Countryside Castles and Coast Tour in Kent

If you want to see the very best of Kent in a small, exclusive group, then this is the tour for you! Your local guide, Dr Anthony Medhurst, knows the most beautiful and memorable sites, many of which are completely off the usual tourist trails. Guests will be transported in a comfortable, climate-controlled vehicle to the most awe-inspiring locations in Kent. These range from iconic sites such as the White Cliffs of Dover with its castle and WWII defensive fortifications, to the historic city of Canterbury with its three UNESCO World Heritage -listed sites - Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey and St Martin's church (the oldest in the country). However you will also be driven through delightful country lanes and enjoy unsurpassed views of locations unknown to most visitors and yet are quintessentially and authentically Kent. These include pretty villages with their church and country pub gathered around an idyllic green or cobbled square. Truly a trip to remember!

1. 1

   The White Cliffs of Dover

   30 min

   You will first be driven to a special vantage point on the White Cliffs for views of Dover Castle, the harbour, the English Channel and, if the weather is clear, the nearby coastline of France.

2. 2

   Barham

   Pass by

   From here you will be taken through country lanes and rolling hills to view a number of breathtaking villages. You will be driven through the delightful wooded hills of Barham with its newly planted vineyards and quaint narrow street. You will pass the 13th century church of St John the Baptist with its green copper spire, quaint Kent peg tiled cottages and impressive views over the valley below.

3. 3

   Bishopsbourne

   Pass by

   You will then head towards Bishopsbourne which is located within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You will pass the elegant stately home of Bourne Park which the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart visited in 1865.

4. 4

   Patrixbourne

   10 min

   Your guide will then show you the historic village of Patrixbourne with its particularly fine Norman church. Built of flint and stone from Caen in France, this pretty church is heavily influenced by French decorative practices. It has a glorious south doorway in the Norman style and a wheel window in the east end which date from the late 12th century.

5. 5

   Chilham Village

   45 min

   Your next stop will be for 45 minutes at perhaps the prettiest village of them all – Chilham. Thanks to its stunning 15th century square with black and white timbered Tudor buildings, Jacobean castle, church and pub, Chilham has unsurprisingly provided the location for films such as Emma (2009), 'The Canterbury Tales', and 'The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders'; historical dramas such as Agatha Christie's 'Poirot' and 'Miss Marple'; to detective shows such as 'Dempsey and Makepeace'. You will have a 45 minute stop here for morning tea and photo opportunities outside Chilham Castle, historic houses and charming cobbled square.

6. 6

   Canterbury Cathedral

   3 hours

   After your refreshments at Chilham, your guide will then take you to the popular historic city of Canterbury with its three world heritage UNESCO sites - Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey and St Martin's church (the oldest in the country). You will stay here for three hours during which your guide will provide an historic overview of the city from Roman times to modern day. You will be able to choose whether to visit such landmarks as the Cathedral and castle, explore the enchanting medieval streets and houses, or stop for a relaxing pub lunch alongside the River Stour – the choice is yours!

7. 7

   St. Augustine's Abbey

   Pass by

   As you leave the city centre, you will view the second of the city's most important world heritage landmarks - St Augustine's Abbey. Founded shortly after St Augustine arrived in Kent in AD597 to convert the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity, the abbey was a residence for Augustine and his brother monks and functioned as a monastery. It was also a ‘missionary school’ where classical knowledge and English learning flourished. Among its library of illuminated manuscripts, only 150 survived the English Reformation and the dissolution of the Monasteries in 1538. One of these – the ‘Canterbury Gospels’ – survived from AD597 and was used in the recent Coronation of King Charles III.

8. 8

   Lady Wootton's Green

   Pass by

   As you leave the west end of the Abbey, you will pass two statues depicting King Ethelbert and Queen Bertha on Lady Wootton’s Green. Both represent the two people who were most responsible for welcoming Augustine into Canterbury and enabling him to build the foundation for Christianity throughout the country.

9. 9

   St. Martin's Church, Canterbury, Kent

   10 min

   As the tour leaves the outskirts of the city, there will be the opportunity to observe the country’s oldest surviving church, St Martin’s, which also dates from cAD597. The church was originally a chapel used by Queen Bertha but became used as a base by Augustine. You will be able to view structures from Roman, Anglo-Saxon and Medieval periods.

10. 10

    Wickhambreaux

    15 min

    Your route will then head back towards the coast via a number of pretty villages for brief photo stops. You will first be driven to Wickhambreaux with its delightful medieval village green around which are located the church, the manor house, rectory, inn and mill. You can stop for photos at the 13th century church of St Andrews where one of the WWII Dambusters, Squadron Leader David Maltby, was both married and later buried after his death in 1943. Another famous resident of Wickhambreaux was the singer and musician, Christine MacVie, of Fleetwood Mac.

11. 11

    Ickham

    Pass by

    We will then depart for neighbouring Ickham with its attractive white weatherboard cottages, attractive listed buildings and 13th century church.

12. 12

    Wingham

    Pass by

    Our penultimate stop will be along the ancient coastal road and village of Wingham which, with many buildings dating back to the 1200s including the Grade II listed ‘The Dog Inn’, provides a picture perfect end to the tour. These special locations provide opportunities to capture lasting memories of everything that is quintessentially and authentically Kent.

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• The site at Dover Western Heights has uneven ground, is overgrown in places, and has concrete war time structures. Care needs to be taken when walking around the site.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.