Wealden Times | WT267 | August 2024 | Taste of the South East Supplement inside

PRICELESS 

AUGUST 2024 

267 

AUGUST 2024 

TASTE OF THE SOUTH EAST SUPPLEMENT inside 

Inspirational Interiors • Fabulous Fashion • Delicious Dishes

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Contents 

August 2024 

12 

25 

29 

30 

47 

48 

30 

70supplement 

HOUSE OF THE MONTH 

Dream homes on the market 

NOTEBOOK 

Upcoming events for your diary 

THE MUST LIST 

Keep up-to-date with the latest 

must-see and must-have goodies 

INTERIOR COLLECTIVE 

A barn conversion with 

real personality 

GET THE LOOK 

Nail an eclectic aesthetic 

FAMILY HELPING FAMILY 

Tips to ease the financial 

load and get family members 

on the property ladder 

61 

89 

91 

94 

95 

GET THE LOOK 

Playful prints and 

tactile textures 

MEDITERRANEAN 

MOMENTS 

Rebecca Cuffe’s sunny syles 

COOL BEAUTY 

Josephine Fairley edits 

makeup and skincare that 

stands the heat test 

TAKE A BREAK 

To exercise or not to 

exercise on holiday, Sarah 

Maxwell gives her opinion 

NOURISH TO FLOURISH 

Charlotte Lau analyses the 

benefits of eating beetroot 

101 

102 

105 

106 

52 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS 

Mike Piercy reflects on the 

end of the school year 

OPEN DAY SEASON 

Find out when schools across 

the South East will be opening 

their doors to prospective 

students and their parents 

WHAT’S ON 

Fun-filled dates for your diary... 

FABLES FROM THE FARM 

Jane Howard’s latest instalment 

from Coopers Farm 

52 

HAPPY HOME 

A contemporary revamp of some 

lofty Tunbridge Wells stables 

97 

SUMMER SURVIVORS 

Jo Arnell sings the praises 

of super-hardy succulents 

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6

From the 

Editor 

CANTERBURY 

MAIDSTONE 

Food and drink features heavily in some of my favourite 

summer memories – trying out local delicacies, 

sampling amazing wines and picking out seasonal 

produce is always a highlight of exploring new places, both 

at home and away. It was, therefore, particularly wonderful 

to get involved with this issue’s food shoot, which celebrates 

all that’s so irresistible about things that have been grown, 

made and concocted in the South East of England. Charlotte 

Butterworth teamed up with Balfour Winery’s Alannah Wood 

for perfect wine pairings and Katharine Gray Ceramics for 

beautiful stoneware. Read on about all our favourite local 

producers, foodie events and eateries in our Taste of the 

South East Supplement, just after our second house feature. 

We’ve been to Churt and Tunbridge Wells to 

photograph our interiors this month. With both owners 

involved in interior design, it was interesting to see 

how they applied their individual tastes, styles and 

personalities to their own personal home projects. 

After a soggy start to summer, we’re still holding out hope 

for a decent helping of sunshine, so asked beauty expert 

Josephine Fairley to track down products that stand the 

heat test (equally useful if you’re going away on 

holiday). And Jo Arnell focuses in on juicy 

succulents that thrive in warmer climates. 

Also, don’t miss the publication of 

our education writer, Mike Piercy’s, 

new book ‘Careering’ which is out 

this month! (troubador.co.uk) 

Enjoy your Priceless Magazine 

Priceless Team 

EditorLucy Fleming 

Supplements & Features EditorRebecca Cuffe 

Sub Editor & Features Writer Emily Pavey 

Design & Production DirectorAnthony Boxall 

Sales Manager, Surrey HomesLisa Gordon-Hughes 

lisa.gordon-hughes@surrey-homes.co.uk 

Sales Manager, Wealden Times Maria Hurley 

maria.hurley@wealdentimes.co.uk 

Senior Account ManagerSarah Norwood 

Senior Sales ExecutiveAndrew Boughton 

Wealden Times Show Director Flo Simpson 

Events Manager Liz Miles 

Events Sales Director Jude Brown 

Financial ControllerStephen Hunt 

Accounts Sarah Davies 

Nicola O’Leary 

Social Media ManagerCharlotte Lau 

Managing DirectorVivien Cotterill-Lee 

Executive Chairman Julie Simpson 

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• Emmett & 

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Flimwell 

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Folkestone 

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Goudhurst 

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House Wealth 

Management 

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Newsagents 

Greenhithe 

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Food Hall 

Haywards Heath 

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Hastings 

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Hawkhurst 

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Butchers 

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Headcorn 

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Emporium 

Heathfield 

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Horsham 

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Hurst Green 

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Hythe 

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Seafood 

Restaurant 

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William 

Kings Hill 

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and Café 

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE 

How to invest a £500,000 

inheritance in your 60s 

Increasing life expectancy means that the fortunate few of 

us who receive an inheritance may not do so until we’re well 

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This does not constitute tax or legal advice. Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client 

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House 

Month 

of the 

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Walmer 

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£1,150,000 

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Special features: A fabulous open plan kitchen/ 

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Pleasing details: Double aspect windows 

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Amtico flooring. Neff appliances. 

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When may Equity Release be the solution? ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE 

Wealden Times Times Half Half page page MG MG Ad.indd Ad.indd 1 1 15/06/2022 09:33:14 

09:33:14 

Local adviser, Sarah Ferrell, has been 

a mortgage adviser since 1995 and 

specialising in Equity Release since 2014. 

She has seen Equity Release used for many 

different reasons. This month she shares a number 

of scenarios that she has encountered over the 

years. 

Gift to family Equity can be released to help 

towards a deposit for a property or to help 

in other financial ways. The family member is 

essentially “getting an inheritance early”. There 

are naturally costs to be considered as ultimately, 

the recipient is likely to receive less than waiting 

for an inheritance, but for the right scenario, this 

can be a welcome injection of funds at a time 

when it is needed. 

Cost of living Regardless of age, most people 

are “feeling the pinch” and this is more acutely 

felt by those on fixed incomes. Equity can 

be released with a drawdown facility so that 

funds can be drawn as and when needed 

to supplement income or to cover increasing 

outgoings. The beauty of a drawdown is that 

interest is only charged as funds are released. 

House Move It is still little known that Equity 

Release can be used to PURCHASE a property 

– it is not only available against a property you 

already own. In re-locating or up-sizing additional 

borrowing may be needed and Equity Release 

can be used to bridge this gap. 

Divorce Sadly, the statistics of divorce at age 

65+ have increased and finance can often be an 

issue. Equity Release can be used to enable one 

party to “buy out” the other, or, Equity Release 

can be used to help both parties with onward 

purchases. If the marital home is sold and the 

proceeds divided, neither party may wish to 

downsize and Equity Release may help in buying 

a more suitable property. 

Repay an Interest Only Mortgage There are 

increasing numbers of people with Interest Only 

mortgages nearing the end of their term and 

without the funds to repay the capital. Equity 

Release can be used to repay a mortgage. As 

many of today’s plans allow interest payments to 

be made, they can “behave” like an Interest Only 

mortgage with a regular payment being made 

each month. 

Whatever your reason for considering Equity 

Release, Sarah maintains that advice and 

careful consideration are needed. She is happy 

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she will offer flexible times to suit her clients. 

Call Sarah on 

01622 631372 or 07789 007447 

or e-mail her at 

sarah@ferrellfinancial.co.uk 

You may find answers to 

some of your questions at 

www.ferrellfinancial.co.uk 

Ferrell Financial Limited is an Appointed Representative of The Right Mortgage Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. 

This is a lifetime mortgage. To understand the features and risks, please ask for a personalised illustration. Check that this mortgage will meet your 

needs if you want to move or sell your home or you want your family to inherit it. If you are in any doubt, seek independent advice. 

There may be a fee for mortgage advice. The precise amount will depend upon your circumstances. 

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

19 


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21 


Midwinter 

wealdentimes-fair.co.uk 

Save 

£2.00 

USE CODE 

‘EARLY24’ 

14-16 NOVEMBER 

THE HOP FARM, PADDOCK WOOD TN12 6PY 

Tickets on sale now at wealdentimes-fair.co.uk

Festive 

Shopping 

at its 

Finest 

Our famous 

food hall 

Join us at this year’s Midwinter Fair and visit our famous Food Hall, home to award-winning 

producers of artisan food and drink and the finest field-to-fork dairies, distilleries, smokeries, 

bakeries, wineries, curries, coffees, chutneys and cheeses 

If you love traditional recipes handed down 

through generations and food and drink 

that is locally produced, ethically sourced, 

sustainable, organic, hand-made, small batch, 

unique, joyful, and always delicious, then 

walk slowly through our Food Hall. 

It’s a great place to find thoughtful gifts for 

those that are the hardest to buy for. And with 

samples galore, a wonderful place to graze! 

PLUM DUFF & STUFF 

plumduffandstuff.co.uk 

SADDLE GOOSE 

saddlegoose.co.uk 

BLACK MOUNTAINS SMOKERY 

smoked-foods.co.uk 

SALCOMBE DAIRY 

salcombedairy.co.uk 

THE PANETTONE STORE 

thepanettonestore.co.uk 

GOLDEN ROAD GIN 

goldenroadgin.co.uk 

230+ 

independent 

retailers.

ART 

CRANBROOK 

SHOW 

Thursday 7 NOVEMBER • 10 - 5 

Friday 8 • 10 - 7 & Saturday 9 • 10 - 5 

Outstanding music in 

historic venues 

20th-28th September 2024 

ANNIE WARING 

VESTRY HALL • Cranbrook • Kent • TN17 3HA 

www.cranbrookartshow.org.uk 

“...an uplifting and rewarding hit” 

The Guardian 

For full details visit 

www.musicatmalling.com 

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4-6 October 2024 

ROCHESTER CORN 

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ADULTS £7 CONCESSIONS £3.50 

CHILDREN UNDER 16 FREE 

www.rochesterartfair.co.uk/tickets 


24

Notebook 

Tudor Talks 

Take note! We’ve rounded up the best 

of what to see and do near you 

Oh so 

Retro! 

It’s time to dial the nostalgia up to max! We’ve heard this years’ Retro 

Festival on the 9-11th August at Newbury Show Ground is going to 

be the biggest and best yet. These events have raised over £600,000 

for charities and have bought 12 puppies for the Guide Dog Association. 

It’s a celebration of all things vintage from the 1920s right through 

to the 1980s. The vast grounds will be crammed with attractions and 

eye-catching displays including over 1,000 classic vehicles. With 200 

vintage stalls (the largest collection in the UK) you’ll be able to buy 

anything your heart desires from the eras. From clothes to furniture, 

from car parts to games, you’ll find it here. There’s also a full weekend 

of over 50 live bands and DJs playing music in three marquees. 

The Retro Festival is a real family affair with lots for 

children to see and do and the adults are catered for 

in the evenings with entertainment in all the marquees 

provided until 11pm. There’s camping available too 

so don’t miss out on 230 acres of all things retro! 

retrofestival.co.uk 

Hever Castle has to be one of the 

ultimate settings for a History Festival, 

and especially one focusing on Tudor 

Times. This deep dive into Tudor 

history will take place from Monday 

19th to Thursday 22nd August with 

talks being held at the Two Sisters’ 

Theatre in the Castle grounds. 

A stellar collection of acclaimed 

writers and historians will present 

on fascinating topics including 

Dr Elizabeth Norton with her talk on 

Jane Seymour and Dr Tracy Borman 

will give an illustrated talk based on 

her new book about Anne Boleyn and 

Elizabeth I. This really is a fabulous 

opportunity to learn and immerse in 

this much-loved era. For tickets and 

details of the many talks please visit 

heverfestival.co.uk 

CASTLE 

CRAFTS 

Craft In Focus presents 

the Contemporary Craft 

Fair – also at Hever Castle, from 

12-15th September – featuring over 

160 exhibitors showcasing a diverse 

range of contemporary craft and art. 

Discounted tickets are available until 

6th September with code CRAFT2024. 

Held amidst Hever Castle’s beautiful 

gardens, visitors can enjoy live music, 

food and drink alongside the event. 

Craft In Focus selects from the finest 

makers in the UK, offering a unique 

opportunity to appreciate and 

purchase original, high-quality 

crafts. craftinfocus.com 

istockphoto.com/ ValeryEgorov 

25 


Plough On 

Biddenden Tractorfest 

is being held – in the 

fields of Holden Farm 

Biddenden – over the 

weekend of 17th & 

18th August. A fun 

day out for all the 

family, it’s now in its 

10th year. 

While tractors 

remain the central attraction, with over 200 

expected to exhibit over the weekend, there are plenty of 

stalls, vehicles, demonstrations, children’s entertainment, 

animals and arena displays to entertain both young and old! 

Pair this with enticing food and drink, live music and so 

much more to see and do, and there’s all that’s needed for a 

fun, family day out in the wonderful Kent countryside. 

tractorfest.co.uk 

Don’t 

miss the 

Wilderness Gathering 

at the lovely Hole Park 

from 15th to 18th August. 

Expect family-friendly 

bushcraft, music, wild camping, 

primitive living skills, 

stalls and open fires. 

Turn 

wildernessgathering. 

co.uk 

to What’s On 

in this issue to find 

out about our friend 

Raj Bisram’s Sissinghusrt 

and Cranbrook 

Mayor’s Day on 

17th August. 

Visit The Sculpture 

Park in Churt in August to be 

transported into a magical woodland 

and wildlife inhabited water garden. Three 

natural lakes and a stream run through this 

valley arboretum. A two mile undulating trail 

winds past hundreds of modern and contemporary 

sculptures in this lush, green outdoor art gallery. 

Shade and a lake breeze make it perfect on a hot day! 

Suitable for any art, nature or outdoor enthusiast, 

a third of the park is wheelchair accessible and 

dogs are welcome, too. Do visit 

Bel and the Dragon opposite 

for refreshments. Adults £15, 

concessions £10. 

thesculpturepark.com 

TRULY ORIGINAL 

This month sees an exciting 

development in the world of 

the iconic Art Deco Pullman 

poster collections. For the 

first time ever the original 

artworks are to be sold. 

Each hand-painted artwork 

measures 60 x 84 cms and has 

been painted in gouache on 

art board. Protected with a 

4-ply ivory acid-free window 

mount, each painting is 

priced at £5,950. 

Please contact the gallery for 

more information or to make 

a purchase. 

pullmanedictions.com 

Great Outdoors 

PRINT WORKS 

Travel to the bustling metropolis of Edo through 19th century 

Japanese woodblock prints at Edo Pop: Japanese Prints 1825–1895 

on display at Watts Gallery Artists’ Village, until 6th October. 

This will be the first public display for a number of these 

works, which were hugely popular in 19th century Japan 

and also in Europe, where editions were collected by artists 

including Rossetti, Whistler, Van Gogh and Monet. 

Discover the influence of the woodblock technique on 

contemporary art, through a new site-specific installation by 

Tokyo-born artist, Hiroko Imada. Imada’s work celebrates the 

natural themes in the 19th-century prints in the show. 

wattsgallery.org.uk 


26

The Canterbury 

Auction Galleries 

FINE ART AUCTIONEERS SINCE 1911 

FORTHCOMING 

AUCTION DATES 

30th & 31st 

August 

Consignment deadline 

now closed 

4th & 5th 

October 


30th August 2024 

29th & 30th 

November 


25th October 2024 

Auctioneers of the rare, the collectible and the exceptional 

Contact us to book a free valuation either at your home or at our saleroom. 

T: 01227 763337 E: general@tcag.co.uk Visit our website for more: thecanterburyauctiongalleries.com 

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*BOOK IN ADVANCE AND SAVE 

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Live Music • Demonstrations 

12 – 15 September 

Hever Castle 

& Gardens 

TN8 7NG 

Putting the WOW back into Craft Fairs 

Craft Fair entry included in normal Garden 

admission charges • RHS Members free (weekdays only) 

*Admission £12 using offer code 

until Friday 6th September, valid on dates of craft fair only 

See website for full details on 

discount and admission costs 

9.30am – 5.30pm Daily 

(Garden open until 6pm daily) 

CIF_Hever_Sept24_130x185_v1.indd CIF_Hever_Sept24_130x185_v2.indd 1 10/07/2024 11:34 

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27 


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Next month we’re looking forward to 

Surrey Gin Fest. Expect a Festival Market, 

even more gin bars and live music all day 

set on the front lawn of Loseley Park with 

the magnificent Tudor manor house as a 

backdrop (which you may recognise from 

The Crown). Book at ginfestco.com 

must 

The 

From must-sees to must-buys and 

must-dos, don’t miss this month’s 

round up of what to buy, see, do, 

and generally get excited about! 

This month Taylor 

Swift returns to the 

UK for a second dose 

of the Eras Tour. If you’re 

feeling inspired by that 

legendary red lip, you need 

something equally iconic. 

Chanel’s Rouge Coco is 

hydrating, nourishing and 

will deliver lasting colour. 

Try shades Gabrielle or 

Arthur for that red lip classic 

thing that never goes out of 

style! £40 at chanel.com 

Surrey author Ava Glass’s 

intelligent female-led spy 

novels are informed by 

firsthand experience in MI5 and 

MI6. Her portrayals of realistic 

three dimensional women in the 

largely male dominated genre have 

earned her great success and she is 

now one to watch – she even has 

a Netflix series in the pipeline for 

2026. Her latest novel The Trap 

is released August 1 st and will be 

available for £8.99 at amazon.co.uk 

It’s officially the perfect time 

for outdoor entertaining, 

garden dining and sunlit 

parties. And if you’re 

looking for a new way to do 

outdoor cooking, we’d like to 

introduce Charlie. Charlie is 

a BBQ, smoker, pizza oven 

and charcoal oven all rolled 

into one. They are hand-built 

in Britain to a fine quality 

that will stand the test of 

many a summer soiree and 

come in many delightfully 

stylish colours. This one is 

£5,500 but they also have 

a professional upgrade for 

£8,250 and a tabletop version 

for £4,500. Check them out 

at charlieoven.com 

If you’re planning your 

summer hols outfits 

you mustn’t forget to 

accessorise with a few lovely 

jewels and for this we love Estella 

Bartlett’s mini jewellery boxes. 

Complete with fun colours 

and plenty of little hooks and 

compartments to keep each piece 

safe and untangled, they are the 

perfect travel buddy. This one is 

just £29 and there are plenty more 

options at estellabartlett.com 

We’re always on the look out 

for interiors pieces made in 

the South East. Which is why 

we have to introduce Josh 

Page Studio – a new Kentish 

furniture brand that designs 

and handmakes inspirational 

pieces of furniture with 

references to art works and 

movements to really capture 

the imagination. This Apple 

chair is £1,445 at 

joshpagestudio.co.uk 

It’s afternoon tea week from the 12th 

to the 18th, and Chessington Garden 

Centre’s Sedum Restaurant has a perfect 

quintessentially British one. Delectable 

homemade goodies include finger 

sandwiches, chefs’ speciality savoury bites, 

exquisite sweet treats, and homemade scones 

with strawberry jam and clotted cream. Enjoy 

with fine teas, infusions, coffee, or for an 

added bit of elegance, a glass of prosecco or 

sparkling wine. chessingtongardencentre.co.uk 

For those planning a 

camping trip for the 

summer hols – these scent 

infused compostable sachets 

from Brit brand LORDS 

Fragrance House are great 

for adding a sweet scent to 

your camping space. They 

come in reuseable and 

recyclable velvety bags with 

three lovely scents. They are 

£12 lordsfragrancehouse.com 

29 


Interior 

collective 

Leigh Courtnage’s fascinating 

barn is packed with treasures 

she’s collected throughout her 

career and travels. From unique 

furniture to an extensive 

collection of artworks, her 

home offers the perfect canvas 

to show them off to best effect 

“ 

Friends and colleagues are always 

ringing me up to tell me they 

have spotted something I might 

like!” says interior designer Leigh 

Courtnage. As a consequence, Leigh’s 

converted barn and stables – located 

on the edge of the enchanting village 

of Churt in Surrey – has proved 

to be the perfect backdrop to an 

eclectic collection of art and objects, 

sourced from vintage fairs, auctions 

and shops across the country. “I’m 

always on the lookout, as somebody 

else’s rubbish might in fact be your 

treasure,” she says. The house, which 

Leigh moved into over 20 years ago, is 

inspired both by the layered interiors 

of the stately homes that she loves 


30

Words: Antonia Deeson 

Photographs: 

David Merewether 

to visit and partly by her own love of 

colour, pattern and quirky design. 

As head designer at Miscellanea 

of Churt, an emporium of interiors, 

Leigh has been offering her advice 

and interiors skill for customers and 

clients for over 24 years. Leigh bought 

Butts Barn to create the perfect family 

home. Surrounded by a wonderful 

walled garden, brimming with plants 

and shrubs, the former agricultural 

building and accompanying stables 

have almost become an extension to 

the showroom of interiors that she 

manages, an homage to Leigh’s skill 

in creating drama and narrative, yet 

always with a nod to practicality. 

A keen horticulturalist, Leigh’s 

 

This page: Above the fireplace 

in the snug is an antique stag’s 

head, a nod to Leigh’s love of the 

country house style. An artfully 

arranged display of pictures 

behind the sofa offers a glimpse 

of things to come in the open 

plan living area that comprises 

the main body of the house 

31 


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This page: Off the entrance hall, original 

stabling now serves as a cosy office space, 

with storage on the floor above for Leigh’s 

collections of art, antiques and taxidermy 

magical garden wraps around the 

barn, which she adds to every year. 

“If there’s a space,” she laughs, “it gets 

filled!” Perfectly positioned wrought 

iron furniture and elegant sculptures, 

an old chandelier, a tin bath, an 

antique haywain and various wooden 

mushrooms are dotted around the 

area, each piece offers both visual 

interest and a story, giving just a 

hint of what is to come inside. 

Entering the house via a wonderful 

hallway with exposed wooden beams, a 

sense of Leigh’s style instantly delights 

you. There are antiques, expertly chosen, 

contemporary art, deftly hung, there 

are sculptures and Persian rugs and 

needlepoint cushions that all instantly 

add texture and a story to the space. 

Leigh’s love of the outdoors is also 

apparent, with plants and architectural 

flowers dotted around, bringing the 

outside inside. She has dressed the 

hall’s low window with a pelmet and 

curtain in an Arts & Crafts style 

floral motif fabric, a contemporary 

bronze sculpture stands effortlessly 

next to an ornately carved Victorian 

leather wing back chair. “To me the 

ability to combine something from 

the 19th and 20th centuries with a 

33 


Above: The country style kitchen, to which Leigh has added her unique touch, hanging a 

collection of kitchen paraphernalia: antique whisks, moulds and sieves to a cross beam Right: 

A group of Chinese writing and painting brushes, discovered at auction, have been hung from 

a nearby beam, between the sofa area and another seating area created in another nook (top) 

very contemporary item is what I love 

to do, as they bring both excitement 

and depth to a room,” says Leigh. 

“It’s what historic houses have always 

done with their interiors, as families 

have added to them over the decades 

and it’s what I love to do in my home, 

so you get that sense of the travel of 

time, but in an entirely organic way.” 

Off the hallway Leigh has created a 

comfortable snug with a large inglenook 

fireplace. There are an abundance of 

textural cushions and throws, a large 

colourful rug from Ruggable and yet 

more greenery, with a sizeable potted 

tree fern. A substantial leather Knowle 

sofa and a pair of leather armchairs are 

accessorised with an array of cushions, 

next to which sit polished wooden 

tables and plenty of art books which 

have been collected over many years. 

Above the fireplace is an antique stag’s 

head, again a nod to Leigh’s love of 

the country house style, which she 

has mirrored on the opposite wall 

with two gilt antler wall lights and 

an antler table lamp. An artfully 

arranged display of pictures behind 

the sofa offers a glimpse of things to 

come in the open plan living area that 

comprises the main body of the house. 

For many people it can be 

intimidating to live with the soaring 

open ceilings and original wooden 

beams of an old barn structure, but 

Leigh has embraced the architectural 


34

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36 

WhiteheadMoncktonWT254.indd 1 26/05/2023 10:56:06

This page: Tucked underneath the minstrel’s gallery, below a pair of Italian 17th century antique cherubs, the dining area has been 

separated by a pair of antique early 18th century hand-carved Chinese bone panel ‘tusks’ (not ivory) with a polished Sia wood dining table 

oddities of the original building. In 

the snug she has wrapped one of the 

main overhead beams with lichen 

covered branches and added fairy 

lights to which she has hung small 

ceramic birds and pinecones. “I did it 

originally as a Christmas decoration,” 

says Leigh. “But I loved it so much 

that I kept it and just updated it 

with the birds, so it’s now become an 

art installation in its own right.” 

From the cosy snug, a door leads to 

the main double height living area, that 

contains a dining area, several seating 

areas and the open oak staircase. Off the 

main space is the kitchen and the lower- 

level bedrooms and bathrooms. Exposed 

structural timbers in the walls and roof 

have been kept visible throughout the 

building, and the oak staircase leads 

to a first-floor minstrel’s gallery that 

breaks up the height of the space. Leigh 

has kept the plaster of the walls to a 

neutral pale colour and has used 

37 


This page: On the ground floor are three generous double guest bedrooms and a family bathroom. 

Each room is filled with Leigh’s collectables as well as more pieces from her art collection 

the clever addition of rugs, furniture, 

decorative accessories and artwork to 

zone the living areas, with pops of 

colour, texture and pattern giving a 

sense of cohesion to what could be a 

complicated space. “It felt like the best 

approach was to keep the background as 

plain and natural as possible and then to 

use furniture and textiles or art to add 

Leigh’s skill as the manager 

of Miscellanea of Churt has 

made its mark on her home, 

with her ability to create 

little corners of fun and 

escapism all over her house 

colour and texture. I knew I needed to 

create smaller living spaces rather than 

think of it all as one space,” says Leigh. 

The dining area has been separated 

by a pair of antique early 18th century 

hand-carved Chinese bone panel 

‘tusks’ (not ivory) with a polished 

Sia wood dining table, turned wood 

hurricane lamps and vase. Pale grey 


38

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VillageBathroomStudioWT254.indd 40 

1 08/06/2023 12:21:19

This page: The minstrel’s gallery that wraps around three sides of the barn has plenty of 

inviting seating areas, each carefully arranged and filled with Leigh’s eclectic collections 

Top: A wooden coffin has found a new home as a side table Bottom left: The downstairs loo 

fabric upholstered dining chairs from 

Miscellanea add a sense of comfortable 

formality. A cheeky pair of Italian 17th 

century antique cherubs – that Leigh 

found at an antiques fair – have been 

cleverly hung from above, seeming to 

float in the air, which must provide 

a conversation topic for guests as 

they sit down below the flying duo. 

A set of glazed French doors, with 

subtle tied-back damask curtains, 

open to the walled garden outside. 

Again, Leigh has joined the outdoors 

to the interior with the large potted 

fig plant and a shaggy green carpet 

from Rug 2000. A giant ceramic lamp 

from Red Mud sits next to one of her 

collection of 20th century artworks. 

On the opposite side of the room is a 

formal seating and TV area, with a deep 

L-shape red sofa, also from Miscellanea. 

Patterned textiles, antique furniture and 

stunning coloured glass from Czechia 

add yet more colour and texture. 

The area overlooks the vast double 

height glazed windows that occupy the 

former cart entrance to the barn. “It’s a 

wonderful area for the summer, when 

you can throw open the windows into 

the garden,” comments Leigh. 

41 


edrooms, each in a distinct colourway: 

ruby, amethyst and apricot. Each room 

is filled with Leigh’s collectables as well 

as more pieces from her art collection, 

many of the nudes having been kept to 

the more intimate of spaces. Each of the 

rooms provides an essay in maximalism, 

texture and comfort. A large family 

bathroom, which Leigh created from a 

second kitchen/scullery, offers a generous 

stand-alone bath and a large walk-in 

shower, bathed in light via a wall of glass 

bricks where the old back door was once 

located. Pops of driftwood sculpture give 

the space a distinct nod to the seaside. 

Upstairs, Leigh has kept her own 

sanctuary with a main bedroom and 

bathroom suite. It’s accessed via another 

wonderful set piece on the landing: a 

green leather sofa and leather armchair 

sit opposite a stunning Arts & Crafts 

cabinet, an oil painting rests on an easel 

above a large Asian-style pot. A huge 

decorative frame mirror is positioned 

in the corner of the area, next to a freestanding 

antique fireplace. Leigh’s skill 

as the manager of Miscellanea again 

making its mark on her home, with 

her ability to create little corners of 

This page: Right at the top of the barn, 

the main bedroom has double height open 

ceilings. Leigh has kept this red-themed room 

cosy and restful with plenty of texture and 

black-out blinds to ensure an undisturbed 

night’s sleep Below: The main en suite 

“We are lucky, the house seems to 

work in different ways depending on 

which season it is, with each space 

coming to life as the weather changes.” 

A group of Chinese writing and painting 

brushes, discovered at auction, have been 

hung from a nearby beam, between the 

sofa area and a seating area that Leigh 

has created in another nook. Under the 

staircase a leather tub chair with vintage 

throw and textile cushion sits next to a 

vintage tripod camera surrounded again 

by some of her collection of British art. 

Off the main living space is a 

wonderful country style kitchen, to 

which Leigh has added her unique 

touch, hanging a collection of kitchen 

paraphernalia: antique whisks, moulds 

and sieves to a cross beam. Also 

downstairs are the three generous double 


42

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fun and escapism all over her house. 

The main bathroom is Leigh’s place 

of relaxation. As well as a generous freestanding 

bath, cranberry glass bottles 

and jars have stylishly replaced any 

plastic and yet more stunning classic 

and contemporary nudes are dotted 

around the walls and artfully stacked 

on the floor. Greenery has been added 

thanks to a large flouncy potted fern 

which has been placed next to the bath, 

giving a sense of tropical escapism for 

any bather who is lucky enough to use 

the room. A vintage Persian rug sits 

atop the wooden floor, whilst Leigh’s 

love of reading is catered for with a pile 

of art books on a vintage bent wood 

chair that acts as a portable bookshelf. 

Leigh’s bedroom again shows her 

managing to adapt to the unique double 

height open ceilings and beamed nature 

of the upstairs of the barn. Using colour 

she has anchored the room with pops 

of red in various rugs as well as pieces 

of highly individual furniture, that she 

sourced in France. Always practical, 

Leigh has used a series of deep red 

curtains and a black out blind to ensure 

“It’s a wonderful area for the 

summer, when you can throw 

open the windows into the 

garden,” comments Leigh. 

“We are lucky, the house seems 

to work in different ways 

depending on which season it 

is, with each space coming to 

life as the weather changes.” 

that, despite the windows that drench 

the room in sunshine during the day, 

at night-time the room remains a 

place of rest in the large leather bed. 

Leigh has created a world inside the 

barn (and also in the adjoining stables 

where she has made an office area 

and a seating zone) that tells the story 

of her life. Twenty years of sourcing, 

designing, planning and creating. Each 

wall and each surface offers a narrative 

to her personal interests. However, 

although the house and Leigh are so 

intertwined, now with her children 

grown up, Leigh has decided the time 

is right to search for a new project. “It’s 

a house that has meant an awful lot 

to me,” she says, “but things have to 

change. I don’t think of it as something 

to be afraid of, I like to think of it as 

a new adventure and I cannot wait.” 

Address Book: 

For more information on interiors 

projects, see the Miscellanea of Churt 

website miscellanea.co.uk 

45 


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47 


Family 

helping 

Family 

Property purchases can be a real challenge right now, 

especially for those trying to get on that elusive first 

rung of the ladder. For many, a little help from their 

families can work wonders but, in these complicated 

areas, it’s well worth getting some expert advice 

How can I help my 

family financially? 

For advice on how to help family with finances we’ve spoken 

to Evelyn Partners’ Nicola MacAuley, Private Client Director, 

and Natasha Etherton, Director of Financial Planning 

There are several ways to help adult children on the 

property ladder, the starting point is to check what 

you can afford. No one knows what the future might 

hold but cashflow modelling will help you understand how 

your needs might change and the effect of any gift or loan. 

One option is to make an outright gift towards the property. 

If you take this route, you should consider what would 

happen if your child is buying with a partner and they 

subsequently separate. If there’s a risk you might need funds 

back, you could make a loan with a loan agreement and a 

charge over the property or something more informal. The 

loan could be gifted later. 

Both options require consideration of the inheritance tax 

implications and, depending on how they are funded, the 

income and capital gains tax. If you have surplus income 

rather than capital, a joint mortgage might be an option or 

acting as guarantor, although you should be aware of your 

liabilities in the event of default. For some, Lifetime ISAs 

offering a 25% government bonus if purchasing a property, 

may be an option and potentially trusts may be appropriate. 

By taking advice you’ll be able to make an informed decision 

which is right for your family and Evelyn Partners are 

available to help discuss your options. Visit them online at 

evelyn.com 


48

Why the South East? 

We’ve asked the experts at Canham Homes to 

explain why the South East is such a prime location 

in which to be looking to invest in property 

When choosing a suitable location for their 

developments, Canham Homes always 

have family and lifestyle in mind. This is 

very apparent at their South East developments in 

Sissinghurst, Capel, Egerton, Frittenden and Matfield. 

Their homes complement the lifestyle that many new 

buyers want to achieve when choosing their next home. 

So why is the South East such a prime area for all this? 

The South East of England, with its charming towns, 

picturesque countryside and vibrant communities, has 

long been an attractive destination for families and firsttime 

buyers. With its unique blend of natural beauty, 

rich history and modern amenities it is an idyllic setting 

that continues to draw newcomers in search of a better 

quality of life. 

One of the most compelling reasons to buy property 

in the South East is its proximity to London. The 

region offers a perfect balance for those who work in 

the capital but prefer the tranquility and space of rural 

living. Excellent transport links, including frequent 

train services and well-maintained motorways, ensure 

that commuting to London is convenient and relatively 

stress-free. This accessibility means that residents 

can enjoy the economic opportunities and cultural 

attractions of the city without sacrificing the peace and 

comfort of rural life. 

Canham Homes Helping Hand Scheme, on specific 

homes, gives additional peace of mind, with a 

contribution towards other costs such as Stamp Duty, 

solicitors fees, mortgage contribution, or whatever you 

choose to spend it on. For more information about 

Helping Hand or any of the available properties, 

currently in the Canham Homes portfolio in the heart 

of Kent, just email sales@canhamhomes.co.uk (terms & 

conditions apply) or visit canhamhomes.co.uk 

49 


What are the legal 

considerations of 

gifting money? 

If you’re the Bank of Mum and Dad assisting an 

adult child with a house purchase, Victoria Seaman, 

Legal Executive at Berry & Lamberts Solicitors, 

is sharing some issues to think carefully about 

How will the gift affect your estate’s inheritance 

tax position? Everyone has an annual gift 

allowance of £3,000, but gifts over this amount 

need to be outlived by 7 years to fall outside 

of your estate for inheritance tax calculations, 

otherwise they will reduce the nil rate band 

allowance available on your death. 

Is your child purchasing with a partner or spouse? 

Cautious parents might want to safeguard their 

contribution in the event of a relationship 

breakdown, especially if the contribution 

to the initial purchase price is unequal, 

which requires a Declaration of Trust. 

What about other children? If you have several 

children and have assisted one child more 

than another, you might want to amend your 

Will to take account of the inequality in 

lifetime gifting (often referred to as a hotchpot 

clause) to ensure that all children eventually 

receive an equal share of your assets. 

Is your child in receipt of state benefits? If so, 

gifting them capital may abruptly bring 

their entitlement to receive those benefits to 

an end and cause significant hardship. 

For more advice visit berryandlamberts.co.uk 

Where to move to? 

With their fifty years of experience in 

property, Antler Homes are perfectly placed 

to explain where is best to move to 

What makes a location especially ideal for those on 

the early rungs of the property ladder? For many, a 

balance of green spaces, conveniences and access 

to larger towns or cities is ideal. For example, 

our Green Oak Park developmnet is set in the 

beautiful semi-rural village of West Horsley, between 

Guildford and Leatherhead. Its 21 private two-, 

three- and four-bedroom houses are surrounded 

by abundant green open space, sitting north of the 

Surrey Hills and on the edge of the North Downs. 

The village provides essential amenities, including a 

newsagent, butcher, bakery, supermarket and wine 

shop, with additional shopping in nearby Guildford 

and Woking. Of course transport links are also 

very important, especially for young professionals 

working in the city – West Horsley has easy access 

to the A3, M25 and M3, facilitating travel to 

London, Guildford, Kingston, Heathrow and 

coastal destinations. Meanwhile Horsley railway 

station offers journeys to London Waterloo in 

just 52 minutes and Guildford in 13 minutes. 

Can you tell us more about this development? Homes 

vary from 920 sqft to 2,434 sqft and are from 

£600,000 to £1,695,000. The small development 

is in a semi-rural setting, which means that whilst 

very well-connected, the site itself is quiet, away 

from busy main roads – perfect for young families! 

All the homes have been finished to an exceptional 

standard inside and out and the all-inclusive 

internal specification includes oak handrail and 

newel, contemporary fixtures and fittings and 

flooring throughout. Every home also has an allinclusive 

gold or platinum specification offering 

flooring, tiling, integrated Siemens appliances 

and fitted wardrobes. Plus we include a 2 year 

Antler Homes Warranty and 10 year Premier 

Guarantee structural warranty for added security. 

Do you offer any incentives to buy or help-to-buy 

schemes? Yes, in this case plot 16 – a two bed 

called Emerald House – is available with a £20,000 

deposit contribution, and plot 18 – Lime House, a 

3 bedroom home – is available with a single stamp 

duty contribution of £33,750. antlerhomes.co.uk 

istockphoto.com/ gorodenkoff 


50

PMS 

3155 

Your Your Business 

Your Property 

C 88 

M 35 

Y 38 

K 5 

Your Job 

Your 

Your 

Family 

We’re right by you 

Your Life Life 

Helping our clients achieve the results they 

seek in their professional and personal lives. 

www.berryandlamberts.co.uk 

TUNBRIDGE WELLS SEVENOAKS PADDOCK WOOD 

01892 526344 01732 460565 01892 833456 

Berry&LambertsMSF23.indd 1 03/04/2023 13:01 

WELCOME TO 

THE POWER OF 

GOOD ADVICE 

As the UK’s leading integrated investment, financial planning and 

accountancy group, we’ve helped people, families and businesses 

flourish through the power of good advice for nearly 200 years. 

Our newly increased presence in Tunbridge Wells and the South East of 

England means you can get direct access to a team of locally based 

professionals providing the specialist and personal advice you need to 

help grow your business and meet your financial goals. 

Find out how we can help you. 

www.evelyn.com 

To find out more, please contact: 

Terry Shephard 

Managing Partner, Evelyn Partners LLP – Tunbridge Wells 

T: 01892 546 546 

E: terry.shephard@evelyn.com 

Accountancy services are provided by Evelyn Partners LLP which is Regulated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales for a range of investment business activities. Evelyn Partners LLP 

is an independent network member of CLA Global Limited. See www.claglobal.com/disclaimer. Investment services are provided by Evelyn Partners Investment Management LLP and Evelyn Partners 

Investment Management Services Limited. Financial planning is provided by Evelyn Partners Financial Planning Limited. These three entities are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority 

(FCA). Accountancy services are not regulated by the FCA. 

51 


‘ 

Happy 

Home 


52

Words: Fiona Patrick 

Photographs: David Merewether 

Through pops of colour plus plenty of 

pattern and texture, Vicky Kieldsen has 

applied everything she loves about interior 

design to her own Tunbirdge Wells home 

For the uninitiated among us, 

starting a house renovation 

project and deciding to maintain 

the white walls in the main living space 

might prove an impossible prospect. 

Open any interiors magazine, Pinterest 

board or Instagram house account and 

you are overwhelmed with pictures of 

kitchen walls painted in every pink, 

blue, green and cream imaginable, 

but very rarely white. Who among us, 

when faced with unpacking boxes in a 

recently purchased home and planning 

a new kitchen, would be able to resist 

the desire to mark their territory with 

a colourful pot of paint? It takes a 

confident customer indeed to look at 

a space and decide that the existing 

white is in fact exactly what it needs. 

Enter Vicky Kieldsen, a Tunbridge 

Wells-based interior designer who has 

transformed her home – originally a 

stable block converted to a single-storey 

house in 2005 – from a stark, grey and 

white shell into a characterful space 

pulsing with pops of colour, pattern 

and texture. Thank goodness for Vicky’s 

personable nature. It is only thanks to 

this that I am able to concentrate at all 

while she tells me about her degree in 

interior architecture, as I am constantly 

peeking over her shoulder and making 

a mental note of sunshine-filled prints 

and bright, eye-catching plant pots. 

Following work in hotel design and 

a stint as Editorial Assistant at Living 

Etc. magazine, Vicky started Hello 

Geronimo, where her initial focus was 

making pieces of art that were stocked 

in hallowed interior institutions such 

as Heal’s and Graham & Greene. 

However in 2019, she realised her 

raison d’être lay elsewhere. “I decided 

to go back to interiors,” explains Vicky. 

“It makes me really happy, working 

on the residential side, helping clients 

and making people’s houses colourful.” 

She laughs when I point out the literal 

blank canvas on the walls behind her, 

but much like her approach with her 

clients, Vicky tackled her own rooms 

on a case-by-case basis, acknowledging 

that if she were to live somewhere else 

she would most likely do the kitchen 

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54

Previous pages & this page: Vicky opted for a Magnet laminate kitchen in dark blue to offset the bright pops of colour 

in the main living space. Vertical, striped tiling has been incorporated behind the range cooker, bringing interest, whilst 

whitewashed, engineered floorboards have been sanded back to neutral to warm up the room. An old dresser was repainted 

in green and updated with bobbin beading and new aluminium bi-fold doors let in an abundance of light 

very differently. “I thought a lot about 

this room and what colour I would 

paint it,” Vicky says, “but it’s got really 

high ceilings and it’s so bright that 

it really does suit the white walls.” 

In 2016, living in London with a 

growing family, Vicky and her husband 

decided to move to Tunbridge Wells 

in search of more greenery, and 

immediately fell in love with the house 

and its spacious, airy feel. Backing onto 

a large and attractive public park, the 

During lockdown, Vicky 

decided to enhance her focus 

on colour by conducting a 

wealth of research into colour 

psychology and the importance 

of using the right colours from 

the perspective of promoting 

good sleep, and creating a calm, 

welcoming environment 

house retains many original features 

including vents for the horses and 

porthole windows. “When we moved 

in,” Vicky says, “the décor was very 

‘Scandi’. The kitchen was white, the 

worktop was glossy black, the cabinets 

were tired with cupboard doors falling 

off, it was all a bit characterless.” 

Knowing that vivid artwork, furniture 

and accessories would be used to 

decorate the room, Vicky opted to 

install a Magnet laminate kitchen 

55 


This page: The snug’s 

dark blue walls and rich, 

burgundy red velvet 

sofa lend this room a 

suitably cosy atmosphere 

in dark blue to offset the bright pops 

of colour. Keen to make the most of 

the space available, she continues, “We 

opted to go for higher cabinets because 

we’ve got the space to maximise storage 

there – it looks fresh and new, and it 

really suits the house now.” Vertical, 

striped tiling has been incorporated 

behind the range cooker, bringing 

interest to an often-overlooked area, 

and the whitewashed, engineered 

floorboards have been sanded back 

to neutral with the effect of warming 

up the room. Vicky also repainted 

a grey dresser in eye-catching green 

and added bobbin beading sourced 

from Decora Mouldings around the 

doors and drawers, lending depth 

and personality to a functional area. 

Externally, a pair of rotting, wooden 

French doors have been replaced by 

new aluminium bi-fold doors, letting 

in an abundance of light and allowing 

the trees of the adjacent park to feel 


56

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57 


This page: The couples’ sons’ rooms 

were designed to have a positive effect 

on sleep and wellbeing Right page: The 

principal bedroom suite, complete with 

convenient mezzanine for storage, makes 

full use of the former stables’ lofty ceilings 

like an additional colourful add-on! 

Vicky says, “It’s great when the doors 

are folded back, this space just opens 

out into the garden and it’s really good 

for entertaining.” It also allows for an 

open plan set-up that suits family life, 

where the grown-ups can be cooking 

and eating while still being able to see 

what the kids are doing – running in 

and out of the garden or watching TV. 

Elsewhere in the house there are four 

bedrooms, with one currently being 

used as a snug. The dark blue walls and 

rich, burgundy red velvet sofa give this 

room a cosier atmosphere, a cocoon-like 

space to retreat to and “a separate space 

for when my husband and eldest son 

want to watch football!” It is a far cry 

from the room they found when they 

first moved in, with a floating platform 

bed hung from the ceiling, accessed 

by a stepladder. “It was quite cool and 

obviously made use of the high ceilings, 

but just wasn’t very practical with young 

children!” The children’s bedrooms were 

styled by Vicky, who decided against 

using curtains in these rooms. “The 

shutters really suit this house – it needs 

simple and contemporary,” and painting 

the graded green walls in her son’s 

bedroom was an initial experiment into 

the use of colour in children’s rooms. 

“It was probably the first kid’s room I 

ever did, and I immediately started to 

gravitate towards playing with colour.” 

The focus was always keeping their 

bedrooms interesting, and Vicky 

spent considerable time researching 

independent brands for colourful 

accents to create intriguing corners 

of space. During lockdown, Vicky 

also decided to enhance her focus 

on colour by conducting a wealth 

of research into colour psychology 

and the importance of using the 

right colours from the perspective of 

promoting good sleep, and creating 

a calm, welcoming environment: “I 

think it’s really important to get this 

right, especially with kids’ rooms. 

The colours on the walls can have an 

impact on sleep, mood, everything.” 

Aside from one north facing 

bedroom, the rooms are all south facing, 

allowing plenty of light through the 

large, single panes of glass, and nowhere 

more so than the main bedroom 

which benefits from full height sash 

windows. A mezzanine overlooking the 

bed exploits the amazing potential of 

the high ceilings, and carefully chosen 


artwork and furnishings contrast 

with the concrete-effect wallpaper, 

contributing to a more grown-up space 

and allowing the patterns and textures 

to speak for themselves. At the opposite 

end of the spectrum, the modular 

bathroom in place when Vicky and 

family moved in had a false low ceiling 

and was painted black, creating a dark, 

unwelcoming space. “It was like being 

in a bad hotel in the ’80s!” remembers 

Vicky. They decided to rip the whole 

thing out and to open up the ceiling 

to the pitch. “It made the room feel so 

much brighter, lighter and bigger. We 

added Fired Earth tiling to the walls 

and floor and boxed out the bath to 

hide some pipes, which also makes a 

handy ledge to sit on while the kids 

are in the bath.” The shower has also 

been cleverly incorporated into the 

room, with no shower tray or door, 

opening up the space even further. 

Structurally, the house has not 

required any updating given its recent 

build date, and it has also benefitted 

from a series of experienced residents. 

Vicky explains, “The first buyer that 

lived here was an interior designer, and 

then a fashion designer lived here after 

that, and now of course there’s another 

interior designer, so the house has quite 

a good design history!” Vicky also 

credits her husband with transforming 

the garden. A rock garden and a vast 

bamboo bush taking up most of the 

space were painstakingly removed in 

favour of new trees, paving stones and 

an area of astro where the children 

enjoy playing football and cricket. Vicky 

adds, “He has completely changed 

everything out there and it’s now a 

lovely area to be in.” With the addition 

of a Big Green Egg and a Gozney 

pizza oven it has become a sociable 

enclave that’s used all year round. 

Vicky has a number of go-to brands 

that fit with her contemporary style, 

59 


This page: Vicky’s husband has 

transformed the exterior from rock 

garden to family friendly – creating 

a great space for entertaining 

including HK Living for lighting and 

ceramics, and Danish brand Hay for 

furniture and accessories: “Our dining 

table and chairs are from Hay, as are 

the outside table and chairs – they just 

do very well-made furniture,” she says. 

“I also love Loaf sofas; I think they’re 

really great and their colour options are 

amazing.” When designing someone 

else’s home, Vicky’s focus is always 

on playing with lighting and trying 

to create little pockets of brightness 

as opposed to flooding an entire 

room. Alongside this, incorporating 

colour and pattern is key: “If a client 

doesn’t want it on the walls, then I 

would always try to bring colour and 

pattern into upholstery and curtains 

and cushions and the floor.” Vicky is 

also a fervent supporter of utilising 

stripes, believing that they provide 

interest and balance without being too 

‘of-the-moment’. “I do like stripes. 

I think they will always be around. 

They’re timeless. But I try to rein it in 

a bit because not everyone likes stripes 

as much as me! My main obsessions 

are colour, pattern and texture. And I 

just want people to walk into a room 

and literally fall in love with it.” 

Address Book: 

Through her company, 

Hello Geronimo, Vicky offers full 

interior design, single room design, 

room styling and more, with most 

services available in-person or 

remote. See hellogeronimo.com 

Hay hay.dk 

HK Living hkliving.com 


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61 


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Unit 7, Orchard Business Centre, Sanderson Way, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1QG

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Savour the 

experience of 

a lazy Sunday 

Discover the spirit of excellence 

with Whitstable Harbour Gin. 

The award-winning coastal brand taking the South East by storm. 

WINNER - KENT SPIRIT OF THE YEAR 

in our Horsted Restaurant overlooking the beautiful gardens. 

Join us for a relaxed meal from Chef’s menu of classic and 

modern dishes, including roast, but also other fresh seasonal 

delights, created using the best local ingredients. 

Served 12.30pm - 7.00pm every Sunday 

2-courses £30 per person • 3-courses £39 per person 

View the menu and book a table on our website 

www.horstedplace.co.uk • 01825 750 581 

Horsted Place Hotel, Little Horsted, Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 5TS 

Savour the coastal freshness of our first class London Dry 

delicately crafted with Sea Buckthorn & Samphire. 

Or indulge in the subtle notes of our award-winning 

Kentish Pink blended with Cherry & Hibiscus. 

Visit us online - www.whitstableharbourgin.co.uk 

or upstairs in the South Quay Shed, Whitatable Harbour, CT5 1AB 

experience excellence in every sip 

Wine tasting 

for everyone 

Looking for an inspiring, fun wine tasting or course in Kent? 

You’ve come to the right place. Fancy a wine qualification? 

We are also the leading provider of WSET courses in Kent 

and an approved provider of Wine Scholar Guild courses, the 

Certified Rioja Diploma and Capstone California courses. 

Book your next wine experience 

and buy gift vouchers at 

www.kentwineschool.com 


64

The Priceless Taste of the South East Supplement sponsored by 

Wondering about wine 

It’s easy to get into a pattern of always choosing the 

same wine, wanting to discover new options but 

being unsure where to start. The best way to get in 

the know is through wine tasting and Kent Wine 

School’s fun, informal tastings and courses in 

Tunbridge Wells will introduce you to new grapes 

and wine styles in a relaxed social setting. They 

don’t sell wine: they bring wine to life for you in an 

inspiring way. You can even get qualified with one 

of the best line ups of accredited wine courses in the 

country. Tickets cost from £35 and gift vouchers are 

available. Book online at kentwineschool.com 

Food for 

Thought 

Learning about food and drink 

can enrich your diet, and 

is also great fun! 

Culinary Course 

Set in the rolling beauty of the Surrey Hills, The Abinger 

Cookery School offers a range of cookery courses to make 

your summer sizzle. Expand your culinary horizons with 

a variety of courses: from mastering the art of grilling at 

their Weber Grill Academy to crafting delicious Asian 

dishes, delving deep into Fish and Seafood, or creating 

exquisite plates on the Chef’s Masterclass. The courses 

cater to all skill levels, offering a personalised learning 

experience in small classes led by expert chefs. Don’t miss 

this opportunity to learn and entertain amidst stunning 

scenery. To explore your culinary adventure in the heart of 

the Surrey Hills visit abingercookeryschool.com 

Guide to Gin 

The Aroma Experience at the Silent Pool 

Distillery is a fun, hands-on gin exploration for 

everyone from aficionados to groups of friends. 

Led by a distillery expert, this 90-minute session 

is a sensory dive into the world of aroma, 

botanicals and Silent Pool Gin, including guided 

tastings of the range and a G&T to enjoy. Then 

get creative as you select and blend carefully 

chosen botanical oils to make your own Aroma 

Garnish that will take your gin cocktails to the 

next level. Find out more at 

silentpooldistillers.com/experiences 

65 


sponsors The Priceless Taste of the South East Supplement 

Behind the Bottle 

Ever fans of a beautiful locally produced bottle, we’re 

touring Balfour Winery with their team to discover the 

secrets behind their glorious grapes and wonderful wines 

How did Balfour Winery begin? 

Balfour Winery began with a 

simple remark. “Why don’t we 

plant some vines?” Leslie Balfour- 

Lynn asked Richard after they 

acquired the land surrounding 

their family home. The 

wine they made, based on 

Billecart-Salmon Rosé Brut 

Champagne, went on to 

become the first English 

wine to win a gold 

medal and the trophy 

at the International 

Wine Challenge. 

This year, the 

winemakers 

will produce 

800,000 

bottles of 

English wine. 

Not bad for an 

endeavour that 

began with the simple maxim: “If 

we can’t sell it, we’ll drink it.” 

Is it open to visitors? 

The winery and vineyard are open 

year-round. We offer immersive 

tours and tastings as well as casual 

dining in our Cellar Door, where 

guests can choose locally sourced 

charcuterie boards or flatbreads. 

Our restaurant, The Winemakers’ 

Kitchen, celebrates the notion 

that “what grows together, goes 

together.” Seasonal local produce 

is served alongside the wines that 

inspired each dish. It’s a truly 

unique experience in a stunning 

setting overlooking the vines. 

Is Balfour Winery still 

a family business? 

The vineyard, winery, and cellar 

door are extensions of the Balfour- 

Lynn family home. Family is 

fundamental to our philosophy. 

Our winemaking is led by the 

father and son team, Fergus and 

Owen Elias. Owen is one of the 

founders of English wine, while 

his son Fergus is pioneering a 

new generation of award-winning 

English wines. Three generations 

“Every glass or bottle 

of Nannette’s sold 

contributes to rewilding 

projects in the local area” 

of the Turner family have cared 

for the vineyard and estate. Cathy, 

Stef, and their son Billy possess 

a remarkable understanding of 

the terroir and a commitment to 

sustainability. This generational 

knowledge and dedication to 

protecting the land for the future 

are integral to producing our 

inimitable wine. 

Your wines have won many awards 

and earned much critical acclaim. 

What makes them so special? 

Since the very start, we have 

ventured to make wines we 

love. Our winemaking process is 

meticulous and innovative. We 

employ small-batch winemaking 

techniques with complete control 

over every stage, from grape 

receipt to bottling and disgorging. 

This approach allows for the 

creation of wines that are clean, 

fresh and precise, showcasing the 

unique terroir of each vineyard. 

This year, we saw a recordbreaking 

haul of awards. Our 

Nannette’s Rosé 2023 won gold 

at the Global Rosé Masters, and 

we received five awards from the 

International Wine Challenge, 

including Gold for our Leslie’s 

Reserve Brut NV. 

What Balfour bottle would 

you recommend for a 

summer toast this year? 

This summer, we’re raising a toast 

to nature. Our Nannette’s 2023 is 

fresh, dry and dusky pink. It’s the 

perfect summer sip; one might 

call it Kent’s answer to Côtes de 

Provence. We’ve partnered with 

the Kent Wildlife Trust to give 

back to the earth that helped 

produce our beautiful wine. Every 

glass or bottle of Nannette’s sold 

contributes to rewilding projects 

in the local area. 

Can you tell us about any 

upcoming projects or exciting 

news in the world of Balfour? 

Harvest, which tends to 

happen in October, is rapidly 

approaching. After a slower start 

to growth this year due 

to a wet spring, we 

are grateful for 

longer, sunnier 

days. The quality 

and quantity of 

the harvest are 

marked by the 

optimal balance of 

sunshine and rainfall. 

We eagerly wait in 

anticipation to see what this 

vintage brings us. 

Find out more about Balfour 

Winery and their wonderful 

wines at balfourwinery.com 


66

We are a family-run farm 

growing elder trees on 25 acres 

at our organic farm in East Sussex. 

Our elderflowers and elderberries 

are lovingly hand-picked 

from our orchard to create 

4 delicious cordials made with 

only natural ingredients. 

bushbarnfarm.co.uk 

@bushbarnfarm 


68


Best of the 

South East 

We’re hunting down where to find classic flavours of the region at their best 

Gin 

For a tipple with a classic 

South East vibe, Whitstable 

Harbour Gin is currently 

making waves with two 

distinct flavours. Their first 

class London Dry combines 

the freshness of sea buckthorn 

and samphire. Meanwhile 

their new Kentish Pink was 

crowned Kent Spirit of the Year 

at the Taste of Kent Awards, 

and it pays homage to the 

cherry orchards of the Garden 

of England with an exquisite 

blend of botanicals and natural 

cherry juice. Not too sweet it 

is setting a new standard in the 

world of pink gins and is perfect for 

traditional and contemporary palates. 

Both cost £39.50 and are available at 

whitstableharbourgin.co.uk 

Cordials 

Elderflower is a UK classic we all 

know and love and Bush Barn 

Farm, just outside Robertsbridge 

East Sussex, has the secret to 

turning it into award wining 

cordials. At their family run 

farm, founders Nick and Maria 

grow organic elder trees and 

harvest beautiful elderflowers 

and elderberries from which they 

make delicious cordials with only 

natural ingredients. Their fresh, floral 

Elderflower Cordial and Elderberry & 

Lemon Cordial have won the company 

plenty of awards in the past and this July 

they also launched two new cordials – 

Elderflower & Quince and Elderflower 

& Rhubarb. 500ml bottles are £6.50 for 

Elderflower Cordial and £6.95 for any 

others. Find at local farm shops in East 

Sussex and online at bushbarnfarm.co.uk 

Wine 

Some of the best UK wines come 

out of the South East. To celebrate 

our rich history, try the refined 

taste of this exceptional sparkling 

wine from Silverhand Estate. Their 

award-winning Silver Reign Rosé 

is an elegant Sparkling Wine of 

England, crafted exclusively from 

Pinot Noir grapes. Its lively 

flavours of wild strawberries and 

ripe summer fruits are truly 

enchanting. Produced using the 

Charmat method, this bottle 

promises a refreshing and 

elegant experience with every 

sip. Available for £18, you can 

find it at the Silverhand Estate 

Cellar Door in Luddesdown, 

Kent (DA13 0XE) and online 

at The Wine Caverns website 

thewinecaverns.co.uk 

Preserves 

The Wooden Spoon Preserving 

Company are experts in 

crafting preserves with tradition, 

quality and natural ingredients. 

Founded almost 50 years ago, they 

embarked on a journey fuelled 

by the desire to create unique 

traditional and contemporary 

preserves made from the best 

ingredients. Nestled in Kent’s 

picturesque village of Wye, their 

artisanal production takes place in 

a converted Kentish Oast House. 

Their products include a diverse 

range of extra jams, marmalades, 

chutneys and more, and they 

are all exclusively made on-site. 

They are available to buy in farm 

shops and delicatessens across 

Kent, as well as direct via their 

website, thewoodenspoon.co.uk 

69 



25cm Stoneware 

Plate in Mist Blue, 

£35, 18cm Stoneware 

Plate in Sea Green (holding 

crisps), £25, and 8.5 cm 

Stoneware trinket dish 

in Chalk White, £12 

Instagram @katharine_ 

gray_ceramics 



Exceptional 

Taste 

Charlotte Butterworth, aka @theneedy.greedy, celebrates all things produced in 

the South East as she chooses some of her favourite ingredients to create this 

month’s dishes. She’s teamed up with wine expert Alannah Wood from Balfour 

Winery for perfect wine pairings and local ceramicist Katherine Gray for beautiful 

stoneware to complement to her tasty recipes Photographs: David Merewether 

Roast tomatoes & whipped feta served with Kent Crisps 

I’m making the most of tomato season with 

this sensational dip. Slow roasting the tomatoes 

sweetens and intensifies their flavour, perfectly 

complementing the cool whipped feta. I love 

serving Kent Crisps, they are a real favourite 

with my family and have a wonderful range 

of flavours inspired by Kentish produce – 

they’re also perfect to scoop. The packaging is 

beautiful too, with iconic photos of the area. 

For the roasted tomatoes: 

• Approx. 20 cherry or baby plum tomatoes 

• 1 tsp dried or fresh thyme 

• olive oil 

Halve the tomatoes. Put in an oven 

proof dish with a tbsp of olive oil, the 

thyme, salt and pepper. Roast for approx 

30 mins at 150°C. Allow to cool. 

For the whipped feta: 

• 100g feta 

• 125g Greek yoghurt 

• 50g cream cheese 

Crumble the feta and put in a bowl with the 

Greek yoghurt. Beat with an electric beater until 

smooth, then beat in the cream cheese in. 

To serve: 

Spread the whipped feta on a plate, and top 

with the tomatoes. Sprinkle over some fresh 

thyme if you have it. Serve with crisps to dip. 

About Charlotte 

Charlotte Butterworth, aka theneedy.greedy, is a caterer, cookery teacher 

and recipe creator who grew up in Faversham and now lives in Cranbrook 

and loves using local Kent produce. She creates fabulous food for everything from 

intimate dinners and family celebrations to drinks parties and corporate events. 

Charlotte also runs cookery workshops in her lovely home, helping people rediscover their culinary 

mojo with new ideas for delicious, healthy and easy meals for everyday and entertaining. Her next 

evening workshop is Wednesday 11th September. Find Charlotte on Instagram and Facebook sharing 

her delicious recipes as @theneedy.greedy or contact her by emailing charlotte@butterworth.co.uk 

71 


Serving a variety of British and European classics with locally sourced produce. Situated right on the 

way to the historical Bodiam Castle it’s the perfect stop for lunch, dinner or a drink in the garden. 

JUNCTION ROAD, BODIAM, ROBERTSBRIDGE TN32 5UY 

01580 861 210 

CURLEWINN.CO.UK 

www.opentable.co.uk/r/the-curlew-restaurant-robertsbridge


Sausage pasta ragu 

Serves 2, generously 

We are spoilt for choice for fantastic 

butchers here in the South East. I 

love these local sausages made into a 

wonderful ragu served with pappardelle 

pasta. Easy, nutritious, delicious, 

adored by all ages. Lighter and a lovely 

change to a traditional beef ragu. 

• 4 large, good quality sausages 

• 1 red onion, finely chopped 

• 2 sticks celery 

• 2-3 carrots 

• 2 cloves garlic 

• 1 tsp of fennel seeds, paprika, chilli 

flakes (omit if you don’t like it hot) 

• bay leaf and fresh rosemary 

(if you have it) 

• 1 tbsp tomato purée 

• 400g tin of tomatoes 

• splash of balsamic vinegar 

• 200g pappardelle 

1. Heat some olive oil in a heavy 

based pan. Add the finely chopped 

onion and allow to soften gently. 

2. Finely chop the carrots, celery 

and garlic. I put all mine in a food 

processor, until it looks like mince! 

Add to the onions and cook for 

5-10 mins. Then add the paprika, 

fennel and chilli flakes (if using). 

Cook for a couple more minutes. 

3. Add the sausage meat and 

brown, before stirring in the tomato 

purée, chopped tomatoes, chopped 

rosemary and bay leaf. Cook for at 

least 30 mins on a gentle simmer. 

Add the vinegar, season, stir, taste 

and tweak according to your taste. 

4. Cook the pasta according to 

the packet instructions, drain and 

add to the sauce and serve. 

25cm 

Stoneware Plate in 

Mist Blue, £35 

Instagram 

@katharine_gray_ 

ceramics 

73 



Chicken with chargrilled 

courgettes & tarragon 

& local honey dressing 

Serves 2 

Taking inspiration from the abundance 

of tarragon growing in my herb garden, 

I created this elegant summer dish. I 

am always being asked for courgette 

recipes, as the vegetable growers amongst 

us have a seemingly endless supply of 

them throughout the season, and they 

desperately need picking before they 

become marrow like! Chargrilling gives 

them a delicious smokey flavour. 

• 2 chicken breasts 

• 1 tsp fresh or dried thyme 

• juice of half a lemon 

• olive oil 

• 3-4 courgettes, sliced 

lengthways into strips 

For the dressing: 

• 20g (approx) fresh tarragon 

• 20ml olive oil 

• 10-20ml apple cider vinegar 

• 1 tbsp each of local honey, Dijon 

mustard and soft brown sugar 

For the courgettes: 

Heat a griddle pan on the hob. Brush 

the strips of courgette with olive oil using 

a pastry brush. Also lightly brush the 

griddle pan. When the pan is hot, place 

the courgettes on leaving for 2-3 mins 

so they get a beautiful charring pattern. 

Turn them over and cook on the other 

side. You will probably need to do it in 

a couple of batches. You can prep this 

as far ahead as you like, but keep in the 

fridge if it is more than a few hours. 

For the chicken: 

Put a chicken breast between two pieces 

of cling film and bash with a rolling 

pin until flattened. Repeat for the other 

breast. Mix a generous tbsp of olive 

oil with the lemon juice, thyme, salt 

and pepper. Marinate for as long as 

possible (up to 4 hours but at least 30 

mins). Heat a frying pan on the hob 

with olive oil and cook the chicken 

for approx 5-10 mins on each side 

until cooked through. Keep warm. 

For the dressing: 

Blitz all the ingredients together. 

Taste and add more honey, 

vinegar etc if required. 

When ready to serve, slice the chicken 

and place with the courgettes on a 

plate. Drizzle over the tarragon sauce, 

with extra served on the side. Add 

a handful of dressed salad leaves. 

25cm 

Stoneware Plate 

in Chalk White, £35 

Instagram 

@katharine_gray_ 

ceramics 


74

W E A L D S M O K E R Y 

F INE FOOD EXP E R IEN C E 

Traditionally smoked fish, 

meats and cheeses created 

with passion, pride and care 

Multiple 

award winner 

for over 

20 years! 

NESTLED ON THE BORDER OF EAST 

SUSSEX AND KENT. OPEN EVERY DAY. 

THE PERFECT STOP WHETHER WE ARE 

YOUR LOCAL FARM SHOP OR YOUR 

STAYCATION DESTINATION. 

SHOP LOCAL 

LEAVE WITH A SMILE 

OPENING TIMES:MON TO WED 8.30AM - 5.30PM 

THURS TO SAT 8.30AM - 6PM SUN 10AM - 4PM 





01580 860566/ hello@eggstoapples.co.uk/ www.eggstoapples.co.uk 

Tel: 01580 879601 Email: info@wealdsmokery.co.uk 

www.wealdsmokery.co.uk 

Martin and his team 

are pleased to announce 

the opening of the 

B R E A K F A S T 

Planter’s Breakfast £11.95 

(Served all day) 

Two Bodiam sausages, bacon, mushrooms, 

tomato with a fried egg and baked beans 

all served with Farmhouse toast 

at 

Vegan Greenhouse Delights £11.25 

Avocado served on toasted sourdough with wild 

mushrooms, sunflower seeds, cherry tomatoes 

drizzled with chilli oil Add a poached egg +£1.60 

Posh Brioche Roll £8.25 

Sausage or bacon with homemade rosti and a 

fried egg 

B R U N C H 

Eggs Benedict £10.95 

(Served all day) 

Two soft poached eggs with carved ham 

served on toasted muffin with hollandaise 

sauce 

Gardner’s Shed Hash £11.75 

LAYHAM GARDEN CENTRE 

Potatoes, sausage and bacon with onions served 

with a fried egg and beans 

Lower Road, Staple Kent CT3 1LH 

Monday to Saturday 9am - 4.pm 

Sunday 10am - 4pm. 

Creamy Garlic Mushrooms £9.50 

Served on toasted sourdough with melted 

mozzarella 

We look forward to welcoming you to our new 

Crab Cakes £11.25 venue and invite you to Eggs try Your Way amazing £7.95 cakes 

Served on wilted spinach with two poached 

Scrambled, fried or poached eggs served on 

and coffees and our fantastic menu. 

eggs and hollandaise sauce 

granary toast 

Avocado Toasted Bagel £9.50 

Eggs Florentine £10.95 

Seved with two poached eggs, hollandaise sauce 

and drizzled chilli oil 

Two soft poached eggs with wilted spinach 

served on toasted cheese scones with 

hollandaise sauce 

75 


L U N C H 

(From 12pm to 3pm)

SILCOCKS 

FARM 

Free Range Dry Aged 

Rib Cap Beef Burgers 

£1.75 each 

These hand-pressed burgers are made from 100% rib 

caps taken from our dry aged ribs of beef. 

ORGANIC • SUSTAINABLE • LOCAL 

After the dry aged process is complete the ribs are 

prepared with the caps removed and hand processed 

by our skilled team. 

BUTCHERS SHOP, CAFÉ 

AND FUNCTION ROOMS 

GRANGE ROAD, ST MICHAELS, TENTERDEN TN30 6TL 

Call: 01580 763351 Email: silcocksfarmshop@outlook.com 

Web: silcocksfarm-organics.co.uk 

Follow us on silcocksfarmshop silcocks farm 

West Malling Butchers @ Parkfoot Garage, A20 West Malling 

Open 7 days a week 7am - 7pm 

www.parkfoot.net/butchers | 01732 840000 


76


Apple, cherry & 

hazelnut cake with 

honeycomb ice cream 

Here in the Garden of England, we are 

famous for our orchards. Apples and 

cherries work beautifully together to 

create a stunning cake perfect for any 

occasion. It is utterly delicious paired 

with Simply Ice Cream’s Heavenly 

Honeycomb. This beautiful luxury ice 

cream is made in the heart of Kent. I 

first tasted it at a local food festival a 

few years back and have been a huge 

fan ever since – they’re also regulars 

at Wealden Times Midsummer Fair. 

• 125g butter, softened 

• 125g caster sugar 

• 3 large eggs, beaten 

• 2 tsp vanilla extract 

• 50g ground almonds 

• 100g self raising flour 

• 1 tsp cinnamon 

• 2 large eating apples, peeled, 

cored and cubed 

• 100g local fresh cherries, stoned 

(frozen cherries work well – 

defrosted, and the juice drained) 

For the topping: 

• 25g chopped blanched hazelnuts 

• 20g butter, cut into small cubes 

• 2 tbsp demerara sugar 

• 1 tsp cinnamon 

To serve: 

• Simply Ice Cream in your preferred 

flavour – Heavenly Honeycomb 

works perfectly with this cake 

1. Line the base of and grease 

a loose-bottomed cake tin and 

preheat the oven to 180°C. 

2. Beat the butter and sugar 

together – add the eggs gradually. 

If it curdles, add some of the flour. 

When all the eggs are incorporated 

add the vanilla extract, flour, ground 

almonds and cinnamon. Mix in 

the cherries and two thirds of the 

cubed apples. Pour into the prepared 

tin, scatter over the remaining 

apples and topping ingredients. 

3. Bake for 50 mins. Pop in a skewer, 

if it comes out clean then it’s cooked. 

4. This cake will keep in a tin 

for a few days. Serve with a 

scoop of Simply Ice Cream. 

22cm Stoneware 

Plate in Chalk White, 

18cm Stoneware Plate in 

Pebble Grey, £30, 

Instagram @katharine_ 

gray_ceramics 

77 



Alannah’s perfect Balfour wine pairings 

Food and wine pairing needn’t require the expertise 

of a sommelier or the precision of a chemist in 

balancing a wine’s acids, tannins, or alcohol with 

a dish. While sommelier advice is always a welcome 

addition, there’s a simpler, more accessible approach for the 

everyday wine enthusiast. At Balfour Winery, we embrace 

the philosophy that “what grows together goes together”. 

This adage is more than just a quaint saying; it’s a practical 

and delightful method of pairing food and wine. 

These combinations aren’t just about flavours; they are 

a celebration of locality and sustainability. By choosing 

English wines and local produce, we support our local 

community and reduce our carbon footprint. As English 

wines continue to gain international acclaim, there has 

never been a better time to explore these local gems. 

Here are some inspired pairings to get you started: 

For the roast tomatoes & whipped feta served with Kent Crisps 

Nannette’s Rosé 2023 is dry, light, and pale. While many 

Rosés have delicate aromas that can be overwhelmed by 

strong flavours, the structure and depth of Nannette’s make 

it a perfect companion to the creamy, tangy whipped feta. 

For the sausage pasta ragu 

The oak ageing of Springfield’s Chardonnay 2019 imparts 

a richer, creamier note with a gentle spice. This wine’s 

depth complements the strong herbaceous notes of the 

sausage ragu, creating a harmonious blend of flavours. 

For the chicken with chargrilled courgettes 

& tarragon & local honey dressing 

Skye’s Chardonnay 2022, unoaked and crafted 

in the Chablis style, is fresh and crisp with vibrant 

acidity. This pairs wonderfully with the chargrilled 

courgettes and the slight acidity of the herb-rich 

dressing, enhancing the dish’s fresh, green flavours. 

For the apple, cherry & hazelnut cake with honeycomb ice cream 

Leslie’s Reserve Gold NV boasts a dominant apple character 

with flavours of ripe black and red fruits. Its Extra Dry style 

means it is slightly sweeter than the more common Brut sparkling 

wine, making it the perfect pairing for this sweet, fruity pudding. 

In these pairings, we find not just a celebration of flavours, 

but a tribute to our local produce and the burgeoning English 

wine industry. So next time you’re planning a meal, consider 

what’s grown and produced nearby. You might discover 

that the perfect pairing is right in your back garden. 

To find out more about Balfour Winery, browse 

the wines, book a tour or table in their restaurant 

or shop online, see balfourwinery.com 

This beautiful jamjar 

arrangement of locallygrown 

flowers was from 

Hellebores & Hedgerows in 

Marden, Kent. To find out more 

about the flower farm, and Ellie, 

the florist who runs it, see 

helleboresandhedgerows.co.uk 


78


◆ 

A warm country 

welcome 

Our beautiful 14th Century 

quintessential English pub in Kent, 

welcomes villagers and visitors 

from around the globe, for great 

food and friendly service. 

Our seasonal menus offer locally 

sourced, quality produce together 

with some interesting ales and 

carefully created wine list . 

Enjoy our large sunny terrace on warm 

days and roaring fires when it’s chilly. 

Dog Friendly | Large Car Park 

Cash & Card Accepted 

Opening times 

Monday - Saturday: 12:00 - 23:00 

Sunday: 12:00 - 18:00 

Sunday Roast Carvery: 12:00 - 16:00 

Chequers on the Green 

Ashford Road, High Halden, TN26 3LP 

01233 850503 

chequersonthegreen 

www.chequersonthegreen.com 


80


A whole lot 

of History 

We’ve a wealth of pubs and restaurants with incredible heritage in the area. Fancy enjoying a meal 

where others have dined dating back centuries, including the odd King or Queen? Read on 

The Chequers On The Green Pub 

High Halden, Kent 

Located in the picturesque Kent village of High Halden, just outside 

Tenterden, you will find this historic old inn. Dating back to the 14th 

century ‘The Chequers’, as it was formerly known, is recorded in the 

Domesday Book and is Grade II listed. The history books show there has 

been an inn on the site since 1442. Some of the old oak beams and floors 

upstairs are actually from the old galleons built in Small Hythe hundreds 

of years ago. Today the pub continues to thrive as a bustling foodie venue 

for locals and visitors from around the county. Andrew and Diane are 

experienced hosts of many years, and have steered the pub through the last 

tough few years with the support of a cracking team. Great food, local wine 

and beer await you with welcoming hospitality at this charming, beautiful 

pub! chequersonthegreen.com 

Falconhurst 

Edenbridge, Kent 

Falconhurst is a Wealden family estate founded in 

1852 inspired by a drive to preserve, nurture and 

celebrate our countryside. You’ll find produce available 

in the farm shop including local, artisanal produce 

alongside seasonal fruit and vegetables, homemade 

goods, the best coffee around, and cakes made on 

site. Their Barn serves up supper clubs, pop ups and 

tasting events, welcoming chefs from near and far. For 

starters they will have street food on 19th and 30th 

of August, then Friday 13th September will see wine 

expert Tim French taking guests on a tour of French 

wines (£65). To find more events try falconhurst.co.uk 

The Crown Inn 

Chiddingfold, Surrey 

The Crown Inn is arguably one of the oldest inns in Surrey 

and one of the most historically important. Originally said 

to date to as early as 1285, the inn served as a resting place 

for pilgrims en route from Winchester to Canterbury. This 

traditional timber-framed Wealden hall house is now listed 

Grade II*. The Crown has many royal connections with 

Henry VI, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and the young Edward 

VI all noted to have taken rest in Chiddingfold during 

their reigns. The Crown continues to celebrate and protect 

its strong historical connections and heritage. 

thecrownchiddingfold.com 

81 



Setting out to create not only a thriving farm shop but also a bistro next door, is no mean 

feat. Which is why we’d like to introduce the lady behind Ferma Farm Shop in Ripley 

Kate Franklin is the owner of 

Ferma Farm Shop, and an expert 

at making farm fresh foods really 

shine. We hear all about her thriving 

business ventures and how she manages to 

achieve so much. 

How do you find and select your suppliers? 

Before we opened we spent time 

researching suppliers that produced fresh 

and ambient products in Surrey and then 

looked further afield to get a wide range 

of top quality products. Now that we are 

more established we have the pleasure of 

suppliers and producers contacting us to 

share their artisan products to consider for 

our shelves! 

Can you recommend any particular products 

that we should try? We have a fantastic 

selection of BBQ-ready skewers and 

marinated cuts of meat – all prepared 

in-house by our farm shop team. We also 

make our own quiches with ingredients 

from our farm shop which are very popular 

in Ripley. We change the flavours regularly 

– at the moment we have Beetroot, Goat’s 

Cheese & Sun Blushed Tomato, and 

Cheddar, Bacon, Chicken & Leek. 

You also have a bistro next door, can you 

tell us a bit about that? Our bistro serves 

breakfast and lunch daily using fresh 

produce from the farm shop all in an effort 

to combat waste. It has proven a lovely 

relationship as guests can experience a 

lovely lunch whilst the chefs cook from our 

open kitchen, and then take a look around 

the shop where they will find ingredients 

that they enjoyed for their lunch ready 

to buy and take home! Our lunch menu 

comprises of a selection of seasonal small 

plates – we recommend choosing a couple 

of things each to share with the table. The 

food is delivered as it is ready so you get 

lots of different snacks and plates all nicely 

paced. This style of service suits a quick 

(but delicious!) lunch to break up a work 

day, or a leisurely treat with friends. 

How do you use your produce in the menu? 

Our bistro lunch menu gets a weekly 

refresh to keep things exciting! The 

menu is designed with seasonality at the 

forefront, using produce from our shop. 

Specials of whole BBQ Fish or Dry Aged 

Ribeye from our counter will also make 

appearances here and there. 

What are your personal favourite dishes on the 

menu? Our Watermelon Greek Salad is a 

lovely dish and has proven very popular as 

a light, refreshing lunch. Our dishes change 

daily, if not weekly, but some staples like 

this will stay on for longer. It comes topped 

with creamy Graceburn cheese and drizzled 

with home made gazpacho. 

How do the shop and the bistro support 

sustainable and eco friendly practises? We use 

mainly kraft/cardboard packing and if any 

plastic is necessary it is recycled/recyclable! 

We source from as local as possible – think 

milk from a dairy in Redhill, coffee from 

Dorking, pork from West Sussex and 

honey from Ripley! As well as using surplus 

produce in the bistro, we also produce 

our own ready meals, soups, cold readyto-eat 

lunch boxes and daily salads for our 

antipasti fridge – all with an aim to make 

sure produce is used and enjoyed rather 

than wasted. 

Do you have any upcoming events to look 

forward to? We host two supper clubs 

a month to open the bookings up for 

dinner. We seat guests in our bistro and 

also in front of our lovely farm shop’s open 

kitchen. For updates on our monthly 

supper clubs customers can sign up to our 

newsletter or pick up a flyer in store. Our 

August Dinners are available to book – first 

a Greek Mediterranean Mezze Feast on 

Friday 21st and then an expertly composed 

3-course seasonal late summer menu on 

Saturday 31st. 

Find out more about Ferma Farm Shop at 

fermafarmshop.co.uk 


82

• • • • • 

T: 01303 267441 I WWW.HYTHEIMPERIAL.CO.UK 

AWARDED BEST RESTAURANT 

IN THE KENT REGION 2022 

Fully Air Conditioned 

Free home delivery within 3 miles radius 

Special Banquet every Wednesday 

4 course meal at £17.95 only 

For your takeaway, delivery or dine in enquiries please contact 

01580 765 151 or 07596 322 571 

Online orders at www.badsharestaurant.co.uk 

83 


YES - IT’S CAKE! 

IT’S ALWAYS TIME FOR TEA! 

Join us for a delicious cream tea, freshly brewed coffee 

or a light meal in the lovely village of Appledore. 

EXQUISITE BESPOKE WEDDING 

& CELEBRATION CAKES 

For anyone looking to make a special 

occasion truly unforgettable 

Michelle Ware 07809 382 362 www.alittlebitnaughty.co.uk 

26 The Street, Ashford, TN26 2BX | 01233 758555 

book@missmollettstearoom.co.uk 

missmollettstearoom.co.uk 

A friendly pub dishing up good honest 

grub that’s as sustainable as it is tasty. 

Cosy up with a drink or a bite in the 

heart of Boughton Monchelsea. 

10 mins away from Leeds castle, 20 minutes away 

from Sissinghurst Castle and surrounded by lots of 

local walks, it’s the perfect destination for a day out. 

Pizza oven is open in our beautiful courtyard 

garden from May to October and Traditional 

Sunday roasts served. 

thealbioninn-bmc.co.uk 

Visit us at 

1 Church Street 

Boughton Monchelsea 

ME17 4HW 

Or get in contact at 

01622 299359 


84

Wealden Tea Box 

With their first wedding cake being made in 

1994, and the latest one just a few weeks ago, 

wedding cakes have always been a part of the 

family at Wealden Tea Box. It started with just 

Kate, but now her daughters Royan and Ciara 

have joined in too, it really is a family affair. 

They offer bespoke cakes of all sizes – from 

small intimate weddings to mass gatherings 

– any flavour, any size, nothing is too much 

trouble. Plus they also cater events in their 

charming converted horse box which they fill 

with all sorts of delicious food and traditional 

tea room delicacies. wealdenteabox.co.uk 


The 

Main 

Event 

For event catering there’s a 

whole host of options right 

here in the South East 

A Little Bit 

Naughty 

Michelle discovered her passion for 

baking 20 years ago, whilst organising 

charity cake sales. The popularity of her 

cakes encouraged her to start a part-time 

business in 2013, which turned into a 

full-time career 5 years ago after leaving 

her IT job behind. Having battled breast 

cancer last year, Michelle says creating 

her bespoke celebration cakes helped 

her through chemotherapy, giving her a 

reason to get up and keep going. Now 

cancer free and back to full health she’s 

looking forward to a busy year, making 

even more customers’ cake dreams come 

true. alittlebitnaughty.co.uk 

The Curious Events 

This one is a magical step out of the box that delivers 

carefully curated events and feasts that ignite the 

senses and capture the magic of any occasion. Filled 

with life, colour, energy and years of experience, The 

Curious Events will take you beyond any expectations 

of what a celebration can be. They aim to transport 

guests through the looking glass to a magical world 

of truly unique dining experiences, while keeping 

community, sustainability and fantastic food at heart. 

thecuriousevents.co.uk 

85 



Bank Holiday 

Banquets 

August’s bank holiday is the perfect time to see 

out the summer with a feast of foodie festivals and 

fairs! The only question is, which will you choose? 

Kent Life Ice Cream Festival 

Sat 24 – Sun, 25 Aug 10am-5pm 

Brogdale Collections, Brogdale 

Farm, Faversham, Kent ME13 8XZ 

BROGDALE CIDER FESTIVAL 

Get a taste of the wonderful ciders 

of Kent, whilst grooving away to 

live music from popular local bands, 

indulging in some amazing food and 

drink and enjoying free family fun! A 

bouncy castle, facepainting, festival 

games, crafts, outdoor cooking and 

juice making workshops and even 

a miniature railway offering rides 

around the orchards – you won’t be 

bored at this one! The soundtrack 

will come from no less than three 

music stages with popular local 

bands mixing all sorts of genres. 

As for the cider, there will be over 

40 artisan and specialist varieties 

to taste, including some of the best 

award-winning cider producers from 

in and around Kent like Biddenden 

Vineyard, Brogdale Cider, Kent 

Cider Company, Kentish Pip, 

Longtail, Turners Cider and Wise 

Owl Cider. You can also enjoy 

cocktails and other alcoholic and non 

alcoholic options. 

Price: Adults £15, Children £5 (3-15 

yrs), Under 3 free, Families £35 (2 

adults & 2 children) 

brogdalecollections.org 

Sat 24 – Mon 26 Aug 

Hampton Court Palace, 

Hampton Court Way, Molesey, 

East Molesey KT8 9AU 

HAMPTON COURT 

FOOD FESTIVAL 

The crowning event of the summer 

season is back and artisanal food 

and drink producers are flocking to 

the grounds of Henry VIII’s former 

home with everything from posh 

pastries to Scandi sandwiches. The 

palace will be serving up mouthwatering 

street food from around 

the world, pop-up bars, lawn games, 

bandstand music, face painting 

for the little ones, wooden fête 

games and even carriage rides with 

shire horses – all set in the lovely 

lawns of Henry VIII’s magnificent 

residence. Step into a foodie paradise 

to try Crumpy’s Smoke Shack 

street food, artisan ice creams from 

Baboo Gelato, comforting treats by 

Flapjackery, and Aperol Spritz from 

The Little Orange Van, among many 

fabulous others. You’ll even find a 

few Wealden Times Fair favourites 

there like Thomas Cookie and 

O’Donnell Moonshine. Plus, you 

can explore the palace and grounds 

while you’re at it and get the chance 

to test drive the all-new Lexus LBX 

onsite as they are sponsoring. 

Price: included with Hampton 

Court Palace admission, free to 

Historic Royal Palaces members 

hrpfestivals.com/hampton-court-palace 

Sat 24 – Mon 26 Aug 10am-5pm 

Kent Life, Lock Lane, Sandling, 

Maidstone, Kent ME14 3AU 

KENT LIFE ICE 

CREAM FESTIVAL 

The perfect treat for all ice-cream 

enthusiasts. Kent Life’s top field will 

be filled with live music and food 

stalls with a delectable selection 

of over 40 mouthwatering icecream 

flavours to try and buy! The 

toppings station will be brimming 

with delicious syrups, marshmallows 

and sprinkles, so you can have fun 

personalising your icy creations too. 

There will be dairy free and vegan 

options as well as other foods to 

Hampton Court Food Festival 

fill you up, including homemade 

wood-fired pizzas. For entertainment, 

you’ll find an abundance of music, 

dancing and three brilliant Big Top 

Shows per day, and of course Kent 

Life’s adorable animal friends! 

Price: Adults £11.36, Children (aged 

2-15) £11.36, Members Free 

kentlife.org.uk 

24, 25 & 26 Aug 

Hythe Green Portland Road, 

Hythe, Kent CT21 6JB 

WE LOVE HYTHE LIFE 

FOOD FESTIVAL 

Indulge in mouthwatering dishes 

served up by fabulous food 

connoisseurs showcasing cuisines 

from international flavours to local 

specialities. At the Local Artisanal 

Markets, you can explore local 

produce and tempting products 

from unique spices to handcrafted 

chutneys and cheeses. Meanwhile 

live music from hugely talented 

local singers and musicians will 

make for a brilliant buzzing Bank 

Holiday. Family-friendly activities 

will include fairground rides, Hythe 

Fire and Rescue’s fire engine, and face 

painting. All profits are returned to 

the community. 

welovehythelife.co.uk 


86

HOPS ‘N’ HARVEST 

— B E E R F E S T I V A L — 

SATURDAY 7 – SUNDAY 8 SEPTEMBER 2024 

Festival Fun for all the Family! 

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! 

www.kentlife.org.uk or call 01622 763936 

 

ART IN THE GARDEN 

FESTIVAL 2024 

30 ARTISTS 

DEMONSTRATING 

& SELLING THEIR 

ART 

LOCAL 

FOOD 

LIVE 

MUSIC 

£10 

ENTRY 

FOR 

CHARITY 

Mill Farm House, 

Hunton Rd, Marden, Kent. 

TN12 9QX 

7th & 8th September 

A CONVERTED 

HORSE BOX 

BAR 

87 


Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3PS 

SALE 

NOW ON 

Summer Sale Now On 

SHOP ONLINE AND INSTORE 

49 High St, Cranbrook, TN17 3EE 

www.odyl.co.uk | 01580 714907 

HERNE BAY STORE - NOW OPEN 

BEXHILL - CANTERBURY - HERNE BAY - REIGATE 

SEVENOAKS - TENTERDEN - TUNBRIDGE WELLS 

COUNTY CLOTHES 

MENSWEAR 

Spring / Summer 2024 ranges 

now available in store 

WWW.COUNTYCLOTHESMENSWEAR.CO.UK 


88

Marine bead 

hoop earrings 

£10 Hooples 

hooples.co.uk 

Embroiderd 

bamboo top 

handle bag £85 

Fable England 

fableengland.com 

Scallop heart pendant necklace £25 

Estella Bartlett estellabartlett.com 

Sunset T-Shirt 

£28 Rapanui 

rapanuiclothing.com 

Sunies green butterfly textured 

shoes £99 The Positive 

Company thepositive.co 

Metallic jute beach 

bag £35 Accessorize 

accessorize.com 

The Revelation Of Your 

Existence earrings £280 

Kensho Heirlooms 

kenshoheirlooms.com 

Betsy denim blue 

espadrilles £169 

Calla callashoes.co.uk 

Mediterranean 

sun necklace £135 

Koukla London 

koukla-london.com 

Mules with pearls 

£225 Marc Cain 

marc-cain.com 

Constellation necklace 

£199 Audeo Brand 

audeobrand.com 

The Monogram Mediterranean Blue 

$425 Grace de Monaco gdmonaco.com 

Mediterranean 

Moments 

Nicola top 

£39.95 

Barbour 

barbour.com 

Aperol spritzes, azure seas, fresh fruits 

and sunny skies – we’re feeling inspired 

by the magic of the Med 

Woven bracelet 

with ornaments 

£26 Thomas Sabo 

thomassabo.com 

Kim slim sunglasses 

£160 Thomas Sabo 

thomassabo.com 

Galla gold cocktail ring £49 

Ottoman Hands ottomanhands.com 

Kaka Reef sunglasses £120 

Bird Eyewear findyourbirds.com 

istockphoto.com/ Igor Tichonow 

Friends Like These 

pink tile wrap dress 

£58 Next next.co.uk 

Orange blossom everyday 

pouch £25.60 Elizabeth 

Scarlett elizabethscarlett.com 

Goddess Demeter 

coin earrings £55 

Ottoman Hands 

ottomanhands.com 

The sun brooch 

£78 Hand and Lock 

handembroideryshop.com 

Temple Of Flora 

silk scarf £120 

Rory Hutton 

roryhutton.co.uk 

Gold Maíra bracelet 

£65 Audeo Brand 

audeobrand.com 

Celine silk chiffon dress £159 

Busby & Fox busbyandfox.com 

Bridal scallop clipframe bag 

£50 Accessorize 

accessorize.com 

Alpa espadrilles £109.99 

Blue Velvet bluevelvetshoes.com 

Palm maxi dress £120 Scamp 

& Dude scampanddude.com 

89 


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Beauty 

Cool 

Beauty 

Josephine Fairley explains how to 

adapt your skincare and makeup 

regime to warmer weather 

I 

run hot. Don’t know about you, but I’ll 

always be the one fanning myself on a hot 

day, looking a bit wan in a shady corner. 

(Just to underline the point, I am even signed 

up to a Facebook group by the name of ‘I 

Like to Flip My Pillow Over to the Cool 

Side’ – because I do. And that pillow better be 

linen, which is naturally cooler on the skin.) 

Getting off to a slow start, this clearly isn’t 

going to go down on record as the hottest summer 

in history, in the UK. But whenever a heatwave does 

break (or we travel to warmer climes), it still calls for a 

shift in skincare, make-up and bodycare, in rapid response. 

Lighten up your skincare 

Oily skins, in particular, suffer in the heat; a heavy moisturiser can leave 

skin feeling sticky, looking shiny and even lead to acne breakouts. But don’t 

make the mistake of skipping moisturiser altogether – all skins need moisture, 

and if skin is dehydrated, oil glands will simply work harder to produce yet more 

sebum. Great lighter weight moisturisers, in my book, often have gel or gelcrème 

textures, and include the incredibly reasonably-priced Neutrogena Hydro 

Boost Hydrating Water Gel, £14 for 50ml, Jones Road Beauty Oil Free 

Moisturiser, £36 for 52ml, and Vichy Minéral 89 72H Moisture Boosting 

Cream, £24 for 50ml. (Do also see the section on suncare, below – because 

wearing a good SPF is basically the law, in summer. Or ought to be.) 

Whatever your skintype, though, opt for something lighter if you like to 

use a facial oil, at night. All facial oils are not created equal, but in the most 

recent Beauty Bible Awards, we identified two that performed particularly 

well on panels of 10 women prone to oiliness – which would also be an 

ideal switch for drier skins in humid or hot weather. From the CBDpowered 

brand, Poko Luxury Facial Oil, £27 for 30ml, harnesses baobab, 

crambe, pomegranate (an antioxidant powerhouse) and moringa oil, which 

supports healing from acne, calms redness and soothes irritation. Nonpore-blocking 

Jane Scrivner Pore Purity, £46 for 30ml, meanwhile, works 

to nourish skin without triggering breakouts or congestion, via clarifying 

watermelon seed oil and sandalwood, which tackles oil over-production. 

 

91 


Make sure you’re protected 

Heat = sunshine (generally). I’m already converted to the idea of 

using a sunscreen year-round because of the protection it offers 

against blue light from devices, so I now religiously wear an 

SPF25 or SPF30 even during winter. But come summer, though, 

I never dip below an SPF50. Now, in reality, the way SPFs are 

calculated is fiendishly complicated and highly illogical – with 

an SPF50+, you’re not in reality getting twice the protection of 

an SPF25, but in fact a small uptick in protection. Nevertheless, 

I’d still rather go higher, now that formulations have been vastly 

improved and chalkiness or ghostliness is a thing of the past. 

Sharing some new favourites for summer 2024, these include 

are Trinny See The Light SPF50+ Moisturiser, £45 for 

50ml, and Aurelia Hydrate & Protect Anti-Ageing SPF50 

Moisturiser, £65 for 60ml – both completely stellar performers. 

Stop make-up melting 

Primers most definitely help your make-up from sliding off your face 

– I swear by them for longevity, year-round, but they truly come into 

their own in summer. If you normally tend towards dryness, by all 

means layer a primer over your SPF – my two absolute favourites are 

Elemis Pro-Collagen Insta-Smooth Primer, £62 for 50ml (I’m on 

my fifth tube), and Delilah Underwear Future Resist Foundation 

Primer, £39 for 48ml. But if your complexion is on the oily side, 

my advice would be to choose a primer with a built-in SPF, like 

Charlotte Tilbury Invisible UV Flawless Poreless Primer, £40 for 

30ml, or Hello Sunday The One That’s Got It All Invisible Sun 

Primer SPF50, £23 for 50ml, both of which do double-duty and 

cut down on the number of products you’re applying to oily skin. 

Having never been a particular devotee of make-up setting sprays, 

which sometimes leave skin feeling ‘tight’ because they add a layer 

of polymers, I’ve totally revised my opinion after discovering By 

Terry Hyaluronic Glow Setting Mist, £46 for 100ml – non-greasy, 

easily absorbed, hydrating skin with no less than eight different 

weights of hyaluronic acid, and honestly extending the life of makeup; 

it promises up to 16 hours of make-up wear – I’m not sure 

that’s true in my case, but it certainly 

turbo-charges its endurance 

and also, magically, seems to 

smooth out the appearance 

of make-up. 

Chill your cosmetics 

Keeping your skincare and fragrance in the fridge will 

prolong its life and also, in hot weather, provide a welcome 

moment of cooling calm when you apply a cream or spritz 

a scent that’s been pre-chilled. Trouble is… do you really 

want to potter to the fridge first thing in the morning 

or last thing at night, as part of your skincare regime…? 

Enter the Stylpro Fridge, £54.99, of which 250,000 units 

have already been sold, worldwide – and I’m really not 

surprised, because this dinky chiller is one cute gadget. (Tip: 

it’s also good for overwintering suncare, whose protective 

powers can diminish if just left in a bathroom cabinet.) 

Cool down with a spritz 

Whether or not you keep it in the refrigerator, a facial mist 

can instantly give a very welcome sensation of cool – and also 

work to ‘refresh’ make-up, restoring its freshness and dewiness. 

(Just don’t touch skin afterwards, allow to dry naturally.) 

Some great choices: Lumene Nordic Hydra [Lähde] Pure 

Arctic Hydration Spring Water Mist, £7.50 for 50ml, and 

Avène Thermal Spring Water Spray, £10 for 150ml, which 

soothe and hydrate beautifully with mineral-rich spring 

water. For something a little more actively re-moisturising 

though, reach for a product like PIXI Hydrating Milky 

Mist, £16 for 80ml, or Caudalie Beauty Elixir, £18 for 

100ml, which is enriched with botanical extracts. 

Don’t forget the deodorant 

If you didn’t clip and save last June’s in-depth look at 

deodorants, on these pages (what do you mean, you didn’t…?), 

my enduring favourites include the AKT range of fragrancefirst 

cream deodorants, my favourite of which is SC.01 

Orange Grove, £21 for 50ml (zesty with petitgrain, neroli and 

mandarin), and the ultra-classic Malin+Goetz Eucalyptus 

Deodorant, their #1 global bestseller for over 13 years (and 

understandably so). But whichever is your favourite, always 

make sure armpits are properly dry before applying, as swiping 

or spraying onto sweaty skin will diminish its effectiveness. 

Keep your feet happy 

Oh, the joy of being able to sit, sip and even dine outside… 

Of not needing a cardigan. Of simply allowing the sun to 

melt into your body, relaxing it. But if those are the upsides 

of hot weather, one of the major downsides is that even your 

favourite summer sandals can suddenly cause blisters. I’d 

read that Megababe Thigh Rescue Anti-Friction Stick, £12 

for 60g, was also great for preventing blisters, and whenever 

the mercury’s risen. So, I began applying it to the parts of 

my feet where I know that strappy shoes or the backs of 

trainers rub. The result? Not a single blister in all of 2024 

(and that’s despite walking 20,000 steps a day in Venice 

earlier this year, on an unusually boiling spring jaunt). 

I hope all of this helps you stay cooler – and look 

gorgeous – when summer shows its face. But 

one more thing…? Don’t forget to flip your 

pillow over, on those hot nights. 

Visit beautybible.com for more of Jo’s 

makeup, skin and haircare tips. 

istockphoto.com/ Deagreez 

92

Natural Relief for Hay Fever 

Hay fever is the cause of seasonal misery to 

millions of people worldwide. 

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symptoms such as irritated eyes and nose, 

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Being natural, Helios Hay Fever is without any 

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01892 537254 www.helios.co.uk 

HeliosPharmacyWT239.indd 1 22/03/2022 14:04 

93 


Health 

Take a break 

Sarah Maxwell gives her advice for exercising 

on holiday – if you choose to! 

Overworked, exhausted and 

needing a break? Bring on 

the holidays! Take a break 

from your usual exercise routine and 

return feeling relaxed, refreshed and 

fit. The lead-up to a holiday can 

bring a variety of stresses, and often, 

by the time you arrive (especially 

if you’ve had to organise the 

family too), you can end up being 

more exhausted than when you 

originally booked the restful break. 

If you’re a regular exerciser, trying 

to fit exercise into your holiday can 

add stress. You won’t lose fitness by 

taking a week off. Still, by doing 

something entirely different, you’ll 

stay motivated long-term and return 

feeling great. Remember, it’s okay 

to take time away from your regular 

exercise routine, and it’s a great way 

to try new things and get creative. 

Download some apps... 

If you prefer exercising indoors, 

use workout apps or online videos 

that guide you through different 

routines. You can easily do 

these in your hotel room or any 

available space. Skipping ropes 

and resistance bands can be a good 

addition if you have space in your 

suitcase. I usually find space in my 

trainers if I haven’t over-packed 

them and filled them with socks. 

Use your own bodyweight... 

Incorporate bodyweight exercises 

throughout the day. You could 

do lunges or squats while walking 

from one landmark to another. 

Throw down some planks on 

the beach, jump the waves and 

walk on the soft sand (this 

doubles up as a great pedicure). 

a ball. The wonderful teacher 

was from an 80s aerobics class, 

and the atmosphere was electric. 

I held back on the mojito, 

joined in, couldn’t follow most 

of the moves, but didn’t care. I 

returned every day of my holiday, 

made new friends, and had one 

of the best holidays ever! 

So get creative, have fun, 

and have a fantastic, restful, 

well-earned holiday! 

istockphoto.com/ champpixs 

Give it a go... 

Why not walk, jog or run to explore 

the area? You can plan a route past 

famous landmarks, scenic spots 

or exciting neighbourhoods. This 

way, you’ll get to see the sights 

while getting a cardio workout. 

You will often see and experience 

much more of your destination. If 

on a city break, take advantage of 

city bike hire. Look for parks and 

nature trails, get out into nature, 

walk, climb, meditate and reap all 

the benefits of the great outdoors. 

Check out classes nearby... 

Find a local yoga or pilates 

class and see if you can get a 

pass or temporary membership 

to a local gym. This can be a 

great way to try different gym 

equipment, find new exercises 

and engage with local people. 

Make time to relax... 

Don’t forget the relaxation. 

Use the spa, grab a massage, 

float in the pool and take 

time for yourself. Leave the 

guilt at home and indulge. 

A few years ago, I was having a 

well-earned solo break but was 

struggling with motivating myself 

to do anything other than lie 

down most of the day. Early 

one evening, I dragged myself 

off the beach bed and sat 

quietly in a local hostelry 

(about to order a mojito). 

Across the road, a large 

group of people of all 

ages, shapes and 

sizes had gathered. 

In seconds, they 

were all dancing 

wildly and having 

Sarah 

Maxwell is a multiaward 

winning Lifestyle 

Wellbeing and Fitness coach. You 

can find her at sarahmaxwell.com 

Get in touch via email at 

sarahmaxwell@mail.com 

and on social 

@sarahmaxlife 


istockphoto.com, miwa_in_oz , Magone, chokja, Elena Tsvetkova, Drazen Zigic, Agustin Vai /Lisovskaya 

Nourish to Flourish 

Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach Charlotte Lau 

explores the benefits of incorporating 

another healthy ingredient into our 

diets. This month it’s beetroot 

Beetroot is a vibrant and versatile vegetable known 

for its earthy flavour and aroma. In addition to 

bringing a pop of colour to your plate, beetroot 

is highly nutritious and packed with essential vitamins, 

minerals and plant compounds. It is also rich in a group 

of substances called nitrates which have a beneficial 

influence on our cardiovascular system, lowering blood 

pressure. Beetroot’s intense purple colour is delivered 

by a compound called Betacyacin. This has been shown 

to support detoxification pathways in the liver by 

disarming harmful substances in the body, ready for 

removal. Beets are also high in fibre which promotes 

the growth of good bacteria in your gut and can help to 

improve digestion. What’s more, they are delicious and 

easy to add to your diet in dishes like balsamic roasted 

beets, hummus, fries and even smoothies, as well as 

this dip recipe, which is perfect for alfresco dining. 

Charlotte runs Plume Nutrition, where she offers support and advice 

for weight management, controlling cravings, sleeplessness, stress 

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

Whipped feta with roasted beetroot 

and pistachios Serves 4 

• 1 large beetroot (around 450g) 

• 250g Greek yoghurt 

• 200g feta cheese 

• 1 tbsp avocado oil 

• juice of half a lemon 

• drizzle of honey 

• half a cup of chopped pistachio nuts 

1. Peel the beetroot and cut into wedges then toss with oil 

and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 180°C for 20-25 

minutes, or until tender when pressed with a fork. Set aside. 

2. Add the feta cheese along with the Greek yoghurt 

and the juice of half a lemon to a large bowl, then 

season with salt and pepper. Beat the mixture with 

a hand mixer or whisk until smooth and fluffy. 

3. Spread the feta yoghurt mixture onto a 

large plate, place the roasted beets onto 

half the plate. Top with crushed 

pistachios and a drizzle of honey. 

4. This is delicious served 

with warm pita or flat bread 

– break into pieces using your 

hands and enjoy! 

95 


Garden 

Summer Survivors 

Jo Arnell explains that no water isn’t necessarily an issue for members of the succulent family 

istockphoto.com/Mariia Skovpen / Hein Nouwens / quangpraha/ franswillemblok 

Alien looking, self-sufficient, 

popular with students and 

those of us that forget to water 

– succulents are a fascinating group 

of plants and can be very satisfying to 

grow. They are virtually indestructible 

and seem unbothered by most pests and 

diseases. That is unless you overwater 

them – and then they behave like 

the Wicked Witch of the East and 

melt away (but sadly to sludge rather 

than in a puff of green smoke). 

This is a big group of plants; across 

many botanical families throughout 

the world some plants have found 

themselves in difficult terrain and have 

gradually adapted to their circumstances, 

developing ways to survive and conserve 

water. We might imagine they are all 

from warmer climates and deserts, 

but there are succulents found in 

mountainous regions too. It can get 

very cold at night in the desert and the 

winter in the mountains, but it tends to 

be dry in these places – until there’s a 

flash flood, or spring ice melt – and this 

is when the plants will rush into flower 

and suck up as much water as they can 

to last them until the next time. They 

will store water in their fleshy stems 

and leaves and manage to eke it out, 

sometimes for years, until it rains again. 

This gives us a clue as to the sort of 

care they need and, although we don’t 

live in an arid desert (yet), we can try 

to mimic the situation. For a start 

we should choose the sunniest, driest 

part of the garden to grow them in. 

A rockery is ideal, as they are usually 

raised (and potentially full of useful 

rocks and crevices). This mimics 

the scree slopes and mountainous 

places and looks more natural. 

These fleshy leaved survivors are 

adapted to harsh dry conditions, and 

will grow in the unlikeliest of places – 

cracks in paving, dry stone walls – and 

in the past were even used to plug 

holes in thatched roofs, earning the 

name ‘houseleeks’. The Latin name, 

Sempervivum, is interesting too, meaning 

ever-living, hinting at their tendency to 

keep going and not die back. Providing 

there’s good drainage and the right 

varieties have been chosen, they’ll 

manage outside through the winter too. 

Plant them in the sunniest parts of 

the garden if they are going to live up 

to this ever-living habit – they will be 

‘ever-dying’ if positioned in a damp, dark 

corner. The exception to this is Sedum 

spectabile – the ice plant, which seems 

to manage in most garden situations. 

97 


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1 24/01/2023 17:06

This is a wonderfully useful, 

low growing perennial that 

comes into its own at the end 

of summer when its nectarrich 

flowers are smothered 

in butterflies and bees. 

Succulents make for very 

successful living roofs too. You 

can buy them either on a roll, 

or in shallow trays that can be 

laid like tiles. Providing there’s 

good drainage, they will need 

very little maintenance and will 

instantly beautify a bin store or 

shed roof – and attract wildlife. 

Containers 

Succulents make striking pot 

plants; you can design the 

display to bring interesting 

contrasts in form and colour 

that will rival a bedding display. 

A container of succulents 

will have one big advantage. 

While traditional summer 

pots and hanging baskets will 

need watering regularly – once 

or even twice a day in hot 

weather – you can happily 

leave succulents unwatered for 

long periods, ideal if you are 

away during the summer. 

Choose a shallow container 

(troughs and low bowls work 

really well) and make sure 

that the growing medium 

is very gritty – add at least 

50% horticultural grit to any 

multipurpose compost, or buy 

a specially formulated mix. 

Good drainage is the key to 

success – it’s important that 

any container has adequate 

drainage holes. If you are 

leaving them outside all 

year, they will need to be 

kept out of the worst of the 

weather and moved into a 

porch or sheltered place to 

keep them out of the rain. 

Seasonal Care 

Winter Watch... It gets cold 

in the desert at night, which 

means that many cacti and 

succulents are surprisingly 

hardy at low temperatures, 

thanks to a sort of plant antifreeze 

in the sap. The big 

problem is the damp. 

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99 


Garden 

Cold, damp winters get the better of many 

of us, but if the fleshy leaves of a non-hardy 

succulent freeze, the cell walls will burst and then thaw 

into mush. Check labels on plants carefully when you 

buy them to see how hardy they are at low temperatures. 

Frost resistant or not, none of them will like to sit outside in the 

rain for long, in fact it is more likely to be winter wet that does for them, 

rather than just the cold. Bring succulents in containers under cover if you 

can – into a cold greenhouse, porch or the shelter of an overhanging roof. 

Springing Forth... The only time your succulents would appreciate a good 

watering is in the spring. This is the ideal time to give them a bit of tic in the form 

of feeding or repotting. You may find that they have produced offspring, which 

are endearingly called ‘pups’. These can be separated from the parent and potted up 

individually, or left in situ, where they will eventually take over from the main plant, 

especially if it is a monocarpic variety, which will flower once (often spectacularly, 

with their weird, tall flowers that look like something from Star Trek) and then die. 

Summer Loving... The hot, dry summers we are beginning to experience here – 

though perhaps not this year(!) – while potentially treacherous, are ideal for succulents. 

In fact it’s more a case of ‘No rain? No problem!’ The rest of the plants may be brown 

and shrivelled, but these guys will keep going and thrive where others fear to grow. 

This is why they’re so good on living roofs – it’s unnecessary, and anyway mostly 

impractical to water, and so the weeds tend to frazzle and leave the succulents to it. 

Houseplants 

Tender succulents make perfect houseplants, but not in the kitchen or bathroom, where it 

could be too steamy for them. A hot sunny windowsill or bright and warm conservatory 

will suit them down to the ground. Like most other houseplants they are great air 

purifiers – and some are even medicinal. Aloe vera sap is skin soothing and contains 

a natural pain reliever – just cut off a little section and apply directly on the skin. 

More is More 

These addictive little plants are so ready to reproduce themselves that, aside 

from separating and growing the pups, you can even just pull off a leaf or 

chop a piece of stem, poke into the soil and before too long a miniature 

plant will emerge from the parent piece. Just make sure you leave the 

cut piece to callous over for a couple of days to prevent it rotting and 

that you insert it into a gritty compost mix. Within a few months 

you could end up with quite a collection of new plants… 

Jo’s new gardening courses are now booking. 

Call 07923 969634 or see 

hornbrookmanor.co.uk. 


Education 

Happy 

Holidays 

Mike Piercy, education consultant and former Head of The New Beacon, 

reflects on the end of the school year 

istockphoto.com/BrianAJackson 

‘ 

The past is a foreign country; they do things 

differently there.’ LP Hartley, The Go-Between. 

What a captivating, beguiling opening to a book. 

Considerably more clichéd are the words of William 

Blake, ‘Hindsight is a wonderful thing…’ though his 

ensuing words are quoted less often: ‘…but foresight 

is better.’ I would suggest hindsight informs foresight 

rather than unimaginatively using hindsight to beat 

yourself about the head. Reflect critically, yes, but also 

constructively, with honesty, the past enabling the future. 

We have reached the end of the academic year. All change. 

Many thousands of children and young people are moving 

on. The youngest are leaving behind much-loved class 

teachers (that hopefully, generally, being the case). Year 

6 children leave their primaries; Year 8s leave their preps 

– a rite of passage. They all face being minnows of their 

new seas in September, seemingly eons away from July. 

Sixteen and eighteen year-olds have slaved over the hot 

stoves of revision and exams. They now await results day. I 

was talking recently to someone who achieved a first class 

degree in architecture, the culmination of five hard years 

of study. She and her contemporaries now face the world 

of work. She is ready for it and to leave student life. For 

all, July brings emotion and sentiment for the past year. 

At every phase of education there will be many who 

have outgrown that particular stage of life. As a Head I 

would sometimes have to tame a few recalcitrant Year 8s 

who felt they had outgrown the school. I would remind 

them of all the school had given them – not least the 

confidence which prepares them for whatever comes 

next. It is right and proper for pupils and students to 

feel they have outgrown their environment; it means 

the teachers and lecturers have done their job. 

So now the summer holidays beckon. Eighteen-yearolds 

embark on summer jobs or gap years; prepare for 

university or start on the career path. The much longed-for 

independence will surely bring many challenges. Pupils 

of all ages will have left some security, some familiarity, 

teachers, classes or schools. The educational world is full 

of ups and downs. July brings the promise of a hiatus, 

a rest, along with high emotion as people move on. 

Children, pupils and students might on occasion pause 

over the summer to reflect on what has passed over the 

last year: what could or should I have done differently? As 

September approaches end of year reports should be read 

and re-read, critically and with honesty, as the new year 

approaches (‘…but Mr. Bloggs didn’t like me!’ may contain 

a glimmer of truth; however, reflect honestly on the part you 

may have played in that scenario). For the youngest: read, 

read and read some more; play number games in the car. 

I wish everyone a lovely summer break. Especially 

teachers. If you haven’t experienced it you will not 

know how exhausting teaching can be, for inherent in 

good teaching is ‘giving’ – emotional generosity. Those 

who have now completed national exams I wish you 

every success on results day (though there is little you 

can now do). As to the youngest children: be helpful 

at home; be kind to your siblings – and parents. 

Mike’s book, ‘Careering’ – a journey through his life, which 

also offers advice to parents – will be published by Troubador 

on 28 August and can be pre-ordered. mikepiercy@hotmail.com 

101 


OPEN 

Day 

Right now is 

the perfect 

time to be 

scouting local 

schools as 

they open 

their doors 

for open 

days! 

Saturday 21 September 

9.00am-12.00pm 

PREP SCHOOL FOREST FUN 

Join us for a morning of fun 

outdoor activities in our forest, 

where you can meet our teachers, 

chat to current parents and tour 

the Nursery and Prep School. 

kent-college.co.uk 


& Saturday 9 November 

OPEN MORNING (AGES 11-18) 

Join us for one of our Senior 

School Open Mornings where 

you can discover how we cultivate 

self-belief and character for life, 

offering more than education to 

nurture your child’s full potential. 

svs.org.uk 


9.00am-12.00pm 

OPEN MORNING 

Our Saturday Open Morning event is 

a wonderful opportunity to explore our 

school and facilities, meet our senior 

leadership and admissions teams, staff and 

pupils and learn more about the awardwinning 

Caterham family of schools. 

copthorneprep.co.uk 

Friday 4 October 

9.00am-11.00am 

OPEN MORNING 

Join us for our open morning and 

enjoy a tour of the school by pupils, 

hear from the headmaster, meet our 

teachers, experience classes in action 

and see our beautiful grounds. Please 

book online at theprep.org.uk or 

email admissions@theprep.org.uk 

for more details. 


OPEN MORNING 

Independent, Catholic primary 

school for all faiths and none, 

with an outstanding Little Hearts 

Nursery. Small classes, wrap around 

care, Scholarship and 11+ success. 

ISI rated ‘Excellent’ in all areas. 

sacredheartwadhurst.org.uk 


From 9.00am 

OPEN DAY 

Where you will have the opportunity 

to see the school in action with a 

tour from one of our pupils, meet 

our Headmaster, Mr Eddy Newton, 

and find out for yourself what makes 

Marlborough House so special. 

marlboroughhouseschool.co.uk 

Friday 4 & Saturday 5 October, 

9.00am-12.00pm 

OPEN MORNING 

“A school that values kindness and 

nurtures loyalty, pride and character. 

Where children grow up at their own 

pace in a safe inspiring environment 

by the sea.” The Good Schools Guide 

standrewsprep.co.uk 


102

Saturday 5 October 2024 

9.00am-12.00pm 

OPEN MORNING YEARS 9 - 13 

“Tradition intertwined with modernity 

at this forward-thinking all-rounder 

gem. Hard workers and doers thrive 

and go into the world as grounded 

people you’re going to want to be 

around.” The Good Schools Guide 

eastbourne-college.co.uk 

Saturday 5 October 

9.30am-12.30pm 

OPEN MORNING 

Come and see what makes us the 

top boys’ boarding school in the 

country and the best boys’ school 

in the South-East, as ranked by The 

Sunday Times’ Parent Power table. 

tonbridge-school.co.uk/admissions/visit 

Saturday 5 October 

9.00am-1.00pm 

SENIOR SCHOOL 

OPEN MORNING 

Families looking for a Senior School 

place for their daughter are invited 

to tour the school, meet our students 

and teachers and hear from the Head, 

Deputy Heads and Head Girls. 


Saturday 5 October, 

9.00am-12.00pm 

CLAREMONT SCHOOL 

OCTOBER OPEN DAY 

Come and explore our Prep and 

Senior schools, meet our Heads 

of School and teaching team, and 

discover how we guide and inspire 

students to become their best. 

claremontschool.co.uk/events 

Tuesday 8 October 

6.00pm-8.30pm 

SIXTH FORM 

INFORMATION EVENING 

Join us to hear about our all-girls Sixth 

Form and the wide range of subjects, 

qualifications and extracurricular 

opportunities we offer. Meet the Head 

of Sixth Form and subject teachers. 


Thursday 10 October 

9.00am-12.00pm 

PREP SCHOOL 

OPEN MORNING 

Discover what makes Kent College 

Prep such a special place to learn. 

Tour the school, hear from the 

Head and Head of Early Years and 

meet our pupils and teachers. 


14-18 October 

WHOLE SCHOOL 

OPEN WEEK 

Vinehall School is a leading 

co-educational day, boarding school 

and nursery for children between the 

ages of 2 and 13 and a proud member 

of the Repton family of schools. 

Book online at vinehallschool.com 

Saturday 28th September, 

Friday 22nd November 

SUTTON VALENCE 

PREP SCHOOL OPEN 

MORNING (AGES 2-11) 

Join us for our Prep School Open 

Morning. Experience how we ignite 

curiosity and imagination, nurturing 

self-belief and resilience in every child. 

svs.org.uk 

103 


Contemporary 

CRAFT SHOW 

Pashley Manor Gardens 

August Bank Holiday Weekend 

24 - 26 August 2024 

Batik 

Ceramics 

Embroidery 

Enamelling 

Furniture 

Glass 

Jewellery 

Knitwear 

Leatherwork 

Metalwork 

Printmaking 

Silversmithing 

Textiles 

Textile Art 

Woodwork 

Special price: Entry to Craft Show and Gardens £13 

Pashley Manor Gardens, Ticehurst, 

Near Wadhurst, East Sussex TN5 7HE 

www.thesussexguild.co.uk 

Reg Charity no: 292234 

INTRODUCING THE 53 RD 

RYE ARTS FESTIVAL 

FRIDAY 13 TH - SUNDAY 29 TH 

SEPTEMBER 2024 

TICKETS GO ON SALE: 

MONDAY 29 TH JULY 2024 

ryeartsfestival.org.uk 

SCAN ME! 

Rye Arts Festival CIO Reg Charity No. 1175309 

Open Air Theatre: Beauty and the Beast - Sun 18 th August 

Presented with lively original music and sparkling humour in a 

delightful setting, Chapterhouse Theatre Company’s rollicking 

new adaptation of Beauty and the Beast is perfect for all the 

family! 

Picnics are welcome in the gardens. Adult £20, Child 5-16, £12, 

Child under 5 Free and Family (2 Adults & 2 Children) £55.00. 

Woodfest & Country Fair - Sat 7 th & Sun 8 th September 

We have lots of exciting woodland demonstrations taking place 

over the weekend including chainsaw carving, wood turning, 

horse logging, campfire cooking, pole lathe turning as well 

as vintage tractors and a fantastic display of stationary steam 

engines. 

The main arena attractions run continuously throughout the 

day and will include Kent Falconry Centre Display, The Mini 

Pony Show, Dog and Duck Display, Terrier Racing and The 

Golden Retriever Display Team (Sunday Only). New for 2024, we 

have Øst Centingas Living History Society joining us. 

Adults £12 children under 16 are free of charge. Book your 

tickets online to save 20%. 

belmont-house.org • 01795 890 228 • events@belmont-house.org 

Belmont House & Gardens, Throwley, Faversham, Kent ME13 0HH 

Wood Floor 

Sanding 

- Family Business - 

We also restore wooden kitchen tops 

FREE estimates - call any time 

07794953597 gerardgrover@gmail.com 

Residential care home for the 

elderly in Headcorn, Kent 

We provide both long-term accommodation 

and short stay respite stays. Small friendly 

residential care home that can offer 24 hour 

care, we also offer day care. All rooms 

are comfortable and fully furnished. 

Large independent living flat for the elderly 

available within grounds of the home 24 

hr care and usual amenities on site. 

Contact Donna or Jackie on 

01622 890112 or yth@mail.org 

yewtree-carehome.co.uk 

9 Station Road, Headcorn TN27 9SB 


104

PLANT HUNTERS WEEKEND AT LULLINGSTONE CASTLE 

CONTEMPORARY 

CRAFT SHOW 

RYE ARTS 

FESTIVAL 

What’s On 

this Season 

talent. Classical, folk, blues and even 

celtic dub will be served up. Look 

out for a special screening of Godzilla 

and best-selling author Robert Harris 

launching his new novel Precipice. 

ryeartsfestival.org.uk 

GARDENS 

at the front of the main house). 

See website for details of Zoolab 

on 24th and 25th, an opportunity 

to meet a selection of animal 

friends from around the globe. 

Entry: Adults £12.50, 

children under 16 Free 

lullingstonecastle.co.uk 

istockphoto.com/ gpointstudio & Furtseff & Maryviolet 

FESTIVALS & SHOWS 

Sat 17 Aug 

Locations around Cranbrook 

CRANBROOK & 

SISSINGHURST MAYOR’S DAY 

Mayor Raj Bisram’s extravaganza 

for the residents of Sissinghurst 

and Cranbrook with highlights 

including a Children’s Show at the 

Vestry Hall at 11am, a Senior’s 

Afternoon Tea at 3pm, giveaways 

all day in the High Street and Stone 

Street and a fabulous Town Raffle 

at 7pm in the George Hotel. Prizes 

include tickets for Ascot, artwork 

by Mr Doodle, a 5 star hotel 

afternoon tea, a dinner and stay plus 

cases of wine and plenty more. 

Sat 24 – Mon 26 Aug 

Pashley Manor, Pashley Road, 

Ticehurst, Wadhurst TN5 7HE 

PASHLEY MANOR GARDENS 

CONTEMPORARY 

CRAFT SHOW 

The Sussex Guild exhibits once 

again at one of the finest gardens 

in England. Chat with makers 

of beautiful handmade ceramics, 

furniture, textiles, jewellery, glass 

and so much more. And don’t miss 

the excellent Garden Room Cafe. 

thesussexguild.co.uk 

Sun 1 Sept 10am-5pm 

Brooklands Museum, 

Brooklands Drive, Weybridge, 

Surrey KT13 0SL 

AMERICAN DAY AT 

BROOKLANDS 

A day devoted to stars and stripes as 

Brooklands welcomes a whole host 

of American cars and motorbikes. 

Expect a feast of chrome and 

colour with some gleaming Dodge, 

Chryslers, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile 

Fords, Hot Rods and much more 

around the Paddock, Motoring 

Village and Finishing Straight. And 

it’s not just cars and bikes that will be 

filling up the site, the Paddock will 

be alive with themed entertainment, 

food and memorabilia. 

brooklandsmuseum.com 

Fri 13 – Sun 29 Sept 

Various venues around Rye 

RYE ARTS FESTIVAL 

The 53rd Rye Arts Festival proudly 

offers a broad menu of artistic 

events, with world class performers 

from around the globe, including the 

best of Britain and the cream of local 

Mon 19 & Mon 26 Aug 

Polesden Lacy, Great Bookham, 

near Dorking, Surrey RH5 6BD 

THE SECRET 

LANGUAGE OF TREES 

Unlocking some of Polesden Lacey’s 

natural treasures, this fascinating tour 

focuses on the trees and woodlands. 

Discover amazing facts about these 

majestic plants as you breathe in the 

peace and tranquillity of a landscape 

that has changed little since Medieval 

times. Learn what goes into 

conserving the woodland to ensure 

it can be enjoyed by generations 

to come. If there are spaces on 

the day, you are welcome to join 

the tour but booking is advised. 

Entry: The tour is free but normal 

property admission rates apply 

nationaltrust.org.uk 

Fri 24 – Sun 26 Aug 11am-5pm 

Lullingstone Castle, 

Eynsford, Kent DA4 0JA 

PLANT HUNTERS 

WEEKEND 

Celebrating the lives of some of 

Britain’s most intrepid plant hunters, 

Tom Hart Dyke and friends mark 

this special Bank Holiday weekend 

in authentic dress, with Tom taking 

visitors on a tour of The World 

Garden starting at 1:30pm (meet 

THEATRE 

Sun 18 Aug 4pm 

Belmont House and 

Gardens, Belmont Park, 

Throwley Rd, Throwley, 

Faversham ME13 0HH 

OPEN AIR THEATRE: 

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 

Chapterhouse Theatre Company 

comes to Belmont House for a 

retelling of this classic fairy tale. 

BYO seating and picnics and enjoy! 

Entry: Adults £20, Children 

5-16/NUS Student £12, Child 

under 5 Free, Families (2 

Adults & 2 Children) £55 

belmont-house.org 

Listings are correct at time of going to press 

but may be subject to change. Readers are 

advised to check with venues before making 

arrangements. We can list your event in 

the next issue of Wealden Times for only 

£75+VAT. Please supply up to 200 words 

that should include date, time, venue, 

contact for enquiries and any entry price to 

whatson@priceless-group.com or send with 

payment (cheques payable to Priceless Media 

Ltd.) to What’s On, Priceless Media, Kettle 

Chambers, 21 Stone Street, Cranbrook, 

Kent TN17 3HF. Priceless Media reserves 

the right to edit text to fit space allocated. 

Deadline for the next issue is 8th August. 

105 


Jane Howard gets down to 

the business of choosing the 

best of this year's lambs for 

the breeding season ahead 

The sheep have now been shorn and 

thoughts turn to how the flock might 

shape up in the season ahead. 

The ewes all lambed in February and March and 

the lambs are now getting quite large and have most 

definitely lost their ahhh factor. The four that were 

bottle fed are especially irksome as they can skilfully 

negotiate any barricade in their daily quest to leave the 

field, travel across the back garden snacking on roses 

and cosmos en route to the backdoor step. Once there, 

they defiantly line up and bleat until one of us succumbs 

and makes up the bottles, promising 

each time will be the last time as they 

are so big and strong and annoying. 

I think some of the ewes feel the 

same way, but they won’t have to wait 

too long now as any day the lambs will 

be weaned and the mums get a blissful 

three months off before, without fail, the 

pesky rams turn up again in November. 

Back to the lambs. Once weaned the 

first thing we do is split them into two groups, boys 

(not young rams as they were all rung at birth) and girls. 

Most farms tend to operate 'closed flocks' meaning the 

females are all home bred and they only buy in rams. 

Having had about 120 lambs, Mother Nature will pretty 

much ensure they are evenly split between boys and girls 

and out of the sixty female ewe lambs we will be looking 

for about 10 replacements to breed from in Spring 

2026. The rest will join the boys and go off to market. 

So, with a one in five chance of making the grade, 

how do we go about deciding? Just by looking at them 

it’s easy to pick off the bigger, shapely girls, say the top 

twenty but then it all gets a bit more scientific. When 

they are born, any female lambs that have a twin have 

The lambs are 

now getting quite 

large and have 

most definitely lost 

their ahhh factor 

a notch clipped out of their left ear (only cartilage, not 

painful) which means they carry the desirable twin gene. 

So a bit like musical chairs anyone without a clipped 

ear is out. Then we look at their mothers and how 

they score to get a likely outcome for their daughters. 

I’ve talked about this before, but when a ewe lambs 

we will score her on four traits. For each she can score 

a maximum one and a minimum of minus one, so top 

score would be four, bottom would 

be minus four – and generally anyone 

scoring less than two doesn’t get another 

'turn round the block'. It goes like 

this, one point for an easy birth, zero 

for a slight pull and minus one for a 

right heave ho. A similar point system 

applies for having twins, strong lambs 

and lots of milk. So if your mum scored 

four you’ll get shortlisted, and so we 

end up with our ten or so replacement ewe lambs. 

These then get turned away to grow and develop 

until they join the flock next autumn to meet the boys. 

In January, the year after they were born, they become 

known as tegs, female sheep that haven’t yet had a lamb 

and remain so until they lamb the following spring. 

A bit like the famous Blue Peter “and here’s one 

I made earlier” it’s also time to look at the tegs we 

selected last year, to make sure they have grown well 

and become the sheep we hoped for. Funnily enough 

'in the wool' they all look good, but shearing them 

is a bit like stripping off, nowhere to hide the less 

positive parts, but pleased to say this year’s pick are all 

looking good and ready to roll. Bring in the rams. 


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Wealden Times | WT267 | August 2024 | Taste of the South East Supplement inside

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