Yesterday's little trip to the Kent & Canterbury Hospital reminded me that there was still a lot more in Canterbury to investigate. Finding myself at a loose end today, I hopped on the train and spent another couple of hours exploring more of the city centre.
I'm in the middle of updating the Kent/Canterbury page, with new stuff and revisits to places already partially explored.
And I've still not seen the half of it...........
Today I had an appointment at the Kent & Canterbury Hospital, which is a huge sprawling complex with no accident and Emergency facilities. I was actually quite looking forward to it, as I lived in Canterbury for a while and my son was born in what is known as the '1937 Building' of the hospital.
I am going ot add a small article about it on the end of the Kent/Canterbury page.........
Was having a good day today, so decided to take Twinkle for a run. (wasn't quite up to riding the Yamaha). So, Twinkle being Twinkle (sweet little underpowered thing that he is) and the sun being all shiny and hot, it screamed out for a trip out into the wilds of Romney Marshes and environs.
So, we have High Halden, Rolvenden, Rolvenden Layne, and Wittersham for you to peruse, plus failed attempts to access the churches at St. Michael's and Reading Street - the pages have been started, but not a lot there yet. Also managed to add a shot of a building that was originally a cinema in Tenterden, but which is now a pretty little row of shops.
It felt good to be on the road again, but I now have loads of research to do. It's going to rain all weekend it seems, so that gives me a chance to do it.
If you're new to this website, here's how to use it.
On the left is a menu of counties. Just scroll down and click on the county you want to explore. That click will take you to the homepage for the county, and if you then scroll down the page, below the introduction you will see a menu of all the places in that county that have been wholly or partially explored so far.
Just click on the place you want to see and clicking on that will take you to the dedicated page for that place.
And of course, clicking on each picture will bring it up full screen........
Meanwhile......keep an eye on this front page, as this is where I will advise you of where I've been and what's new.
I'm hoping this lovely weather will continue, because I shall be restarting my travels hopefully next week................
Despite having an 800 page document of research to catch up on, this project is on hold whilst I'm trying to regain my health.
So there won't be any new places added for a while, but I am doing research from home on what I've already posted, so you may see some useful additions.
to those of you waiting for the report on the Charterhouse Priory. I started it, but then unfortunately got rushed into hospital. I am home, but not in a fit condition to sit at the desk for any length of time
Hopefully, normal service will be resumed soon......................................
So today, it was back on the HS1, for another look at the area south of King's Cross and St. Pancras.
I started in South Camden, along Grays Inn Road to Farringdon, which I only just touched on this time round. My main destination was Charterhouse Square, Smithfield Market, and St. Bartholomew's.
I got home to find I'd got 139 pictures to edit and sort through, and masses of information to disseminate, so I suggest you might like to leave looking at it intil Easter weekend!
When it's done, there will be a few additions to the South Camden page, and new pages for Smithfield, Farringdon, Charterhouse and St. Bartholomew's, both the hospital and the Great church.
Note: Updates to South Camden done, as are Smithfield and Farringdon. Still working on Charterhouse and St. Barts.
Actually, while I'm here, I want to give a big thumbs up and a hug to a nice little lady called Judith in the Museum at Charterhouse Priory. We chatted for ages, and I could have stayed talking to her a lot longer, but I was aware there were other people who wanted her wealth of Knowledge.
Another day of dodging all the road closures across Romney Marsh. Ruckinge church was being dug up (well, not the church per se, but the ground across the front of it), Newchurch church was locked, but St. Mary-in-the-Marsh held her arms wide open. I love this little church, so out-of-date and untouched, and like the rest of the village, letting the rest of this hectic world go by in peace and quiet.
so, a couple of exterior shots of Newchurch church for the time being, and finally, interior shots of St. Mary-in-the-Marsh, St. Mary The Virgin church. Both in Kent
Sorry, couldn't resist!
Spent my birthday out on Twinkle, exploring a few more odd places. Got lost twice, and managed to lose a church!
I'm not joking. I saw the church tower somewhere off to my right. It was one of these that is severely divorced from its' village, and every time I thought I'd found the lane that led to it, it didn't!
In the end, I gave up, and went off exploring somewhere else. I'll work out a detailed route to it, and return a bit better armed with directions next time!
In the meantime, I shall be adding Brook and Selling to Kent. There will also be a page started for Hinxhill, but the church wasn't open, so there only the lych-gate (which is rather lovely) on there at the moment
I'll also be adding a little bit more to Chartham, Wye and Canterbury
As usual, give me 24 hours to do the necessary research and updates
Weather was still too unsettled to go out on the bike, so once again it was a short trip on a slow train. Yes, I abandoned the HS1 and took a trip on the 'old' mainline to Tonbridge.
Can't remember the last time I used a mainline train - certainly it hasn't been since my husband retired in 2013. He was station controller at Tonbridge, so I was in and out of there quite often. Never had a good look round the town though.
It reminds me of a genteel old lady - it was once wealthy and smart, but now a little frayed around the edges. Unlike a lot of town centres around here though, it was still bustling with shoppers, I think it's probably because it's the nearest town for a lot of large commuter villages.
I actually enjoyed the train ride there and back too. Unlike the HS1 line, the train trundles through the glorious Kent countryside at a pace that gives you time to actually look at it.
My only disappointment was that Tonbridge Castle is currently closed for some conservation work. Nevermind, there will be another trip I'm sure..................
