Seven Oaks, Bodiam, Smallhythe, and Sissinghurst

Today, Wednesday, 5 October, we headed over to Seven Oaks to have a look at some kids clothes, and, happily, I was able to acquire some chocolate chunk shortbread at Marks and Spencer. Our first official stop was at Bodiam Castle, which is always delightful: perfect castle. They were spreading muck on the fields nearby and it smelled like a dairy farm even though the air was windy, brisk and clear. We ate our picnic lunch in the wind at Smallhythe before having a look inside the cozy little house that was used as an escape from the city for Ellen Terry whose career as a Shakespearean actress stretched from the end of the 19th century until the 1920s. She became a cult figure for poets and painters of the Pre-Raphaelite and Aesthetic movements including Oscar Wilde. Our final visit of the day was at Sissinghurst, the home of Vita Sackville West, the only heir to her father's estate at Knole, but who did not inherit because her father passed the estate to a Canadian cousin. She acquired Sissinghurst in spite as her own home. It is famous for its gardens which were a bit past their summer prime today, but still lovely. We had kebabs from a shop in Edenbridge for supper.

 Marks and Sparks in Seven Oaks

 Shopping in Seven Oaks

Seven Oaks

 JoJo Maman Bébé in Seven Oaks

 He covered his head and went sound asleep

 Beautiful Bodiam

 Kris, Kim, and Brigham at Bodiam

 Down the corkscrew stairs

 Fireplaces had replaced the fire pit in earlier castles

 Smallhythe, Ellen Terry's country retreat

 Come in

 Sitting room

 Dining room

 The bedroom

 A note from Oscar Wilde gifting Terry the first edition 

of his play, Vera

A painting of St. Paul's at Covent Garden, the actors church

 Ellen Terry posed for a painting by John Singer Sargent wearing

this dress she designed for a role as Lady Macbeth

 Square and round oast houses at Sissinghurst

 Former carriage house now the entrance to the gardens

 Fall is coming

 Amazing bridge of trees grafted together

 Late summer flowers

 The tower is just about all that remains from the Tudor house

at Sissinghurst

 Library in the former carriage house

 Late afternoon light

 The barn at Sissinghurst

 Local Kebab house in Edenbridge

Another good day. There will be more tomorrow, but this is all for now.

OXO

D.