Today we plan to walk from Lenham to Boughton Lees, an 11 mile hike, with comparatively few stops along the way.
After morning prayers, we breakfasted at our hotel, the Dog and Bear in Lenham, before starting out.
As you can tell from our jackets, it was a bit chilly this morning!
As we were walking out of Lenham, we visited St. Mary's Church for a self-guided tour. St. Mary's was first built in 906/7, but its major construction was done in phases between the 12th and 15th centuries.
(1) Left: Exterior view of St. Mary's and surrounding cemetery. (2) Right: Us in front of St. Mary's.
(1) Right: Inside St. Mary's, Lenham. (2) Left: Looking toward the altar and the east window in St. Mary's.
After St. Mary's, we entered the trail proper. Today was the first day that we all used our trekking poles consistently. We found that they provided ankle stability and helped us maintain good posture and speed.
Using our trekking poles on the trail from Lenham to Boughton Lees.
(1) Left: Posing by a Pilgrims Way marker. (2) Right: A stone with an embossed shell marking the Pilgrims Way.
We stopped to eat lunch (which we had packed from The Bow Window cafe in Lenham) at the ruins of St. Mary's Church in Eastwell, an architectural beauty sitting beside a lake. In 1951, the roof of St. Mary's nave collapsed, and unfortunately it was not repaired. Today, the 15th century tower and wall of the south aisle, as well as the 19th century mortuary chapel, remain standing on the property.
St. Mary's ruins. Ivy-covered yew trees grow in the churchyard.
Interestingly, the churchyard is home to a tomb which is rumored to be the grave of Richard Plantagenet (Richard of Eastwell), an illegitimate son of the last Plantagenet King of England, Richard III. Richard of Eastwell's life was very much a curiosity. As a child and teenager, he did not know his parents, but four times a year, a mysterious man would visit him and pay for his boarding and schooling. When Richard of Eastwell turned 16, this mysterious man took the boy to see King Richard III at his military camp before the battle of Bosworth. Apparently, the King told him he was his father, and that he would acknowledge him as his son if he won the battle. Conversely, if he lost the battle, he told his son to hide his identity (presumably, he would be a threat to the throne and killed). King Richard was killed in battle, and Richard of Eastwell descended into obscurity: he became a bricklayer and a recluse. The Eastwell parish burial registers contain this record of his death: "Rychard Plantagenet was buryed on the 22 daye of December 1550."
Back on the trail after lunch, we made our way rather quickly to Boughton Lees. Sights that caught our fancy today were (1) expansive fields and (2) stylish houses:
On Boughton Lees' cricket green, we met a secondary school group from St. Simon Stock Roman Catholic school in Maidstone. They were pursuing the Duke of Edinburgh Award by walking to Canterbury. This award recognizes young people for completing a series of self-improvement exercises designed to encourage well-roundedness and maturity. To receive the award, participants must complete work in each of the following areas:
Volunteering: service to individuals or the community
Physical: improving in sport, dance, or fitness
Skills: developing practical and social skills and personal interests
Expedition: planning, training for, and completing an adventurous journey in the UK or abroad
Residential: [for advanced level] working away from home for five days
We suppose that the students walking to Canterbury were working on their expedition area. Traveling to Canterbury should definitely count as an adventurous journey!
We finished today by dining and quaffing at the gorgeous Flying Horse Pub in Boughton Lees, which faces the town's cricket green.
The Flying Horse Inn and two of our drink choices: Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter and Old Mout Fruit Cider.
We can't believe it, but tomorrow we walk into Canterbury!
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