Wednesday 24 April 2013

A visit to Kent



On Saturday we drove to Dover. It was a long car trip and as we drove I spotted two muntjac deer, two rabbits, a pheasant, a goshawk, lots of rooks and various farm animals.

Our first stop was Canterbury. We went there to visit its famous Cathedral. However, when we got there we discovered the main parts were closed!

The front gates of the Cathedral
Looking in to the Cathedral


So after a picture at the front gates, we left Canterbury and headed to Chilham, a small village close to Canterbury. The latest BBC production of Emma by Jane Austen had scenes filmed there in the village square. Also, it is thought that Thomas Beckett might have been buried there.

The main reason we were there was for family tree research as our ancestors, the Pullens, are buried there. We knew they were buried at St Mary's Church there, so when we got to the church (very easy in a small village), dad, Elsie and Lydia searched for records inside, while mum, Rebecca and I looked for the actual grave. Soon dad found where it was from the records and we went to it and took some photos.

St Mary's church
Next to the grave of my great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather William Pullen
Next we went to Dover Castle. You could see right across the English channel to France. We parked on a hill where we could plainly see our destination - Dover Castle!

Huge and powerful, Dover Castle towered over the beach, watching for enemies that might cross the channel to fight the English. Once we were inside its outer walls we visited the Roman lighthouse and Anglo Saxon church. As it was St George's day, flocks of English people had come for the festival. Still, the actual Castle was quite empty and the banners and medieval tents were a great backdrop for the French invasion game that Becca, Elsie and I were playing.

Inside Dover Castle was fantastic. We went inside the mighty stone keep, looked over the battlements, saw the kitchen, guest room, dining room and armoury.

Next we saw the WWII tunnels with corrugated iron walls and dull electric lights. It used to be a hospital for people injured in the war. We took a tour through there.




Roman lighthouse
Then we drove home. As we drove out of Dover we saw the white cliffs beside us rearing over the channel. As we drove we saw a bird of prey (possibly a hen harrier) and a whole heap of rabbits and hares.

White cliffs






On the way home we saw this house, where some of our ancestors lived and started a church back in the 1600s!

3 comments:

  1. Was there any armour in the armoury? That is a neat house. Are those square hedges? Can you go inside them?

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  2. What a great post Jake, so beautifully written! Great description of Dover castle, I wish I'd been there to help plan the French invasion.Sounds like you saw lots of wildlife too. I also love your photos, you have a great eye for a good shot. I can't wait to see the family sites when I get to Chilham one day. Love Grandad

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  3. Hi Jacob, I love that picture of the white cliffs with the reflection of the car windows in the sky! Very clever! from Matthew, Bethany and Sophie's Mum.

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