Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #396 - Advent Wreath

Having a German background the start of the Advent season signals the lead up to Christmas. I love this time of year for all its traditions, and even though I live in Tonbridge I try to keep them all up. One important tradition is the Advent Wreath, and it's found in almost every German home. Yesterday people would be busily buying a wreath and decorating it, or choosing one at their local market. The four candles signify the four Sundays before Christmas, and today is the first Sunday in Advent. This means the first candle will be lit, just for today. Next Sunday the first and second candle will be burning, and so on until Christmas.

I found this Advent Wreath in Tonbridge Parish Church yesterday. Today one of those candles will be burning brightly, and so will the first candle on my Advent Wreath. I love this time of the year, and now Advent has begun I can start to enjoy all that the run up to Christmas offers.

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #303

This embroidered montage caught my eye at the Parish Church craft fair over Heritage weekend.  I have to admit I don't know the first thing about tapestry work, in fact sewing buttons back on is just about my only strength where a needle and thread is concerned ... however, it was obvious that a lot of close work and time had been invested by the Tonbridge Cage Green WI, in this detailed piece of needlework illustrating Tonbridge. Can you recognise all the well know town spots on either side of the River Medway? I loved the swans and their real feathers. Well done ladies of the WI ... you have done Tonbridge proud.

 

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #302

This open door is the entrance to the belfry, and top of the tower, to Tonbridge Parish Church, St Peter and St Paul.  It's not often that the public have a chance to go through the door, and climb the medieval staircase to experience the far reaching views over the town, but today you have that chance as free tours will be going on all day as part of Heritage Weekend.

If you look on the third sandstone brick on the left-hand side of the door (from the bottom), you will see a mark that looks a little like a three pronged fork. That's a bench mark, and it's one of a handful left in the town. This chiseled mark would have been made by a surveyor in the stone structure, into which an angle-iron could be placed to form a "bench" for a leveling rod to calculate a 'mean' height. These are no longer used as digital and more accurate surveying equipment is available.

Have a look next time you are there and try to find the bench mark on the old Methodist Church in East Street.

A Total Failure!!!!

With all great intentions to capture a birds eye view over Tonbridge I joined one of the Heritage Open Day tours of the Parish Church Tower today.

Although I am not too good with heights, I was determined to climb up the medieval spiral staircase to the belfry, and then ascend the final steeper steps to the very top, where I wanted to take photographs of the old town below. I probably could have even looked into my garden (and the neighbours).

I failed completely!! It didn't help that one member of my group had brought a safety helmet along to wear (bit excessive) and that struck panic into me at the offset. After clinging on tightly for dear life to a rope on one side of the claustrophic stair well, and the wall on the other, I managed to go up about 6 steps, until fear took over, and I turned around to get my feet firmly back on the ground.

I managed this one wobbly photograph.

If you have a better head for heights than me, you'll have the opportunity to get to the top of the tower tomorrow. Tours will be running all day from 11am to 4pm.

Let me know if you do and send your photographs in so that I can include them on the blog.

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #272

This peaceful photograph of old gravestones was taken by Carl Lewis at Tonbridge Parish Church.

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #265 - Tonbridge Parish Church

Courtesy of Shane Straeche

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #260 - Tonbridge Parish Church - Church of St Peter and St Paul

This image was sent to me by Shane Straeche. He said 'I dont think I've ever visited such a beautiful church, a shame not many people take the time to view its beautiful stained glass windows and its peacefulness, such a pleasant place to think, but such a stunning church to capture.'

The window is certainly worth a look and I think I will pay a visit to the church,  put on my Art Historian hat and do a reading of the images.

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

Two long fire hooks used to remove burning thatch are displayed inside the porch at the Parish Church

Legal Graffiti

I was walking towards Tonbridge Parish Church this morning, when I spotted this incredibly bright and ugly graffiti in Church Street. Why is it there and what is it ... I asked myself?? It could possibly be there as a marker for maintenance reasons which I find extremely annoying. Can't people read maps or follow instructions anymore? Can these people only follow easy to spot enormous symbols? This is part of the conservation area in Tonbridge, and so I'm hoping it's a temporary measure. If not it should be removed as it's a massive yellow blot on the landscape, and nothing more than legal graffiti.

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #195 - Parish Church

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #134 - Found in the Parish Church

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

The ghost of Jacobus (James) Cawthorn is said to roam through Tonbridge School on the anniversary of his death in 1761.

In 1743 he came to Tonbridge School and gained a reputation for  his strictness and severity. He was a great lover of fine arts, music, poetry and was known to be harsh at school.  Cawthorn had a habit of throwing a book of Virgil or Shakespeare to floor in a challenge to the boys to debate. He was also a great lover of the fine arts, music and poetry. On the death of his twin children he wrote the poem known as 'A Father's Extempore Consolation'. The verse was full of emotion and beauty so this can only indicate there was some sensitivity in the man.

Cawthorn was an accomplished horseman and was known to ride from
Tonbridge to London.  While riding over Quarry Hill he stopped to allow
his horse to take a drink from a pond and it stumbled and threw him. 
Cawthorn's only injury was a broken leg but only days later he died. He
is buried under the School Gallery in The Parish Church.

It is now said that every year at midnight on April 15, the anniversary of his death, that Cawthorne's ghostly steps and clanking chains can be heard roaming through Tonbridge School dormitories.

Don't we all love a good ghost story.

Tonbridge Christmas Festival

The Christmas tree has arrived at The Watergate area next to Big Bridge in Tonbridge, and is waiting to be decorated in time for this weekend's Christmas Festival, when it will light up for the first time.

The Festival takes place this Sunday November 25, and kicks off with live music on the Watergate Stage at 3pm. The Christmas lights switch-on will happen at 5pm followed by a firework display over the castle area starting at 6pm.  For those who wish to take part in the Carol Service at The Parish Church please arrive by 6.30pm.

This year's festival features the Simply Take That tribute band.

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #50  - Baptism Tree at Tonbridge Parish Church

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #43  - Lucy Warner  Lecturn Tonbridge Parish Church

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #40  -  Parish Church

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

Buttresses were built onto Tonbridge Parish Church in the 14th century to stop the building's tendency to lean southwards

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

The first gas street lamps to be lit in Tonbridge were in The High Street, Bordyke and East Street. This took place on 12 November 1836 amidst a town celebration. The lamps were only used during long dark winter nights.

By 1856 Tonbridge Gas Company supplied gas for about 51 street lamps  and 150 consumers including Tonbridge School & the Parish Church

Big Bridge Tonbridge

The lamps on the Big Bridge and Little Bridge are surviving original gas lamps which have been converted for use with electricity.

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

Fire fighting equipment was kept in Tonbridge Parish Church from 1747. Two long fire hooks used to remove burning thatch remain displayed inside the porch.

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

George Hooper was probably the first person to provide Tonbridge with fire fighting equipment.
In c1700 he donated 18 leather fire buckets to the town, and also left £40 in his will to provide a water engine with specific instruction that this be situated at the Parish Church