Lenham - just wish this rain would do one

 Today, I had to be in Maidstone, for something that was only going to last about an hour, so I thought, as I was out that way, I would go end explore the pretty village of Lenham.

The village centres around a lovely square with a plethora of Tudor and Georgian buildings.

As usual, I started with the church, which is right on the square. However, I'd only been in there a few minutes, happily snapping away, when a lady came in and said it was starting to rain. So, not having waterproofs with me, I decided to cut my losses and make a run for home.

I reached home before the rain came to much, but what I had found up to that point, makes me determined to return to the church, where there is still much to investigate, and for a good walk around the village itself, to see what turns up.

Anyway, the few I took will be on the Kent2 page very shortly, and the words will follow at some point in the next few hours.

Battle - not just the Norman Conquest

 Battle Abbey, of course, is well known throughout the world, as the place where the Battle of Hastings was fought in 1066, and King Harold lost his life and his kingdom.

But visitors to the little Sussex town must be pleasantly surprised by the beautiful old buildings which line the High Street.

It's true that, outside of the Battlefield, there's not a lot of awe-inspiring history, but on a local level, there's much to see and admire.

I spent the morning poking about, and had intended to ride up towards Heathfield, recording the Polish Airforce Memorial just outside Netherfield, Mad Jack's Sugar Loaf between Brightling and Dallington, and the Jack Cade Memorial at Cade Street.

I did the first of these, but then the mist clamped down, and as it would mean parking the bike on the road for the other two, I decided to wait for safer weather. 

I'll hopefully go back later in the year, when the weather is more clement.

Sussex page is about to be updated..........................

Here and There in London

 So today, I decided to explore the area which comprises the very south of the London Borough of Camden.

It's a bit of an odd area, with no overall cohesion, covering as it does, places as diverse as Euston station and Bloomsbury Square. It has thus been difficult to put all my thoughts under one heading. 

So, I can include one or two random pictures under the heading of 'South Camden', and the rest will have to have their own headings, some with only one item in them.

I'm going to start by adding a bit more on the St. Pancras Hotel on the London1 page, and the rest will appear on London2

Why Wye?

 Why not? Twice a month, Wye has a smashing little Farmers' market. And unlike some of them, the stalls are all local produce. The stall holders are all lovely people, and every stall is different. 

I needed to go and top up on some of the things I buy regularly, and I had nothing else on today, so I thought I would combine it with one of my urban walks, and poke around a bit.

By the time I got there, it was drizzling quite badly, so I bought my produce and then decided to confine my research to just the old college buildings and the church, conveniently opposite the market.

You know what Rabbie Burns said about 'the best laid plans of mice and men?.......... the buildings are currently shrouded in scaffolding, and the church was closed today because some sort of audio recording was taking place.

I definitely need to return, as there is a lot of important local history contained within those walls, and the town itself is very old and well worth a look in depth. 

So for now, I'm putting a chapter on the Kent2 page for Wye, but it will only hold a picture of the outside of the church, and a little bit of tantalising history to be going on with.

Spring is on its' way.......curiously!

 Well now, the weather is showing signs of warming a little, and hopefully, we shall soon have a few dry days, so that I can start exploring again.

My researches over the gloomy Winter weeks, has thrown up some real oddities. I know every county has its' curiosities but I've found several in Kent. Sussex and Surrey that are just begging me to go and find them.

Obviously, I have yet to go and photograph the worlds famous 'Ham Sandwich' sign just outside Finglesham, but I can add another 'street oddity' - just outside Sevenoaks, is a road called 'Labour-in-Vain'. Need to find out why.

I've decided to add follies too. Of course, there are the famous ones such as Calton Hill in Edinburgh, and those that were built purely to 'enhance' the aspects of country houses and stately homes.

There's lots of others locally, but Brightling in Sussex outshines them all. The little village is littered with them, all thanks to a gentleman known as 'Mad Jack Fuller'. He will probably end up with a page all to himself!

Most curious of all, are my starting points of any place - churches.  Most churches have a dedication to a saint. The land is littered with churches to St. Mary, St. John etc., and most are to well-known people or events. However - there are one or two that have piqued my interest and curiosity to know more.

I've already visited the tiny church of St. Rumwold on the edge of Romney Marsh, one of only two in the country dedicated to the infant saint. That is likely to become better known as the burial place of Paul O'Grady. I just hope it doesn't generate too much interest, as it is a lovely, peaceful place. 

Dedications to St. John, and variations (St. John the Baptist, St. John the Evangelist etc.) are plentiful, but how about a church dedicated to 'The Beheading of St. John The Baptist'? There's also one dedicated to 'King Charles the Martyr'.  (obviously Charles I who was also beheaded). Gory eh?

So there we have it. I think I've made enough notes over the Winter to keep me going for a good few years, let alone this Summer.

2024..........

 So far this year, it's been wet and windy. However, today the sun is shining and I'm off out. Not a 'place visit', just to make sure that the bikes are OK after their lack of use this winter.

I've spent the last couple of weeks researching and sorting out routes to follow and places to go to. There will be still more on Kent, naturally, more trips to the curious side of London, and a bit of poking about Surrey, and, if time allows, Middlesex. Plus, of course, a trip to St. Albans by train. 

However, this year, I want to see more of Sussex, and the first place on my list is Battle. As usual for me though, it will be less about the Abbey and more about the town and its people. 

So, if you're down this way, keep an eye out for my blue motorcycle if it's a fair distance from home, and my little yellow one if I'm more local.