London Calling: A Weekend in the English Countryside

This past weekend, we decided to finally do some exploring outside of London and meandered through the countryside of Kent. We stayed at a beautiful bed and breakfast in a 16th century Tudor manor with a moat dating back to the 13th century. Zoe was graciously invited to stay as well and to our delight, was on her best behavior and thoroughly enjoyed investigating the many new smells of fox, sheep, cows, horses, ... and some tourists :)

We saw many castles, farms, abbeys, cathedrals, and pretty historic towns, including the following: Hever (the castle in which Anne Boleyn grew up), Edenbridge, Tunbridge, Lamberhurst, Ashford, Rochester, Leeds, Canterbury, and Sevenoaks.

It was a memorable experience and we're planning our next trip to explore a new section of the countryside!

Hever Castle, childhood home of Anne Boleyn
William Waldorf Astor later invested and restored it
http://www.hevercastle.co.uk/Castle.aspx

Fountain in the gardens of Hever Castle

Gardens of Hever Castle

Part of the moat of Hever Castle

Tonbridge Castle, a Motte-and-Bailey Gatehouse
Defensive structures - quick to build - using wood and stone on raised earth with a protective ditch. In 11th century England following the Norman conquest, William I ordered many to be built to occupy his new territories, to protect his soldiers, and as a defense against the protesting population.

Canterbury Cathedral, one of the oldest cathedrals in England
http://canterbury-cathedral.org/history/history.html

View of Canterbury Cathedral from outside the city wall
The wall once surrounded Canterbury's city center, but today only half of it remains.

Another view of Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury town center, near the entrance of the Cathedral

Town of Canterbury

The Three Tuns Hotel - 15th Century Inn
"This inn lies on the site of Canterbury's Roman Theatre which was first built about A.D. 80 (about the same time as the Colosseum in Rome). It was rebuilt in about A.D. 210 as one of the largest theatres in Britain. The walls were mainly robbed out by the 11th and 12th centuries but much still survives below ground today."