What a busy day I've had over the last couple of days, and more to come with the Rochester Tour I've been asked to do on Sunday, so forgive me if my blogs are a bit thin on the ground and picture-less at the moment!
Treasure Hunt in Brighton on Wednesday morning was good fun and I think the local corporate team enjoyed their day - I was a mystery woman at a mystery location with a task for them to do (I won't reveal what the task was as don't want to spoil it for anyone!). Being in the cold was a bit of a trial, but was fun and it was a close run thing between the teams at the end. Not the nicest of weather, but at least it didn't rain until the afternoon when I went on a ghost walk training session. Very atmospheric!
Today, it was a CPD day at Pluckley and Smarden and meant I could meet many of the members of SEETGA (South East England Tourist Guides Association) as well as meet up again with some of my colleagues who trained with me. Fascinating talk on the history of Pluckley - the Dering family, the ghosts and H.E. Bates' "Darling Buds of May" which was filmed around and in Pluckley itself. Then we had a Church tour of St Nicholas, and lunch at The Black Horse. Lots of old beams and nooks and crannies in the pub.
After lunch we set off down the road to the very pretty village of Smarden with many old Wealden Hall Houses, timber clad and weatherboard buildings, so typical of Kentish vernacular architecture. We had a talk and a tour around the History Centre by the local Smarden History Group and then a tour of the village and a talk in St Michael's Church - the "Barn of Kent" because of its vast spanning roof. Tea and home-made cake ended the day before heading back to Tunbridge Wells and for me to catch up on my e-mails and to look at things for the tour I have on Sunday. Keeps me out of trouble!
Thursday 31 March 2011
Tuesday 29 March 2011
First Tours!
How exciting! Just had confirmed my first booking on a solo tour - Rochester, this Sunday. Fingers crossed it goes well. Mixture of fear and excitement. Just wish it wasn't so last minute to get everything sorted. Only have 1 day free now this week to do the recee, it shall be a very intensive day!
I must also be up early tomorrow for helping my friend, Lyn, with a Treasure Hunt in Brighton in the morning; then she is showing me the ropes for the ghost tours in the afternoon! Busy, busy!
A CPD fills my Thursday - CPD meaning Continual Professional Development - when I will be in Pluckley and Smarden with SEETGA.
Just gives me Friday to go to Rochester. Saturday is the day before my partner's birthday and we are out and about (yes, I am working on his actual birthday, and on Mothering Sunday too!), just won't be a late one on Saturday so I get up and get sorted for Sunday. Wow, what a week planned, with a Brighton Tour on the Monday as well, I'm going to really enjoy my day off next Tuesday!
Oh and almost forgot that tonight I am going to "Meet the Brewer" of Nelson's Brewery, Chatham (near to Rochester). This is at the Opera House in Tunbridge Wells - well, the Wetherspoon's pub that is in what was the Opera House of Tunbridge Wells. A very fine building indeed. I think I shall bring some books on Charles Dickens to begin my revision for Sunday! If you didn't know, Dickens grew up around the Chatham/Rochester area, then lived his last few years at Gad's Hill, Higham, and based many of his characters and places on buildings/people in Rochester.
I will let you all know how it goes as soon as I get a free moment! Lots to tell I think when I do get a chance.
I must also be up early tomorrow for helping my friend, Lyn, with a Treasure Hunt in Brighton in the morning; then she is showing me the ropes for the ghost tours in the afternoon! Busy, busy!
A CPD fills my Thursday - CPD meaning Continual Professional Development - when I will be in Pluckley and Smarden with SEETGA.
Just gives me Friday to go to Rochester. Saturday is the day before my partner's birthday and we are out and about (yes, I am working on his actual birthday, and on Mothering Sunday too!), just won't be a late one on Saturday so I get up and get sorted for Sunday. Wow, what a week planned, with a Brighton Tour on the Monday as well, I'm going to really enjoy my day off next Tuesday!
Oh and almost forgot that tonight I am going to "Meet the Brewer" of Nelson's Brewery, Chatham (near to Rochester). This is at the Opera House in Tunbridge Wells - well, the Wetherspoon's pub that is in what was the Opera House of Tunbridge Wells. A very fine building indeed. I think I shall bring some books on Charles Dickens to begin my revision for Sunday! If you didn't know, Dickens grew up around the Chatham/Rochester area, then lived his last few years at Gad's Hill, Higham, and based many of his characters and places on buildings/people in Rochester.
I will let you all know how it goes as soon as I get a free moment! Lots to tell I think when I do get a chance.
Monday 28 March 2011
Discover...Hampton Court Palace
One of two Royal palaces I can guide you in - the other being Windsor Castle. Hampton Court Palace simply takes your breath away the first time you set eyes on its magnificent Tudor frontage. Once the home of Cardinal Wolsey in 1514, it became the property of King Henry VIII around 1528/9.
Be amazed by the surviving Tudor kitchens, during the summer there are often demonstrations taking place in them, and gaze in awe at the Great Hall with its vast roof. As you walk through the Tudor gateway you enter into Base Court then through the Anne Boleyn Gateway into Clock Court where you can gaze up at the Astronomical Clock by Nicholas Oursian.
Wander the Haunted Corridor, on the look out for the screaming ghost of Henry's adulterous 5th wife, Catherine Howard, who is said to haunt here and enjoy the impressive Chapel Royal, still in use today for services, and where King Henry VIII married his last wife, Catherine Parr.
The Palace then changes its appearance and becomes a 17th and 18th Century splendour, created by Sir Christopher Wren. The whole Tudor Palace was earmarked for demolishing during this period, however the death of King William III's wife, Queen Mary, in 1694, saw the work stop and the complete destruction of the Tudor Palace never happened. Luckily for us!!
You can enjoy a pleasant day strolling the King's and Queen's Apartments, looking at the beautiful frescos by Antonio Verrio and the ironwork of Jean Tijou. There are wonderfully preserved 16th Century tapestries to admire and some of Grinling Gibbon's finest carvings.
Outside you can enjoy the acres of Gardens, carefully tended and bursting with colour, and explore the Hampton Court Maze. Visit the Great Vine and see one of the world's oldest black Hamburg grape vines, allegedly planted by the landscape architect Lancelot "Capability" Brown in 1768. One cannot miss in the Lower Orangery the famous and important works by Andrea Mantegna - "The Triumphs of Caesar".
So whether you want to spend a day enjoying the beautiful gardens and relax with a coffee in the Tiltyard cafe or explore all the delights the Tudor and 18th Century Palace has to offer, Discover South East England can make your day an unforgettable one.
For more information and prices, please contact me: Catherine Pitt at discoversoutheastengland@gmail.com
[Note - all Photographs copywrite of Discover South East England]
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| Visitor entrance to Hampton Court Palace |
Be amazed by the surviving Tudor kitchens, during the summer there are often demonstrations taking place in them, and gaze in awe at the Great Hall with its vast roof. As you walk through the Tudor gateway you enter into Base Court then through the Anne Boleyn Gateway into Clock Court where you can gaze up at the Astronomical Clock by Nicholas Oursian.
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| Base Court |
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| Astronomical Clock |
Wander the Haunted Corridor, on the look out for the screaming ghost of Henry's adulterous 5th wife, Catherine Howard, who is said to haunt here and enjoy the impressive Chapel Royal, still in use today for services, and where King Henry VIII married his last wife, Catherine Parr.
The Palace then changes its appearance and becomes a 17th and 18th Century splendour, created by Sir Christopher Wren. The whole Tudor Palace was earmarked for demolishing during this period, however the death of King William III's wife, Queen Mary, in 1694, saw the work stop and the complete destruction of the Tudor Palace never happened. Luckily for us!!
You can enjoy a pleasant day strolling the King's and Queen's Apartments, looking at the beautiful frescos by Antonio Verrio and the ironwork of Jean Tijou. There are wonderfully preserved 16th Century tapestries to admire and some of Grinling Gibbon's finest carvings.
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| Sir Christopher Wren's South front of Hampton Court Palace |
Outside you can enjoy the acres of Gardens, carefully tended and bursting with colour, and explore the Hampton Court Maze. Visit the Great Vine and see one of the world's oldest black Hamburg grape vines, allegedly planted by the landscape architect Lancelot "Capability" Brown in 1768. One cannot miss in the Lower Orangery the famous and important works by Andrea Mantegna - "The Triumphs of Caesar".
So whether you want to spend a day enjoying the beautiful gardens and relax with a coffee in the Tiltyard cafe or explore all the delights the Tudor and 18th Century Palace has to offer, Discover South East England can make your day an unforgettable one.
For more information and prices, please contact me: Catherine Pitt at discoversoutheastengland@gmail.com
[Note - all Photographs copywrite of Discover South East England]
Friday 25 March 2011
Greenwich Day
Woke up to a misty grey morning that cleared swiftly to a bright blue sky. Made my way from my friend's to the Cutty Sark DLR where I met up with the rest of my course colleagues - first time really since our exams finished - and our guide for the CPD day - Rob Williamson.
Made our way up the hill to the Royal Observatory where there was a fantastic view over London - you could see the O2 arena, the new Olympic stadium in the distance, Canary Wharf and even as far round as St Paul's Cathedral. The area where the famous buildings and park are in Greenwich is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The photo above looks down on the Park, originally Royal hunting land from the 15th Century. The buildings you can see from the foreground backwards is the Queen's House, then the Royal Naval Hospital which is now part of the University of Greenwich. In the distance are the office blocks of Canary Wharf and on the horizon on the far right in the distance is the new 2012 Olympic stadium being built.
We started, however, at Greenwich Royal Observatory, where we spent a short time investigating the different exhibitions on display to the public and of course straddling the Meridian line which is used to set GMT and world time! Interestingly there were actually 4 Meridian lines over the course of history - we are currently using the Aria Meridian.
We then headed to the Queen's House which is free to go into and definitely worth a visit. It is the first truly Classical house built in Britain, by the architect Inigo Jones in the 17th Century for King James I wife, Anne of Denmark. The queen mainly associated with this "summer house" however, was the widow of King Charles I, Queen Henrietta-Maria. It is fascinating to stand under the collonades and marvel at the fact that this was in the 17th Century the main road into London and the house was actually built so the road ran underneath it! Inside you can really appreciate the geometrically precise proportions and marvel at the first cantilever staircase in England. There are also some very important paintings on display in the rooms, including a Canaletto, and portraits of Tudor, Stuart and Jacobean Kings and Queens all associated with Greenwich.
You can actually travel by water to Greenwich as there is a pier near to the Cutty Sark, currently under restoration after the 2007 fire, where visitors can disembark. It is worth remembering that if you come by boat you will be travelling the way that most monarchs did to and from London. The site of the Royal Naval Hospital is in fact on land where once stood the Tudor Palace of Greenwich. It was here that King Henry VIII was born as well as his 2 daughters, Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Mary I, as well as the site that Henry's only son and heir, King Edward VI died shortly before his 16th birthday in 1553. Inside the National Maritime Museum is one of the state barges used in the 18th Century by the Royal family to travel up and down the Thames.
Inside the National Maritime Museum (which is free to go into, although donations always appreciated) you can also see a jacket of Britain's most famous seafarer - Admiral Lord Nelson. Nelson's body was actually laid out in the Painted Hall in the old Royal Naval Hospital when his body was brought back to England after the Battle of Trafalgar, before his funeral at St Paul's Cathedral. Usually on display in the Museum is the bloodstained jacket removed from Nelson's body after his death (the bullet that killed him you can see at Windsor Castle), however, it is currently under restoration and will hopefully be back on public display next year. In the meantime on display is the jacket he wore during his campaign on the Nile against Napoleon. I have to say that when you do look at it, it makes you realise that Nelson was a very slight and small man.
After lunch we proceeded to the old Royal Naval Hospital, built by Sir Christopher Wren, and visited the stunning Baroque Painted Hall and the beautiful Chapel. Both again are free to visitors but few realise they are open to the public, and are well worth discovering.
The painted hall is a testament to the work of the artist James Thornhill in the 17th Century and is breathtaking when you go inside. He took 19 years to complete the paintings, a real labour of love, and its allegorical theme is that of Peace and Liberty over Tyranny. It depicts King William III and Queen Mary in the centre with England's enemy, King Louis XIV in a yellow cloak (the colour of cowards) under King William's feet. Apparently this room was intended to be the hospital patients' dining hall, however it took so long to complete and was so chilly to dine in every day that it was only ever used for ceremonial and important dinners. Thornhill even wrote a guide to the paintings as they were so detailed and the hospital residents would take visitors around using this guide.
Originally the Chapel would have been of the same Baroque style as the Painted Hall, however a fire in the late 18th Century saw it destroyed. Out of the gutted remains came this beautiful and peaceful chapel by James "Athenian" Stuart in the Greek revival style popular at the time. There are many reminders as you look around the chapel of Wedgewood's Jasperware, and of course Wedgewood was influenced by this Greek revival style, popular in the late 18th Century. The chapel is still a place of worship today.
I hope my blog has given you a small taster of this marvellous and varied site. It is definitely worth a visit and as I have completed the CPD day I can offer walking tours around the site and Greenwich village itself if anyone is interested.
Made our way up the hill to the Royal Observatory where there was a fantastic view over London - you could see the O2 arena, the new Olympic stadium in the distance, Canary Wharf and even as far round as St Paul's Cathedral. The area where the famous buildings and park are in Greenwich is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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| Greenwich with Canary Wharf in the background |
The photo above looks down on the Park, originally Royal hunting land from the 15th Century. The buildings you can see from the foreground backwards is the Queen's House, then the Royal Naval Hospital which is now part of the University of Greenwich. In the distance are the office blocks of Canary Wharf and on the horizon on the far right in the distance is the new 2012 Olympic stadium being built.
We started, however, at Greenwich Royal Observatory, where we spent a short time investigating the different exhibitions on display to the public and of course straddling the Meridian line which is used to set GMT and world time! Interestingly there were actually 4 Meridian lines over the course of history - we are currently using the Aria Meridian.
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| Royal Observatory - Octagon Room and Timeball |
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| Greenwich Meridian |
You can actually travel by water to Greenwich as there is a pier near to the Cutty Sark, currently under restoration after the 2007 fire, where visitors can disembark. It is worth remembering that if you come by boat you will be travelling the way that most monarchs did to and from London. The site of the Royal Naval Hospital is in fact on land where once stood the Tudor Palace of Greenwich. It was here that King Henry VIII was born as well as his 2 daughters, Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Mary I, as well as the site that Henry's only son and heir, King Edward VI died shortly before his 16th birthday in 1553. Inside the National Maritime Museum is one of the state barges used in the 18th Century by the Royal family to travel up and down the Thames.
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| Royal Barge in N.M.M |
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| Admiral Lord Nelson |
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| Painted Hall |
The painted hall is a testament to the work of the artist James Thornhill in the 17th Century and is breathtaking when you go inside. He took 19 years to complete the paintings, a real labour of love, and its allegorical theme is that of Peace and Liberty over Tyranny. It depicts King William III and Queen Mary in the centre with England's enemy, King Louis XIV in a yellow cloak (the colour of cowards) under King William's feet. Apparently this room was intended to be the hospital patients' dining hall, however it took so long to complete and was so chilly to dine in every day that it was only ever used for ceremonial and important dinners. Thornhill even wrote a guide to the paintings as they were so detailed and the hospital residents would take visitors around using this guide.
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| The Chapel |
I hope my blog has given you a small taster of this marvellous and varied site. It is definitely worth a visit and as I have completed the CPD day I can offer walking tours around the site and Greenwich village itself if anyone is interested.
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| Greenwich Old Royal Naval Hospital with the Queen's House in the background and the Royal Observatory up on the hill |
Afternoon in Trafalgar Square and The National Gallery
What wonderful weather I had on Wednesday afternoon when I made my way into London to frequent the painted halls of The National Gallery for a few hours. Just had to take a picture from the main portico entrance of Trafalgar Square - shows Nelson's Column and the new 2012 Olympic clock!
The National Gallery is free to go in and you can leave your bags for free in the cloakroom too. The Gallery ask for a donation for your visit and also if you require a map - that was only a £1. Well worth it to make your way around.
I think I managed to see almost every gallery during my hours in there. I wanted to go and see some old favourites, as well as some new pictures that I never usually see. Being a Medievalist I enjoy the early paintings, but sometimes neglect to spend time in the 18th and 19th Century galleries.
Picked up some interesting facts when in there - such as the fact a "packet boat" was a mail boat.
Some of my favourite paintings I would recommend to go and see are not necessarily the Canaletto's, Stubb's, Reynold's, Gainsborough's or Monet's. I really liked a new painting by Askeli Gallen-Kallela, a Finnish painter of "Lake Ketele". Simple yet effective. I love any paintings/prints by Hogarth but one of my favourite paintings in the National Gallery though has to be the "Old Woman (Ugly Duchess)" by Quinten Massys (see Right). It's a 16th Century painting and brilliant! Goodness knows if it is based on a real person! If you are in the National Gallery itself, when I was there it was in Gallery B, but sometimes is in another room, so please ask the very helpful staff there.
There are 3 places to eat in the National, and I enjoyed a hot chocolate in the small Espresso Bar in the basement. The cakes there looked scrummy but I resisted! Prices start from £1.50 for tea, £1.75 for coffee and £2 for hot chocolate (Prices quoted on 23/03/2011). As you sit there on some very comfy seats you can access the Gallery information on computer screens dotted around the cafe. Such a great idea.
After the National Gallery I made my way to one of my favourite London pubs for a quick pint - The Harp in Chandos Place. Only a short walk from Trafalgar Square it has just won this year the CAMRA National Pub of the Year 2010/2011. A fabulous accolade for a tiny freehouse pub in the heart of London. Very unusual. Check out www.harpcoventgarden.com. I enjoyed a fine pint of Sambrook's Wandle beer (3.7%) when relaxing in there (£3.20 per pint on the day) - they are a London brewery. So many other tempting beers but had to go meet a friend.
Remember, if you are visiting London, a lot of the time you have no need for a tube ticket - the distance between Charing Cross and Trafalgar Square is a couple of minutes. You are minutes from the Embankment and river side, a short walk from the Houses of Parliament and also Covent Garden. If you have a map you can easily stroll to The British Museum too!
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| Trafalgar Square |
I think I managed to see almost every gallery during my hours in there. I wanted to go and see some old favourites, as well as some new pictures that I never usually see. Being a Medievalist I enjoy the early paintings, but sometimes neglect to spend time in the 18th and 19th Century galleries.
Picked up some interesting facts when in there - such as the fact a "packet boat" was a mail boat.
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| Massy's "The Ugly Duchess" |
There are 3 places to eat in the National, and I enjoyed a hot chocolate in the small Espresso Bar in the basement. The cakes there looked scrummy but I resisted! Prices start from £1.50 for tea, £1.75 for coffee and £2 for hot chocolate (Prices quoted on 23/03/2011). As you sit there on some very comfy seats you can access the Gallery information on computer screens dotted around the cafe. Such a great idea.
After the National Gallery I made my way to one of my favourite London pubs for a quick pint - The Harp in Chandos Place. Only a short walk from Trafalgar Square it has just won this year the CAMRA National Pub of the Year 2010/2011. A fabulous accolade for a tiny freehouse pub in the heart of London. Very unusual. Check out www.harpcoventgarden.com. I enjoyed a fine pint of Sambrook's Wandle beer (3.7%) when relaxing in there (£3.20 per pint on the day) - they are a London brewery. So many other tempting beers but had to go meet a friend.
Remember, if you are visiting London, a lot of the time you have no need for a tube ticket - the distance between Charing Cross and Trafalgar Square is a couple of minutes. You are minutes from the Embankment and river side, a short walk from the Houses of Parliament and also Covent Garden. If you have a map you can easily stroll to The British Museum too!
Wednesday 23 March 2011
Off to London today for a bit of me time, enjoying some of the museums and galleries I haven't had time to go to this last year while studying for this course. Then I'm staying over with some friends as I have a CPD (Continued Professional Development) day tomorrow in Greenwich. Very excited as never been and after our lecture on Saturday it looks great. I will then be able to take people there for a tour around Greenwich if asked!
On this course we have also taken additional exams to be able to guide tourists around Hampton Court and Windsor Castle (though there some restrictions on guiding in both places, which of course as a guide you respect). Both are fabulous historic royal sites.
In the next few days I hope to get some photos up and facts on a few more places - such as Hampton Court, Canterbury etc... And of course I will keep you up to date with how things went at Greenwich! Keep following!
Oh yes, and if you are on twitter - you can follow me there too - @cathdiscoversee
On this course we have also taken additional exams to be able to guide tourists around Hampton Court and Windsor Castle (though there some restrictions on guiding in both places, which of course as a guide you respect). Both are fabulous historic royal sites.
In the next few days I hope to get some photos up and facts on a few more places - such as Hampton Court, Canterbury etc... And of course I will keep you up to date with how things went at Greenwich! Keep following!
Oh yes, and if you are on twitter - you can follow me there too - @cathdiscoversee
Tuesday 22 March 2011
It's a beautiful sunny day out there, but as you've seen I've been busy at my blog, amongst other things today. Sent off my form to the Inland Revenue to register myself as self employed, as well as my National Insurance form. Bought an accounts book, got a meeting with my partner's accountant arranged for Monday, and reading up on some books for some tour ideas. Also set up a Twitter account too! You can follow me @cathdiscoversee - I don't think I have ever been so up to date with technology - though the phone does need upgrading considerably!
Please also have a look at my friend, Lyn's website - www.brightonwalks.com as I have a number of jobs with her coming up, so will let you all know how these go. I have walking tours, ghost tours and a Treasure Hunt booked in! How exciting!
Please also have a look at my friend, Lyn's website - www.brightonwalks.com as I have a number of jobs with her coming up, so will let you all know how these go. I have walking tours, ghost tours and a Treasure Hunt booked in! How exciting!
Discover more...
Discover:
Hever Castle - the childhood home of King Henry VIII's doomed second wife, and mother of Queen Elizabeth I, Anne Boleyn. See her Book of Hours, reputedly taken with her to the scaffold. Hever was also the home of American millionaire William Waldorf-Astor in the early 20th Century and you can learn of how he restored the castle, wander the stunning Italianate gardens he created or relax on the boating lake.
Rye - Come and discover this medieval "Antient Town" of the Cinque Port Federation on a fascinating 1 1/2 hour walking tour. Learn about smugglers, ghosts and Rye's rich literary connections. For a tour contact me at discoversoutheastengland@gmail.com
Rochester - A huge influence on characters and buildings in the novels of Charles Dickens, who lived nearby at Gad's Hill, Higham, Rochester has much to offer the tourist - from independent shops to comfy tea rooms. You can explore the ruins of the castle along the River Medway or enjoy some peaceful contemplation in the second oldest Cathedral in the UK. Walking Tours can be arranged by Discover South East England.
Cranbrook - Kent's smallest town. This market town was once the centre of the Wealden cloth industry - it is said that over half a mile of broadcloth was laid out in the 16th Century for the visit of Queen Elizabeth I. The 15th Century Parish Church, St Dunstan's is known as the "Cathedral of the Weald". Most of the houses are the typical white weatherboard that you see in the region, and the Union Mill is one of a few Kentish windmills still in use today.
Faversham - renowned as the "Market Town of Kings" this historic town has many sides to explore, from the oldest brewery in England to the 19th Century gunpowder mills. A walking tour of Faversham can open your eyes to this lovely town - from the Creek where boats still moor today, to the little pubs, cafes and shops of the medieval streets. A tour can be combined with a visit to the brewery. Also, near to Faversham is Brogdale - home of the National Fruit Collection, a great place to spend an afternoon.
[Pictures are copyright of discoversoutheastengland.co.uk]
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| Hever Castle |
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| Ypres Tower, Rye |
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| Rochester High Street |
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| Union Mill, Cranbrook |
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| Shepherd Neame Brewery, Faversham |
[Pictures are copyright of discoversoutheastengland.co.uk]
Discover...
Here are some pictures I, and my partner, have taken of some of the beautiful sites you can see here in the South East. Come and discover...
Penshurst Place - home of Viscount D'Lisle. Visited by King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I and many other monarchs, all who fell in love with this stunning property. Previously the home of the famous 16th Century courtier, soldier and poet, Sir Philip Sidney. The Great Hall dates to 1341.
Bayham Abbey - English Heritage owned ruin of c.1207 Premonstratensian Monastery. On Kent/Sussex border. The ruins sit in grounds landscaped by Humphrey Repton.
Igtham Mote - Hidden away in the depths of the Kentish countryside is this rare 14thC moated manor house. Now a National Trust owned property it is a fabulous example of 5 Centuries of architectural history. Lovely gardens to relax in and have a picnic on a summers day.
Scotney Castle - Another National Trust property - actually 2 properties - a 19th Century house and 14th Century ruins of a medieval castle and moat. Open all year round, with wonderful displays in May/June of rhodedendrons and azaleas.
[Note - Pictures are copyright of discoversoutheastengland.co.uk]
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| Penshurst Place |
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| Bayham Abbey |
Bayham Abbey - English Heritage owned ruin of c.1207 Premonstratensian Monastery. On Kent/Sussex border. The ruins sit in grounds landscaped by Humphrey Repton.
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| Ightham Mote |
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| Scotney Castle |
[Note - Pictures are copyright of discoversoutheastengland.co.uk]
Monday 21 March 2011
Website
I aim to have a website up and running soon - but in the meantime I am using this blogsite to fill you in with information on tours, what I have been up to etc...
New Beginnings!
Having just completed my Blue Badge course for the South East of England, I am somewhat in limbo, waiting on the results. However, planning plenty of tours and talks that I can offer to visitors, both national and international is keeping me busy, which is good! I hope to be able to offer both group tours as well as personal and corporate tours (Prices on application).
What is a Blue Badge Guide I hear you ask? Well, its a professional qualification through the Registered Guild of Tourist Guides that I have taken a year to complete. It is a very intensive course and you are trained to the highest standard to be able to take visitors around museums, cathedrals and churches, on coach tours and walking tours too. I will also be good at pub quizzes!! The amount of knowledge you have to know is huge, not just about the area but also about the UK as a whole. Anything and everything from Architecture to Law, from History to literature. My brain is certainly feeling stuffed!
I'm sure you want to know who I am and why I wanted to become a guide - well, I'm from a very small village in Wiltshire, not too far from Bath. A west country girl at heart!
I graduated from Reading University with a First in History, then went and worked at the Costume Museum in Bath and at the British Museum in London, both jobs were as visitor/museum assistant. I then took a Medieval History MA course from Bristol University. As you can tell, History is my passion. I then veered off slightly from the norm with a job as Private Clients Manager for a Fine Wine Storage facility. I then found myself in Tunbridge Wells looking for work, and discovered the Blue Badge Course - the first in 10 years apparently! Went for the interview armed with a presentation on cider/ale in the South East and here I am now!!
My other main interests, as my friends all know, is pubs and real ale. Not just about drinking, but the social history surrounding pubs. I am also an active member of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) and hope to be able to combine my interest of History and real ale into certain tours.
I want this blog to be a personal account of my progression to become a Tourist Guide - and will be updating with what I am up to in the interrum period before my results, and of course afterwards - the world of being a Tourist Guide!
What is a Blue Badge Guide I hear you ask? Well, its a professional qualification through the Registered Guild of Tourist Guides that I have taken a year to complete. It is a very intensive course and you are trained to the highest standard to be able to take visitors around museums, cathedrals and churches, on coach tours and walking tours too. I will also be good at pub quizzes!! The amount of knowledge you have to know is huge, not just about the area but also about the UK as a whole. Anything and everything from Architecture to Law, from History to literature. My brain is certainly feeling stuffed!
I'm sure you want to know who I am and why I wanted to become a guide - well, I'm from a very small village in Wiltshire, not too far from Bath. A west country girl at heart!
I graduated from Reading University with a First in History, then went and worked at the Costume Museum in Bath and at the British Museum in London, both jobs were as visitor/museum assistant. I then took a Medieval History MA course from Bristol University. As you can tell, History is my passion. I then veered off slightly from the norm with a job as Private Clients Manager for a Fine Wine Storage facility. I then found myself in Tunbridge Wells looking for work, and discovered the Blue Badge Course - the first in 10 years apparently! Went for the interview armed with a presentation on cider/ale in the South East and here I am now!!
My other main interests, as my friends all know, is pubs and real ale. Not just about drinking, but the social history surrounding pubs. I am also an active member of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) and hope to be able to combine my interest of History and real ale into certain tours.
I want this blog to be a personal account of my progression to become a Tourist Guide - and will be updating with what I am up to in the interrum period before my results, and of course afterwards - the world of being a Tourist Guide!
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