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East and Southeast England include the counties of Kent and Sussex, with their abundance of fascinating castles, famousgardens, and picturesque towns. Canterbury, in Kent, is one of the most
historic cathedral towns in England. Tourists have been visiting
Canterbury’s magnificent cathedral since before Chaucer wrote The
Canterbury Tales more than 600 years ago.
Many people want to visit the Kentish coastal town of Dover to see the
famous white cliffs. To be honest with you, you probably don’t want to
make Dover a special destination. Dover Castle, with its 1,000 years of
history (the castle was in use right through World War II), is well worth
visiting, but the town of Dover contains little else of interest.
Rye is a Sussex town whose charms are irresistible. More historic buildings (the earliest dates to 1250) line the cobblestone streets and timewarped lanes than in any other town in England. With its fine restaurants
and cozy inns, Rye makes a good base for further exploration of this area
along the Channel coast. If the date 1066 means anything to you, you
may want to visit nearby Battle, where William the Conqueror defeated
King Harold at the Battle of Hastings and thus gained control of England.
Walk around the famous battlefield and explore the ruins of the abbey
William erected to commemorate his victory. You can’t get much closer
to English history than that!
Brighton is a popular resort town on the south coast, within commuting
distance to London (the town makes for an easy day trip). Brighton has been a seaside destination since the early 19th century, when the prince
regent built the remarkable Royal Pavilion, now the town’s major tourist
attraction. With its long beach, amusement pier, promenades, and latenight club scene, Brighton remains a favorite weekend getaway spot.
In addition to the preceding towns, stately homes, and magnificent gardens of Kent . The American Astor family purchased, restored, and lived in Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, second wife
of Henry VIII. Knole, with 365 rooms and many of its original Elizabethan
furnishings, is the largest and one of the most splendid country homes
in England. Knole was the birthplace of Vita Sackville-West, who later
created, with her husband, Harold Nicholson, the world-famous gardens
at Sissinghurst, now a place of pilgrimage for garden lovers from around
the world. Kings and queens who spent time at Leeds Castle, built more
than 900 years ago, added to the moated castle over the centuries.