Flourish 

Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach Charlotte Lau 

asks whether five-a-day is actually enough 

Step away from… READY MEALS 

With ready meals and fast foods, it’s not easy to know exactly 

what has gone into the food you are eating! When you cook 

from scratch you are in control of what you add as well as 

avoiding the quantity of additives, salt, sugar and fat that is often 

used in many processed foods. Opting to use herbs and spices, 

rather than salt, helps to add flavour and including beans and 

pulses or opting for wholegrain alternatives like brown rice can 

increase the fibre content of meals, while adding extra vegetables 

boosts the vitamins and minerals. So every time you go to cook 

up a meal at home, stop and think, ‘What could I add?’ Chop 

a banana over your porridge and then sprinkle on some seeds, 

add roast vegetables to your plate or a colourful salad, add extra 

celery or carrots to dip in your hummus, or make nourishing 

vegetable soups with leftovers. 

istockphoto.com, miwa_in_oz , Magone , chokja , Elena Tsvetkova , Anna_Shepulova 

Fruit and vegetables are part of a healthy, balanced 

diet and evidence shows there are significant health 

benefits to consuming the NHS’s recommended 

five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. 

The ‘5-a-day campaign’ is based on advice from the World 

Health Organisation (WHO), which recommends eating a 

minimum of 400g of fruit and vegetables a day to lower the 

risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke 

and some types of cancer. The ‘5-a-day’ rule is a great place 

to start, but to support the trillions of microbes living in our 

gut – which all need different types of plant foods to flourish 

– we should try to aim for thirty different sources a week. 

Learn to… THINK ABOUT DIVERSITY 

For good gut health, the goal is diversity. Research has found that 

people who eat at least thirty different plant-based foods a week 

had more diverse gut microbes than people who ate less than 

ten. The more diverse plant foods we feed our gut microbes, the 

more diverse they become and the more ‘skills’ they have to help 

train our immune cells; increasing our resilience to infection, 

strengthening our gut barrier, balancing our blood sugar levels, 

lowering blood fats and, in the process, helping to prevent against 

disease. All fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, legumes (beans and 

pulses), nuts and seeds, herbs and spices count, so focus on 

variety and colour and try things you wouldn’t usually think to 

put in your trolley! Try the mixed packs of plants, for example 

switch broccoli for stir fry veg; pumpkin seeds for 4 seed mix; rice 

for mixed grains; chickpeas for 4 bean mix – to increase diversity. 

Give it a go… START YOUR DAY RIGHT! 

With busy mornings and lack of time, many of us reach for easy 

options such as a bowl of cereal or a slice of toast with butter or 

jam for breakfast, missing out on the opportunity to add in a 

little extra fibre from plants. With some forward planning it is 

possible to include a few of your thirty portions, before 9am, 

whilst supporting more balanced blood sugar levels, too! If 

you love toast or cereal, choose options with multiple grains or 

seeds – think multi-seed breads or wholegrain breakfast cereals 

that contain multiple grains. Choose seeds, nut butters, mixed 

berries, cinnamon or stewed apples to add to your porridge, 

rather than a drizzle of honey. Or give a savoury breakfast a 

go. Try adding a side to your favourite eggs – mushrooms, 

tomatoes, courgettes and spinach can all be done in one pan. 

An omelette with mixed peppers, spring onions and tomatoes 

with a side of crispy kale is really delicious. My personal 

favourite, however, is leftovers from the night before! 

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 


Create an outdoor space to be truly proud of with the help of next month’s 

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Akebia quinata the chocolate vine istockphoto.com/ PicturePartners 

tical 

Gar 

If you are lucky enough to own a 

garden, remember that it’s not just 

the ground that is yours – the air 

above is also at your disposal. When 

we are planning our gardens we look at 

the borders, the boundaries and at the 

ground. We can forget to look up and 

see that there’s lots of untapped space all 

around us. There are ways of bringing 

flowers into sight at eye level, scents 

directly to our noses, and various other 

ways we can make the garden a more 

three-dimensionally interesting place 

Using the whole space and tapping 

into the vertical can also have the effect 

of making a small garden feel larger. 

Jungle style gardens often have a very 

small footprint but feel huge. They 

wend their way around paths and 

focal points – and tend not to have a 

big open, flat space in the middle (the 

lawn). They are planted in layers to 

mimic the way that plants grow in the 

jungle – the tall canopy overhead, the 

understory and then the forest floor tiers. 

Vertical spaces are occupied by tall 

plants – trees and large shrubs, by 

climbers, or by structures that can 

support plants vertically – living walls, 

planting pockets – even a hanging basket 

will lift plants into another dimension. 

Veden 

 

ng 

Jo Arnell explains 

how to double your 

growing space by 

extending upwards 

Using tall plants 

Adding a tree into a garden, 

or border, instantly changes the 

dynamic, brings in a focal point, 

a high note on which to hang the rest 

of the planting scheme – and it also 

lifts your line of vision. A tree doesn’t 

have to be huge – there are many 

slender and elegant small trees or large 

shrubs that will add height to a space 

without taking it over. One way to 

make a tree smaller and more sculptural 

is to plant a multi-stemmed version 

of the tree. Silver birch (especially 

those with very white trunks like 

‘Jaquemontii’) Amelanchier and Prunus 

serrula work well as multi-stems. 

Fastigiate (slender and upright) 

trees are those with a naturally tall, 

narrow habit – picture the graceful 

Italian cypresses that punctuate 

and pierce the Mediterranean skies, 

or an upward facing cherry called 

‘Amanogowa’, or the slim and tall 

Japanese holly, Ilex crenate ‘Sky pencil’. 

Shrubs can be as wide as they 

are tall – like big fat puddings in 

the borders, but there are some 

elegant and slender cultivars that are 

useful additions. Viburnum plicata 

‘Kilimanjaro Sunrise’ is a slim, tiered 

shrub with corymbs of white blossom 

and good autumn colour. There 

are Berberis called ‘Helmand Pillar’ 

and ‘Orange Rocket’, and a conifer, 

Juniperis ‘Sky Rocket’. These are great 

shrubs for bringing height, but are 

also valuable in a small garden because 

they don’t take up too much room. 

Climbing plants 

A climber is described as any plant 

needing some kind of support in 

order to grow upwards towards the 

light. Climbers are not able to support 

themselves and so use the sturdy 

habits of other plants. Climbers are 

naturally at home anywhere where 

there are supportive neighbours to lean 

on, typically woodland edges and in 

more tropical places, rainforests. They 

will throw themselves up towards the 

light in any way they can – by hook, 

curling tendril, or twining stem, taking 

advantage of the sturdy trunks and 

branches of nearby trees and shrubs. 

Some scramble, hooking themselves on 

with thorns; or twine their lax stems 

around the host plant, strangling as they 

go. Those with more delicate tendrils – 

modified leaves turned into springing 

coils ready to catch hold of anything 

within reach. The more insidious 

suckering types have aerial roots that tap 

into the moisture and nutrient supply of 

the host, enjoying their free ride to the 

max. But don’t let my grim descriptions 

put you off, because climbers are the 

perfect vertical plant – as long as you 

grow them up the right supports. 

Well supported 

Walls, walkways, arches and entrances 

all deserve embellishing (or disguising) 

with flowers and foliage in fact 

they look bleak and bare – in some 

cases indecently naked – without 

a softening covering or flourish. 

The appropriate support will 

hopefully enhance both plant and 

structure. Choose robust supports, 

as even the daintiest little Clematis 

can eventually get to a fair size. 

Something like a Wisteria, which I 

have seen romping down a suburban 

road across the front of several houses, 

will also need to be given plenty of 

space, as even the severest of pruning 

regimes won’t stop it for long. 

Planting an a climber on an obelisk, 

pillar or pole into a border will bring 

instant height and interest, take up less 

ground space than a shrub and provide 

a focal point through the seasons, 

especially if the support is attractive too. 

Fudge your fence 

You can camouflage a dull old fence and 

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It will gradually turn into a 

slim hedge, or ‘fedge’ (a cross 

between a fence and a hedge) 

and blend into the scenery 

beyond your boundary – or 

at least improve the view on 

your side. Good candidates 

for smothering fences and 

unsightly features are ivy, 

which will self-cling, Virginia 

creeper, Clematis montana, or 

the rampant, but enticingly 

fragranced, chocolate 

vine, Akebia quinata. 

Wall shrubs 

These are sometimes lumped 

into the same category as 

climbers, because these shrubs 

need the support of a wall or 

other structure, they are lax 

in habit and don’t have the 

traditional shape that a tree or 

shrub would. They fall into 

a category of their own – not 

climbers, but not quite shrubs 

either. These plants are very 

useful for tight spaces, for 

training upwards, or against 

garden walls and buildings. 

Pyracantha is a familiar wall 

shrub. It is stiff and thorny, 

but has spring blossom and 

gorgeous autumn berries 

in shades of red, orange or 

yellow. For winter interest 

there’s the graceful evergreen 

Garrya elliptica, which hangs 

out its shimmering catkins in 

late winter, until the whole 

plant is a mass of dangly 

silver arrings. Abutilons will 

flower endlessly, they are a 

little tender, but will thrive 

grown on a warm wall or in a 

large pot on a sunny terrace. 

Living walls 

These rely on the installation 

of a system of planting 

pockets that slot together, 

extending to the width and 

height of the area. The wall 

is irrigated by an automatic 

watering system that can be 

controlled by an app, so that 

the correct amount of water 

(and feed) can be supplied 

to the plants through the 

seasons. Cladding whole 

buildings and giant stretches 

of wall is possible and as 

technology improves these 

systems could be a viable 

form of living cladding – 

they will insulate in winter 

and cool in summer. 

So, if your garden is 

looking rather flat, or you’ve 

run out of space for plants 

at ground level, it could be 

time to look to the skies, 

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CityEscapesWT250.indd 1 07/02/2023 16:52

The 

Glasshouse 

Project 

Sue Whigham goes behind the scenes at a social enterprise which 

enables women approaching the end of their sentences to develop 

skills in horticulture before their release from prison 

‘I 

believe everyone should have a second chance,’ 

said the lady in the corner shop yesterday afternoon. 

East Sutton Park is a women’s open 

prison established in a Grade II 

listed Jacobean manor house near 

Sutton Valence, Kent. The prison is 

complete with a working farm and 

eighty acres. It originally opened as 

an all female Borstal in 1946 and has 

been an all-female institution ever 

since. The women at East Sutton are 

at the end of their sentences which 

they will have served in a closed 

prison, and rehabilitation both before 

and after release is a priority. 

One of the co-founders of The 

Glasshouse Project was introduced 

to East Sutton Park by a volunteer in 

2019 and on a visit there she spotted 

that two of the old glasshouses on 

the site were underused due to cuts 

in funds for land based training. 

She thought that these glasshouses 

would be an ideal site to support a 

social enterprise which would enable 

women to develop skills in horticulture 

before their release from prison. Social 

entrepreneur Melissa Murdoch and 

Kali Hamerton Stove, MD of The 

Glasshouse Project, with her career in 

international marketing and retail, then 

approached the Ministry of Justice and 

presented their ideas to the Ministry’s 

new futures network. They loved the 

concept and suggested that the project 

could start in East Sutton and thus 

The Glasshouse Project was born. 

Launched in February 2020 with a 

£50,000 Director’s Loan, the project 

faced an awful lot of challenges at 

first including, of course, the Covid 

pandemic. They also had to learn 

how to work with the prison system 

as well, but within a couple of 

years they’d doubled their turnover. 

Recently, their Finance Director, Laura 

Bellhouse, applied for and secured 

further funding from the People’s 

Postcode Lottery. All profits are being 

ploughed back into the scheme. 

So what do they do? Through 

the growing on and nurturing of 

fabulous houseplants the project 


88

Garden 

helps and supports the women in 

the months before and after release. 

During that time they work with 

a tutor towards the Level 2 RHS 

Certificate in Practical Gardening 

which covers all aspects of planting, 

propagation and maintenance of plants 

as well as taking part in workshops 

covering further horticultural skills. 

When I met them at their temporary 

premises, they were tidying up and 

re potting large specimens of fiddle 

leaf figs (Ficus lyrata). Other treasures 

there included Rhipsalis paradoxa, a 

succulent epiphyte from Brazil which 

is a particular favourite of ours. It is 

endangered in the wild due to habitat 

loss. We must be doing something right 

as ours flowered last year with strings 

of tiny white flowers followed by little 

pink translucent berries along its long 

chain-like leaves. It’s perfect for growing 

in a hanging basket to give a very jungly 

effect and, over time, its leaves can 

reach up to five metres long. Wow! 

The plants are destined to be sold 

in their stylish shop in Cranbrook, or 

online from their website, with some 

taken up to London to supply their 

scheme of ‘landscaping in corporate 

situations’ which involves regular 

maintenance and care of the plants 

ensuring that they are in tip top 

condition. They have fifteen clients, 

the largest of which has plants in 

offices over six floors. What a fantastic 

statistic! And some clients prefer a 

scheme of ‘revolving plant installations’ 

to ring the changes. Through regular 

contact with their clients the women 

develop their social skills as well as 

increasing both their self esteem 

and self confidence. And, of course, 

being surrounded by plants in their 

workspace benefits the clients as well. 

Clients include multinationals and 

start ups, such as Redemptive Roasters 

who now have a dozen coffee shops in 

London, having started with just one 

in Lamb’s Conduit Street. Their coffee 

is roasted in HMP The Mount, 


istockphoto.com/venimo 

who, like The Glasshouse Project, 

help with what comes after release. 

And then there is the scheme for 

corporate gifting. Plants are sent to 

recipients with personal messages 

and the appropriate logo as well as 

information about the project. This 

can all be done online, meaning 

that any number of plants can be 

sent out across the UK. I like the 

fact that all the plants are sent to 

their new owners using sustainable 

packaging and that they leave with a 

comprehensive label giving details of 

how to look after them in the future. 

Just think of all those houseplants 

that are sold either unlabelled or 

poorly labelled and that succumb to 

neglect within no time at all. As well 

as providing decent labelling, Kali has 

sourced good looking charcoal clay 

pots, designed by Berg in Denmark 

and made in Italy. These pots can be 

bought in the Cranbrook shop, too. 

So this holistic approach to the 

women’s welfare and future, allowing 

them to learn skills and earn a living 

wage whilst they are part of the project, 

means that they are very employable 

when they leave East Sutton. Maria 

Love, who is the project’s Head of 

Social Impact, provides practical and 

emotional support to the women, 

liaising with both them and prison 

staff prior to their release. She works 

with landlords, too – as finding 

decent housing can be difficult for 

ex offenders – and keeps in touch 

with the project’s alumni. 100% of 

the women finishing the programme 

find employment within a month of 

leaving East Sutton as well as finding 

that other essential – somewhere 

stable to live. Another great statistic. 

One of the women who has been 

part of the project said that The 

Glasshouse gave her ‘a reason to get 

up during a dark time’ for both her 

and her family. She felt like a normal 

woman again and that her life was 

enhanced because of the project. 

The enthusiasm, energy and 

dedicated commitment to the women 

who are part of The Glasshouse Project 

is wonderful. I’ve no doubt that Kali’s 

hope that they will be able to set up 

a similar enterprise in other women’s 

prisons up and down the UK in the 

next ten years will happen. In the 

meantime, this summer’s plans include 

setting up in two Surrey prisons, 

Send and Downview, with a shop 

opening up in Surrey in late summer. 

For more information on the 

project, see theglasshouse.co.uk or 

visit the shop at 3a Stone Street, 

Cranbrook, Kent, open from 

Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm. 

Sue Whigham can be contacted on 07810 457948 for gardening advice and help in the sourcing and supply of interesting garden plants. 

90

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Mental Health 

Masterclass 

CONFERENCE DETAIL 

Wednesday 15 March 

7pm Dick Moore, global speaker on young people’s mental health – 

on behalf of The Charlie Waller Trust. 

Friday 17 March 

9am Keynote Address: Pooky Knightsmith 

‘Anxiety, Autism and ADHD: Practical Ideas 

for Understanding and Supporting.’ 

Join Pooky to explore why anxiety is such a 

common feature within the ADHD / Autistic 

communities. We’ll consider the steps we can 

take to prevent and manage anxiety for these 

groups as well as exploring a range of skills and 

strategies that children and young people can 

take to support themselves. Many of the ideas 

shared are also suitable for neurotypical children 

(or adults), so this fast-paced, resource-rich 

session will have something for everyone. 

60 minutes + 15 minutes Q&A 

10.30am Coffee & refreshments 

11–11.45am James Storey-Mason, Head of 

Digital Wellbeing, Tonbridge School 

Getting the best from an online 

presence – safely. 

1–2pm Lunch & Networking 

2–2.45pm Supporting Mental Health 

in Schools 

Mental Health leads from two Skinners’ 

Schools & the experiences of their pupils. 

3–3.45pm Panel Q&A 

Pooky Knightsmith, Alice Palmer, 

Dr. Liz Maslin (MH Lead The New Beacon), 

Skinners’ MH leads. 

3.45pm Pooky Knightsmith: 

Self-care Ideas for Busy Adults 

We’ll wrap up the day by thinking briefly 

about small acts of self-care, compassion and 

kindness that can be easily built into our busy 

lives in order to reduce anxiety and burnout 

and to promote a little joy! 

4pm Close 

12–12.45pm Alice Palmer – on behalf of 

The Charlie Waller Trust 

Self-harm: warning signs, stigma and how to 

have conversations which help. 

For more information 

and booking

Education 

Minds Matter 

New Beacon give us the lowdown on their forthcoming Mental Health Masterclass 

Ask any teacher about the impact 

of Covid and lockdowns 

on children’s development 

and it will not be long before the 

words ‘anxiety’ and ‘focus’ make an 

appearance. It may be the case that we 

are generally better at identifying such 

traits as ADHD though, more likely, 

such traits are on the increase. This is 

the central theme of the forthcoming 

‘Mental Health Masterclass’ at The 

New Beacon School on 17th March. 

The keynote speaker is the globally 

recognised expert on young people’s 

mental health, Dr. Pooky Knightsmith, 

with her talk entitled, Anxiety, 

Autism and ADHD: Practical Ideas 

for Understanding and Supporting. 

The intended audience is educators 

and parents – or simply those who 

are interested in the development 

and wellbeing of young people. 

Of concern to all parents is their 

children’s online presence. James 

Storey-Mason, Head of Digital 

Wellbeing at Tonbridge School, 

will educate and advise on not just 

the pitfalls of social media but also 

the benefits, giving tips to parents 

on how to support and monitor 

their children’s online activity. 

Alice Palmer (on behalf of the 

Charlie Waller Trust) will speak 

on the sensitive topic of self-harm, 

identifying the warning signs, 

recognising the stigma and helping 

to enable supportive conversations. 

The day will finish with a panel 

of speakers, experts in this field, 

taking questions from the audience 

and Pooky Knightsmith giving 

closing advice on how those who 

look after others should make sure 

they are looking after themselves. 

On the evening of 15th March Dick 

Moore – who has spoken to audiences 

of educators and parents across the 

world to great acclaim – will give 

his own masterclass. He identifies 

behaviours which can signal warnings 

about mental health while touching on 

neuroscience and ways of supporting. 

Admission is free to this event with 

donations requested to The Charlie 

Waller Trust, mental health charity. 

You can book your place by 

visiting newbeacon.org.uk 


Experience our culture 

Fun FREE street theatre this spring in Wealden 

POLEGATE FRI 3 MAR Puppet Show 4:30pm 

DOLLY 

DELICIOUS 

HODMAN 

& SALLY 

ST GEORGES HALL, 110 EASTBOURNE ROAD, 

POLEGATE BN26 5DF 

Hulla Balloony Moon Time! 

Little children will feel the 

magic at this riotous, zany 

show. 45 mins of cakey 

fun, puppets and a dance. 

HAILSHAM SAT 11 MAR 11:30am-2:30pm 

Hodman Dodmanott & Sally Forth 

Two tiny elderly backpackers set 

out to fathom the modern world! 

The Sea Sphere 

Watch as she 

glides gracefully 

through crowds 

in her giant 

magical globe! 

UK African Acrobats 

Watch the sizzling skills 

of these dazzling acrobats! 

Granny Turismo The world’s 

first and only shopping trolley 

dance display team! 

Dolly Delicious will be 

towering above us all 

in Crowborough, 

Hailsham and Uckfield. 

GRANNY 

TURISMO 

THE SEA 

SPHERE 

HEATHFIELD FRI 17 MAR Puppet Show 4:30pm 

UNION CHURCH HALL, STATION ROAD, HEATHFIELD TN21 8LB 

Woodland Tales Something is 

happening in the woods, voices can 

be heard, and a strange metallic 

smell fills the air. But is there enough 

time to save the wood? For ages 3+ 

CROWBOROUGH SAT 4 MAR 11:30am-2:30pm 

The Seal Salana the seal and Marina 

Mudflat the marine biologist are very 

friendly. Just watch out for seal spit! 

The Enchanted Flower Globe 

Say hello to beautiful 

Floris in her miniature 

world, brimming with 

butterflies, flowers 

and spring colours. THE SEAL 

The Wardens They have been empowered 

with the jurisdiction to enforce any rule or 

law they see fit. Watch out or you may 

end up with a ticket! 

Crimplene Crusaders These twin-set 

clad campaigners will keep a firm 

eye out for any slouching, flirting, or 

handholding, making sure that good 

old fashioned values are championed! 

CRIMPLENE 

CRUSADERS 

UCKFIELD SAT 18 MAR 11:30am-2:30pm 

YESHE 

THE YAK 

The Tourists East End geezers, 

Terry and Derek, have won a 

competition in The Sun 

newspaper to attend this 

event and need help to 

find some pie and mash! 

Yeshe The Yak This gentle, 

mysterious and curious yak is 

very fond of children, especially 

those who might carefully stoke 

his nose or tickle his fringe. 

The Sea Sphere Watch as she 

glides gracefully through crowds 

in her giant magical globe 

The Whizzers These small, unpredictable 

sprites perform mesmeric gliding dances. 

Xena Flame Hula Hooping fun THE 

time for everyone! Zena will be 

WHIZZERS 

performing at Hailsham & Uckfield. 

THE TOURISTS 

Discover lots more to do at www.explorewealden.co.uk

Social icon 

Circle 

Only use blue and/or white. 

For more details check out our 

Brand Guidelines. 

CONCERTS 

What’s On in March 

Fri 3 Mar 7.30pm 

White Rock Theatre, 

White Rock, Hastings, 

East Sussex, TN34 1JX 

SOMETHING ABOUT 

GEORGE - THE GEORGE 

HARRISON STORY 

Starring West End actor and 

musician Daniel Taylor, this is 

the truly remarkable tale of one 

of music’s most understated 

icons. Featuring a five-piece band 

performing beautiful songs such as 

“My Sweet Lord”, “Something”, 

“Got My Mind Set On You” and 

“Handle With Care”, the show 

includes incredible solo material 

and music from rock n’ roll’s 

greatest supergroup, The Travelling 

Wilburys – not forgetting more 

than a few Beatles’ classics along 

the way. From heartbreak to 

hedonism and song writing 

to instant success, Something 

About George will show you a 

life that was anything but quiet. 

Entry: £24-£28 (a £3.65 

transaction fee may apply) 

whiterocktheatre.org.uk 

Sat 25 Mar 7.30pm 

Pamoja Hall, Sevenoaks School, 

High St, Sevenoaks TN13 1HU 

SIMPLY SCHUBERT 

Sevenoaks Philharmonic Choir 

conducted by Robyn Sevastos 

with Sevenoaks Philharmonic 

Orchestra, present this celebration 

of Schubert with performances of 

Mass in E Flat, Magnificat in C 

and Tantum Ergo. An immersive 

evening of choral music from 

one of the great composers of 

the early Romantic period. 

01732 467765 / 

sevenoaks-philharmonic.org.uk 

AUCTIONS & FAIRS 

Weds 15 & Weds 22 Mar 

70/76 Knights Hill, 

London SE27 0JD 

ROSEBERYS FINE ART 

AUCTIONEERS 

Roseberys’ Modern British & 

20th Century Art sale will offer 

a brilliant and eclectic selection 

from the last century on 15 

March. Including major 1980s 

pieces from the collection of 

Saatchi & Saatchi, London; 

the collection of an important 

patron of British Art; alongside 

master works by Marion Adnams, 

Aubrey Williams and John Piper. 

The Auction House will be 

hosting their Design Since 1860 

sale on Wednesday 22 March, 

which offers the chance to buy 

a wonderful range of decorative 

items and furniture, dating 

anywhere from 1860 right up to 

the present day. Arts and Crafts 

silver and copper sits alongside 

midcentury furniture and 

contemporary Studio ceramics. 

roseberys.co.uk 

Sat 1 April 10am-3.30pm 

Penshurst Village Hall, 

Penshurst TN11 8BP 

THE WEALDEN BAZAAR 

SPRING VINTAGE MARKET 

AT PENSHURST 

Showcasing vintage home 

and garden wares, French 

finds, antiques and decorative 

pieces, fabrics, vintage fashion, 

jewellery, furniture and gifts. 

The Wealden Bazaar returns 

to Penshurst Village Hall for 

another marvellous Vintage 

Market. Upstairs and down of 

this beautiful old building will be 

filled with more than 25 fabulous 

vintage traders from throughout 

Kent & Sussex. For further info 

contact on Estelle 07904614824 

Entry: £2.50 

Instagram: @thewealdenbazaar 

Listings are correct at time of going 

to press but may be subject to change. 

Readers are advised to check with 

venues before making arrangements. 

We can list your event in the next 

issue of Wealden Times for only 

£75+VAT. Please supply up to 100 

words that should include date, time, 

venue, contact for enquiries and any 

entry price to whatson@pricelessgroup.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. Deadline 

for the next issue is 7 March. 

Wood Floor 

Sanding 

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PromoteYourBusinessWT.indd 1 23/03/2021 15:56 

Celebrate Spring 

at Smallhythe Place 

Open Wed-Sun from March 1st 

11am - 5pm 

Discover the theatrical world at Smallhythe 

Place from exhibitions on set design to Easter 

Adventures among the flowers. 

For more information, please visit our website. 

nationaltrust.org.uk/smallhythe-place 

© National Trust 2023. Registered charity no. 205846. Photography © National Trust Images/Layton Thompson 


SmallhythePlaceWT250.indd 1 22/02/2023 11:08

The Coopers Farm hens aren’t 

always as productive as hoped, 

as Jane Howard explains 

Spring is in the air. The daffodils 

are out, bees are buzzing 

around on a sunny day and 

in the garden birds are collecting 

hair, moss and twigs for their nests. 

The chickens are also getting in the 

mood to deliver some Easter chicks – which 

we absolutely don’t want but will probably 

end up with as I’m too soft to turf a broody 

chicken off her clutch. We have old-fashioned hens, 

Brown Sussex, related to the far more common Light 

Sussex – read on to find a possible explanation of their 

rarity! They may look beautiful but, unlike their Light 

(actually white) cousins who lay an egg most days, the 

production schedule of this now quite rare breed is far 

less reliable. Sure we get an egg most days during the 

summer, but in September they start to moult, shut up 

shop – we actually have to buy eggs 

– and won’t get back in the swing till 

the evenings start drawing out again in When a hen 

January. But very annoyingly, not long 

goes broody her 

after that, one or two will come over 

all hot and bothered and go broody, temperature rises, she 

they want to be mothers not layers. plucks the feathers 

Hens lay eggs whether or not there’s 

a cockerel, but, and this might be 

from her chest so 

stating the obvious, for an egg to be there is direct contact 

fertile and become a chick you need a 

between skin and 

rooster. We have Phil, we’ve had him 

for years so goodness knows how old shell and sits tight 

he is but he remains a loyal servant to on a clutch of eggs 

the farm and dedicated to his duties. 

Not much fun for the hens, there’s no 

romance, he just jumps on board, pins them to the 

ground using his spurs, keeps them there by using his 

beak to grab the feathers on the back of their necks 

and the whole thing is over in a couple of seconds. 

Once done the hen will lay fertile eggs and these 

are viable – can develop into a chick – for about two 

weeks after being laid, but that only happens if they’re 

kept constantly warm. When a hen goes broody her 

temperature rises, she plucks the feathers from her chest 

so there is direct contact between skin and shell and sits 

tight on a clutch of eggs, which she will have craftily 

hidden in a remote corner of a barn. She will sit there 

stock still, rarely leaving and, hey presto, three weeks later 

she will hatch her brood and emerge with a troupe of 

fluffy bundles – our record is fourteen. 

Trouble is they don’t stay like that, they 

soon become gangly and ugly with the 

added annoyance that mum spends the 

summer clucking around and teaching 

them the ways of the chicken world so, 

blow me down, I still have to buy eggs! 

At this time of year the bees are at it 

too. Most insects overwinter by either 

laying eggs in the autumn that hatch 

in the spring or by a fertile queen 

hibernating during the cold winter 

months. Honey bees are the exception. A 

typical hive will have around 50,000 bees 

in the summer busy collecting nectar and 

making honey. Numbers drop to around 

10,000 in the autumn and these overwinter eating the 

stored honey and caring for the all important queen. So 

right now she’s very busy building those numbers back 

up again. Between February and May she’ll be laying up 

to 500 eggs a day… now that’s what I call productive, 

makes those pesky posh chickens look like non-starters! 

But at least the hens and the bees do motherhood 

unaided. We start lambing in April, long days 

and sleepless nights coming our way soon but 

happily always something we look forward to. 

Find out more about daily life at Coopers Farm by visiting coopersfarmstonegate.co.uk 


96

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