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These can be found in ABAB’s Places.
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Author and gardener Vita Sackville-West and her diplomat husband Harold Nicolson acquired the Sissinghurst estate in 1932 and set about creating the garden, divided into its separate 'rooms', for which it is famous. Sissinghurst has a colourful past as a POW camp for French captives and a Saxon pig-farm...there is no castle at Sissinghurst, though there is a splendid Tudor gatehouse and a large estate to explore; but go for the garden.
Nr Cranbrook
St Martin's is the oldest ecclesiastical building in Britain still used as a church. It was the private chapel of Queen Bertha of Kent, the Christian Queen of the pagan King Ethelbert of Kent in the 6th century. This was before the arrival of St Augustine to convert the southern English to Christianity; St Augustine is said to have used St Martin's as a base before founding the nearby abbey and cathedral. The church, by tradition, is thought to be a renovated Roman building. It was enlarged in the 7th century, extended in the 11th century and the tower was added in the 14th century. The creator of Rupert Bear, Mary Tourtel, is buried in the graveyard.
St Martin's is part of the World Heritage Site that includes Canterbury Cathedral and the ruins of St Augustine's Abbey. The church has limited opening and depends on volunteers; check the website before making a special journey.
Canterbury
Victorian Gothic, largely brick-built, church constructed between 1858-69. It stands on a prehistoric man-made mound and, externally, is not much to look at; the interior is breathtaking, however. Alice Hargreaves, who inspired the Alice of Lewis Carroll's Wonderland and Looking-Glass, is buried in the churchyard.
Lyndhurst
The ruins of Strata Florida Abbey are in a beautiful location in meadows, surrounded by hills, near the River Teifi. Strata Florida (Welsh Ystrad Fflur) is Latin for ‘Vale of Flowers’. It was founded in the 12th century by Normans, but developed under the patronage of Rhys ap Gruffydd, The Lord Rhys, the ruler of the kingdom of Deheubarth. So Strata Florida became a focal point for Welsh culture and a place of pilgrimage. Generations of Welsh princes are buried there and the 14th century poet Dafydd ap Gwilym is said to be buried under a yew in the adjoining churchyard of St Mary’s parish church. St Mary’s stands on what was abbey land and is believed to have been built using stones from the abbey ruins.
Though Strata Abbey, rightly, has a place in Welsh hearts – it has been called ‘the Westminster Abbey of Wales’ – very little of the medieval building remains to be seen. The most significant piece of masonry is the carved west doorway of the abbey church. There are also some impressive floor tiles in what were transept chapels. As of 2021, archaeological exploration was underway at the neighbouring 17th century Mynachlog Fawr Farmstead – whose buildings almost certainly utilised stonework from the old abbey. This may reveal more about the astonishing complex that once stood there. There is a visitor centre and also a small museum about the family that lived in the farm.
Westminster Abbey has been at the centre of English, and British, state occasions - coronations, weddings, funerals, services of commemoration - since William the Conqueror was crowned there on Christmas Day 1066. The Abbey was founded by King Edward the Confessor in the 11th century, though the present building is largely 13th-14th century, with the addition of 18th century towers. The interior of the abbey is breathtaking and contains the tombs of many of England's great monarchs, including Edward I and Elizabeth I, as well as memorials honouring heroes and poets - and the tomb of the Unknown Warrior. A sense of history is all around you.
However, entry is expensive and it can get incredibly crowded. Photography is allowed, within reason. However, you can download images from the Abbey's website - as shown here - which are copyright Dean and Chapter of Westminster.
Westminster
If your favourite attraction is not listed yet, and you have a good quality digital photograph of it that you are able to freely send, please get in touch.