On the last afternoon one party visited the ruins of Studfall Castle, 

 the Roman Fort of the Saxon Shore, also the fortified Manor House at 

 Westenhanger, while a second walked around the Corporation Green- 

 houses to study propagation and development of young plants and thence 

 to Kingsnorth Gardens. 



Thoughts now centred on the Society's own excursions, the first 

 being to Lullingstone in June. Sharp on time the coach left Kingsnorth 

 Gardens and sped on to Wrotham, just beyond which, near the south 

 escarpment of the North Downs, runs the Pilgrims' Way. Along this 

 road manufactured goods — iron and woollen — were, during the 14th 

 century, carted from Kent to the area of Salisbury Plain. We next 

 reached Farningham where people have lived for centuries, as proved 

 by Domesday Records of the old Mill and the Manor Houses, the latter 

 being the home of Bligh of the Bounty. Eynsford was reached and we 

 alighted before the 1 5th century mansion, Lullingstone Silk Farm, often 

 called Lullingstone Castle. 



This estate has been held by the same family since 136L Here 

 lived Sir John Peche, Constable of Dover Castle and Lord Warden of 

 the Cinque Ports. On his death the estate passed to his sister Lady 

 Percival Hart while, in the 18th century the last of the Harts married 

 Sir Thomas Dyke. Names were united and present landowners are 

 descendants of the Hart-Dykes. 



In 1932, Zoe, Lady Hart Dyke, secured silkworm eggs from China, 

 France and Turkey, and started a farm which today is flourishing. 

 From room to room the visitors followed a guide, who explained all 

 processes involved in the production of silk from the eggs to the hanks 

 ready for use by the weavers, and said how the silk used for the Coronation 

 Robes and Dress of the Queen Mother and also for those of her Majesty 

 Queen Elizabeth H was made at LuUinsgtone. 



There is no village but the Parish Church has stood for centuries. 

 Within St. Botolph's is a fine Rood Screen, some 14th century glass, 

 many interesting tombs and some excellent mediaeval brasses, while it 

 is the only church in England with an altar frontal made of silk, spun 

 by the silk worms of the Parish. 



Roman remains found in the Park by Col. Meates and now exhibited 

 to the public proved that here was formerly a Roman settlement, while 

 discoveries of 1952 revealed the site of a very early Christian Church. 



On the lawn during the summer of 1873 the first game of Lawn 

 Tennis was played and the rules drafted by Sir William Hart Dyke, 

 Julian Marshall and John Heathcote are the foundation of those used 

 today. 



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