Wealden Times | WT257 | October 2023 | Interiors & Bathrooms Supplement inside

PRICELESS 

OCTOBER 2023 

257 

OCTOBER 2023 

INTERIORS & BATHROOMS SUPPLEMENT inside 

Inspirational Interiors • Fabulous Fashion • Delicious Dishes

jminteriorsuk.uk 

Please email or call to make a showroom appointment 

2 

info@jminteriorsuk.uk 01580 291221 

JMInteriorsWT256.indd All Pages

MINTERIORS 

JFine hand crafted kitchens and bespoke furniture 

Designing and handcrafting kitchens since 1994 

3 

02/08/2023 14:22:52

A.T. Palmer Ltd 

Restoration Specialists Est.1949 

OVER 70 YEARS IN BUSINESS 

| Employed Skilled Workforce 

| Renovations & Extensions 

| Conversions & Alterations 

| Design & Build 

T: 01233 770077 

Smarden Business Estate, TN27 8QL 

atpalmer.co.uk 

ATPalmerWT248.indd 1 06/12/2022 09:59

Contents 

October 2023 

10 

17 

21 

30 

30 

HOUSE OF THE MONTH 

Dream homes on the market 

NOTEBOOK 

Upcoming events for your diary 

THE MUST LIST 

Keep up-to-date with the latest 

must-see and must-have goodies 

PATTERN & PURPOSE 

A full home revamp with 

colour and artworks galore 

77 

78 

80 

77 

STEP OUT FROM 

THE SHADOWS 

Harness your dark side with 

stylish picks from Dr Martens 

WEDNESDAY WE 

WEAR BLACK 

Rebecca Cuffe edits chic gothic 

style à la Wednesday Addams 

AUTENTICA COCINA 

We head to Mexico for recipe 

inspiration this month 

94 

99 

107 

64 

BURIED TREASURE 

Jo Arnell concocts the 

ultimate bulb lasagne 

A DESTINATION OF A 

DIFFERENT NATURE 

Sue Whigham is inspired by 

her recent garden travels 

MEET THE HEAD 

Get to know Walthamstow Hall 

Sevenoaks’s new headmistress 

Louise Chamberlain 

45 

64 

75 

GET THE LOOK 

Emulate Justine Hodgson- 

Barker’s textured approach 

NATURAL BLEND 

Take a tour of our food writer, 

Charlotte Butterworth’s, 

Provence-inspired home 

GET THE LOOK 

Enjoy period living with 

Charlotte’s classic choices 

86 

91 

93 

SPF 365 

Josephine Fairley stresses 

the importance of yearround 

sun protection 

JUST A MINUTE 

Sarah Maxwell fits in a 

speedy meditation 

NOURISH TO FLOURISH 

Charlotte Lau explores the 

power of turmeric 

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

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109 

114 

WHAT’S ON? 

From pantos to courses, find out what’s on... 

FABLES FROM THE FARM 

Jane Howard focuses in on her pigs 

INTERIORS & 

BATHROOMS 

SUPPLEMENT 

The latest trends 

and most stylish 

bathrooms. 

After page 46. 

Interiors 

Bathrooms 

& 

5

UP TO 

65% OFF 

SELECTED 

ITEMS 

UP TO 

65% OFF 

SELECTED 

ITEMS 

The Best Beds, The Best Sofas 

SECTION 

SECTION 

The Best Furniture Sale Guaranteed 

The Best Beds, The Best Sofas 

SECTION 

SECTION 

DURESTA TRAFALGAR 

The Best Furniture Sale GuaranteedWe at Wells are delighted to be the 

Premier stockist for Duresta with 

the largest display of this beautiful 

furniture. 

UP TO 

24 MONTHS 

INTEREST 

FREE CREDIT 

ON SELECTED ITEMS 

UP TO 

24 MONTHS 

INTEREST 

FREE CREDIT 

ON SELECTED ITEMS 

With over a dozen models in roomsets 

DURESTA on display and having TRAFALGAR 

worked hand in 

We hand at with Wells Duresta are delighted we have to created be the a 

Premier truly inspirational stockist for display Duresta with with unique 

the fabric largest choices display and of a beautiful this beautiful oak 

furniture. parquet floor to really set the scene. 

With over a dozen models in roomsets 

on display and having worked hand in 

hand with Duresta we have created a 

truly inspirational display with unique 

fabric choices and a beautiful oak 

parquet floor to really set the scene. 

44 High Street 

Royal Tunbridge Wells 

Where quality and service cost less! 

01892 535555 

sales@wellsinteriors.com 

54 | SEPTEMBER 2023 | SO Magazine SO Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2023 | 55 

44 High Street 

Royal Tunbridge Wells 

Where quality and service cost less! 

01892 535555 

sales@wellsinteriors.com 

54 | SEPTEMBER 2023 | SO Magazine SO Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2023 | 55 

“A personal service 

given in a relaxed and 

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KingsfordSolicitorsWT254.indd 1 05/06/2023 09:44:40

From the 

Editor 

As the October nights draw in, it’s time to savour cosy 

autumn evenings and make the most of life indoors. 

With a little help and inspiration from this issue’s 

Interiors Supplement, which has a special focus on 

bathrooms, you can discover the latest trends that are 

sure to stand the test of time. Think classic design, 

colour pops and a sprinkle of West Coast cool. 

With the funkiest cinema room we’ve ever seen, the 

first of our house features is a real showcase for confident 

and beautiful use of pattern and texture. See how interior 

designer Justine Hodgson-Barker and her team completed 

a whole-house revamp for its art-loving owners. After our 

supplement, explore food writer and Wealden Times 

& Surrey Homes contributor Charlotte Butterworth’s 

Provence-influenced family home. When it comes to decor 

and furniture, she’s been careful to shop local and is now 

running a new series of cookery workshops where you can 

soak up her expertise in the comfort of her spacious kitchen, 

with incredible views over the surrounding countryside. 

Finally, are you, or do you know someone who is, 

looking to start a career in sales & marketing? 

We’re on the hunt for a brilliant new 

trainee to join the Priceless team. 

If you or your daughter, son, niece, 

nephew – or friend – are interested 

and can drive daily to our Cranbrook 

head office, then please email a CV to 

vivien.cotterill-lee@priceless-group.com 

Enjoy your Priceless magazine 

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MAIDSTONE 

Priceless Team 

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Supplements & Features EditorRebecca Cuffe 

Sub Editor & Features Writer Emily Pavey 

Design & Production DirectorAnthony Boxall 

Sales ManagersLisa Gordon-Hughes 

Maria Hurley 

Senior Account ManagerSarah Norwood 

Account ExecutiveMarnie Newman 

Sales & Marketing Executive Zoe Parrish 

Wealden Times Show Director Flo Simpson 

Events Manager Liz Miles 

Events Sales Director Jude Brown 

Financial ControllerStephen Hunt 

Accounts Sarah Davies 

Nicola O’Leary 

Social Media ManagerCharlotte Lau 

Managing DirectorVivien Cotterill-Lee 

Executive Chairman Julie Simpson 

7 

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9 

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

House 

Month 

of the 

£3,950,000 

Goudhurst 

Damien Pestell picks his favourite 

homes on the market 

The dream: A wonderful 

architectural home and the RIBA 

South East architectural winner 

2023. Partially submerged into 

the ground, the house merges 

with the landscape, while upstairs 

the sky floor sits at tree canopy 

level and takes advantage of 

stunning views down the valley 

below. A truly unique build. 

Where: Just a mile from the 

beautiful and sought-after village 

of Goudhurst which is well 

known for its pretty centre. The 

regional centre of Royal Tunbridge 

Wells is also within easy reach. 

Setting: A wonderful rural position 

within the Kentish Weald. 

Beds: 5 Baths: 5 

Special features: There is a fully 

equipped gym and cinema room 

on the lower floor with 110 inch 

projection and 16 speakers. 

Pleasing details: A detached, 

fully restored 3-bedroom ‘Pump 

House’ is available by separate 

negotiation to create an annexe 

to Waterfield House. Some 200m 

down in the valley, with its own 

entrance and 2.19 acres. 

Outside: Manicured landscape 

gardens with patio areas giving 

way to rolling countryside 

and mature trees. 

Time to town: From Marden 

station, 4.2 miles away, to London 

Bridge in just 48 minutes. 

Agent: Savills 

01580 720161 savills.com 

priceless-magazines.com 10

Shipbourne 

£6,500,000 

The dream: A most impressive Georgian-style 

country residence. Built by the present owners 

in 2013, the property is in keeping with the 

Georgian style yet ideal for modern living. 

Where: The sought-after village of Shipbourne 

with popular local inn, weekly farmers’ 

market and a pretty village green. Tonbridge 

is the nearest major town 3 miles away. 

Setting: Down a series of back lanes, the property 

is approached via a gravel drive with a stone 

pillared entrance and wrought iron gates. 


Special features: The magnificent drawing 

room with its high ceilings and ornate detailing 

is a wonderful multi-functional space that 

leads out to the south facing terrace. 

Pleasing details: The hand crafted period features 

include decorative plaster friezes, elegant marble 

fireplaces, high ceilings and sash windows throughout. 

Outside: Formal gardens surround the 

house with manicured lawns, an attractive 

ornamental pond and generous paved and 

gravel terraces flanked by well stocked beds. 

Time to town: From Tonbridge station, 3.6 miles 

away, to London Charing Cross in half an hour. 

Agent: Savills 0207 409 5945 savills.com 

Lenham 

£900,000 

The dream: A pretty character cottage with beautiful 

rural views across the North Downs AONB. Built in 

the late 1800s, this wonderful family home has flexible 

and spacious accommodation spread over three floors. 

Where: Five minutes outside Lenham village, 

with its independent shops and dining options. 

Maidstone and Ashford are a 20 minute drive away. 

Setting: Nestled in the North Kent Downs 

AONB with surrounding farmland leading 

to the famous North Downs Way. 


Special features: The lovely bedrooms with exposed 

floorboards make you feel immediately at home and 

enjoy fantastic views across low-lying countryside. 

Pleasing details: Two handy detached outbuildings are 

ideal for those who work from home. There is a detached 

garage which has been converted into a workshop. 

Outside: The generous gardens are thoughtfully 

arranged with numerous areas of lawn as well 

as a vegetable patch and greenhouse, for those 

that dream of growing their own food. 

Time to town: From Ashford International, a 20 minute 

drive away, to London St Pancras in only 36 Minutes. 

Agent: Rafferty & Pickard 

01732 905499 raffertyandpickard.co.uk 

11 


A development by 

CHESTFIELD, WHITSTABLE 

TAILOR 

YOUR MOVE 

Kitewood are offering an 

allowance on completion of 

selected plots to tailor your 

move to suit your needs, giving 

you a fantastic contribution 

towards one or more of the 

following: 

• Stamp Duty 

• Mortgage payments 

• Deposit 

• Legal fees 

• Estate agents fees 

Grasmere Gardens is an attractive collection of 

new 2, 3, 4 and 5-bedroom houses in a setting 

that reflects the character of Chestfield village. 

A community nestled in stunning landscaped 

areas and open spaces to bring you closer to 

nature and enhance your life every day. 

PRICES FROM: £360,000 • SAT NAV POSTCODE: CT5 3QZ 

*Tailor your move scheme is subject to conditions. Please ask a Sales Representative for 

further details and to explore the possibilities. Incentives are available on selective plots. 

01227 532 912 

sales@grasmeregardens.co.uk 

SCAN HERE 

FOR MORE DETAILS

John-Paul Rafferty 

FNAEA FARLA Assoc RICS 

Paul Pickard 

MNAEA 

Lenham 

CONCIERGE SERVICE 

Direct contact with company founders from start to finish 

£900,000 Barming 

£625,000 

What Sets Us Apart? 

EXPERTISE 

Benefit from our decades of experience and qualifications 

MARKETING REACH 

Property Portals, Social Media Campaign, Glossy Magazines - 

Our advertising spreads further than you might expect 

NO CATCHES 

No minimum contract length and only pay us when the sale 

is successfully completed 

CINEMATIC VIDEOS 

Our signature cinematic videos incorporate aerial footage that 

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ABOVE AND BEYOND 

Our unblemished 5 star Google rating is testament to our 

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www.raffertyandpickard.co.uk 01732 905499 homes@raffertyandpickard.co.uk 

Oak Framed Buildings 

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13 


FoxFramingWT247.indd 1 31/10/2022 16:11

Let us take you 

in the right 

direction 

When it comes to financial advice, it’s 

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Folkestone Office: 01303 273 273 Maidstone Office: 01622 238 230 

Email: ifa@financial-advice.co.uk 

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FinancialAdviceWT254.indd 2 13/06/2023 11:16:06

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M 

Y 

Y 

Y

Notebook 

Take note! We’ve rounded up the best 

of what to see and do near you 

Persian Paradise 

We’re excited to hear about A 

Persian Paradise – the new exhibition 

opening at National Trust’s Sissinghurst Castle 

Garden. Travel back to the 1920s with writers Vita 

Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson and explore their time 

together spent in Persia (now Iran) during a period of significant 

change. Vita and Harold were two of the most high-profile cultural 

figures of their generation and, through their writing, channelled a 

growing fascination for all things Persian. Their holiday snaps provide 

many glimpses of life that were transformed in the following decades. Vita’s 

search for wildflowers and her rummaging through bazaars – which she 

preferred to the gossip of the colonial English Drawing Room – enabled 

her to create a unique castle garden and home at Sissinghurst. Head 

along to see this legacy in two transformed exhibition spaces filled with 

a dazzling display of vibrant ceramics, music, projected film, letters, 

archival photographs and more. Discover how Vita and Harold’s 

trips to Iran became a defining time in their lives that would 

later inspire much of their artistry, as well as that of others, 

including Virginia Woolf. A Persian Paradise runs 

daily from 14 October until 24 March 2024. 

nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst 

Liquid Spirit 

For the month of October, Silent Pool 

have distillery tours on Thursday, 

Friday, Saturday and Sunday each 

week. Find out all about Silent Pool’s 

Liquid Garnishes which are intensely 

aromatic blends of botanical oils 

designed to elevate the aroma – and 

thus the flavour – of your G&T. 

There’s no need to add a fruit or 

herbs, simply spritz your Liquid 

Garnish across the top of your drink 

and let the mist work its magic. 

The distillery’s Aroma Masterclass 

(on 27th October) is led by a gin 

expert and enables you to get creative 

and blend your very own custom 

liquid garnish to take home. The 

botanical oils, bottles and knowhow 

are all provided in this fun 

and enlightening experience – a 

great one to enjoy with friends. 

You’ll also sample the Silent Pool 

Gin Expressions range, find out 

how botanicals are used in gin, and 

explore the role of aroma in relation 

to enhancing our sense of taste. 

silentpooldistillers.com 

SO KIND 

ARTED 

Kent Painters Group 

(KPG) is a not-for-profit 

organisation started over 30 years 

ago to raise money for local mental 

health charities. To date they have raised 

£330,000. Once again you will be able 

to purchase art from Kent’s leading 

artists and sculptors, and this time 

you will also be able to have a coffee, 

lunch or even walk in the beautiful 

surrounding countryside. At the 

opening drinks, on Friday 27th 

October between 6-9pm, you can 

meet some of the artists as well 

as having the first opportunity to 

purchase their art. Following this they 

will be open on the Saturday (12- 

4pm) and Sunday (10am-4pm). 

kentpaintersgroup.co.uk 

©National Trust Images/Richard Holttum 

istockphoto.com/Elena Efremova

2 

GC the OG! 

Diary at the ready! You’re 

guaranteed a smile and a laugh 

at Graham Clarke’s Studio 

Gallery open from 11am-3pm 

on 6th, 7th, 8th October, 

3rd, 4th, 5th November and 

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 9th December. 

Discover a huge collection of 

work from greetings cards, 

books and posters to limitededition 

etchings produced 

entirely by hand. Learn about 

the traditional printing process 

and hear some of the stories 

behind his work. 

grahamclarke.co.uk 

Fifty Guild makers will 

exhibit beautiful, handmade 

crafts produced in small workshops and 

studios across Sussex and beyond, beside the seaside 

at the iconic De La Warr Pavilion on 21 & 22 October. The 

Guild’s sixth show at this popular venue will have a wide range 

of disciplines, including work by new and more recent members. 

Take the opportunity to discuss work directly with the makers 

who’ll be happy to talk about their inspirations and explain 

their specialist techniques. Purchase unique works over the 

weekend or commission a more personal piece. 

The Pavilion’s bright and stylish Café Bar and Kitchen use fresh, 

seasonal ingredients, locally sourced where possible, for 

delicious lunches, sandwiches and cakes. Weather 

permitting, food and drink may be enjoyed 

on the balconies whilst overlooking 

the sea. Full admission details 

thesussexguild.co.uk 

WE DO LIKE TO BE... 

Hedge Issue 

Surrey Wildlife Trust and West Horsley Place are 

promising a great day of music, food, craft and 

conservation when they host the UK’s very first 

hedgerow-themed music and arts festival on Saturday 

21st October. Designed as a celebration of the rich 

cultural and natural history of these ‘forgotten heroes’ 

of our landscape, Surrey Hedgerow Festival will feature 

folk, jazz and rock music from local performers as well 

as educational talks, guided walks, storytelling, art 

displays and roaming performances from Guildford 

Shakespeare. Good sustainable food – including tasty 

items garnered from local hedgerows – and locally 

brewed refreshments from local Surrey Hills Enterprise 

businesses are guaranteed too. Admittance is just £5 

and free for under 16s. surreywildlifetrust.org/events 

WALKIE TALKIE 

On the last Wednesday of every month, 

Merriments Gardens holds a ‘Walk & Talk’ 

in their beautiful four-acre RHS Partner 

Garden in East Sussex. Spend an hour with 

their Garden Curator and other members 

of the team, discussing the blaze of autumn 

colours that can be created using late flowering 

perennials, ornamental grasses and trees. Get 

your own gardening questions answered by 

the experts too! October’s event will take place 

on Wednesday 25th October at 10.30am. 

Entry to this event is free and there’s no need 

to book, so just turn up! merriments.co.uk 

istockphoto.com/ OG Art Shop 

Local Focal 

The much anticipated return of Cranbrook Art 

Show will showcase exciting new talent for you to 

discover alongside familiar artists to enjoy. Come and 

experience a variety of abstract and representational 

works in a wide range of media in the beautiful 

Vestry Hall, and entry is free. It’s definitely a date 

for the your diary if you’re looking for a new piece 

for your home or the perfect gift. It’ll be open 

from November 9th – 11th 10am-5pm, with a 

late night on Friday until 7pm. Pictured is a piece 

by Dani Humberstone cranbrookartshow.org.uk 

The Festival 

of Crafts returns to Farnham 

Maltings on 14th and 15th October, 

part of Farnham’s October Craft Month. 

Discover the best of British artisans across 

a range of handmade crafts from jewellery and 

ceramics to stationery, homewares, wood and metal 

work, textiles, furniture, lighting and print. Championing 

great design and making with an opportunity to meet 

and buy directly from the creators, an inspiring 

workshop offering lends the chance to try a new 

craft through a variety of taster sessions. 

Tickets for The Festival of Crafts are £6 

in advance (plus booking fee) or £8 

on the door (under 18s free). 

farnhammaltings.com 

MAKE IT GOOD

Contact us for our 2023 brochure 

Sevenoaks - Tel: 01732 762682 

Tunbridge Wells - Tel: 01892 520730 

www.rencraft.co.uk

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We’re Going on a Bear Hunt comes to 

life at Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic 

garden in Sussex. This October halfterm 

from the 14 th to the 19 th , follow 

in the footsteps of the characters in 

the tale through sensory installations 

plotted along a stunning autumnal 

landscape. A must for all fans of this 

children’s classic! kew.org/wakehurst 

October is a time for children 

to gleefully demand free 

chocolate galore, but we say the 

adults should get a treat too! Only 

Coco’s tasty bars are wonderfully 

dressed up for the occasion, with 

loads of fun, unique flavours. They 

are handmade in Sussex and their 

festive flavours are well worth 

earmarking as a stocking filler or 

small gift for Christmas before they 

sell out! £5.50 only-coco.co.uk 

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! 

It’s time to wear it pink! Raise 

awareness and funds for Breast 

Cancer on October 20th by 

dressing up in your most Barbiecore 

shades. Register a JustGiving page 

and order helpful materials at 

the link below – then it’s up to 

you! Do a bakesale, school or 

work event, quiz or game – 

whatever you like. As for 

what to wear? We are 

loving this Oliver Bonas 

cardigan for £65 but 

anything pink will work! 

breastcancernow.org 

Heritage Orchard Days, 

Orchard Tours and Half 

Term activities – Brogdale 

Collections is the place 

to be for harvest season. 

There’s a Heritage open day 

on the 15th with campfire 

cooking, apple pressing, 

and hundreds of apple and 

pear varieties to taste as you 

harvest your own to take 

home in a free tote. Plus 

on the 27th they will be 

screening Hotel Transylvania 

2 in their working barn with 

plenty of family friendly 

treats and entertainment. 

brogdalecollections.org 

©National Trust Images Rachael Warren 

’Tis the season of jackolanterns and 

pumpkin spice! So what better day 

trip with the family than to Chartwell, 

where the annual pumpkin display is 

in full throes in the Walled Garden this 

month. The family home and garden 

of Sir Winston Churchill, Chartwell is 

always filled with historical intrigue but 

in the autumn it is especially lovely with 

its far reaching views of the Weald of 

Kent, nodding sunflowers, woodlands 

to wander in, and branches laden with 

apples. nationaltrust.org.uk 

Why should birthdays 

and Christmas get all the 

cakes? Get in the spirit 

of the spooky season with Lola’s 

Cupcakes’ Halloween range. 

With brownies, cupcakes and 

showstopping layer cakes, vegan 

options and details like dark 

oreo crumbs, creepy colours and 

blood red raspberry compote, 

they are a real decadent treat 

for any spooktacular soiree! 

lolascupcakes.co.uk 

We love all things cosy and warm in the colder 

months, which is why Romney Marsh Wools are 

a must right now. They have soft throws, classic 

scarves, toasty socks, plus plenty of giftable goodies 

to get ahead of the festive shopping game – and all 

made from 100% British Wool. This tawny 

throw (£85) and matching cushion 

(£45) are perfect for snuggling up by 

the fire with a good book of a chilly 

evening. romneymarshwools.co.uk 

Great House 

Farm Stores’ 

new Autumn 

’23 scented candle is 

warm and woodsy with 

sandalwood, clementine 

and still-warm embers. 

It comes in a refillable 

ceramic vessel handmade 

in the UK and costs 

£54 and refills are £26. 

greathousefarmstores.co.uk 

21

PLOT OR NOT? 

If you think your land or 

property has development 

potential, then give us 

a call without obligation 

and in confidence. 

We are always on 

the lookout for 

land and property 

with development 

potential. 

Many of our 

clients retain our 

services and, in the 

majority of cases, 

pay our fees saving 

property owners 

OR LAND AND significant PROPERTY costs. WITH DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL 

Commercial buildings for residential 

conversion, former public houses, redundant 

buildings for redevelopment, buildings for 

conversion or replacement, houses for 

improvement, large sites on the edge of town, 

barn conversions, large gardens in residential 

areas and major regeneration projects. 

in the majority of 

significant costs. 

blic houses, redundant 

replacement, houses 

conversions, large 

jects. 

Contact Stephen Donnelly on 

07739 514350 or 01892 579937 

website: sjd-projects.com 

email: steve@sjd-projects.com 

For more information contact 

Stephen Donnelly on: 

07739 514350 / 01892 579937 

steve@sjd-projects.com 

For regular updates, visit us at 

twitter.com/projects 

sjd-projects.com 

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22

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE 

Art for all 

Gallery 35 is a new venture in Cranbrook, 

showcasing a variety of local and affordable 

art, from paintings, to jewellery, to ceramics. 

We are a gallery and 

artists’ hub which aims 

to bring the creative 

community together 

with coffee mornings, artist talks, 

workshops, and demonstrations. 

Shirley Jenner is the Owner of Gallery 

35. Having owned and rented out the 

building of Gallery 35 for several years, 

Shirley decided it was time to run 

something for herself again, and since 

she was always interested in art, Gallery 

35 was born! As an avid painter and 

seamstress, creativity is very important 

to Shirley. In fact, some of her paintings 

are on display in the gallery. If you get a 

chance, do ask her about her paintings, 

as she has special anecdotes for each one! 

Polly Bennett is the Gallery Manager. 

After spending eight years in London 

studying Fine Art and Decorative 

Surfaces at City & Guilds of London Art 

School and working in the decorative 

industry, Polly’s love of nature drew 

her back to Kent. At Gallery 35, Polly 

is excited to create a friendly, inviting 

space for artists, makers and art-lovers 

to meet. You might find her weaving 

away or gilding on paper in the gallery. 

Being an art teacher, she’s always thrilled 

to demonstrate techniques, so don’t 

hesitate to ask her any questions! 

We welcome anyone and everyone 

with a curiosity for the arts; whether 

you’re in the mood for coffee 

or art, drop by Gallery 35! 

gallery35highstreet.com | 

@gallery35cranbrook 

01580 715704 | Gallery35, 35 High Street, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 3DN 

Images clockwise from top right: 

Jo Burton: ‘Joy’, Acrylic on canvas; 

Zayana Ceramics: ‘Unpredictable Hues’, 

Slightly groggy clay; 

Chris Schneider: ‘Meadow Storm’, Giclee print; 

Lottie Reason: ‘Josie’s Chair’, Oil on canvas; 

Dizzy Pragnell: ‘Star Fruit’, Vegetable papyrus.

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Never too old for a mortgage? 

M 

any people are still concerned 

as to whether Equity 

Release is safe and these 

concerns, in many cases, stem from 

what people have heard about 

Equity Release from years ago. 

Lacal adviser, Sarah Ferrell explains, 

“Today’s schemes are unrecognisable 

from some of the original “Home 

Reversion” plans available in the late 

1960s. At this point, Equity Release 

was very much seen as a last resort. 

Nowadays, with flexible plans 

available and rates of interest which 

are, in the main, fixed for life, Equity 

Release can be a helpful part of 

financial planning into retirement”. 

Interest rates are somewhat higher 

now than they have been in recent 

years, however this does not mean 

Equity Release should be discounted, 

in the RIGHT circumstances. 

Why would I apply for Equity Release? 

“I find that I speak increasingly 

with people who are retired, or 

approaching retirement, and they 

need to raise mortgage finance for a 

whole variety of different reasons, but 

the high street is unable to help”. 

Whether you need to repay a 

mortgage, finance some unexpected 

expenditure, gift to family or just make 

retirement more comfortable, there are 

a number of reasons why somebody 

may consider using the equity in their 

property as a way to raise funds. 

Sarah explains that there are many 

different ways in which retirement 

mortgages can be set up, so it is definitely 

not a “one size fits all” scenario. There 

is so much regulation and protection 

in place nowadays that the schemes 

of the past are unrecognisable to the 

wealth of options available today. 

“My role is to fully understand 

why somebody is looking to raise 

the money, what their plans for 

the future are and then find the 

scheme that is right for them.” 

“If somebody is considering raising 

money at retirement then I would strongly 

recommend a conversation as there 

are likely to be options available that 

people just don’t know exist” says Sarah. 

Sarah is happy to visit your home 

and, unlike many banks, she is 

not just available 9-5 but will offer 

flexible times to suit her clients. 

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

Ferrell Financial Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registration number: 678768 


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 


24

Midwinter 

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gift ideas 

The Wealden Times Midwinter Fair is the best place to find 

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many new independent designers and makers, with gifts ideas 

we hope you’ll love as much as we do. 

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Salcombe Dairy 

make ice cream in the 

summer and awardwinning 

bean-to-bar 

chocolate in the winter. They 

only use the very best organic, 

fairly traded cacao nibs from 

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Book your timed tickets now at wealdentimes-fair.co.uk

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designed tins. Yes please! 

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5Simply Rye, is the 

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gift shop, selling 

everything from 

homeware and fragrance to 

fashion and jewellery. You’ll 

find super stylish presents at 

their Hop Farm pop-up. We 

love their mango wood salad 

bowls. simplyrye.co.uk 

6Godi 

make minimalist, 

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sensibility. We love their 

phone bags. godi.uk 

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personalised, 

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a series of heartwarming 

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grandchild. hectorspost.com 

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Each year we invite along the very best local school choirs to sing Christmas carols and 

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29 

MageeGammonWT242.indd 1 15/06/2022 09:45


attern 

Purpose & 

Words: Jo Arnell Photographs: David Merewether 

Interior designer Justine Hodgson-Barker was tasked with creating 

a rural retreat for a couple who divide their time between town and 

country, taking into account their love of fabrics, texture and colour 

31 


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32

Previous pages & above: The initial inspiration for the living room came from the garden. A backdrop of soft colours has been teamed with a textured 

vinyl wallpaper – its subtle geometric shapes show up when hit by light. A hand-loomed rug is by Wendy Morrison and the wall hanging by Lucy Tiffany 

Down a leafy lane, in the 

picturesque middle of nowhere, 

is an architect-designed 

home that was built on the site of 

a bungalow. It is unassuming, and 

apparently low-rise from the outside, 

but cleverly utilises its sloping site to 

create two storeys. A fabulous garden 

– both ornamental and productive – 

wraps around the house and beyond 

its boundaries there are far-reaching 

views out across the countryside. 

The owners knew from the outset 

that so much thought had gone into 

the design and structure of this building 

it deserved an equally thoughtful 

interior – one that could incorporate 

a combination of styles, enhance the 

existing structure and bring in the 

natural beauty of the surrounding 

landscape. But how to do it? 

It is hard enough to create an interior 

scheme if you have firm tastes and clear 

style ideas, but when you have just 

moved into a fairly stark contemporary 

space and want to mix florals, patterns 

and texture – and add in the sleek lines 

of some mid-century style too – the 

process becomes complicated. How 

can you marry seemingly disparate 

33 


This page, clockwise: The original kitchen was softened with retro accessories; a corner of the sitting area – artworks are a prominent feature 

throughout the house; The pink tiled splashback; A shapely dining table is by Bontempi 

styles, soften a stark and industrial 

look and yet keep its edge? What, if 

anything, can be kept from a previous 

property that was so vastly different? 

“We didn’t know where to start. 

Our previous house was pre-Victorian 

– the interior was Arts and Crafts, 

William Morris prints and lots of 

texture and pattern. This is very 

modern. We wanted to incorporate 

design, pattern and texture here. 

That’s where Justine stepped in.” 

Enter Justine Hodgson-Barker of 

Barkerdesign, who has helped the couple 

to re-imagine the interior, tailoring it 

to meet their needs, both practical and 

aesthetic. The project was broken down 

into phases. “Phase one was the kitchen, 

living area and master bedroom,” says 

Justine, explaining a little about how 

they approached the initial brief. “The 

building is very contemporary – it was 

built in 2007 and there’s a lot of pure 

light that comes in. It has such a bright 

feel, we didn’t want to lose that and 

respecting the bones of the building was 

very important. The clients are putting 

their own stamp on the interior by 

injecting their personality into the decor, 

while remaining true to the building.” 

A beautiful kitchen had already been 

installed by the previous owners, but it 

had an industrial feel that was a little 

too clinical for its new owners. “We 

took out some of the steel and made it 

more organic. It was really pared back 

and a different style – exposed beams 

and steely fixtures – so we softened it, 

changing the handles, adding the pink 

tiles and playing to more of a retro feel.” 

Justine stresses that it’s important 

to make sure that, “everything flows 

and different eras come together.” An 

example of this is the shapely Bontempi 

table that she sourced for the dining 


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area. It is sleek and contemporary, with 

a nod to mid-century modern, but 

has a timelessness about it too. “It’s a 

very architectural piece,” says Justine, 

“and the legs make lovely angles.” 

The whole of the living space opens 

out into the garden – and to the 

beautiful countryside beyond and while 

it is the outside view that captivates, 

Justine has cleverly woven elements 

from the outside into the interior – 

the initial inspiration for the living 

room came directly from the garden. 

This is a large room with a high 

ceiling and Justine was keen to make 

use of the height. “Everything was 

standard room level,” she says, “so I 

wanted to take the eye up.” The shelf 

unit is deliberately tall and she has 

cleverly enhanced the wood burner 

with wall tiles, tapering up like 

geometric smoke behind the flue. 

The cased opening to the living 

space has been lined with green painted 

wood – “it’s a detail that creates a 

subtle effect and helps to define the 

zones.” The green colour goes on 

to echo throughout the rest of the 

house, quietly linking it all together. 

Once the initial process of the 


general design direction is chosen, the 

enjoyable part – deciding on colour 

schemes and detailing – is made simpler 

by using sample boards, where paint, 

wallpaper, price points, and areas 

where they want to save, or splurge, 

can be discussed and finalised. 

“We decided on a backdrop of soft 

colours,” says Justine, “adding texture 

to the walls with a vinyl wallpaper, 

Justine had a lot of fun 

designing the cinema space, 

playfully harking back to 

the heydays of Hollywood 

with a 1930s vibe, and a 

nod to Pearl & Dean, all 

given a contemporary twist 

with some very textural 

wallpaper, a ‘feature’ ceiling 

panel and some sumptuous 

rugs by Niki Jones 

so that when the light hits, the subtle 

geometric shapes show up. To add more 

texture we chose a hand-loomed rug 

by Wendy Morrison and on the wall 

within the shelf unit, a wall hanging 

by Lucy Tiffany. The colours within 

this, together with inspiration from the 

flower beds outside, are picked up by the 

sofas and cushions, which mix a chunky 

geometric print with patterned cushions. 

“I wanted the pretty elements to contrast 

with the contemporary style of sofa.” 

The other rooms on this floor are 

along a corridor leading from an 

atrium. This large space is full of light 

that comes in from all directions, 

amplified by a backlit mirror by the 

front door. “The mirror was there 

already, but the background was a 

stark white,” says Justine. “We softened 

it down.” The walls throughout the 

house are now a soft green, which 

makes a serene backdrop, enhances the 

feeling of light and space and tunes 

into the themes in the other rooms. 

We pass the smallest room on the way 

to the master bedroom, wallpapered 

with a bold bird print from Rebel Walls 

– a case of going big in small places – 

and going bold wherever you can, as 

evidenced in the master bedroom. 

While it was the headboard in the 

master bedroom that was the inspiration 

for the decor, it is the fabulous 

bedspread and cushions that are the 

focal point. “The whole room, including 

the built in wardrobe, is colour washed 

which helps to hero the colours in 

the centre,” says Justine. There are 

simple curtains at the window, and 

keeping the background all one warm, 

soft colour is soothing and restful. 

In the dressing room, Justine 

has ramped up the natural theme. 

“There are little nods to other rooms 

– I went back to revisit and pick up 

motifs and elements. It is all inspired 

by nature.” Cascading gently down 

the pale blue wall, as if creeping 

in from the sky above, is a delicate 

Clematis mural by Sian Zeng. “Its 

a small room,” says Justine, “but 

it’s high, so we need to make use 

of the height and raise the eye.” 

The colours in the spare room 

continue the mood with cool and gentle 

green shades. “The spare room was part 

of the third phase,” she says, “carrying 

through the same level of spec – it has 

a botanical theme and lovely views out 

over the garden.” The dreamily leafy 

wallpaper in here wraps seamlessly all 

the way around the walls – and then 

the fifth wall (the ceiling) has been 

painted deep sage green to match with 

the door and window frames and the 

chaise longue, which is the only other 

piece of furniture in this tranquil room. 

Another cool room, but this time, 

37 


Clockwise from top 

left: Contemporary 

has been softened with 

rustic throughout the 

house – here in the 

entrance hall a bamboo 

bench and wicker baskets 

have been positioned 

below a recessed backlit 

mirror; A bespoke multidrop 

pendant light 

commissioned from Spark 

& Bell provides a striking 

feature between the floors; 

Immediately outside the 

cinema room, a space that 

was once a wide corridor 

has been transformed into 

a sleek, but cosy TV room 

cool as in Danish mid-century, is the 

office. This was originally an architect’s 

studio. “The desk went all the way 

around the walls of the room. We’ve 

re-used it and the joiner re-fashioned it 

into a smaller desk that we moved into 

the middle of the room,” says Justine. 

Above the desk is a 101 Copenhagen 

light and completing the Nordic theme, 

original String shelving from the 1970s. 

It’s hard to tear myself away from the 

living area (which is simultaneously on 

the ground floor and upstairs on the 

second floor). The owners admit that 

it would be easy to spend most of the 

time just living in here, but Justine has 

ensured that the whole of the house 

is put to use. “Tasks are related to 

rooms,” she says firmly. “Every room 

has a purpose – it’s important to use 

each space for what it’s intended for.” 

This way the design has integrity, each 

space can shine within its remit and 

the owners are encouraged to use all of 

the house. This is especially the case on 

the lower floor, where there is a gym, 

an office and – as part of the exciting 

third phase of the project – luxury of 

luxuries and all the enticement I need 

to go downstairs: a cinema room. 

After pausing at the top of the stairs 

to admire the views through the centre 

of the house to the outside in several 

directions, my eye is drawn to the 

stairwell – and to the longest pendant 

light that I’ve ever seen. “There was a 

light here already,” says Justine, “but 

something bespoke was needed. The 

bulbs were from Spark & Bell and 

we commissioned a handmade multidrop 

ceiling rose that they were able 

to assemble. It’s a natural looking 


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resolving family problems. 

To find out how we can help, 

call us on 01622 698000 

or email enquiries@wmlaw.uk 

whitehead-monckton.co.uk 

Kent Peg Tiling, Listed Building 

& Conservation Specialists. 

High quality work by experienced 

award winning craftsmen. 

01797 270 268 l kentpegs.com 

Whitehead Monckton Limited 

(no. 08366029), registered in 

England & Wales. Registered 

office 5 Eclipse Park, 

Maidstone, Kent, ME14 3EN. 

Authorised and regulated 

by the Solicitors Regulation 

Authority under no. 608279. 

39 


KarlTerryWT229.indd 1 07/05/2021 WhiteheadMoncktonWT254.indd 12:40 

1 26/05/2023 10:56:06

Clockwise from this page: Florals and an 

autumnal colour palette were employed in the 

guest bedroom, giving it a fresh, feminine style; 

The headboard in the master bedroom was the 

inspiration for the oriental-inspired soft furnishings 

and accessories – the background has been kept all 

one warm, soft colour for a soothing and restful feel 

structure that fits the space really well.” 

Down in the cinema room there’s 

a big contrast with the light and airy 

upstairs spaces, but Justine has been 

careful to keep to a similar palette of 

colours, albeit more muted, plush and, 

well, cinema-like. This room has been 

recently finished and she is pleased 

with the result. She’s had a lot of fun 

designing the space, playfully harking 

back to the great days of cinema with 

a 1930s vibe, and a nod to Pearl & 

Dean, all given a contemporary twist 

with some very textural wallpaper, 

a ‘feature’ ceiling panel and some 

sumptuous rugs by Niki Jones. 

Immediately outside the cinema 

room is the TV room – a space that 

was once a wide corridor, but now 

transformed into a sleek, but cosy 

place in which to watch television. 

The garden is accessed at this level too, 

through wide doors that lead out to 

another terrace and round the corner 

to an enticing swimming pool. 

The large downstairs office/design 

room is made more airy with long sheer 

curtains, a neutral colour scheme – 

apart from one gloriously textural and 

really useful, cork lined wall – and 


41 


Clockwise from this page: Colours 

in a downstairs office space have been 

kept neutral, with one wall lined in 

natural, sustainable cork, and wicker 

shades above the desk; The downstairs 

loo is papered with a bold bird print 

from Rebel Walls; The dressing room 

features a delicate Clematis mural by 

Sian Zeng; A 101 Copenhagen light is a 

striking feature of another office space 


simple, uncluttered furniture. The mood 

in here is cool, almost colonial, thanks 

to the cork wall, the large rattan pendant 

lights, fuss-free furnishings and the flat 

weave of a Nordic Knots rug. This room 

also leads out and up into the garden. 

As we take one last look back through 

the atrium and out through the living 

area towards the view beyond, it’s clear 

that Justine has totally fulfilled her brief. 

What at first seemed an impossible task – a 

marrying of the interior with the garden 

and landscape, blending a pared back 

contemporary style with a mix of textures, 

patterns and colours, the softness of a 

botanical vibe and the sleekness of midcentury 

modern. This mash-up of ideas 

could have gone disastrously awry, but the 

owners, with the expertise of Justine and 

her team, have pulled it off – masterfully. 

Address Book: 

Visit barker-design.com to see a range of 

projects completed by Justine Hodgson 

Barker and her team at Barkerdesign 

43 


Thomas 

Mansfield 

Wills & Inheritance Planning 

Your Property is in Good Hands 

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Thomas Mansfield Solicitors 

Experts in 

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44 

SashWindowHeritageWT187.indd 1 15/08/2017 ThomasMansfieldWT251-(Private 15:18 

Law)-WEALD.indd 1 16/03/2023 14:59

Get the 

LOOK 

1 Blanc d’Ivoire Narcisse ceiling light £600 Sweetpea & Willow sweetpeaandwillow.com 2 Gazing At You In The Mirror and 

Daydreaming Girl framed art prints £69 each Abstract House abstracthouse.com 3 Eichholtz Garcia cabinet £4,505 Sweetpea 

& Willow sweetpeaandwillow.com 4 Ivor tripod floor lamp light oak £118.80 (base only) där lighting darlighting.co.uk 

5 Weston dark grey leather reclining swivel chair £999 Danetti danetti.com 6 Hanging chair GJERN Natural £200 JYSK 

jysk.co.uk 7 HKliving organic circle vase £38 Cult Furniture cultfurniture.com 8 Small pink Kate side table £135 Rose & 

Grey roseandgrey.co.uk 9 Timber Roble wood effect matt porcelain floor tile £17.99/m 2 Tile Mountain tilemountain.co.uk 

45 


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OrlestoneOakWT252.indd 1 04/04/2023 10:36

61 

61 

62 

54 

57 

Contents 

51 DOPAMINE DECOR 

Playful, popping and 

positive. This trend 

takes colour and pattern 

to a mood-boosting 

maximum 

53 QUIET LUXURY 

Channel an aesthetic that’s 

all about understated 

quality and longevity 

54 WEST COAST COOL 

For the LA lifestyle look, 

mix warm beachy bliss with 

down-to-earth 70s cool 

58 

57 

54 

61 

57 GOLDEN AGE 

GLAMOUR 

Transport yourself to 

the glitzy golden age 

of Hollywood with 

showstopping luxuries, 

extravagant materials and 

dazzling detail 

58 CHECK MATE 

Bathroom decor inspired by 

chessboards for a polished 

monochromatic chic 

61 VINTAGE INDUSTRIAL 

Aged and hard wearing, this 

bathroom look is raw and 

exposed with a sense of oldschool 

practicality 

62 FOREST BATHING 

Create a place of natural 

beauty and tranquility 

62 

57 

TenterdenTilingWT254.indd 1 08/06/2023 16:33:09 

Cover image: istockphoto.com/ KatarzynaBialasiewicz 

51 

51 

57 

53 

49 


Rye Showroom 

55 Cinque Ports Street 

Rye, TN31 7AN 

Landgate Showroom 

By Appointment 

3 Landgate, Rye, TN31 7LH 

As With well an as a ever-growing vast stock of rugs demand we have for custom-made, an ever-growing designed demand for 

custom-made, designed rugs. Due to our long standing collaboration with 

rugs and our collaborations with designers across the globe, 

weavers across the globe, we can create rugs in any design and colour. 

we can create rugs in any design imaginable, alongside thousands 

of existing rugs to choose from. 

A selection of beautiful rugs, looking incredible in situ in clients’ homes. 

Call. 01797 360353 | rye@handmaderugs.co.uk | www.handmaderugs.co.uk 

HandmadeRugsTenterdenWT231.indd 1 09/07/2021 11:48 

New Handmade Rugs showroom now open 

The Old Bank, 84 High Street, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7ER 

Call. 01797 360353 | rye@handmaderugs.co.uk | www.handmaderugs.co.uk

Claudia ceramic wavy cake 

stand in terracotta £145 

Rebecca Udall rebeccaudall.com 

Curve cocktail glass £44 (Set of 2) 

BØde Living bode-living.com 

Bluebell chaise armchair in 

Prism Stripe by Olivia Rubin 

£1,460 sofa.com 

Funky Mirror in lilac 

£90 BØde Living 

bode-living.com 

istockphoto.com/ Eureka_89 

Unicoco figurine £59 

Lenleys lenleys.co.uk 

Kartell Masters 

chair in Rusty 

Orange £218 

Lenleys lenleys.co.uk 

Yellow Seashells pure 

cotton throw £98 

JJTextile jjtextile.co.uk 

Sorrento bar £4,200 

Jonathan Adler 

uk.jonathanadler.com 

Dopamine 

Décor 

“Dopamine Décor is my favourite trend 

of the moment. There is more to colour 

than aesthetic, it can impact our mood 

and emotions and, depending how bold 

you want to be, you can bring this trend 

into your home as much or as little as you 

like. Start off with a vibrant wallpaper in 

your downstairs toilet or if you’re feeling 

brave use a bright colourful sofa with 

contrasting paint on the walls to bring 

pure joy into your home.” 

– Lavinia Watts, Partner at Lenleys lenleys.co.uk 

Smaller Tabby table 

lamp in Vermilion with 

Empire shade in Red 

English Meadow by 

Matthew Williamson 

£127 Pooky pooky.com 

Hawthorne Yellow 

paint from £20 per 

0.94L Benjamin Moore 

benjaminmoore.com 

On The Same Wavelength 

wallpaper in Pink Candy 

£105/roll Sorbet Dreams Pop Art Perfume 

sorbetdreams.com No2 Poster £13.95 

Desenio desenio.co.uk 

Silk embroidered 

‘Love’ cushion 

£80 Raj Tent Club 

rajtentclubshop.com 

Colour Pop 

double oven 

glove £21 

Willis & Bloom 

willisbloom.com 

Vaisselle glass vase £645 

Liberty libertylondon.com 

Eichholtz Mello 

swivel chair in 

boucle rose £2,235 

Sweetpea & Willow 

sweetpeaandwillow.com 

Art Deco green glass wall mirror 

(60x100cm) £109.95 

Melody Maison melodymaison.co.uk 

Twister side table 

£325 Rose & Grey 

roseandgrey.co.uk 


A Sofa For Every Space 

Sit back, snuggle up and sink into the extraordinary comfort of Bridgman’s 

new premium sofa collections. From the softness of each cushion to the finish 

of every fabric, you'll never find furniture quite like it. 

53A Calverley Road, 

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Transform your home with the perfect sofa, armchair, footstool and sofa bed, 

available at our beautiful Royal Tunbridge Wells Showroom or bridgman.co.uk. 

CHELTENHAM 

ENFIELD 

OLD AMERSHAM 

ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS 

WINCHESTER WILMSLOW 

52 

WALTON-ON-THAMES

w 

Shepherds Bush House with interior design by 

Naomi Astley Clarke naomiastleyclarke.com 

Phileas rechargeable 

lamp with 20cm 

empire shade in 

cream card £98 

Pooky pooky.com 

Oxford Navy chalk paint £26.95/l 

Annie Sloan anniesloan.com 

Interiors & Bathrooms Supplement 

Photographer Paul Massey 

Katalin Stripe white 

sand wallpaper £149/roll 

Mindthegap mindtheg.uk 

Charcoal Nude Series 

Female Nude V by 

Henri Matisse £1,750 

Belgravia Gallery 

belgraviagallery.com 

Imogen chair 

£1,029 Lenleys 

lenleys.co.uk 

Pimlico bullseye 

cushion £124 

Jonathan Adler 

jonathanadler.com 

Washed linen 

tablecloth £95.99 

True Linen 

truelinen.co.uk 

Watershed by Hettie 

Pittman Wey Gallery 

theweygallery.com 

Quiet 

Luxury 

istockphoto.com/ YKvision 

2 seater Stella Sandringham couch 

£2,699 Bridgman bridgman.co.uk 

Lincolndale 

floor lamp £420 

Elstead Lighting 

elsteadlighting.com 

Boat throw 

£117 JJTextile, 

jjtextile.co.uk 

Large white 

stoneware jug £45 

Marquis & Dawe 

marquisanddawe.co.uk 

“Your home should promote guilt-free and unconditionally 

relaxed living in a beautiful atmosphere. For a quietly 

luxurious look, think a scheme with timber floors and billowy 

linen curtains, broken up by sculptural furnishings and 

dramatic sculptures, mixed metals, crystal chandeliers, and 

marble finishes. Huge indoor plants in oversized vintage urns 

will bring height and depth to the space.” 

– Naomi Astley Clarke, Luxury London 

Interior Designer naomiastleyclarke.com 

Hawthorne 

chair £1,550 

Cobham Furniture 

cobhamfurniture.co.uk 

Ball finial wall 

bracket £640 

Sibyl Colefax 

& John Fowler 

sibylcolefax.com 

Home scented candle £48 

Great House Farm Stores 

greathousefarmstores.co.uk 

300TC bed linen from £21 

Soak&Sleep soakandsleep.com 

Harbour House family space designed 

by Garbriel Holland Interior Design 

gabrielholland.com 



West 

Coast 

Cool 

“West Coast Cool is about keeping 

the look simple. I love the look of the 

LA style but alas we do not live in 

that amazing climate nor have the 

incredible light. So to achieve this look 

stick to a neutral palette which reflects 

our cooler light but warm this up 

with natural linens and earthy tones 

in your fabrics. Rattan furniture and 

lights will add that California vibe as 

will mixing in some funky 70’s pieces. 

– Gabriel Holland, interior designer 

at Gabriel Holland Interior Design 

gabrielholland.com 

Allier pendant light 

£840 Elstead Lighting 


Gold arched wall mirror £52.95 

Melody Maison melodymaison.co.uk 

Beach Girl art print by Sabina 

Fenn, from £14 Fy! iamfy.co 

Bloomingville Felippa outdoor cushion £50 

Sweetpea & Willow sweetpeaandwillow.com 

Small T vase 

in peach £170 

Ligne Roset 

ligne-roset.com/uk 

Round rattan serving Tray £15 Five 

And Dime fiveanddime-interiors.com 

Riviera ottoman in Olympus Oatmeal £1,500 

Jonathan Adler uk.jonathanadler.com 

Milchschaum cushion £189 

Mindthegap mindtheg.uk 

Palm Springs Getaway 

art print £23 Green 

Lili greenlili.com 

Ercol Ibstone universal 

cabinet £1,529 Lenleys 

lenleys.co.uk 

Belize coral sculpture 

£49 BoConcept 

boconcept.com 

Bergamo corner sofa with lounging unit 

£9,295 BoConcept boconcept.com 

Ercol for John Lewis 

Hexton Armchair 

with Dark Leg in 

Soft Chenille Neutral 

£1,849 johnlewis.com 

Tan Lines candle 

£32 Ease London 

easelondon.co.uk 

istockphoto.com/ MBPROJEKT_Maciej_Bledowski 

Round geometric 

vase £30 Cox & 

Cox coxandcox.co.uk 

Cannes lounge armchair 

£899 and footstool £419 

Bridgman bridgman.co.uk 

Pair of Buddha head 

bookends, £165 

Shimu shimu.co.uk 


10% off 

Porta Romana lighting 

Gabriel Holland Interior Design 

GH 

Coastal City Country Quiet interiors for all homes 

Kent, Sussex & London 

@gabrielhdesigns hello@gabrielholland.com www.gabrielholland.com 07855 837021 

55 


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56

Hollywood floor 

lamp by It’s About 

Romi £460 Lime Lace 

limelace.co.uk 

Turner ice bucket 

£295 Jonathan Adler 

jonathanadler.com 


Words of Wisdom 

silkscreen by Jack 

Vettriano OBE £1,500 

The Wey Gallery 

theweygallery.com 

Palm hand candle 

holder £38 

Rockett St George 

rockettstgeorge.co.uk 

Palladain Blue, Mascarpone, 

and Cranberry Cocktail paints 

various prices Benjamin Moore 

benjaminmoorepaint.co.uk 

Gold ornate arched triple dressing 

table mirror £104.95 Melody 

Maison melodymaison.co.uk 

Golden Age 

Glamour 

M2009 Small carved shell 

wall bracket with silver 

finish £525 Besselink & 

Jones besselink.com 

Glass Wavy Bowl £24.50 

Solavia Glassware solavia.co.uk 

“We are hugely influenced by the glamour and glitz that is 

Hollywood Regency. Our best tip is to use a metallic wallpaper which 

will elevate a neutral scheme by adding some seductive shimmer 

and Art Deco opulence. To accessorise, nothing says Golden Age 

Glamour like a huge statement mirror – either vintage or a modern 

contemporary take on an iconic design. Add luxe accents such as faux 

fur and velvet to further emulate the polished glamour of Hollywood.” 

– Jamie Watkins, Co-Founder, Divine Savages divinesavages.com 

Malia 8 light 

chandelier £810 



Richard Podgurski 

Hollywood poster 

from £15.95 Desino 

desenio.co.uk 

istockphoto.com/ Caiaimage/Chris Ryan 

Mirrored drinks trolley 

£595 Cox & Cox 

coxandcox.co.uk 

Mango wood sunburst mirror 

£85 Rock the Heirloom 

rocktheheirloom.co.uk 

Gatsby cocktail saucer £40 

(pair) Dartington Crystal 

dartington.co.uk 

Pink push button phone £45.99 

GPO Retro gporetro.com 

Eichholtz trapezium 

chair £1,710 

Sweetpea & Willow 

sweetpeaandwillow.com 

Wire mesh soda syphon £215 Rock 

the Heirloom rocktheheirloom.co.uk 

Tilbury vase 

£215 Arteriors 

arteriorshome.com 



Wilson hook in black £29 

Origins Living originsliving.uk 

Monochrome checkerboard 

trinket dish £25 Rockett St 

George rockettstgeorge.co.uk 

Horse head acrylic bookends 

£450 Jonathan Adler 

uk.jonathanadler.com 

Falmouth light £222 



Albion Classic vanity unit 

£1,571 The Albion Bath 

Co albionbathco.com 

Olivia face cloths £19 

(set of 4) Sazy sazy.com 

Checkmate 

abstract canvas 

art £190 Green 

Lili greenlili.com 

Heritage bathrooms Osterley matt 

freestanding acrylic bath £3,244 

Cranleigh Bathroom Studios 

cranleighbathroomstudios.co.uk 

Galway Premium matt 

black shower valve £159.99 

Bathroom Mountain 

bathroommountain.co.uk 

Modern statuario 

matt marble effect 

tiles £18.95m 2 

Walls and Floors 

wallsandfloors.co.uk 

Check 

Mate 

Artemis Diana 

bust candle £12 

Sazy sazy.com 

Take some inspiration from a classic 

chessboard in your bathroom. For a 

timeless sophisticated look, black and 

white has never gone out of fashion 

and works in any size bathroom. 

Add some marble for a very on-trend 

sense of grandeur and luxury with a few 

traditional features and accessories and 

you’ll have a bathroom fit for a King! 

– Craig Cooper, Owner and 

Director of Cranleigh Bathroom Studios 

cranleighbathroomstudios.co.uk 

istockphoto.com/ Visivasnc 

Nero soap dispenser 

£272 Aston Matthews 

astonmatthews.co.uk 

Tubby Tub Bath £1,975 

The Albion Bath Co 

albionbathco.com 

Diptyque Baies Candle 

£56 Liberty London 

libertylondon.com 

Retromix black & white 

tiles £9.90/m The London 

Tile Co londontile.co.uk 


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59 


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

Why not brighten up your home with a beautiful hand-crafted window 

Windows can be designed to match or complement 

existing features in your home - even when, as in 

these examples, double glazing has been fitted. We 

are happy to interpret your own ideas or consult 

on original designs and concepts to suit the period 

and style of your home or environment. The 

windows can be abstract, very creative, arts and 

crafts, art deco or traditional. 

Once the colours and glass have been selected, it 

typically takes four to six weeks, depending on the 

size and complexity of the design. 

How’s it done? It takes practice and patience, as 

well as vision and artistic ability. They are still made 

in the traditional way, so they take a little while 

but are worth the effort, as they brighten up your 

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You may be surprised to discover 

how affordable it can be. 

Baldwin Studios 01323 737271 Mobile: 07971 851777 

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60 

HETAS and OFTEC Registered Installers 

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Vintage cupboard in a coastal cottage designed by 

Garbriel Holland Interior Design gabrielholland.com 

The Twelve Apostles – Pinacle 

5 £1,950 Belgravia Gallery 

belgraviagallery.com 

Forge squared 

scoop handle £4.99 

Dowsing and Reynolds 

dowsingandreynolds.com 


Alto shower valve 

from £1,422.27 

Aston Matthews 


Eco Luxury Scented Candle 

£58 Amaura London 

amauralondon.com 

Vintage green wine 

bottle £245 Shimu 

shimu.co.uk 

Black marble basin £195 

Renaissance At Home 

renaissanceathome.co.uk 

Soho glass bathroom 

pendant from £190 The 

Wall Lighting Company 

thewalllightingcompany.co.uk 

Vintage 

Industrial 

“This strong look makes a bold design statement but also includes classic 

elements that won’t go out of fashion. Combine dark metallics with raw 

concrete, exposed brick and reclaimed wood. The palette favours chalky white 

and graphite with highlights of bronze and brass. Cast iron baths work well in 

the vintage industrial bathroom as do Crittall style shower doors and chunky, 

handsome shower controls. This look exudes character for a casual sense of cool.” 

– Jamie Bebbington, Managing Director at Aston Matthews astonmatthews.co.uk 

Handmade concrete 

bowl in teal £110 

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Iron bathroom shelf 

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Industrial window 

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Harmony stone rustic 

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Organic cotton waffle 

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Antique copper 

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‘Coco’ tropical rainforest 

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Grain Leaves Botanical Mural, 

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63 


Natural Blend 

Words: Jennifer Stuart-Smith Photographs: David Merewether

Recipe developer and cookery 

teacher Charlotte Butterworth’s 

house is centred around her 

spacious Neptune kitchen, 

where she has created a new 

heart for this impressively 

proportioned family home

Previous pages & top: Charlotte runs her cookery courses from her spacious Neptune kitchen. The space has recently been extended to create a lovely 

new dining area Above: A lot of Charlotte’s furniture has come from Wealden Times Fairs over the years, like the mirror in the children’s sitting room 

Sometimes, when buying a house, 

it’s all about a feeling. You’ve 

only got to watch a few of 

today’s popular property programmes 

to hear potential purchasers saying: 

“I’m just not feeling it,” or, as was 

the case with Charlotte Butterworth 

and family – “it just felt right”. Add 

magnificent high ceilings, vast original 

windows and a view to die for and 

you can see what clinched the deal. 

“It had a really nice feel to it and 

had been lived in by a family who 

wanted to sell it to another family – 

who would love it. They obviously 

had a real emotional connection 

to it,” says Charlotte. She had also 

been keen to live on the edge of a 

small town, and in this case it was 

Cranbrook. “I knew that when the 

children were older they would be 

 

67 



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BentonKitchensWT251.indd 1 20/03/2023 10:38

able to walk everywhere and get the bus… they love the 

independence of living in a small market town too.” 

According to Charlotte, the building’s grandiosity is largely 

due to the fact that it was built by a wealthy local brewing 

family in the late Victorian, early Edwardian period – though 

its tile-hung exterior and the garden’s enormous Scots pines 

make it feel even older. As you come in the magnificent front 

door, the first thing you notice is the ornate tiled hallway. 

“I haven’t done anything to it as I thought if I polished it 

it would make it really slippery!” says Charlotte. She has 

also retained the inevitable cracks and small imperfections 

– “It gives it personality,” she says, quite rightly. 

Looking down the length of the lofty hallway, past 

the stairway, it’s impossible not to notice the view from 

the back of the house, out across the High Weald. Neat 

lawns, a rose garden and whimsical topiary are set against 

a backdrop of rolling orchards and woodland. “The rose 

garden was originally a pond but I filled it in as I worried 

about the children when they were little,” says Charlotte. 

You can’t help but be drawn to the back of the house 

and, more importantly, into the real party piece of this 

large family home; the kitchen. The heart of the house 

is not only where family and friends spend most of 

their time, it’s also Charlotte’s new workplace. “I teach 

cookery – but I also do catering and food styling.” 

Charlotte founded The Needy Greedy soon after lockdown, 

finding herself in need of a change. “My mum was a caterer 

and trained chef… so I grew up learning to cook with what 

was in the garden and getting creative.” In her gap year 

Charlotte did a Cordon Bleu cookery course, then went on 

to do a BA & MA in political science before working as a 

This page: The drawing room. The lamps and tables were from 

Woodcocks in Tenterden and the moose and flamingo prints 

were a Wealden Times Fair find from Jenny Wren Design 

69 


Clockwise from this page: Fitted furniture 

in the master bedroom was made by a 

local carpenter and the bed is from Loaf; 

The lofty hallway and stairway; The family 

bathroom; The master bedroom balcony 

chartered accountant. She says that the 

main aim of The Needy Greedy is to be 

helpful – “I feel like I have something 

I can help people with. Everyone has 

to eat and so many of us think ‘I don’t 

know what to cook’. So, it’s all about 

healthy, simple, delicious recipes. I 

could teach you how to make a choux 

bun, mille feuille if you want – but I’d 

rather show you how to create dinner 

party food in an hour and a bit!” 

As you can imagine, this is a serious 

kitchen! “I’d always wanted a Neptune 

kitchen… and this is their Suffolk style 

in its original colour,” says Charlotte. 

The extendable dining table is also from 

Neptune, while the chairs are French 

brocante. “I have quite a lot of brocante 

and French-style items. I spent much 

of my childhood and early years in 

Provence with my family. So, there is a 

big Provencal influence everywhere. You 

will see it as you walk around the house.” 

Some of these were sourced recently from 

the brocante fair at King John’s Nursery, 

or from her friend, Sarah Featherstone. 

Just as Charlotte likes to use local 

produce in her cookery, so too does 

she like to shop local when it comes to 

renovating and decorating her home. 


“The appliances are all from Martins of 

Hawkhurst, soft furnishings from Bell 

House Fabrics & Interiors and carpets 

from Butler House Carpets,” she says. 

Despite the building’s period features, 

its calm and tranquil décor and easy 

layout, things have not always been this 

way. In the 10 years since moving in an 

awful lot has changed. “Initially we just 

swapped rooms, turning the drawing 

room into a kitchen. The old kitchen 

became a snug and is now the boot 

room. The dining room is now the kids’ 

living room and the former playroom 

is now the drawing room!” At the same 

time they modernised the bathrooms 

and added another. “This year we built 

this extension… making a huge kitchen 

diner. We wanted to have a big comfy 

space for the children and a big kitchen 

that we could entertain in.” A curved 

wall of bifold doors now opens on to 

an extended terrace with ‘that view’. 

“We used the original ragstone from the 

path to extend the terrace and the bifold 

doors mean the kitchen really links to 

the garden. I’m mad about music, so 

there are Sonos speakers out here too.” 

It would be too easy to get settled in 

the kitchen – I am envisaging coming 

on a cookery course as we speak – but 

I also want to explore this enormous 

house. “Shall we go up via the servants’ 

stairs?” asks Charlotte. “The servants 

would have used these stairs to come up 

from the kitchen and to move around 

the house without the owners seeing 

them.” It’s unimaginable now… but 

fun to explore and I’m sure fun for 

the children to run up and down, or 

sneak up, now they are teenagers. 

At the top of the house there remains 

what would have been the ‘daily’s’ 

bedroom. What was once a cupboard 

and home to a large water tank has been 

turned into an en suite. “It’s perfect for 

guests, though my daughter tends to 

monopolise the bathroom these days,” 

laughs Charlotte. The other guest 

bedroom is equally lovely, with views 

across the garden and with its own 

little period sink. “My mother insisted 

that we keep it,” says Charlotte. 

Down on the next floor – where most 

of the bedrooms are – is the family 

bathroom. “This used to be all yellow,” 

says Charlotte. These days it’s a much 

cooler customer – with a marble-topped 

his-and-her’s basin and huge mirror that 

reflects the main view over the back 

garden and beyond. It would be too 

tempting to linger, when brushing your 

teeth in the morning, just to take in the 

panoramic vista. “We added a shower, 

more contemporary Metro tiles – and 

Neptune provided the furniture.” 

Next door is the master bedroom 

which, thanks to the kitchen extension, 

now has an even larger balcony 

overlooking the garden and reinforced 

glass has replaced the railings. “The sun 

sets in this direction – so it’s particularly 

lovely in the evening.” The room has 

been completely re-done, with new fitted 

cupboards, and extra panelling behind 

the headboard contains hidden shelves. 

Soft furnishings add a more personal 

touch: “The fabric came from what was 

the kitchen. I loved it so much that 

71 


Clockwise from top left: The hallway features the original flooring; Charlotte’s spaniel makes herself comfy in her 

son’s room; A woodburner has been installed in what used to be the original kitchen, now a boot room 

when it came down I got it cleaned and 

turned into our bedroom curtains. And 

there was enough left over for the foot 

stool too!” The bed is from Loaf, bedside 

tables sourced from Etsy and dressing 

table from The Cotswold Company. 

As we come out onto the landing, I 

get a fresh take on the grand entrance 

hall and stairway. Light floods in through 

the hallway windows and sparkles on 

the large chandelier overhead. “That is 

from Woodcocks in Tenterden. I get a lot 

of furniture and decorative items from 

them,” says Charlotte. “The wallpaper 

was here so we just painted over it… but 

you still get the lovely pattern showing 

through.” It works really well and is a 

fabulous ‘hack’ for those who want to 

refresh a room and give the impression 

of very expensive embossed wallpaper. “I 

am a bit of a Farrow & Ball fan,” adds 

Charlotte. “The house features a lot of 

Elephant’s Breath and Hardwick White!” 

Down the wide stairs and we are back 

in the light-filled downstairs rooms with 

both the grown-ups and kids’ TV room 

at the front of the house, making the 

most of the light. “This was the breakfast 

room,” says Charlotte as we go into the 

kids’ TV room. “Now it’s where the kids 

like to hang out with their friends.” They 

are certainly two lucky children – it’s a 

gorgeous, spacious room with big comfy 

sofas and stunning decor. “I’ve bought a 

lot of furniture from the Wealden Times 

Fair over the years – that mirror for 

example,” says Charlotte. Cheerful prints 

and pops of colour in the cushions 

and soft furnishings prevent it from 


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73 


SwiftOakWT252.indd 1 11/04/2023 12:59

This page: The beautiful garden features neat rose beds and two huge topiary ducks. The new extension incorporated a 

sheltered walled terrace with Sonos speakers, so Charlotte can enjoy her music whilst relaxing and entertaining outside 

feeling too formal. “The cupboards are 

original – we’ve just painted them – as 

are the quarry tiles and floor boards.” 

Across the hallway is an equally 

spacious room – which is where 

the grown-ups hang out. “This was 

their dining room, then a playroom. 

Almost every downstairs room is 

something different now.” The family 

has put new wood burners in every 

room, which one can only imagine 

makes the place even more homely. 

Charlotte admits that it is a lovely 

room, but... “It’s the kitchen where we 

spend most of our time. I probably 

sit in here for about an hour a day.” 

White ceramic lamps sit atop sparkly 

and ornate side tables: “I love the lamps 

and the tables – I bought them at the 

same time,” says Charlotte. They are 

both from Woodcocks in Tenterden. 

“The two pictures, which I adore, are 

from one of the Wealden Times Fairs, 

and are old Russian matchbox designs 

apparently.” A few pieces of old family 

furniture are dotted amongst more 

recent purchases, adding a sense of 

history and continuity to the décor. 

When we meet, Charlotte is getting 

ready for a busy season of cookery 

classes and is obviously excited about 

welcoming people into her home: “I 

just love the teaching…” she says. It’s 

hard to think of a nicer space in which 

to spend a few hours learning new 

skills and enjoying lovely food. So, if 

you’d like to spend some time in this 

gorgeous house and kitchen – with an 

equally fabulous hostess – you’d better 

get booking. I may well see you there! 

Address Book: 

To find out about Charlotte’s latest 

cookery courses, or to speak to her 

about catering your event, follow her 

on Instagram @theneedy.greedy 

Bell House Fabrics & Interiors 

bellhousefabrics.co.uk 

Butler House Carpets butlerhouse.co.uk 

Kind John’s Nursery kingjohnsnursery.co.uk 

Martins of Hawkhurst 

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Neptune Tonbridge neptune.com 

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75 


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76

Step out from the 

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Photograph: David Merewether Styling: Lucy Fleming 

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Auténtica Cocina 

Adriana Cavita’s new recipe book, Cocina Mexicana, takes readers on 

a culinary adventure around her home country. Packed with authentic 

recipes inspired by her extensive travels, the celebrated chef and 

restaurateur tells the story of her heritage and the people who taught her 

to cook. Here we’ve chosen three recipes using ingredients that are a little 

different to the day-to-day – tomatillos and nixtamalized corn flour 

Recipes: Adriana Cavita Photographs: Clare Winfield 

Roast chicken with 

green mole 

(Mole verde o pipián con pollo) 

A green mole – from the 

central area of Mexico – which 

is given its distinctive bright 

green colour through the 

use of fresh green herbs. 

Serves 4 

• 1 whole chicken (1.2- 

1.4kg), spatchcocked 

For the marinade: 

• ½ white onion 

• 3 garlic cloves 

• bunch of fresh coriander 

• bunch of fresh parsley 

• ½ jalapeño, seeds removed 

• 50ml olive oil 

For the green mole: 

• 250ml olive oil 

• 1 white onion, chopped 

• 5 garlic cloves, chopped 

• 1kg (about 8) poblano 

chilli peppers, skin and seeds 

removed – see Note below 

(you can buy fresh poblanos 

from riverford.co.uk) 

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 

lightly toasted 

• 1 tbsp black peppercorns, 

lightly toasted 

• 2 fresh bay leaves 

• 250g pumpkin seeds 

• 1kg tomatillos, husks 

removed and cut into quarters 

(you can buy fresh tomatillos 

from riverford.co.uk) 

• 1 litre chicken stock 

• 2 tbsp sea salt 

• 200g fresh coriander 

• 200g fresh parsley 

• 150g fresh mint 

To serve: 

• white rice 

• warmed tortillas 

• grilled or blanched green 

vegetables (such as fine beans) 

1. First, make the marinade. 

Put all the ingredients for the 

marinade and 100ml water in a 

food processor or blender and blitz 

until smooth. Place the chicken 

on a plate. Rub the marinade all 

over the chicken, ensuring it is 

well coated. Cover and leave to 

marinate overnight in the fridge. 

2. Preheat the oven to 

180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4 or prepare 

the barbecue. Place the chicken 

on a lined baking sheet and roast 

in the preheated oven for about 

30-45 minutes depending on the 

size of the chicken or cook on a 

hot grill, skin side down first, then 

turn over to continue cooking. 

3. Meanwhile, make the green 

mole. Heat the oil in a saucepan 

over a medium heat. Add the 

onion and garlic and cook for 

5 minutes or until they just 

start to colour. Add the poblano 

chillies and cook for about 5 

minutes. Add all the spices, bay 

leaves and pumpkin seeds and 

cook for 5 minutes. Add the 

tomatillos, stock and salt and 

cook for a further 15 minutes. 

Taste to check the seasoning, 

adding more salt if needed. 

4. Stir in the fresh herbs, 

then transfer everything to a 

food processor and blend to 

a smooth sauce. Pass through 

a fine-mesh sieve/strainer for 

an even smoother sauce. 

5. Spoon the green mole into 

a serving dish and serve it with 

the chicken pieces, rice, tortillas 

and some grilled/broiled or 

blanched green vegetables. 

Notes: 

To remove the skin from a 

chilli or pepper, carefully hold 

it over hot coals or an open 

flame until the skin has charred 

all over. Leave to cool, then 

peel away the charred skin. 

If you want to increase the 

level of spice in this dish, you 

can also add a jalapeño that has 

been quartered when you add the 

other chillies to the green mole. 

In Mexico, traditionally the 

chicken would be boiled in a 

large saucepan of water with 

some onion and garlic, but 

roasting it in the oven or on a hot 

barbecue gives a great flavour. 

 

81 


Welcome to The King’s Arms in Elham. Having 

recently completed an 11 month refurbishment, 

this transformed pub offers something for all. 

Join us for a delightful dining experience serving 

up mouth-watering dishes that will leave you 

craving for more and savour the tastes of Kent, 

with local Ales, Ciders and Wines on offer. 

Watch your food being cooked in our open kitchen 

and don’t miss our state-of-the-art Robata grill, 

offering a selection of beautiful steaks, each 

expertly cooked over open flames to perfection. 

Witness the remarkable renovation, where 

you can be a part of the action with our open 

glass kitchen, watching your meal come to 

life. Or simply join us for a tipple in the bar, 

and enjoy a freshly made sandwich from our 

new snack menu, served 7 days a week. 

TO RESERVE YOUR TABLE 

call 01303 840242 or visit 

www.thekingsarmselham.com 

THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS 

Friday 24th November, 

12:00pm – 7:00pm 

Taywell Farmshop 

Cranbrook Road 

Goudhurst 

TN17 1DY 

Kent 

Come and Visit our 

stockists and sample 

their lovely produce. 

Enjoy sampling some of the 

delights that Taywell have 

to offer this Christmas. 

Opportunities to order 

hampers, Christmas turkeys 

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Available to order all year 

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event picnic hampers. 

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shop@taywellfarm.co.uk | 01580211853 | taywellfarm.co.uk 


82

Tarasca soup 

(Sopa Tarasca) 

This is a soup from the 

Michoacan region. It’s the 

perfect dish to warm you 

up on a really cold day. 

Serves 6-8 

• 2 ancho chillies 

– 1 left whole and 1 cut 

into very thin strips 

• 3 tomatoes, asados (see 

Note below), then chopped 

• ½ small white onion, asado 

• 1 garlic clove, asada 

• 1 litre chicken stock 

• 120ml olive oil, plus 

extra for frying 

• 400g cooked bayos beans (or 

your favourite type of bean) 

• 1 fresh bay leaf 

• ½ tbsp freshly ground 

black pepper 

• sea salt 

To serve: 

• sour cream 

• fresh cheese (such as 

feta), cut into cubes 

• 1 avocado, stoned, peeled 

and cut into cubes 

• 8 tortillas, cut into very 

thin strips and deep-fried 

1. Heat a dry frying pan/ 

skillet over a high heat and 

quickly toast the whole ancho 

chilli for about 5 seconds 

on each side, then remove. 

2. Put the charred whole chilli 

in a food processor with the 

blackened tomatoes, onion 

and garlic and blend until 

smooth. Add a little chicken 

stock to loosen the mixture, 

if needed. Strain through a 

fine-mesh sieve/strainer. 

3. Heat the olive oil in a 

saucepan over a medium 

heat. Add the sieved tomatoes 

and cook for 5 minutes. 

4. Meanwhile, blend the beans 

with the chicken stock in a 

food processor, then strain 

and add to the pan with the 

tomatoes. Season with salt 

and pepper and add the bay 

leaf. Cook for 15 minutes, 

adding more stock if needed, 

until the soup is creamy. 

5. Heat a little oil in a frying 

pan/skillet and quickly fry 

the sliced ancho chilli for 5 

seconds. If fried for any longer, 

the chilli will became bitter. 

6. Ladle the soup into bowls 

and swirl in some sour cream. 

Place a few cubes of cheese 

and avocado on top of the 

soup. Finish each bowl of 

soup with a handful of the 

deep-fried tortilla strips and 

the fried ancho chilli strips. 

Note: Asado or asada means 

that a vegetable has been 

cooked over hot coals or in 

a hot pan over a high heat 

until charred all over. 

 

83 


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Corn cake 

(Pan de elote) 

This cake is very well known 

all over Mexico. In the area 

where I grew up, Azcapotzalco 

in Mexico City, you can find 

them at the local bakery, where 

the bakers have a funny way 

of cooking them in recycled 

sardine cans. I think that 

makes them a very special 

preparation. Also, I will say 

that using native Mexican corn 

gives the best flavour, but it is 

not always easy to find outside 

of Mexico. Sweet yellow corn 

is usually easier to fine, which 

has a lower starch content, 

but with this recipe you will 

still get a really good result. 

Makes 1 large cake, Serves 6-8 

• 3 tbsp nixtamalized white 

corn flour (see Note below) 

or gluten-free flour 

• 10g baking powder 

• 130g caster sugar 

• 540g fresh corn, at 

room temperature 

• 30ml whole milk, at 

room temperature 

• 3 large eggs 

• 140g unsalted butter, melted, 

plus extra for greasing 

To serve: 

• vanilla ice cream 

• good-quality caramel sauce 

You will need: 

A 20cm/8” round cake pan 

1. Preheat the oven to 

170°C/150°C fan/Gas 3 and 

grease the round cake pan. 

2. Mix all the dry ingredients 

in a large bowl, then add to 

a food processor with the 

corn, milk and eggs and blend 

together. Continue mixing 

and gradually add the melted 

butter, a little at a time, until 

the mixture is very smooth. 

3. Pour the cake mixture into 

the prepared cake pan and 

bake in the preheated oven 

for 45-60 minutes. To check 

if the cake is cooked, insert 

the tip of a knife or skewer 

in the centre; if it comes out 

clean, then the cake is cooked. 

4. Leave the cake to cool in 

the pan for 20 minutes, then 

remove from the pan and 

leave to cool completely. 

5. Serve warm with ice cream 

and caramel sauce. This 

cake tastes best when freshly 

made, but it will keep for up 

to 3 days in the fridge and 

can be reheated to serve. 

Notes: 

I sometimes use frozen corn 

for this recipe, which works 

well as long as the corn is 

defrosted to room temperature, 

otherwise the mixture will 

separate if the corn is too cold. 

Nixtamalized corn flour 

is made from corn that 

has been treated with lime, 

making it easier to digest. 

It can be bought online. 

Cocina Mexicana by Adriana 

Cavita, published by Ryland 

Peters & Small (£22). 

Photography by Clare Winfield 

© Ryland Peters & Small. 

85 


SPF 

365 

Josephine Fairley turns to specially designed creams to combat the damaging effects of yearround 

rays from the sun and – new kid on the skin-ageing block – blue light from our tech 

I’ll admit: as a beauty editor, I 

used to be a bit casual about the 

need to wear a daily SPF on my 

face outside of summer. Many of 

the experts I spoke to, back in the 

day, were of the mindset that in the 

UK, when light levels are so much 

lower between October to March, 

the only time you really needed a day 

cream with sun protective powers 

was when you were, say, planning 

a long yomp over the Downs. 

I am now eating any of the words 

which I shared on this subject, in the 

past. Because things have changed, 

and a lot more is understood now 

about a.) incidental sun damage 

(the sort you pick up when nipping 

to the post box, walking the dog, 

doing a little early autumn deadheading 

etc.), and b.) the damaging 

effects of blue light on our skin. 

Our devices – smartphones, laptops, 

desktop computers and even TVs – all 

emit blue light, a.k.a. HEV (High 

Energy Visible) light. There’s still a 

lot of research to be done into this, 

but increasingly it’s thought that blue 

light can contribute to the formation 

of fine lines and wrinkles, as well as 

skin discolouration (those patches 

of pigmentation variously referred 

to as ‘age spots’ or ‘sun spots’). 

Sunlight – outdoors – also contains 

HEV, but the point about blue light 

is that we’re exposing ourselves to 

this indoors, whenever we’re looking 

at a screen. Hence the volte face 

on wearing sunscreen year-round – 

unless we happen to live off-grid. 

Although it doesn’t have the same 

capacity to cause skin cancer (because 

it doesn’t affect DNA), blue light still 

triggers production of free radicals – 

basically, rogue molecules implicated 

in skin ageing. So, the answer is 

skincare products which quench, 

or neutralise, those free radicals, 

before they can do their damage. 

You don’t need to adopt a whole 

new skincare regime to guard against 

this damage, though. In the habit of 

wearing sunscreen in summer? You may 

well be ahead of the curve. BUT… 

it depends on the ingredients in that 

sunscreen: the general consensus is that 

effective SPF and blue light protection 

harnesses ‘physical sunscreen’ 

ingredients – notably zinc oxide and 

titanium dioxide. These are considered 

more effective against blue light 

than chemical sunscreens – although 

many daily SPF products already 

feature a combination of both. Above 

and beyond the SPF, however, the 

formulation should ideally also contain 

antioxidants such as vitamin C, green 

tea and/or resveratrol (from grapes). 

Here, then, are some suitable ‘screensavers’ 

for your skin, which will also 

guard against that incidental sun 

damage, when you step away from 

your smartphone and get out into 

the great (in every way) outdoors. At 

the moment, alas, specific blue light 

protection is more often at the luxe 

end of the price scale – but we can 

expect the technology to trickle down 

to the mainstream, fairly smartly. 

Drunk Elephant Umbra Tinte 

Physical Daily Defense SPF30, £32 

for 60ml. If you’re looking for a hint of 

a tint, as well as protection, check out 

this creation from the cult US brand. 

A lightweight serum, the adaptable tint 

flatters all skintones, featuring marula 

and raspberry seeds for softening 

hydration, alongside antioxidant grape 

juice and sunflower shoot extract. 

Neutrogena Purescreen+ Mineral UV 

Tint Face Liquid SPF30, £18.70 for 

32ml. Another tinted option, this time 

promising that it is water-resistant for 

up to 80 minutes – which, unless you 

are a very dedicated wild swimmer, 

may be superfluous to requirements 

for the next few months. Blue lightguarding 

ingredients here include iron 

oxide, while vitamin E protects against 

other environmental aggressors. 

istockphoto.com/ Ridofranz 


87 


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Designed for city living, but equally 

suitable for those of us who live in the 

Weald, this is a fragrance-free, 100% 

mineral sunscreen which creates a 

featherlight ‘force field’ against UV 

rays, blue light and pollution (polymers 

create a breathable second skin that 

prevents penetration of toxins). A real 

multi-tasker, this, from one of the first 

names in ‘dermatologist skincare’. 

Clarins UV Plus Anti-Pollution 

SPF50, £34 for 30ml. Ah, good 

old Clarins. Another great multiaction 

cream, here, in the form of 

a lightweight moisturising screen 

formulated to shield against indoor 

and atmospheric pollution, blue light 

and even pollen. The gel-textured 

formula, which sinks in fast, promises 

eight hours of hydration – and 

interestingly, comes in Translucent 

(invisible) and Rose, which boosts 

skin’s radiance with a rosy glow. 

Chantecaille Blue Light Protection 

Serum, £137 for 30ml. Definitely 

the most indulgent of the choices 

here, if budget isn’t an issue – but I’ve 

included it a.) because it acknowledges 

the challenges of blue light in the 

name, and b.) because Chantecaille’s 

textures (and fragrances) are always, 

quite simply, sublime. This doesn’t 

offer sun protection, but the botanicals 

are chosen to protect against digital 

ageing, so you could layer it under 

a favourite broad spectrum (i.e. 

UVA/UVB-protective) facial SPF. 

Hello Sunday The Everyday One 

SPF50, £18 for 50ml. Hallelujah! 

This is at the opposite end of the price 

range to Chantecaille: lightweight, 

invisible and such a pleasure to use 

that I promise it’ll swiftly convert 

you to year-round sunscreening. 

Hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and 

provitamin B5 feature, along with a 

unique algae extract, Dunaliella Salina, 

to help fight blue light, infrared and 

pollution, as well as sun damage. 

That’s daytime sorted, then. But what 

about after dark, when many are still 

glued to one screen or another? I’m 

certainly not proposing that you start 

wearing sunscreen at night (although 

the Chantecaille serum could equally 

be layered under a night cream). But 

do consider taking some lifestyle steps 

to protect your skin, not least because 

scrolling on your phone in bed (um, 

aren’t we all guilty, there?) tends to 

be done up close, amplifying the 

damage. One easy fix is to switch your 

smartphone to night mode, as this 

adjusts the colours of your 

display, massively cutting 

blue light exposure; you can 

generally set a timer so 

that night mode 

kicks in 

at your 

usual bedtime, without you 

having to remember. 

It’s also worth pointing out that 

the damaging effects of blue light 

can contribute to eye strain, as well 

as glaucoma, cataracts and other eye 

diseases. More than that, it can make 

it hard for many people to get to 

sleep, as blue light affects our natural 

circadian biorhythms. (I know if I look 

at my phone or laptop after 9pm, I’m 

likely to be wide awake four hours 

later.) So, you might want to curb your 

night-time habit of doom scrolling/ 

Vinted shopping/Instagramming 

habit entirely – not just for the 

sake of your skin, but your eyes. 

And because – to paraphrase an 

old saying – nobody went to their 

grave wishing they’d spent more 

time looking at their phones… 

See beautybible.com for more of Jo’s 

tried and tested beauty reviews. 

89 


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12/07/2022 08:21 

BupaUkWT251.indd 1 02/03/2023 09:59

Wellbeing 

Just a 

minute 

Sarah Maxwell finds out how pocket 

meditation can fit into a busy lifestyle 

istockphoto.com/ PeopleImages 

If you’ve always fancied trying 

meditation, but the thought of 

sitting still and attempting to block 

out your ‘must get this stuff done today 

list’ is too much – and your intention to 

start a look-after-yourself-better plan has 

tanked again – then pocket meditation 

may just be the thing for you. 

I’ve always struggled with it. The 

time involved, my inability to empty 

my mind for more than a nano second, 

boredom and distraction. This increased 

my stress levels and ended up being 

at the top of my avoidance list. I 

decided (after much procrastination) 

to experiment with different types of 

meditation and commit myself to do 

one of them for 1 minute every day 

for a week. I gradually built this up to 

between 1 and 3 minutes of the things I 

found fitted me best and, feeling that it 

was doing something positive, I decided 

to arrange a Zoom chat with a variety 

of meditation experts (38 in total) so I 

could pass on their wisdom to us all. 

I asked this question: “I’m managing 

to do between 1-3 minutes of daily 

meditations (a variety of types) – is 

this doing me any good or am I just 

deluding myself and should I bother?” 

Only one person said not to bother, 

but the other 37 agreed unanimously 

that it was doing me a lot of good 

and that I should carry on and be 

reassured that it was having a positive 

effect on my health and wellbeing. 

Recent research has linked regular 

meditation to a range of health benefits, 

including reduced levels of anxiety and 

stress, improved immune function, 

increased creativity, improved mood 

and increased energy. Whether you’re 

just starting out or you’re looking to 

deepen your practice, incorporating 

meditation into your life can help 

to improve your overall wellbeing. 

So if you want to give it a go, try 

a few of these pocket meditations 

that take 1 minute a day and with a 

little regularity (put it in your diary 

to do before you brush your teeth, 

before your workout, school run, 

before bed etc.) you’ll start to feel the 

benefits from your very first session. 

Getting started with 

pocket meditation 

Wear loose, comfortable clothing. 

Turn off your phone, TV, radio. 

Find a space you feel comfortable 

in – this can be indoors or outside 

– lying, sitting or moving. 

Breath Meditation 

Find a comfortable place (standing, 

sitting or lying down). Breathe 

in through your nose for a count 

of 4, hold the breath for a count 

of 3 then breathe out through 

your nose for a count of 8. 

Do this a minimum of 5 times. 

Dance Meditation 

After choosing your favourite music 

to move to – the best music for this 

is something without words so you 

listen to the sounds and allow your 

body to flow along naturally. Let your 

shoulders relax and take a couple of 

deep breaths before you start moving. 

There is no right or wrong way to 

move, just let your body react to the 

music (this becomes easier the more you 

do it). Be aware of the sounds and your 

body. If external thoughts about the 

washing or a meeting come into your 

head, don’t worry, just acknowledge 

it and refocus back to the music. 

Walking Meditation 

You can do this outside in a park, 

forest or around your home. Start by 

standing still and focusing on your 

breathing. Take a few deep breaths 

and let your body relax. Once you are 

relaxed, begin walking slowly and focus 

on the sensation of your feet on the 

ground. Notice how your body moves 

with each step and how your arms and 

legs feel. Continue walking and focus 

on your breathing, the sound of your 

footsteps, and the feeling of your body. 

Some links to check out 

• healthline.com/health/mental-health/ 

top-meditation-iphone-android-apps 

• Headspace – simple and easy to use 

headspace.com 

• Dr Mariette Jansen 

drdestress.co.uk/meditation-mindfulness 

Sarah Maxwell is a multiple awardwinning 

Fitness and Lifestyle coach 

and mum of two who juggles a lot 

of balls. Find out more about Sarah 

and her work at sarahmaxwell.com 

Sarah shares her Fitness and Lifestyle tips 

on Instagram @sarahmaxwelllifestyle 

91 


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92

istockphoto.com, miwa_in_oz , Magone, chokja, Elena Tsvetkova, Drazen Zigic, alexander ruiz 

Nourish to Flourish 

Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach Charlotte Lau 

explores the benefits of incorporating 

another healthy ingredient into our 

diets. This month it’s turmeric 

Turmeric has become a bit of a ‘trendy’ wellness 

ingredient on social media in recent years, used in 

everything from lattes to pancakes and porridge, but 

what are the health benefits and is it worthy of the hype? 

The group of compounds that are responsible for much 

of turmeric’s health benefits are the colour pigments called 

curcuminoids. These are responsible for the vivid orange 

colour of turmeric as well as its powerful anti-inflammatory 

effects and antioxidant properties. However, curcumin is 

poorly absorbed by the body, so in order to receive its full 

benefits, it needs to be combined with ingredients such 

as black pepper which contains piperine, a compound 

which enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2000%. 

Turmeric is also a fat-soluble substance, which means 

you need to eat it with a source of fat for it to be absorbed 

well, so pair it with foods such as coconut milk, avocado 

or cheese to maximise the benefit. In higher doses, such 

as in a supplement form, turmeric has been known to 

manage the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, offer 

cardio-protective benefits and help reduce the risk of 

type-2 diabetes, although more scientific research is 

being done to explore its full potential on our health. 

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 

Red lentil dahl with turmeric 

This warming red lentil dahl is a tasty, mild curry, protein 

packed, creamy and delicious…perfect for a cosy weekend 

supper and rich in turmeric and its antioxidant benefits. 

Serves 6 

• 1 tsp olive oil or coconut oil 

• 2 onions diced 

• 3 garlic cloves finely chopped 

• 1 tbsp fresh ginger 

peeled and grated 

• ½ finely chopped red chilli 

(or ½ tsp dried chilli flakes) 

• ½ tsp cumin seeds 

• ½ tsp coriander seeds 

• ½ tsp mustard seeds 

• 2 tsp ground turmeric 

• 1 tsp garam masala 

• 200g dried red lentils, 

uncooked, rinsed and drained 

• 1 can chopped tomatoes 

• 1 can coconut milk 

• 500ml vegetable broth/stock 

• salt and black pepper 

• juice of a lemon 

• 2 handfuls fresh spinach, 

washed (frozen spinach 

can be used too) 

Grind the cumin, coriander and mustard seeds lightly using 

a pestle and mortar, then add to the pan, along with the 

turmeric and garam masala and cook for 1 minute. 

Add the lentils, tomatoes with their juice, coconut milk and 

broth/stock, then stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper 

and cook on a medium/low heat for 15-20 minutes until reduced 

and thick. If you have time, you can leave it a little longer on a 

very low heat for even more flavour (just stir often and check it 

doesn’t scorch on the bottom of the pan). Taste and add more 

chilli if desired. Stir in the lemon juice and spinach until it wilts. 

93 


Buried Treasure 

Jo Arnell applies cooking principles to the garden this 

month, as she starts planning her bulb lasangas 

I’m doing my best squirrel 

impression this month, scuttling 

around, digging holes and burying 

bulbs in the hope that, come the spring, 

welcome splashes of colour will pop 

up in my beds and borders. A lot can 

happen in the garden in the intervening 

months – not least the actual squirrels 

following in my footsteps, unearthing 

and skipping off with my buried 

treasures. At the moment I’m full of 

hope – in fact, anticipation and hope 

– imagining how lovely it’s all going 

to be is a big part of the process. 

Autumn is the main bulb planting 

season, but there are bulbs for other 

time of the year too, planted in the 

spring and early summer. This is 

something that is often overlooked, and 

potentially it can be confusing trying 

to work out what and when to plant. 

It helps to know a little about 

what a bulb is and where in the 

world it may have come from. A 

bulb is a modified version of the 

plant; leaves, stem and basal plate 

(from which the roots will sprout), 

compressed into a package, primed 

to grow when conditions are right. 

They tend to get lumped in together, 

regardless of origin, but often need 

different growing conditions in order to 

thrive. There are bulbs from woodland 

situations that flower in early spring 

and retreat back under the soil once the 

canopy of leaves appears. Woodland 

bulbs will tolerate shade and slightly 

damper conditions, but those that come 

from more arid climates will prefer a 

sunny and very free draining position. 

They don’t mind the cold necessarily 

– bulbs from mountainous regions 

will manage very low temperatures, 

but may also need a summer baking 

and good drainage through the winter 

– but wet, soggy soil may cause them 

to rot or be more vulnerable to fungal 

infections. Snake’s head fritillaries, on 

the other hand, thrive in damp meadows 

and won’t readily reappear in dry 

conditions. If you know their origins, 

you will get clues about the conditions 

they’ve evolved to live happily in. 

Bulbs in Containers 

Bulbs work well in containers, either 

mixed with spring bedding plants, or on 

their own. The great thing about growing 

in containers is that, once the flowers are 

finished, you can move them to do their 

tatty dying back out of sight behind the 

shed. I sometimes put a plastic pot inside 

a nice one, so that it can be removed, 


istockphoto.com/ FeelPic 

leaving the pot free for summer bedding. 

Cook up a pot full of bulb lasagne by 

layering bulbs that flower at different 

times. Three tiers works well, and it’s 

worth choosing different types – some 

short, some tall – and not too many 

tulips, as they’re quite leafy and planting 

too many will fill the pot with foliage. 

Bulbs that bulk up and 

naturalise well 

Wild plants like bluebells and garlic 

rampantly cover the ground so are best 

left to run wild outside in woodland and 

hedgerows rather than in the garden. 

Snowdrops, crocuses and narcissi are well 

known for spreading themselves around 

too, although slightly less enthusiastically. 

They also seem to enjoy the edge 

of woodland and damper meadow 

situations. Anemone blanda will carpet 

the ground in shades of blue, white and 

pink – watch how after flowering the 

seed-heads bend down to the ground and 

bury themselves (cyclamen do this too). 

For a natural looking effect, scatter the 

bulbs where you want them to flower 

and then plant them where they fall; 

this avoids unnatural looking groups 

and rows. They will soon clump up and 

spread around by themselves. Beware of 

the grape hyacinth (Muscari) though, 

which can become a weed once it gets 

going in the garden. The flowers are 

attractive, but the foliage that tends to 

linger for way too long, is just like grass 

and sprouts up all over the place… 

Snowdrops will colonise and 

naturalise more easily when planted 

‘in the green’. This means planting 

them once flowering is over, but before 

they dry out. Bought and planted 

as bulbs in the autumn they may 

have already dried out too much 

If growing Narcissi in lawns, make 

sure you don’t mind waiting 6 weeks 

before cutting the grass. I tend to only 

grow smaller types like ‘Tête-À-Tête’ 

or ‘Thalia’ in borders, as the huge 

‘King Alfred’ style daffodils have lots 

of foliage that flops about looking 

unsightly once the flower is over. 

Many tulips can’t be trusted to come 

back reliably each year. As a general 

rule, the closer you are to the species, 

the more perennial they are and these 

seem to be less prone to viruses too. The 

worst disease affecting tulips is Tulip Fire, 

which is a fungal infection that spreads 

easily (like fire??) among the bulbs. 

This is the reason it’s advisable to plant 

your tulips late – as late as January has 

been known without any ill effects. 

95 


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96 

SBIWT247.indd 1 31/10/2022 14:10

That way the cold weather should kill 

off any spores before the bulbs go in. 

Planting companions 

Your bulbs will look attractive among 

other early spring flowering plants. 

Biennials are especially effective, because 

they flower at the same time and also 

tend to be quite frilly and floriferous 

– plants like forget-me-nots, bellis and 

wallflowers make good ‘skirts’ for the 

bulbs and then, as their foliage starts 

to die back and become unsightly, the 

froth of foliage and flowers will cover 

it. Dying foliage out in the borders can 

also be hidden (bulb leaves never die 

off prettily) with other low spreading 

plants, like geraniums, astrantias 

and Alchemilla mollis, which will 

also grow up and cover the leaves. 

After flowering 

Once flowering is over, dead-head 

to stop them wasting energy making 

seed and try to let the leaves die back 

naturally – tying them in knots is not 

the solution. Some people give them 

a feed at this point, but a sprinkle of 

general purpose fertiliser over the ground 

is welcomed at any point in the spring. 

They should start to multiply over 

the years if they like the conditions. 

Many bulbs bulk up and spread quite 

readily, especially those recommended 

for naturalising, whereas others seem 

to diminish, depending on the variety. 

Tulips, especially the really pretty parrot 

cultivars and those with frilled or striped 

petals are rather fickle and won’t always 

appear in future years – the bulbs tend 

to split into ‘bulblets’ which take a few 

years to gain enough energy to flower. 

Potential problems 

Bulbs will always perform when first 

bought, because they are sold in peak 

condition, with everything they need, 

packaged up and ready to grow, but 

after that it’s up to the prevailing 

conditions and the care they receive to 

ensure that they keep on flowering. 

Bulbs can become ‘blind’, which 

means that leaves grow, but no flowers 

appear. It’s a sign that they’ve run out of 

energy, usually because they’re congested. 

If this happens, lift and separate them, 

replant and feed with some bonemeal, or 

a specialised bulb feed. 

Tulips do not like being left in damp 

soil all year. If you lift them (and have 

the time and inclination) be sure to store 

them somewhere dry and away from 

pests until it’s time to plant them again. 

Buy good sized, nice quality bulbs 

– and aim to plant them as soon as 

you can after they arrive. If they are 

left in their packs for too long they’ll 

succumb to infections. Tulips should 

really be planted in November once 

conditions are cooler and the viruses 

in the soil have become less active. 

Try to plant bulbs – especially those 

in borders – really deep. This improves 

flowering and may prevent you slicing 

through them later in the year, once 

you’ve forgotten where you planted them! 

To book a gardening course, 

contact Jo on 07923 969634 or 

see hornbrookmanor.co.uk 

97 


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A Destination of a 

Different Nature 

Sue Whigham reflects on her natural 

findings on a recent trip to Sweden 

Image of Grispholm Castle by Roland Magnusson 

Whilst I’d been warned that this year Sweden had 

been having a very wet summer, I hadn’t taken 

into account what might be the result of this in 

a country that is home to over 22,000 lakes, some of which 

are such large areas of water that they are known as ‘seas’. 

I’ve been lucky enough to visit Sweden for many years 

now but this was the first year of ‘The Mosquito’. And 

unfortunately that was not the mosquito in the singular but 

in the hundreds of thousands! Oh, my goodness. They were 

everywhere and obviously hungry which we found to our cost. 

We are all used to getting a few bites on trips to hot countries 

but here the Swedish version surpassed anything we’d come 

across. Thank goodness though, this phenomenon is rare in 

Sweden and after a week they disappeared from whence they 

came and we regained our equilibrium. This came soon after 

a trip to the chemists in Mariefred only to be told that there 

had been a run on antihistamines and that they were waiting 

anxiously for further supplies to be delivered. Mariefred is on 

Lake Mälaran, which has the added attraction of the glorious 

and imposing Gripsholm Castle, owned by the Swedish Royal 

Family since the reign of King Gustav Vasa in the sixteenth 

century. And it was at least an opportunity to do a spot of 

shopping and have a delicious open prawn sandwich at our 

usual cafe on the corner with the black and white tiles and 

then have the bonus of a beautiful drive home on virtually 

car free roads – and completely pot hole free to boot. 

Södermanland is a particularly lovely part of south central 

Sweden with a combination of rolling farmland and stands 

of mixed forests and of course, lakes. Many of the farms have 

absolutely huge barns all painted in a distinctive red known 

as Falu red, which originated from the Falun copper mine in 

central Sweden. I’d love to be in Sweden on the day that the 

cows are let out of the barns in the spring after a long, long 

winter. It is a day of celebration known as a ‘kosläpp’ when 

99 


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We also had the pleasure of 

spending an early evening 

with a couple of hares 

nonchalantly nibbling away 

on the grass outside the house 

at the same time as giving 

themselves a good groom 

they come out skipping and jumping for 

joy to be out in the fresh air again. Their 

offspring will have, of course, been born 

in the barns and the farmer has to let 

the cows out separately from the calves 

so that the calves don’t get accidentally 

trampled by their over excited mothers. 

Once everything has calmed down 

a bit, the calves are then released. 

Interestingly cows have to be let out 

in the spring under Swedish animal 

welfare laws, which sounds good to me. 

But back to the lake at the bottom 

of the garden where we were staying. 

Last year we heard and saw the cranes 

that flew overhead most mornings but 

this time we only heard them a couple 

of times. But the first swim came up 

trumps as an osprey, the national bird 

of the region, put in an appearance and 

I watched him swim low over the water 

for most of the length of the lake. He 

eventually landed somewhere beyond 

the reeds and I didn’t see him again. But 

what a spectacular bird with a wingspan 

of 1.5 metres – I hear that one was 

spotted at Rye Harbour recently too. 

We also had the pleasure of spending 

an early evening with a couple of hares 

nonchalantly nibbling away on the 

grass outside the house at the same time 

as giving themselves a good groom. 

Luckily they didn’t spot us even when 

we were rather manically attempting 

to take a few rather blurred photos 

from the kitchen window. Imagine 

our consternation when we got back 

the following day and found a dead 

hare propped up on the verandah. 

Image: A hare in the woods of Skogskyrkogården, 

Stockholm, by Victoria Koskela

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Just over half of Sweden 

(63%) is covered with forest 

and the right of public access 

known as ‘allemansrätten’ 

gives everyone the right 

to collect berries and 

mushrooms on public land 

Clockwise from top left: There’s fungi 

aplenty in autumn: freshly picked 

chanterelle mushrooms; therapeutic 

meadowsweet; the majestic osprey 

istockphoto.com/ JohnatAPW / Wirestock 

We thought that it must be one of ‘our’ hares but 

he’d been found during a chanterelle hunt in the nearby 

woods. Nothing wasted here as he ended up in a casserole 

in somebody’s else’s household the following day. Then 

there were the ‘sounds off’ coming from the forest. I 

thought at first it might be wild boar having seen signs 

of their excavations in the meadow down the lane but 

it was more likely to be some sort of deer as it sounded 

rather like a dog with a particularly sore throat. 

The meadow that I found such interesting plants in 

last year had already been cut to be used for silage. But in 

the ditch dissecting the field there were still a few wisps 

of meadowsweet and later on that day my hostess gave 

me a tisane of dried meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) 

to try. I’d read that it was not only used as a herbal 

medicine but due to its high concentration of salicylic 

acid was used to make aspirin. What a wonderful plant. 

It certainly seemed to help both with the irritating and 

numerous mosquito bites and one of those throats that 

seems to go with flying. Can’t wait for next summer and 

to collecting some from the ditch right outside the house 

here. Heaven knows why we haven’t done it before. 

Just over half of Sweden (63%) is covered with forest and 

the right of public access known as ‘allemansrätten’ gives 

everyone the right to collect berries and mushrooms on public 

land as long as you do it responsibly and don’t take too much. 

An hour’s exploration of the woods near the house (in full 

improvised mozzie protection clothing!) revealed the most 

fantastic collection of fungi of all sorts and some wonderful 

lichen too. The forests here are ancient and dotted with huge 

granite boulders that were formed after the last Ice Age. Each 

one of these has its covering of mosses, ferns and lichens 

creating mini worlds perfect for a child’s imagination to run 

riot (let alone mine). I didn’t find many chanterelle, the 

103 


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104 

WCLandcraftWT252.indd 1 31/03/2023 10:53

An hour’s exploration of the 

woods near the house revealed 

the most fantastic collection 

of fungi of all sorts and 

some wonderful lichen too 

Images: istockphoto.com/Multiart / Annika Nilsson / TT 

forager’s favourite, but either someone 

had already passed through this patch 

or I just didn’t know where to look. 

Having said that, I did come across two 

or three here or there. It’s quite difficult 

to miss them as they are bright yellow 

or orange and very distinctive. They 

also smell of apricots. The interesting 

thing about chanterelle is that they 

are a mycorrhizal fungus which, over 

the years, form a symbiotic association 

with the trees they are growing with. 

This makes them very difficult to grow 

in cultivation. Known as the ‘gold of 

the forest’ they are a significant source 

of Vitamin D and of course, both free 

and 100% organic. I rather liked the 

look of the natty gadget in the kitchen 

department of the local supermarket 

with a little knife to cut and collect 

the chanterelles attached to a small 

brush to clean them off should they 

need it. I’m rather glad I didn’t buy 

one though as I think that in my case 

it might have been a bit under used! 

Sue Whigham can be contacted on 

07810 457948 for gardening advice 

Clockwise from top left: Ripe for the 

(responsible) picking: wild lingonberries; 

ramsons (wild garlic); wild blueberries

OPEN MORNINGS 

SATURDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 2023 

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If you are considering Senior Schools for your daughter 

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TO BOOK GO TO walthamstow-hall.co.uk

Meet theHead 

We really enjoyed catching up with Louise Chamberlain, 

headteacher at Walthamstow Hall, Sevenoaks 

With a lifelong interest in medical microbiology 

and its impact on societies, coupled with 

a great passion for education, Louise 

Chamberlain is well-placed to navigate her 

school through these post-pandemic times. 

What attracted you to Wally Hall? 

The first time I visited the school I fell in love 

with it. The warmth and the buzz of it drew 

me in and the quality of the relationships 

between the staff and the pupils really stood 

out. There’s a genuine sense of wanting to 

understand the pupil as they are and where their 

individual light might shine. They are given a 

really broad range of experiences in and out of 

the classroom allowing them the opportunity 

to discover what they might be good at or 

find interesting. They aren’t put in a box early 

on. It’s important that children are able to 

explore new interests and strengths as they get 

older. I noticed that the pupils are confident 

and articulate but they have no arrogance and 

there’s no set way to be a ‘Wally student’. 

I really like the fact that this is one of the 

oldest girls’ schools in the country. There’s 

a balance between being a custodian of an 

educational heritage while at the same time 

navigating towards the future. Looking at 

the history of the school it has never been 

a stereotypical girls’ school, it’s always been 

about helping the pupils find out who 

they are rather than being told ‘this is what 

you must do’. It’s a fabulous school. 

Who inspired you to study science? 

My parents both have science backgrounds 

and I went to an all girls’ school where the 

headteacher was incredibly positive about 

STEM. I was very fortunate that the adults 

around me weren’t just answering my questions 

but they also encouraged me to ask more. I’m 

incredibly interested in medical microbiology 

and particularly how it intertwines with 

history and influences societies. 

What are you most excited about? 

At our Junior site we’ve just expanded the 

nursery and pre-school, which is very exciting. 

We have small boys joining our nursery and 

preschool, which is wonderful. The team 

here have lots of experience of working with 

boys and girls and in the nursery you have 

great indoor and outdoor facilities. We have 

a lovely forest school area where pupils have 

lots of fun. During a recent visit I had leaves 

and a lovely slug put on me by the children! 

This is a flourishing school, where the 

staff support pupils to fulfil their potential 

and go onto not only university but also 

hugely competitive apprenticeships. We 

had a group who in addition to building a 

greenpower racing car went on to take it to 

Goodwood to race it! I want as many people 

as possible to know what a super place this is 

and I’m excited about spreading the word. 

What do you see as the greatest challenges? 

I think they are the same for everyone. Across 

the country we have a cohort of young people 

who struggle with resilience – there’s a lot of 

evidence that young people find it difficult to 

make even small mistakes. I’ve done a lot of 

reading about how even very young children 

don’t feel they can have a go at something in 

case they don’t succeed. That is a great challenge 

in education at the minute and we need to let 

children see that making little errors is part 

of learning, it’s an opportunity for growth. 

I love our school’s logo, which is a ship. If you 

set sail on a ship you know sometimes it will be 

stormy. You keep sailing on and there are loads 

of other people on board – we aren’t alone. 

107 

How do you relax outside work? 

I do a lot of reading, I tend to have several 

books on the go. At the moment I’m 

working my way through Pathogenesis by 

Jonathan Kennedy, The Square of Sevens 

by Laura Shepherd-Robinson and The 

Venetian Venture by Suzette A. Hill. I also 

have Herring’s Medical Law and Ethics and 

I’ve just got the latest Mason and Mcall 

Smith’s Law and Medical Ethics because I’m 

going to run a bio ethics club for the sixth 

form here. It’s something I’ve always found 

interesting and I’m very excited about. 

I’ve also just finished an undergraduate 

diploma with Cambridge University in 

archaeology, focusing on death in the ancient 

world, it’s been a great reminder of what it’s like 

to be the one needing to meet essay deadlines. 

And I have a big extended family, so there’s 

always something exciting going on somewhere. 

I also really enjoy political satire, so like to tune 

into Dead Ringers and other Radio 4 comedies. 

What book would you recommend to parents? 

I highly recommend Every Teenager Needs a 

Parrot by Alicia Drummond and also Failosophy 

by Elizabeth Day. It’s very helpful for assisting 

with resilience – being ready to learn from 

mistakes, rather than being too afraid to try. 

Where are your favourite places to visit? 

I like walking and we’re extremely lucky to 

have Knole Park on our doorstep. I was 

recommended the independent bookshop 

in Sevenoaks and since my first visit I 

never leave with just one book! I also love 

Italian food so I’m looking forward to more 

visits to Marco, also here in Sevenoaks. 

Find out more about Walthamstow 

Hall at walthamstow-hall.co.uk 


Neighbours 

COLETTE MANN 

By Popular Demand 

PHIL REID 

PAUL HOLMAN ASSOCIATES PRESENT 

CBeebies Presenter 

JOANNA 

ADEYINKA-BURFORD 

Children’s TV Legend & MasterChef 

DAVE BENSON PHILLIPS 

Redhill Favourite 

SIMON BASHFORD 

Director ANDREW LYNFORD | Choreographer ALEX WOLF | Musical Director ASHLEY HARVEY 

8 - 31 DECEMBER 2023 

BOX OFFICE 01737 276500 

harlequintheatre.co.uk 


108

Malthouse Theatre 

Harlequin Theatre 

2 Dec – 7 Jan 

YVONNE ARNAUD THEATRE 

GUILDFORD 

CINDERELLA 

Head to the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre 

in Guildford this Christmas for the 

godmother of all pantos, Cinderella! 

This year’s stellar line up includes 

EastEnders and Detectorists favourite 

Lucy Benjamin as the Wicked 

Stepmother, Radio’s Peter Gordon 

in a hilarious Ugly Stepsister duo 

alongside Guildford Shakepeare 

Company co-founder Matt Pinches, 

and CBeebies star James Merry for 

his third Guildford panto. Don’t 

wait to book – the clock is ticking! 

Tickets: from £20 

01483 44 00 00 

yvonne-arnaud.co.uk 

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre 

8 Dec – 31 Dec 

HARLEQUIN THEATRE 

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 

Set in the French village of Populaire 

Sur La Mare, a host of creative roles, 

colourful scenery and a fast-paced story 

bring this pantomime tale right up to 

date with plenty of shenanigans, more 

than a trifle of tomfoolery and an amusebouche 

of comedy capers. Beauty and 

the Beast champions one of today’s most 

relevant pantomime stories; will Belle see 

beyond the Beast’s imposing façade and 

discover love is more than skin deep? 


01737 276500 

harlequintheatre.co.uk 

Panto 

Time 


LEAS CLIFF HALL 

FOLKESTONE 


When a magical sorceress transforms 

the handsome Count into a frightening 

Beast, only true love will break the 

spell. Join bookworm Belle and a 

whole host of colourful characters 

on a journey to discover that true 

beauty is more than just skin-deep. 

With plenty of audience participation 

and huge helpings of laughter 

combined with spectacular scenery, 

captivating costumes and enchanting 

special effects, Beauty and the Beast 

is the traditional family pantomime 

that will leave you spellbound. 


atgtickets.com 

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre 

Time to book those 

tickets... oh yes it is! 

istockphoto.com/ Roman Kulinskiy 


ASSEMBLY HALL THEATRE 

TUNBRIDGE WELLS 


Find yourself transported to a pretty 

French town where Bookish Belle 

is ready to start a new chapter... 

She, along with her friend Jacques 

and his mum, Betty (bell-ringer of 

the local Tunbridge Bells) soon find 

themselves trapped inside the enchanted 

castle of a mysterious beast. 

The award-winning Little Wolf 

Entertainment return with even 

more shimmering sets, outrageous 

costumes, magic and mayhem! 


01892 530613 assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk 


MALTHOUSE THEATRE, CANTERBURY 

SNOW WHITE 

The Malthouse Theatre in association 

with Gardner Hodges Entertainment are 

proud to present Canterbury’s Fairest 

Pantomime of all, Snow White! 

From the team that brought you 

Cinderella and Beauty and The Beast, 

this year’s production will feature 

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Don’t delay, book today to guarantee 

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01227 287234 

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RICHMOND THEATRE 

DICK WHITTINGTON 

The wonderful Paul Merton will 

be donning the Panto Dame’s heels 

this Christmas as he steps into 

the role of Sarah the Cook! 

Join Dick Whittington as he seeks fame, 

fortune, and happiness journeying to 

become Lord Mayor. Can he outwit 

the evil rodent King Rat and free 

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This promises to be full of laugh-outloud 

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costumes and plenty of boos and hisses. 


atgtickets.com

Contemporary 

CRAFT SHOW 

De La Warr Pavilion 

21 – 22 October 2023 

10.00am - 5.00pm 

& 'FINAL' KPG ART 

EXHIBITION & SALE 2023 

Evening of Friday 27th October 

6 pm - 9 pm 

Saturday 28th October 

12 pm - 4 pm 

Sunday 29th October 

10 am - 4 pm 

at 

Kingdom, 

Grove Rd, Penshurst, Tonbridge 

TN11 8DU 

www.kentpaintersgroup.co.uk 

Proceeds donated to local mental health charities 

Furniture 

Leather 

Ceramics 

Textiles 

Jewellery 

Wood 

Metal 

Glass 

Admission: £3.00 at the door (card payments accepted) 

De La Warr Pavilion, Marina, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex TN40 1DP 

www.thesussexguild.co.uk 

Reg Charity no: 292234 

ECHO Anish Kapoor at Ightham Mote 

Echo, 1993, mixed media, dimensions variable 

Visit Ightham Mote to see musical sculptures created by 

internationally acclaimed artist Anish Kapoor and composer Brian 

Elias. 

Contemporary sounds will reverberate around the ancient space of our medieval Great Hall for 

the local première of this specially composed piece. 

This display will accompany the ‘Country Houses, Jewish Homes’ touring exhibition this 

autumn. Displays will explore the role of Jewish country houses in Britain, the prejudice Jewish 

people encountered and how they fought for the right to acquire land and play a full role in 

British society. 

Image Credit: Andrew Penketh & Jillian Edelstein ©Anish Kapoor. All rights reserved, DACS, 2023 

To see what other things we have going on at Ightham Mote this year please visit 

nationaltrust.org.uk/ightham-mote/whats-on or call 01732 810378 


110

ART SURREY (RACHAEL JOHNSON) 

GRAHAM CLARKE 

OPEN STUDIO 

BATEMAN’S 

REIMAGINED 

What’s On 

this Autumn 

ART & EXHIBITIONS 

Every day until 1 Jan 24 

(closed 25 & 26 Dec) 

Bateman’s, Bateman’s Lane, 

Burwash, Etchingham TN19 7DS 

THE WRITER’S HOME: 

BATEMAN’S REIMAGINED 

A new installation by book 

artist Su Blackwell reimagines 

the creative process which led 

Rudyard Kipling to conjure up 

his much-loved classic, The Jungle 

Book. ‘Bateman’s Reimagined’ 

is created from copies of the 

story’s handwritten manuscript. 

Kipling’s words loop and curl 

across hundreds of pages, nestling 

a model of the house at Bateman’s, 

once the home of the writer. 

Entry: included in entry price 

nationaltrust.org.uk 

Fri 6 October (preview 

evening) 6pm - 9pm 

Sat 7 October 10am - 6pm 

Sun 8 October 10am - 5pm 

Epsom Downs Racecourse, 

Tattenham Corner Road, 

Epsom, Surrey KT18 5LQ 

ART SURREY 

Come to Art Surrey in The 

Duchess Stand, Epsom Downs 

Racecourse 6-8 October and let 

your creative senses be tingled 

at one of the largest art fairs 

within the south east of England. 

Over 90 established artists will 

be exhibiting with over 3,000 

artworks for sale between £50 

and £3,000. For tickets and 

more information see website. 

artsurrey.co.uk 

Fri 6 - Sun 8 Oct & Fri 3 - 

Sun 5 Nov 11am - 3pm 

Up the Garden Studio, 

Meadow View Road, Boughton 

Monchelsea ME17 4LF 

GRAHAM CLARKE 

STUDIO OPEN DAYS 

Explore Graham’s fascinating 

studio displaying a vast array 

of work and find out how his 

limited-edition etchings are created 

entirely by hand, using traditional 

techniques, from copper plate 

to hand-driven printing press. 

Graham or a member of his 

family will be on hand to share 

the stories behind his work. 

grahamclarke.co.uk 

111 

Fri 27 October (preview 

evening) 6pm - 9pm 

Sat 28 October 12pm - 4pm 

Sun 29 October 10am - 4pm 

Kingdom, Grove Road, 

Penshurst, Tonbridge TN11 8DU 

KENT PAINTERS GROUP 

Kent Painters Group (KPG) 

is a wonderful not-for-profit 

organisation started by a group 

of friends over 30 years ago to 

raise money for local mental 

health charities in Kent. Its 

annual art sale is now one of 

Kent’s premier exhibitions and to 

date it has raised over £330,000 

for the mental health charities it 

supports. As a voluntary group, 

100% of proceeds go directly 

to KPG’s chosen charities. 

kentpaintersgroup.co.uk 

Thurs 9 - Sat 11 Nov 10am - 5pm 

Vestry Hall, Cranbrook, 

Kent TN17 3HA 

THE CRANBROOK 

ART SHOW 

Exciting news, the Art Show is 

back, showcasing new talent and 

familiar artists next month. There 

will be free entry to enjoy a mix of 

painting, printmaking, sculpture, 

ceramics and jewellery. The 

selected artists express themselves 

and draw inspiration from a wide 

variety of sources, so the show 

will have something to please 

and delight all visitors. There 

will be late night opening until 

7pm on Friday 10th November. 

cranbrookartshow.org.uk 

SHOPPING 

Fri 13 Oct 

Little Silver Country 

Hotel Tenterden 

PRETTY IN PINK 

The hugely successful Heart of 

Kent Hospice Choir, ‘The Hearties’ 

will perform bespoke arrangements 

of inspiring and popular songs. An 

evening of song and style including 

a catwalk fashion show by Mint 

Velvet. You won’t want to miss 

this fun event raising funds for 

the charity Breast Cancer Now. 

Entry: Tickets £10 available from 

Box Office (website below) or Webbs 

Ironmongers High Street Tenterden. 

heartofkentshowchoir.co.uk 

Fri 20 Oct 7.30pm 

Hemsted Park Theatre 

Benenden School 

THE GREAT THINK 

PINK SHOW 

An ultimate girls’ night out with 

music, laughter, surprises and a 

catwalk fashion show by Mint 

Velvet. An immersive experience 

raising money for breast cancer 

charity joining the Heart of Kent 

Hospice Choir, ‘The Hearties’ for 

a fabulous evening of music and 

entertainment. Everyone welcome! 

hemstedpark.com 

Fri 14 & Sat 15 Oct 

Farnham Maltings, Bridge 

Square, Farnham GU9 7QR 

FESTIVAL OF CRAFTS 

Now in its 27th year, the Festival 


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From £24.00 + VAT a 

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As seen at the Kent Show! 

(*Finance prices are for example purposes and are subject to status and for business customers only who 

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of Crafts returns to Farnham 

Maltings as part of Farnham’s 

October Craft Month. There will 

be a selection of the best of British 

artisans selling handmade crafts 

including jewellery, ceramics, 

stationery, homewares, wood and 

metal work, textiles, furniture, 

lighting and print. Meet and 

buy directly from makers, and 

even try an inspiring workshop 

on a new craft taster session. 

Entry: Discount for booking 

in advance, see website. 

farnhammaltings.com 

WORKSHOPS 

& COURSES 

Thurs 5 & Sat 7 Oct 10.30am 

Merriments Gardens, 

Hawkhurst Road, Hurst Green, 

East Sussex TN19 7RA 

MERRIMENTS GARDENS 

AUTUMN CONTAINER 

& HANGING BASKET 

WORKSHOP 

Add fantastic autumn colour 

to your garden by planting up 

a beautiful 14” rattan hanging 

basket or a decorative 15” 

terracotta pot. Join Merriment’s 

experienced Plant Area team for 

an informative workshop. They 

will help you create your perfect 

autumn display and provide 

tips on how to keep it looking 

good over the coming months. 

Entry: Tickets £35 (including 

all materials and your choice 

of either a 14” rattan basket 

or a 15” terracotta pot). 

merriments.co.uk 

Sat 14 Oct & Sat 18 Nov 

Sarah Louise Dix, 57 St 

John’s Street, Farncombe, Nr 

Godalming, Surrey GU7 3EH 

BEGINNER’S ONE 

DAY FOOTSTOOL 

UPHOLSTERY COURSE 

How about learning a new skill 

this autumn? Taught in classes of 

no more than 10 students, Sarah 

Louise Dix teaches an introduction 

to upholstery in this excellent 

one day class. There are also 

other courses on offer including 

a 10 week upholstery course. 

Pre booking and pre payment is 

essential to secure your place. 

Entry: £150 exc fabric 

sarahlouisedix.co.uk 

Listings are correct at time of going 

to press but may be subject to change. 

Readers are advised to check with venues 

before making arrangements. We can list 

your event in the next issue of Wealden 

Times for only £75+VAT. Please supply 

up to 200 words that should include date, 

time, venue, contact for enquiries and any 

entry price to whatson@priceless-group. 

com or send with payment (cheques 

payable to Priceless Media Ltd.) to What’s 

On, Priceless Media, Kettle Chambers, 

21 Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 

3HF. Priceless Media reserves the right to 

edit text to fit space allocated. Deadline 

for the next issue is 5th October. 

Wood Floor 

Sanding 

- Family Business - 

We also restore wooden kitchen tops 

FREE estimates - call any time 

07794953597 gerardgrover@gmail.com 

GARDEN DESIGN COURSES 

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

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07923 969634 hornbrookmanor.co.uk 

© National Trust 2023. Registered charity no. 205846. 

Photography © National Trust Images/Cassie Dickson. 

The Sissinghurst Series 

Talks, tours & book signings 

Visit Sissinghurst Castle Garden for 

expert-led events centred around topical 

subjects in the gardening world. 

MERRIMENTS 

GARDENS 

KENT PAINTERS 

GROUP (DAHLIA 

DAYS BY DEBRA 

BARR-SMITH) 

Kent, TN17 2AB 

nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst 


113 

Untitled-910 1 14-Sep-23 14:24:54

Jane Howard explains why 

her pigs enjoy a completely 

free-range existance, just 

lyke ye olden days 

There is definitely a whiff of 

autumn in the air – my favourite 

time of year. Out come the 

jumpers and wellies and an early morning 

foray for mushrooms with mist in the hollows 

and grass twinkling with dew is magical. But not 

that early. Rather quaintly, since leaving London some 

twenty five years ago, the time at which we get up really 

fascinates our city friends. When we point out that 

it’s really only dairy farmers who have to get up at an 

unspeakably early hour, they seem rather crestfallen. 

Along with the lack of a smock, a pitchfork in hand 

and a straw hat, an 8am start doesn’t quite fit the 

bucolic image. I think the cows would 

be genuinely surprised to see me at 

sunrise, although the pigs are ready and 

standing by whatever time we arrive. 

But any day soon they won’t be waiting 

and then, for a couple of weeks, I’ll 

not see them round the trough at all. 

And I won’t be one bit surprised. Why? 

Because the acorns will have dropped 

and nothing is more delicious to the 

average porker than a ripe acorn. With 

about 20 acres of woodland to roam in, 

they could be anywhere, and eventually 

they turn up again – fat and happy. 

But for the right reason. Rather 

than breed our own we now buy in pigs to fatten 

and they are (or rather were) all boys – an important 

precaution for anyone keeping woodland pigs in these 

parts. Apart from The Forest of Dean, the Kent/Sussex 

borders have more wild boar than anywhere else in the 

UK. They are shy, nocturnal creatures so rarely seen, 

but having learnt the hard way I can assure you they 

are about. And at this time of year solitary males are 

wandering the High Weald looking for romance. 

Before I knew better I used to keep sows, Gloria and 

Rather than breed 

our own we now buy 

in pigs to fatten and 

they are (or rather 

were) all boys – an 

important precaution 

for anyone keeping 

woodland pigs 

in these parts 

Iris, in the woods and by the time I saw the fleeting 

back end of a wild boar – tusks, stripes, spots the lot, it 

was too late. Some three months, three weeks and three 

days later (pigs are very particular in that department) 

Gloria delivered a whole host of stripy, spotty hoglets. 

Fab, except that they were wild and 

never came near me. Not even for food. 

Catching and keeping them proved 

impossible so now it’s strictly a Boys Only 

policy for participation in the annual 

Coopers autumn acorn extravaganza. 

But what’s going on here is nothing 

new. For hundreds of years peasant 

farmers released their pigs into the woods 

at this time of year to fatten on acorns in 

a practice known as pannage. With the 

exception of The New Forest, pannage 

isn’t really practiced any more but way 

back when The Weald was the stronghold. 

The Domesday Book records in 1086 that 

around 150,000 pigs were driven every autumn from the 

Low Weald to the oak woods of the High Weald. Farmers 

from a particular village returned with their pigs to the 

same woodland pig pasture, called a den, year after year. 

Over time the dens became settlements in their own 

right – hence Horsmonden, Biddenden, Witherenden 

– and the frequent passage of pigs being driven to 

and from these dens formed sunken tracks known as 

droves, which remain today as a pattern of roughly 

north-south lanes. Quite handy for those boars! 

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


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