insideKENT Magazine Issue 30 - September 2014 | Page 104

DAYSOUT

Go Behind the Scenes
IN THE GARDEN OF ENGLAND
KNOWN FOR ITS GREAT CASTLES, HISTORIC HOMES AND STRIKING GARDENS, KENT
OFFERS ITS VISITORS A WEALTH OF ICONIC LOCATIONS TO EXPLORE. HOWEVER, BEING
ENGLAND’S OLDEST COUNTY, IT SEEMS ONLY APT THAT THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF
HISTORY AND SECRETS HIDDEN BEHIND THE SCENES TOO.
PHOTOS © VISIT KENT

Secret Wartime Tunnels, Dover Castle

A spectacular Kent landmark, the
notable Canterbury Cathedral is
renowned for its links to one of the
most infamous murder plots in
English history. Alongside
uncovering St Thomas Becket’s
death, group visitors can pre-book
and take a sneak peek at the
amazing archive collections, filled
with manuscripts, photographs and
other records dating back to
centuries past. The cathedral also
offers special guided tours on the
history of the stained glass windows
and the stonemason’s workshops,
which in turn reveal plenty of
unknown facts and stories about
this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
From manuscript to manservant,
why not head to Leeds Castle and
discover the hidden lives of the
people who lived and worked there
in the 1920s and 1930s?
Downstairs, hear the stories and
see the rooms not usually open to
the public, including the castle
kitchens, state bedrooms and the
servant’s rooms. Upstairs, open up
the grand world of the roaring
1920s, with guest bedrooms once
frequented by Edward, Mrs
Simpson, and even Pavarotti during
his visit to the castle. With secrets

Leeds Castle

Shepherd Neame Visitor Centre

and stories galore, these stunning
private rooms are not to be missed.

castles, heritage sites, traditional holiday resorts and sandy bays. Yet, the
most iconic of these is The White Cliffs of Dover; a heritage site that towers
above the English Channel and welcomes flocks of admiring visitors from
the continent. However, did you know, deep inside these chalk cliffs are
secret hidden tunnels waiting to be explored? Head to Dover Castle to find
the entrance to the secret wartime tunnels – the place in which the WWII
evacuation of British forces from Dunkirk was masterminded – and discover
where Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsey and Sir Winston Churchill held their
secret meetings. In
addition, there is a
hidden underground
hospital, as well as
more undisclosed
stories from the
Napoleonic and Cold
War eras.

Travel further north and delve into
700 years of history at popular
National Trust property, Ightham
Mote. Nestled in a sunken valley,
Ightham Mote is one of Kent's
superb historic homes, with roots
that date back as far as 1320. With
important additions and alterations
made in the years that followed, it
is now a rare example of a moated
medieval manor house. Visitors can
discover just how the conservation
team cares for this beautiful building,
plus peek behind hidden panelling,
inside cupboards and drawers to
find out more.

For those more
interested in local
culture, why not opt
Quex House
for a behind-thescenes tour of a
working brewery? As Britain's oldest brewer, the Shepherd Neame brewery
in Faversham has been brewing quality beer since 1698, with further evidence
of a brewery onsite prior to this. Take a trip around the workings of this
family-run business; peep into coppers and bottling machines; sample the
fine ales; and hear the stories of significant events (and of the ghosts!) that
made this the successful award-winning business it is today.

Alternatively, how about going
behind the scenes at Thanet's
fabulous Quex Park? There has
been a house on the Quex estate
since the early 1400s, and gFW