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Monday 28 April 2014

... Remembering Benenden ...




Day 10 - Benenden

A 24 hour trip to Kent and East Sussex brought back fading memories (from 18 years ago)

- a very beautiful part of the world with castles, idyllic villages, oast houses and baby lambs

- a work place, Benenden Hospital ,
that no longer holds the grandeur that Alison, I, Susan and good friends Lesley and Ian remember. The wards we worked on, Plant East and Plant West are derelict, the social club boarded up and the swimming pool drained. Young Dave will be pleased that Peek Lodge looks unchanged. 

- a pub meal at The Red Lion in Biddenden brought back memories of a log fire, good  food, a pint of Guinness (no Biddenden cider YD) and bars surrounded by old wooden beams too low for Australians who are 6 foot 3 inches

- a short drive to Bodiam Castle for Lily , Grace, Jack and I (we dropped Alison at Sissinghurst Castle Gardens) reminded  me it had been a long 18 years  since we were here - no longer can you walk into and climb on castle for free.  In 2014 you have guided tours, characters in costume and you give them 18 quid for the privilege. 

- Tenterden, the home of our dentist, GP and  favourite Indian restaurant (interestingly my most vivid memory of this town is my sister Jenny falling over in the Main Street and bringing down 5 innocent people) 

Some memories don't fade ...

(David)


1 comment:

  1. Glory days in Benenden. It all went downhill after we left :-)

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