Kent - A trip through Southwestern England

Today we decided to get out of the city and see a bit of the country which is how we ended up in Kent.  This area of is located southwest of London and is the closest portion of the island to the French coast.  Because of that, it has a long history that includes invasions . . . some successful (William the Conqueror) and some not so successful (Hitler).  This area was covered with airfields during World War II as the Battle for Britain was fought in the skies above the towns and villages of Kent.


Our first stop was to see Leeds Castle.  First built during the reign of William the Conqueror's son, King Henry I, the castle is located on an island surrounded by a man-made moat.  It became a tradition for the kings of England to give the castle as a gift to their queens beginning in 1278 when King Edward I gave it to Queen Eleanor of Castile.  King Henry VIII made improvements to the castle between 1517-1523 for his first wife, Catherine of Aragon.

Leeds Castle (photo credit to Laura and her phone!)

It did not always have a pleasant history as it was also used by King Henry V to imprison his stepmother, Joan of Navarre, for plotting the king's death and witchcraft.  It eventually passed into private ownership when the advisers of King Henry VIII's son, Edward, was a young king to reward loyalty.  When that family could not afford the death duties, it was purchased by an American heiress and renovated in 1926.

Here I am in front of the oldest portion of Leeds Castle - the old moat.

Our next stop was to Canterbury to visit the famous Canterbury Cathedral.  It began construction in 597 AD when the Roman emissaries converted the king of Kent to Christianity.  It has been the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury ever since.  It has five towers built from the 11th-15th centuries in styles ranging from Gothic to Romanesque.  Inside there are multiple chapels, tombs of past Archbishops, stained glass windows, and vaulted ceilings.  I took some great video that I will try to upload when I return!

Me in front of Canterbury Cathedral

Just one example of the vast space and vaulted ceilings.

Our next stop was a quick photo opportunity of the Cliffs of Dover.  There is a castle at the top of the cliffs and the cliffs themselves are filled with man-made caves created by smugglers to hide their goods from the government tax men!

The Cliffs of Dover are in the background.  We stopped at a rocky beach to stretch our legs and get a good look at the cliffs.

On the way home, we took a quick boat ride along the Thames River back into London.  Tomorrow, we plan to explore the city further and hope to see some great sites!