Onion magazine feb 15 by carolfarley

February 2015



BIG CATS s er

INSIDE: TV’S ANDY McCONNELL RYE BAY SCALLOP WEEK GREENHOUSE GARDENING A

en ht g i IN tra r W nd s bee f s r a se o alm e y dr ca p b air A Li

Executive Coach Trisha Robinson FCIPD & Qualified Trisha Robinson FCIPD & Qualified Executive Managing Director -‐ Y’s W ords Ltd Coach Managing irector -‐ Y’s Wm ords Ltd and consultancy, or Talk to Trisha about coaching D and mentoring, ediation simply t o b e y our s parring p artner consultancy, or Talk to Trisha about coaching and mentoring, mediation a–nd You asimply nd your b usiness w ill n otice t he d ifference. to be your sparring partner –

You and your business will notice the difference.

‘Difficulties Mastered are Opportunities Won’

‘Difficulties Mastered are Opportunities Won’ Trisha Robinson FCIPD, Profile

Trisha Robinson FCIPD, Profile Sectors

Sectors • Travel • IT/Telecoms Travel • Multi national IT/Telecoms • Sales/R&D/ Multi national • Manufacturing Sales/R&D/ Manufacturing • Scale 10 Billion euros • -‐Scale 10 Billion euros global -‐ global • Not for profit • Not for profit

Roles

Roles • VP HR Global

Countries Ops • VP HR Global •Countries Strategic OPps rojects DirectorProjects • Strategic •Director Head of Europe • •Head f irector Europe HRD oD • •HRD Director Global Project • Global Project Management Management • NED • •NED Coach & Mentor • Coach & Mentor

Experience

Global functional Experience l eadership Global functional leadership • Direct &Virtual teams

• Global & European • Direct &Virtual teams ER • M+As divestments • Global & E&uropean ER • M+As & b duilds ivestments • New & closures (factories sites) • New builds && c losures (factories & sites) • Joint Ventures/Strategic • Joint Ventures/Strategic Partnerships Partnerships • Global Restructuring • Global Restructuring • Engagement & Comms • Engagement & Comms

Contact risha ffor or ccoaching, oaching, entoring, leadership mediation Contact TTrisha mm entoring, leadership mediation and and consultancy. consultancy. Mobile +447802690907 Mobile : :+ 447802690907 Email : :t risha.robinson50@btinternet.com trisha.robinson50@btinternet.com Email

Linkedin –– PPlease nd mm ention this event in yin our invitation Linkedin lease cconnect onnect aa nd ention this event your invitation Trisha Robinson via vLia inkedIn Trisha Robinson LinkedIn

“ II vvalue alue TTrisha intuitive, values driven leadership, coaching & & “ risha ffor or hher er insightful, insightful, intuitive, values driven leadership, coaching consultancy. SShe of oef motional engineering and Wise (Y’s) Words – – consultancy. he is is aa m master aster emotional engineering and Wise (Y’s) Words Especially times of ocf hallenge & o&pportunity” – – Especially in in times challenge opportunity” Ric Piper, Senior Independent Director, Matchtech Group plc

Ric Piper, Senior Independent Director, Matchtech Group plc

Advertising and Editorial:

01797 253668 Publication date: 1st of the month Entries for Noticeboard email: noticeboard@onionpublishing.co.uk To send editorial/advertising material email: carol@onionpublishing.co.uk For advertising sales enquiries email: sales@onionpublishing.co.uk www.onionmagazine.co.uk Twitter: @OnionMag1

The Onion magazine is published by Onion Publishing Limited The Studio at Friars Cote Farm, Crockers Lane, Northiam, East Sussex TN31 6PY. Editor & Publisher: Carol Farley Director & Publisher: Nicholas Farley Contributors: Chris Elrick, Jessica Harding, Jack Hebden, Stefan Reynolds Print: Buxton Press Cover: ‘Ben’ a Clouded Leopard at Wildlife Heritage Foundation Designed and produced for Onion Publishing Limited by Vantage Publishing Limited, Godalming, GU7 2AE.

February 2015

Already it’s the second month of 2015 and it’s no longer the ‘new’ year, it’s just another ordinary year racing past. For me it got off to a cracking start with a visit to the Wildlife Heritage Fund sanctuary for big cats which is in Smarden. (Page 12.) We always think of these majestic animals as we see them on television or perhaps as we have actually seen them for ourselves in Africa or elsewhere and yet when I saw them in Kent on a cold January day they looked perfectly at home, content and very well. Equally at home, content and very well was Andy McConnell when I interviewed him in Rye where he lives and has his shop. (Page 18.) It is so nice when someone who you feel you know from seeing him or her on screen is just the same when you actually meet them. Andy is just as you see him on The Antiques Roadshow and I fully understand why he is so popular. His shop, Glass Etc, in Rye is crammed with beautiful and extraordinary things although the prices are quite ordinary and you’ll get 10% off for being an Onion reader. You can still get 10% off another glass item this month too – Chase cloches on page 29. Jack Hebden swears by them. The new Kino cinema in Rye will be open by the time you read this and I have been looking forward to this event for some time, now at last it’s happened. And perhaps after you’ve been to the ‘pictures’ you will enjoy a scallop or two during the Rye’s thirteenth Scallop Week which starts on Feb 21st. I certainly shall. Carol Farley, Editor COMPETITIONS - AN APOLOGY Due to technical and human errors we have had terrible trouble with both the December and January competitions. We can only apologise. As a result we have decided to re-run the January competition in this issue and we will re-run the December competition in a future issue so that it is fair for everyone who wanted a chance to win these particular prizes. The problem has been with the email entries so if you have sent an entry in for these competitions by Royal Mail it will still be counted and you don’t need to re-enter. We have done all we can to try to ensure that it doesn’t happen again in the future and in the meantime please accept our sincere apologies. The Onion Magazine

www.onionmagazine.co.uk

COUNTRY Markets EVERY TUESDAY 09:00 to 11:00 Wittersham Wittersham Village Hall, The Street EVERY WEDNESDAY 10:00 to 13:00 Rye Farmers’ Market Strand Quay, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7AY

Contents 5 6 8

Noticeboard What’s on in your local community

Children’s London for Free

A new Kino Digital Cinema for Rye

10 Letters to the editor 12 The White Lion at Smarden The big cats at the Wildlife Heritage Foundation

EVERY THURSDAY 09:00 to 12noon Rolvenden Farmers’ Market, St Mary’s Church, Rolvenden, TN18 5PN Rolvenden Village Hall, Maytham Road, Rolvenden, TN17 4ND EVERY FRIDAY 10:00 to 12noon Brede Brede Village Hall, Cackle Street, Brede, East Sussex, TN31 6DX

18 A Touch of Glass Carol Farley talks to Antiques Roadshow’s Andy McConnell

22 Death of a Hero Churchill 2015 commemorations

24 26 28 32

A Good Book Rye Bay Scallop Week February Gardening by Jack Hebden Food Two timely scallop recipes

34 Eating out The Sandhurst Tea Rooms

EVERY FRIDAY 09.30 to 11.30 Tenterden (Formerly the WI Market) St Mildred’s Church Hall, Church Road, Tenterden TN30 7NE EVERY FRIDAY 07.00 to 15.30 Tenterden Market Square, behind Savannah Coffee Shop, Tenterden & Tenterden High Street from 08:30 to 14.30 SATURDAY 09:00 to 12:30 Heathfield Co-Op car park, 110 High Street, Heathfield TN21 8JD

The Onion magazine

36 Walk Brookland and Fairfield

38 Business Cards Small ads for trades and services

39 Win Enter our giveaway competitions

The contents of this magazine are protected by copyright and nothing can be reprinted without prior permission of the publisher. The publisher has tried to ensure that all information is accurate but does not take any responsibility for any mistakes or omissions. We take no responsibility for advertisements printed in the magazine or loose inserts that might be delivered alongside it. © Onion Publishing Limited.

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Noticeboard... EXHIBITIONS … CONCERTS … FETES & FAIRS … CHARITY EVENTS ... THINGS TO DO

Don’t forget, it’s FREE to have an entry in this section if you are a charity, club, society or nonprofit-making venture. The deadline for you to send information to noticeboard@onionpublishing.co.uk for March’s Noticeboard is 6th February. Tenterden Writers’ Group at the London Beach Hotel Alternate Monday mornings 10:30 to 12:30 A friendly bunch with a common interest in all forms of writing: fiction, non-fiction, poetry or articles. They work loosely to an agenda of topics which have been set as ‘homework’. Each member reads out his or her piece at each meeting and receives constructive feedback from the rest of the group. They are there to have fun and new members would be made more than welcome. So, whether you are a complete novice or an experienced writer please go along (without cost or obligation) to one of the meetings and join the group if you like what you see and hear. For further details go to www.tenterdenwriters. wix.com/write or contact Ken Baker on 01580 201184 or email k.baker184@btinternet.com. Venue: London Beach Hotel, Tenterden. Tenterden Social Bridge Club Every Tuesday 13:30 to 16:30 First and third Tuesdays are Pairs, and second and fourth Tuesdays are Singles. All welcome. Membership is £3 per session or £50 per year. For more information contact Anne Kelly on 01580 762580. Beckley Short Mat Bowls in Northiam Every Wednesday 14:00 to 16:00 Beckley Short Mat Bowls Club has vacancies on Wednesday afternoons. They are a friendly, established Club that meets

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during the winter months between September and April in Northiam Village Hall. So if you are looking for a pleasant afternoon once a week, why not go along and give it a try, they say you will be very welcome. For more information contact Doreen Rolles on 01797 252443. Tenterden Duplicate Bridge Club Every Wednesday 19:00 The club meets at the Tenterden Club, Church Road, Tenterden, TN30 6AT each week. They are always pleased to welcome players. Contact Sue Rolles on 01797 252753 or visit www.bridgewebs.com. Learn something new, fun and exotic in 2015 New Beginner Flamenco Dance classes starting soon on Tuesday afternoons at Udimore Village Hall. Times and prices to be arranged, but please ring 07963 959262 (this is a revised telephone number from last month, Ed.) if you think you might be interested, and for more information. Tenterden Rotary Club Every Thursday 19:00 Tenterden Rotary Club meets every Thursday evening at The Tenterden Club, Church Road, Tenterden. New members are always welcome. Contact Club Secretary, Chris Northen on 01233 851020, email chris@northen.net, or look on the website www.tenerdenrotary.org.uk. Rolvenden Farmers Market in St Mary’s Church Every Thursday 08:30 to 12:00 Established in 2000, selling organic meat, milk and cheese from Silcocks Farm, a wide variety of potatoes from Morghew Park Estate (as featured in December’s edition of The Onion), free range hen, goose and duck eggs, from traditional and rare breeds at Rolvenden Farmer’s Line, reg charity no 1079879. Game, smoked produce, local

YOUR COMMUNITY NOTICE BOARD IS FOR LOCAL EVENTS AND INFORMATION. TO FEATURE HERE FOR FREE, PLEASE EMAIL US AT NOTICEBOARD@ONIONPUBLISHING.CO.UK

Delivered by the Royal Mail to 23,000 local homes every month in Appledore, Benenden, Brede, Brightling, Broad Oak, Burwash, Camber, Cranbrook, Cripps Corner, Etchingham, Hawkhurst, Hurst Green, Icklesham, John’s Cross, Northiam, Peasmarsh, Robertsbridge, Rye, Salehurst, Sandhurst, Staplecross, Tenterden, Udimore, Winchelsea, Wittersham and surrounding villages. February 2015

The Onion Magazine

s ’ n e r d l i Ch

With London just over an hour away by train, why not visit the capital with the children or grandchildren for a half-term or weekend treat. We have picked three good, and free, reasons to visit the West End in February, all extracted from a great book called Little London. There is much to do in London that is free all year round, all you have to do is get there. The good news is that children under 5 travel free at any time on London buses, the tube, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), and London Overground (London trains) when accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket. All children aged 5-10 years can travel for free anywhere at any time without a ticket on buses and up to four children between 5-10 years accompanying an adult who has a valid ticket or Oyster card can travel for free without a ticket or Oyster photocard on the tube, DLR, and London Overground.

t e feels

we’ve is ondon d-value very east to ke a plan;

Don’t forget that parking is free in many places on a Sunday and no congestion charge will apply, so you might want to consider driving.

Little London: Child-friendly Days Out and Fun Things To Do by Kate Hodges and Sunshine Jackson. Publishing by Virgin Books, £12.99 Illustrations © Nicole Thompson

Key to symbols

of all s, uncles ny around guide ugh time

s of there’s g times, ubes or ff to look ledge. ns that favourite

London for Free

Free £ ££ £££

no one has to pay adult tickets are £0–£5 adult tickets are £5–£10 adult tickets are £10+ accessible by buggy accessible by wheelchair on-site café the nearest tube, DLR or Overground stations, all within a 10-minute walk

This book’s pricing guide is based on adult ticket prices. If kids go free to a venue, we’ll make that clear. All information is correct at time of press, but you should always check the venue or event’s website ahead of time to make sure you’re up to date.

Dance with dragons Dance with dragons Dance with dragons at Chinese New Year* at Chinese New Year* at Chinese New Year* Useful websites • Sign up to the Hopscotch Newsletter: thehopscotchnewsletter.com

Chinese New Year always makes us aware of Chinatown itself is always rammed, but if Chinese New Year always makes us aware of Chinatown itself is always crammed, but the amazing benefits of living in multicultural you’re explore its narrow streets Chinese New Year always makesfeeling us awarebrave, of Have we missed somewhere or something? Chinatown itself is always rammed, but if the amazing benefits of living in multicultural if you’re feeling brave, explore its(and narrow Let us know at info@thehopscotchnewsletter.com benefits ofand living in multicultural London. TheNew biggest outside you’re feeling brave, explore back alleysitself for aismore authentic Chinese Yearofficial alwayscelebration makes the us amazing aware of Chinatown always rammed, but if its narrow streets London. The biggest official celebration streets and back alleys for a more authentic London. The biggest official celebration outside and back alleys for a more authentic (and Asia takes placebenefits every year in Trafalgar Square. loud) experience. Try some dim hear earthe amazing of living in multicultural you’re feeling brave, explore itssum, narrow streets Asia takes place every year in Trafalgar Square. loud) experience. Try some dim sum, hear earoutside AsiaThe takes place every year in (and loud) experience. Try some dim sum, It’sLondon. crammed with the stuff thatcelebration kids love: splitting fireworks being let off in the street and biggest official outside and back alleys for a more authentic (and It’s crammed with the stuff that kids love: splitting fireworks being let off in the street and dragons and lions, martial artsin (with sticks!), Asia takes placeIt’s every year Trafalgar get chased by enormous dancing dragons. Kung Trafalgar Square. crammed with theSquare. stuff hear earsplitting fireworks being let off in the dragons and lions, martial arts (with sticks!), loud) experience. Try some dim hear earget chased bysum, enormous dancing dragons. Kung nd Kate x magic, magic, firecrackers, noodles, drums and loads of being Hei Fat Choi! It’s crammed with the stuff that kids love: firecrackers, noodles, drums and loads of splitting fireworks letenormous off in the street and Hei Fat Choi! that kids love: dragons and lions, people martial arts street and get chased by dancing having fun (if you’ve got really little ones, dragons andfun lions, martialgot artsreally (with sticks!), get chased bya enormous dancing dragons. Kung people having (if you’ve little ones, take a backpack or carrier rather than noodles, dragons. Kung Hei Fat Choi! 27 Gerrard Street, W1D 6JN book at (with sticks!), magic, firecrackers,we’d magic, noodles, and Hei Fatstart Choi! we’d take firecrackers, a backpack or carrier drums rather thanloads a Theof Gerrard Street, W1D 6JN chinatownlondon.org pushchair). parades27 generally around drums and loads of people having fun (if Free 10am,around with the main ‘Dotting of the Eye’ people having fun (if you’ve got really little ones, chinatownlondon.org pushchair). The parades generally start The main parade is on Sunday 22nd February 2015. ceremony square. you’ve got really little ones, we’d takethan a atanoon in theFree we’d take a backpack or carrier rather 27 Gerrard Street, W1D 6JN 10am, with the main ‘Dotting of the Eye’ Charing Cross, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus INTRODUCTION 7 The main parade is on Sunday 22nd February 2015. chinatownlondon.org backpack or carrier rather than a pushchair). pushchair). Thein parades generally start around ceremony at noon the square. Charing Cross, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus Free withgenerally the main ‘Dotting of the Eye’ The 10am, parades start around 10am, The main parade is on Sunday 22nd February 2015. FEBRUARY 29 noon in the withceremony the mainat‘Dotting ofsquare. the Eye’ ceremony

at noon in the square.

29/10/2013 07:19

Charing Cross, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus

FEBRUARY 008_115_Little_London.indd 29

The Onion magazine

The National Gal family fun on Sundays Visit www.nation ~P Somerset House run f each Saturday afternoC and some sessions www.somerse

• Plan your journey: journeyplanner.tﬂ.gov.uk • Get two-for-one tickets to big attractions: daysoutguide.co.uk

FEBRUARY

29 29

14 29/10/2013 07:22

onionmagazine.co.uk

LIT

Let your Let your imagination run imagination run

CHILDREN FOOD

wild wild

Every year, half-term holiday, Every year,over overthe thespring spring half-term thehalf-term Southbank Every year, overholiday, the spring holiday, the Southbank Centre hosts a fun-packed series Centre hosts a fun-packed of events totally the series Southbank Centre geared hosts a fun-packed series of events geared totally around kids’ literature of events geared totally around kids’ literature around kids’ literature and and performing arts. There areperforming shows, live arts. There are shows, and performing arts. There are shows, live60 live bands andoflots of book-related (there are over bands and lots book-related activitiesactivities (there bands and lots of book-related activities (there are over 60events separate events taking place separate taking place over theover week-and-a-bit festival). are over 60 separate events taking place over the week-and-a-bit We We especially lovefestival). the free artespecially workshopsfestival). led by We children’s the week-and-a-bit especially love the free art workshops led by children’s illustrators (our lot adored class they lovethe the pop-up-bookmaking free art workshops led by children’s illustrators (our lot adored the pop-up-bookillustrators (ourinteractive lot adored the pop-up-bookattended), truly groundbreaking theatre events making classthe they attended), the truly groundmaking class they attended), the truly groundand superspecial breaking interactiveauthor theatrereadings. events and super-

at the at the Imagine Imagine Children’s Children’s Snuggle Festival* Festival* with a cl

breaking interactive theatre events and superspecial author readings. special author readings. As well as paid-for shows and classes, As well as paid-for shows As and classes, there’s tons ofclasses, free stuff well as paid-for shows and there’s tons of free stuff happening. Maybe a dinosaur-petting zoo, happening. Maybe you’ll stumble there’s tons across of free stuff happening. Maybe you’ll stumble across a dinosaur-petting zoo, a abicycle-powered bicycle-powered discoyou’ll or anstumble opera across for babies. If it all gets zoo, too a a dinosaur-petting disco or an opera for babies. If bicycle-powered disco or an opera for babies. much, there’s a parenting on Level 2 for quiet time and If it all gets too much, there’s a room parenting room on it all gets too much, the there’s a parenting room breastfeeding. will appreciate small toilets on theon Level 2 for quiet Tiny time bums and breastfeeding. Tiny Level 2 for quiet time and breastfeeding. Tiny bums will appreciate the small toilets on the Spirit Level at the Royal Festival Hall. bums will appreciate the small toilets on the Spirit Level at the Royal Festival Hall. Spirit Level at the Royal Festival Hall. Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX southbankcentre.co.uk 020 7960 4200 Free–£££ Open 9th to 22nd February 2015

Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX southbankcentre.co.uk 020 7960 4200

at Th

The Mediatheque at the BFI is a great place to spend a

Free–£££ wintry afternoon. The room, packed with viewing stations, Open 9th to 22nd February 2015 Waterloo, Embankment, Charing Cross isWaterloo, where Embankment, the public can access the BFI’s The vast Mediatheque archives at the BFI is a great place to spend a Charing Cross There’s a great selection of chain cafésof around the Southbank ﬁlms, TV programmes, public shorts and The room, packed with viewing stations, wintry afternoon. a great selection chain cafés aroundinformation the Southbank complex; our kids absolutely adoreThere’s Wagamama and Giraffe,of but adverts, then settle downWagamama to watchand them. go kids absolutely adore Giraffe, but simply isYou where the public can access the BFI’s vast archives you’re also more than welcome to complex; bring yourour own food and eat it also more than welcome to bring your own and eat it they’ll in, tell reception how long you’d like food to stay and at the tables in the foyer spaces. you’re of ﬁlms, TV programmes, public information shorts and at the tables in the foyer spaces.

For more ideas, visit www.golondon.about. show you to your screen, and you can browse thethen collection adverts, settle down to watch them. You simply go com/od/londonforfree from there. There are themed collections available (retro how long you’d like to stay and they’ll in, tell reception

childr place on the (espe The screen visit t you co café’s

show you to your screen, and you can browse the collection from there. There are themed collections available (retro

Snuggle up P O P Snuggle up with a classic tv show CORN a classic tv show at The with Mediatheque at The Mediatheque

LITTLE LONDON

008_115_Little_London.indd 36

llery offers free s and in the holidays. nalgallery.org.uk. ~P O P free family workshops oon for 6-12 year olds CORN s for under 5s too. ethouse.org.uk

TTLE LONDON

February 2015

LITTLE LONDON

008_115_Little_London.indd 36

29/10/2013 07:23

Belvede bﬁ.org. 020 781 Free

Open T 29/10/2013 07 weeken

children’s telly treasure trove The Kids Are Alright is a great The Mediatheque at the BFI is a great sure of a viewing station (especially at place to start), or create your own playlist. You can turn up 14 LITTLE LONDON placeon tothe spend a wintry afternoon. book in advance by telephone. day, but to be absolutely sureThe of achildren’s viewingweekends), station telly treasure trove The Kids Are Alright is a great room,(especially packed with viewingbook stations, is place at weekends), in advance by telephone. to start), or create your own playlist. You can turn up BFIcan auditorium has family-friendly where The the main public access often the BFI’s vast Thebut main BFI auditorium often has familyon the day, to be absolutely sure of a viewing station 008_115_Little_London.indd 14 screenings on Sunday lunchtimes, so you(especially could combine ascreenings at weekends), bookon in advance telephone. archives of films, TV programmes, public friendly Sunday by lunchtimes, visit to a film with a trip to the Mediatheque. Afterwards The main BFI could auditorium often has family-friendly information shorts and adverts, then so you combine a visit to a film with you could even treat yourselves to one ofscreenings The Riverfront on Sunday lunchtimes, so you could combine a settlecafé’s down to watch them. You simply go a trip to the Mediatheque. Afterwards you brilliant burgers. visit to a film with a trip to the Mediatheque. Afterwards in, tell reception how long you’d like to you could could treat yourselves one of The eveneven treat yourselves to one ofto The Riverfront stay and they’ll youSE1to8XTyour screen, Riverfront café’s brilliant burgers. Belvedere Road, show South Bank, café’s brilliant burgers. bfi.org.uk/archive-collections/introduction-bfi-collections/bfi-mediatheques and you can browse the collection 020 7815 1346 Belvedere Road, South Bank, SE1 8XT from Free there. There are themed bfi.org.uk/archive-collections/introduction-bfi-collections/bfi-mediatheques collections available children’s Open Tuesday 1pm–8pm,(retro Wednesday–Friday 12am–8pm, 020 7815 1346 weekends 12.30pm–8pm telly treasure trove The Kids Are Free Waterloo, Embankment, Charing Cross Open Tuesday 1pm–8pm, Wednesday–Friday 12am–8pm, Alright is a great place to start), or weekends 12.30pm–8pm create your own playlist. You can turn Waterloo, Embankment, Charing Cross up on the day, but to be absolutely

P O P CORN

LITTLE LONDON

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The Onion Magazine

The Kino comes to Rye

It was eight years ago that the Kino digital cinema opened in Hawkhurst and there was rejoicing on all sides as once again we who like films were able to see them in a civilised setting. Most people, I think, like a good film and a good film is best seen in a good cinema. Seeing a film on TV is only ever second best; there’s no sense of occasion about it. The trouble is that the modern cinema ‘complexes’ (awful word) are, by and large, pretty unpleasant places with poor sound quality and inattentive audiences who seem content to deafen me with their popcorn eating and mobile phones. The Kino experience was and still is different: comfortable and civilised. And now there’s a brand new Kino in Rye. It opened two weeks ago on Jan 16th one day after this magazine went to press, but I went to see it a couple of times during the days before it opened and was shown round by Matt Breckon, the Managing Director of Kino Digital. What I saw showed me that this is going to be somewhere pretty special and a major attraction for Rye. The building was the old Victorian library building and Adult Education Centre at the top of Lion Street, and from the outside it appears little changed, but walk inside and it’s very different. First you are in the café-bar and you still wouldn’t know that you are in a state-of-the-art cinema but you would know that you are somewhere special. The large café-bar reception area is 8

The Onion magazine

a very attractive and comfortable space with a very un-cinema-like open fire as an important feature and a large comfortable mezzanine reception area overlooking it. The amount of space inside is the most surprising thing about this building, but good though the café-bar might be, a cinema’s raison d’être is showing films and for this the Rye Kino has two screens: the Red room with 98 seats and the Blue room with 46, but in addition to these there is also a large function room where there is a screen too. As I walked around the building in amongst the carpenters and technical bods who were frantically getting ready for the opening which was due to happen in two days, I was struck by the attention to detail and the quality of everything. A lot of thought has gone into the place and everywhere you look there is evidence of this; the modern oak panelling for example, the lights – notably in the very smart loos – the comfortable leather tub chairs and, of course, that wonderful open fire. The screen rooms are equally impressive with their large, comfortable seats which you will already be familiar with if you’ve been to Hawkhurst, but unlike Hawkhurst all the seats are raked. One of things that has always appealed to me about the Hawkhurst Kino is the quality of the sound, particularly when compared to the distortion of many larger cinemas. I asked Matt about this and he was able to assure me that at Rye the sound will be of the standard of “world class recording studios.” They will be showing all the latest releases, art films and live ballet and opera from Covent Garden, plays from the National Theatre and the RSC. I can’t wait to see my first film there and by the time you read this that will have happened.

Open every day from 9am. Bookings: Tel. 01797 226293 www.kinodigital.co.uk Kino Rye, Lion Street, TN31 7LB onionmagazine.co.uk

EXHIBITIONS … CONCERTS … FETES & FAIRS … CHARITY EVENTS ... THINGS TO DO <5 11>

vegetables, ready meals, cakes, scones, pies, jams, pickles and honey. The Farmers Market was started for students with learning difficulties at Rolvenden Farmer’s Line, also local farmers and smallholders. Further details contact Sue Saggers on 01580 241056. Play Badminton! At Pretious Sports Hall, Northiam Every Friday 20:00 to 22:00 A small group of friends meets each Friday evening 8 to 10pm to play badminton in the Pretious Sports Hall attached to Northiam School. With two courts, they can ensure a good mix so everyone gets a challenging game, but they need more players. It is a social club, so all abilities are very welcome. Go long or call Karen on 01797 253375. £3 a session, no joining fee. Workshops at the Blackthorn Trust Charity Saturdays 9:30am to 3:30pm all year round If you are running a workshop then you might like to consider the space at The Blackthorn Biodynamic Gardens run by the charity, the Blackthorn Trust. They will be running a Woolly Felters workshop in February and also a baking workshop for which dates are yet to be confirmed. The space is set in a beautiful former kitchen garden, with a thriving plant nursery and charity shop. Blackthorn Biodynamic Gardens, café, artisan bakery contribute to the Blackthorn Trust. Blackthorn Trust, St Andrews Road,

Maidstone, ME16 9AN. For more information see www. blackthorn.org.uk or ring 01622 725585. History walks in and around Rolvenden Every Sunday 12:30 Meet at St Mary’s Church, Rolvenden. Various local projects related to research carried out by landscape archaeologist Dr Brendan Chester-Kadwell. Enquiries to Sue Saggers on 01580 241056. Marmalade making in Sandhurst Kathy of Great Preservations will be teaching how to make your own marmalade and preserves at a fraction of the shop bought price. You’ll be able to learn a new skill, take home your own great tasting products and support a village hall at the same time. Cost is £30 including a light lunch and refreshments. Courses in Sandhurst Old School with several dates available. There are also courses available for making chutney, relish, mustard and jelly.For details telephone Barbara Simmons on 01580 850314 or email Barbara.simmons@oph.email. Roast & Roam Sundays at Bodiam Castle Every Sunday in February Join one of Bodiam Castle’s medieval characters for a guided tour of the castle and grounds followed by a hearty two-course Sunday roast lunch in the tea room. £25 per

Think you can’t sing, but secretly sing in the bathroom or have you always been told you can’t sing but really enjoy it? Come along to The Tuesdays of Tenterden. We are a friendly and enthusiastic singing group. All ages and abilities welcome and there are NO AUDITIONS. Learn to sing, gain confidence and have fun.

For more information contact Helen Walsh on 07475 103231 or email hlnwlsh@gmail.com. We are a very friendly, informal and social group who just love to sing. February 2015

The Onion Magazine

Letters to the editor Last month’s EAT column by Nick Farley clearly struck a chord with quite a few people and we’ve printed here just two of the letters we received. Dear Editor I think your magazine is excellent, well done to all involved (Thank you Ben, that’s very kind, Ed.). The reason I had to contact you was about the article by Nick Farley called EAT … Brilliant!!!! I feel I should shake this chap by the hand, or take him to lunch … So true are the words he spoke, and he is not alone in the quest to find good food and good service at the same time. I believe the problem starts with the fact that there are no longer any properly trained front of house and restaurant staff, even if there was I doubt the owners could afford to pay them a living wage. So we end up with the younger generation working long hours in a job they could not give two hoots about, to earn less than the minimum wage. They may as well stick them up the chimney to clean it while they are at it. A different story if you venture abroad where restaurant staff are proud of what they do. Why do we get it so wrong?

Dear William, Thank you for this. I’ll see what response we get to your letter – it’ll be interesting to see if anyone writes in with suggestions. Ed. Dear Editor, I really look forward to the postman bringing The Onion magazine every month and always read it from cover to cover. However, I think the January issue is even better than usual and I thoroughly enjoyed every page – and all for free. What more could a person want. Yours Mrs J Kingsnorth Dear Editor, There’s relief in our house when Once a month In amongst the usual gumph The postie delivers through the door (the usual bills) there’s something more!

Yours Ben of Beckley

That’s it, That’s me I make myself a cup of tea And on the sofa I relax And read The Onion front to bax.

Dear Editor,

Thank you for a great magazine.

I enjoyed reading Nick’s rant in The Onion (EAT column in January issue), particularly on the subject of background music. I prefer no music at all. Perhaps readers could write in with pubs to start a listing of music and Musak-free pubs and restaurants in our area. Perhaps we could use an icon similar to stars but designating silence?

Yours Cat Oakley

Yours William Wood 10 The Onion magazine

GET IN TOUCH

Do write to us, we’d love to hear from you either by letter or email. Letters Page, The Onion magazine, The Studio at Friars Cote Farm, Crockers Lane, Northiam, TN31 6PY or email carol@onionpublishing.co.uk. If sending an email please don’t forget to let me know it’s for the Letter’s page. onionmagazine.co.uk

EXHIBITIONS … CONCERTS … FETES & FAIRS … CHARITY EVENTS ... THINGS TO DO

person. Limited places. Call 01580 831324 to book. Archery In Icklesham Tom Firth is continuing his popular archery lessons at £10 for a 2-hour session. Please email him at tomxx10@gmail. com or telephone him on 07460 190298. He is also hoping to set up a regular Archery Club, but there were no details of this at the time of going to press. Chantal Joffe: Beside the Seaside at the Jerwood Gallery Until Sunday 12 April 11:00 to 17:00 The Jerwood Gallery marks 2015 with a major exhibition of Chantal Joffe works featuring Hastings and St Leonards. The show will feature a number of new and unseen works painted specifically for the exhibition along with a selection of works spanning the past 13 years. The coastal landscape is an intoxicating inspiration for Joffe and she spends a great deal of time sitting on the beach drawing. Venue: The Jerwood Gallery, Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings, TN34 3DW. www.jerwoodgallery.org. Join The Marsh Warblers West Gallery Quire in Sandhurst Tuesday 3 February 19:30 The Marsh Warblers West Gallery Quire rehearses in Sandhurst and welcomes new singers and wind and string players. For more information about them and their music visit www.thewarblers.org.uk or email tonysing@

February 2015

16>

unionmill.org.uk. If you can’t make this date then do try 17th February. Linda Davidson exhibition Tuesday 3 February to 14 February 11:00 to 17:00 See works by Linda Davidison. Screen prints, glass art and jewellery on show at the Smallhythe Studio, Smallhythe Road, Tenterden, TN30 7NB. The studio will be closed on Sundays and Mondays. Refreshments will be on sale from Olive, the Vintage Coffee Van. art@smallhythestudio.com, www.smallthythestudio.com. ‘The Musical Theatre of Gilbert and Sullivan’ Friday 6 February 14:30 Be entertained by Bernard Lockett’s presentation for the Weald U3A on ‘The Musical Theatre of Gilbert and Sullivan’ at the Zion Baptist Church, High Street, Tenterden, TN30 6BB. £3 entry. Visit the website www.u3asites.org.uk/ weald or contact Roger Berman on 01233 850859, or email rogroger@tiscali.co.uk. Craft Fair in Icklesham Memorial Hall Saturday 7 February 10:00 to 14:00 Why not dust off the cobwebs and go along to see the locally produced art and crafts. Always of a high standard and reasonably priced so I’m told. Refreshments will be available including home-made cheese scones, cakes, teas

The Onion magazine 11

The White Lion at Smarden It was on a dull, wet, winter’s day that we set off towards Smarden to visit somewhere special. I thought I was being taken to a nice pub called the White Lion but as it turned out, we weren’t headed for a delicious meal in the dry, rather we were going to see a real White Lion, in fact several white lions and a lot of other big cats too - very special animals who live in a big cat sanctuary right here in Smarden. Did you know that there are over 50 big cats who have been living in our midst for nearly 25 years? Well, I imagine that the people who live near to the Wildlife Heritage Foundation do as the noise of half a dozen lions roaring their heads off must be quite an interesting sound and a lion’s roar can apparently be heard for about two miles. I wonder what the local estate agent has to say – beautiful house, lovely gardens, stunning views and all within a lion’s roar of good schools and shops. As a cat lover I found the Wildlife Heritage Foundation (WHF), for this is where we were, was absolute cat heaven, and it isn’t just about lions; they actually have 15 different species of cat 12 The Onion magazine

on their 38 acre site and it is a very exciting place to be. Even on this dull winter’s day these magnificent animals looked spectacular. Everywhere you look there are lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars and others, one or two of which are barely any bigger than a domestic cat. Some of these beautiful animals have been ‘rescued’, such as some ex-circus cats who have come to live out their lives safely here, and some are part of an international breeding and conservation programme. The breeding work is a central part of the WHF’s work; this isn’t a safari park or zoo where you will find hundreds of people milling about; here the animals always outnumber the visitors and we were outnumbered by almost 20 to 1. Imagine that. This place is for the benefit of the animals. We were shown around by Tanith, who explained that they, of course, want people to visit and to enjoy the animals but they want to do this in a controlled way. Having visitors is how the essential funds to run the place and to enable it to carry on its conservation work and breeding programme are raised, but you are never one of hundreds of people visiting. It is a special and private experience. The first cats arrived in 1991. The site was owned by a local farmer who heard an appeal on the radio from the Windsor Safari Park which was shutting down and wanted to relocate its animals and so he took three lionesses. And it grew from there as a rescue centre, until it was taken over by Paradise Wildlife Park in 2001 and is now used primarily as a breeding centre. One of the first people we met was the delightful Freddie Allison; he is one of the keepers who was a volunteer for several years but who now works for the WHF full time. He was attending to three full grown male lions when we found him and he told us “they were born in Woburn Safari Park but their mother developed mastitis and was unable to suckle them properly so they were sent to Paradise Wildlife Park in Hertfordshire, were hand-reared there and have now come to us here.” Despite the typical English weather they looked very contented with life. Manzi, one of the three, has now been separated as he is beginning to be a little bad-tempered with onionmagazine.co.uk

A White Lioness

his brothers. “It is likely that he will go out to a zoo in Uganda in the next year where there are a couple of lionesses waiting for him,” said Freddie, “lions are social animals and don’t do well on their own, so it’s best to keep them as a group. So he’ll probably have cubs over there.”

Feeding a snow leopard

Although the enclosures at WHF are enormous they are nevertheless ‘enclosures’ and I was worried that that these big cats get bored and feel restricted, “These lions here have been born in captivity so don’t need a huge amount of space,” said Freddie, “and they sleep for about 20 hours a day. As long as they’re being fed they don’t need that much space – they don’t want to run around much, they only tend to roam around if they’re looking for their food. Lions are incredibly lazy really.” And they live a long time: in captivity, apparently, male lions live for fifteen to twenty years, as opposed to about eleven years in the wild, and that’s quite a food bill when you learn that one male lion costs the WHF around £400 a year to feed. Some of my favourite cats were the beautiful snow leopards and the WHF is currently fund-raising to improve its snow leopard enclosure for their breeding programme this year. They have two snow leopards of a suitable age: Yarko, the male, came from Moscow Zoo and is almost four and his mate, Laila, who came from the Antwerp Zoo. The animals have been together for some time now so everyone has high hopes that they will be able to breed from them in 2015. Their breeding period is January to March with a gestation period generally of around three to three and a half months. Fingers are crossed.

A Manchurian Leopard

February 2015

A snow leopard is an extraordinary animal and can leap up to 30 feet – that’s two double-deck buses in lay terms – thus they have to have roofs on their enclosures, unlike the lions and tigers which are too heavy or too lazy to leap or climb that high. A snow leopard’s tail can wrap completely around itself when it is asleep and apparently they are the only big cats that have a The Onion magazine 13

tail which does that. I was amazed and attracted by the size of their feet. There’s just something about any cat’s feet and the snow leopard’s feet have that special cat ‘footiness’ in spades. Their feet look enormous because they also have fur between the toes so their feet look like snow-boots. This I was able to see up close for myself as I was given the chance to hand-feed Laila with a chicken wing. I admit to being quite nervous about this as Laila had been making a lot of panting and grunting noises and baring her teeth and claws, and I tried to hold the chicken rather than just look chicken. Tanith explained that’s how they do a health-check on the animals: they hand-feed them by lifting the food high up so that they can see their stomachs, their feet and their limbs clearly. I gripped the chicken, being careful not to offer my fingers at the same time, and put food into the mouth of a big cat. What an incredible feeling and an amazing experience. It may look very safe in the photograph but it’s jolly well different when you are actually doing it, believe me. So, if you want to see the smallest cat (the Rusty Spotted Cat), the grumpiest looking cat which looks a little like a gremlin (the Pallas’ Cat), the largest cat, the most endangered cat and the cat that I have personally fed, then the Wildlife Heritage Foundation in Smarden is the place to go. You can even have dinner there, then stay overnight in one of the attractive lodges and awaken in the morning to the sounds of lions roaring a few yards away. Wimoweh! By Carol Farley

14 The Onion magazine

The lodge accommodation FIND OUT MORE

The Wildlife Heritage Foundation, Headcorn Road, Smarden, Ashford TN27 8PJ Telephone: 01233 771915 www.whf.org.uk. The Sanctuary and Foundation is not generally open to the public but runs Photographic Workshops, Open Days and Afternoon Tours where people are given special access to the cats. They also have Lodge stays where you can have tours, dinner, breakfast and get to feed a big cat. WHF runs an Adoption scheme and anyone adopting a cat can also visit during one of the Adopter’s Days throughout the year.

onionmagazine.co.uk

Well Being for 2015 The battle of the diets: is anyone winning (at losing?) We’ve all heard of “The Atkins Diet” and some of us “The Zone”, “Dukan” or the traditional “low-fat” approach to weight loss. Whilst most of these diet strategies work for a while, they all too often fail in the long run. So what works long term? Current research is now demonstrating that there is not a “one size fits all” diet. We are all genetically different so that makes sense. The key to successful weight loss is finding an eating plan you enjoy and can stick to for the long term and beyond, and that inevitably involves making some changes to your current “diet”. Understanding why we find it difficult to “stick to” a diet can help enormously, which is how the coaching element of a personalised program differs from tackling a “diet” on your own. But is a personalised nutrition plan right for you? With My Lifestyle Menu I will help you create a diet that takes into consideration factors beyond how much you weigh and your Body Mass Index (BMI), one that focuses on achieving optimum health, reducing risk factors for certain illnesses including cardiovascular disease, agerelated memory loss, type 2 diabetes etc. Contact Fiona Brenninkmeijer MSc 07980 611668 www.mylifestylemenu.co.uk

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The Onion magazine 15

EXHIBITIONS … CONCERTS … FETES & FAIRS … CHARITY EVENTS ... THINGS TO DO <11 27>

and coffee. Everyone welcome. Icklesham Memorial Hall is in the recreation ground next to the children’s play area. Contact: Sandra Stunt on 01424 814401. Film Night at Peasmarsh Memorial Hall – ‘What we did on our Holiday’ Saturday 7 February 18:45 (doors open) 19:30 (film starts) ‘What we did on our Holiday’ stars Billy Connolly, David Tennant and Rosamund Pike and lasts 95 minutes. Just released on DVD. £5.50 to include a glass of wine. Tickets in advance please from Hilary on 01797 230205 or telephone to check if any are still available on the night. Vinehall International Concert Sunday 8 February 15:00 A programme of Beethoven, Bowen and Richard Strauss performed by world-class artists Chloe Hanslip on violin and Danny Driver on piano. Chloe made her BBC Proms debut in 2002 and has perfomed at major venues worldwide with leading conductors with whom she has collaborated including Sir Neville Marriner and Sir Andrew Davies. Danny Driver is known internationally as a concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. He has ‘impeccable technique and musicianship’ – Gramophone magazine. For tickets and more information please contact Geoffrey Whitehead on 01580 883092 or 01580 880413 during school office hours or email geoffreywhitehead@ vinehallschool.com. A G Whitehead, Vinehall School, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, TN31 5JL. ‘Spitfire Women’ by Richard Atkins Tuesday 10 February 19:30 The Northiam and District Historical and Literary Society presents ‘Spitfire Women’, an illustrated talk by Richard Atkins about the women who ferried Spitfires and other aircraft across the dangerous skies of wartime Britain. Venue: Northiam Village Centre. A ‘Rural Ramble’ with Northiam Footpath Group Wednesday 11 February 09:30 A 7-mile ‘rural ramble’ circular route from Rolvenden, with a pub lunch in Benenden. Leave Northiam Surgery car park at 9.30am. For more details contact Sue Clark on 01797 253428. www.northiamfootpathgroup.co.uk. War-time evacuation of children overseas Wednesday 11 February 14:30 A talk by Richard Thomas for the Winchelsea Second Wednesday Society followed by a tasty home-made tea. Talks take place on the afternoon of the second Wednesday of each month (except August) at the New Hall, Winchelsea. Annual membership costs £10 plus £1 for tea at each meeting. Non-Members are welcome at £4 for each talk and tea. Venue: New Hall, Winchelsea. For details contact Richard Feast on 01797 222629. 16 The Onion magazine

‘The Grevilles of Polesden Lacey’ by Heather Woodward Thursday 12 February 14:30 A talk on The Grevilles of Polesden Lacey by Heather Woodward for the Tenterden and District National Trust Association. Members £4, non-Members £5. Visitors welcome. For further information telephone 01580 764791. Venue: St Mildred’s Church Hall, Church Road, Tenterden. ‘(Un)Lucky in Love’ Friday 13 February 19:00 An evening of Opera given by four professional opera singers from various national companies. A black tie event with supper and a welcome drink. There will be a bar available. Tickets £20 per head from Pocket Full of Rye in the High Street. For more information contact 07766 211220. Venue: Rye Community Centre. ‘The Barber of Seville’ from the Merry Opera Company Saturday 14 February 19:30 The Merry Opera returns to St Mildred’s Church in Tenterden with a terrific cast of talented young singers to present ‘The Barber of Seville’. Sung with charm, energy and wit, we follow the escapades of the quick-witted and irrepressible Figaro. These professional opera singers give a performance fizzing with musical brilliance, bold humour and famous tunes. Tickets for this event cost £17.50 and can be bought from Smith’s Florist at High Street, Tenterden or email FOSM@gmail.com. Organised by Friends of St Mildreds. Venue: St Mildred’s Church, Tenterden. The Woolpack and Lemon Tree, both in the High Street near the Church will be offering preperformance meals from 5pm. Please book your meals directly with the restaurant. Flea and Collector’s Market at Peasmarsh Memorial Hall Sunday 15 February 09:00 to 14:00 To book a table in advance for £6 contact Trevor on 01797 230568. This is held in aid of Memorial Hall Funds so you are urged by the organisers to go along to browse and buy. Castle Water Wildlife Walk (2.5 miles) Sunday 15 February 13:00 to 16:00 A circular walk looking at wildlife in the fields and ditches around Camber Castle and visiting the birdwatching hide overlooking Castle Water where there should be many different waders and ducks to spot. Meet at Brede Lock. No booking necessary. Donations appreciated. For more information contact: Lime Kiln Cottage Information Centre on 01797 227784 or email rhnroffice@sussexwt.org. uk or see the websites www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/ whatson or www.WildRye.info. Feed the Birds in Rye Tuesday 17 February 10:00 to 12:00 Go to the village hall and have a go at making tasty treats and feeders for your garden birds. Suitable for all ages. onionmagazine.co.uk

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As it turns out I shouldn’t have been worried in the slightest about talking to Andy. He is every bit as outrageous, irreverent and funny as he appears on the television. It was clear too that he is as delighted by people as he is delighted by finding an unusual or interesting piece of glass.

A Touch of Glass

Carol Farley talks to the Antiques Roadshow’s Andy McConnell

Let me start by saying right away that I know nothing about antiques or about glass, antique or otherwise. A drinking glass is something that I use every day; however, even as I write that, I realise that the glass that I use for my breakfast orange juice has to be quite different from my water glass and that, in turn, is different from the gin and tonic glass, the martini glass or the wine glasses that I more occasionally use. Each is chosen because it has its own particular characteristics that match its use; each must have the right weight and feel good in the hand, and it must look pleasing too. Often I sacrifice the ease of being able to put glasses in the dishwasher just because the right glass is particularly good to use but is too valuable to put in the dishwasher. I don’t mean valuable in monetary terms, but valuable because it’s a lovely hock glass that my grandmother used, or a very fragile sundae dish which wouldn’t stand the harsh treatment. So although I don’t know anything about glass, I realise that I am slightly more connected to the material than I had previously thought. With this huge bank of ignorance weighing me down, it was with some trepidation, therefore, that I stepped into Glass, Etc in Rye to meet the shop’s owner, glass specialist, (please don’t let him hear you call him an expert) Andy McConnell. Andy, amongst other things, is the glass specialist on the massively popular BBC television programme, the Antiques Roadshow. His shop is extraordinary and is filled with just some of his collection of over 30,000 pieces; a collection which increases every time he makes one of his regular trips over to Sweden or the USA. In addition to the glass there are also various pieces of architectural ironmongery, door furniture and pieces of ‘highclass junk’, as he describes them, and which are a hangover from an earlier life when he used to buy, renovate and sell houses. 18 The Onion magazine

I asked where his interest in glass and antiques started and he explained that he’d picked it up from his parents who’d been “doing antiques part-time…” he said, “I was working in a recording studio in London during the 70s, buying antiques down here in Rye to take back up to London to sell them. “Then, whilst living in California as a rock journalist, I went on the road on a European tour with the US rock-band Jefferson Airplane. In Germany I met a guy who was really interested in glass. I used to take some glass and antiques over to him and we got on so well that we ended up working together for 25 years. One time he paid me in bottles of Chateau Lafite - two boxes of six. I sold them at Christie’s in South Kensington for £300 a bottle and that was years ago – I wish I had them now”. He then came back to this area and, leaving his rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle behind, he lived at Iden Lock in a shambling house which he did up, got married and acquired two children, and got into antiques more. The family then went to live in the Dordogne and did houses up there for a while, but after years of building renovation and when his partner in Germany retired, Andy went back to writing. He says, “I really enjoy writing. If people ask what I do I say journalist.

onionmagazine.co.uk

four hours before the tasting and put it into a decanter, open one four hours before the tasting but keep it in the bottle, open one immediately before the tasting. He says that by simply giving people the different wines as a blind tasting without telling them or showing them which is which, 80% of them will prefer the decanted wine. I asked what advice he could give me for starting a glass collection. He told me not to take any stickers off anything I buy. Apparently, most people take the maker’s stickers off the bottom of a piece as soon as they get it home, but in collecting terms they’ve probably just halved the value of the glass by eradicating the means of identification. “By some great fortune I ended up on Antiques Roadshow and the thing I’ve been told off for all my life – being oddball or idiosyncratic – was the very thing that Simon Shaw (the producer of AR) was looking for. It is a very happy collaboration.” He used to get terrible stage-fright but not any more, although it did all return when he appeared on Mastermind a few weeks ago on January 18th. I wanted to know more about his glass collecting passion and why the decanter holds a particular fascination for him - he has written a large and beautiful illustrated book on the subject entitled The Decanter, An illustrated history 1650 to 1950 – and he explained that to him they are sculptures, “I think a decanter is a beautiful object. There is a head, a neck, the shoulders, the waist, the foot. There is poetry in the sculpture of them which I think is closely linked to people.” Indeed, every drop of wine that he drinks in his house is decanted. “Because it tastes better,” he says, “Why don’t people use the decanters that they have in their house?” he asks, and answers himself “Because they can’t be arsed. They don’t like having to wash them up and dry them. People have told me that the only reason other people decant things is so that when they serve rubbish wine the people they’re serving it to can’t see the label on the bottle. And that is the biggest case of judging people by your own standards that I’ve ever heard.”

Obviously he has seen quite a lot of different glass and different people during his ten years on the Antiques Roadshow but he really seems to love the fact that people want to come and to talk to him. He says there are usually around 300 people queuing for him and he recounted a time at Hever Castle about three years ago, when, “there was massive cloud-burst and tornado, all the umbrellas went up and when I finished the day, my jeans were wet 14 inches from the ground, but the owners just stayed there shuffling along in the queue. I have the utmost respect for people and I value their objects in an unorthodox manner. I am loud and I have a laugh and a joke with all the people who come to see me. One day when we were setting up I shouted out ‘where do you want me to stand’ and David Battie yelled back ‘As far away from me as possible’. We all get on well on the show despite being a very mixed bag of people.” He is always happy to value people’s glass when they come to the shop too, and charges £5 an item which he donates to a local charity. One day someone sent him a photograph of an enameled conical beaker which they had previously had valued by an eminent name in the antique world, who said that it wasn’t worth anything. The owners then came in to show it to Andy who thought that it might be quite valuable and recommended that they take it to some specialists he knew to have it verified. These specialists took a fleck of the enamel

I had read about taste-testing that he has occasionally done with people, including Johnny Ray, the ex-wine writer for the Daily Telegraph. For this test you need three identical bottles of red wine. You open one February 2015

The Onion magazine 19

and sent it to be specially inspected and it ended up being dated in the 1500s. I finally asked the most obvious question: what would you like to find? The answer immediately came back - Ravenscroft. George Ravenscroft perfected lead crystal in the 1600s and there are about 14 pieces intact in the world. A drinking glass could possibly be worth £250,000, but Andy wouldn’t necessarily be interested in the money, he says, “the joy of finding such a thing would be insane. The last one that came to the market was in 2004 and it was a cracked posset pot which sold for £110,000”. His life at the moment is fully taken up with running the shop, writing books, working on the “telly” and giving talks.

He is currently doing a major revision of the Decanter book and writing a book on Swedish glass design, as well as giving talks to various local NADFAS and other interested groups around the country. Golfer, Arnold Palmer’s line is one of Andy’s absolute favourite maxims: ‘The more I practice the luckier I get’ and for Andy he is in now in his dream job; he has been glass and antique collecting for 40 years and says “I love our customers and I love people”. And that’s what shines out of Andy and I bet that’s what everyone who has stood in the queue for hours in a rain-soaked garden of a stately home waiting to see him on the Antiques Roadshow feels too. FIND OUT MORE

Glass Etc, 18-22 Rope Walk, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7NA. Tel: 01797 226600 andy@decanterman.com www.decanterman.com Andy has kindly offered a 10% discount to any customers proffering a copy of The Onion magazine in his shop.

Stuart Kirk Freelance photographer

The Tenterden Branch of the WEA is offering the following courses this spring: “Case Studies in Psychology” 5 x 2hr. meetings on Thursdays 10.30am-12.30pm from 5th March at Trinity Baptist Church. Fee: £40 “Art Appreciation” 7 x 2hr. meetings on Wednesdays 10.30am-12.30pm from 15th April at Little Silver Hotel. Fee: £56 “The Book and the Film” A day school on “The Great Gatsby” from 10am-3pm on 22nd May in Appledore Village Hall. Fee: £25 (includes lunch) Please come along for an interesting and stimulating course with a friendly group of people.

www.TenterdenPhotography.co.uk Telephone 01580 764899 20 The Onion magazine

For more information or to book a place, please contact Christine Parkes (01622 842217/christineparkes@hotmail. co.uk) or Sarah Cutts (01580 291406/pscutts@btinternet. com) or the WEA website www.wea.org.uk Bookings should be made at least two weeks before the start of a course - to ensure that there are enough people to run it, but it may be possible to book a place later.

onionmagazine.co.uk

Stalwart Wellness provides a unique setting nestled in the grounds of a private residence in Tenterden offering: ■ Pilates classes ■ Personal training ■ Yoga classes ■ Private lessons For more information and details on the classes please go to stalwartwellness.co.uk or contact info@stalwartwellness.co.uk or 07779 670502

Stalwart Wellness Tenterden Kent

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Death of a Hero Sir Winston Churchill, arguably one of the most admired and recognised figures in history, was once asked “Are you ready to meet your Maker?” In a typically amusing response he uttered “I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether he is ready for the ordeal of meeting me is another matter entirely”. This ever present combination of wit and wisdom perfectly illustrates the man behind the statesman, which is something that visitors to Chartwell are able to gain a unique insight into. Chartwell was Churchill’s much-loved home in Kent and was so dear to his heart that he once said “A day away from Chartwell is a day wasted”. For 40 years, between 1924 and 1964, Chartwell was his place of comfort, escape and relaxation. From his passion for painting and building brick walls to feeding the fish and enjoying the beautiful landscape, Chartwell proved a welcome tonic to counter the stresses and strains of political life. It was however also a living and working household, with Churchill himself often based in his study where he was known to pace up and down, dictating to one of his army of secretaries and contributing to the 30 million words he wrote across his lifetime. It is in the context of his home that the National Trust are delighted to announce the opening of ‘Death of a Hero’, an exhibition to mark the 50th anniversary since Churchill’s passing and the spectacular state funeral that followed. For the generation who remember the horrors and ever present fear during the years 193922 The Onion magazine

Above: Churchill’s study at Chartwell (Andreas von Einsiedel)

1945, Churchill is a hero whose courage, tenacity, resilience and perseverance allowed him to lead Britain and its Commonwealth through the darkest days of the WWII. The pride and gratitude felt for his bravery and leadership continued through the remaining years of his life and upon his death in January 1965, the sense of loss reverberated around the world. The lying-in-state which followed drew more than 300,000 people, who had queued for up to eight hours in the bitter January cold, to pay their respects. When the day of his state funeral came, well-wishers from across the globe descended on London and stood in silence on the streets, watching the procession and remembering the man who saved their country from the horrors of the Nazi regime. Chartwell’s ‘Death of a Hero’ considers his final hours, the momentous occasion that was his state funeral, the impact his death had on DID YOU KNOW?

Below: Churchill seated at his study at Chartwell

In 1915, Churchill leased Hoe Farm House in Hascombe, nr Godalming, Surrey for the summer months. One Sunday at Hoe Farm, Churchill noticed his sister-in-law, Gwendeline, painting in watercolours. She encouraged him to try his hand but dissatisfied with the medium he decided on oils. Four pictures of Hoe Farm by Churchill remain. Churchill found oil painting to be the most complete physical and mental relaxation and he took his paints and canvases everywhere. By the end of his life he had painted more than 500 pictures - landscapes, interiors, still life and portraits. onionmagazine.co.uk

Then there’s the unique and moving pieces which depict the reaction to Churchill’s passing. These include the flag that flew over the United States Capitol in Washington on the day he died, which was lowered to half mast and then posted to Lady Churchill after the funeral as a symbol of remembrance from the American people. The pieces that depict the day of Churchill’s state funeral itself are arguably the most emotive, ranging from family invitations to the event and the gift given by Lady Churchill to the man responsible for organising the funeral, the Duke of Norfolk. That gift was a set of gleaming gold spurs which are kindly on loan from Arundel Castle especially for this exhibition. Above: Chartwell from the garden (Robert Miller)

the world and the legacy he has left us today. Perhaps most excitingly, it includes a number of never seen before items; condolence gifts sent to Lady Churchill, the working documents of those organising the funeral, a number of beautiful commemorative pieces and newlyrestored works of art. Some have been hidden for half a century and are on public display for the first time in Chartwell’s history. So what does ‘Death of a Hero’ consist of? The first thing that is most noticeable is the glorious technicolour that the organisers have used to depict Churchill’s funeral. And why not? Churchill loved pomp, pageantry, regalia and ceremony, all of which were encapsulated on 30th January 1965 and are remembered through poignant photographs and original colour footage. Alongside this stirring imagery are over 60 objects, the vast majority of which have never been seen before. These are made up of archive collections from Chartwell, personal mementoes from the Churchill family and objects kindly loaned from those directly involved in the proceedings of January 1965. If you are lucky enough to go and see ‘Death of a Hero’, which is open until 1st November 2015, there are a few particular gems that you should keep your eyes peeled for. There’s the last ever photograph taken of Churchill, which Lady Churchill selected of all the photographs of her late husband, to be displayed forevermore on her desk at Chartwell. For collectors of porcelain there is a newly-created Crown Derby figurine of Chartwell’s newest tenant, a marmalade cat called Jock VI. He earned his residence thanks to a stipulation from the Churchill family themselves that a cat looking like Churchill’s own beloved pet, was to be in situ at Chartwell for as long as it was in the hands of the National Trust. It has been said that Churchill was so close to the original Jock that he sat at the foot of his master’s bed for the final hours of his life. February 2015

Also on loan from Arundel Castle is the Duke’s original working copy of Operation Hope Not, the aptly-named codename for the planning of Churchill’s funeral. This appears as a folder containing unique and fascinating documents outlining all aspects of the logistics for the day. Beyond the pieces focussing on Churchill’s passing and state funeral are a number which have been specifically chosen to represent his achievements, his continuing legacy, and how we remember him today. These range from examples of his artistic and literary accomplishments, acknowledgement of his keen interest in scientific and technological development, and various depictions of one of the most recognisable men in history. One of the most moving of these depictions is a signed photograph of Sir Winston Churchill alongside King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth (later HM Queen Elizabeth II) and her sister Princess Margaret on the balcony at Buckingham Palace on 8th May 1945. The photograph was so dear to Churchill that during his time at Chartwell, it hung on his bedroom wall. It was in that moment that his status as a hero was cemented in history, and it is for everything that that moment represents, that he should never be forgotten. There was a superb quote from Churchill’s widow, Lady Clementine Churchill, that the team at Chartwell kept very close to their hearts throughout the preparations for the new exhibition. After the funeral and just before she retired to bed, she turned to her youngest daughter and said “You know, Mary, it wasn’t a funeral – it was a triumph”. These words frame Chartwell’s commemorative exhibition wonderfully, and are the words that Chartwell hopes visitors to ‘Death of a Hero’ will keep in the forefront of their minds when considering the loss of one of the most loved statesmen in history.

FIND OUT MORE

‘Death of a Hero’ is part of Churchill 2015, a commemoration of the great man’s life which sees a number of exhibitions and special events in museums and locations close to the Churchill family across the country. ‘Death of a Hero’ runs until 1st November 2015, 11am-3pm. Gift Aid Admission prices £6.90 per adult, £3.45 per child and £17.25 per family. The house will be open from 28 February 2015. For more information on Chartwell visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chartwell. Follow the conversation on Twitter @ChartwellNT #Churchill2015

The Onion magazine 23

A GOOD Book

In this column we feature books that we, and our reviewers, like. They may not necessarily be new books, but they’ll be fiction and non-fiction books that we have enjoyed. We’ll always include at least one children’s book in the selection each time. We’d love to hear your thoughts on anything you feel we should be reading and sharing with others.

Handmade Baskets

– from Nature’s Colourful Materials By Susie Vaughan Published by Search Press £9.99. Paperback. www.searchpress.com

I will admit right now that I do have a weird passion for baskets. I don’t know what it is – whether it’s the natural materials, the lovely shapes and colours, the delightful creaking noise they make, but I am always absolutely thrilled if someone gives me a gift of, or in, a basket. So, having acquired some basic willow-weaving skills courtesy of Stefan Jennings’s wonderful willow sculpture workshop recently (you may have seen it advertised in The Onion) I was delighted to see this lovely book by Susie Vaughan and now feel inspired to have a go at making a basket myself. I haven’t actually tried it yet, but it certainly makes my fingers itch. It is a ‘how to’ for beginners - half of the book tells you how to identify and collect the right material, and that’s followed by the instructions 24 The Onion magazine

to make a simple round basket, an oval basket, a frame basket, how to add handles, how to make interesting borders, how to make lids, and then some inspirational pictures at the end to get your creative juices going. It has made me want instantly to reach for the secateurs and start attacking the shrubs and trees in the garden for materials. Look out family, you could all be getting very dodgy-looking baskety objects as presents this year. Reviewed by Carol Farley

Tom Kerridge’s Best Ever Dishes By Tom Kerridge Published by Absolute Press £25. Hardback. www.absolutepress.co.uk

I don’t know if you saw, tried or kept Tom Kerridge’s Roast Red Pepper Soup recipe reproduced in this magazine recently (November 2014 edition), but a reader of the magazine said that she’d made it as a result of its appearing in the magazine

and had had very satisfied lunch companions who all asked for second helpings. I made it for a lunch party of 12 friends last weekend. I followed the recipe to the very letter and honestly, I have never been so popular – everyone wanted second helpings and it became a real talking point. I have also made the Treacle Tart which was absolutely delicious and am about to work my way through the rest of the recipes in the book. I think it’s about to become my favourite cookery book - I absolutely love it. The recipes are all ‘ordinary’ dishes that, in the hands of Kerridge, are elevated to something sublime. His writing is almost exactly as he speaks, although I was disappointed not to find an “amazin’” written anywhere. So if you want to surprise someone with an extraordinary cottage pie or crispy duck salad, then look no further than this fabulous book with it’s fabulous recipes and photographs. Amazin’. Reviewed by Jessica Harding

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Mapp & Lucia and other books by E F Benson Lucia Rising - paperback ISBN: 9780140119626 Lucia Victrix – paperback ISBN: 9780140119633

Mapp and Lucia once again brought Rye to our television screens over Christmas in the lavish new three-part production of E F Benson’s cruelly amusing satire of life in the mid to upper social strata of Rye in the 1920s. I say “in Rye” but in the books Rye is thinly disguised as Tilling. E F Benson lived in Rye and despite changing its name he barely concealed the town’s identity in his books. It is inevitable that in dramatising novels for television, especially novels with such complex relationships as these, much is going to be lost and that is why I urge you to read these wonderful and funny books. The two central characters are each intent on controlling those around them and until they meet each other February 2015

they have both been successful in doing just that. The busybody, interfering Mapp and the arch-snob Lucia are like two heavyweight fighters circling each other in the ring before landing a few blows and then retiring to their corners to draw breath and plot anew, and they both manage to involve everyone else in their sharp games.

and three). Penguin conveniently publishes the six books in two compendiums of three: Lucia Rising which comprises the first three books and Lucia Victrix the last three.

These books are beautifully written and apart from their intricate plotlines and superb characterisations they are a window on what life was like in Rye and similar places not so very long ago. Apart from being very funny they must also have been quite daring books when they were first published including as they do such characters as ‘quaint Irene’ and ‘Georgie’ neither of whom would cause an eyebrow to be raised today but who would have been seen as quite daring in the less ‘aware’ twenties and thirties. Benson himself had quite an interesting family background too: he was the son of an Archbishop of Canterbury; he was homosexual and his mother had a long affair with the daughter of another Archbishop of Canterbury.

When Findus Was Little and Disappeared

Much as I enjoyed the new TV dramatisation it was simply not a patch on the original books which are among my all-time favourites and all of which I have read many times. There are in fact six books: Queen Lucia, Miss Mapp, Lucia in London, Mapp and Lucia, Lucia’s Progress, and finally Trouble for Lucia. The first was published in 1920 and the last in 1939, and only in the last three do both characters appear together. The first three books are about either Mapp (book two) or Lucia (books one

Noel Coward said “We will pay anything for Lucia books.” Me too. Reviewed by Nick Farley

By Sven Nordqvist Published by Hawthorn Press www.hawthornpress.com £10.99 Hardback

This was one of the early books in the ‘Findus and Pettson’ series by Nordqvist. I have now read every one of the eight books in the series and I think they’re all an absolute delight. This book has a particular attraction for me because it tells of how Findus, the talking cat, came to live with Pettson, the farmer. The stories are charming and amusing and the illustrations are busy with lots of animals and detail for children to look for and discover. Children love these books, so do parents and grandparents as they can read them safe in the knowledge that they’re harmless and gentle but are also fun, wellwritten stories which are great for girls and boys. Reviewed by Chris Elrick The Onion magazine 25

Rye Bay Scallop Week

The scallop is a toothsome thing and so it is that for the thirteenth year running Rye celebrates this bivalve’s deliciousness by throwing a big party in its singular honour for a week – well, actually for a week and two days. From Saturday Feb 21st to Sunday March 1st you will not be able to move in Rye or its environs without biting on a scallop. You may think I’m joking but there are 23 restaurants taking part in this molluscular extravaganza and if you like a scallop, and who doesn’t, then Rye is the only place to be for the last week of this otherwise awful and dreary little month. I ask you: what has February ever done for anybody apart from provide a dingy day for St. Valentine to do his ridiculous thing? The answer is nothing, which is why Scallop Week is such a very good idea; suddenly Rye pierces this end-of-winter greyness with a shaft of gastronomic light to lift our spirits and give us a positive reason to go out and eat, and when we’ve finished eating scallops we’ll find it’s March 1st , February will be behind us and spring will be in the air…almost. So Hurray! for scallop week. Just in case you think that this ‘week’ is only about lying around gorging on scallops let me assure you that there’s a whole lot more to it than that: there is music, talks, tastings, demonstrations, markets, cookery classes and all sorts of other stuff which you will see in the information panel and find on http://scallop. org.uk/. And just in case you think that this annual festival of wanton scallopian gluttony is likely to be damaging to the environment and to threaten the scallop’s very survival let me put your mind at rest; you can eat them with a clear conscience till the cows come home because the “… harvesting of scallops in Sussex is one of the most stringent in terms of restrictions.” according to the Sustainable Fisheries Development Officer. So if all you knew about the scallop hitherto is that their shells were once used as ashtrays in coffee bars in the 1950s back when people still smoked, then get thee to Rye during scallop week and eat one or two of them – it’s a lot more fun than stubbing a fag out in an unstable ashtray. 26 The Onion magazine

By B. Dalziell

Some events in Rye Scallop Week For a complete and detailed listing go to www.scallop.org.uk A Fisherman’s Trail - throughout the week Talk and Taste at Market Fisheries; Simmons Quay Shucking and cutting demonstrations and tastings 10am -12pm Feb 21st and Feb 28th Webbe’s Cookery School Scallop Demonstration and five course lunch 11.30 to 3pm. Feb 21st, 22nd, 28th. Scallops and Shanties at The Queen’s Head Feb 21st 7pm Scallop Cooking at The Old Grain Store Feb 21st, 22nd, 28th March 1st . From 11am. Webbe’s Rye Bay Scallop & Seafood hands on cookery day Feb 23rd 24th March 2nd. Fisherman’s Scallop Tasting at Rye Farmers market Feb 25th 10am -12noon onionmagazine.co.uk

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EXHIBITIONS … CONCERTS … FETES & FAIRS … CHARITY EVENTS .. THINGS TO DO

Children must be accompanied by an adult. Venue: Rye Harbour Village Hall. Drop-in event. Donations appreciated. For more information contact: Lime Kiln Cottage Information Centre on 01797 227784 or email rhnroffice@sussexwt.org.uk or see the websites www. sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/whatson or www.WildRye. info. The Marsh Warblers West Gallery Quire in Sandhurst Tuesday 17 February 19:30 The Marsh Warblers West Gallery Quire rehearses in Sandhurst and welcomes new singers and wind and string players. For more information about them and their music visit www.thewarblers.org.uk or email tonysing@ unionmill.org.uk. Flower Arranging at Peasmarsh Memorial Hall Wednesday 18 February 10:00 to 12:00 ‘Concurve Design’ is the theme. For further details please contact D Bull on 01797 230208. Wild Winter Walk at Rye Harbour Wednesday 18 February 13:30 to 15:00 Only for the brave! Rye Harbour can be very cold and windy in winter so wrap up warm for a stroll to the beach looking for interesting things washed up by the sea. Suitable for accompanied children aged 4 to 12yrs. Meet at Lime Kiln Cottage Information Centre. No booking necessary. Donations appreciated. For more information contact: Lime Kiln Cottage Information Centre on 01797 227784 or email rhnroffice@sussexwt.org.uk or see the websites www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/whatson or www. WildRye.info. How to produce posters and leaflets Wednesday 18 February 19:30 The Weald of Kent Computer Club’s talk this month will be about ‘the production of posters and leaflets’. So if you would like to know more or have any questions on this subject do go along. Annual membership costs £10 and covers free admission to all 10 meetings during the year. Non-Members are always welcome with a £2 admission fee but the first visit is free. Enquiries to secretarywkcc@ yahoo.co.uk. Venue: Biddenden New Village Hall. Tenterden U3A Thursday 19 February 14:00 There is a monthly meeting with a guest speaker on the third Thursday of each month at St Mildred’s Hall, Church Road, Tenterden at 2pm. Members and guests welcome. You are urged by them to try them out. Details of speakers can be found at www.tenterdentown.co.uk/u3a. ‘Mary, Queen of Scots’ Thursday 19 February 14:00 Laton Frewen is welcomed back to give his talk for the Rye February 2015

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& District National Trust Association. For more information contact Marion Brunt on 01424 883566 or email marionbrunt@btinternet.com. Wild Woodland Holiday Club Friday 20 February 10:00 to 15:00 A whole day of Wild Woodland fun with games, crafts, a campfire and, of course, hot chocolate. This week is National Nestbox Week so you will be making your own birdboxes. Take a packed lunch. Suitable for ages 6 to 11yrs. Parents/carers do not accompany children. Meet at Swallowtail Hill Farm, Hobbs Lane, Beckley, TN31 6TT. Booking essential. £20 per child; Sussex Wildlife Trust members £17. For more information contact: Lime Kiln Cottage Information Centre on 01797 227784 or email rhnroffice@sussexwt.org.uk or see the websites www. sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/whatson or www.WildRye. info. Brickwall Music and Arts Society Concert Friday 20 February 19:30 The Society stages its third concert in its five-event season at Beckley Village Centre and will feature the outstanding young harpist, a Countess of Munster Trust artiste, Elen Hydref, whose previous recitals in the area have shown that she should not be missed. Anyone wishing to join the Society or who wishes to buy tickets for individual concerts should contact the Membership Secretary on 01797 225822. Iceland and Back Saturday 21 February 14:30 Part of the Friends’ Winter Talk series, Brian Nobbs will give an illustrated talk about some of the birds of Iceland and how some species migrate from or via the UK to breed there. Venue: Winchelsea Beach Community Hall. Open to all. Donations appreciated. For more information contact: Lime Kiln Cottage Information Centre on 01797 227784 or email rhnroffice@sussexwt.org.uk or see the websites www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/whatson or www. WildRye.info. A serving of scallops and shanties Saturday 21 February 19:00 To kick off Rye Bay Scallop Week the Rye Bay Crew (Jonathan, Andi and Rebekah) are performing at the Queens Head in Rye. You will be served a three-course meal including a selection of scallops cooked by Jonathan before he performs for you! There is a welcoming glass of wine, accompanied by shanties and songs of the sea. Tickets are limited to 30 so please get in touch with Rebekah if you would like to book on 07974 001818 or info@ vivawellbeing.com. Ghost Stories Saturday 21 February 19:30 The Onion magazine 27

FEBRUARY GARDENING By Jack Hebden The Walled Nursery in Hawkhurst

This month I was going to follow on from last month and talk some more about useful gardening tools including particularly a worthwhile variation on the standard (and awful?) garden spade. However, that has been carried over to next month and instead I want to talk about greenhouse gardening. But first let me urge you to get your cloches in position in the vegetable garden right now, if you have not already done so; the sooner they are in place the sooner they can begin to warm the soil thus allowing you to sow seed earlier, or to plant out earlier, and consequently to get early crops. Any cloche cover will be better than none at all but glass cloches are best for this in my view, and remember that you can still get what is, for my money, the best cloche, the traditional old Chase Barn cloche, which I recommended last month. Moreover, as an Onion reader you can get a 10% discount if you buy five or more of these. (See information panel.) The outdoor gardening year traditionally gets under way with a flurry of activity at Easter, but the greenhouse gardener will have been active throughout the year even in an unheated greenhouse. Actually, this article should perhaps more accurately be about gardening under cover because these days there are excellent plastic tunnels which, although they are not strictly greenhouses, do allow you to extend the growing season at either end and to grow things which you would otherwise not be able to grow. (By ‘plastic tunnel’ I mean those tunnels in which you can stand up, not plastic tunnel cloches.) Let’s deal with these big tunnels first: they are cheaper than a greenhouse; they are less permanent than a greenhouse and can be moved if necessary, but, let’s face it, they do lack aesthetic appeal. However, they will cover more ground for the same or less outlay than a fully-fledged greenhouse and they will enable you to start sowing and growing much earlier than you can outside. More important – and I’m sorry to go on about clay again – if you garden on clay, as many do in this area, a tunnel can be a real help because you can exercise so much more control over the soil conditions inside it, particularly its 28 The Onion magazine

moisture level, and it is the wet conditions of winter and spring which makes clay gardening outside so difficult early in the season. A simple tunnel covering a patch of your garden or allotment will enable you to grow more, to extend your season considerably and it will also provide you with a sheltered wind-free environment for growing specimen flowers for cutting later on in the year. You will be amazed at how much you can grow even in a relatively small tunnel. The greenhouse proper is a more permanent structure and will enable you to do things which you cannot do otherwise. I suppose that at its simplest you can treat your greenhouse like a plastic tunnel, by which I mean that you can simply use it, in effect, as a covered bed which will enable you to start sowing earlier in the season and carry on growing later, but to have a greenhouse and not to explore its full potential is a shame. If at all possible have

Alitex Scotney greenhouse onionmagazine.co.uk

an electricity supply run to your greenhouse as this will open up all sorts of possibilities and extend the use you can make of it. These days there are all kinds of heating, automatic watering and ventilation devices which require electricity and will widen your horizons and provide all year round entertainment. If you are one of those people who likes the paraphernalia of a hobby then the greenhouse with electricity is definitely for you, and your family will never more be at a loss to know what to buy you for Christmas as there are so many ‘must have’ things which you can add to your greenhouse. But for a start a simple ‘cold’ greenhouse will also extend your gardening horizon hugely and will make such a difference to your gardening. If you haven’t yet got a greenhouse I’d make 2015 the year that you resolve to get one. As I write this, a 6ft x 6ft glass greenhouse with base and including free autovent, free louvre window and three-tier seed tray, from Halls costs only £344.98 including delivery and VAT. Incidentally, the term ‘cold’ greenhouse is a bit misleading because any greenhouse is going to be warmer inside than out at any time of the year and in winter you will be able to protect many tender plants safely even in a cold greenhouse. A cold greenhouse is simply one which has no artificial heat but it will still provide the right environment for starting and growing tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, for example, and for germinating and growing your annual bedding plants. But remember that even in mid-winter on a sunny day the temperature will rise quickly to quite high levels so be prepared to protect young seedlings in such conditions. It is the

wide difference in temperature between a sunny winter day at noon and the cold of a winter night that many plants find difficult to cope with. Working in a greenhouse, even in a cold greenhouse, in the middle of winter can be a very smug-making experience: there you are sowing seeds or potting seedlings on while outside it’s tipping down and blowing a gale; and that’s the point - you are going to be working in a greenhouse, it’s not just a growing place, so make sure that you have got a good bench or staging and decent arrangements for potting and sowing. Working in comfort in a greenhouse on a foul winter day takes a lot of beating. Polytunnels are not pretty; they’re just functional, and greenhouses too are often simple, functional structures which we can all buy and erect ourselves fairly easily and quickly but there are also some very attractive greenhouse designs about and it will pay you to spend some time exploring what is on offer. Visiting garden shows and the agricultural shows like The South of England and Kent Show will be very worthwhile before you make your decision. It wasn’t so long ago that greenhouses, or ‘hothouses’, were the preserve of the rich and were only seen attached to large houses or on the many small commercial nurseries that were in practically every village in the pre-garden-centre days up to the 1960s. Those old greenhouses were often elaborate brick and wood buildings with big solid-fuel boilers to provide their heat and were quite exciting places to be with a particular atmosphere which I can still vividly recall. Now virtually all of these wonderful structures have fallen into ruin but some survive and are working as they were intended and I strongly recommend that you visit The Walled Nursery in Hawkhurst where there are some wonderful Victorian greenhouses still in full productive swing, while further afield the beautiful greenhouses at West Dean near Chichester are really worth a trip too. If seeing these old greenhouses doesn’t make you want to have your own or to expand your activities if you already own one, I shall be very surprised. FIND OUT MORE

Chase cloches - don’t forget 10% discount for orders of five or more Barn Cloches for Onion readers. Hibbitt of Oswestry, 2 Union Place, Oswestry, Shropshire SY11 1HN.. Tel: 01691 656152. www.hibbitt.co.uk The Walled Nursery - opens on Feb 17th after winter closure. Water Lane, Hawkhurst, Kent TN18 5DH. Tel: 01580 752752. Email: info@thewallednursery.com www.thewallednursery.com

William James polytunnel February 2015

West Dean, Nr Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0QZ Tel: 01243 811301. Email: reception@westdean.org.uk. www.westdean.org.uk The Onion magazine 29

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Imagine a winter’s evening when the wind is howling in the chimney and the rain is lashing upon the window pane. You might not want to go out – alternatively you might like to go to Playden WI Hall to hear fine readings of Ghost Stories. A two-course supper will be provided. You need to take your own drink. Tickets will be £10 on the door or £8 concessions for members of the Friends of Playden Church. Please phone Marion on 01424 815247 to book – this is essential for catering numbers. Race Night at the Rose & Crown Beckley Saturday 21 February 19:00 Northiam Bonfire Society’s Race Night will be under starter’s orders from 7pm in the Rose & Crown, Beckley. Horses on sale over the bar before the night (£3), winning owner receives £25. Bets 50p. Free entry. A great evening out. Details on www.northiambonfiresociety.co.uk Conquering Cancer Quiz Night in Wittersham Village Hall Saturday 21 February 19:00 A quiz evening with all proceeds going to Cancer Research Campaign UK with 10 rounds of lightning-fast questions, a delicious two-course meal and a raffle. Teams of 8. £10 per person. Take your own drinks. For more information contact Alexandra Kirk on 07818 874712 or email Alexandra_kirk@hotmail.co.uk. If you are unable to attend but would like to make a donation via Alexandra’s London Marathon support page, please visit http:// uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AlexandraKirk. ‘Starting at Sedlescombe’ with the Northiam Footpath Group Sunday 22 February 13:30 A 5-mile circular walk leaving Northiam Surgery car park at 1.30pm. For more information contact Sue Clark on 01797 253428. www.northiamfootpathgroup.co.uk Hastings Budgerigar Society at Northiam Village Hall Monday 23 February 19:00 to 22:00 There will be a talk on Aviary Hygiene by Dave Vandepeer MBICSc followed by competition birds between members. Usual rules will apply, ie, 2 birds/member/class. There is a warm welcome to anyone interested. If your club or society would like the Society to display their birds at one of your meetings a request would be seriously considered. Contact Brian Mepham on 01424 429094 or go to their website www.hastingsbudgerigarsociety.org. ‘Remnants of the Wealden Iron Age’ by Hilary Watkins Tuesday 24 February 19:30 The Northiam and District Historical and Literary Society presents ‘Storyteller sifts remnants of the Wealden Iron Age’. Hilary Watkins describes research and discovery very relevant to the history of Southern England. Venue: Northiam Village Centre. Biddenden Horticultural Society 30 The Onion magazine

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Wednesday 25 February 19:15 for a 19:30 start Alison Marsden will be giving a talk on ‘All Year Round Colour for your Garden’. You will also be able to discuss and ask questions during the talk whilst it is fresh in your mind. Members £1.50, non-Members £2.50. Annual Membership £5. New members are always welcome. Contact Irene on 01580 291777 or Lesley on 01580 291931. Edward Burra – A Rye View 26 February to 7 June The exhibition at the Jerwood Gallery, Hastings forms part of an ‘In Focus’ series in which a work from the Jerwood Collection is the starting point for a small-scale show. Burra’s ‘The Churchyard, Rye’ will act as the starting point, having been bought and added to the collection in 2010. Highlights include ‘The Harbour, Hastings’ (1947) which depicts Hsatings’ lively fishing industry, and a rare portrait of Burra (c.1930s – loaned by the National Portrait Gallery) by his friend, artist John Banting. The Jerwood Gallery, Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings Old Town, TN34 3DW. Wild Woodland Weekend Club Saturday 28 February 10:00 to 13:00 Monthly adventures in the woods for ‘Wild Things’ aged 6 to 11yrs; parents not allowed! Build dens, cook on a campfire, play in the mud, learn some woodcrafts and play games. Each month is a little different and a lot of fun. Held in a private woodland in Beckley. Meet on the last Saturday of every month at Swallowtail Hill Farm, Hobbs Lane, Beckley, TN31 6TT. Booking essential. £10 per child (£8.50 for members of SWT). Contact: 01797 227784. Tenterden Book Fair Saturday 28 February 09:00 to 15:00 Free admission. A wide selection of books for sale from a number of book dealers. Refreshments available. Enquiries to Barry Williams on 01634 235484 or barryjean. williams@btinternet.com. Venue: Highbury Hall, Highbury Lane, Tenterden, TN30 6LE. Spring Beach Clean Saturday 7 March 10:00 to 13:00 Look out for the first Wheatears and Sandwich Terns of the year while helping to remove the winter’s rubbish. Hot soup will be served at the end. Meet at Rye Harbour car park with work gloves if you have them. For more information contact: Lime Kiln Cottage Information Centre on 01797 227784 or email rhnroffice@sussexwt.org.uk or see the websites www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/whatson or www.WildRye.info. Northiam Bonfire Society’s Spring Craft Fair Saturday 7 March 10:00 to 14:00 A wide variety of quality crafts from local artists, craftsmen and makers in the relaxed environment of Northiam Village Hall. Take your time to select that perfect gift and talk to the onionmagazine.co.uk

Will Power TERDEN

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Fees

LOVE T

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There are many reasons for a lack of a Will, or for not reviewing a current Will – we’ve highlighted a selection below, but you’ll see with our assistance these reasons need not stop you from completing a Will and achieving another of your New Year Resolutions!

How many of your New Year resolutions have you managed to complete so far – hopefully lots. We know from experience for many people making a new Will, or updating an existing one, represent popular resolutions and important ones.

• Lack of time – most Wills are signed and safely stored in our archive after just two meetings: the first meeting to provide your instructions and the second meeting to sign your Will. • Complex family circumstances – for us the complex is commonplace, we can advise on the options available to you. • Too many difficult decisions to make about Executors, Guardians etc – we can offer guidance, you do not have to make all of the decisions before your appointment. • Cost – yes, there is a cost to making a Will which needs to be considered in proportion to the value of your home, your savings etc. • Too morbid – making a Will does remind us of our own mortality, but with a Will safely stored in our archive you can relax knowing that you are leaving clear wishes and that you have provided for your loved ones. Without a Will the assets you have worked hard for will pass in accordance with the fixed rules of intestacy. So book an appointment now with our friendly solicitors to discuss your Will requirements over a cup of coffee at our new offices by Waitrose. You will feel empowered and reassured knowing that your wishes are in place and you can then look forward to 2015 in a positive light. For an appointment to discuss Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Deputyships and estate administrations please telephone Kirsty Brown on 01580 767535. We have a lift and disabled facilities for ease of access to our modern Tenterden offices. ADVERTORIAL February 2015

Where there’s a Will there’s a way Your Will can be a very powerful tool to help your loved ones. It can: • Ensure your assets are left to the people you choose • Protect your family - appoint guardians for your children • Save your family tax • Give you peace of mind, a very valuable commodity Just as you take expert advice when buying a new house or investment plan, it’s even more important to take expert advice regarding your Will. If you don’t have a Will – now is the time to discuss your wishes. If you have a Will – does it still reflect your wishes and in a tax efficient way? Simply call Kirsty Brown on 01580 767535 Email: kirstybrown@whitehead-monckton.co.uk on production of the Love Tenterden loyalty card you can take advantage of the special discount on our fees. www.whitehead-monckton.co.uk Whitehead Monckton Limited (no. 08366029), registered in England & Wales. Registered office 72 King Street, Maidstone, Kent, www.whitehead-monckton.co.uk ME14 1BL. Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under no. 608279. OM2/15

The Onion magazine 31

Scallops To join in the celebrations of Rye’s Scallop Festival this month, here are a couple of tasty scallop recipes. Linguine with Scallops and Brown Butter 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Toss the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, tossing once, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes; let cool. 2. Meanwhile, cook the linguine according to the package directions, adding the peas during the last minute of cooking. Reserve around 100ml of the cooking water and drain the pasta; reserve the pot. 3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Season the scallops with ½ teaspoon

each salt and pepper and cook until golden brown on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and cook until opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes more. 4. Wipe out the pasta pot and cook the butter over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pasta and peas, scallops, tarragon, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water and toss to coat (add more cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce). 5. Serve the pasta sprinkled with the toasted breadcrumbs.

Ingredients 45g breadcrumbs (panko breadcrumbs are great, but don’t worry if you can’t get them, ordinary breadcrumbs work just as well) 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 2 tablespoons olive oil salt and black pepper 375g linguine 100g frozen peas 16 sea scallops, patted dry 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves Serves 4

Preparation 15 minutes Cooking 20 minutes

Scallop Facts Unlike other bivalves like mussels and clams, most scallops are freeswimming. Many scallops are hermaphrodites. Scallops are found worldwide from the intertidal zone to the deep sea. 32 The Onion magazine

onionmagazine.co.uk

FOOD

James Martin’s Apple and filo tart with scallops and bacon salad 1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/ Gas 7. 2. For the apple and filo tart, place the apples, water and thyme leaves into a lidded saucepan, cover the pan with the lid and heat over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, or until the apples have broken down into a purée. Stir in the butter and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 3. Place four of the filo pastry circles onto a baking tray. Brush each circle with some melted butter and place another filo pastry circle on top. 4. Brush the uppermost with a little more butter and spoon the apple purée on top, ensuring all of the pastry is covered. 5. Transfer to the oven and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until crisp and goldenbrown. 6. Meanwhile, brush the scallops with the olive oil and season, to taste, with salt.

7. Heat a frying pan until hot. Add the scallops and fry for 45 seconds on each side, or until golden-brown on each side and cooked through. (NB: Do not move the scallops during cooking.) Remove the scallops from the pan and set aside to rest. 8. For the bacon salad, heat a frying pan over a high heat until hot, add the bacon pieces and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp. 9. Whisk the mustard, vinegar and olive oil together in a bowl and season, to taste with a little salt and black pepper. 10. Mix the salad leaves and fried bacon together in a bowl, then drizzle over the salad dressing and mix together until well combined. 11. To serve, place an apple and filo tart onto each of four serving plates. Place three scallops onto each tart and top with a handful of bacon salad.

Ingredients For the apple and filo tart 1 Bramley apple, peeled, core removed, diced 2 tsp water 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves 15g/½oz butter salt and freshly ground black pepper 8 sheets filo pastry, cut into 8 x 17cm/6½in circles 50g/2oz butter, melted 12 large scallops, cleaned, roes removed 1 tsp olive oil For the bacon salad 8 thick slices smoked streaky bacon, boiled for 1 minute, cut into small pieces 2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper 75g/3oz watercress, leaves only 40g/1½oz baby spinach leaves Serves 4

Preparation under 30 minutes cooking 30mins to 1 hour

This is not a representation of the above recipe. February 2015

The Onion magazine 33

EAT

Sandhurst Tea Rooms

BY NICK FARLEY

When I was a small boy my parents would go for what my father called ‘a drive round’ on Sunday afternoons and this always involved stopping at a tea room on the way back. There was not a single tea room south of the A2 that was not known to me intimately. I have had a soft spot for the traditional tea room ever since, but sadly, like good pubs, good tea rooms are few and far between these days. The Sandhurst Tea Room, however, is indisputably a good tea room and one which we have used and liked over the years, but because it’s virtually on our doorstep we have used it much less than we otherwise might have done: we pass it a few minutes after leaving home on an outward journey and a few minutes before reaching home on a return journey and in neither case are we in a tea room needing state of mind, which is a pity because it is rather good. However, on a dismal cold grey Sunday a few weeks ago we decided to lighten the mood by taking afternoon tea at Sandhurst and this turned out to be a good idea. They do the job properly here. The first thing that registers is that the place is warm and the second is that there’s no background music which means that we are already ahead of the game before we have even sat down. The greeting was welcoming and friendly without being unctuous, and no one called us ‘guys’. The Editor, not a notable glutton, surprised me by ordering the full blown afternoon tea comprising a choice of sandwich, a choice of scone, cream, a choice of jam, a choice of cake, and coffee/tea. I, cleverly anticipating that there would be a need to clean up her leftovers, ordered a little less – just a ham and tomato sandwich and a piece of lemon drizzle cake. My prescience was to prove correct. Our coffees arrived quickly and our tea cups were changed for coffee cups……..yes, that’s right, and when did that last happen to you? Never, I suspect. At Sandhurst they serve tea in proper tea cups not just any old cups that don’t leak but proper tea cups. I almost decided to change from coffee to tea in celebration. The solid calories arrived in due course on a heavily laden two tiered plate and were all that you could possibly expect. 34 The Onion magazine

Delicious freshly made and generously filled sandwiches, not pre-prepared ones left to dry and get cold in a fridge; large delicious ginger scone; lashings of cream, jam and butter – proper butter, not miserly little bits wrapped up in foil – and two spectacular portions of cake. We tea-ed very well that afternoon in Sandhurst and so, I bet, will you. There is just one thing I would like to see and that is the cake offerings displayed so that my choice is better informed. They also serve light lunches, and on Sundays a roast lunch too. I haven’t had breakfast there for some time but based on their teas I’m willing to bet that they are as good as they ever were. All in all The Sandhurst Tea Room has got it right: it’s warm, comfortable and welcoming and the food is good. Our afternoon tea for two as described above came to £22.50.

The Sandhurst Tea Rooms, Queen Street, Sandhurst, Kent TN18 5HY. Tel: 01580 850181 onionmagazine.co.uk

<30 craftsmen and women, or think about it over a cup of coffee and home-made cake. Prices range from ‘why not, I’ll have a few’ to ‘I deserve it’ – so there’s something for everyone. Free entry. More details at www.northiambonfiresociety.co.uk. Swift Conservation Saturday 14 March 14:30 Part of the Friends’ Winter Talks series, Edward Mayer will update us with the latest news on the protection of these amazing birds that bring spectacular action, drama and excitement to our town, city and village skies. Venue: Winchelsea Beach Community Hall. Open to all. Donations appreciated. For more information contact: Lime Kiln Cottage Information Centre on 01797 227784 or email rhnroffice@sussexwt.org.uk or see the websites www. sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/whatson or www.WildRye.info. London Handel Players at Vinehall School Saturday 14 March 19:30 A programme of Telemann, Handel, Leclair, Vivaldi and JS Bach including the Brandenburg Concerto No.5 by the London Handel Players who have thrilled audiences across the world with their performances and recordings. For tickets and more information please contact Geoffrey Whitehead on 01580 883092 or 01580 880413 during school office hours or email geoffreywhitehead@vinehallschool.com. A G Whitehead, Vinehall School, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, TN31 5JL.

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An evening of violin and vocal music in Rye Saturday 14 March 19:30 (doors from 19:00) The stunning violinist Nuri Koseoglu joins the Rye Bay Ensemble and will be performing a selection of violin music alongside vocal music of the era by Rebekah Gilbert. For more information contact Rebekah on 07974 001818 or email info@ vivawellbeing.com. Venue: St Mary’s Church, Rye. Defending Rye Bay Saturday 21 March 10:00 to 12:00 Its proximity to France and its open beaches have made Rye Bay the destination of choice for invaders over the centuries. Join Cliff Dean and Martin King for a short walk at the western end of Pett Level when they’ll look at defences from the 19th and 20th centuries. Meet at Toot Rock, Pett Level – grid reference TQ 894138, nearest postcode TN35 4EL. No booking necessary. Donations appreciated. For more information contact: Lime Kiln Cottage Information Centre on 01797 227784 or email rhnroffice@sussexwt.org.uk or see the websites www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/whatson or www. WildRye.info. Jempson’s Charity Boot Fairs for 2015 All the money that is raised from the sale of the pitches at the Peasmarsh superstore car park is donated to local charities. The dates and beneficiaries for this year are: 6 April (Rye Bonfire Society); 4 May (Rye & District Community Transport); 25 May (Rother Responders); 31 August (Rye Day Centre). For more information contact Dominic. Dominic@jempsons.com. Telephone 01797 230214. February 2015

The Onion magazine 35

Brookland and FairďŹ eld Two fascinating 13th century Romney Marsh churches are the focus of this atmospheric lowlevel walk through sheep-filled pastures, open arable fields, across dykes and along quiet lanes. St Augustineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church in Brookland has a unique detached bell tower and a rare leaden font, and the magical Thomas a Becket Church at Fairfield stands isolated in a sheep-grazed field â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both are well worth visiting. This walk includes waypoints. The walk (TQ 988 257) From Brookland village hall car park turn left along the lane and across the stile on the right, just before Boormans Lane road sign. Keep right along the paddock edge to a stile in the corner and continue alongside a line of trees across the field to a stile. Join the narrow fenced path that leads to the A259. Cross to the pavement opposite, turn left and climb the stile on the right into a field. Bear half-left to a gap in the trees, with a yellowtopped post soon coming into view. Maintain direction across the next field to cross a footbridge over a ditch. Turn left beside the ditch, then right at a marker post to follow the footpath beside a hedge on the right to reach a road. Turn left to a T-junction and turn right to pass Harvey Farm on the left, the road soon curving left beside a wall (Poplar Hall right) to a junction with King Street. (TQ 974 256). A marker post here indicates a path into a large field. Strike out across the field, passing between telegraph poles, heading towards the left-hand of two corrugated barns at Old Farm to cross a stile beyond the farm drive. Go across the footbridge ahead and bear right through the field to a stile close to a green shed. Continue through fields, passing Haywards Farm on the right to reach a footbridge and the road. You now have an uninterrupted view of Fairfield church, isolated in a glorious marshland location. Cross the footbridge opposite and wend your way across grazing pasture via footbridges to the church (TQ 966 264). Cross the footbridge beyond the church and follow the raised path to a gate and road. Turn left and keep to the narrow and relatively quiet marshland road, passing The Limes and Dean 36 The Onion magazine

Court Farm, and eventually reach the A259 (TQ 975 246). Cross over, turn right and walk along the verge for 300 yds, bearing left at the sharp right bend to follow the lane past The Woolpack. As the lane bears right, take the arrowed path left down into a field and go through the gate ahead. Bear diagonally right towards a cottage, crossing a ditch and passing in front of the cottage to a stile. Climb the stile, turn right for a few paces along a lane, then cross the stile on the left and walk along the left-hand field edge. Cross a footbridge, walk across the next field to join a lane at the end of fencing. Follow Clubbs Lane to a T-junction, turn right and then left along a grassy path leading to a footbridge and enter the churchyard at Brookland. The ancient Church of St Augustine, with its curious detached wooden belfry tower, is one of the most attractive and interesting churches on Romney Marsh. A visit will reveal a Georgian pulpit and pews and a famous circular lead font. Turn left at the road, then left again past the Royal Oak to return to the village hall. onionmagazine.co.uk

About Fairfield church In a truly magical spot, set in a field and surrounded by watercourses and sheep, the isolated church of St Thomas a Becket dates from the 13th century, its ancient timber frame being encased in brickwork and its immense roof covered in red tiles during the 18th century. Stepping inside is like going back in time as the Georgian interior has changed little over 200 years. Close the heavy door behind you and all is peaceful and silent - except for the muffled sound of the wind. About The Woolpack It was originally a beacon keeper’s cottage dating from 1410 and has been a pub for over 400 years. It was a well-known smuggling haunt when gangs would use the Romney Marsh coast to trade wool for rum and brandy brought over from France.

DISTANCE: 5 miles (8km) OS MAPS: OS Landranger 189 (Ashford & Romney Marsh), Explorer 125 (Romney Marsh, Rye & Winchelsea) ROUTE TERRAIN: Field paths, country lanes STARTING POINT: Brookland village hall car park. There’s also roadside parking in Brookland.

This is Walk 4 from the Pathfinder Guides No.8: Kent Walks, published by Crimson Publishing (www.crimsonpublishing. co.uk). OS maps available (Landranger 189, Explorer 125). Map above © Crown copyright February 2015 Ordnance Survey Media 074/15.

Neither the publisher nor the author can accept any responsibility for any changes, errors or omissions in this route. Diversion orders can be made and permissions withdrawn at any time.

February 2015

The Onion magazine 37

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38 The Onion magazine

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Introducing Diva Chromatix: a range of high-performance, professional tools available in your favourite bold and bright colours. Choose from lime green, sky blue, purple haze, raspberry crush, cherry red, citrus orange, bright yellow, purest white and rubberised black. The Chromatix Dynamica3400Pro is a super-light yet powerful dryer. 4 heat and 2 speed settings and ionic conditioning mean faster drying, reduced static and frizz as well as added shine. RRP £49.99.

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WIN! WE HAVE A CASE OF OLD DAIRY BREWERY BEER TO GIVE AWAY The Old Dairy Brewery is nestled deep in the heart of the ‘Garden of England’ just moments from the High Street in Tenterden, Kent. With glorious views over rolling countryside, the brewery is housed in two old World War II Nissen buildings next to the Kent & East Sussex Steam Railway. One has been converted into our new 30 barrel brewery, complete with shop (10% discount for Tenterden Loyalty card holders and CAMRA members), bar and meeting room (‘The Parlour’) while the second plays host to our offices and warehousing operation. In addition to The Old Dairy Brewery’s core beer range we add new, seasonal speciality beers to please our growing fan base. The core beers are the nostalgically named: • Red Top: a 3.8% abv ‘classic’ best bitter • Gold Top: a 4.3% abv golden pale ale • Blue Top: a 4.8% abv India pale ale For a chance to win a case of Red, Gold or Blue top please send your name and address to competition@ onionpublishing.co.uk with OLDDAIRY in the subject line. Winners will be drawn and notified after the closing date. The closing date is 27 February 2015.

Please enter as directed above. Postal entries can also be sent to us at the address given on page three.

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF ENTRY: By entering these competitions you agree to receive periodic emails from The Onion magazine, Onion Publishing Ltd and the originator of the competition you are entering. You can opt out of receiving these at any time and your data will never be passed on for use by third parties. The prizes are non-transferable and have no cash alternative. Only one entry per person per competition and prizes will only be sent to homes with a TN postcode.

The Barberof Seville Rossini’s comic masterpiece of sparkling music and irrepressible characters St Mildred’s Church Church Road Tenterden, Kent TN30 6AT Sat 14 February 2015 at 7.30pm Tickets: £17.50 Box Office:

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