Kent and Castles Tours

Kent, once regarded as 'the Garden of England' and now known as 'the stepping stone to Europe', is only 70 miles from London at its eastern most point and as such is one of our most popular tours both for visitors based in the capital and those using our cruise pick-up tour from the ports of Dover and Folkestone.

Dover Castle

Kentish Oast House

Kent, though close to the expanding conurbation of Greater London has managed to retain its individuality. Water has played a significant part in shaping the history of the county. The Thames Estuary forms part of the North Kent coastline and the county itself is bounded by the sea to the South and East also.

In the past Kent’s economy has relied heavily on the growing of hops for the production of beer. The hops were dried and processed in oast houses, the individual shape of which is easily picked out, dotted around the beautiful Kentish countryside. Beer is still brewed in Kent today - sample a pint in one of Kent's village pubs.

Kent’s proximity to nearby Europe has attracted invaders over the centuries including the Romans who invaded in 55BC, the Danes and the Vikings, and the county’s strategic position has played an important role down the ages culminating in the Battle of Britain during World War II. The badge of Kent is a white horse, the emblem of which was used by the Jutish warriors in the invasion of Kent in AD449.

At Dover, soaring cliffs of dazzling white chalk, made famous in the wartime song by Vera Lynn, mark the end of the North Downs. Inland, the massive towers of Canterbury Cathedral commemorate the halt of paganism, and the rebirth of Christianity in England.

It was on the steps of the altar that Archbishop Thomas à Becket was murdered for his denial of King Henry II's authority over the Church. The county is home to fascinating castles and stately homes, charming villages, historical landmarks and beautiful countryside and coastal resorts.

Timber-framed building in Canterbury

Hever Castle

The small village of Hever is home to the magnificent Hever Castle, the origins of which date to the thirteenth century with the building of the inner moat, outer walls and gatehouse. Edward I granted permission to Sir Steven de Penchester to build the original fortification.

A Tudor manor house was added in the fifteenth century by the Boleyn family with the castle becoming the childhood home to Elizabeth I’s mother, Anne Boleyn. King Henry VIII courted Anne here and there are original artefacts on exhibit at the castle from this important period of English history. The property was later to be given to Henry’s fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. William Waldorf Astor, the American millionaire restored the castle in the early part of the twentieth century, landscaping and planting the extensive 30 acres of gardens and becoming adopting the title of the first Lord Astor. There are exhibits of furniture, tapestries and works of art with the popular addition of a collection of model houses.

Leeds Castle

The picturesque village of Leeds is the idyllic setting for one of the country’s most stunning castles. Leeds Castle was built shortly after the Norman Conquest during the reign of Edward I on two islands in the River Len surrounded by 500 acres of beautiful gardens and parkland. The fortification stands on the site of a house that once belonged to Saxon kings. Leeds Castle was adored by Henry VIII and turned into a royal palace, but by the sixteenth century moved to private ownership. Olive, Lady Baille, the American heiress purchased the estate in the 1920’s substantially improving and restoring the castle and grounds.

As well as collections of rare paintings, tapestries and furniture, Leeds also houses the impressive ‘Dog Collar Museum’ with many early examples on display. Spectacular garden features include an English Culpepper Garden, Wood Garden and terraced Lady Baille Garden with views over the Great Water. There is an aviary with species of rare birds, a maze, golf course and special events are held throughout the year including festivals, exhibitions, concerts and firework displays.

Leeds Castle

Leeds village itself is a worthwhile visit. Founded on the grounds of an old abbey there is impressive architecture to be seen here, such as St. Nicholas, a Norman church and oast houses used in the production of ale.

Canterbury and the Cathedral

Famed for the place where Thomas a Becket was mistakenly murdered by the knights of King Henry II, Canterbury was the first cathedral built in Britain and became one of the primary places of pilgrimage in Europe as well as the ecclesiastical base for the Archbishop of Canterbury. Chaucer based the Canterbury Tales on characters on pilgrimage to the cathedral highlighted by the informative Canterbury Tales Visitor Attraction. St. Augustine was sent to England by Pope Gregory the Great. Parts of the cathedral’s crypt date to 1 and the nave to the fourteenth century. Amazingly (and perhaps divinely) the cathedral not only survived bombing raids during World War II but also Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Famed for the place where Thomas a Becket was mistakenly murdered by the knights of King Henry II, Canterbury was the first cathedral built in Britain and became one of the primary places of pilgrimage in Europe as well as the ecclesiastical base for the Archbishop of Canterbury. Chaucer based the Canterbury Tales on characters on pilgrimage to the cathedral highlighted by the informative Canterbury Tales Visitor Attraction. St. Augustine was sent to England by Pope Gregory the Great. Parts of the cathedral’s crypt date to 1100 AD and the nave to the fourteenth century. Amazingly (and perhaps divinely) the cathedral not only survived bombing raids during World War II but also Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury was a major Iron Age settlement. The Romans inhabited the area, details and artefacts from this period are displayed in the Roman Museum. Canterbury Heritage Museum explores further the history of the town over an incredible two thousand year period.

Like many other towns in Kent, Canterbury has connections with famous historical literary figures, including Mary Tourtel and Christopher Marlowe who is believed to have been assassinated in 1593. Marlowe was a contemporary playwright of William Shakespeare and is buried in the local church of St. Nicholas.

Dover Castle and the White Cliffs

Dover Castle

Dating back to 1180, Dover Castle stands dominant on a hill above the cliffs of Dover. Work on the fortification was started by William the Conqueror and completed during the reign of King Henry II. Under King John, the barons became disheartened so inviting an invasion by the French.

On the death of John the barons vowed allegiance to his successor Henry III after which the French, commanded by Prince Louis, returned home. There is a fine example of a Saxon church in the grounds – St. Mary-in-Castro, the remains of a Roman lighthouse and the castle is also home to the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment Museum. See the thirteenth century battlements and underground fortification, the medieval keep and inner bailey of Henry II. Dover Castle’s strategic military position was utilised during World War II.

Rochester Castle

First settled by the Romans, the port of Rochester has played an important strategic role in the history of the South East of England, especially highlighted by the building of Rochester Castle by royal decree of William the Conqueror after the invasion by the Normans of 1066. Architect Bishop Gundolph constructed the fortification to an astounding height of over one hundred feet, the castle still dominating the town today.

The first of three sieges took place in 1215 when the rebellion of the barons was quashed after seven weeks of bombardment. The collapse of a siege tunnel prompted the subsequent collapse of one of the square corner towers, which was strangely rebuilt with a round cross-section. During the English Civil War the castle was severely damaged with restoration in the sixteenth century.

Rochester Castle

Other of Rochester’s attractions include the cathedral with its impressive Norman west doorway and twelfth century priory and chapter house. The history of the town is explored in the Guildhall Museum and an original Elizabethan building houses the Charles Dickens Centre.

Whitstable

You will notice the atmosphere buzzing with activity at the North Kent resort of Whitstable, with its working harbour, picturesque lanes, fish market and yacht club. The world-famous ‘Whitstable oyster’ has been collected here since Roman times along with other kinds of fish, the delights of which can be sampled in one of the established restaurants in the town. Whitstable has also become known as the ‘Pearl of Kent’ reflected by its connections with the oyster industry. You can visit the world’s first commercial oyster hatchery at the Oyster and Fishery Exhibition where the town’s seafood industry is explored. Further exploration of Whitstable’s history is exhibited at the Museum and Gallery. The town has connections with famous literary characters such as Somerset Maughan, Robert Hitchens the novelist and also Charles Dickens who wrote about the town whilst visiting. In the High Street of nearby Tankerton you can browse the antique shops which house an eclectic selection of period items.

After the demise of the Romans, the Saxons settled in the area, naming the town Witanstaple and in turn the Normans occupied the region.

Margate

The town of Margate is a typical English seaside resort with golden sand beaches. A favourite haunt for Londoners wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of city life, this popular tour destination has only been so since the coming of the railways in the 1840’s. The history of Margate goes back much further however. There is a fine example of a sixteenth century building known as the Tudor House on King Street built in the reign of Henry VIII and the medieval Salmestone Grange just inland which was originally owned by St. Augustine’s Abbey at Canterbury. Drapers Mill built by John Holman in 1845 is a restored working corn mill, also contributing to the local history of the area.

Broadstairs

Just a few miles along the coast from Margate is the seaside resort of Broadstairs with its strong associations with Charles Dickens and charming village ambience. Former prime minister Sir Edward Heath was born here as well as the author of the ‘Thirty-Nine Steps’, John Buccan.

Ramsgate

A harbour was built in the small fishing village of Ramsgate in 1749 after which time the town grew to become the largest port on the South coast. The town became known as Royal Ramsgate after King George IV landed there in 1822. A stained glass window at the church of St. George commemorates the landing of over forty thousand troops evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940 by a fleet of small boats. Our tour can also take in the Ramsgate Motor Museum with displays of vehicles from the golden age of motoring.

Deal

The picturesque fishing town of Deal has retained its eighteenth century character with quaint alleyways, old houses and fisherman’s cottages. At the start of the nineteenth century the area was used by smugglers and Nelson frequented the town, upsetting the locals by scandalously staying at the Royal Hotel with his mistress Lady Hamilton. The seafaring history of the town is further explored at the local museum with displays of model boats, navigational equipment and ship’s figureheads. The Timeball Tower, built 1795 on the site of the old Naval Yard was used to signal shipping to set their chronographs but now houses a museum dedicated to telegraphy and the keeping of time.

Chartwell

Bought as a family home by Sir Winston Churchill in the twenties, Chartwell has been preserved much as it was when the great man died in 1965, with daily newspapers left out and a box of his favourite cigars laying waiting. The house looks out over the Weald of Kent with its stunning wooded countryside, hop fields and orchards, and the wonderful gardens at Chartwell have also been preserved, including a Golden Rose Walk, which was planted by Churchill’s children on the occasion of his 50th wedding anniversary, lakes and a statue of Sir Winston by Oscar Nemon. The museum displays exhibits from Churchill’s life including photographs, uniforms and medals band the garden studio a number of his paintings and artist’s equipment.