What I did on my holidays - Part 3

OOPS! I just discovered this post languishing in the 'drafts' folder. It should have been posted last year!!

Welcome back to Part 3 of the holiday snaps. Are you bored of them yet?? NO? 

On Wednesday we had a very busy day planned! More buildings and a very special treat!

Batemans 

Batemans is the house that Rudyard Kipling bought and lived in until his dying day. It's wonderfully cosy and homely with stunning gardens!

(Thank goodness that a lot of National Trust properties have now relaxed their 'no photos' rule - as long as you don't use the flash! I always missed not having photos of the inside of their beautiful houses)

Scotney Castle

Two properties for the price of one! The original castle and the much larger and much later stately home. Both are beautiful!

First the Stately Home part of the property.

(I think my eldest has perfected the art of posing during this holiday!)

... and then the older castle!

Bodiam Castle

Himself and myself have been to Bodiam Castle before... back in the BC days (Before Children). Other people's children charged around with swords and made a general nuisance of themselves. We tutted and sighed like inconvenienced tourists but secretely promised ourselves that our children would get a chance to do the same. We fulfilled this promise on Wednesday and great fun was had by all!

(The Millers wife - just in case you're wondering)

... and yes, we bought them both swords and much charging and play fighting was done. Thank goodness no eyes were poked out or limbs chopped off, but I think it was a close-run thing!

Of course, you absolutely have to charge across the drawbridge whilst brandishing your sword!

Kent & East Sussex Steam Railway

Our last stop on Wednesday was a last minute find! I had heard that you could catch the steam train from Tenterden to Bodiam and was looking online (on my phone!) on Tuesday night to find train timetables etc. when I discovered that they run a fortnightly 'Fish & Chip Special' on Wednesday evenings - and that the next one was scheduled the next day! One phonecall first thing in the morning, secured our last minute seats and a rather scrummy tea! We rode on a Diesel Observation car from Tenterden to Bodiam, where we had a 30 minute break. I think the intention was to eat on the train (and lots of people came prepared with lap trays) but as there were no tables and we have a messy 3-year old we opted, instead, for eating on a picnic table at Bodiam instead. Fish 'n' Chips alfresco stylee! Yum.

This carriage is set up as a permanent memorial to The Unknown Soldier and was used to transport the casket from Dover to London for reburial. It was not the first repatriation this carriage had been used for, so it seems fitting that it now serves as a memorial to those who fought in the Great War. A very moving moment in an otherwise hectic day!