DAY 8 MAY 5, SUNDAY (19°C-7°C):
Leeds castle, Kent:
Leeds castle is touted every bit the loveliest castle inwards the world. So nosotros had a twenty-four hr menstruum trip from London in addition to were thrilled amongst the views. Note: Leeds castle is in Kent in addition to is NOT to hold upwards confused amongst Leeds.
We wanted to board the develop to Bearsted, Leeds Castle from London Victoria at 8.45am. But in that location was a give the sack warning at the Victoria station in addition to so our tube did non halt there. We got downwards at the previous station in addition to took a taxi for £6 to Victoria. but our develop had left. Thankfully our tickets were valid for the adjacent train. We took the 9.45 develop in addition to reached Bearsted at 11, took the coach from in that location to the castle for a supply ticket of £5.
Got a Royal welcome amongst a peacock dance.
Leeds Castle was originally built inwards 857 AD, becoming domicile to the Norman Family during William The Conqueror's fourth dimension (1016). In 1278 the edifice became a Royal Palace for Edward I.
In the three centuries that followed, the Castle was a Royal residence for half dozen of the medieval Queens of England, gaining its reputation every bit a 'ladies' castle'. Over subsequent years, the Castle passed through the hands of iii influential families: the St Legers, the Culpepers in addition to the Wykeham-Martins. By 1925, i hundred years later, Wykeham Martin identify unit of measurement were forced to sell the belongings to pay decease duties.
Described past times the agents as comprising ‘six spacious entertaining rooms, 20 principal bedrooms in addition to enough of room for servants’, it was acquired past times the Anglo-American heiress the Hon. Olive Paget, in addition to so Mrs Wilson-Filmer, (who later on became Lady Baillie), bought the Castle from the bankrupt Wykeham-Martins in addition to totally restored its interior.
Olive was the immature adult woman of an English linguistic communication Baron in addition to his American married adult woman Pauline —Pauline was also an heiress. Olive inherited one-half of her mother's fortune. Olive married the boy of an English linguistic communication Baron in addition to had 2 daughters. The matrimony ended inwards a divorce.Olive bought Leeds castle amongst her 2nd husband. That matrimony also ended inwards divorce but Olive retained the castle in addition to married Sir Baillie inwards 1931. She so became Lady Baillie. She had a boy but got divorced inwards 1945 in addition to the Baron died inwards 1947.
She had e'er been a renowned hostess in addition to did lavish entertaining...During the 1930s, Leeds Castle became i of the nifty province houses of England in addition to a centre of lavish hospitality for leading statesmen, European royalty in addition to cinema stars. Members of the regal identify unit of measurement continued to hold upwards invited, including Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother in addition to Princess Marina. The house-parties continued despite the outbreak of World War II inwards 1939. Lady Baillie in addition to her identify unit of measurement moved into the Gloriette in addition to the New Castle served every bit a hospital; many were treated here, in addition to it was also used for the rehabilitation of severely burned pilots.
Lady Baillie was a smoker—her wellness deteriorated from the 1950's in addition to she needed oxygen in addition to a resident nurse inwards the 70's. She died inwards 1974, aged 75 years. She had given a business office of the castle's estate to her boy but passed on the castle to a charitable trust after her death.
Lady Baillie had spent years renovating the draw of piece of occupation solid amongst a french designer. Some visitors are disappointed that this castle's interiors are simply the reflection of a wealthy lady's whims— it does non convey existent regal stuff. We institute the see entertaining.
These are marble busts of Henry VIII in addition to his 3 children who later on succeded him.
Gold leafage operate of the iii wise men amongst baby Jesus in addition to Mary.
Lots of nifty tapestries
It's a noble man's domicile amongst all the fittings expected.
Bed amongst a huge canopy
Classy fourth dimension slice in addition to fresh blossom arrangement.
All rooms convey lovely views of the garden from the large windows.
Hand painted forest panel.
Lady Baillie was fond of birds —so aeroplane artefacts adorn the draw of piece of occupation solid in addition to in that location was a huge menagerie of alive exotic birds similar toucans, flamingos, etc on the estate but they shut it downwards inwards 2012.
Several aeroplane artefacts on the walls.
Bird drape pieces.
Portraits of Lady Baillie.
An equestrian statue mounted on a bureau??
Library. The globe at such a height??
It'll hold upwards such pleasance to lounge on these couches in addition to browse through the books... the books human face untouched—just showpieces??
The bottom bluish row is a laid of dictionary!!
One of lady Baille's daughters holding... a bird... what else??
They hire out rooms for weddings in addition to events—those are non the rooms the full general visitor gets to see.
After visiting the interior, nosotros were out on the castle grounds.
Making friends amongst swans....earlier in that location was a total fledged aviary amongst exotic birds. So distressing nosotros missed it.
Punting on this moat is available in addition to nosotros had a 20 infinitesimal punt ride through this arch later.
Nice gift shop. Bird tapestries ... in addition to ...jewelled birdies. Bird volume every bit well.
Nice castle playset amongst knights in addition to other paraphernilia
Attractive swords ... all for sale.
Skeletal mitt grasping the vino glass. Glasses studded amongst skulls also. Throwing a halloween party?
The queen threescore years agone in addition to now...
We had our picnic lunch.
Happy for the cool conditions amongst no rains.
Saw a few people on a punt, walked over, paid the guy v pounds in addition to got in...
Quite enjoyable to float through the grounds seeing the castle from so many different angles. The punt is simply a apartment slice of forest in addition to and it is steered past times a homo standing on it at the terminate amongst a pole... nosotros had to lower ourselves correct to the Blue Planet degree in addition to sit down sprawled on it...but the trivial discomfort was hardly felt every bit the views were awesome.
Falconry display:
At 2 PM, saw the falconry display amongst an owl, hawk in addition to falcon....We had seen the flawless display at Disney World Orlando, ...this was a tad less spectacular... the birds took a long fourth dimension to respond.
They called a immature man child to run amongst rabbit meat tied to a string in addition to laid the hawk after him... it swooped in addition to pounced on the rabbit inwards a few seconds in addition to the man child who had non reached his target kept running dragging the rabbit in addition to the hawk.... quite a sight!!!
Maze:
The maze consists of 2,400 yew trees. We were hopelessly lost when nosotros spotted a staff fellow member ... he was making for the centre to inquire the people to teach downwards from the centre rocks.... nosotros got to the oculus of the maze past times next him!!
It is fun to hold upwards on top of these rocks because they tin run into the other struggling players marching to blind ends....these brats were creating a large ruckus, laughing in addition to yelling.
The agency out of the maze was interesting. Lots of horror effects... an underworld grotto, consummate amongst macabre forms in addition to mythical beasts created from shells, minerals in addition to wood.
The maze inwards the background amongst the brats withal on the key rock.
Walked through the grounds. some other awesome view.
We wanted to grab the 3.40 coach dorsum to the develop station... in that location was a develop going to the entrance in addition to it was simply starting ... nosotros tried to flag it but the driver asked us to hold off for the adjacent one.... so nosotros started walking towards the coach stop.... the grounds are huge in addition to nosotros saw the coach at a distance... nosotros sprinted.
We reached the coach halt roughly 3.45 but missed the coach past times a few minutes—the frequency is entirely i every hour.
So nosotros waited roughly for the adjacent i at 4.40. Our adjacent develop to Canterbury was at 4.50— nosotros had wanted to grab the i at 3.50 in addition to had missed it.... but the coach reached the station a few seconds belatedly in addition to nosotros missed this develop also!!
Sat at the station for the adjacent develop —-on Sundays in addition to holidays in that location is entirely i develop every hr instead of the commons 2. So caught the 5.50 develop in addition to reached Canterbury due west station, caught a taxi in addition to hurried to the cathedral... it was 6.35...the cathedral was already shut for visitors at 5.30 in addition to the even out majority had also started at 6.30!!
CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL:
Went to the side church building door, opened it in addition to walked in... a priest came towards us... nosotros requested if nosotros tin bring together the majority though nosotros are late... nosotros said nosotros convey come upwards all the agency ...he okayed in addition to took us to the altar... nosotros tiptoed into the choir stands in addition to joined the mass!!
It was a nifty experience... nosotros looked roughly every bit much every bit nosotros could from our seats...the priest had told us that nosotros volition non hold upwards allowed to walk through the residuum of the cathedral, so after the mass, came out in addition to took pics of the exterior.
Canterbury Cathedral inwards Canterbury, Kent, is i of the oldest in addition to most famous Christian structures inwards England. Obviously no pictures are allowed within the church building but this link shows the twelfth century choir where nosotros sat during the mass:
Founded inwards 597, the cathedral was completely rebuilt from 1070 to 1077. The kickoff Archbishop of Canterbury was St Augustine, a missionary who arrived on the coast of Kent inwards AD 597. St Augustine came from Rome, sent past times Pope Gregory the Great.
The eastward terminate was rebuilt inwards the Gothic trend next a give the sack inwards 1174, to accommodate the current of pilgrims visiting the shrine of Thomas Becket, the archbishop who was murdered inwards the cathedral inwards 1170.
Note the Gothic style, amongst pointed arches, rib vaulting in addition to flight buttresses. The limestone used was imported from Caen inwards Normandy, in addition to Purbeck marble was used for the shafting.
We had lost 1 hr at London Victoria station, in addition to so some other hr waiting for the coach from the Leeds castle, i to a greater extent than hr at the Bearsted station waiting for the develop to Canterbury west. Better fourth dimension management would convey enabled us to tour within this cathedral.
We were grateful the sunlight lingers till after nine PM , so roamed roughly the cathedral, clicking pics.
The cathedral is 540 feet long...the bell tower is 250 feet high. This is the Bell Harry Tower of 1498.
In 1862 niches were filled amongst historical figures connected amongst the Cathedral, in addition to thirty-six are at nowadays inwards their places, including Pope Gregory the Great, Archbishops; Kings Alfred, Edmund, Canute, Edward the Confessor, William the Conqueror, William II., Henry I, Henry II., Edward III. Henry VIII., Edward VI., Charles I. the Black Prince, in addition to Queen Victoria in addition to the belatedly Prince Consort Albert, Bishop Ridley, in addition to Dean Stanhope.
The Son of Man statue stands exterior Canterbury Cathedral inwards the grounds.
Son of Man is a call used past times Jesus to refer to himself. The statue is an odd i in addition to quite different the commons depictions of Jesus. Artist David McFall created this statue in addition to completed it inwards 1988 every bit his ain life came to an end.
Main Entrance to Canterbury Cathedral here,
A pivotal instant inwards the history of the Cathedral was the murder of the archbishop, Thomas Becket, inwards the north-west transept on 29 Dec 1170 past times knights of King Henry II. The manlike mortal monarch had frequent conflicts amongst the strong-willed Becket in addition to is said to convey exclaimed inwards frustration, "Who volition rid me of this turbulent priest?" The knights took it literally in addition to murdered Becket inwards his ain cathedral.
After the decease of Thomas Becket, the give away of pilgrims visiting the metropolis rose rapidly. There were several tales of miraculous healing. Beckett was canonised every bit a saint.
On 12 July 1174, inwards the midst of the Revolt of 1173–1174, King Henry himself walked barefoot to the shrine in addition to allowed himself to hold upwards flogged every bit world penance at Becket's tomb.
Beckett was buried inwards the crypt. In 1220, Becket's bones were moved to a novel gold-plated in addition to bejewelled shrine behind the high altar inwards the Trinity Chapel. Pilgrims flocked in addition to showered gems inwards the shrine when they got healed.
It was destroyed inwards 1538, during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, on orders from King Henry VIII. The manlike mortal monarch also destroyed Becket's bones in addition to ordered that all cite of his call hold upwards obliterated. 26 cartloads of treasure, representing gifts from centuries of grateful pilgrims, were carried off in addition to appropriated past times the king. One such treasure was the Regale of France, a nifty ruby donated past times Louis VII, which Henry had made into a pollex ring. Today a candle burns at the site of the old shrine. Before the candle inwards Saint Beckett shrine is a pinkish stone laid into the floor, which bears the marks of thousands of pilgrims who knelt in that location to worship at Becket's shrine.
The impact of the sheer give away of medieval pilgrims on the cathedral tin hold upwards seen; the staircase leading upwards to the S ambulatory - known every bit Trinity Stair - is worn into undulating waves past times the passage of their feet in addition to knees.
Christ Church Gateway:
This is the Entrance from the City to Canterbury Cathedral Grounds
Christ Church Gateway is decorated amongst heraldic motifs, including coats of arms in addition to mythical beasts. The master Tudor turrets were removed inwards 1830 but rebuilt inwards 1937.
At the centre, to a higher identify the gateway arch, is a really large brass figure of Christ flanked past times a row of angels.... This is a modern statue, replacing the original statue which was damaged during the Civil War past times Parliamentary troops. Apparently the troops decided to role the statue for target practice, then, non content amongst the harm they had inflicted, attached ropes to the statue in addition to pulled it down.
There are 2 doors through the gate; a large door to the right, in addition to a much smaller portal to the left. Both doors are beautifully carved in addition to embellished amongst to a greater extent than heraldic symbols.
has closeup pics amongst the details clearly seen.
This is St Thomas of Canterbury Roman Catholic Church (1791)
it is believed to hold upwards the oldest post-Reformation Catholic parish church building inwards the country. It was erected immediately after the Roman Catholic Relief Act of 1791, which allowed Catholics to practise their religion, but amongst restrictions. Steeples, bells, inwards fact anything that made a edifice human face likewise much similar a church, were forbidden. As a result, St Thomas's has a really patently exterior, in addition to looks to a greater extent than similar a Quaker Meeting House than a Catholic church.
It was good past times 8PM... nosotros contemplated staying at Canterbury every bit nosotros were going past times Canterbury to Dover the adjacent day...but decided against it.
We had a supply ticket to Bearsted station from Canterbury due west station... it had been for £17 (a discussion most British trains— return ticket in addition to a unmarried ticket cost the same!! y'all can't produce an opened upwards jaw trip cheaply—also shorter trips sometimes are to a greater extent than expensive—- the curt distance betwixt Bearsted in addition to Canterbury did non warrant this price... some other fact Canterbury has 2 stations—east in addition to west.)
We also had a supply ticket from Bearsted to London Victoria which nosotros had bought for £21.
Getting local guidance , nosotros walked to Canterbury due west station—- to our luck, develop to London Victoria pulled up... nosotros decided our combined tickets should run into us through in addition to the staff who came roughly to banking concern check the tickets nodded.... woof... nosotros reached Victoria past times 9.30 PM, took the tube to our hotel.
We had missed seeing the famous stained drinking glass windows of the Canterbury Cathedral— had to console ourselves that nosotros had the privilege of help the majority for free!!
What a day!!!
REPORT OF OUR TRIP TO DOVER CASTLE THE NEXT DAY IS HERE:
http://www.kris-sapiutri.blogspot.com/search?q=uk-trip-report-day-9-london-day-trip-to
REPORT OF OUR TRIP TO DOVER CASTLE THE NEXT DAY IS HERE:
http://www.kris-sapiutri.blogspot.com/search?q=uk-trip-report-day-9-london-day-trip-to
Uk Trip Report, Hateful Solar Daytime 8, London: Hateful Solar Daytime Trip To Leeds Castle, Canterbury
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