A U3A trip 9th Apr 2026. A sunny, warm day, just a1.5 hour drive away. A house rebuilt to look like Castle now run by a trust
with very little money
Click
to enlarge photo; "back"
to return. 
 Map of the Area. Lord Astor bought the estate for the hunting only |
 This enlarges |
 Western side |
 PO still makes collections |
 Drawing Room where we had a briefing |
 Candelabra |
 Painting of the Hunt Committee? |
 Our Initial Coffee rush. The Espresso machine was broken! |
 Sewing Machine |
 Kitchen |
 The Range |
 Laundry Room |
 Servants Hall plus Sarcophagus |
 Japanese screen. The ceiling of the Japanese Room had fallen down |
 The crack might nip you! |
 Art Nouveau? |
 Denys Eyre Bower's Study |
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 From the closed Japanese room |
As children, Bower and his brother would carry around real Japanese swords, and a village policeman tried to stop them, even making them wooden toy swords to use instead. Bower died alone in Chiddingstone Castle with dwindling funds, following his release from prison for attempted murder of his girlfriend, allegedly shooting her accidentally with an antique pistol. The National Trust refused the estate |
 Egyptian Collection |
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 Some items were copies |
 Housekeeper's Room |
 Irethoreru (the eye of Horus is on you!) |
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 Buddhism Collection. The reflections from the cases did not help photography |
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 Wedding Reception |
 Piano |
 Young Pretender? |
 17th-century leather bottle shaped like King Charles I |
George III chamber barrel organ
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 The Master's Bed |
 Library |
 Model of Chiddingstone Village |
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 The "Castle" |
 Rear view |
 Eastern Face |
 Inside the Main door |
 Great Hall |
 Gallery above
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 Denys Eyre Bower |
 Orangery |
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 The park |
 Bluebells |
 Woodland Walk |
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 Reflection |
 Old Hollow Tree |
 Foot Bridge |
 Chiddingstone Village owned by the National Trust |
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 The Post Office |
 Inside the Post Office |
 The Castle Inn |
 The Churchyard |
 St Mary the Virgin Church |
 English Bluebells |
 A Grave |
 The Church from the Street |
 Castle Main Entrance |
 Talbot Dog guards the main entrance |
 Fishing Lake |
 Rose Garden?? |
 Our final Coffee and Cake spot |
