Kent England

Travelled: 136km

Stay: Canterbury P&R £3.50/day, service point N51.26139 E1.10037

Visited: Bleachy Head,Battle, Bodiam Castle (free NT, £3 parking), Smallhythe Place (free NT), Elham

We began the day with a lovely walk along the cliffs at Bleachy Head, enjoying the spectacular views. 

View of Eastbourne

We then made our way to Battle where William the Conqueror built an Abbey on the site of his great victory and placed the altar where Harold fell.

 We then continued on to Bodium Castle which is said to be one of the most romantic in England. Built by a knight in 1385 it has been uninhabitated since 1651 when it was damaged during the civil war. Although our entry was free as we are Australian National Trust members it doesn’t include free parking unlike UK members.

 We then stopped at another National Trust property, Smallhythe Place, which was the home of a famous actress Ellen Terry (1847-1928). It was a quaint half-timbered house and had a lovely rose garden. Plays are still held in the thatched roof barn.

 Scattered around the country side where traditional oast houses with their white cone shaped roofs designed for kilning hops. 

We continued on country roads, some narrower than others and luckily managed to find a parking spot in the small village of Elham. Our main reason of our visit was to see St.Mary’s church where in the late 1700’s Mark’s descendant, William Williamson was a curate.

 Then we headed to Canterbury Park & Ride and called it a day.