Reculver Towers is the remains of a 12th century church, which is located on the remains of Roman…read moreand Saxon buildings. The Towers themselves are perched on the top of a large cliff, which has been heavily eroded in the past and is the reason why there are only partial remains of the church left standing. Due to its location on the north coast, the towers lend themselves to some lovely photographs with the sunset to their rear and the sea to one side. There is a large stony beach at the base of the cliffs, which is ideal for dog walking rather than bathing, as the Thames Estuary leaves it somewhat muddy. Also be aware that the tide can come rather far in at certain times of the year, partially cutting off some areas at the base of the cliffs!! There are reputed to be a decent number of fossils to be found along the beach, especially following storms, though me and the dog have never found anything exciting. There is ample parking in the vicinity of the towers, good paths suitable for wheelchairs and buggies along the cliff top. There is also a pub very close by and a small shop/amusements arcade associated with the nearby caravan park. All in all, a nice place for a picnic or for a stroll.

A beautiful area to have a picnic on a sunny day. About 3k walk from Herne Bay. Not easily…read moreaccessible by public transport. Very good toilet facilities though, which is important on a picnic! Worth a visit if you're in the area, as it really is a beautiful spot.

A really interesting place to visit. The house is full of…read morehistorical objects from all over the world. The gardens are big with a variety of amazing plants. The museum hosts lots of artifacts from Powell Cottons adventures across Africa and Asia. It also contains a large collection of different specimens of animals. Children are invited to participate in fact finding questionnaires.

I thought the Grand Shaft, was Grand. Built between 1806 and 1809. We got the local bus to drop us…read moreoff at the top, and we walked down. What a great piece of history. Not open every day, check out the Facebook site for up to date info.

The Grand shaft was built to allow easy access for soldiers in the Napoleonic times from the…read morebarracks to the seafront. It incorporates a triple staircases in one so that if you are going down and someone is climbing up you will not meet each other or even be aware that you have passed them. This well worth a visit as there are some lovely walk to be had at the top of the shaft. Although the old barracks have all gone you can still see where they stood.

Authentic Roman ruins, no restoration copy here. Just takes your breath away. Would suggest you…read morevisit on a day when the weather is nice, think it would be difficult to enjoy in the rain (English picnic weather). Located by a river, right outside Sandwich, it's really very interesting. Plenty of helpful signs on site, to familiarize, yourself with the century, era, when all this occurred. There are no big signs, advertising this place, so I didn't think it would be much. It was a wonderful jaw dropping surprise. Definitely, worth a day trip from London, good place for family and kids. Sandwich is a quaint little nearby town, where you may shop or have something to eat. Make sure you take a camera with you. I'm so glad I was able to visit this site, I'll never forget it and neither will you.

This is probably the site where the Romans first landed in AD 43 and if you visit on a wind-swept…read moreday in November like we did, it feels as though you're in the middle of nowhere. Later a fort was built here to protect the Romans from other would-be invaders like the Vikings. My children love to wander around the ruins , jumping into ditches and rolling down the hills and English Heritage put on special days where you can see Roman armies drilling in full uniform. The fort is only open in the summer, but you can visit the surrounding areas all through the year. If you want to emulate the Romans, you can arrive by boat, by sailing from Sandwich.

Quick historical tour and history of the Westgate and its defense technology from 1400 years agoread more

One of the iconic landmarks of Canterbury, the old West Gate stands at the west end of the High…read moreStreet, beside the River Stour. Generations of medieval pilgrims passed under the gatehouse arch on their way to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. Road traffic now flows through the arch-it's a bit of an eye-opener to see a modern coach navigate the narrow opening. The West Gate was built by Archbishop Sudbury to replace an earlier Roman gate through the city walls. The west Gate was finished in 1380, but in the following year, Sudbury himself met a violent end at the hands of rebellious peasants during Wat Tyler's Peasant's Revolt. For many years the West Gate served as the town prison, connected by a walkway to the police station next door. Above the portcullis slot is a condemned cell', where prisoners awaiting execution were held. A bronze 18th-century medallion was found beneath the floorboards of the prison floor during recent repairs. The upper floor of the gatehouse is given over to a small West Gate Museum. Here will find armor and weapons used by defenders of Canterbury from the medieval period to World War 2 . Children can dress up in replica armor, and see the old prison cells within the gatehouse tower.

When visiting Dover, obviously, the White Cliffs are king…read more That being said, there's significant World War history attached to the Channelside town. There's the Dover Marine War Memorial (Marine Station in the Western Docks), British Legion War Memorial (on the promenade), and this beautiful, must-see memorial (also on the prom). The main words read: "Es flogen gegen England" ... German for "It flew against England." Its claim to fame is the memorial is armored plating, and gives the dates shells were fired from a long range gun at Sangatte (a township in the Pas-de-Calais district, on the northern coast of France on the English Channel). Erected by the Dover Harbour Board in 1954, it reads: "PRESENTED TO THE TOWN OF DOVER / BY THE BRITISH LEGION, CALAIS BRANCH Section of armoured plating dismantled from one of the German long range guns at Sangatte, Calais. The 84 rounds recorded formed part of the 2226 shells fired from these batteries at the harbour and town of Dover during the period 1940 to 1944. " It has a perfect location ... right off the promenade, overlooking the water, just a stone's throw from the deep, pebbled beach on Dover's Outer Harbour. To me, it joins the White Cliffs as a must-see while in Dover!

As you amble your way along St. George's Street on your way to Canterbury Cathedral, it would…read morebehoove to stop and drink in glorious St. George's Tower. It has storied and surprising history, most interesting being the fact that it is the last remaining vestige of the medieval church of St George the Martyr. The church, documented as far back as 1122 (!), is best known as the place where playwright Christopher Marlowe (Doctor Faustus) was baptized. It survived more than EIGHT centuries, but couldn't survive those damned Germans and their "Baedecker Blitz" bombing raid of Canterbury on June 1, 1942. If what remains is any indication, the church must have been a site to see. If you like Gothic architecture, you've come to the right place: There's a pointed archway (ogival), crenellated parapet (defensive structure at the roof-level), and two-light windows of the Gothic "perpendicular" style. Another great feature is the Clock Tower. While most clock towers are centerpieces near the top and inside a church, St. George's clock juts out over St. George's Street. Make sure to look closely, as you'll see a gargoyle on the underside. Also go underneath the tower to see its fascinating underside! When I've been there (always in the summer), Caffè Nero has had tables out in the small plaza right by the Tower. It's a great place to stop, check out the tower, and have a snack and drink before taking on Canterbury's grand Cathedral.