Another day, another castle

This time Sissinghurst which even less of a castle than Leeds. Another beautiful sunny early winter’s day.

Not much to see in the famed gardens at this time of the year. The light was de”light”ful on the buildings, dormant gardens and wider landscape.

Sissinghurst Castle was the home of Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicholson. By rights Vita should have inherited Knole in Sevenoaks but it went to a male cousin.

Their lifestyle was different to most people, very avant-garde. As was the living arrangements in the Castle. Vita wrote in the Tower, they entertained in the room to the right of the stepladder. The Priest’s House and South Cottage were used for dining and as bedrooms.

So to get from “room” to “room” meant going outside. No roof or shelter from the elements as they made their way regardless of the season and the weather.

The evening was rounded off with an excellent and very moving concert by Steve Knightley (of Show of Hands) at the Gulbenkian Theatre in Canterbury

We’ve followed Show of Hands for decades and seen them many times. They have been and continue to be the sound track of our lives. The songs resonate so much with the issues we all face and songs, written years ago, are still current today. Steve is a consummate musician and a fine song writer.