Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Kent - 21 September 2008

Kent Oust HouseWe have visited Chiddingstone a number of times as it is a very pretty little village in Kent and on each occasion we have wondered what was behind the gate at the end of the street. The gate allows access to Chiddingstone Castle so today we decided to fill that gap in our knowledge.

Chiddingstone CastleIt is not a real castle, just a castlefied country house and it holds the collection of Denys Bower which includes an amazing array of Japanese art treasures and military pieces including a number of suits of armour.
Titsey House
Titsey HouseFrom there we went to Titsey House, once the family home of the Greshams. They came to London and made their fortunes in the Tudor period as mercers and two of the brothers became Lord Mayor.

Titsey HouseHowever, the most famous Gresham was their cousin who founded the London Stock Exchange and adorned it with the golden grasshopper from his family crest and a golden grasshopper adorns the LSE to this day.

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