Royal Tunbridge Wells

Saturday, Connor drove us to Tunbridge Wells, an important Georgian resort town. An iron-rich spring there was discovered to be an important health benefit during the reign of Charles I. A century or so later during the Georgian Era, Beau Nash, an important social figure from Bath, made Tunbridge Wells a social center as well. The springs are still there, although nobody comes to "dip" the water anymore except out of curiosity.  An area near the springs, originally called "the walk," is now known as the Pantiles. It consists of rows of shops and restaurants along raised walkways. It is a quaint and attractive place that I had never visited. Tunbridge Wells was given the title "Royal" by Edward VII in 1909 because of it history and association with royalty.

In the town center there is a large shopping mall, that like so many others, is so much less attractive than a place like the Pantiles, but it has a M&S that we needed to check out (and their stellar shortbread squares with chocolate chunks are still on offer).

 Opera House on Mt. Pleasant Road

 Theatre and Arts Center (I believe)

 Headed to Holland and Barrett on Calverly Road

 Royal Victoria Place Shopping Centre

 Interior of the Royal Victoria Place

 Hooray for Marks and Sparks

 A bite of lunch

 The Pantiles have more chi than a mall

 Raised walkways add character

 Lots of food available

 Connor and Kris on the move

 The springs are still housed in the cream-colored building

 Streetscape on the upper portion of the Pantiles

 Dickie and Connor "shopping"

 This stuff seems very popular

 Local Cartier dealer

 One more thing I am a sucker for

A lovely row of houses off the Pantiles

Visiting someplace new is always a treat. One of the most interesting things about Tunbridge Wells was that it was very busy, but we saw not a single tourist, Italian, French, German, or American. Everyone was British. We had a great day. We came home and made Millie's carbonara for supper.

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

Thursday in Broxham Wood

Again, this Thursday we stayed close to home. Fortnately there is plenty to do nearby. Connor was kind enough to escort me on a three-and-one-half-mile walk across Marlpit Hill  and through Broxham Wood. It is a beautifully varried area with allotments, farms, fields, lanes, a manor house, forests, bluebell glades (without flowers this time of year), and approximately 17 stiles and gates. Thursday evening Matt and Kim took us to one of their favorite pubs: The Barley Mow.

These community gardens or allotments are a good idea

 Swan Lane straight ahead

 Stone Swans mark the entrance to the first farm

 The sheep keep these fields well-groomed

 My intrepid guide enjoying a Cliff bar

 The architecture of oaks

 An opening in the forest

 Forest flora

 Too early for holly berries

 Wonderful farm lanes

 Kent is the "Garden of England"

 Well-kept farms

I am a sucker for stone walls (among other things)

 

I've never seen these brilliant plants before

 This farmer raises deer who have sculpted this bit of forest

 Missing the bluebells, but still beautiful

 Broxham Manor, an 18th-century house that replaced two previous

Manors from as early as the 13th century -- the restored moat nearby

marks the location of the two previous manors destroyed by fire

 These stiles are a clever and effective design

 Fields of barley good and ready for harvest

 Wildflowers along the path

 The Barley Mow in Tandridge

Didn't they dance the Barley Mow in Pride and Prejudice?

 A lovely dinner in a local pub

 Little man's first time in a pub

 Five adults to sort out one little baby

That was a fun day. We are off to Tunbridge Wells today in search of stuff, so there will be new adventures to report. This, however, is all for now.

OXO

D.

An Afternoon at the River

Thursday we stayed close to home again. Because I get itchy feet, I headed to the village on a little three-mile walk. I revisited the Parish Church because I recently learned that one of the windows was designed by Edward Burne-Jones and that the pulpit dates back to Jacobean times. I spent some time near the river and had a pleasant rest on a bench by the bank. The blackberries are ripe, the conkers are starting to fall, the day was a beautiful and rain-free, and I enjoyed what Edenbridge has to offer.

 The road from Marlpit Hill to Edenbridge

 The Edenbridge Town Station Bridge

 Blackberries under the bridge

 Train station left, High Street straight ahead

 High Street looking south

 Back to the Parish Church

 Jacobean pulpit with strapwork, jewels, and Renaissance pilasters

 Burne-Jones stained-glass design

 One of many late-medieval buildings in Edenbridge

Another of the same

 Phone box on the edge of the bridge

A lovely place to walk a dog

 View south from the bypass bridge

 River Eden from the bypass bridge

 A tranquil spot for a rest

 The blackberries are a bonus

 Interesting architecture on the return home

 

 Stangrove Park on the route home

This is the kind of day in England Aunt Vic loves. I love the city, but I love this just as much. That's all for now.

OXO

D.