Walking in Kent

Pilgrims Way - Snodland to Burham Crossing

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:02:28 +0200

The Horseshoe reach crossing point for travellers at Burham / Snodland

Yesterday I took the dogs to Trottiscliffe Country Park and walked the six miles to the west bank of the Medway at Snodland. This is the favoured crossing point for ancient travellers as suggested in Belloc's 'Old Road'. He discounts Aylesford and Cuxton as common points of passage for wayfarers using the ancient trackway and argues that Lower Halling or Snodland are the most likely crossing points - with Snodalnd on balance coming out top.

My interest was to leave the North Downs Way National Trail and walk the route to the crossing point at Snodland following the route description outlined by Belloc. See pages 253 and 236 (map) in The Old Road , Constable and Co 1921 edition.

The walk is magnificent and I recommend it to anyone with a full afternoon to spare. Classic ancient trackway raised above the fields of the vale below; the Coldrum stones neolithic burial site, St Benedicts chapel at Paddlesworth and the farm itself is in an idylic setting and then one single country lane all the way into Snodland, which still has the feel of an old riverside village with the medieval church at Snodland situated on the horseshoe reach with St Marys at Burham within a stones throw on the opposite bank of the river.

More details about the Pilgrims Way and other self-led and guided walking holidays with luggage transfer can be found at www.walkawhile.co.uk

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Working Horses at Bigbury Camp

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 18:08:03 +0200

Hillfort and Horses on the North Downs Way
The Kent Wildlife Trust organised a great day out at Bigbury hill fort today. Through the work of Kathryn Barton and many others, visitors to the Blean were treated to the spectacle of woodland management being undertaken by working horses. Part of this work will include opening up the ancient iron-age hill camp and its earthworks and ramparts that for far to long have been left exposed to the ravages of visitors and users of the site, many of whom have been completely unaware of the historic significance of Bigbury Camp.

It was pointed out to me at the Hillfort and Horse open day that within the distance of a mile the ancient woodland of the Blean contains the sites of what might be one of the first documented battles to take place in Britain when the camp was overun by the Roman' 7th Legion in 54 BC as well the site of the last armed uprising on the British mainland in May 1838. All this history and right on the North Downs' Way National Trail only two miles from Canterbury.

More can be found out about the work of the Kent Wildlife Trust on 01227 719506.

A short history brief about Bigbury Camp can be found on the Walk Awhile site at http://www.walkawhile.co.uk/ancestural-vacation.html

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Bigbury Iron Age Camp Update

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:15:38 +0200

Bigbury Camp and the Kent Wildlife Trust

For the last eight years Walk Awhile has been taking walkers to Bigbury iron-age camp on the last day of a four day walk from Rochester to Canterbury following the route of the Pilgrims Way / North Downs Way National Trail. Over that period hundreds of walkers have enjoyed exploring the ancient site but we have always been surprised that this historic Belgae camp - thought by many to be the site of the battle between Julius Caesar's Seventh Legion and the British tribes and documented in the Gallic Wars Book Five - has suffererd somewhat from neglect despite three archeological investigations being made in the last century. One of these digs found a slave gang chain measuring 18 feet in length. Many people enjoying the final stretch of the North Downs Way National Trail will actually walk through the earthworks surrounding the camp's cattle annex without being aware of the significance of the site.

Fortunately Kent Wildlife Trust have purchased the South Blean woodland in which the fort is situated. Kathryn Barton of the Kent Wildlife Trust informs me that plans are in hand to preserve the site as part of its Conservation Management Plan. The plan includes better access and interpretation boards. This is very welcome news and I for one look forward to this important site enjoying the recognition and protection it deserves. Walk Awhile's brief regarding Bigbury Camp in pdf format can be found on the resources section at the Walk Awhile walking holidays web site at http://www.walkawhile.co.uk

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Petronel Malan at Lenham Tithe Barn

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:50:53 +0200

PETRONEL MALAN - PIANO RECITAL AT THE BARN - JULY 25th 2009
Over the last few years Martin Porter, the owner of Lenham's tithe barn has been kind enough to allow Walk Awhile's walkers access to the barn on their way to Canterbury. This is always an uplifting start to the day for those embarking on the 11 mile Lenham to Wye stretch of the Pilgrims Way / North Downs Way National Trail. Yesterday Martin emailed me and informed me that I had mistakenly decreased the date of the barn in one of my blog's by nearly a hundred years.

The tithe barn was actually built in 1342. This means in was built during the reign of Edward III and at the time of Geoffrey Chaucer's birth, which is believed to fall somewhere between 1340 and 1345 and also just six years before the Black Death arrived in England.

Martin also informs me that a piano recital on July 25th is to be given by the internationally famous South African pianist Petronel Malan. It starts with a champagne reception in the Barn at 6.15pm before the performance at 7.00pm. This is the third annual recital to be held and the others were very well received. Tickets cost £26/head and anyone interested can contact Martin Porter on 01622 858788 or e-mail him at martinhporter@tiscali.co.uk.

The recital provides a great opportunity to soak up an evening of internationally renowned music in the historic setting of Lenham's tithe barn that has been described as a rural cathedral.

More information about walking the Pilgrims' Way and other walking holidays in Kent can be found at Walk Awhile.

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Belloc and Cartwright go digital

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:53:01 +0200

19th and 20th century books about the Pilgrims Way

A couple of weeks ago Walk Awhile had two walkers from California walking the Pilgrims Way. As usual we sent them a reading list prior to their holiday, thereby enabling them to do some background reading about the trackway prior to their walk to Canterbury. When I met Ann and her husband at Rochester they informed me that Hillaire Belloc's 'The Old Road' and Julia Cartwright's 'The Pilgrims Way' can now be found on line in digitised versions. Belloc's work, first published in 1904 can be found on the Berkeley University web site at 'The Old Road' and Mrs Ady or Julia Cartwright's work can be found at 'The Pilgrims Way' thanks to American Libraries.

Belloc states in his introduction to 'The Old Road' entitled 'On the Road and the Fascination of Antiquity' that 'of these primal things the least obvious but the most important is The Road.'' He adds that 'But for the mass the Road is silent; it is the humblest and the most subtle, but, as I have said, the greatest and the most original of the spells we inherit from the pioneers of our race.' Sentiments that anyone who has walked in the footsteps of ancient travellers along the chalk ridges of southern England will understand.

More infromation about walking holidays in Kent can be found at Walk Awhile.

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Robert Goodsall the Pilgrims Way in Kent

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:14:36 +0200

The Ancient Road to Canterbury (the Pilgrims' Porch at Boughton Aluph church)

For some time I've been picking up Goodsall's book on the Pilgrims Way and this spring eventually got around to ordering a copy from a second hand book-shop. I should have doe this sooner as it provides an excellent overview of the old road's history covering the Kent stretch between Westerham and Canterbury.

Robert Goodsall lived in the village of Harritesham and his house was situated just above the Pilgrims' Way. His book entitled 'The Ancient Road to Canterbury' published in 1959 is full of useful cross references to other published articles and books dealing with the old road. Furthermore the book includes 58 illustrations of sites along the the Kent section of the trail as well a fold out map in the rear cover. The only problem with the book is that it has so many references that I've orderd anothe threee books since reading it. For anyone walking the North Downs Way in Kent a copy of Goodsall is well worth the expense.

At Walk Awhile we try and extend our library of Pilgrims Way books and essays for our walkers so that they can explore the history of the old road as they make their way along the trail to Canterbury. Interestingly Goodsall doesn't mention the pilgrims porch at Boughton Aluph church - a picture of it with two of Walk Awhile's walkers is shown above. However Goodsall does include a lovely quote from from Elliston Erwood that states 'There is probably no other road or trackway in the whole of England that can boast such a literature as does this path, around which myth, legand,history, enthusiasm and tradition have combined to weave a very tangled web' Archeologia Cantiana Vol XXXVII.

More details about Walk Awhile, the history of the Pilgrims Way and 5 day holiday along the Pilgrims Way can be found at
http://www.walkawhile.co.uk

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North Downs Way - Aniversary Celebrations

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:44:06 +0200

The North Downs Way is 30 years old this year and to celebrate there is to be a great aniversary party at Withersdane Hall, Wye on Saturday 13th September commencing at 12.30 - All Are Welcome
To celebrate the 30th aniversary of the North Downs Way National Trail all are invited to come to Withersdane Hall at Wye and join in the festivities this Saturday. Two world record attempts will be made involving simultaneous cartwheeling and snails on the face. Seasoned walkers using the Charing to Lenham stretch of the NDW will understand the significance of snails and the National Trail.

From 2.30pm onwards there will be a number of guided walks. A number of stalls will be at the party to visit including the Walk Awhile stall with information about its walking holidays and plenty of history about the Pilgrims Way.

For more information about the party visit the North Downs web site at http://www.ndwcelebration.org.uk/

See you at the party. More information about Walk Awhile's walking holidays can be found at http://www.walkawhile.co.uk. Please come and visit the Walk Awhile stall.

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Godmersham Park and the Church of St Lawrence the Martyr

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:00:11 +0200

Jane and Deborah on their final day's walk to Canterbury Last week Jane and Deborah walked the Pilgrims' Way between the Cathedral cities of Rochester and Canterbury. Jane organised the walk as a gift for her friend Deborah from South Africa. Along the trail they explored many of the village churches to be found in the small villages that nestle under the North Down's escarpment . I took this picture of Jane and Deborah at the end of a warm June morning as we walked through the grounds of Godmersham House, which was once home to
Edward Austen, the brother of Jane Austen. The Parish Church of St Lawrence the Martyr, Godmersham Kent

Close to the grand paladian mansion can be found the church of St Lawrence the Martyr, parts of which date back to the late Saxon period between 900-1000 AD. On the north wall of the nave can be found a large memorial to Edward and Elizabeth Knight (Edward Austen changed his name to Knight, the family name of his adopted family). On the south wall of the chancel can be seen a bas-relief of what many believe to be a representaion of Beckett. If this is so then this is extremely rare as so many representations of the saint were destroyed during the reformation. Following the interest shown by Jane and Deborah, Walk Awhile has now collected information about the small village churches situated along the Pilgrims Way. During the winter period Walk Awhile will compile a brief giving details of the churches and their history to help walkers enjoy many of the same historic churches visited by Jane and Deborah. More information about Walk Awhile walking holidays along the Pilgrims Way / North Downs Way National Trail; Elham Valley Trail and the White Cliffs County Trail can be found at http://www.walkawhile.co.uk Walk Awhile is also a member of the Green Tourisim Business Scheme (GTBS) and is also a affilliated to Responsible Travel and is a member of Tourism Southeast.

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Australian women walk to Canterbury

Mon, 12 May 2008 18:21:05 +0200

Margaret's group of seven women on their Pilgrims Way walking holiday/ North Downs Way

Today is sadly quiet as Margaret's group of 7 women, who had all travelled from Australia for a European tour, completed the Pilgrims Way week of their holiday. Joan, one of the senior members of the group at 68 relished the challenge of the 4 day trek. Despite England's soaring temperatures they covered the 45 miles from Rochester Cathedral and reached Canterbury Cathedral on Sunday evening. On their journey along the ancient trackway they visited the neolithic megaliths at Kits Coty, explored the ruins of Thurnham castle, detoured over to Leeds Castle, stoped at he tomb of the bastard son of Richard Plantagenet, walked through the earthworks of Bibury's Iron-age fort and visited the Black Princes Well and the village of Harbledown mentioned in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

Everyone in the Inns along the trail enjoyed the company of Margarets group. The picture above captures them at Thurnham Castle only a few minutes after having consumed one of Julie and John's wonderful full english breakfasts at the Black Horse Inn where they stayed the previous night. I only hope they don't take the good weather back to Austarlia with them.

More information about Walk Awhile walking holidays can be found at - Walking the Pilgrims Way

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Ashmore Cheese Makers - Kent's Local Cheese

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:24:05 +0200

Ashmore - Hand-made Kentish Cheese from Lamberhurst Farm - Faversham Dargate http://www.cheesemakersofcanterbury.co.uk

As a silver accredited member of the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GBTS), Walk Awhile walking holidays http://www.walkawhile.co.uk has been using a locally produced whole milk hard cheese for our walkers lunches. This superb mature cheese has really gone down very well with our customers who come from all over the world to walk in the Kent Down's Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AON. The cheese is made using a rennet suitable for vegetarians.

Having had great feedback from a couple of walkers from Cornwall about Ashmore cheese who had taken a Pilgrims' Way holiday two weeks ago , I decided to visit the old dairy at Lamberhurst Farm myself. The old dairy is just a couple of miles from the Walk Awhile office. At Lamberhurst Farm I met Teresa (and Jack an extremely friendly collie dog) who explained the story of how we now have our own local cheese makers so close to Canterbury. The dairy also produce a smoked cheese and a blue veined cheese. The dairy can be contacted on 01227 751741 or mobile 07970 681617 and they have a web-site at http://www.cheesemakersofcanterbury.co.uk. They will deliver in the Kent area and the cheese is absolutely outstanding and very reasonably priced for such a good quality product.

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Pilgrim's Ampulla

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:20:35 +0100

I was lucky enough to recently pick up a pilgrim's ampulla dating back to the 15th century. These were small
phials made of lead that pilgrims carried with them to a saint's shrine whereupon they would be filled with a small
amount of holy water, oil or often what was claimed to be the blood of the saint. Ampulla worn around the neck became a recognised badge or sign of a Canterbury pilgrim.

Jonathan Sumption in his book 'Pilgrimage' explains that at Canterbury pilgrims would take home the 'water of St.Thomas'in samll phials. It is said that the monks wiped the floor of Becket's blood following his death and kept it diluted in a large cistern of water.
Apparently the water was continually diluted so as to meet the demand of pilgrims and Christ Church Priory charged the monks with 'preparing and pouring it into little ampullae for the use of the sick' - Sumption 2002 p.83.

Find out more about the Pilgrims' Way and walking the 'old road' to Canterbury at Walk Awhile's walking holidays website http://www.walkawhile.co.uk

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The Coldrum Stones - Trottiscliffe

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 13:50:42 +0100

The Coldrum Stones - Pilgrims Way / North Downs Way
This really is a picture taken in Kent and not Wiltshire- looking due east towards the Medway Gap with the sun setting behind.
These wonderful sarsen stone megaliths were once thought to be part of a closed burial chamber set inside a square of smaller stones, which enclosed a burial mound.

Jacquetta Hawkes 'A Guide to prehistoric and Roman Monuments in England and Wales' p. 68 1978, informs the reader that the chamber was re-excavated in 1910 and the bones found within were the only surviving relics from any of the Kentish neolithic graves.
The capstone is missing but visitors to Kits Koty House, another neolithic burial chamber to be found on the Pilgrims Way just above Aylesford still has the capstone in place. Kits Coty House and other Medway megaliths can be seen on day one of Walk Awhile's 'Walking the Pilgrims Way' walking holiday that takes visitors 45 miles from the cathedral at Rochester along the North Downs Way National Trail to Canterbury.

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The Pilgrims' Way and its Medieval Use - F C Elliston Erwood

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 12:43:56 +0100

Visitors from the USA - Is that the Great Dog of Trottiscliffe

Last Friday I visited the Centre for Kentish Studies at County Hall Maidstone. It was well worth the visit and is staffed by extremely helpful librarians on hand to assist those using the archive service. I was hoping to track down the source or reference to two letters dated 1654 and 1745, regarding attacks by a so called Great Dog of Trottiscliffe that were said to have occurred on the Pilgrims Road between Trottiscliffe and Medway. The Great Dog is refrerred to in Fran and Geoff Doel's 'Folklore of Kent', which cites Igglesden's 'Saunters through Kent'. Unfortunately Igglesden's Saunters through Kent covers 34 volumes and despite having now spent many hours over the last couple of years searching and seeking advice, I have failed to find any reference by Igglesden. My interest is purely in seeking a reference in these cited letters to the Pilgrims' Road dating from 1654 as this would be quite significant.

However I did find two useful articles in The Archeologia Cantinana referring to the origins of the Pilgrims Way. The most interesting article was one wrtten by F C Elliston Erwood entitled The Pilgrims Way, Its Antiquity and its Alleged Mediaeval Use' 1925. He quotes from a letter sent to him by Capt. H. W. Knocker that summerises research undertaken of West Kent Parish tithe apportionments. This research showed that landlords argued that land which supported livestock (in this case hogs) paid no tithes (the tithe was collectced on the animal and not the pasture). As such in the tithe apportionments of West Kent Parishes you find 'woodlands south of the Pilgrims Road pay no tithe'. This is important for as Elliston Erwood states 'evidently there was in Kent a well recognised continuous track on the chalk hills, and that later this was known as the Pilgrims Road'.

On a lighter note I recieved a surprise this morning in the post. Richard and Reyna, two customers from the USA who walked the Pilgrims Way early in the year with Walk Awhile walking holidays. Richard sent me a disc with pictures of their walk. Here is one of Richard and Reyna descending from Kings Wood into Godmersham Park. Is that the Great Dog of Trottiscliffe following them?

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The Canterbury Pilgrim Exhibition

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:04:02 +0100

The Canterbury Pilgrim Exhibition
A new exhibition has opened in Canterbury called the 'The Canterbury Pilgrim'. It can be found at 19 St Peters Street Canterbury, which is on the left hand side of the High Street as you walk into Canterbury from the West Gate Towers. Downstairs is a small cafe and upstairs there is an interesting exhibition of old artefacts connected with medieaval pilgrimage to Beckett's shrine. Pride of place in the exhibition is an ampula that was carried by Pilgrims on their journey to Canterbury.

The walls of the exhibition feature lithographs that can be purchased at the exhibition or complete portfolios of the entire collection of Charles Mozley's Canterbury Tales drawings. More information about this new exhibition to the canterbury can be found on its web-site at http://www.thecanterburypilgrim.com/

Information about Walk Awhile's walking holiday's to Canterbury can be found at http://www.walkawhile.co.uk

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Foot and mouth third outbreak - Dorking Control Zone

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 10:20:19 +0200

Foot and Mouth - Third (Temporary Control) Zone Declared - Footpaths in Dorking Temporary Control Zone remain open

This morning DEFRA declared a third Protection Zone, defined as a Temporary Control Zone, relating to a suspected outbreak of foot and mouth (FMD). This is around a farm in the Dorking and Westcott area of Surrey and is outside of the existing survielance zone already declared. The North Downs Way National Trail / Pilgrims Way runs through the latest Control Zone. Speaking to the DEFRA helpline at lunchtime they advised me that footpaths through this thrid zone remain open at present. However the footpaths in the first declared zone remain closed - see DEFRA web-site. (link below)

I am getting emails from walkers seeking information about the situation as many are actually or about to be in transit to the UK and plan to walk in Surrey and Kent along the Pilgrims Way ' North Downs Way National Trail. At present this does not impact upon Walk Awhile's walking holidays, which are in the Kent stretch of the North Downs Way but we are continually monitoring with the agencies responsible for the situation and are in contact with the Mangager with Responsibility for the North Downs Way National Trail.

The DEFRA map showing the surveilance, proptection and temporary contral zones can be found at
http://http://www.gisdiseasemap.defra.gov.uk/intmaps/FMD/map.jsp?bbox=446826.34546863,131321.311895689,506357.714531369,171008.891270848&action=panEast&label=&xylabel=&mapsize=&zoomOrID=zoom&advancedSearch=

For up to date information and advice visit the DEFRA web site at http://http://www.defra.gov.uk/

For walking holidays visit: http://www.walkawhile.co

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Foot and Mouth Outbreak - North Downs Way Impact

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 09:28:39 +0200

Latest Foot and Mouth Outbreak - Access to the Countryside

This week we've been getting phone calls from customers concerned about the latest outbreak of foot and mouth (FMD) that has occurred on a beef farm near Guildford in Surrey. The North Downs Way runs quite close to the affected area. However I spoke to the Manager with responsiblity for the North Downs Way (NDW) yesterday and he informed me that the NDW National Trail remains open throughout its full length. If there are any changes to this we will post the advice on this web-site.

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has posted the following statement on its web-site:

Despite the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) on a farm in Surrey, the countryside remains open. There is no need for people to stop visiting the countryside and, at the present time, the only impacts on visitor attractions are those which result from the restrictions on animal movements and animal gatherings.

However, footpaths and bridleways on infected premises are closed and the Chief Veterinary Officer has taken a decision to close the footpaths and bridleways in the first Protection Zone. This decision is based on the latest veterinary risk analysis and is in light of the number of cases in PZ 1 and the proximity to the main area under investigation. Also, a number of footpaths directly around infected holdings have also been closed to ensure that operations at the sites can continue. The situation will be kept under review.

More information about the current situation can be found at the DEFRA website, which can be found at http://www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth/latest-situation/index.htm

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Stour Valley Walk

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 10:35:27 +0200

Stour Valley Walk

This week-end we had a couple of walkers from London who had booked a week-end break walking tour along the Stour Valley Trail. They were really great fun and are in training for a charity walk next year. Without a doubt they had chosen the hottest week-end of the year to undertake the long walk to Wye along the east bank of the Stour Valley and then back along its west bank via the picturesque village of Chilham and then on to Canterbury. More details about Walk Awhile's walking holidays can be found at http://www.walkawhile.co.uk We wish them well with their preparation and hope that they choose a slightly cooler week-end for their next walk.

Two friends from the past came down to visit this week-end. Roger and Vee Darlington also braved the hottest week-end of the year so far and came to down to Oversland and spend Sunday in the Kent countryside. Roger has a well established web site that can be found at http://www.rogerdarlington.co.uk/ . The site has over 5000 indivual visits a day and features news and views form Roger's long career in the field of politics, trade unionism, communications and the information society. Roger's site also is well known for its film reviews as well commentary on current affairs and travel. He has recently introduced a new series of pages on political systems. A memorable evening to the end of a lovely day was had sitting on the balcony with Mandy, Roger and Vee watching the sun set over the Kent countryside mulling over 'if God can be proved does science depend on faith? - discuss'

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White Cliffs Country

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 17:34:25 +0200

White Cliffs Country

Yesterday I was up at Deal, because it is where our walkers finish up when they walk the White Cliffs Walking Tour - see httpwww.walkawhile.co.uk . Its a really great day's walk because between Dover and Deal you pass both Walmer and Deal castles, which form part of the coastal defences established by Henry VIII. Of course, no tour of England is complete without a visit to the White Cliffs of Dover, which are quitessentially symbolic of England and its history of defence and conquest throughout the ages. Our walkers have the opportunity to tour of Dover Castle and visit the WWII Command Centre where Churchill commanded the evacuation of Dunkirk.

A days walking takes one along the White Cliffs Country Trail and includes a visit to the cliff tops and a walk down into the quaint smuggling village at St Margarets at Cliffe. Close by is the South Foreland lighthouse where Marconi conducted his early experiements with radio. One can then walk on along the tops of the cliffs to Deal via the fishing village of Kingsdown.

Goodbye to Caspar and Rachael from Norway.

At the week-end Caspar and Rachael who were over on a walking holiday from near Oslo, finished their walk along the Pilgrims Way. They had plenty of energy and finished each days walking well ahead of time and had also done a fair share of background reading before they commnenced their journey. Racheal is a big Jane Asusten fan so she particularly enjoyed exploring the grounds of Godmersham Park, which is probably the grandest of the houses where Jane Austen often stayed, when she kept house for her brother Edward. Caspar and Rachael have said I could include a picture of them outside the Lenham Tithe Barn. Further details about Walk Awhile walking holidays can be found at Walk Awhile Walking Holidays

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Rochester Castle and Cathedral – A morning of sunshine on route to Kits Coty House

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 12:01:23 +0200

Yesterday new walkers arrived and I went to welcome them at Rochester station. Our new found friends from Germany and the Nederlands returned at the week-end at the end of their walks. This morning we accompanied the Norwegians on the start of their walk as they followed the North Downs Way through Nashenden Farm on the outskirts of Rochester on their way down to the Medway megaliths. If all goes well they should be looking across the superb views of the Medway gap while enjoying their packed lunches and resting awhile at the Kits Coty long barrow.

Rochester is rich in history and it’s a great starting place for people on our walking holidays. A settlement existed at Rochester pre-dating the Roman occupation; however it is believed that the Romans built the first bridge where Watling Street crosses the River Medway and fortified the town, naming it ‘Durobrivae’. Aulus Plautius led the Roman army into Kent in AD43 and forced the Belgic inhabitants of Kent across the Medway to the west bank. Christianity was brought to Rochester by St.Augustine’s mission and the first Archbishop of Rochester was Justus who was ordained by Augustine in AD 604.

Periods of instability occurred through the dark ages until the Norman Conquest in 1066 and Danes frequently sailed up the Medway and attacked the city of Rochester and the city was besieged by the Vikings in 884.

The Castle was one of the first castles to be built in Britain by the Normans. The outer walls were built by Bishop Gundulf in 1089. The keep is considered to be one of the best examples of a Norman keep in England surviving today. It was constructed by Archbishop William de Corbeil in 1127. The keep is 113 feet high and the walls are 12 foot thick.

Henry I granted control of the castle to the Archbishops in Canterbury. However in 1215 Archbishop Langton refused to cede control of the castle from Canterbury to the Bishop of Winchester. Rebel Barons took control of the castle in defiance of King John whereupon a two month siege commenced. The Barons were eventually defeated when the foundations of the castle were under-mined and the carcasses of 40 fatted pigs were set on fire in the tunnels that were dug beneath the walls. This resulted with the collapse of the walls and the South east turret. The circular south east turret that can be seen today is the new tower that was built in a stronger circular design following King John’s recapture of the castle.

Rochester is the second oldest diocese in England. It was established by Justus, who became the first Bishop of Rochester in 604. The cathedral suffered as did the rest of Rochester from attacks by the Danes throughout the Anglo-Saxon period. Following the Norman Conquest Bishop Gundulf commenced the building of a new cathedral in 1080. Today only the crypt and part of the south isle wall are incorporated in the present cathedral. Gundulf’s tower can be reached via the path that runs between the north transept and the south side of St. Nicholas’ Church (Looking towards the west entrance to the cathedral this path is to your left and leads off Boley Hill and along the north side of the cathedral). It is believed that Gundulf’s tower was built after Gundulf’s death. It served as a bell tower

Much of the cathedral that we see today dates back to the Norman re-building work that started in 1227. The new building was financed in part by donations to the shrine of St.William of Perth. St. William was a local baker who it was said gave the money from 1 in 10 of his loaves to the poor. Upon leaving Rochester in 1201 to embark on a pilgrimage to the holy land he was murdered by road-side robbers. The monks in Rochester set up a shrine dedicated to St William and it was no doubt hoped that this would attract donations in a similar manner to the offerings that were received by Canterbury following the death of Beckett 31 years earlier.

Standing in Boley Hill with your back towards the castle and the River Medway, facing the west entrance (tourist) of the Cathedral one is looking at what is considered to be one of the best Norman facades in the country. The great window dates from 1470 and the Norman doorway below is much older and existed when King Henry I entered through this doorway when the Cathedral was consecrated in 1130. On each side of the door are five jamb shafts. On the left side of the door one jamb shaft is carved with a statue depicting Solomon or King Henry I and on the right of the doorway one jamb shaft is carved with a statue depicting either the Queen of Sheba or Queen Matilda (wife of Henry I).

The offerings to St William of Perth financed a big rebuilding programme starting in 1227. The transepts were enlarged and a second pair of transepts was installed. Apart from the west perpendicular window in the 15th century no further major work was undertaken until Cottingham rebuilt the central tower in 1825 and Gilbert Scott added new stonework and gables in 1870. In 1888, J L Pearson commenced a major restoration of the west front of the Cathedral. This includes the completion of the four pinnacles, which can be seen on the west front of the Cathedral. Standing back and facing the west entrance to the cathedral, if one looks down Boley Hill to the left the College Gate (also known as Chertsey Gate or Cemetery Gate) can be seen. This served as the entrance into the Cathedral precincts from the High Street.

More information can be found about Walk Awhile’s walking holidays at www.walkawhile.co.uk

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Elham Valley Vineyard and the Elham Valley

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 13:45:42 +0200

Elham Valley Vineyards and the Elham Valley

This week we?ve got two groups of walkers undertaking the Discovering Rural Kent walking holiday, making their way from Canterbury down the idyllic Elham Valley towards the village of Elham and on to the White Cliffs of Dover.

What? so interesting about the Elham Valley is at the north end you pass Oswald?s House where Joseph Conrad spent the latter years of his life and at the south end you pass above Post Farm near Postling, which was rented by Conrad during a prolific writing period. Also at Bishopsbourne church can be found a stained glass window designed by Pre-Raphaelite Edward Burne-Jones.

One of the places I always suggest walkers try and visit on there way between Canterbury and Elham is the Elham Valley Vineyards. It is one of Canterbury's oldest Vineyards. It is also a registered charity that provides training and support for adults with learning disabilities. The students learn to tend the vines, cook and serve in the shop. As the vineyard is about two miles before the end of the day?s walk to Elham it is provides the opportunity to taste the local produce before making the way up the east side of valley and down to Elham village. The vineyards are open all year and serve coffee and wonderful cake during the following hours:

Open all year - Easter to October Monday to Friday 9 to 5pm - November to Easter 11.00 to 4.00 at weekends open 11.00 to 4.00

For more information about Walk Awhile?s walking holidays look at the Walk Awhile web site at www.walkawhile.co.uk

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The tomb of the son of Richard Plantagenet

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 18:05:29 +0200

Today I got a call from a couple of walkers who have made really good progress and got from Lenham over to Wye by mid afternoon. They rang to ask about the tomb of the bastard son of Richard Plantagenet who is reputedly said to be buried in a tomb in the grave yard of St Mary's church, which is within a stones throw from where the North Downs Way passses through the Eastwell Park estate.

Unfortunately today's walkers have done so well that they actually passed the church, which is hidden by some trees just to the right of the North Downs Way. The setting is beautifull and worth finding as it is by the Eastwell lake. I believe the lake is the second largest artificial lake in Kent. When the lake was draiined after the last war many bikes were found to have been dumped in the lake, supposedly commandered by troops, stationed there in the war, and thrown into the lilly covered waters after returning to camp pubs in
Ashford.

The North Downs Way crosses a drive-way leading from an imposing Georgian style house, which one passes to your left if approaching from Westwell. The North Downs Way continues along a grass verge bordering a tarmac road that continues into the grounds of Eastwell Park. The ruins of the church of St. Mary are to your right. A kissing gate leads into the grounds of the church.

The church dates form the 15th century and it said to have collapsed largely through neglect. Other accounts suggest it may have suffered bomb damage during WW II. About 20 metres from the wall of the church tower a brick built tomb can be found in the sheltered area of the grave yard. The inscription on the tomb states that it is reputed to be the tomb of Richard Plantagenet, a bastard son of Richard III.

The romantic story is that when Richard III was defeated and killed at the battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, his son Richard fled south and became either a stone mason or carpenter. According to this story, Richard remained on the Eastwell estate until Sir Thomas Moyle who built Eastwell House noticed a grey haired laborer in his employment who could read. After gaining the trust of the old man, Sir Thomas learnt that the person in his employment was Richard Plantagenet. Legend has it that Sir Thomas had a small cottage built in the estate for Richard and allowed the last of the Plantagenet line to serve out his last few years in peace on the Eastwell Estate.

Tomoorrow when I meet the walkers in the morning I will give them a lift back to St Marys so they can see the tomb.

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Tour de France and the Kits Coty Megaliths

Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:21:58 +0200

Sunday's walkers had a real challenge. Parts of the North Downs Way out of Rochester had temporarily been incorporated into the English leg of the Tour de France as it it hit London and Kent.

The roads were very quiet when we picked their luggage up first thing Sunday morning but as Blue Bell Hill was blocked off for the race, we had to use a few back lanes to ensure that their luggage was ready adn waiting for them when they reached Thurnham.

However the walkers got a bonus as the Tour de France went through Burham and passed close to Kits Coty House on the Sunday lunchtime -so they gor a great view of the pelaton as it shot Down Blue Bell Hill on route to maidstone and then on to Canterbury - it would take the walkers another four days to make canterbury on foot.

Blue Bell Hill has teh densest area of sarsen stones to be found in England outside of Whitshire. Many of them have been used in the construction of burial chambers dating from 3500 BC, such as Kits Coty House and Little Kits Coty or the Countless stones. The Mesdway Gap is a treause trove of ancient megalths and we really should make more of such important historical sites right on our doorstep.

The OS map reference for Kits Coty House is TQ 745608. Each of the three upright stones is 3 metres high with a table stone or capstone laid across the top. The stones served as the entrance to a long barrow, estimated to have been 70 metres long and covered by a mound of earth. Today the site comes under the jurisdiction of English Heritage.

Samuel Pepys wrote about the stones in the seventeenth century when he described them as " Three great stones standing upright and a great round one lying on them, of great bigness, although not so big as those on Salisbury Plain. But certainly it is a thing of great antiquity and I am mightily glad to have seen it". Hilaire Belloc in his classic description of what became known as the Pilgrims' Way linked the history of the ancient trackway with that of Kits Coty when he wrote "the overwhelming age of the way we had come was gathered up in that hackneyed place" .

Some commentators have suggested the origin of Kits Coty dates back to 2500 BC when migration to Britain. The newcomers brought new skills associated with land cultivation and livestock. However later commentaries suggest that Kits Coty was built earlier, between 4300 BC and 3000 BC. This was in the New Stone Age but prior to the migration of neolithic farmers to Britain.

Early prints show that a large stone stood at the west end of the long barrow. However it is known that this stone, known as the General's Stone was blown up in 1867, probably to make it easier to plough the land.

A survey undertaken in 1981 showed that the mound of the long barrow was 70 metres long and about 1 metre high. It is believed that originally a stone kerb or peristalith surrounded the mound, which was 11 to 15 metres wide. An example of a burial chamber that still has the mound intact can be found on the east bank of the river Stour at Chilham, which is only a few hundred metres from the North Downs Way.

Just down the road from Kits Coty House can be found the Countless stones, which lie 200 metres to the south of Kits Coty at OS 744604. These are probably the remains of a ruined prehistoric long barrow burial chamber. This group of stones has become known as the countless stones because it is said that no two people can count them and come up with the same answer. The countless stones are made of the same sarsen stone as Kit's Coty House.

About 400 metres due north east of Little Kit's Coty is to be found the White Horse stone. This single sarsen stone is situated 2 metres to the left of the North Downs Way just after the trackway crosses the Euro rail link bridge and starts its ascent into Westfield Wood.

Legend has it that the Saxon leader Horsa was buried under the stone. It has also been suggested in popular folklore that when Horsa and Hengist landed in the Britain in 449AD, the White Horse standard was draped across the stone. However armorial emblems were not used until the 12th century, so it highly unlikely that there is any validity in the link between the white horse emblem and the Saxons.

I really recommend getting up to Rochester and exploring the ancient megaliths to be found in the vicintiy of Blue Bell Hill.

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Lenham Tithe Barn - 6th July 2007

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 18:58:57 +0200

Last weeks walkers have completed their walk and reached Canterbury without any difficulties, inspite of the inclement weather.

A morning I really enjoy is when I meet walkers and show them the tithe barn at Lenham. The owners of this magnificent rural cathedral have been kind enough to let me show walkers the barn in the morning before they commence their journey along what is mainly ancient trackway (chalk and flint surface just above the fields at the foot of the escarpment) all the way to Eastwell Park and across the Stour Valley gap to the market town of Wye

I'm told the present tithe barn dates back to about 1450. Another barn adjacent to the present one was unfortunately burnt down in the sixties.

A number of accounts of Lenham's history refer to a previous tithe barn that was burnt down by local poeple in the thirteenth century.
Records show that the culprits were never identified. However the late 13th century and early 14th century was a period of much friction between church and common people in Kent. Between 1272 and 1278 there are records of violent disputes between townspeople and the church in Canterbury. In 1318 local people in Thanet rioted and burnt buildings in connection with disputes over rents owed to St.Augustine’s Abbey. So unrest between church and local people in Kent was not unusual during at this time.

Jean Jennett is just one of many commentators who makes reference to the original barn being burnt down in 1297 in his book 'The Pilgrims Way - from Winchester to Canterbury'.

Lenham has been described as once being a flourishing market town on the old coach road to Canterbury and was granted a market by charter of the King in the thirteenth century.

The Saxon Pharmacy can be found on the north side of the market square. It is so named because during restoration work in the nineteen forties a Saxon grave was discovered that had been left undisturbed since the 6th century. Local historians have described the building as a typical Wealden timber framed house with a tall medieval window and a king-post roof.

Also on the north side of the square is the Limes Hotel and restaurant. The building is an original timber framed building dating back to the 14th century.

On the west side of the square is the Dog and Bear Hotel. This old coaching Inn dates back to 1602. Queen Anne is said to have visited the Hotel in 1704 and her coat of arms can be seen above the door. Many of the buildings in the square date back to the 15th and 16th century and later had Georgian and Victorian fronts added to them.

The village of Lenham formed part of the Lordship of Kenwulf, King of Mercia, in the 8th Century. Kenwulf granted land in Lenham to the Abbott of St Augustine’s Abbey and by AD 839 the land owned by the Abbot amounted to half the present Parish of Lenham. The Doomsday Book records that in 1086 the population of the village consisted of 250 adults.

On the south side of the square stands St.Marys church. The original church was burnt down at the same time as the barn fire in what has been described as the mysterious act of arson in 1297. The following year Archbishop Winchelsea excommunicated the incendiaries who were not named. St Mary's church was rebuilt in the early 14th Century and the tower was added in the 15th Century.

Lenham is one of a number of villages that grew up at the foot of the North Downs chalk escarpment. Travellers along the ancient trackway would have come into Lenham for refreshment from the springs and no doubt would stay overnight in the local Inn as do pilgrims walking along the old road today. After a hard day's journey along the the Pilgrims Way Lenham really does offer a welcome break with a friendly cafe open till late in the middle of the square, a tea-house and plenty of old pubs and Inns to choose from.

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Another wet day on the Pilgrims' Way

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 14:35:24 +0200

Friday 29th June - Walkers at Thurnham

A bracing day for walking without a doubt. Paws and I were out this morning early as we had two walkers at Thurnham. Paws was excited because he knows its a good stretch of the North Downs Way along to Cold Blow Farm, where we usually say goodbye to the self-led groups and leave them to either find their own way over to Leeds Castle or carry on along the North Downs Way directly to the next night's stop at Lenham village.

The rain streamed down but this week's walkers are pretty hardy and well equipped so they'll relish the downpours. I'd much rather be out walking in this than facing some of the hottest days in August.

Tommorrow we will visit the Lenham tithe barn first thing in the morning, just behind the church, which the owners have kindly given us access to show walkers. It's known as a rural cathedral - which is most apparent why when one goes inside takes in the vast expanse inside the barn. Itis believed to be one of the largest surviving tithe barns in England. The structure is absolutely impressive inside and the timber has becaome so hardened over time that I'm told on good authority that it is impossible to drill into the timber beams.

I like the strecth of the North Downs Way between Lenham and the Wye gap because much of it hugs the bottom of the North Downs chalk escarpment and is marked as ancient trackway on the Ordnance Survey maps. The chalk and flint path along this section certainly has many clues that suggest it may have been ancient trackway. It runs above the fields below but with enough height to benefit from drainage. The trackway also meets many of teh criterea laid down by the write Hillaire Belloc, when he wrote his account of the 'Old Road' in 1904. Moreover the trail also stays on the side of the chalk escarpment away from arable land.

Must liase with Tony Gowers (North Downs Way Manager) next week and find out how the Tour de France is going to impact on our walkers next. There are a number of road closures that mean we won't be able to get the Land Rover out to walkers. This will casue a few problems both at the Rocehster and Canterbury end of the walk for Walk Awhile.

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