European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 14, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Leeds Castle is one of the top attractions in Kent county the Castle which some believe is the most Beautiful in the world is built on two islands in a Lake. Fite soak up lots of British history atmosphere in one Little Region by Richard mover Ley Kent is often described As the Carden of England and indeed with its narrow lanes immaculate gardens Village greens mansion houses and Halls Many visitors consider the whole county to be a Park. The array of castles palaces Manor houses and Parks is staggering and the gentle Countryside is relaxing and soothing. Kent offers a variety of Small villages that would make pleasant peaceful bakes for a tour of the area but for their Good transportation links the larger towns of Maidstone and Sevenoaks Are also Worth considering. Both offer the perfect Opportunity to Combine a leisurely Odyssey through the pleasant Kent Countryside with Day trips to London. A cheap and convenient Way is to drive to Greenwich Park the car and buy travel cards for London a the cards offer 24-hour travel on the City s buses and subway trains for about $5. In fact a wide arc from Maidstone to Sevenoaks would include most of the important sights of the area. Maidstone itself dissected by the River Medway includes a 14th-Century archbishop s Palace and was once on pilgrims route from London to Canterbury. There Are also  of timbered buildings a Carf Psge museum and the old All saints Church. However the county town of Kent is not really a tourist destination. In Kent it is the villages and Remote castles that people head for rather than the centers of civilization. And from Maidstone one of the Best castles is Only a Short drive. Leeds Castle close to the attractive Village of Hollingbourne is one of the county s gems. It comes As no Surprise to most visitors that this extraordinary place was once described As the most Beautiful Castle in the world. Leeds is built on two islands in a Lake and apart from its gardens and period rooms its attractions also include aviaries a Grotto and a Maze. The Beautiful. Silhouette whose reflection shimmers in the Lake s Waters conjures up the romantic idea of a fairy tale Castle. During the summer the Castle is often used for outdoor concerts a particularly recommended. Follow a274 a few Miles South and you la find yourself in the pretty Village of Biddenden with its dramatic High Street of half timbered houses. Turn right onto a262, and you la soon see signs for Sissinghurst. This Palace built in the mid-16th Century was once a prison for the French. However in the 1930s, it was lovingly turned into a picture postcard Garden by Vita Sackville West and her husband Harold Nicolson. Today the Home makes a perfect spot for a picnic or a leisurely stroll through the gardens. Take a rest on one of the wooden benches or do a circuit of the Woodland path but whatever you do take your time a these gardens need to be Savoured. There Are attractive lawns a profusion of kaleidoscopic Flower Beds decorative Ponds and even greek urns and statues a and All Are Laid out with an expert Eye for detail. But despite the aesthetic Beauty of the gardens they Are Only part of the Story of Sissinghurst. In the Middle red Brick Tower is a room where the couple wrote and painted and from the top there Are excellent views Over the whole estate. The stables were also renovated As a Library and study. 1. Sackville West was a great Friend of Virginia Woolf s and a Patron of the arts. Woolf s novel Orlando is a fictional biography of Sackville West who was refused her inheritance to Knole House because she was a woman. . Eliot s epic poem the waste land was printed at Sissinghurst on the original Hogarth press a an exhibition Hall near the Entrance displays this printing press. ,. Aaa. 1 a a leaving Sissinghurst drive on via the pleasant Village of Goudhurst a with its Pond old Church and inn a As far As a21 and then head North. Near Sevenoaks the Road is crossed by a25, and a left turn will take you to Westerham. From Here Chartwell is Only a Short distance. This Large country House was Vinston Churchill s Home from 1922 a although it was not used. During the War. 1 a. In summer the House is full of visitors who come to pay respect to England s wartime Leader. A visit to. Continued on Page a july 14, 1994 stripes Magazine 3