BACK in 1100, the myth suggests, twins Mary and Eliza Chulkhurst were born. As well as being joined at the hip, Mary and Eliza were joined at the shoulder and went on to be known as the Biddenden Maids after the village in which they were born. In what was surely an impressive feat for those living in the 12th century, they were said to have survived for 34 years and, upon their deaths in 1134, bequeathed five plots of land to the village, which became known as the ‘Bread and Cheese Lands’. The income from these parcels of land went on to provide food and drink to those in need every Easter, a tradition that continues in some form to the less fortunate residents of Biddenden to this very day.
The rich tradition of providing sanctuary to those in need seems to have made Biddenden an attractive place to live, especially to those in exile. Sir John Kotelawala was once Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (then known as Ceylon) and, upon his electoral defeat in 1956, retired from politics and moved to the village in self-imposed exile.
An exile that was slightly less ‘selfimposed’ was that of Prajadhipok, otherwise known as Rama VII, King of Thailand (then known as Siam). After his abdication in 1935, Rama VII moved to the UK—first to Surrey and then, in 1937, to Vane Court in Biddenden, believed to be the oldest house in the village.
Esta historia es de la edición August 16, 2023 de Country Life UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición August 16, 2023 de Country Life UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery