Page 72 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - England's South Coast

70  ENGLAND ’ S SOUTH C O AST REGION B Y REGION

6 Royal Tunbridge
Wells
Kent. Map D2. * 57,000. 3 @
n The Corn Exchange, the Pantiles;
01892 515675. ( 2nd & 4th Sat.
∑ visittunbridgewells.com
Mineral springs believed to
have healing properties were
discovered at Tunbridge in 1606,
and the surrounding village
developed to become one of
England’s first fashionable spa
towns, aided by royal patronage Majestic Leeds Castle, seen from across its exceptionally broad moat
that began with King Charles I
and Queen Henrietta Maria in 7 Leeds Castle Vita Sackville-West (1892–1962),
the 1630s. At the centre of old Maidstone, Kent. Map E1. Tel 01622 who had grown up at Knole (see
Tunbridge is the Pantiles (see 765400. 3 Bearsted then taxi or (Apr– pp68–9), and her husband, the
p193), a colonnaded promenade Sep) shuttle bus. Open Apr–Sep: diplomat and author Harold
built between 1680 and 1697. It is 10am–6pm daily; Oct–Mar: 10am– Nicholson (1886–1968). They
now home to independent shops, 5pm daily. Closed 4 & 5 Nov, 25 Dec. acquired the 16th-century
restaurants and antique dealers. & 7 0 -  ∑ leeds-castle.com Sissinghurst Castle in the 1930s.
Working as an “artist-gardener”,
Environs Often considered to be the Sackville-West spurned traditional
Just 11 km (7 miles) to the most beautiful castle in England, ideas of formal garden design
north is the manor house of Leeds is surrounded by one and instead created different
Penshurst Place, which features of the country’s largest moats, garden “rooms” around the old
a magnificent Baron’s Hall dating which reflects the warm stone house, each with plants chosen
from 1341 and is set amid colours of the castle’s crenellated by colour, texture and season to
gorgeous gardens. It is a favourite turrets. Begun in the 1120s, the match a particular theme, most
location for historical films. castle was inhabited until 1974. spectacularly in the celebrated
Leeds has royal connections White Garden. These gardens
P Penshurst Place going back to 1278, when it and the estate’s meadows are
Penshurst. Tel 01892 870307. became a favourite residence of interlinked so as to present a
Open House & Toy Museum: mid- King Edward I. Henry VIII gave it range of vistas. Inside the house,
Feb–Mar: noon–4pm Sat & Sun; Apr– to his first queen, Catherine of the library is full of items collected
Oct: noon–4pm daily. Gardens & Aragon, although when staying by Vita and Harold, and the
Grounds: Apr–Oct: 10:30am–6pm here he often visited Anne Boleyn Elizabethan Tower offers a lovely
daily. Closed Nov–mid-Feb (House & at nearby Hever (see p69). Leeds overview of the gardens.
Gardens). & 7 limited for the house. passed out of royal ownership in
0 - = ∑ penshurstplace.com 1552. Its last private owner, Lady
Baillie, lavishly redecorated the 9 Wakehurst Place
interiors in the 1920s. Ardingly, West Sussex. Map D2.
The estate’s attractions include Tel 01444 894066. 3 Haywards Heath,
an exhibition of arms and then bus or taxi. Open Mar–Oct: 10am–
armour, the historic Culpeper 6pm daily; Nov–Feb: 10am–4:30pm
kitchen garden, playgrounds and daily. Closed 24 & 25 Dec. & 8 7
a mini-train. Visitors can stay in - = ∑ kew.org/visit-wakehurst
rooms in a 16th-century tower or
a “Knight’s Glamping” campsite. Spread across 188 ha (465 acres),
this “country extension” of the
Royal Botanical Gardens (Kew
8 Sissinghurst Gardens) in London is the largest
and most varied of the many
Cranbrook, Kent. Map E2. Tel 01580
710700. 3 Staplehurst then taxi. spectacular gardens in the Kent
Open Estate: dawn–dusk daily. and Sussex Weald. Offering an
Gardens: mid-Mar–Oct: 11am–5:30pm array of vibrant colours at every
daily. Closed 24 & 25 Dec (Estate). time of year, the displays here
& 7 limited. 0 - = ø are spread around an Elizabethan
∑ nationaltrust.org.uk mansion that hosts related
exhibitions. The fascinating range
The most famous and influential of natural environments includes
The elegant Pantiles, 17th-century arcades of all the region’s many gardens woodlands, lakes, natural water
in Royal Tunbridge Wells was begun by poet and writer gardens and rare Himalayan
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp174–5 and pp185–6

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