Wealden Times | WT259 | December 2023 | Christmas Supplement inside
The lifestyle magazine for Kent & Sussex - Inspirational Interiors, Fabulous Fashion, Delicious Dishes
The lifestyle magazine for Kent & Sussex - Inspirational Interiors, Fabulous Fashion, Delicious Dishes
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PRICELESS<br />
DECEMBER <strong>2023</strong><br />
259<br />
DECEMBER <strong>2023</strong><br />
CHRISTMAS SUPPLEMENT <strong>inside</strong><br />
Inspirational Interiors • Fabulous Fashion • Delicious Dishes
MINTERIORS<br />
JFine hand crafted kitchens and bespoke furniture<br />
Designing and handcrafting kitchens since 1994<br />
jminteriorsuk.uk<br />
Please email or call to make a showroom appointment<br />
info@jminteriorsuk.uk 01580 291221
3
FIND YOUR<br />
KITCHEN spirit<br />
COME AND SEE US FOR A FREE DESIGN CONSULTATION<br />
SEVENOAKS<br />
50 LONDON ROAD, TN13 1AS<br />
01732 454282 | NOLTE-KITCHENS.CO.UK
Contents<br />
<strong>December</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
24<br />
88<br />
46<br />
12<br />
17<br />
21<br />
24<br />
45<br />
46<br />
66<br />
HOUSE OF THE MONTH<br />
Dream homes on the market<br />
NOTEBOOK<br />
Upcoming events for your diary<br />
THE MUST LIST<br />
Keep up-to-date with the latest<br />
must-see and must-have goodies<br />
ALL IS CALM<br />
Explore interior designer<br />
Hannah Benton’s own<br />
renovation project in Deal<br />
GET THE LOOK<br />
Learn how to harness neutrals<br />
A HOUSE, TRANSFORMED<br />
Interior Design Masters<br />
contestant Charlotte Fisher shows<br />
us around her Surrey home<br />
GET THE LOOK<br />
Experiment with paint and<br />
pattern like Charlotte<br />
85<br />
86<br />
88<br />
96<br />
101<br />
103<br />
BRING THE BALLET<br />
TO LIFE<br />
Nail Nutcracker style for<br />
festive fashion flare<br />
SUGARPLUM DREAMS<br />
Rebecca Cuffe edits elegant and<br />
decadent looks for <strong>Christmas</strong><br />
PARTY PERFECT<br />
Charlotte Butterworth, aka<br />
@theneedy.greedy, shares<br />
her fuss-free festive recipes<br />
FAST FIXES FOR<br />
UN-PARTY-ISH FACES<br />
Josephine Fairley (reluctantly)<br />
gets into the party spirit with<br />
products for glowing skin<br />
POSTURE PERFECT II<br />
Sarah Maxwell’s second<br />
instalment for a stronger core<br />
NOURISH TO FLOURISH<br />
Charlotte Lau explores the health<br />
benefits of root vegetables<br />
Published by Priceless Media Ltd. Kettle Chambers, 21 Stone Street,<br />
Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3HF | Call 01580 714705 | Email info@priceless-group.com<br />
Visit priceless-group.com Copyright © <strong>2023</strong> Priceless Media Ltd. The views of the<br />
advertisers & contributors are not necessarily those of Priceless Media Ltd.<br />
104<br />
110<br />
114<br />
115<br />
117<br />
122<br />
STALWART FRIENDS<br />
Jo Arnell’s run-down of reliable plants<br />
for year-round gardening success<br />
’TIS THE SEASON<br />
Jen Stuart-Smith explains why<br />
in-season flowers and foliage are best<br />
COMMUNICATION IS KEY<br />
Mike Piercy gives advice on<br />
supporting your child at school<br />
KNOW WHERE YOU STAND<br />
Joanna Pratt clarifies the legal<br />
rights of cohabiting couples<br />
WHAT’S ON?<br />
From pantos to courses, find out...<br />
FABLES FROM THE FARM<br />
Jane Howard wraps up the farm<br />
chores for <strong>Christmas</strong><br />
CHRISTMAS<br />
SUPPLEMENT<br />
18 pages of gifts,<br />
tableware, foodie<br />
treats, New Year inspo<br />
and festive jumpers!<br />
After page 66.<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong><br />
The Priceless <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
5<br />
istockphoto.com/ MaryliaDesign
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Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority 621466<br />
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6
From the<br />
Editor<br />
If, like me, you’re not the kind of person to whom<br />
meticulous planning comes naturally – at least not at<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong> time – having a guide like this month’s will<br />
help get your turkeys in a row. Rebecca Cuffe has edited<br />
down a wonderful selection of stocking fillers, last minute<br />
gifts, foodie treats and beautiful table settings to complete<br />
your festive spread. Read on after our second house feature.<br />
We popped across town to photograph Charlotte<br />
Butterworth’s crowd-pleasing party recipes a couple of<br />
weeks ago. After making short work of nearly an entire<br />
bowl of spicy party nuts, David Merewether got to work<br />
photographing Charlotte’s delicious <strong>Christmas</strong>sy dishes that<br />
I hope you’ll try out over the holidays – they really are tasty.<br />
Fashion this issue is all about The Nutcracker, with frothy<br />
tulle, romantic ballet-inspired accessories and a hint of tailored<br />
soldier chic – there’s extra points for spotting the mouse, too.<br />
The garden may be looking a little bleak, but there<br />
are colours galore in our gardening section, with yearround<br />
planting advice from Jo Arnell and seasonal<br />
tips from Blooming Green’s Jen Stuart-Smith.<br />
And finally, thank you to all those who<br />
came to enjoy our Midwinter Fair and<br />
to our magnificent stall holders! It was<br />
another fantastically festive event – see<br />
if you can spot yourself in our roundup<br />
just before our first house feature.<br />
WINTER SALE STARTS<br />
27 TH DECEMBER 9:30AM<br />
Merry <strong>Christmas</strong> and I do hope<br />
you enjoy your Priceless magazine!<br />
Priceless Team<br />
EditorLucy Fleming<br />
<strong>Supplement</strong>s & Features EditorRebecca Cuffe<br />
Sub Editor & Features Writer Emily Pavey<br />
Design & Production DirectorAnthony Boxall<br />
Sales ManagersLisa Gordon-Hughes<br />
Maria Hurley<br />
Senior Account ManagerSarah Norwood<br />
Senior Sales ExecutiveAndrew Boughton<br />
Account ExecutiveMarnie Newman<br />
<strong>Wealden</strong> <strong>Times</strong> Show Director Flo Simpson<br />
Events Manager Liz Miles<br />
Events Sales Director Jude Brown<br />
Financial ControllerStephen Hunt<br />
Accounts Sarah Davies<br />
Nicola O’Leary<br />
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TRAIN<br />
STATIONS:<br />
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International<br />
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East<br />
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9<br />
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Ashford&CranbrookRoofingWT248.indd 1 30/11/2022 17:50
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PLOT OR NOT?<br />
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11<br />
sjd-projects.com<br />
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House<br />
Month<br />
of the<br />
£3,250,000<br />
Damien Pestell picks his favourite<br />
homes on the market<br />
Woodchurch<br />
The dream: A beautifully<br />
presented Grade II listed manor<br />
house, believed in part to<br />
date from the 15th century. It<br />
features a superb detached barn<br />
holiday let, providing handy<br />
additional income or a place<br />
for friends and family to stay.<br />
Where: The Kent village of<br />
Woodchurch, in close proximity<br />
to both Ashford and the Cinque<br />
Ports town of Tenterden.<br />
Setting: Set back from a quiet lane<br />
on the outskirts of the village.<br />
Beds: 7 Baths: 6<br />
Special features: The elegant<br />
panelled drawing room opens<br />
into the formal dining room<br />
and is understood to form part<br />
of the original 15th century<br />
<strong>Wealden</strong> hall house.<br />
Pleasing details: The<br />
fantastic billiards room<br />
comes with its own bar.<br />
Outside: The extensive gardens<br />
and grounds of about 3.7 acres<br />
feature ancient oak and horse<br />
chestnut trees as well as sweeping<br />
lawns and attractive ponds. There<br />
is also a range of outbuildings<br />
as well as a pretty stone folly.<br />
Time to town: From Ashford<br />
station, 6.8 miles away, to London<br />
St Pancras in 37 minutes.<br />
Agent: Savills 01580 720161<br />
savills.com<br />
priceless-magazines.com 12
Tunbridge Wells<br />
£750,000<br />
The dream: A beautifully presented Victorian<br />
flat offering a wealth of space in the heart of this<br />
popular spa town. With a wonderful retention<br />
of original features throughout, the character<br />
and charm of this home is very much intact.<br />
Where: In the heart of Tunbridge<br />
Wells town centre, just a stone’s<br />
throw from the local amenities.<br />
Setting: Set back from a quiet<br />
residential road in a private plot.<br />
Beds: 4 Baths: 3<br />
Special features: The peaceful sitting<br />
room is bathed in natural light through<br />
the large windows, while French doors<br />
lead out into the private garden.<br />
Pleasing details: The charming reception hall is<br />
Victorian design at its best. Simple, but beautiful.<br />
Outside: The secluded garden is surrounded by<br />
mature shrubs and trees and has patio areas at<br />
the rear, as well as off road parking at the front.<br />
Time to town: From Tunbridge Wells<br />
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London Bridge in 45 minutes.<br />
Agent: Maddisons Residential<br />
01892 514100 maddisonsresidential.co.uk<br />
Sevenoaks<br />
£1,400,000<br />
The dream: A major portion of a Grade II<br />
listed manor house dating back to the 15th<br />
century and on the market for the first time<br />
in 25 years. Accompanied by formal gardens<br />
and grounds spanning nearly four acres.<br />
Where: Conveniently positioned between<br />
the villages of Chevening and Dunton<br />
Green, and just a short drive from<br />
the bustling town of Sevenoaks.<br />
Setting: Nestled down a long private driveway<br />
at the base of the scenic North Downs.<br />
Beds: 4 Baths: 2<br />
Special features: The large principal bedroom<br />
with vaulted ceiling also has a mezzanine<br />
study and en suite with a jacuzzi.<br />
Pleasing details: The extensive cellar could easily<br />
be converted into a handy games or cinema room.<br />
Outside: The extensive grounds include<br />
a 2-acre paddock, perfect for horses,<br />
or other livestock such as alpacas.<br />
Time to town: From Sevenoaks<br />
station, 10 minutes away, to London<br />
Bridge in just 24 minutes.<br />
Agent: Rafferty & Pickard<br />
01732 905499 raffertyandpickard.co.uk<br />
13<br />
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Sea. Sky. Shoreline.<br />
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A stone’s throw from 27 acres of coastal park and the<br />
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©<strong>2023</strong> FOLKESTONE HARBOUR & SEAFRONT DEVELOPMENT COMPANY
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Take note! We’ve rounded up the best<br />
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When you head out for your<br />
seasonal seaside walk this winter<br />
make sure you stop by Hastings<br />
Contemporary to see the most<br />
comprehensive presentation<br />
of Turner Prize-listed Hurvin<br />
Anderson’s Barbershop series – from<br />
the first drawings made in 2006<br />
to his latest works. There are also<br />
sketches, drawings and studies to<br />
view, giving an extra insight into<br />
Anderson’s work, examining social<br />
history, memory and place. The<br />
exhibition is presented in association<br />
with The Hepworth Wakefield and<br />
Kistefos Museum, Norway. It will be<br />
open until 3rd March next year.<br />
hastingscontemporary.org<br />
Holly and Ivy<br />
istockphoto.com/ ValeryEgorov<br />
High Notes<br />
Get into the <strong>Christmas</strong> spirit by joining Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey<br />
Sussex at one of their wonderful <strong>Christmas</strong> Carol Concerts – taking place<br />
this <strong>December</strong> – as they mark 10 years of flying at night. First up is<br />
Rochester Cathedral on 8th <strong>December</strong>, with Arundel Cathedral next on<br />
15th <strong>December</strong> and finally Guildford Cathedral on 18th <strong>December</strong>.<br />
Enjoy a festive evening of delicious mince pies, mulled wine and<br />
carol singing alongside a brilliant cathedral choir. The money raised<br />
by the concerts will make sure they can be there when someone<br />
needs them – day or night – throughout the <strong>Christmas</strong><br />
season and beyond. With your support, their hard-working<br />
crews can keep more families together this <strong>Christmas</strong>.<br />
To book tickets or for more information, you can visit<br />
aakss.org.uk/get-involved/events/our-events<br />
or email events@aakss.org.uk<br />
Make the mission to buy your<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong> tree extra fun and fruitful,<br />
by heading to Loddington Farm in<br />
Linton, on 9th <strong>December</strong>. They will<br />
be hosting a <strong>Christmas</strong> Fair along<br />
with the lovely team at Blooming<br />
Green. Not only will you have the<br />
chance to pick out a super duper<br />
tree, there will be a hog roast,<br />
carols, crimbo cocktails, festive<br />
foliage, tasteful gifts like chocolates<br />
and fragrance, food stalls, plus<br />
delicious hot chocolate and waffles.<br />
A great way to support several local<br />
businesses at once and get in the<br />
mood for the holidays.<br />
loddingtonfarm.co.uk<br />
bloominggreenflowers.co.uk<br />
17<br />
priceless-magazines.com
If you’re in need<br />
of something to look forward<br />
to and fancy getting creative, how<br />
about booking onto a writing retreat?<br />
Curious House in Ticehurst are hosting a<br />
light-hearted three-day course – Improvisation on<br />
Paper – led by award-winning writer Mandy Wheeler.<br />
Do you love to write but find it hard to get started or<br />
lack confidence, or maybe you just fancy having a go?<br />
If so, this is the course for you. No previous experience<br />
is needed, just an open mind. If you wish to stay at<br />
The Bell in Ticehurst you can call 01580 200300<br />
to book directly and state that you are attending<br />
the retreat. The cost of the course is £390<br />
and includes lunch and writing prompts<br />
(not accommodation). It will run<br />
from 22nd to 24th January.<br />
curioushouse.net<br />
Write Mind<br />
SEASONS ALL<br />
‘Plein air’ oil painter Karl Terry<br />
will be opening up his quirky<br />
studio, The Old Gaol Studio<br />
in Wittersham, on 8th-10th<br />
<strong>December</strong>. Karl can often be seen around<br />
his home town painting the changing landscape in<br />
all weathers. He’s a member of the Royal Society of Marine<br />
Artists, The Wapping Group of Artists and The Rye Society of<br />
Artists. Alongside Karl’s work will be creations by his ceramicist<br />
wife, Joanna, who has been inspired by her husband to incise<br />
clay with wild plants outside in the landscape. Their daughter<br />
India, who teaches yoga locally, will also be showcasing her<br />
own brand of yogic jewellery, based on the changing seasons.<br />
For more information please contact Joanna on 07534 216116.<br />
Oh Come, All<br />
Ye Faithful<br />
We’re so lucky to have so many wonderful<br />
carol services on offer in incredible<br />
locations this year and Glyndebourne’s<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong> Concerts look absolutely<br />
magical. From favourite carols to orchestral<br />
showpieces, they will shine a spotlight on<br />
the talents of the Glyndebourne Chorus<br />
and the Glyndebourne Sinfonia and<br />
provide a heart-warming festive finale to the<br />
year. Performances take place at 3pm on the<br />
9th, 10th, 16th and 17th <strong>December</strong> with<br />
tickets from £10 to £58. The concert on<br />
the 16th will be a Chilled Performance with<br />
a casual approach to noise and movement<br />
in the audience – ideal for anyone who<br />
will feel more at ease knowing they can<br />
move about, those with small children or<br />
those who like to discuss what’s happening<br />
on stage during the concert. Tickets are<br />
limited, if you miss out do check their<br />
upcoming events for more opportunities to<br />
enjoy world-class music in this very special<br />
setting. glyndebourne.com<br />
istockphoto.com/ Snezhana Ryzhkova<br />
Hark the Herald<br />
Canterbury Cathedral promises to be a wonderfully<br />
atmospheric setting for the Canterbury Choral Society’s<br />
Family Carols on Monday 18th <strong>December</strong> at 7pm. Just<br />
one of an exciting array of Canterbury Festival events<br />
throughout the calendar – and this one is for all the<br />
family to enjoy. Join in with all the old favourites and<br />
listen to some traditional and less familiar carols along<br />
the way. Find out more and book your tickets at<br />
canterburyfestival.co.uk<br />
priceless-magazines.com 18
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19<br />
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Leeds Castle is truly a delight in<br />
the colder seasons and this year<br />
they have new luxury Lakeside<br />
Lodges with breathtaking views<br />
of the picturesque Great Water<br />
and the historic estate. Booking<br />
starts from <strong>December</strong> 8th and costs<br />
£325/night for bed and breakfast (for<br />
two adults). A must stay for glorious<br />
relaxation and exploration!<br />
leeds-castle.com<br />
Less than a year old, Hawthorn<br />
in Kew is already listed in the<br />
Michelin Guide. It’s located right<br />
by Kew Gardens, so you can enjoy<br />
their spectacular Festive Menu after<br />
a trip round <strong>Christmas</strong> at Kew<br />
for a really special day out. Festive<br />
Menu dinners are £75 for 3 courses.<br />
hawthornrestaurant.co.uk<br />
must<br />
The<br />
From must-sees to must-buys and<br />
must-dos, don’t miss this month’s<br />
round up of what to buy, see, do,<br />
and generally get excited about!<br />
Grace de Monaco<br />
is the world’s first<br />
luxury-for-good<br />
Maison. Meaning that<br />
their flawless collection<br />
of home fragrances,<br />
perfumes and silk<br />
scarves, inspired by the incomparable<br />
Grace Kelly, can be purchased<br />
through Harrods and 100% of profits<br />
will be donated to the Princess Grace<br />
Foundation. This stunning orchidshaped<br />
Porcelain Fragrance Diffuser is<br />
£280 at harrods.com<br />
Tim Green<br />
The award-winning<br />
Olivanna Soothing Seed<br />
Oils Cleansing Balm is the<br />
perfect A/W skincare switch up.<br />
It gently melts away makeup and<br />
impurities whilst nourishing and<br />
strengthening the skin barrier, to<br />
protect from environmental damage.<br />
Its delicate blend of rosemary,<br />
bergamot, rose geranium and<br />
eucalyptus essential oils also helps to<br />
boost your mood while comforting<br />
your skin. £44 olivanna.com<br />
To customise your<br />
interior for the<br />
winter months,<br />
Pullman Editions<br />
have limited edition posters<br />
in their cool Art Deco style,<br />
featuring glamorous winter<br />
scenes. They make a great gift<br />
too, with designs to remind<br />
you of ski holiday destinations<br />
like Charmonix, Meribel<br />
and St. Moritz. There are<br />
over 100 striking original<br />
designs which are £420 each.<br />
pullmaneditions.com<br />
In support of our<br />
wonderful local<br />
businesses, Produced<br />
in Kent is encouraging<br />
us all to Strive to Buy<br />
Five locally produced presents<br />
or festive food and drink this<br />
year. From gifts, food and drink<br />
to local stays and experiences<br />
they have a handy <strong>Christmas</strong><br />
Directory online with all the<br />
helpful ideas and links you’ll<br />
need to support local!<br />
producedinkent.co.uk<br />
It’s proposal season! If you’re looking for<br />
that perfect ring, Cousins in Canterbury<br />
will take good care of you. They offer<br />
special consultations and take into account<br />
not only the design of the ring, but also<br />
comfort and durability, for something that<br />
will glitter and be admired for many<br />
years to come. This classic diamond<br />
cluster ring, for example, beautifully<br />
balances a traditional style with an<br />
individual distinctive design and is<br />
£3,950. tbcousins.co.uk<br />
Already a hit in the US,<br />
this Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0<br />
is an ingenious ‘smokeless’<br />
fire pit that will make your next<br />
festive gathering! Solo Stove’s<br />
Signature 360° Airflow actually<br />
burns off smoke before it gets<br />
onto your hair and clothes for<br />
a smoke-free experience, the<br />
removal ash pan makes for easy<br />
cleaning, and it comes in lots<br />
of lovely colours! It’s also very<br />
versatile – perfect for anything<br />
from outdoor cooking (just add<br />
a grill top), to a light-weight<br />
portable amusement to take to<br />
a party. This Bonfire 2.0 with a<br />
stand is £274.99 eu.solostove.com<br />
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priceless-magazines.com
Shopping<br />
<strong>2023</strong><br />
& Sparkles at<br />
<strong>Wealden</strong> <strong>Times</strong> Midwinter Fair<br />
We returned to The Hop Farm with a festive bang this year, thrilled to be back in<br />
our lovely warm marquees surrounded by so many smiling faces. Taking into<br />
account feedback from previous years, we increased the size of our food and drink<br />
spaces, and made sure there was plenty of extra seating and caterers to allow our visitors<br />
even more time to catch up with friends and family between exploring the stands.<br />
Our fantastic exhibitors spent hours curating and displaying their wares on set-up day, and<br />
choosing the best stand was certainly tricky. After much debate, No. 3 – the incredibly stylish<br />
fashion, homeware and lifestyle boutique in Lenham – were presented with the award, and<br />
it was very well deserved, too! If you missed them, find out more at no3lenham.co.uk.<br />
Thank you to everyone who came to shop, those who were exhibiting, our harmonious school choirs,<br />
and to our wonderful sponsors, Neptune Tonbridge. We loved seeing a sea of sage green hessian shoppers<br />
snaking away from their beautiful stand by the ticket office as they were presented to visitors on arrival.<br />
We’re sure to be seeing them reused on future shopping trips around the Weald for years to come.<br />
And don’t forget, if you found a stand that you absolutely love, but can’t<br />
remember what it’s called, you can have a look through our digital Show<br />
Guide at wealdentimes.co.uk/advertise/read-our-magazines-online.php.<br />
istockphoto.com/ layritten<br />
priceless-magazines.com
The neutral backdrop Hannah<br />
has created is a harmonious foil,<br />
setting off the characterful pieces<br />
of furniture and artwork that the<br />
couple are starting to collect<br />
priceless-magazines.com 24
All isCalm<br />
Words: Jo Arnell Photographs: David Merewether<br />
Architect-trained interior designer Hannah Benton’s relocation from London to Deal has<br />
opened up lots of new opportunities for her and her young family, including the chance to<br />
combine expertise with her interior designer mum, Belinda, to rebrand Evernden Interiors<br />
as Studio Benton. Here she shows us around her own recently renovated Georgian terraced<br />
town house, just a couple of streets back from the town’s pretty pebbled seafront <br />
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26<br />
<strong>Wealden</strong> <strong>Times</strong> <strong>Times</strong> Half Half page page MG MG Ad.indd Ad.indd 1 1 15/06/2022 09:33:14<br />
09:33:14
Above: In the cosy sitting room, Hannah opened up the original fireplace and sourced a reclaimed surround, installing a new wood burner<br />
Hannah Benton has been busy.<br />
Since deciding to leave her<br />
London life and relocate<br />
with her partner Jack to the pretty<br />
coastal town of Deal, she’s joined forces<br />
with her mother Belinda and formed<br />
interiors company Studio Benton, and<br />
renovated her new house. In the middle<br />
of this – and not long after Studio<br />
Benton was born – so was son Jasper.<br />
“I was in London working in an<br />
interior design company,” says Hannah,<br />
and, as for so many people around<br />
that time, Covid inspired a ‘what next’<br />
question. “There was always going<br />
to be a move to the country, but I<br />
guess this accelerated the process. Jack<br />
and I made the decision to relocate<br />
to Deal and that precipitated the<br />
business move. Geographically it made<br />
sense – it was hard to square with me<br />
being in London, so it was an obvious<br />
solution, and an ideal opportunity.”<br />
Studio Benton (which started off as<br />
Evernden Interiors in Cranbrook) have<br />
moved to Deal – to a beautiful period<br />
studio and showroom. The studio<br />
is just a short 20 minute walk away<br />
at the other end of the high street, a<br />
civilised step back for Hannah from the<br />
bustling pavements of West London.<br />
Hannah and Jack moved to their<br />
Georgian terraced town house between<br />
lockdowns starting work straight<br />
away. “The house hadn’t been lived<br />
in for a number of years. It was very<br />
dated, but luckily no structural work<br />
needed to be done. However, it needed<br />
completely new plumbing, heating<br />
and electrics. We had to totally strip<br />
it out and bring it up to date.”<br />
Layouts in old houses are not always<br />
ideal for modern living, but Hannah<br />
and Jack have managed to reorganise<br />
the ground floor and put a bathroom<br />
in upstairs. “Lots of Deal houses that<br />
are listed Georgian buildings have a<br />
single storey extension at the back,”<br />
she explains. “We also re-sized the<br />
opening between reception rooms,<br />
making it more spacious.”<br />
<br />
27<br />
priceless-magazines.com
This page: A reclaimed rectory table sits in the centre<br />
of the dining room. Hannah’s joiner curved the edges,<br />
sanded it back and used a seal of white Danish oil to<br />
give it a contemporary feel. Applying the advice she<br />
gives to clients to her own house, Hannah has bought<br />
and re-imagined vintage pieces throughout. “You have<br />
to have an environmental conscience in any business.<br />
It also means that you can achieve a unique look. It<br />
can be much more enjoyable and clients end up with<br />
something that’s really special or a vintage piece imbued<br />
with stories,” she says, adding: “It can be hard – and<br />
sometimes expensive to replicate that with new.”<br />
There are two large fireplaces in the ground floor<br />
rooms that needed some serious renovation. “In the<br />
sitting room there was a 1970s bulky gas number,”<br />
she says, “we opened up the original fireplace and<br />
sourced a reclaimed surround.” They decided against<br />
an open fire and, for practicality and ease, put in a<br />
wood burner. “The fireplace in the dining room has<br />
a bulkier surround – in an ideal world we would<br />
have changed that too, but instead we went for a<br />
period style insert. It’s all about creating a cohesive<br />
and cosy Georgian feeling within the backdrop.”<br />
Deciding on the look of the interior appears to<br />
have been fairly straightforward for architect-trained<br />
interior designer Hannah. Unsurprisingly she was<br />
craving a calm, streamlined effect. “We wanted<br />
the house to feel grounded,” she says. The neutral<br />
backdrop she has created is a harmonious foil, setting<br />
off the characterful pieces of furniture and artwork<br />
that the couple are starting to collect. “We’d been <br />
priceless-magazines.com 28
28 t h <strong>Christmas</strong> Exhibition<br />
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This page: Hannah and Jack have used either Little Greene’s Portland Stone, or its close neighbour Portland Stone Light,<br />
throughout the house. The colour works perfectly to enable Hannah to create a serene canvas for living in<br />
in rented prior to this,” she explains.<br />
“We wanted the house to evolve with<br />
us and for it to be fairly neutral.”<br />
Choosing natural materials ensures<br />
a timeless feel – that can be used in<br />
either a traditional or contemporary<br />
space. The juxtaposition has been<br />
beautifully achieved here – period<br />
furniture mixes well with more<br />
contemporary pieces, colourful<br />
artworks sing out from the walls. “Jack<br />
and I have enjoyed starting to buy from<br />
local artists. There are lots of them in<br />
Deal and around the area. We’re just<br />
at the beginning of that journey.” <br />
31<br />
priceless-magazines.com
This page: Despite its narrow proportions, the kitchen has ample storage. The built-in cupboard unit is painted in Hopper by Little Greene<br />
The paint colour they chose,<br />
a favourite of Hannah’s, is Little<br />
Greene’s Portland Stone, a warm,<br />
grey neutral that seems to change<br />
in different lights, taking on hints<br />
of green, grey or brown depending<br />
on the time of day and the weather.<br />
It’s an ideal shade to use in a coastal<br />
property – and this house is only two<br />
streets away from the sea. They have<br />
used either Portland Stone, or its<br />
close neighbour Portland Stone Light,<br />
throughout the house. The colour<br />
works perfectly to enable Hannah to<br />
create a serene canvas for living in.<br />
A key part of the renovation process<br />
was choosing the right flooring – it<br />
needed to be hard-wearing, warm and<br />
reflect the original building’s charm<br />
and elegance. They have installed wide,<br />
reclaimed floorboards throughout<br />
most of the ground floor, which are in<br />
keeping with the age of the house and,<br />
once sanded and sealed, bring a natural<br />
warmth. They needed a practical<br />
flooring solution for the kitchen, and<br />
Hannah was keen to keep a pared<br />
back natural feel in this room too.<br />
“We decided to go with cork in the<br />
kitchen – and went light on sealant,<br />
as I loved the texture. We should have<br />
done a thicker layer of varnish, but<br />
it makes it much darker,” she adds,<br />
“but it’s easy to clean – like wood<br />
you can sand it, so periodically you<br />
can do this and get it back as good<br />
as new.” This is the great thing about<br />
using good quality natural materials<br />
– they are forgiving and restorable.<br />
The large Georgian sash windows<br />
are single glazed and painted the<br />
same colour as the walls, but in<br />
eggshell. “The windows are of such<br />
good proportions,” says Hannah,<br />
“and the front of the house faces east,<br />
while the back is to the west, so the<br />
light bounces around the house in<br />
the morning and the afternoon. <br />
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34
This page: The galley kitchen and bathroom are in the extended part of the house and reach down the garden. “We use the<br />
breakfast bar quite a lot,” says Hannah, “it’s a nice alternative to the dining room and it’s a fun, characterful space.”<br />
It’s really light and bright.” Hannah<br />
has used simple window treatments<br />
to enhance this airy brightness.<br />
A reclaimed rectory table sits in the<br />
centre of the dining room. “It had<br />
years and years of built up stains on<br />
it,” Hannah explains, “it’s beautifully<br />
solid, but a bit trad and heavy. Our<br />
joiner curved the edges, sanded it<br />
back and used a seal of white Danish<br />
oil, which gives it a contemporary<br />
feel – and being in the middle of the<br />
house we’re operating around it. It’s<br />
amazing that it became so light. Old<br />
oak quality is so much better – there’s<br />
a beautiful grain, but uncovering it<br />
can be an unpredictable process.” This<br />
is something that Hannah is more<br />
than aware of when helping clients<br />
to source furniture and architectural<br />
objects. “It’s nice to have a oneoff<br />
piece,” she says, “buying and<br />
re-imagining vintage pieces – reusing<br />
them again – is important. You have<br />
to have an environmental conscience<br />
in any business. It also means that,<br />
especially when working with tighter<br />
budgets, you can achieve a unique<br />
look. It can be much more enjoyable<br />
and clients end up with something<br />
that’s really special or a vintage piece<br />
imbued with stories,” she says, adding:<br />
“It can be hard – and sometimes<br />
expensive to replicate that with new.”<br />
Upstairs in the main bedroom – a<br />
pared back, serene room – the walls are<br />
Portland Stone Light and are a great<br />
background for the full length curtains,<br />
which are the focal point of the room,<br />
like a golden waterfall. There is an<br />
understated feel in here – it is calm,<br />
bright and uncluttered. At the front of<br />
the house, this restful room faces east,<br />
so the morning light, even if the sun<br />
isn’t shining, is aptly framed with gold.<br />
Somehow Hannah and Jack have<br />
managed to squeeze a shower room<br />
in between the two bedrooms, so <br />
35<br />
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“You have to let loose somewhere,” laughs Hannah. “The downstairs loo is where<br />
you get your fix of brilliantly bright and slightly bonkers colour. You can take<br />
risks in smaller rooms. I wondered if I’d tire of it, but it was fun to do.”<br />
<br />
priceless-magazines.com 36
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This page: Directly above the main bedroom<br />
on the third floor is another bedroom. Panelling<br />
on one wall negates the need for a headboard<br />
and, again, Hannah has included furniture<br />
with history for a warm and interesting feel<br />
that there’s a bathroom on the first floor.<br />
“It’s bijou,” says Hannah, “but feels more<br />
spacious due to the painted tongue-andgroove<br />
panelling. There’s room for an<br />
enclosed tiled shower, basin and loo.”<br />
Jasper’s room is on the other side of<br />
the bathroom, facing the rear, but equally<br />
calm and bright. The colour splash in<br />
here emanates from a strawberry coloured<br />
nursing chair in the corner, a colour picked<br />
up in the simple blind made from one of<br />
Hannah’s favourite fabric designers, Josef<br />
Frank, sourced from Svenskt Tenn in<br />
Sweden. “I like to use pops of colour in the<br />
calm. There’s an essence of that throughout<br />
the house, which gives more freedom.”<br />
Directly above the main bedroom on<br />
the third floor is another bedroom. <br />
39<br />
priceless-magazines.com
This page: The main bedroom is a pared back, serene room<br />
which faces east, making the most of the morning light<br />
This is a big room, so they have been able to carve out one wall<br />
for full-width built in wardrobes. Back downstairs, right at the<br />
far end of the house, there is a burst of sunshine – on a sunny<br />
day you would glimpse this through the windows – but today<br />
the strong yellow light emanates from the downstairs bathroom,<br />
a splash of gold that contrasts beautifully with the cool warmth<br />
everywhere else. “You have to let loose somewhere,” she laughs.<br />
“The downstairs loo is where you get your fix of brilliantly<br />
bright and slightly bonkers colour. You can take risks in smaller<br />
rooms. I wondered if I’d tire of it, but it was fun to do.”<br />
The kitchen and bathroom are in the extended part and reach<br />
down the garden. “They cut the plot in half at the back of the<br />
house, so its a galley kitchen,” she explains. “It was interesting<br />
with three of us in here cooking <strong>Christmas</strong> dinner, but you<br />
adapt to the space that you have – having rented in London, I’ve<br />
operated in much more confined spaces. We use the breakfast<br />
bar quite a lot – it’s a nice alternative to the dining room and it’s<br />
a fun, characterful space.” The kitchen’s ceiling is tongue-andgroove<br />
and the whole room is painted in Portland Stone Light.<br />
Outside there is a small courtyard garden. “I got quite inspired<br />
by our coastal location,” she says, “and used gravel and pots. It<br />
was light and bright as the stones bounce light around. But then<br />
suddenly I viewed it through different eyes,” she laughs, “It <br />
priceless-magazines.com 40
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Previous page: Hannah and Jack have<br />
succeeded in squeezing a shower room<br />
into the space between the main bedroom<br />
and Jasper’s nursery This page: Studio<br />
Benton’s Interior & Architecture Design<br />
space is housed in an English Heritage<br />
building across the road from Deal Castle<br />
was too delicious-looking for Jasper.”<br />
The size of the garden and the<br />
separate kitchen have been the<br />
deciding factors in the family’s<br />
decision to move – to another<br />
property nearby. “Having a kitchen<br />
diner was a good motivator for the<br />
move,” she explains. “The new house<br />
is just down the road. We’re going<br />
to be living in rented for six months<br />
while we do the next house. It’s a<br />
terraced Victorian – beautifully light<br />
and bright – triple aspect as it’s end of<br />
terrace. I like Victorian proportions<br />
and big bay windows and they are very<br />
solid.” There will also be room for<br />
a studio for Jack (a music producer)<br />
and a slightly bigger garden.<br />
Has it been hard to move, now that<br />
this house is looking so beautiful?<br />
“In a way, yes,” says Hannah, “but<br />
the new owners are delighted, so it’s<br />
been a lovely end to the chapter –<br />
and a good start to the new one.”<br />
Ending the year as an exciting<br />
new project begins is a good place<br />
to leave Hannah and Jack – and I<br />
have a hopeful feeling that we’ll be<br />
able to take a peek at the results of<br />
their Victorian adventure within<br />
these pages before too long.<br />
Address Book:<br />
To find out more about Studio Benton<br />
visit studiobenton.co.uk and follow<br />
them on Instagram @studio.benton<br />
43<br />
priceless-magazines.com
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BentonKitchensWT251.indd 1 20/03/<strong>2023</strong> 10:38
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A house,<br />
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Following her appearance on Season 4 of Interior Design Masters,<br />
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Words: Antonia Deeson Photographs: David Merewether<br />
priceless-magazines.com 46
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DeaconSandyWT252.indd 2 03/04/<strong>2023</strong> 16:17
Previous pages & above: “My kitchen was inspired by the kitchen in the TV show, Dr Foster,” says Charlotte. The units are from Ikea and<br />
Charlotte and Sam added a quartz worktop to give it a feeling of luxury<br />
To have one creative string<br />
to your bow is all well and<br />
good. To have two is a major<br />
achievement. Mother of one, lawyer,<br />
dancer, singer and actor Charlotte<br />
Fisher can now add interior designer<br />
and TV personality to the everexpanding<br />
list of her talents.<br />
For anyone who, like me, is an<br />
avid fan of Interior Design Masters,<br />
Charlotte will be instantly recognisable.<br />
Making it to episode three in this year’s<br />
series, it was her controversial placement<br />
of a bed in the luxury hotel project<br />
that was sadly to be her downfall.<br />
“I never really thought I would make<br />
it to the final show when I applied,”<br />
says Charlotte who is talking to me<br />
with a small bundle of joy sitting<br />
quietly on her lap (since filming<br />
wrapped earlier this year, Charlotte<br />
became mum to baby boy Elton). “I<br />
am a practising lawyer and I had no<br />
experience in interior design, apart<br />
from doing interiors for myself. I was<br />
doing our house in Surrey when I<br />
applied, and we had also converted<br />
a small bungalow in Cornwall, but I<br />
had no professional background and<br />
so finding myself there with so much<br />
talent around me, well it was a bit<br />
of a ‘pinch me’ moment!” she says.<br />
“With so many big characters like the<br />
fellow designers Tom Power, Jack Kinsey<br />
and winner Monika Charchula making<br />
their mark, the experience, whilst<br />
stressful and a complete whirlwind, was<br />
very positive and taught me more about<br />
interior design in a few months than I<br />
could have ever learnt in the real world.<br />
We had to source everything ourselves<br />
during the week, which was really hard<br />
when I was also working full time.<br />
We had to load a van and drive it to<br />
the location and I was pregnant at the<br />
time, so it was a pretty insane schedule.<br />
I really loved working alongside Tom<br />
especially, and to be honest I thought<br />
he would be the eventual winner.”<br />
So just how does a lawyer get to have<br />
so many creative threads in her life? “I<br />
have always been very creative,” says<br />
Charlotte. “I studied arts at school but<br />
at university I studied law, It’s always<br />
been a bit of a seesaw between the<br />
two parts of me, the artistic and the<br />
intellectual. After university I trained<br />
in musical theatre and did some acting<br />
in London but then as the recession<br />
hit, I returned to law and did the<br />
singing and dancing in my spare time.<br />
The design story began when my<br />
husband Sam and I bought our first <br />
49<br />
priceless-magazines.com
Above: By the dining area is a sumptuous blue<br />
velvet sofa from Sofology. The blue dining chairs<br />
were bought from Amazon and the two end feature<br />
chairs are the classic Ghost chair from John Lewis<br />
Left: Charlotte wanted a contrast between the<br />
island and the rest of the units so added a real wood<br />
top and black doors to give it some definition<br />
house together and I kind of fell into it. We did<br />
a small extension to that property and I took on<br />
the interiors. Luckily my husband is very practical<br />
with DIY but entirely colour blind, so he left<br />
me to do all the decorating, which was great!”<br />
Having cut their teeth on their first house,<br />
Charlotte and Sam decided to move to a bigger<br />
project. Five years ago they bought a dormer<br />
bungalow in Ashtead and converted it into a three<br />
floor house, completely renovating it from top to<br />
toe, adding an extension and most recently a two<br />
bed attic conversation. “We’re hoping to sell the<br />
house now as I just want to get stuck into a new<br />
design project,” says Charlotte. “The main part of<br />
the house was done before I did Interior Design<br />
Masters – the upper floor and nursery were done<br />
after the show and I feel like I had so much more<br />
confidence and I think you can see it in my choice<br />
of fabrics and colours. It’s all my style still, but<br />
with the new bedrooms, well they are a bit more<br />
adventurous in the design and more colourful,<br />
whereas the rest of the house is more neutral with<br />
pops of colour. I think I learnt to trust my <br />
priceless-magazines.com 50
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SmartRangeWT249.indd 1 09/01/<strong>2023</strong> 14:16<br />
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52<br />
WoodworkWT238.indd 1 04/02/2022 12:15
Charlotte has used a velvet fabric on the blind to blend into the room, but<br />
opted for a bold tropical pattern from Just Fabrics for the curtain to hide an<br />
old door. “I love the Art Deco drinks trolley from Audenza, it’s perfect for the<br />
look, but I’m not sure how long it will last with a small person around!”<br />
instincts and those bedrooms are an<br />
homage to what I learnt in that process.”<br />
The entire house was gutted and the<br />
living space reconvened by Charlotte<br />
and Sam. To the back of the house<br />
is now a fantastic open plan family<br />
kitchen, dining and sitting area with<br />
large skylight and sliding doors which<br />
flood the space with natural light.<br />
“We spend most of our time in here,<br />
it’s a great room for family life,” says<br />
Charlotte, who also has two dogs as<br />
part of her growing family. The far wall<br />
of the kitchen features a bold exposed<br />
brick wall, created from slips. “I wanted<br />
a brick wall but when I realised the<br />
builders were using block and not brick<br />
for the extension, I had to work out a<br />
way to create the look I was after, so I<br />
ended up using brick slips. They were<br />
difficult to put on and as you can see,<br />
the grouting is cement, so it’s a bit<br />
trickier than normal tile grout as you<br />
can’t just wipe it off and make it <br />
53<br />
priceless-magazines.com
pretty. But I wanted an industrial feel –<br />
something modern as we use this room a<br />
lot – so I think the effort was worth it.”<br />
“My kitchen was inspired by the<br />
kitchen in the TV show, Dr Foster,”<br />
says Charlotte. “The units are Ikea,<br />
I love Ikea for kitchens as they are so<br />
cost effective and always look great.<br />
We added a quartz worktop to give it<br />
a feeling of luxury. I wanted a contrast<br />
between the island and the rest of the<br />
units so we added a real wood top and<br />
black doors to give it some definition.<br />
The walls are done in a very pale grey<br />
and I use accessories on the shelves<br />
to add colour, in fact I made the<br />
shelves myself out of planks, which I<br />
then varnished. The three amber glass<br />
pendant lights are from Matalan, which<br />
is a bit of a go-to for me for lighting.”<br />
By the dining area is a sumptuous<br />
priceless-magazines.com 54
Call 01580 714705 to find your nearest distributor of<br />
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This page: Charlotte has opted for Farrow & Ball’s Inchyra Blue in<br />
the sitting room along with a feature wall, in Lotus, an Art Decostyle<br />
print also by Farrow & Ball, which matches the paint colour<br />
Page left: Charlotte created a gallery wall of art to hide the TV in a<br />
frame, so it disappears entirely. The Ikea cupboard below has been<br />
hacked by painting and adding metal inlays and new handles<br />
blue velvet sofa from Sofology, Charlotte took the colours<br />
from the rug from Nuloom to act as a source for the rest of<br />
the room. “The blue chairs I bought from Amazon and the<br />
two end feature chairs are the classic Ghost chair from John<br />
Lewis. It’s bright but not overbearing and you can always<br />
change the accessories around if you get bored, but I left the<br />
background quite neutral.” Space saving sliding doors open<br />
from the dining area on to the garden and patio outside<br />
and Charlotte has opted for Crittal style glazing panels to<br />
underline the industrial look of the room that she had chosen.<br />
On the wall sits a vertical radiator from Soak which she has<br />
used all around the house. Above the wooden top dining<br />
table, a large light from Wayfair mirrors the industrial linearity<br />
of the doors. Ever practical, Charlotte has transformed the<br />
box covering the room’s pocket door with blackboard paint,<br />
an essential tool for any family on the move. A pair of doors<br />
covered in a complex geometric design, made by hand by<br />
Charlotte (with help from accountant Sam) leads from the<br />
family space into a study/playroom – a useful<br />
<br />
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WhiteheadMoncktonWT254.indd 1 26/05/<strong>2023</strong> 10:56:06
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This page: The monochrome downstairs wet room features a beautiful basin from Victorian Plumbing<br />
place for the growing mountain of toys!<br />
In the sitting room next door,<br />
Charlotte shows off her love for Art<br />
Deco. “I love Farrow & Ball’s Inchyra<br />
Blue and thought this was the perfect<br />
room for it. People always say you<br />
should paint a dark room in a pale or<br />
a white but I decided to embrace the<br />
dark and I think the colour actually<br />
makes it much more chic.” The parquet<br />
flooring, which was put in by Sam, adds<br />
a light reflective surface under foot and<br />
the wallpaper feature wall, in Lotus,<br />
an Art Deco-style print also by Farrow<br />
& Ball, matches the paint colour.<br />
Charlotte created a gallery wall<br />
of art and then cleverly hid the TV<br />
in a frame so it disappears entirely.<br />
Beneath the wall she has added an<br />
Ikea cupboard which she hacked by<br />
painting and adding metal inlays and<br />
new handles. The coffee table is from<br />
Barker & Stonehouse, a brand which<br />
reminds Charlotte of home, as they<br />
are based in Middlesborough close to<br />
where she was born. The rug is from<br />
Habitat which was the colour source<br />
for the room, blending the pink and<br />
blue. Charlotte has added her magic<br />
touch to what she says was a quite basic<br />
sofa – with an array of bright cushions,<br />
giving pops of colour and texture.<br />
On the blind she’s used a velvet fabric<br />
to blend into the room, but opted<br />
for a bold tropical pattern from Just<br />
Fabrics for the curtain (a skill she learnt<br />
in Interior Design Masters) to hide<br />
an old door. “I tried to get rid of the<br />
old cabinet but even the charity shop<br />
said no thanks, so I decided to paint<br />
it bright yellow and now it’s become<br />
one of the main features of the room<br />
and it works so well with the curtain<br />
fabric. I also love the Art Deco drinks<br />
trolley from Audenza, it’s perfect for<br />
the look, but I’m not sure how long it<br />
will last with a small person around!<br />
I found the fire surround on eBay<br />
for a tenner and I added that as it is.<br />
I love finding cost-effective things<br />
like that online, it’s such a buzz.”<br />
A shower room on the ground floor,<br />
a throwback to the former bungalow<br />
layout of the house, is a contemporary<br />
essay in monochrome, with two<br />
herringbone tiled dark grey walls<br />
juxtaposed with the Carrera marble<br />
effect ceramic floor and wall tiles.<br />
Black shower fittings and accessories<br />
are mirrored with the radiator from<br />
Soak and a lovely textured black and<br />
white Moroccan style countertop<br />
basin from Victorian Plumbing.<br />
On the former dormer floor are now<br />
three bedrooms and two bathrooms.<br />
The guest room features a bold <br />
57<br />
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The green room wallpaper is by Jack Kinsey for Rebel Walls. “It’s quite French to use<br />
wallpaper on a vaulted ceiling so this works really well, I very much wanted to use one of Jack’s<br />
papers. I kept a channel of green paint, which I colour matched to the wallpaper, by Valspar.”<br />
geometric removable teal wallpaper<br />
and shows off the bold triptych print<br />
of the whale, which Charlotte found<br />
on Etsy. “It’s all about the teal in this<br />
room, and I added little pops of gold in<br />
the Bunny Lights from Iconic Lighting.<br />
The side tables I upcycled from Argos.”<br />
Charlotte has repeated the geometric<br />
pattern on the wall on the monochrome<br />
rug from Ikea. “The guest room was<br />
done before I did the show and the<br />
nursery next door was done afterwards.<br />
I think you can see my confidence as a<br />
designer at work.” The stunning nursery<br />
wallpaper mural is from Munks & Me,<br />
a small brand. “I wanted the jungle<br />
theme,” says Charlotte, “as blue is too<br />
cliched and I felt the wallpaper really<br />
has the wow factor. The mustard yellow<br />
and sage green became the core colours<br />
and I took my inspiration from that.<br />
My mum gave me the crib, but even<br />
though it’s second hand and nothing<br />
special, I really think the quality of<br />
the wallpaper just elevates everything<br />
around it. The yellow rug is from IKEA.<br />
I took the tiger and giraffe motifs from<br />
the paper and they now also appear in<br />
the toys which is quite fun. My baby<br />
just loves looking at it for hours.”<br />
For the main bedroom Charlotte<br />
opted for a very dark shade – Dulux<br />
Azura Blue – which she believes<br />
induces a good sleep. “I actually wish<br />
I had painted the ceiling in the blue<br />
as well, I think it would look even<br />
stronger,” she says. As in the other<br />
guest bedroom Charlotte has had<br />
fun playing with wall treatments and<br />
opted for a mural feature wall behind<br />
the bed which is by Woodchip and<br />
Magnolia. “I love murals on walls, it’s<br />
<br />
priceless-magazines.com 58
Your Dream, Our Vision<br />
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Is a Lifetime Mortgage REALLY for Life?<br />
Urban&GreyWT243.indd 1 22/07/2022 14:07<br />
As the name suggests, a Lifetime<br />
Mortgage CAN be for life.<br />
In some cases, however, a<br />
Lifetime Mortgage is needed to “bridge<br />
a gap” and, with careful planning,<br />
many can be repaid without undue<br />
penalties. It is all about timing!<br />
Sarah Ferrell explains that typically, today’s<br />
plans carry Early Repayment Charges that<br />
taper off over a period of 10-15 years.<br />
A Lifetime Mortgage may be a solution<br />
to repay an Interest Only mortgage that<br />
is nearing the end of its term. With a<br />
Lifetime Mortgage it is possible to service<br />
the interest, and in many cases also<br />
repay capital, meaning it is still possible to<br />
become “mortgage free” in the future.<br />
While a Lifetime Mortgage is not designed<br />
to be a short-term loan - with careful<br />
planning - the loan can be managed<br />
and repaid within someone’s lifetime<br />
without unnecessary penalty costs.<br />
Interest Only mortgages and current rates<br />
Typically interest rates for Lifetime<br />
Mortgages are slightly higher than those<br />
for traditional mortgages. More recently, I<br />
have found a number of instances where<br />
moving from a “traditional” Interest<br />
Only mortgage to a Lifetime Mortgage<br />
has not resulted in an increase in rate.<br />
If a mortgage on a lender’s Standard<br />
Variable Rate is replaced with a<br />
Lifetime Mortgage, the monthly<br />
payment can be much the same.<br />
With many Lifetime Mortgage plans<br />
it is possible to make a monthly<br />
payment of interest. The significant<br />
difference being that the payment<br />
made to the Lifetime Mortgage is<br />
VOLUNTARY – therefore giving flexibility<br />
for the future should financial or<br />
health-related changes occur.<br />
“If somebody is considering raising<br />
money at retirement then I would strongly<br />
recommend a conversation as there<br />
are likely to be options available that<br />
people just don’t know exist,” says Sarah.<br />
Sarah is happy to visit your home<br />
and, unlike many banks, she is<br />
not just available 9-5 but will offer<br />
flexible times to suit her clients.<br />
Equity Release can reduce the value of your estate and can affect your eligibility for means tested benefits.<br />
Ferrell Financial Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registration number: 678768<br />
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE<br />
Call Sarah on<br />
01622 631372 or 07789 007447<br />
or e-mail her at<br />
sarah@ferrellfinancial.co.uk<br />
You may find answers to<br />
some of your questions at<br />
www.ferrellfinancial.co.uk<br />
59<br />
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Above: The guest room features a bold geometric removable teal wallpaper and a triptych print of a whale which Charlotte found on Etsy Right: The<br />
family bathroom, in Farrow & Ball Bancha, follows a tropical theme with wood effect tiles that run from the floor and up the wall behind the bath<br />
a great way to get a big piece of art into a room, and it also<br />
directed the other pops of colour that I have incorporated.”<br />
The sputnik light on the ceiling mirrors the gold wall lights<br />
which Charlotte sourced from B&Q and the two Argos<br />
bedside tables were again given the upcycling treatment by<br />
Charlotte who painted them and added the gold knobs.<br />
A folding door, which Charlotte prefers for en suites,<br />
leads into her bathroom. White and minty green tiles<br />
keep the look fresh and glamorous along with marble and<br />
gold features. A bedroom armchair in a fabric from Just<br />
Fabrics was re-upholstered by Charlotte, a skill which she<br />
learnt before she did the TV show. “I’m so pleased with<br />
the chair, it goes with the blue wall colour so well.”<br />
For window treatments Charlotte featured velvet curtains<br />
from Wayfair for the French doors, which open to the Juliette<br />
balcony and a grey blind that mirrors a grey feature wall.<br />
The family bathroom is a tropical theme, with wood<br />
effect tiles that run from the floor and up the wall behind<br />
priceless-magazines.com 60
the bath, which Charlotte did herself. The walls are painted<br />
in Farrow & Ball Bancha green and a statement blind in a<br />
tropical print is from Blinds 2go. “The vintage bamboo mirror<br />
was my mum’s,” smiles Charlotte, “there’s also a matching<br />
stand. They’re both originals from the 1970s so I decided<br />
they would look great in here and complete the look.”<br />
The latest addition to the house are the two top floor<br />
bedrooms, completed post Interior Design Masters. Both have<br />
attic roof lines with open rafters and so Charlotte has kept<br />
the silhouettes bold. The green room wallpaper is by Jack<br />
Kinsey for Rebel Walls. “It’s quite French to use wallpaper<br />
on a vaulted ceiling so this works really well and I very much<br />
wanted to use one of Jack’s papers. I kept a channel of green<br />
paint, which I colour matched to the wallpaper, by Valspar.<br />
The bamboo headboard is a John Lewis second hand find,<br />
which I am really pleased with, it looks fantastic and I then<br />
kept a similar feeling for the rattan in the lampshade. The<br />
vintage 50s pink ottoman was my Nana’s, I have been keeping<br />
hold of it for years and usually it just doesn’t work, but I<br />
knew I would find a place for it one day and for this room it<br />
just looks perfect. The lights are from Online Lighting and<br />
I made the cushions from a tropical fabric with flamingos<br />
from Just Fabrics which work great with the plain cushions<br />
and throw from Dusk. The bedside tables with mother <br />
61<br />
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Above: In the main bedroom Charlotte<br />
opted for a very dark shade – Dulux<br />
Azura Blue. The feature wall behind the<br />
bed is by Woodchip and Magnolia<br />
Left: A folding door leads into<br />
the main bedroom en suite<br />
of pearl inlay are from TK Maxx and<br />
I loved them as they look a bit like<br />
tree stumps which just works so well<br />
in here up in the rafters. I really feel<br />
this room shows off my confidence as<br />
a designer and I am very proud of it.”<br />
For the second attic room, Charlotte<br />
wanted to recreate the new plaster<br />
finish. “I wanted to do a plaster effect as<br />
I so loved the colour of the fresh plaster,<br />
but I tried to do a treatment on it to set<br />
it, but it went really streaky so I found<br />
this Farrow & Ball Setting Plaster colour<br />
and it’s just right. I made the headboard<br />
with a fabric, again from Just Fabrics,<br />
which I added to some padding and<br />
three pieces of MDF, it’s a new skill<br />
that I learnt from the show and I am<br />
thrilled with it. The bed throw is from<br />
Christie at Dunelm and the cushions<br />
are from IKEA and Habitat. The feature<br />
lampshade is by Zara Home and really<br />
makes the statement in this room.<br />
Charlotte Fisher has proved that<br />
with experience comes confidence. She<br />
has taken her hobby and love for <br />
priceless-magazines.com 62
Images: Tunbridge Wells showroom<br />
Visit our newly refurbished Tunbridge Wells showroom, 4 floors of beautiful kitchens and furniture<br />
81 Calverley Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2UY - Tel: 01892 520730<br />
Sevenoaks - Tel: 01732 762682<br />
Tunbridge Wells - Tel: 01892 520730<br />
Email: info@rencraft.co.uk<br />
www.rencraft.co.uk
Above: Charlotte has created a cosy and inviting space in the nursery with a palette of mustards, sage greens<br />
and creams. The wallpaper mural is from Munks & Me, a small brand Left: The main bedroom en suite<br />
interiors and decorating and through her hard work<br />
and tenacity, turned it into a skill of which she can<br />
be very proud, marrying high street finds with online<br />
treasures. I am very sure that we will be hearing more<br />
from this one-woman dynamo, tap shoes in one<br />
hand and paint brush in the other. Bravo Charlotte!<br />
Address Book:<br />
To follow Charlotte’s interior design projects, see<br />
Instagram @thehousethatcharlottebuilt and charlotte-fisher.com<br />
Munks & Me munksandme.com<br />
Rebel Walls rebelwalls.com/uk<br />
65<br />
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Get the<br />
LOOK<br />
1 The Box black metal pendant with organic vintage bulb £180 Cotterell & Co cotterellandco.com 2 Dark green<br />
sketched flower and bird wallpaper mural £32/m 2 Bobbi Beck bobbibeck.com 3 Pink bar opal ball wall lamp<br />
£249 Lime Lace limelace.co.uk 4 St Lucia rattan four bed £2,650 Sweetpea & Willow sweetpeaandwillow.com<br />
5 Elton The Gorilla table lamp £120 Ella James ellajames.co.uk 6 Humbug stool £135 Sweetpea & Willow<br />
sweetpeaandwillow.com 7 Nomad Masai cushion cover £41.99 Walton & Co waltonshop.co.uk 8 Zara blush pink<br />
velvet ottoman storage cube £151 Danetti danetti.com 9 Helena clear chair £140 Sazy sazy.com<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
66
istockphoto.com/ MaryliaDesign<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong><br />
The Priceless <strong>Supplement</strong>
CHRISTMAS<br />
GATHER & GIFT<br />
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CALL & DELIVER | PAY BY LINK | FREE UK DELIVERY WHEN YOU SPEND £50 OR MORE | CONTACT THE STORE FOR MORE DETAILS<br />
LE CREUSET BLUEWATER SHOPPING CENTRE<br />
UNIT U012 UPPER ROSE GALLERY, BLUEWATER SHOPPING CENTRE,<br />
GREENHITHE, KENT. DA9 9ST. • TELEPHONE: 01322 381997<br />
• E-MAIL: BLUEWATER.STORE.UK@LECREUSET.COM<br />
LE CREUSET GUILDFORD<br />
143 HIGH STREET, GUILDFORD, GU1 3AD. • TELEPHONE: 01483 452689<br />
• E-MAIL: GUILDFORD.STORE.UK@LECREUSET.COM<br />
LE CREUSET WINDSOR<br />
UNIT 45 , WINDSOR ROYAL STATION, SL4 1PJ. • TELEPHONE: 01753 852205<br />
• E-MAIL: WINDSOR.STORE.UK@LECREUSET.COM<br />
LE CREUSET WIMBLEDON<br />
4 CHURCH RD, WIMBLEDON VILLAGE, LONDON. SW19 5DL.<br />
• TELEPHONE: 0208 9440624<br />
• E-MAIL: WIMBLEDON.STORE.UK@LECREUSET.COM
The Priceless <strong>Christmas</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
Stocking<br />
Fillers<br />
Fill your stockings with these small but brilliant gifts to get <strong>Christmas</strong> started right<br />
Milk chocolate coins £4.49<br />
Selfridges selfridges.com<br />
Kazoo karaoke tin game<br />
£8.50 Talking Tables<br />
talkingtables.co.uk<br />
Rosso Vivo limited edition<br />
lipstick £40 Code8 codeeight.com<br />
Name necklace £79<br />
Abbott Lyon abbottlyon.com<br />
Liberty 4 NC Wireless Noise<br />
Cancelling Earbuds £79.99<br />
Soundcore uk.soundcore.com<br />
Five Golden<br />
Flings nail<br />
lacquer £14.90<br />
OPI opi.com<br />
Apple & Cinnamon<br />
Coconut Rapeseed Candle<br />
£12 Authentic House<br />
authentichouse.co.uk<br />
CBD lip balm with<br />
essential oils £10<br />
Healing Alternatives<br />
healingalternatives.co.uk<br />
Guardian Angel Gilt Drop<br />
Earrings £85 Dominic<br />
Walmsley dominicwalmsley.com<br />
Stainless steel hip flask £9.50<br />
John Lewis johnlewis.com<br />
Sylvanian Families Baby fairytale<br />
series collectable figure £3.49<br />
Smyths smythstoys.com<br />
Rocket bath bomb £3.99<br />
Mini U miniu.co.uk<br />
69<br />
priceless-magazines.com
Dominic Walmsley<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong> Shopping<br />
FESTIVE HOMEWARE | CANDLES | GIFTS & LIGHTING<br />
Beautiful bespoke<br />
jewellery<br />
3 The Square • Riverhead<br />
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TRADING BOUNDARIES<br />
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Luxury Furniture • Live Music & Events • Fully-Licensed Café-Bar<br />
Gifts & Accessories • The Official Roger Dean Gallery<br />
Tel: +44 (0)1825 790 200 | E: showroom@tradingboundaries.com<br />
Trading Boundaries, Sheffield Green, East Sussex, TN22 3RB<br />
WWW.TRADINGBOUNDARIES.COM<br />
Wealdon <strong>Times</strong> Natural Ring April 23.indd 1 13/10/<strong>2023</strong> 16:15:41<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
70
The Priceless <strong>Christmas</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
Last Minute<br />
Gifts<br />
These crowd-pleasing gifts are quick, easy and great when you’re short on time!<br />
Knitted tassel throw £35<br />
M&S marksandspencer.com<br />
Sharp’s Toffee<br />
Liqueur £30 (70cl)<br />
Maidstone Distillery<br />
themaidstonedistillery.com<br />
The Spirit of London<br />
jigsaw £15.99 Batsford<br />
batsfordbooks.com<br />
Super Mario Blow Up! Shaky<br />
Tower £20 Hamleys hamleys.com<br />
Le Creuset volcanic<br />
stoneware mug £15<br />
Selfridges selfridges.com<br />
Brushed stripe scarf £25 National<br />
Trust shop.nationaltrust.org.uk<br />
Polar Dewberry & Cardamom<br />
scented candle £98 Emma J Shipley<br />
emmajshipley.com<br />
DualSense wireless controller<br />
£64.99 John Lewis johnlewis.com<br />
Santa Jolly<br />
Ginger £7.95<br />
Biscuiteers<br />
biscuiteers.com<br />
So Chill USB Mini Fridge £39.99<br />
Smyths smythstoys.com<br />
The Traitors <strong>2023</strong> special<br />
edition card game £11.99<br />
Ginger Fox gingerfox.co.uk<br />
Singing Encanto Mirabel doll<br />
£14.99 Amazon amazon.co.uk<br />
71<br />
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OMEGA<br />
STUDIO<br />
Contemporary & Mid-century<br />
Jewellery• Art•Ceramics•Glass•Furniture<br />
We didn’t invent fire.<br />
We defeated smoke.<br />
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14 Grand Parade, St.Leonards-on-Sea, TN37 6DN<br />
T: 01424 552237 E: tessarokz@icloud.com<br />
solostove.com<br />
Alsop & Walker<br />
World-award winning artists in cheesemaking<br />
You can find our fine handcrafted artisan cheeses at Borough Market, London and also in many local<br />
farmshops and delis. Alternatively look on our online store to browse and purchase from our selection.<br />
www.alsopandwalker.co.uk<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
72
The Priceless <strong>Christmas</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
Cards &<br />
Wrappings<br />
Put the finishing touches to your gifts with fabulous cards and wrapping<br />
Wreath wrapping paper<br />
£3 Afternoon Crumbs<br />
afternooncrumbs.com<br />
Letter W wrapping paper and<br />
gift tag £1.65 Storigraphic<br />
storigraphic.com<br />
Iconic Edinburgh charity cards £3.99<br />
(pack of 10) Shelter shop.shelter.org.uk<br />
Mistletoe <strong>Christmas</strong> card £3<br />
Megan Threadgold Illustration<br />
meganthreadgold.com<br />
Fair trade green florals wrapping<br />
paper and gift tag £2.49 Sourced by<br />
Oxfam onlineshop.oxfam.org.uk<br />
Stags ribbon, £6.50<br />
Sophie Allport<br />
sophieallport.com<br />
Fully recyclable nutcracker cards designed<br />
in Kent £12 (pack of 6) Catherine Jane<br />
Designs catherinejanedesigns.co.uk<br />
Hand block printed Cherry<br />
Cake red wrapping paper £3<br />
Molly Mahon mollymahon.com<br />
Watercolour card £15 Imogen<br />
Partridge imogenpartridge.com<br />
Nutcracker wrapping<br />
paper £2.50/sheet<br />
Making Meadows<br />
makingmeadows.co.uk<br />
Model carrying gifts<br />
card, £6 (pack of 8)<br />
V&A vam.ac.uk<br />
Kettle’s Yard cards £14.50<br />
Cambridge Imprint<br />
cambridgeimprint.co.uk<br />
Partridge gift tags £3.95<br />
Nancy & Betty Studio<br />
nancyandbetty.com<br />
Avocado stripe<br />
wrapping paper £2.75<br />
Once Upon a Tuesday<br />
onceuponatuesday.co.uk<br />
Wired ribbon £12.50 and<br />
filigree tissue paper £7.50<br />
Cox & Cox coxandcox.co.uk<br />
Festive food wrapping<br />
paper £3.99 (pack of 4)<br />
Shelter shop.shelter.org.uk<br />
Slate grey vintage ribbon £4.96 (5m)<br />
Cambridge Imprint cambridgeimprint.co.uk<br />
BHF charity cards £4.99 (pack of 10) Cards<br />
for Good Causes cardsforcharity.co.uk<br />
73<br />
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HAPPY CHRISTMAS<br />
FROM ODYL<br />
SHOP ONLINE AND INSTORE<br />
49 High St, Cranbrook, TN17 3EE<br />
www.odyl.co.uk | 01580 714907<br />
BLUE VELVET SHOES<br />
Visit Blue Velvet Shoes at 174 Kings Road, SW3 4UP or buy online www.bluevelvetshoes.com<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
74
The Priceless <strong>Christmas</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
Jumpers<br />
For Joy<br />
Keep the whole family warm and cosy in festive knits that aren’t just for <strong>Christmas</strong><br />
Lucy Mecklenburgh boys<br />
jumper from £15 Very very.co.uk<br />
Serenity star jumper £75<br />
Monsoon monsoon.co.uk<br />
Block stripe<br />
jumper £32 M&S<br />
marksandspencer.com<br />
Lambswool crew neck<br />
£69 Community Clothing<br />
communityclothing.co.uk<br />
Fabienne Chapot<br />
Gabi pullover £149<br />
Odyl odyldesign.com<br />
Sugarhill Brighton Cece jumper<br />
£59 Experience the Difference<br />
experiencethedifference.co.uk<br />
Girls Harper knit jumper<br />
£44.95 Barbour barbour.com<br />
Rodney knitted<br />
dog jumper £38<br />
Palava palava.co<br />
Övik Path knit W<br />
£200 Fjällräven<br />
fjallraven.com<br />
75<br />
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Fabulous <strong>Christmas</strong> Shopping<br />
HAMPERS<br />
NOW<br />
AVAILABLE<br />
TO ORDER<br />
ONLINE<br />
AND<br />
IN-STORE<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong><br />
AWARD WINNING TRADITIONALLY SMOKED FOOD<br />
FARM SHOP | DELICATESSEN | GIFTS | TAKE AWAY<br />
Opening times: 8.30am – 5.30pm Mon to Sat.<br />
Sundays in <strong>December</strong> 10am – 4pm<br />
The Weald Smokery, Mount Farm, Flimwell, East Sussex, TN5 7QL<br />
Call 01580 879601 or visit wealdsmokery.co.uk<br />
Join us at:<br />
Visit our shop or order online<br />
GIFT BOXES & HAMPERS<br />
DELIVERED TO YOUR<br />
DOOR MAKE POPULAR<br />
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS<br />
COFFEES, TEAS, HOME<br />
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CAKES - ALL AVAILABLE<br />
DAILY. TAKE AWAY OR<br />
EAT IN OUR MARQUEE –<br />
WRAP UP WARM!<br />
Search Weald Smokery<br />
SHOP LOCAL. SUPPORT LOCAL. LEAVE WITH A SMILE.<br />
Turkeys, <strong>Christmas</strong> Hams & More.<br />
Seasonal Fruit & Vegetables.<br />
Cheese & Charcuterie.<br />
Fresh & Smoked Fish. Hampers & Foodie Gifts.<br />
Trees, Wreaths & Flowers. Party Nibbles.<br />
English Wines, Craft Beers & Spirits.<br />
Puddings, Cakes, Mince Pies & Panettone.<br />
Free From Alternatives.<br />
Hard to find ingredients & all the essentials.<br />
CHRISTMAS ORDERS NOW BEING<br />
TAKEN IN-STORE AND ONLINE<br />
OPENING TIMES: MON/TUE/WED 8-5.30<br />
THU/FRI/SAT 8-6 SUN 10-4<br />
A21, HURST GREEN, EAST SUSSEX, TN19 7QP<br />
www.eggstoapples.co.uk | hello@eggstoapples.co.uk | 01580 860566<br />
E8049_WS_<strong>Christmas</strong> Flyer_P4.indd 1 27/10/2020 12:52<br />
Looking for<br />
an inspiring, fun<br />
wine tasting in Kent?<br />
You’ve come to<br />
the right place.<br />
Kent Local Wine School has been<br />
running wine tastings and wine<br />
courses in Tunbridge Wells since<br />
2012. We’ll help you experience new<br />
wines and wine styles and build your<br />
confidence with wine through tasting.<br />
You’ll meet like minded people at<br />
our wine events as you discover and<br />
explore the world of wine - grapes,<br />
regions, producers, food pairing<br />
and wine tips. There’s something for<br />
everyone from beginners to experts.<br />
Gift Vouchers<br />
are valid for 2 years<br />
Book your next<br />
wine experience and<br />
buy gift vouchers at<br />
www.kentwineschool.com<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
76
The Priceless <strong>Christmas</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
Eat, Drink &<br />
Be Merry<br />
Stock up on food, drinks and all the trimmings for a bountiful festive season<br />
Merry <strong>Christmas</strong> chocolate<br />
bar £10.99 Melt Chocolates<br />
meltchocolates.com<br />
Dolce & Gabbana pistachio panettone £66.30<br />
The Panettone Store thepanettonestore.co.uk<br />
Cold pressed rapeseed oil set £18 Kentish<br />
Oils & Condiments kentishcondiments.com<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong> Biskies<br />
£29.99 (box of 6)<br />
Cutter & Squidge<br />
cutterandsquidge.com<br />
Whole KellyBronze free range turkey<br />
£102.02 Kent Turkeys kentturkeys.co.uk<br />
Double chocolate orange<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong> pudding £10<br />
National Trust<br />
shop.nationaltrust.org.uk<br />
Premium flavoured<br />
gin shot £29.95<br />
(70cl) Wattshot<br />
wattshot.com<br />
Brandy butter £5.99<br />
(210g) Selfridges<br />
selfridges.com<br />
Blanc de Blancs<br />
2018 sparkling wine<br />
£65 Gusbourne<br />
gusbourne.com<br />
Premium unfiltered<br />
extra virgin olive oil<br />
£39.50 The Governor<br />
thegovernorevoo.co.uk<br />
Unbelievably<br />
vegan large festive<br />
wreath £24.95<br />
Hotel Chocolat<br />
hotelchocolat.com<br />
Silent Pool Gin<br />
Magnum £99 Silent Pool<br />
silentpooldistillers.com<br />
Tough Nut moonshine<br />
£26.90 (700ml)<br />
O’Donnell Moonshine<br />
odonnellmoonshine.co.uk<br />
Festive Turkish delight<br />
selection £12.50<br />
Cartwright & Butler<br />
cartwrightandbutler.co.uk<br />
All butter toffee apple curd<br />
£4.50 English Heritage<br />
english-heritageshop.org.uk<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong> Spice Chutney<br />
Gift Jar £7.05 Tracklements<br />
tracklements.co.uk<br />
© The Electric Eye Photography<br />
Side of cold smoked trout<br />
£30 (min 600g) ChalkStream<br />
chalkstreamfoods.co.uk<br />
Handmade<br />
mince pies<br />
£15 Biscuiteers<br />
biscuiteers.com<br />
77<br />
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2 Courses £38 | 3 Courses £45<br />
STARTERS £8<br />
Spicy Parsnip Soup with Parsnip Crisps (gf)<br />
Duck & Orange Parfait served with Melba Toast<br />
Home Made Gin Cured Salmon Gravlax<br />
with Pickled Baby Vegetables (gf)<br />
Crispy Quinoa Cake with Minted Yoghurt Sauce,<br />
Dressed Salad & Toasted Cashews (v, gf) Scallops with<br />
champagne sage butter & capers (add £3) (gf)<br />
DESSERTS £8<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong> Pudding Bomb & Brandy Custard<br />
Chocolate Torte served with Raspberry Compote (gf)<br />
Chestnut Cheesecake<br />
Mini Mince Meat Pie & Coffee (gf available)<br />
English Cheese Board, Fruit, Nuts & Crackers (extra £4)<br />
MAINS £30<br />
Roast Turkey with Quince & Pecan Stuffing,<br />
Pigs in Blankets, Rich Turkey Jus (gf)<br />
Roast Potatoes, Honey Glazed Parsnips, Carrots,<br />
Roast Brussels Sprouts, Chestnuts & Bacon<br />
Mushroom, Spinach & Caramelised<br />
Red Onion Wellington (gf, v)<br />
With Roast Potatoes, Honey Glazed Parsnips, Buttered<br />
Carrots, Roasted Brussel Sprouts & Chestnuts<br />
Rump Steak on bed of Pearl Onions &<br />
Thyme in Rich Red Wine Jus<br />
With Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Buttered<br />
Carrots & Parsnip Crisps (gf)<br />
Fillet of Sea Bass with Sautéed Bacon<br />
With Red Chicory, Buttered Carrots, Runner<br />
beans, Red Wine Sauce & Celeriac Puree (gf)<br />
Monkfish with Sage, Sausage, Cranberry<br />
& Pine Nut Stuffing (add £4)<br />
With Brussel Sprouts & Baby Roast Potatoes (gf)<br />
11 West CrosS, TenterdeN, TN30 6JR<br />
reservations 01580 231103<br />
book online at<br />
theprinthousetenterden.com<br />
Experience historic charm<br />
and culinary delights.<br />
Nestled in Elham’s idyllic scenery, The Kings Arms<br />
stands proudly as a bastion of tradition amidst<br />
the breathtaking English countryside. This 15th<br />
Century Inn transcends mere dining; it offers an<br />
immersive historical experience, combined with<br />
a delightful menu. The allure of The Kings Arms<br />
is deeply rooted in its historical significance and<br />
the tranquil beauty of a classic English square.<br />
Upon entry, a lively bar greets visitors with an<br />
inviting atmosphere, enhanced by crackling fires,<br />
sets the tone for a serene evening. Whether<br />
seeking a light bite or a comforting snack<br />
after a Wintry day, this establishment serves<br />
as the perfect sanctuary for merry making,<br />
with locally sourced beers and wines, and the<br />
wood burning stoves to keep you cozy!<br />
With the festive season on the horizon, The<br />
Kings Arms extends an invitation for guests to<br />
savour a tantalising experience with its specially<br />
crafted festive menu, featuring two and three<br />
course meals starting from 29th November..<br />
Don’t miss this<br />
wonderful establishment and<br />
book now on 01303 840242<br />
www.thekingsarmselham.com<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
78
The Priceless <strong>Christmas</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
istockphoto.com/ DiViArt<br />
Kent Fill Wine your stockings School, The with Print these House small and but The brilliant King’s gifts Arms to get all share <strong>Christmas</strong> their Xmas morning dinner started tips<br />
The Wine<br />
“For a <strong>Christmas</strong> lunch with turkey<br />
or ham, Chardonnay is the food<br />
friendly white to go for. Look for cool<br />
climate influences and a subtle use of<br />
oak in the wine making. White Rioja<br />
and Chenin Blanc are good alternatives.<br />
My top red wine tip is Pinot Noir and<br />
softer Italian reds like Barbera and<br />
Valpolicella. Veggie and vegan dishes<br />
will also pair well with these wines.”<br />
– Jonny Gibson, Kent Wine School<br />
kentwineschool.com<br />
The Gravy<br />
Anything used to flavour turkey can<br />
flavour your gravy; roughly chop veg,<br />
herbs and turkey trimmings and chuck<br />
these into the tin before browning<br />
them off. Good quality stock will add<br />
extra flavour and I love the sweetsharp<br />
balance of Nightingale Cider.<br />
Reduce the gravy slowly, mashing the<br />
trimmings in as it cooks. Before serving,<br />
add some sprigs of fresh herbs and<br />
infuse for a few minutes. I also stir in<br />
crushed cobnuts (from Potash Farm<br />
in Kent) just before serving, for<br />
texture.” – Martin Elliot, Head Chef<br />
at The Print House in Tenterden<br />
theprinthousetenterden.com<br />
Recipes For<br />
Success<br />
The Starter<br />
“Make canapés instead of starters to save having to wash<br />
up knives and forks, and also to take the pressure off –<br />
people can have a chat and a nibble in the kitchen or<br />
living room, rather than wait expectantly at the table!”<br />
– Martin Elliot, Head Chef at The Print House<br />
Tenterden theprinthousetenterden.com<br />
The Turkey<br />
“To keep the turkey moist, make a sage<br />
butter with garlic, sage, lemon zest and salt,<br />
and smother under the skin, making sure it’s<br />
equally distributed. Then place sage and onion<br />
stuffing, an orange and a bunch of sage in the<br />
cavity. To keep the moisture consistent, we use<br />
a combo of steaming and roasting throughout,<br />
and for a nice crisp skin, we coat it in<br />
vegetable oil. Cook for 20 minutes per kilo<br />
in a roasting dish, remove from the oven and<br />
drain all the juices into your gravy. Then cover<br />
the bird with foil and kitchen cloths so it can<br />
rest whilst remaining hot.” – Steve Piddock<br />
Executive Chef at The King’s Arms in Elham<br />
thekingsarmselham.com<br />
The Sparkle<br />
“<strong>Christmas</strong> Day starts with presents<br />
and canapés around the tree.<br />
These light bites need something<br />
with acidity like Champagne or<br />
English sparkling wine.” – Jonny<br />
Gibson, Kent Wine School<br />
kentwineschool.com<br />
The Stuffing<br />
“Sauté finely chopped sage and diced<br />
shallots until soft and caramelised,<br />
and add fresh breadcrumbs. Combine<br />
this with a quality sausage meat (our<br />
preferred choice is Cumberland<br />
sausages) and roll the mix into a large<br />
sausage ballotine and then steam for<br />
20 to 30 minutes.” – Steve Piddock<br />
Executive Chef at The King’s Arms in<br />
Elham thekingsarmselham.com<br />
The Potatoes<br />
“Peel and cut the potatoes, steam for<br />
15-20 minutes, remove from the steamer,<br />
give the tray a good shake, and air dry<br />
until cool. Set the oven to 180°C and roast<br />
the potatoes in gastro trays with a good<br />
glug of vegetable oil for 20 to 30 minutes,<br />
tossing half way through, then drain the<br />
oil and roast for a further 10 minutes. To<br />
serve, toss the potatoes in a rosemary and<br />
garlic butter and season with a good<br />
pinch of Maldon salt.” – Steve<br />
Piddock, Executive Chef at The<br />
King’s Arms in Elham<br />
thekingsarmselham.com<br />
79<br />
priceless-magazines.com
Framing<br />
FOR THE ARTISTIC SHOPPER<br />
BEAUTIFUL ART & UNIQUE ITEMS<br />
FROM SUSSEX & KENT<br />
CHURCH STREET TICEHURST TN57AE<br />
01580 201259 jane@greenfinchshop.co.uk<br />
greenfinchshop.co.uk @greenfinchticehurst<br />
11 The Parade, Claygate, Surrey, KT10 0PD • WWW.TREWART.COM • PH 44 (0)1372 470997<br />
11 The Parade, Claygate, Surrey, KT10 0PD • WWW.TREWART.COM • PH 44 (0)1372 470997<br />
Get ready for <strong>Christmas</strong><br />
RaggedRose<br />
Greenfinch Quarter Page 90x130 final v03.indd 1 08/03/<strong>2023</strong> 11:48<br />
sales@raggedrose.com | www.raggedrose.com<br />
See our <strong>Christmas</strong><br />
Collection Of Homewares<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
80<br />
RaggedRoseWT163.indd 1 13/08/2015 12:37<br />
RaggedRose_GiftwareReview1305.indd 1 09/05/2013 12:20
The Priceless <strong>Christmas</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
Setting the<br />
Table<br />
Quirky and colourful dining and serveware make for a jolly festive feast!<br />
Winter wildflowers<br />
linen table cloth £125<br />
By Hope byhope.co.uk<br />
Canal House plates £55 (set of<br />
4) Bøde Living bode-living.com<br />
Feathered bird clips £22 (set of<br />
3) Cox & Cox coxandcox.co.uk<br />
Mermaid bud vase<br />
£32 Hannah B Pottery<br />
hannahbpottery.com<br />
Cotton tree napkins £27.50 (set of 4)<br />
Lottie Murphy lottie-murphy.com<br />
Red scallop napkin<br />
£8 Molly Mahon<br />
mollymahon.com<br />
Jaipur stripe block<br />
print napkin £24<br />
Rooh roohlondon.co.uk<br />
Je t’aime mug £39<br />
Richard Brendon<br />
richardbrendon.com<br />
Woodland green dinner candles<br />
£9.99 (pack of 6) St. Eval st-eval.com<br />
Rose quartz glass<br />
LED tree £25<br />
Truffle Tablescapes<br />
truffletablescapes.co.uk<br />
Brass leaf napkin<br />
rings £35 (set of 4)<br />
Nkuku nkuku.com<br />
Ceramic napkin rings<br />
£30 Layered Lounge<br />
layeredlounge.com<br />
Mouse side plate £22.50<br />
Jimbobart jimbobart.com<br />
Chelsea glass bowls £22 (set of<br />
2) Portmeirion portmeirion.co.uk<br />
Lou Rota Twelve Days of<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong> dessert plate £20<br />
Anthropologie anthropologie.com<br />
Tall drippy candle &<br />
holder set £30 LORDS<br />
lordsfragrancehouse.com<br />
Gold and ivory bowl set<br />
£65 Aaron Kearney Design<br />
aaronkearneydesign.com<br />
Polar luxury crackers £65<br />
(set of 6) Emma J Shipley<br />
emmajshipley.com<br />
Helen’s Stars linen tablecloth<br />
£195 Liberty libertylondon.com<br />
Bobble tumbler £16 each Turnbull<br />
& Hooch turnbullandhooch.co.uk<br />
Copa gin glass £12 Silent Pool<br />
silentpooldistillers.com<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong> family fun<br />
game £7 Talking Tables<br />
talkingtables.co.uk<br />
Shell cotton napkins<br />
£28 (set of 4) Eloise<br />
Home eloisehome.com<br />
Diggins ceramic pudding<br />
bowls £28 Loaf loaf.com<br />
Oval Casserole £309 Le<br />
Creuset lecreuset.com<br />
81<br />
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JeremyHobbsS53.indd 1 15/0<br />
Opening Hours<br />
Mon - Sat 09.30 - 17.30<br />
3 Oakdene Parade,<br />
Cobham, Surrey KT11 2LR.<br />
Telephone: 01932 865700<br />
info@jeremyhobbs.co.uk<br />
@jeremyhobbsmenswear<br />
www.jeremyhobbs.co.uk<br />
Pamper Your Pets This <strong>Christmas</strong><br />
Helios is a specialist homeopathic pharmacy<br />
based in the heart of Tunbridge Wells.<br />
Alongside our remedies we stock a wide range of organic<br />
and natural skin and hair care products, flower essences<br />
and vitamin and mineral supplements for all the family and<br />
a wide range of books, we like to look after your pets too.<br />
Why not treat your four legged friends to a Helios First<br />
Aid Kit for Pets which contains 24 homeopathic remedies<br />
covering a wide range of common complaints and first<br />
aid situations and our specially formulated SOeSsence<br />
flower essence for those emergency situations. There is<br />
a comprehensive booklet to help you choose the right<br />
remedy too. In addition our SOeSsence healing beeswax<br />
balm contains botanicals and essential oils to help heal<br />
sore paws and minor cuts and abrasions and our SLS<br />
free shampoo contains soothing plant based ingredients,<br />
particularly good for itchy and scurfy skin. Buy all three<br />
products and get 20% off.<br />
Our homeopaths and pharmacists are on hand to offer you<br />
a warm welcome and expert advice for all your health care<br />
needs.<br />
We look forward to seeing you soon.<br />
Helios Homeopathy Ltd, 97 Camden Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 2QR<br />
Open Mon-Fri 9.00am - 5.30pm Sat 9.00am - 2.00pm<br />
01892 537254 www.helios.co.uk<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
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The Priceless <strong>Christmas</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
The Night<br />
before<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong> Fill your Eve stockings is where with the these magic small really but starts, brilliant so gifts get to set get with <strong>Christmas</strong> all things morning cosy and started festive!<br />
Throw Throw Burrito £24.99<br />
Smyths smythstoys.com<br />
Mesa tabletop<br />
fire pit £89.99<br />
Solo Stoves<br />
solostove.com<br />
Gold stars stocking holder £18 Rockett<br />
St George rockettstgeorge.co.uk<br />
Personalised letter from Father<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong> £16 Marvellous Magical<br />
Mail marvellousmagicalmail.co.uk<br />
Harbour Mist herringbone wool<br />
blanket £149 Atlantic Blankets<br />
atlanticblankets.com<br />
Patiq Chestnut leather slippers £65<br />
MAKU maku.uk<br />
Calm waters short<br />
mug £34 Emily<br />
Doran Pottery<br />
emilydoranpottery.com<br />
Milk chocolate hot chocolate<br />
£12.99 Melt Chocolates<br />
meltchocolates.com<br />
Electric heater £1,195<br />
Everhot everhotessentials.co.uk<br />
Ianthe Blossom silk<br />
satin eye mask £55<br />
Liberty London<br />
libertylondon.com<br />
Winter Thyme<br />
tin candle<br />
St Eval £13.85<br />
st-eval.com<br />
Gold Mini<br />
Wishbone Bracelet<br />
£69 Lily & Roo<br />
lilyandroo.com<br />
Stillness pillow mist<br />
£29 Wildsmith Skin<br />
wildsmithskin.com<br />
The Nice Slice<br />
£16.95<br />
Hotel Chocolat<br />
hotelchocolat.com<br />
Leopard Print kids PJ set £24<br />
Rooh roohlondon.co.uk<br />
Medium <strong>Christmas</strong> cake<br />
(in a tin 575g) £19.99<br />
Selfridges selfridges.com<br />
Wooden Santa sign<br />
£14 Talking Tables<br />
talkingtables.co.uk<br />
Iced <strong>Christmas</strong> Loaf Cake<br />
£14 Cartwright & Butler<br />
cartwrightandbutler.co.uk<br />
Spot the Intro Music<br />
Board Game £25<br />
Amazon amazon.co.uk<br />
Kids’ linen teepee play tent<br />
£99.95 The Little Green Sheep<br />
thelittlegreensheep.co.uk<br />
Ladies textured faux<br />
fur mule slippers<br />
£24 Totes totes.co.uk<br />
83<br />
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The Priceless <strong>Christmas</strong> <strong>Supplement</strong><br />
New Year’s<br />
Eve<br />
See in the New Year with a large glassful of glamour! We’ll see you in 2024!<br />
Disco Ball pendant £18<br />
Tatty Devine tattydevine.com<br />
Embroidered cocktail<br />
napkins £12 (set of 4)<br />
John Lewis johnlewis.com<br />
Gold tinsel fringe garland £19.50<br />
Rockett St George rockettstgeorge.co.uk<br />
Carpe Diem Sparkler stud<br />
earrings £145 Fei Liu<br />
feiliufinejewellery.com<br />
Light nude lipstick £20<br />
Chelsie Lane chelsielane.com<br />
Beosound A5 portable<br />
speaker £1,299 Bang &<br />
Olufsen bang-olufsen.com<br />
Silver sparkly<br />
clutch bag £79<br />
Phase Eight<br />
phase-eight.com<br />
Gatsby cocktail saucer<br />
pair £40 Dartington<br />
Crystal dartington.co.uk<br />
Pink glass cocktail shaker<br />
£52 Joanna Wood<br />
shop.joannawood.com<br />
Solid 9ct yellow<br />
gold, mother of<br />
pearl Cufflinks<br />
POA Eaton & Jones<br />
eatonandjones.co.uk<br />
Round mirrored tray<br />
£37.95 The Wisteria<br />
Tree thewisteriatree.co.uk<br />
Bardot midi dress £110 Scamp<br />
& Dude scampanddude.com<br />
Wine decanter and preserver<br />
in gold mirror finish £139<br />
eto etowine.com<br />
Iconoclast eyeshadow palette<br />
£47 Code8 codeeight.com<br />
Premium flavoured gin shot £29.95<br />
(70cl) Wattshot wattshot.com<br />
Moet & Chandon ‘let’s celebrate’<br />
imperial brut Champagne £46.99<br />
Amazon amazon.co.uk<br />
C1 Moonphase<br />
watch £1,995<br />
Christopher Ward<br />
christopherward.com<br />
Submission Beauty<br />
Inc glitter £21<br />
(6g) Selfridges<br />
selfridges.com<br />
Juno hoop earrings £450<br />
with citrine pendants<br />
£390 KATA Jewellery<br />
katajewellery.com<br />
Fujifilm Instax Mini 40<br />
instant camera £99.99<br />
John Lewis johnlewis.com<br />
Metallic bow block heel<br />
sandals £75 Monsoon<br />
monsoon.co.uk<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
84
Bring the ballet<br />
to life<br />
Sparkle this party<br />
season with a sprinkling<br />
of inspiration from<br />
The Nutcracker<br />
Happiest slingback ballet pumps £80<br />
Dune dunelondon.com; handmade<br />
children’s tulle tutu £30 Sida Says<br />
sidasays.com; resin Mouse lamp<br />
£76 Seletti seletti.it/uk; gold plated<br />
sparkling star huggie earrings £35,<br />
single ear cuff £30, (on mouse’s tail)<br />
both Scream Pretty screampretty.com
La Musa The Curve pants £851<br />
Wolf & Badger wolfandbadger.com<br />
Drive Me Crazy vintage<br />
style gloves £18<br />
Joe Browns joebrowns.co.uk<br />
Year of the Rat necklace<br />
£160 Fei Liu Fine Jewellery<br />
feiliufinejewellery.com<br />
Amina Muaddi Rosie<br />
crystal-embellished slingback<br />
courts £450 Selfridges<br />
selfridges.com<br />
Maya embroidery military jacket<br />
blue £110 Monsoon monsoon.co.uk<br />
14k Gold Coronet Narrative<br />
ring stack £1,695 Dower &<br />
Hall dowerandhall.com<br />
istockphoto.com/ Gwengoat<br />
Ballet Pointe Shoe<br />
necklace £60<br />
Lily Charmed<br />
lilycharmed.com<br />
Phoebe double breasted<br />
pea coat brown £160<br />
Monsoon monsoon.co.uk<br />
Candy cane short drop Grace tulle skirt in vanilla<br />
earrings £6 accessorize £79 South of the River<br />
accessorize.com southoftheriver.co.uk<br />
Sugarplum Dreams<br />
Style an elegant and decadent festive look inspired by the Nutcracker<br />
with ballet shoes, chiffon and silk, sweet pinks and military details<br />
Emily watch £160<br />
Ted Baker tedbaker.com<br />
Ella tulle dress in antique<br />
rose £175 Phase Eight<br />
phase-eight.com<br />
Hanley Close<br />
Harlequin shoulder<br />
bag £239 Radley<br />
radley.co.uk<br />
Pink wrap front jumper £25<br />
Threadbare threadbare.com<br />
Silver double buckle Mary<br />
Jane £65 Oliver Bonas<br />
oliverbonas.com<br />
Ollie gold satin mini £220 Rebecca<br />
Rhoades rebeccarhoades.com<br />
Silver Fairy stud earrings £25<br />
Lily Charmed lilycharmed.com<br />
Annabelle terracotta<br />
puffy headband<br />
£19.50 Oliver Bonas<br />
oliverbonas.com<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
Frolic of Fairy earrings<br />
£35 Tatty Devine<br />
Enamel dormouse<br />
brooch £21 Fable<br />
tattydevine.com England fableengland.com<br />
No Comparison suede boots<br />
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Party<br />
Perfect<br />
Over the next few pages, Charlotte Butterworth – aka theneedy.greedy<br />
– creates simple to prepare crowd-pleasing dishes for <strong>Christmas</strong><br />
gatherings, drawing on her experience as a cookery teacher,<br />
recipe creator and party caterer. Well versed in fuss-free recipes<br />
for entertaining, Charlotte creates fabulous food for everything<br />
from intimate dinners and family celebrations to drinks parties<br />
and corporate events. She also runs cookery workshops in her<br />
lovely home (which you may have spotted in October’s issue) to<br />
help people rediscover their culinary mojo. You can find more of<br />
Charlotte’s recipes on Instagram and Facebook @theneedy.greedy<br />
Photographs: David Merewether<br />
Lamb tagine<br />
Serves 4-6 Prep time: 15 mins Cooking time: 2-3 hours<br />
This is the perfect recipe for entertaining, batch cooking or freezing<br />
ahead for <strong>Christmas</strong>. It’s best made a day or two before, or you<br />
can cook low and slow in the morning. This is lovely served with<br />
my giant cous cous and roast squash salad (see next page).<br />
• 750g lamb, cut into cubes<br />
• 2 red onions, sliced<br />
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed<br />
• 1 cinnamon stick (or 1 tbsp dried cinnamon)<br />
• 2 tsp each of ground ginger, ground cumin, sweet paprika<br />
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes<br />
• few strands of saffron, soaked in a tbsp warm water<br />
• half a bunch fresh coriander (15g approx), stems roughly chopped<br />
• 75g each of dried dates and dried apricots, roughly chopped<br />
• 1 tin of chickpeas, drained<br />
• toasted almonds and pomegranate seeds to decorate (optional)<br />
1. Heat some olive oil in a large casserole pan and gently fry the onions<br />
until soft. Add the spices and cook for a further couple of minutes.<br />
2. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan and brown the lamb. Add the onions,<br />
alongside the tomatoes, saffron in water and coriander stalks. Bring to a<br />
simmer and cook gently for 2-3 hours. You may need to add more water if on<br />
a hob, or in the oven, but be cautious with the liquid if using a slow cooker.<br />
3. Add the chickpeas and dried fruit 30 mins before the<br />
cooking has finished. Taste and season more if needed.<br />
To serve: sprinkle with toasted flaked almonds, pomegranate seeds and scatter<br />
over the coriander leaves. You could perhaps drizzle over some yoghurt, too.<br />
<br />
89<br />
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Giant cous cous with roasted winter vegetables<br />
& pomegranate molasses dressing<br />
Serves 6 as a side Prep time: 15 mins<br />
Cooking time: 25 mins<br />
This goes so well with the tagine or stands alone as a delicious salad. You can<br />
make all the elements the day before and refrigerate. Then mix up on the<br />
day (you will need to break the couscous up a little) and warm through. This<br />
salad is delicious served warm or at room temperature but not fridge cold.<br />
• olive oil<br />
• 1 tsp each of cumin seeds, nigella seeds and fennel seeds<br />
• 150g giant couscous<br />
• 300ml water<br />
• 1 small squash cut into slices or buy pre-cut slices<br />
• 2 large sweet potatoes, cut into circles/half moons<br />
• 50g feta cubes<br />
• fresh mint, coriander – or whatever leafy herbs you have – finely chopped<br />
For the dressing:<br />
30ml lemon juice (approx. one lemon)<br />
20ml pomegranate molasses<br />
30ml extra virgin olive oil<br />
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Drizzle some olive oil on two baking<br />
trays and brush with a pastry brush. Add the squash slices on one tray<br />
and sweet potatoes on the other. Brush with olive oil, season with sea<br />
salt and bake for 25 mins until soft and starting to crisp at the side.<br />
2. Warm some olive oil in a saucepan, gently heat the zest and seeds for a<br />
minute, until the nigella seeds pop. Add the couscous and a tsp of salt. Stir<br />
to coat all the grains of couscous, then cook gently as per pack instructions.<br />
3. Make the dressing by whisking the lemon juice,<br />
pomegranate molasses and olive oil together.<br />
4. When the cous cous is cooled, mix in a serving<br />
bowl with the herbs and half of the dressing.<br />
5. Serve with pomegranate seeds and flaked almonds to decorate. Put the<br />
other half of the dressing in a jug for people to help themselves.<br />
<br />
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Smoked<br />
Mackerel Pâté<br />
Here is an irresistible,<br />
light canapé recipe – a<br />
lovely starter or gorgeous<br />
for a buffet! This is a<br />
tasty pâté or dip to enjoy<br />
that takes 5 mins to<br />
whip up and is packed<br />
full of delicious flavours,<br />
and that all important<br />
Omega 3. Horseradish,<br />
lemon and that beautiful<br />
smoked fish blend<br />
together to form a taste<br />
sensation. Using Greek<br />
yoghurt makes it creamy<br />
without being heavy.<br />
• 1 pack of smoked<br />
mackerel (approx 3 fillets)<br />
• 100g Greek yoghurt<br />
(you could use<br />
crème fraîche)<br />
• 60g cream cheese<br />
• zest and juice of<br />
half a lemon<br />
• 3 tbsps creamed<br />
horseradish<br />
• dill (optional)<br />
1. Remove the skin<br />
from the mackerel<br />
and check for bones<br />
2. Put in the food<br />
processor with all the<br />
remaining ingredients<br />
(except the lemon zest),<br />
add black pepper and<br />
whizz to a smooth paste.<br />
To taste: You may want<br />
to add more lemon,<br />
yoghurt or cream<br />
cheese, depending on<br />
your personal taste.<br />
To serve: Decorate with<br />
the lemon zest and dill.<br />
Serve on crackers or<br />
simply enjoy as a pâté<br />
with toast. Here, I’ve used<br />
hexagonal crackers from<br />
Waitrose, part of a biscuits<br />
for cheese selection box.
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94
Spicy smokey sticky party nuts<br />
Prep time: 5 mins<br />
Cooking time: 15 mins (plus cooling)<br />
These nuts are show stopping and<br />
addictive. Perfect to go with drinks<br />
or a lovely homemade <strong>Christmas</strong><br />
present. Or pop them in a salad.<br />
These are a party staple for me but,<br />
be warned, they will disappear fast!<br />
This makes a huge portion, so do<br />
halve etc. the ingredients to suit.<br />
• 300g nuts of your choice (I use<br />
macadamias, pecans, blanched<br />
skinless hazelnuts and raw cashews)<br />
• 50g maple syrup<br />
• 25g brown sugar<br />
• 20ml of groundnut oil or<br />
another flavourless oil<br />
• 1tsp of hot smoked paprika (I used<br />
½ to 1tsp of chili flakes – optional<br />
if you want to go hot)<br />
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a<br />
baking sheet with non stick parchment.<br />
2. Mix all the ingredients, except the nuts, in a<br />
large bowl to form a sticky syrup. Add in the nuts<br />
and coat well with all the sticky spicy sauce.<br />
3. Pour onto the lined baking sheet<br />
and pop into the oven for 15 mins.<br />
Ideally give them a stir every 5 mins to<br />
make sure they are cooking evenly.<br />
4. Remove from oven and allow to<br />
cool. The nuts keep up to a week in a<br />
sealed container, so good to make in<br />
advance (if you can resist eating them).
Fast fixes for<br />
un-party-ish faces<br />
Josephine Fairley explains how to ease yourself into the festive party spirit<br />
with her pick of super nourishing, skin energising products<br />
I<br />
have a funny relationship with <strong>Christmas</strong> parties<br />
(well, parties generally, actually). My enjoyment of<br />
them is in inverse proportion to how much I’ve been<br />
dreading getting dressed up and going to that ‘do’. Most<br />
often, when I’m not feeling the vibe, that’s when I’ll have<br />
the best and most memorable time. But it’s always felt a<br />
bit ironic that right at the time of year when we’ve got<br />
most to do – lists as long as our arms, deadlines to meet<br />
before the office closes, etc. – we are also expected to look<br />
fabulous (and feel likewise), and party like it’s 1999.<br />
With all that there is on our spinning plates, I think<br />
it’s quite common to look in the mirror and go: ‘My face<br />
really doesn’t look ready to party.’ Well, the good news<br />
is that this bit’s fixable, fast, with products and tricks<br />
that transform skin and your ‘glow’ factor – and with it,<br />
give your confidence a much-needed pre-party boost).<br />
So, here’s what I recommend…<br />
Massage your face<br />
This gets blood and lymph circulation going and is the<br />
fastest way turn up the radiance factor of dull, ‘blah’<br />
skin. Cleanse, then add a drop or two of facial oil<br />
and using deep, outward strokes across the forehead,<br />
work your fingertips along the frown-lines. Move the<br />
fingertips downwards to just under the cheekbones<br />
and repeat, then downwards another inch, and finally,<br />
outwards along the jaw. Using tapping motions with<br />
your middle finger, rapidly tap the orbital bones around<br />
the eyes, at brow level and just above the cheekbones<br />
– again, in an outwards direction. (It’s wonderfully<br />
relaxing and soothing, too, this particular action.)<br />
You can also use a facial massage device to revive and<br />
de-puff. First the bad news: the gadget I swear by – the<br />
Opatra Lumiquartz – appears to be discontinued, though<br />
you can still find examples occasionally on eBay and Vinted.
istockphoto.com/Svetlana_nsk / Andrii Dariienko / seyfettinozel
(Note, the Lumiquartz was ouchouch-ouch<br />
pricy, when new, but tested<br />
by me for a Beauty Bible trial.) The good<br />
news: there’s a fairly similar version available in the<br />
form of LUX SKIN Rose Quartz Sonic Face Wand,<br />
£44 – doesn’t have the LED lights, or warm the<br />
skin, but it massages with 6,000 sonic vibrations<br />
a minute, to dispel fluid and relax the face.<br />
If puffy eyes are a problem, try a trick that I<br />
learned from Linda Evangelista herself, who turned<br />
up at a shoot I was on and ran ice cubes over<br />
her under-eye bags (yup, even supermodels get<br />
these). If that feels a bit brutal or you’re prone to<br />
broken veins, wrap the ice cubs in muslin first.<br />
Blitz dead skin cells<br />
The other reason skin looks dull, besides needing<br />
a circulation rev-up, is usually a build-up of gunk<br />
and dead cells. The fast track to more vibrant skin<br />
is to ‘Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate!’ (to misquote<br />
the Daleks). I often reach for one of several<br />
wonderful masks that I’ve found to perform a<br />
brilliant exfoliating trick. One is a new love in<br />
the form of Sali Hughes Better in 5, £15 for<br />
50ml, a gel mask which uses a light acid action to<br />
dissolve the dead top layer of skin, revealing fresh<br />
cells beneath (N.B. I have sensitive skin and get<br />
on fine with this). An ‘old love’ is This Works<br />
Morning Expert Vitamin C Power Mask, £39 for<br />
55ml – just ignore the ‘morning’ bit of the name;<br />
I’m guessing you’ll be using this in the evening, it<br />
works just fine then, too, massaged into skin for<br />
just one minute to work its exfoliating magic, or<br />
left in place for up to 10 minutes. I find that Liz<br />
Earle Brightening Clay Mask, £24 for 75ml,<br />
also has a fabulous illuminating action in just a<br />
couple of minutes, drawing out impurities with<br />
clay (yet not setting uncomfortably hard). I like<br />
to remove all of these with a soft, fluffy flannel<br />
generously dunked in warm-to-hot water.<br />
Give skin a good drink<br />
As an alternative to an exfoliating mask, slap on<br />
a sheet mask. I flipping love these for topping up<br />
dry skin’s moisture levels in no time; the fabric<br />
seems to press and trap moisture in the skin, and<br />
while it’s a short-term fix, it’ll get you through a<br />
party with a healthily plumped-up complexion.<br />
There are a gazillion sheet masks out there, and I’m<br />
not THAT keen on the fact they’re single-use (do<br />
make sure your chosen mask is biodegradable), but<br />
in an S.O.S. nothing works quite so well. Check<br />
out BEAUTYPRO Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating<br />
Sheet Mask, £5.95, Garnier Moisture Bomb<br />
Pomegranate Hydrating Face Sheet, £3.49, or<br />
Dr. PawPaw Your Gorgeous Skin Hydrating<br />
Sheet Mask, £4.99. (There are plenty of very<br />
expensive sheet masks out there, but I honestly<br />
don’t think you need to splurge on these.)<br />
Reach for a<br />
beauty legend<br />
Two particular products in<br />
the beauty world have become<br />
classics on the strength of their<br />
quick fix powers, and I know hordes of<br />
women who swear by them: Clarins Beauty<br />
Flash Balm, £36 for 50ml (now 96% natural, by<br />
the way), and Guerlain Midnight Secret, £28 for<br />
15ml. They both have an instant skin-energising,<br />
moisturising effect that I can attest to, and are great<br />
underneath whatever make-up you choose to slap<br />
over the top – the skincare equivalent of having<br />
plasters in your First Aid kit (if you get my drift).<br />
Put on your party face<br />
Your skin will be prepped, glowier, more radiant<br />
and – I promise – ready to boogie (or ready to<br />
stand in the corner nursing a soft drink, if that’s<br />
more your bag). I’m not going to tell you the<br />
‘right’ make-up to wear – although I always find a<br />
red lipstick empowering (and I think I might just<br />
write a whole column about them, at some point).<br />
Go glitter, go nude, go whatever makes you feel<br />
good. But then, I heartily recommend that you set<br />
your make-up with a spritz of my new ‘fave find’.<br />
I admit to having been an utter cynic about setting<br />
sprays, until I tried By Terry Hyaluronic Glow<br />
Setting Mist, £35 for 100ml, and this is going<br />
to be in my life forever. Yes, it makes make-up<br />
stay put for longer. DO NOT ASK ME HOW.<br />
(Not that I even care.) But it’s the finish delivered<br />
by this fine mist that really pushes my buttons:<br />
twice in the first day after I’d used it for the first<br />
time, people said: ‘Your skin looks amazing.’<br />
Not wet. Not even dewy, but… lit from within,<br />
somehow. It’s just the ticket for a ‘candlelit glow’,<br />
whatever you’ll be lit by at your destination.<br />
Last but not least, spritz on your most<br />
empowering scent. Literally, whatever makes<br />
you feel a little stronger, or walk a little<br />
taller, which is one of perfume’s superpowers.<br />
Then get out there and party. And – who<br />
knows? – you might even enjoy yourself!<br />
Visit beautybible.com for more of Jo’s<br />
product reviews and beauty tips.
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Wellbeing<br />
Posture<br />
Perfect II<br />
In the second part of her<br />
exploration of posture, Sarah<br />
Maxwell shares gentle exercises to<br />
improve and protect back health<br />
istockphoto.com/nortonrsx<br />
With <strong>Christmas</strong> heading<br />
towards us faster than Santa’s<br />
sleigh, my follow up to<br />
last month’s posture tips might be just<br />
the thing to get you through this busy<br />
season and enable you to have a jolly<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong> – less stressed and pain free!<br />
Take a deep breath<br />
One often overlooked aspect of<br />
posture is our breathing. Many of us<br />
unknowingly engage in shallow chest<br />
breathing, contributing to additional<br />
stress and tension in our upper body.<br />
This can often result in poor posture,<br />
muscular strain and discomfort.<br />
Belly breathing, (also known as<br />
diaphragmatic breathing) is a quick<br />
and easy way we can help to alleviate<br />
these symptoms and, in addition<br />
to improving our overall posture, it<br />
will help to keep you grounded and<br />
release built up stress and tension.<br />
When we breathe deeply into our<br />
belly, our diaphragm and the muscles<br />
between our ribs work together to<br />
expand our chest and fill our lungs<br />
with air. This action not only helps<br />
stretch our spine, making it stronger,<br />
but also reduces the pressure on our<br />
back. Belly breathing is also a great<br />
way to reduce stress and tension, most<br />
especially vital at this time of year when<br />
you need more than 24 hours in a day!<br />
How to do it<br />
To begin practising belly breathing,<br />
find a comfortable position whether<br />
standing, sitting – or even lying<br />
down for a much-deserved break.<br />
• Place one hand on your chest<br />
and the other on your stomach.<br />
Take a slow, deep breath in through<br />
your nose, imagining your belly as<br />
a balloon being filled with air.<br />
• Then, exhale for the same count,<br />
allowing your belly button to gently<br />
lower towards your spine. Focus on<br />
relaxing your shoulders and releasing<br />
any tension you may be holding.<br />
• Start with five breaths and<br />
gradually increase the duration as<br />
you become more comfortable.<br />
Give yourself a clap<br />
One simple yet effective exercise to<br />
increase shoulder mobility is the arm clap.<br />
• Start by mobilising your shoulders,<br />
circle forward and back 10x in each<br />
direction. Extend your arms forward, and<br />
clap them together in front of your body.<br />
• Repeat this motion 10x, gradually<br />
aiming to clap higher and higher<br />
behind you as you warm up.<br />
• This exercise not only enhances<br />
shoulder flexibility resulting in better<br />
posture, it will also strengthen your<br />
shoulders so you can hit January upright,<br />
less frazzled and ready to take on 2024.<br />
And relax<br />
Don’t forget to take time out for yourself<br />
to recharge. My favourite way to relax<br />
is in an Epsom salts bath. Although<br />
research is limited on the benefits,<br />
they have been used for centuries for<br />
relaxation and muscle soreness relief.<br />
I fill the bath up to my neck with not<br />
too hot water and enjoy for 20 minutes<br />
twice a week. Even if the science is<br />
lacking, the time with the bathroom<br />
door locked is a welcome relief in itself!<br />
And finally<br />
My special <strong>Christmas</strong> gift to you this<br />
year is to recommend you let others do<br />
the vacuuming over the holiday season.<br />
Keeping your spine rigidly over-extended<br />
while vacuuming can potentially be<br />
damaging and turn you into a grinch.<br />
The last thing you need is your back<br />
muscles tightened up like a bunch of<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong> lights. So this year, why not<br />
share the joy of the vacuum and have a<br />
happy, pain free and jolly <strong>Christmas</strong>!<br />
Sarah Maxwell is a multi-award<br />
winning Lifestyle Wellbeing and<br />
Fitness coach. You can find her at<br />
sarahmaxwell.com. Get in touch via<br />
email at sarahmaxwell@mail.com<br />
and on social @sarahmaxlife<br />
101<br />
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The INDEX Magazine<br />
Month(s) booked <strong>December</strong> 2019<br />
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istockphoto.com, miwa_in_oz , Magone, chokja, Elena Tsvetkova, Drazen Zigic, Agustin Vai / Olha_Afanasieva<br />
Nourish to Flourish<br />
Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach Charlotte Lau<br />
explores the benefits of incorporating<br />
another healthy ingredient into our<br />
diets. This month it’s root veg<br />
Root vegetables are starchy vegetables including sweet<br />
potatoes, parsnips, carrot, beetroot and turnips.<br />
Low cost and readily available throughout the<br />
winter, they are delicious roasted, cooked in stews, mashed<br />
or served warm in salads. Root vegetables are not only low<br />
in fat, cholesterol and calories but are packed with fibre,<br />
which is crucial in supporting our digestive health.<br />
Dietary fibre takes on many times its own weight in<br />
water and swells in the digestive system. This stretches the<br />
gut wall and causes receptors to stimulate the rhythmical<br />
contraction process that moves the contents of the gut<br />
along through the various stages of the digestive system.<br />
Foods bright in orange pigment, like carrots and<br />
sweet potatoes, contain high levels of beta carotene.<br />
This is a fat-soluble antioxidant which supports<br />
skin health, offering protection from free radical<br />
damage. Inside the body, beta carotene is turned<br />
into vitamin A which, in addition to helping your<br />
eye health, supports a healthy immune system.<br />
Charlotte runs Plume Nutrition, where she offers support and advice<br />
for weight management, controlling cravings, sleeplessness, stress<br />
and increasing energy levels. Find out more at plumenutrition.com<br />
Fibre rich roast root vegetables<br />
with lentils and tahini dressing<br />
• 1 packet of precooked<br />
puy lentils<br />
• 1 courgette, sliced<br />
• 1 red onion, cut<br />
into large chunks<br />
• 1 red pepper, sliced<br />
• 1 carrot, sliced<br />
• 1 aubergine, sliced<br />
into moons<br />
1. Preheat the oven to<br />
200°C/180°C fan. Chop<br />
and place all the vegetables<br />
on a large baking tray and<br />
drizzle with olive oil. Roast<br />
for 30 minutes, until golden.<br />
2. Heat half the lentils<br />
according to the instructions<br />
(usually 2 minutes in the<br />
microwave) and gently<br />
mix into the vegetables.<br />
3. Stir through a<br />
Serves 2<br />
• 1 sweet potato,<br />
peeled and sliced<br />
• a handful of rocket<br />
For the tahini dressing:<br />
• 2 tbsp olive oil<br />
• 2 tbsp tahini<br />
• 1 tsp lemon juice<br />
• 1 tsp maple syrup<br />
• 1 tsp cold water<br />
handful of rocket.<br />
4. For the dressing, mix<br />
the olive oil, tahini, lemon<br />
juice, maple syrup and<br />
cold water in a jam jar or<br />
small jug and whisk until<br />
combined. If the dressing<br />
is too thick, gradually add<br />
more cold water to thin.<br />
5. Share the lentils and roast<br />
vegetables between two plates<br />
and drizzle with the dressing.<br />
103<br />
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Stalwart<br />
Friends<br />
Jo Arnell edits down a selection of her favourite reliable<br />
plants to see you through the whole season<br />
‘<br />
That can’t be your favourite<br />
plant, surely?’ People are too<br />
polite to say this to me out<br />
loud, but they may well be thinking<br />
it when I point to a quiet evergreen<br />
in my border. The truth is that I have<br />
many favourites – I love salvias, adore<br />
pittosporums, daphnes, tulips, hebes,<br />
hydrangeas – but, frustratingly, I can’t<br />
always rely on them. The changing<br />
climate, with long periods of dry,<br />
wet or freezing weather, is making<br />
it challenging for every plant (and<br />
gardener). This is exactly the time<br />
when we need good doers that won’t<br />
let us down, that we can trust to carry<br />
us through the seasons while our fairweather<br />
flowers come and (mainly)<br />
go. Who wants a fussy princess<br />
when we’re despairing or in a crisis?<br />
What we need are stalwart friends.<br />
Trusted trees and shrubs<br />
Long periods of drought in the<br />
growing season are making the<br />
establishment of trees harder. It<br />
takes two years for a newly planted<br />
tree or large shrub to settle into its<br />
new home. This means watering<br />
deeply at least once a week, more<br />
if it’s hot and dry, mulching<br />
and keeping the area around the<br />
roots free from competition and<br />
regularly checking for signs of<br />
stress. Ornamental attributes are<br />
important when choosing what to<br />
plant, but increasingly, resistance to<br />
pests and diseases and the ability to<br />
withstand difficult conditions is key.<br />
Amelanchier has to be the best<br />
one to choose for a small garden.<br />
It has three seasons of interest, is<br />
good for wildlife, and grows in most<br />
conditions, though the best autumn<br />
colour comes if it’s in a sunny spot.<br />
Crataegus (Hawthorn) is another.<br />
There are lots of varieties around, not<br />
just the native hedgerow one. Most<br />
have good autumn foliage and berries.<br />
Gingko biloba is an ancient<br />
tree with attractive leaves and<br />
good autumn colour. It’s also<br />
mainly pest and disease free.<br />
priceless-magazines.com 104
Garden<br />
Hawthorn<br />
comes in many<br />
varieties, most<br />
offering good autumn<br />
foliage and berries, as<br />
well as lovely blossom<br />
in spring<br />
istockphoto.com/ Nature, food, landscape, travel / Wirestock / scholes1<br />
Weeping pear (Pyrus salicifolia) has<br />
lovely silvery foliage, small blossoms<br />
and inedible fruit. Low maintenance,<br />
it has good drought resistance and is<br />
susceptible to few pests and diseases.<br />
Shrubs are suffering the effects of<br />
our erratic weather patterns too, and<br />
as they form the backbone of our<br />
gardens, it pays to have some that<br />
are reliable and uncomplaining. We<br />
tend to take some of these workaday<br />
plants for granted, but like our oldest<br />
and best friends they hang on in there<br />
with us, through thick and thin.<br />
Architectural Cotoneaster horizontalis<br />
has blossom that hums with bees<br />
in spring, then red berries and<br />
matching autumn leaves.<br />
Spiraea ‘Goldflame’ has beautiful<br />
spring foliage – shades of orange<br />
tinged with lime green, which turn<br />
a deep maroon-red in autumn. It<br />
should consult a stylist about its<br />
Germolene coloured flowers though.<br />
Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’ doesn’t<br />
have the bright winter stems of<br />
some varieties, but it has pretty<br />
leaves – soft sage with cream edges<br />
that turn butter yellow in autumn.<br />
Roses<br />
I am a latecomer to roses, but have<br />
really started to appreciate them in<br />
the last few years, because they are<br />
performing really well under the<br />
pressure of droughts and floods. They<br />
seem to put up with most soils and<br />
the modern cultivars are far more<br />
disease resistant. I particularly love<br />
robust species like Rosa rugosa, which<br />
makes a wonderful three season hedge<br />
with flowers, hips and autumn colour,<br />
or the fabulous purple-tinged foliage<br />
of Rosa glauca. Species roses will only<br />
flower once, so you don’t dead-head<br />
them, but the hips are as good as<br />
the flowers and great for wildlife.<br />
Evergreens forever<br />
Our native trees and shrubs are<br />
mainly deciduous, dropping their<br />
leaves in autumn and going into a<br />
period of dormancy over the winter.<br />
Surprisingly there are only five native<br />
evergreens in the UK – Scot’s pine,<br />
Juniper, Yew, Holly and Ivy. All the<br />
rest have been introduced – box <br />
105<br />
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Creating Beautiful Gardens<br />
CheekyMonkeyWT249.indd 1 24/01/<strong>2023</strong> CityEscapesWT250.indd 17:06<br />
1 07/02/<strong>2023</strong> 16:52<br />
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106<br />
WCLandcraftWT252.indd 1 31/03/<strong>2023</strong> 10:53
Garden<br />
Trachelospermum<br />
jasminoides is a<br />
wonderful, well behaved<br />
evergreen climber that will<br />
be at its best in a west or<br />
south facing situation<br />
Abelia<br />
grandiflora<br />
has long lasting<br />
pink autumn<br />
flowers/bracts<br />
istockphoto.com/seven75<br />
was brought in by the Romans and<br />
many of the others that we take<br />
for granted in our gardens these<br />
days have been escorted here by<br />
intrepid Victorian plant hunters.<br />
A plant from a warm place will<br />
keep its leaves on, it knows nothing<br />
about how hard our winters can be,<br />
so it’s not really surprising that some<br />
of them freeze to death. Free-draining<br />
soil and a sheltered micro-climate<br />
will help them to get through, as it<br />
is often cold wind, combined with<br />
waterlogged or frozen soil that does<br />
for them. The great thing about an<br />
evergreen – or ever-yellow, -red or<br />
even -purple – is that they provide<br />
year round interest and there are<br />
some that, like those who take ice<br />
baths, seem not to mind the cold.<br />
Abelia grandiflora has long lasting<br />
pink autumn flowers/bracts.<br />
Elaeagnus is a workaday shrub,<br />
but has gorgeous (almost invisible)<br />
scented flowers in autumn.<br />
Euonymus – the deciduous ones,<br />
related to our native spindle,<br />
have lovely autumn foliage,<br />
others are evergreen, and are very<br />
unfussy and easy to grow.<br />
Viburnum davidii is a<br />
handsome evergreen with large,<br />
glossy dark brown leaves.<br />
Osmanthus is a small leaved (a<br />
little like box leaves) evergreen<br />
with scented flowers in spring.<br />
Trachelospermum jasminoides is a<br />
wonderful, well behaved evergreen<br />
climber that will be at its best in a<br />
west or south facing situation.<br />
Perennially yours<br />
The name ‘perennial’ does suggest that<br />
the plant will be with you for more than<br />
a season and most hardy herbaceous<br />
perennials, although they disappear in<br />
the winter, will cheerfully – sometimes<br />
over-enthusiastically – re-emerge each<br />
year to do their thing. The key word<br />
here is ‘hardy’, some of my favourites –<br />
penstemons and salvias – teeter on the<br />
edge of hardiness, coming through mild<br />
winters with no problem, but felled in<br />
a harsh one. Those in free-draining,<br />
sheltered situations fare the best.<br />
It’s a comfort to know that there <br />
107<br />
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Foxgloves<br />
are great for<br />
shadier areas<br />
and will also<br />
self-sow<br />
Camassias<br />
are also good<br />
at naturalising and<br />
will reliably appear<br />
and increase year<br />
after year.<br />
are lots of really hardy perennials,<br />
but that also means we should be<br />
choosing the best of them to bolster<br />
our borders. Look for those that<br />
flower endlessly, have good foliage<br />
too, or an elegant overall shape – so<br />
often the leaves of perennials are<br />
scruffy, or collapse in bad weather.<br />
There are too many good ones to<br />
mention here, but three loyal border<br />
companions – for me at least, I do know<br />
that some people either can’t grow, or<br />
have too much Verbena bonariensis.<br />
I like it because it flowers for such<br />
a long time and is great for wildlife.<br />
Geranium ‘Rozanne’ will also flower<br />
from June until the frosts – if it sprawls<br />
about too much, just chop it back and<br />
it will amend its ways – a bit. Sedum<br />
(now called Hylotelephium) spectabile is<br />
such a good doer that most of us take<br />
it for granted. Despite its succulent<br />
type leaves, it grows in a surprising<br />
range of conditions, looks good in<br />
bud, flowers late and is a bee magnet.<br />
We can include some grasses here<br />
too – Calamagrostis ‘Karl Forester’ is<br />
a non-spreading, tall, upright grass,<br />
Mollinia ‘Transparent’ spreads a little,<br />
but not invasively. Both make winter<br />
statements – Calamagrostis stands<br />
like a golden pillar and the Mollinia<br />
gently explodes in a bronzy fountain.<br />
Annuals, biennials &<br />
hardy self-seeders<br />
Use short-lived plants for masses of<br />
flowers all summer – fill gaps in the<br />
borders, plant them in pots, or grow in<br />
among edibles in the veg patch to bring<br />
in pollinators and pest controllers.<br />
They often self-seed, and the selfsown<br />
plants will be stronger than<br />
the ones we deliberately plant.<br />
Cosmos are not frost hardy, but planted<br />
out once the danger of frost is past,<br />
they will flower their socks off until the<br />
weather cools in the autumn. Collect<br />
seed then to sow again next year.<br />
Antirrhinums will give any perennial<br />
‘spire’ a run for its money and are<br />
almost perennial, surviving mild<br />
winters and self-sowing if they are<br />
happy. Try a tall variety called ‘Rocket<br />
White’ with a contrasting sultry deep<br />
maroon called ‘Indian Prince’.<br />
Poppies need to be sown directly,<br />
108
Garden<br />
Antirrhinums<br />
will give any<br />
perennial ‘spire’ a run for<br />
its money and are almost<br />
perennial, surviving mild<br />
winters and self-sowing<br />
if they are happy<br />
istockphoto.com/Elenasfotos / NataliaVo<br />
either in autumn or spring, as<br />
they don’t like being transplanted.<br />
Leave the pretty seed-heads for an<br />
added attraction, but keep in mind<br />
they can be prolific self-seeders.<br />
Foxgloves are great for shadier areas<br />
and will also self-sow, although<br />
the pretty pale salmon-coloured<br />
cultivars are almost sterile.<br />
Honesty is a biennial that has<br />
pretty purple or white flowers in<br />
mid spring, followed by beautiful<br />
flat full moons of papery white.<br />
Reliable bulbs<br />
I think I like bulbs because they<br />
are such good value, unfurling into<br />
loveliness and then disappearing to<br />
make way for other plants. Some are<br />
more reliable than others, it’s true –<br />
never trust a tulip to return a favour<br />
(unless it’s that annoying big red one<br />
called ‘Appledorn’). Some have giant<br />
floppy leaves that will swamp and<br />
smother delicate plants that are trying to<br />
emerge from beneath them and others,<br />
like the grape hyacinth (muscari), will<br />
multiply to nuisance proportions.<br />
Alliums will come back year after year<br />
and will often self-sow, although the<br />
dark ‘Purple Sensation’ gradually fades in<br />
colour as it loses sight of its parentage.<br />
Narcissi naturalise well and unless<br />
they are the dainty little ones, this is<br />
the best place for them, as the giant<br />
leaves of some of the bigger varieties<br />
will flop over the borders (tying them<br />
in knots does not improve things).<br />
Camassias are also good at<br />
naturalising and will reliably appear<br />
and increase year after year.<br />
I know that you will be familiar with<br />
nearly all of the plants I’ve mentioned this<br />
month, but in this time of unpredictable<br />
weather events – drought, flood, storms<br />
and arctic blasts (a plague of frogs would<br />
be more welcome – at least they’d eat the<br />
slugs) it’s good to know that we still have<br />
some stalwart and reliable old friends out<br />
there. Lest Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot.<br />
Join Jo for her new Garden Design<br />
course in Woodchurch, Kent. Starting<br />
in April. Find out more and book at<br />
hornbrookmanor.co.uk or 07923 969634<br />
109<br />
priceless-magazines.com
Garden<br />
’Tis the<br />
Season<br />
Jen Stuart-Smith – co-founder of Blooming Green – gets real about truly seasonal flowers<br />
“<br />
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere,” people<br />
sometimes say, as an excuse to have<br />
a daytime tipple… The expression<br />
always pops into my mind when I<br />
see a bouquet of flowers labelled as<br />
‘seasonal’ when it’s clearly anything<br />
but. The flowers may be flowering in<br />
Mexico, or Ecuador or Kenya – but<br />
they’re not seasonal British flowers if<br />
they’re not currently flowering here.<br />
An appreciation of seasonal vegetables<br />
seems to have returned in recent years<br />
– and more people understand the<br />
importance of using what’s available,<br />
and growing or being harvested, right<br />
now. Veg boxes are probably the most<br />
obvious example of this. And any<br />
fancy restaurant or gastro pub worth<br />
its salt knows the value of promoting<br />
seasonal produce on their menus.<br />
It’s seen as a badge of honour.<br />
So, perhaps this is why so many florists<br />
and ‘mailbox’ flower companies are<br />
keen to promote the seasonality of<br />
their bouquets? That’s great news if<br />
it’s true – but not so great if it’s not.<br />
So, next time you’re drawn to a box<br />
or bunch of ‘seasonal’ flowers, take a<br />
closer look – and consider your options.<br />
There really are amazing, and genuine,<br />
seasonal flowers and foliage available all<br />
year round, if you know where to look.<br />
Starting with winter<br />
At this time of year, turn your attention<br />
to lush, winter foliage combined with<br />
berries and hips. You have to get a bit<br />
creative but it’s amazing what you can<br />
create with a selection of foraged or<br />
garden ingredients, combined with<br />
flowers such as amaryllis or paperwhite<br />
narcissi. One of my favourite American<br />
florist-growers, Erin Benzakien – known<br />
as ‘Floret’ – creates large, dynamic<br />
white arrangements using amaryllis,<br />
cavolo nero leaves, snowberry, nerine,<br />
fir branches and Russian sage. Top<br />
with a little ‘Old Man’s Beard’ for<br />
some really wintery magic – or honesty<br />
seed pods for a natural shine.<br />
priceless-magazines.com 110
Hellebores are also a wonderful winter<br />
cut flower, either placed in a vase or cut<br />
at the base of the flower and placed, en<br />
masse and face-up, in a dish of water. Or,<br />
if you just want to bring the outdoors<br />
in, use pot plants or dried flowers.<br />
The latter have seen a renaissance in<br />
recent years and are no longer the fusty,<br />
dusty thing we associate with the 70s<br />
and our granny’s downstairs loo!<br />
Spring is when hope – and<br />
classic cut flowers – return<br />
Spring flowers often punch above their<br />
weight – offering intense scent as well as<br />
delicate beauty. There are few more lovely<br />
– and affordable – flowery gifts than a<br />
mini bunch of muscari (grape hyacinth)<br />
wrapped in brown paper and tied with<br />
raffia or string. The same goes for Lily-ofthe-Valley.<br />
For some reason spring flowers<br />
often work well as a single variety bunch<br />
– think rich, almost-clashing anemones<br />
in dark blue, scarlet and white, or an<br />
abundant bunch of tulips. Tulips were so<br />
prized in previous centuries that there is<br />
even such a thing as a ‘tulip vase’ which<br />
displays the blooms in a loose, spread-out<br />
array, so that no flower is hidden by the<br />
others. And how could we not mention<br />
ranunculus?! Mini peony-like flowers in<br />
ever more exotic colours and patterns – but<br />
especially lovely in pink and orange hues.<br />
If you want to pair your spring flowers<br />
with some foliage – make the most of the<br />
fresh lime greens that are typical of this<br />
time of year – euonymus, pittosporum<br />
and euphorbia (just watch out for the<br />
white sap – which can be an irritant). <br />
Above left: Dahlias provide<br />
months of colour; Above<br />
right: Rain or shine, flowers<br />
bring joy to pickers at<br />
Blooming Green; Below:<br />
A wheelbarrow bursts with<br />
late summer picks; Dogs are<br />
often keen to get involved<br />
with gardening, this time<br />
with positive results<br />
: istockphoto.com/IWOZON<br />
111<br />
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“At Blooming<br />
Green our PYO<br />
season starts<br />
in late June –<br />
so we see for<br />
ourselves which<br />
flower beds our<br />
customers make<br />
a beeline for!”<br />
Above: Flowers staying fresh in a sink, with thanks to @catlanephoto<br />
Late spring and early summer<br />
bring endless variety<br />
It’s difficult to know where to start<br />
once summer arrives… but there are<br />
a few flowers that people are willing<br />
to fight over. At Blooming Green our<br />
PYO season starts in late June, so we<br />
see for ourselves which flower beds<br />
our customers make a beeline for! First<br />
up, in late spring and early summer,<br />
are peonies – an eternal favourite and<br />
really popular with brides. We grow<br />
a few ourselves – saved mostly for<br />
wedding customers – but are always<br />
happy to recommend the specialist<br />
peony growers Little Buds Peony<br />
Farm near Thurnham on the North<br />
Downs. They have around 6,000 peony<br />
plants and sell the blooms in May and<br />
June each year. Another classic are<br />
delphiniums, which seem to bring out<br />
the sharp elbows in some of our pickers.<br />
Then there are roses, antirrhinum<br />
(snapdragons), astrantia, cornflower,<br />
cosmos and irises – to name but a few.<br />
We’re in the garden of England after<br />
all, so why have flowers from abroad<br />
when you’ve got this sort of choice?<br />
The season of mellow fruitfulness<br />
– and even more flowers<br />
Late summer and autumn are a personal<br />
favourite when it comes to seasonal<br />
flowers. Not only is there an abundance<br />
of flowers such as dahlias, sunflower,<br />
zinnias, cosmos and chrysanths… but<br />
there are seed heads, pods and grasses<br />
too. Colours tend to be warm and rich<br />
and for some reason the flowers have<br />
greater staying power in the vase too<br />
(except for dahlias, whose vase life is<br />
more short and sweet). Gradually we<br />
seem to be embracing the Americans’<br />
love of autumn – and we don’t just<br />
mean Halloween – with an appreciation<br />
of hydrangeas and chrysanthemums,<br />
autumn wreaths, autumnal foliage<br />
and ornamental pumpkins and<br />
gourds. It’s Harvest Festival time<br />
too – so there’s a sense of celebration<br />
for all that nature has to offer.<br />
priceless-magazines.com 112
Garden<br />
Above: A beautiful wreath of dried flowers to enjoy throughout the year<br />
So that brings us back round to the<br />
lead up to <strong>Christmas</strong>, and to short,<br />
dark days when we all need a little<br />
something to cheer up our homes. If<br />
you’d like some inspiration, the Garden<br />
Museum in Lambeth, South London<br />
is hosting its first ever Winter Flowers<br />
Week exhibition on 7-11 <strong>December</strong>,<br />
which aims to showcase the beauty of<br />
British seasonal foliage and flowers,<br />
available in the depths of winter.<br />
Blooming Green will be hosting a<br />
foliage talk and demo there on Friday<br />
<strong>December</strong> 8th. Exhibitors will be<br />
Sarah Diligent of Floribunda Rose as<br />
well as Shane Connolly & Co, Carly<br />
Rogers Flowers, Hazel Gardiner Design<br />
and Tattie Rose Studio. Or, to find a<br />
local, seasonal flower grower near to<br />
you, visit flowersfromthefarm.co.uk.<br />
Jen and her cousin, Bek (pictured<br />
right), run Blooming Green.<br />
Find out more about their work<br />
at bloominggreenflowers.co.uk<br />
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Education<br />
Communication is Key<br />
Mike Piercy, educational consultant and former Head of The New Beacon,<br />
shares advice on how parents can support their children at school<br />
Trust is such a fragile thing. It<br />
can take an age to build; but a<br />
moment to break. Our children<br />
are the most precious things. Our<br />
primeval instinct is to protect them<br />
from harm – to do the best for them,<br />
at home, in school and in life.<br />
In supporting our children at<br />
school the starting point is choosing<br />
the school itself – if given that<br />
blessing. Having made your choice<br />
and successfully gained a place, trust<br />
your judgment and trust the school.<br />
When choosing a Secondary or<br />
Senior school the Head is of course<br />
the key figure but, in terms of your<br />
interaction as a parent, the interface<br />
is far more likely to be the Head of<br />
Year, Section or House. This is the<br />
person you must instinctively trust and,<br />
ideally (though not essentially) like.<br />
In the Primary or Prep sector the<br />
person in whom you must place your<br />
trust is the Head. Preps and Primaries<br />
are generally smaller than Secondaries.<br />
The Head is more likely to have<br />
daily influence on your child and on<br />
‘the feel’ of the school. In choosing<br />
any school, Primary or Secondary,<br />
the most important, determining<br />
factor is that instinctive feel: do I<br />
believe my child will be nurtured;<br />
socially, emotionally, academically<br />
and in the breadth of education?<br />
We all recall certain teachers who<br />
had significant influences on us –<br />
for better or for worse. This will<br />
also be the case for your children<br />
and, equally, for you as a parent.<br />
Don’t expect to see eye-to-eye<br />
with every teacher you encounter.<br />
Don’t expect to agree with every<br />
aspect of school policy. Don’t<br />
expect a bumpless road.<br />
Communication is key. How does<br />
the school communicate with you:<br />
collectively, to parents; individually,<br />
to you? Diligently read any regular<br />
newsletters – or weekly bulletin if<br />
there is one. Most independent schools<br />
are run on a tight budget (which<br />
may come as something of a surprise<br />
considering fees). School offices are<br />
busy. ‘Phone calls or emails asking for<br />
information which has already been<br />
communicated via bulletin or email<br />
are wasteful and time-consuming.<br />
Play your part: know what is going<br />
on; respond as requested within<br />
deadlines. At an individual level,<br />
if there is a homework planner, or<br />
similar, check it regularly – use it<br />
as a communication tool with the<br />
teacher or tutor. Attend parent and<br />
information meetings. Be informed.<br />
The Pareto Principle applies: the<br />
80:20 rule. At least 80% of matters and<br />
contact will be humdrum routine. It is<br />
the 20% where caution is needed: when<br />
things go wrong, you have a concern<br />
or, indeed, if you just need something<br />
clarified. The child coming home<br />
upset having been called a ‘disgusting<br />
elephant’; upon enquiry it is revealed<br />
the teacher said, ‘Disruptive element’.<br />
In disputing or trying to clarify an<br />
‘incident’ be open to compromise.<br />
Don’t be afraid to question.<br />
Do be prepared to listen. Dr. John<br />
Rae, former Head of Westminster,<br />
put it well when talking to new<br />
parents: ‘If you believe only half of<br />
the stories which come from school<br />
to home, we in return will only<br />
believe half of the stories which<br />
come to school from home.’<br />
We all went to school and for<br />
some it must follow we are all<br />
education experts. While it should<br />
be glaringly obvious, the triangulated<br />
relationship of school, pupil and<br />
parent makes for a successful, happier<br />
educational experience for everyone.<br />
Teachers, however, are the experts<br />
and you do have that common,<br />
shared interest: your children.<br />
It serves no-one to inflate a child’s<br />
potential or ability; for praise to be<br />
gratuitous. It can be difficult to hear<br />
your child is not meeting sometimes<br />
ambitious parental expectations – or<br />
is not working to capacity, slaving<br />
over a hot exercise book or laptop.<br />
Consider for a moment the teacher’s<br />
motivation and it certainly won’t be<br />
to upset or inflame the loving parent.<br />
In fact, very often, teachers will be<br />
profoundly nervous of telling a parent<br />
what might be received as bad news.<br />
Schools will sometimes get things<br />
wrong (hopefully not too often). So<br />
do we; so do our children. While<br />
a bond of trust remains; while<br />
communication is open and twoway,<br />
you will be doing a fine job<br />
supporting your children’s school, their<br />
education, their opportunities for life.<br />
istockphoto.com/ Feodora Chiosea<br />
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Legal<br />
Know where<br />
you stand<br />
Joanna Pratt, Head of Family at Thomson Snell & Passmore<br />
clarifies the legal rights of cohabiting unmarried couples<br />
istockphoto.com/ PIKSEL<br />
What legal rights do unmarried<br />
partners who live together have?<br />
Cohabiting couples make up the fastest growing family<br />
type, with nearly one in every four families in the UK<br />
living together without being married. Contrary to popular<br />
opinion, there is no such thing as a ‘common law’ spouse<br />
and the law doesn’t recognise cohabiting couples in the same<br />
way as those who are married or in a civil partnership.<br />
Resolution, which is a community of family professionals<br />
who work with families and individuals to resolve issues in<br />
a constructive way, is holding a ‘Cohabitation Awareness<br />
Week’ from 27 November to 1 <strong>December</strong> <strong>2023</strong>. This is<br />
an important area of family law, which is often not fully<br />
understood and there has been increasing pressure on<br />
parliament to enhance the rights unmarried couples have.<br />
What rights do cohabiting couples currently have?<br />
Many clients who come to us for advice believe they<br />
are protected as a ‘common law spouse’, if they live<br />
together for several years, sometimes for decades. It<br />
can come as a shock to them to discover that there<br />
is no such status and, therefore, no protection or<br />
automatic right to make financial claims against<br />
their former partner when the relationship ends.<br />
When a marriage or civil partnership breaks down, a<br />
spouse can apply for financial orders under the Matrimonial<br />
Causes Act 1973, including spousal maintenance, an interest<br />
in properties which are in the other spouse’s sole name, a<br />
lump sum or a share of the other spouse’s pension – even if<br />
they made no financial contribution during the marriage.<br />
Cohabitees on the other hand, are not similarly protected.<br />
Further, unmarried couples have no automatic right to a<br />
share of their partner’s property in the event of their death,<br />
no automatic right to inherit their estate, no automatic<br />
right to various tax advantages and in many cases, no<br />
automatic right to receive the deceased partner’s pension.<br />
What can couples who do not wish to get<br />
married do to protect themselves?<br />
One of the most important things to consider is how<br />
you will own property, particularly if the title is to be<br />
registered in one party’s name but the intention is that it is<br />
jointly owned. This will need to be recorded elsewhere, for<br />
example in a declaration of trust, so that everyone is clear<br />
as to where they stand and what the contributions are.<br />
It may be wise to consider drawing up a cohabitation<br />
agreement. This is a legal document between a couple who<br />
are living together but not married or in a civil partnership.<br />
It will typically set out the arrangements for the finances,<br />
property and, sometimes, children whilst the couple are<br />
living together, and what the agreed arrangements will be if<br />
they were to separate. The agreement can deal with a wide<br />
range of matters, including property ownership, financial<br />
contributions during the relationship and, in some cases,<br />
arrangements for the children and future maintenance.<br />
Cohabitation agreements are a legally binding<br />
contract between the couple, and will usually be<br />
upheld by the court provided they are drafted and<br />
executed properly, which is why it is essential to take<br />
legal advice before an agreement is prepared.<br />
If you have any questions about this topic, you can get<br />
in touch with Thomson Snell & Passmore’s expert family<br />
lawyers by emailing info@ts-p.co.uk or visit ts-p.co.uk<br />
115<br />
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THE OLD<br />
GAOL<br />
STUDIOS<br />
Come and view a selection<br />
of oil paintings, cards,<br />
ceramics and jewellery by<br />
the Terry Family. Inspired<br />
by the local landscape and<br />
the changing seasons.<br />
Faversham <strong>Christmas</strong> Markets Weekend<br />
9-10th <strong>December</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
9-10th <strong>December</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
Faversham Market Place<br />
Faversham Market Place<br />
Karl Terry RSMA<br />
India Williams<br />
Poplar Road<br />
Wittersham<br />
Kent TN30 7PD<br />
07534216116<br />
We look forward<br />
to welcoming you.<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong> Opening<br />
Fri 8th - Sun 10th Dec | 10:30 - 4:30pm<br />
Joanna Terry<br />
Shop for <strong>Christmas</strong> in beautiful Faversham<br />
Shop for <strong>Christmas</strong> in beautiful Faversham<br />
B r o w s e s t a l l s f r o m a c r o s s F a v e r s h a m ' s C h a r t e r<br />
B r o w s e s t a l l s f r o m a c r o s s F a v e r s h a m ' s C h a r t e r<br />
M a r k e t , B e s t o f F a v e r s h a m A r t i s a n M a r k e t a n d<br />
M a r k e t , B e s t o f F a v e r s h a m A r t i s a n M a r k e t a n d<br />
F a v e r s h a m A n t i q u e s M a r k e t .<br />
F a v e r s a m A n t i q u e s M a r k e t .<br />
M e e t t h e d o n k e y s .<br />
M e e t t h e d o n k e y s .<br />
E n j o y F a v e r s h a m ' s i n d e p e n d e n t s h o p s a n d<br />
E n j o y F a v e r s h a m ' s i n d e p e n d e n t s h o p s a n d<br />
c a f é s .<br />
c a f é s .<br />
f a v e r s h a m m a r k e t . o r g<br />
@favershammarket<br />
@favershammarket<br />
@favershammarkets<br />
@favershammarkets<br />
REIMAGINED FOR <strong>2023</strong><br />
As twilight falls,<br />
the magic begins<br />
24 NOV – 31 DEC<br />
Tickets from £18<br />
christmaslightsatleedscastle.co.uk<br />
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116
KARL TERRY EXHIBITION<br />
KARL TERRY EXHIBITION<br />
CHRISTMAS FAIR AT<br />
LODDINGTON CHRISTMAS FAIR FARM AT &<br />
BLOOMING LODDINGTON GREEN FARM<br />
EVENT WINTERSHALL NAME<br />
HERE NATIVITY<br />
istockphoto.com/sunshiny & Oksana_Bondar & prescott09<br />
What’s On<br />
this Season<br />
CHRISTMAS FUN<br />
Every Fri, Sat & Sun until<br />
Sat 23 Dec from 10am<br />
Also Mon 18, Tues 19,<br />
Weds 20 and Thurs 21<br />
The WonderWorks by Hornby<br />
Hobbies, Westwood Industrial<br />
Estate, Margate CT9 4JX<br />
WINTER WONDERLAND<br />
AT THE WONDERWORKS<br />
Get your festivities on track<br />
and experience the wonder of<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong> at The WonderWorks<br />
as it transforms into a magical<br />
Winter Wonderland, complete with<br />
a very special guest! Meet Santa<br />
in the Winter Wonderland Grotto<br />
and your ticket will also include<br />
a workshop session, a gift and 2<br />
for 1 entry into The WonderWorks<br />
exhibition. The WonderWorks,<br />
located on the site of the former<br />
Hornby Visitor Centre in Margate<br />
and is a reimagined experience,<br />
showcasing products from the<br />
world-famous and ever-popular<br />
brands of Airfix, Corgi, Hornby,<br />
Pocher and Scalextric. Visitors can<br />
also stock up on <strong>Christmas</strong> gifts in<br />
the shop and enjoy refreshments at<br />
the redesigned café. Book online to<br />
select your chosen 30 min timeslot.<br />
Entry: Grotto £15 per child,<br />
The WonderWorks exhibition £5<br />
per adult or £2.50 per child (other<br />
concessions are also available)<br />
wonderworksmargate.co.uk<br />
Sat 9 Dec 10am-4pm<br />
Loddington Farm, Loddington<br />
Lane, Linton, Maidstone,<br />
Kent ME17 4AG<br />
CHRISTMAS MARKET<br />
AT LODDINGTON FARM<br />
WITH BLOOMING GREEN<br />
Loddington Farm are teaming<br />
up with Blooming Green to host<br />
a fabulous <strong>Christmas</strong> Market.<br />
The Farm itself is a wonderful<br />
local spot that focuses on farming<br />
with nature instead of chemicals<br />
to produce more nutritious, and<br />
environmentally-friendly food.<br />
For this event, they’re setting up<br />
all sorts of festive stalls. It’s a great<br />
opportunity to buy your <strong>Christmas</strong><br />
tree at the farm shop, plus there<br />
will be a hog roast, Crimbo<br />
cocktails and tons of festive fun.<br />
Blooming Green will be offering<br />
dried flowers, festive foliage,<br />
117<br />
tasteful gifts and, just in case you<br />
need anything more to tempt<br />
you... waffles and hot chocolate.<br />
loddingtonfarm.co.uk<br />
Thurs 14 Dec 5pm & Sat 16<br />
– Mon 18 Dec 2pm & 5pm<br />
Wintershall, Gate Street, Bramley,<br />
Guildford, Surrey GU5 0LR<br />
THE NATIVITY JOURNEY<br />
AT WINTERSHALL<br />
A novel immersive way to<br />
experience the <strong>Christmas</strong> story<br />
awaits at Wintershall... What better<br />
way to get into the festive mood<br />
than walking with Mary, Joseph<br />
and their donkey on the winding<br />
road to Bethlehem? Register for<br />
the census, accompanied on your<br />
journey by Roman soldiers and<br />
shepherds as you approach the<br />
stable to watch a miracle unfold.<br />
This Nativity promises to bring<br />
the magic of <strong>Christmas</strong> alive for<br />
you and your family. Performances<br />
are 90 minutes long and there is<br />
free parking. Book early to secure<br />
your preferred date and time.<br />
Visitors are encouraged to wrap<br />
up warm and to wear suitable<br />
footwear for a country walk.<br />
Entry: £14 - £30 (family<br />
tickets available)<br />
wintershall.org.uk<br />
EXHIBITIONS<br />
Fri 8 – Sun 10 Dec<br />
10.30am-4.30pm<br />
The Old Gaol Studios,<br />
Wittersham TN30 7ED<br />
CHRISTMAS AT THE<br />
OLD GAOL STUDIOS<br />
IN WITTERSHAM<br />
Karl Terry is a ‘plein air’ artist,<br />
and a member of both the<br />
Royal Society of Marine Artists<br />
and the Rye Society of Artists.<br />
He’s known for going out in all<br />
weather around the local area,<br />
busy creating new artwork.<br />
Karl will be opening his quirky<br />
studio, The Old Gaol in<br />
Wittersham for one weekend<br />
to show a selection of his works<br />
alongside those of his ceramicist<br />
wife, Joanna, who, inspired by<br />
the great outdoors, uses wild<br />
plants in her work. Their daughter<br />
India, who teaches yoga will also<br />
be showcasing her own brand<br />
of yogic jewellery which draws<br />
on the changing seasons.<br />
Please contact Joanna on 07534<br />
216116 for information.<br />
MOTORS<br />
Sun 17 Dec<br />
Goudhurst 5pm<br />
Cranbrook 5.30pm<br />
Staplehurst 6pm<br />
Marden 6.30pm<br />
LIGHT IT UP TRACTOR RUN<br />
Raising money for Air Ambulance<br />
Charity Kent Surrey Sussex, Weald<br />
of Kent Young Farmers Club will<br />
be parading a convoy of 40+ lit up<br />
tractors through several <strong>Wealden</strong><br />
villages for a proper bit of rural<br />
festive fun. They’ll be driving<br />
slowly through the streets, so<br />
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In the January issue of<br />
<strong>Wealden</strong> <strong>Times</strong> magazine<br />
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A Writer's <strong>Christmas</strong><br />
at Bateman's<br />
© National Trust 2020. Registered Charity no. 205846.<br />
Photography © National Trust Images/Elizabeth Vessey<br />
Visit this winter for a traditional<br />
<strong>Christmas</strong>, with decorations inspired<br />
by the writings of Rudyard Kipling.<br />
18 Nov-1 Jan (except 24 & 25 Dec).<br />
nationaltrust.org.uk/batemans<br />
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118
find a safe spot on a pavement or<br />
driveway or peep through your<br />
window if you’re lucky enough<br />
to live along the route. The West<br />
End Tavern in Marden will be<br />
open for drinks and the Star and<br />
Eagle in Goudhurst also promises<br />
Morris Dancing. To show your<br />
support, donate at justgiving.com<br />
or drop some monies into one<br />
of the buckets along the route.<br />
wealdofkentyfc.wordpress.com<br />
Sun 21 Jan 10am<br />
Kenward Place, Kenward Road,<br />
Yalding, Kent ME18 6AH<br />
CLASSICS & COFFEE AT<br />
KENWARD PLACE<br />
If you’re a fan of classic cars or<br />
coffee – or both – you’ll be pleased<br />
to hear Kenward Place are holding<br />
another of their monthly car meetups.<br />
You can also visit their popular<br />
cafe for extra refreshment and might<br />
get to spy their team of alpacas.<br />
Enjoy a morning at this lovely<br />
location and help support Kenward<br />
Trust’s valuable work in aid of those<br />
affected by addiction, homelessness<br />
and crime. Kent’s leading alcohol<br />
and drug rehabilitation and<br />
resettlement centre has provided<br />
55 years of hope and recovery.<br />
Entry: £5 per car (including<br />
self-service tea and coffee)<br />
Book your car in by calling<br />
01622 814187 kenwardtrust.org.uk<br />
kenwardplace.co.uk<br />
PANTOS<br />
Sat 2 Dec – Sun 7 Jan<br />
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre,<br />
Millbrook, Guildford GU1 3UX<br />
CINDERELLA AT YVONNE<br />
ARNAUD THEATRE<br />
Head to the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre<br />
in Guildford this <strong>Christmas</strong> for the<br />
godmother of all pantos, Cinderella!<br />
This year’s stellar line up includes<br />
EastEnders and Detectorists favourite<br />
Lucy Benjamin as the Wicked<br />
Stepmother, Radio’s Peter Gordon<br />
in a hilarious Ugly Stepsister duo<br />
alongside Guildford Shakepeare<br />
Company co-founder Matt Pinches,<br />
and CBeebies star James Merry<br />
for his third Guildford panto. It<br />
promises to be full of slapstick and<br />
slosh, music and magic. Don’t wait<br />
to book – the clock is ticking!<br />
yvonne-arnaud.co.uk<br />
Fri 8 Dec 7.30pm, Sat 9 Dec 2pm<br />
& 7.30pm & Sun 10 Dec 2pm<br />
Crowborough Community<br />
Centre, Pine Grove,<br />
Crowborough TN6 1FE<br />
THE CROWBOROUGH<br />
PLAYERS PRESENT THE<br />
THREE MUSKETEERS<br />
Since 2012 The Crowborough<br />
Players have performed a<br />
community pantomime, and this<br />
year they return to present their<br />
very own interpretation of the<br />
heart-warming swashbuckling<br />
tale, The Three Musketeers.<br />
istockphoto.com/LarsZahnerPhotography<br />
CINDERELLA AT<br />
YVONNE ARNAUD<br />
THEATRE<br />
119<br />
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Stmp<br />
FL 2 0.83<br />
FL 2 0.33<br />
REVISIONS<br />
PROJECT<br />
ADDRESS<br />
TITLE<br />
DRAWING<br />
NUMBER<br />
STATUS<br />
DRAWN CHECKED DATE SCALE REVISION<br />
HG<br />
1 Coves Barn, Winstone Gloucestershire. GL7 7JZ<br />
[t] 01285 841407 [e] mail@blakearchitects.co.uk<br />
www.blakearchitects.co.uk<br />
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Native hedge to replace wall removed due to<br />
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meter grid with meadow grass below<br />
Residential Curtilage<br />
New Contours<br />
Creative solutions<br />
for your<br />
planning projects<br />
Native hedge with stock proof fence<br />
N<br />
www.therpp.co.uk<br />
0 5 10 15 20 25m<br />
Notes<br />
1. This drawing remains copyright of Blake Architects Limited and may<br />
not be reproduced or copied without consent in writing.<br />
2. For construction use figured dimensions only.<br />
3. Any discrepancies between site and drawings to be reported to the<br />
architect immediately.<br />
4. Read in conjunction with all relevant structural and mechanical &<br />
electrical engineers drawings.<br />
5. Survey undertaken by:<br />
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Proposed Site Plan<br />
office@therpp.co.uk<br />
CIRENCESTER<br />
01285 323200<br />
22.03.02.10<br />
CONCEPT<br />
Lights, sparkle, celebration<br />
At Scotney Castle this <strong>Christmas</strong><br />
© National Trust <strong>2023</strong>. Registered Charity no. 205846.<br />
Photography © National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra<br />
Start your seasonal celebrations with a swing in our 1960s<br />
decorated mansion house.<br />
Enjoy late nights and lights, 'Carrot & Co' outdoor family trail,<br />
'Write a letter to Santa' station, plus perfect presents, festive<br />
feasting, and lots of gorgeous twinkling trees.<br />
nationaltrust.org.uk/scotney-castle<br />
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120
to the community centre to join<br />
the family fun, packed with laughs,<br />
songs and the magic of panto. The<br />
Players look forward to seeing you.<br />
Entry: £13.50 / £12<br />
01892 300567 /<br />
crowboroughpanto.com<br />
Fri 8 – Sun 31 Dec<br />
The Hawth, Hawth Ave,<br />
Crawley RH10 6YZ<br />
SLEEPING BEAUTY<br />
AT THE HAWTH<br />
Don’t miss this year’s spectacular,<br />
fun-filled pantomime Sleeping<br />
Beauty at The Hawth in Crawley<br />
starring West End superstar Carrie<br />
Hope Fletcher, CBeebies favourite<br />
Andy Day, West End star Scott<br />
Paige and Crawley’s favourite<br />
dame, Michael J Batchelor. Carrie<br />
Hope Fletcher’s impressive West<br />
End credits include Les Misérables,<br />
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and<br />
Mary Poppins. CBeebies favourite<br />
Andy Day is sure to delight the<br />
thousands of families who are fans<br />
of his BAFTA-nominated series,<br />
Andy’s Wild Adventures as well as<br />
Andy’s Dinosaur Adventures among<br />
many others. Sleeping Beauty<br />
promises to be the pantomime<br />
of your dreams, so don’t snooze,<br />
book your tickets today!<br />
hawth.co.uk<br />
istockphoto.com/KatarzynaBialasiewicz & Deagreez<br />
SLEEPING BEAUTY<br />
AT THE HAWTH<br />
LOOKING AHEAD<br />
Fri 12, Sat 13, Fri 19 & Sat 20<br />
Jan; Fri 2 & Sat 3 Feb 10am-3pm<br />
Standen Street Community<br />
Orchard, Iden Green, TN17 4LB<br />
LEARN TO PRUNE<br />
APPLE TREES<br />
Whether you have veteran trees or<br />
saplings – apple trees need correct<br />
pruning to keep them healthy<br />
and productive. Learn from an<br />
expert and practise on a range of<br />
trees in the beautiful surroundings<br />
of an ancient <strong>Wealden</strong> orchard.<br />
It’s worth booking early to<br />
avoid disappointment.<br />
Entry: £45 (£7.50 goes to Standen<br />
Fruit Farm Community Orchard)<br />
For more details and to book, email<br />
info@goldfinch-gardens.co.uk<br />
Listings are correct at time of going to press<br />
but may be subject to change. Readers<br />
are advised to check with venues before<br />
making arrangements. We can list your<br />
event in the next issue of <strong>Wealden</strong> <strong>Times</strong><br />
for only £75+VAT. Please supply up to<br />
200 words that should include date, time,<br />
venue, contact for enquiries and any entry<br />
price to whatson@priceless-group.com<br />
or send with payment (cheques payable<br />
to Priceless Media Ltd.) to What’s On,<br />
Priceless Media, Kettle Chambers, 21 Stone<br />
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AllWoodsSandingServicesWT2171/8.indd 1 21/02/2020 12:55<br />
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Monday - Friday<br />
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Saturday 9am-1pm<br />
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BestReclamationWT242.indd 2 01/06/2022 10:20<br />
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Monday email: - ruth@bestreclamation.co.uk<br />
Friday 7.30am-5pm, email: Saturday ruth@bestreclamation.co.uk<br />
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email: www.bestreclamation.co.uk<br />
ruth@bestreclamation.co.uk www.bestreclamation.co.uk<br />
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Learn how to create beautiful garden borders<br />
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Starting April 2024<br />
Join Jo Arnell in Woodchurch kent for a garden design course<br />
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Advertise with<br />
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& Surrey Homes<br />
Call the Sales Team on 01580 714705<br />
priceless-magazines.com<br />
121<br />
PromoteYourBusinessWT.indd 1 23/03/2021 15:56
Jane Howard gets Coopers<br />
Farm, and its bovine residents,<br />
all set for <strong>Christmas</strong><br />
So another farming year draws to<br />
a close. Clocks have gone back,<br />
storm after storm has already whipped<br />
through and it hasn’t stopped raining for<br />
days. But as <strong>December</strong> arrives I’m ever hopeful<br />
that some crisp and even days are on the way.<br />
All that wet weather means it’s time to bring<br />
the cattle in. They would happily outwinter, but<br />
weighing in at about 750kg a cow, and George<br />
the bull a whopping 1,000kg, they would soon<br />
turn the fields into a sea of mud resulting in no<br />
grass next spring. So in they must come.<br />
First off, it’s the calves. Born in February and March,<br />
they are plainly big enough to leave<br />
mum but there is always a big fuss<br />
and quite a racket. Equally you’d think<br />
the mums who are expecting new<br />
calves in February would relish a few<br />
months of ‘me’ time, but no, they too<br />
are equally vocal for a few days, and<br />
so Stonegate rings with a cacophony<br />
of bellows. Sorry, neighbours.<br />
All the calves are in one shed, apart<br />
from four males who have been selected<br />
as potential bulls. They have a lot of<br />
growing to do before they are ready<br />
to ‘go to work’ in spring 2025, so<br />
they get extra rations and of course<br />
need to be kept apart from the female heifer calves. The<br />
main herd will follow them into the barns a week or<br />
so later, leaving the great outdoors behind until April<br />
next year, when hopefully it should be dry enough to<br />
turn them back out. Seeing them out of the mud and<br />
up to their knees in clean straw is a lovely sight.<br />
George the bull is still with his girls and can stay until<br />
they start calving in February – cows are pregnant for<br />
nine months. To have all the calves born in a block, they<br />
need to go to the bull three months after calving and it<br />
The pagans considered<br />
holly to be male and ivy<br />
to be female. Whichever<br />
was brought into<br />
the home first would<br />
determine whether the<br />
wife or the husband<br />
would rule the home<br />
for the following year<br />
usually takes them that long to recover from the birth<br />
and get back into ovulation. However, it’s not unheard of<br />
for cows to come back into season as quickly as a week<br />
after giving birth and the last thing we want is George<br />
being around to take advantage. So from February he has<br />
to move in with the young bulls, in the boys-only shed.<br />
Once all the cattle are in and sorted<br />
– the sheep are much lighter so can<br />
stay out as they don’t ruin the fields<br />
– it’s time to think about decorating<br />
the house. In November many of the<br />
holly trees are laden with berries, but<br />
as we creep ever nearer to the big day<br />
the blackbirds and fieldfares have a<br />
feast and strip them bare. So if any<br />
of you took the advice metered out<br />
in last month’s column to cut the<br />
branches in November and store them<br />
somewhere cool, like me you will be<br />
feeling rather pleased with yourself to<br />
have holly laden with bright red berries.<br />
Now it’s <strong>December</strong> I’ll be bringing them <strong>inside</strong> with<br />
lots of long strands of ivy, which I’ve been looking out<br />
for these past few months. The idea being quantity above<br />
quality to create general <strong>Christmas</strong> verdant loveliness.<br />
Incidentally, the pagans considered holly to be male and<br />
ivy to be female. Whichever was brought into the home<br />
first would determine whether the wife or the husband<br />
would rule for the following year so those buckets of precut<br />
holly can stay firmly in the shed while the woodland<br />
ivy is duly draped! Happy <strong>Christmas</strong>, everyone.<br />
Find out more about daily life at Coopers Farm by visiting coopersfarmstonegate.co.uk<br />
priceless-magazines.com 122
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BirkettsLLPWT253.indd 1 16/05/<strong>2023</strong> 12:26:56
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