Ashford Downs & The Weald Tourist Information

Agricultural Museum at Brook North Kent Downs

Kent Agricultural Museum is situated within a large manorial barn dating from 1374. Monks from Canterbury's Christchurch order are recorded in the Domesday book as having farmed this area around Brook. If you're internested in medieval architecture, you'll want to take a look at this incredibly well preserved barn with its distinctive crown post roof and visible scarf joints. The barn, particularly the roof, has been carefully renovated in recent times but sensitively using mostly the original materials for example the original roof tiles!

A visit to the Agricultural Museum in Brook near Ashford also offers the perfect opportunity to explore the history of hops growing and drying and the processes involved in Kent's iconic Oast Houses. Oast Houses are particularly prevalent in the farming East Kent area, and many today are converted residence. These cone brick houses with pointed roofs with white tip were originally square, but from the early 1800s they were built circular as it was thought that this would improve the drying hops process. The theory was later disproved - but the Oasts remained the shape you see today.

A Oast House is situated on the site of the Agricultural Museum, and the inside has been preserved as it would have worked in the hops drying process, although the hoist from the roof from which the hops would have been lowered onto the drying floor is missing (this was removed it's thought during a 20th century retiling). The museum holds an impressive catalogue of farming equipment from butter churning equipment to ploughs.

Agricultural Museum, Brook near Ashford Kent, The Street, Brook, Ashford, Kent TN25 5PF. Tel. 01304 824969. Open Wednesday & Saturday afternoons from beginning of May to the end of September.

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Beech Court Gardens Challock Kent Downs Gardens

North of Ashford sits one of Kent's most fascintating, and potentially ancient, gardens - Beech Court Gardens at Challock. The gardens are 500 feet above sea level, spread over a pocket of acidic clay. Roman artefacts have been found on the site, pointing to ancient settlement.

This is a garden that takes on a different life with each season. The Rhododendrons and Azaleas in bloom in Spring is a highlight (as it is across many of the Kent and Sussex gardens!). The Oast House on-site is now the delightful tearooms.

Beech Court Garden and Tearooms, Canterbury Road, Challock, Ashford, Kent TN25 4DJ. Tel. 01233 740735.

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Kent & East Sussex Railway

This little 10 mile light rural Kent and Sussex railway is a gem, with three main stops Tenterden, Northiam and finally Bodiam in Sussex. Bodiam Castle is one of Britain's most striking castles with moat and medieval battlements. Part of the route of this light railway journey is actually below sea level, flying across old marshland that was once under the sea. Hard to believe today that Tenterden and surrounds grew prosperous as a result of its shipbuilding industry and activities around Smallhythe port.

The main station at Tenterden is headquarters for the line with on-site shop, buffet restaurant and adjacent museum taking a look particularly at light railway founder Colonel Holman Fred Stephens who also played a part in 16 other light railways around the country! You don't have to wait long after departing from Tenterden station to be greeted by th stunning valley scenery of the Higher Weald. Next stop is Rolvenden, just one and a half miles from Tenterden. With a hop on/hop off ticket you can take your time and explore the area around each of the stops. Rolvenden was actually Tenterden's original station, and you'll find several historic locomotives on show here. Rolvenden village is a fair distance away from the station stop - one and a half miles. Within the village is a fine collection of old vehicles at the CM Booth exhibit which includes a selection of prized Morgan 3-wheel cars mostly from 1913-1935, a 1904 Humber Tricar, a 1929 Morris van, early cycles and motorcycles and more.

The journey continues on through marshland called the Rother Levels onto next station Wittersham Road which is pretty remote. Onwards to Northiam noting views of the River Rother. You can park and ride at Northiam station too - recommended for visits to Bodiam Castle as this National Trust site lacks its own parking facilities. From Northiam to Bodiam it's 3 miles, but you'll see views of striking medieval Bodiam castle on the approach. Read more via the Kent and East Sussex Railway webguide.

Bodiam Castle, Bodiam, nr Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5UA. Telephone: 01580 830196. (National Trust).

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Tenterden Museum & Tenterden Vineyards

First port of call for Tenterden's history is the superb local history museum set within a converted 19th century industrial building on Station Road. Here you can find out more on the Tenterden's onetime role as cinque port in conjunction with Smallhythe. Move to the upper floor to view a hops press, plus also within the museum view a tapestry history of the town courtesy of the kids of Tenterden. A reconstructed Victorian kitchen is also on-site.

Tenterden boasts two superb vineyards within its immediate area. Chapel Down Winery (webguide right for details/directions) is the largest producer of wines in the country! This fine winery has built up a national and international reputationand the Tenterden Vineyard covers 25 acres. Enjoy a guided tour plus wine tastings. Corporate visits are welcome. Just north of Tenterden near the Weald village of Biddenden sits the Biddenden vineyards covering 22 acres and growing 10 types of grape. Admission and tastings are free. Cider is also produced here, and there's a large shop on-site.

Chapel Down Winery, Small Hythe Road, Tenterden Kent TN30 7NG. Tel. 01580 763033. Biddenden Vineyards, Gribble Bridge Lane, Biddenden, Kent TN27 8DF. Tel. 01580 291726.

Tenterden Museum, Station Road, Tenterden, Kent TN30 6HN. Tel. 01580 764310. Open from Good Friday to mid October daily except Mondays. Easter to end June 1.30pm to 4.30pm.

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Smallhythe Place, Ellen Terry Cottage & Biography

The National Trust owned Smallhythe Place is a rather special 16th century half timbered country house. Smallhythe was bought by acclaimed Victorian actress Ellen Terry in 1899, although she'd had her eye on it in the early 1890s. She lived in the house until her death in 1928, and the house today is as much a museum homage to the work of this great actress who reached the pinacle of fame in her day. An expert on Shakespeare, Terry made roles such as Portia in the Merchant of Venice her own.

Nicknamed the 'Queen of the Theatre', Ellen Terry (originally Alice Ellen Terry) was one of 11 children born in Coventry of comic actor parents in 1847. Her sister Kate was also a famous actress but retired on marriage. Kate's grandson John Gielgud also went on to become a rather acclaimed actor! More is surfacing on the life of Ellen Terry - she was an extensive letter writer who had an on-going correspondence with notables such as Bernard Shaw. Her Collected Letters are due to appeared in 2009 following work by Katherine Cockin at Hull University. Cockin has already produced one book on Terry's equally famous daughter Edith Craig who was involved in the suffrage movement by 1903. Edith Craig put most of her energies into design and theatre work, working closely with the likes of Cicely Hamilton. Together with her mother, she set up the Pioneer Players theatre group in 1911 performing radical plays covering numerous subjects of the day including suffrage.

After her mother's death, she converted the Barn within the grounds of Smallhythe into a theatre where performances of Shakespeare were regularly performed with the help of the likes of Vera Holme, former suffragette and actress. Events are still regularly performed in the Barn. A visit then to Smallhythe Place offers a fascinating insight into the lives of these two great women. Ellen Terry's theatre collection is on display within the house, and within the grounds you can view the Barn Theatre and particular features added by Terry such as the Rose Garden.

Smallhythe Place, Ellen Terry's Home, Tenterden, Kent TN30 7NG. Tel. 01580 762334. (see webguide right for directions and opening times. A bus link runs from nearby Sissinghurst Gardens direct to Smallhythe during peak summer season. Cafe on-site).

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