KENTSTAYCATION
FULL OF
Character
FROM MARKINGS ON CLAY TABLETS IN ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA TO INKWELLS IN DESKS , THE INVENTION OF THE TYPEWRITER AND THE NOTETAKING APPS ON OUR PHONES , THERE IS EVIDENTLY ONE THING - REGARDLESS OF CHANGING TECHNOLOGIES - THAT MAKES US ALL SO DISTINCTLY HUMAN : THE DESIRE TO TELL STORIES .
L uckily for Kent ’ s residents , our county is rife with literary connections , with plenty of historic houses and boltholes in which prolific writers sought creative sanctuary , taking their pens with them . From places in coastal towns that were so beloved by our favourite authors to stately manors amongst quintessentially British countryside , here are the characterful abodes that will whisk your imagination straight to the scenes brought to life by Kent ’ s iconic stories and storytellers .
Connected to Derek Jarman ( 1942 - 1994 ) Fog Signal Building , Dungeness bloomstays . com
Derek Jarman was a painter , poet , filmmaker and gay rights activist who lived in Dungeness from 1986 - 1994 . Having fallen in love with the landscape , Jarman lived within Prospect Cottage - a former Victorian fisherman ’ s hut - and basked in the scenic views of one of Kent ’ s most vital landscapes . Internationally important for its conservation of plant , invertebrate and bird life , Dungeness is a unique shingle landscape that stretches across the southern coast of Kent . With Prospect Cottage now a fitting memorial to Jarman ’ s work , it ’ s plain to see how the surrounding landscape inspired his writing . In his last book , Derek Jarman ’ s Garden ( 1995 ), he described his home with pure adoration : ‘ Dungeness , Dungeness , your beauty is the best , forget the hills and valleys .’
To witness firsthand the beauty of what Derek Jarman wrote , visitors can head to the Fog Signal Building for an unforgettable stay at an industrial-inspired holiday home with dramatic views from every window . Featuring contrasting bare oak ceilings with contemporary furniture pieces , the Fog Signal Building is equipped for all manner of activities from relaxing to cooking , writing and - best of all - reading the work of Kent ’ s most iconic literary voices .
Connected to H . G . Wells ( 1866 - 1946 ) CABÜ by the Sea , Romney Marsh cabu . co . uk
An English writer who wrote more than 50 novels and dozens of short stories , H . G . Wells was a prolific author of fiction and non-fiction , with works of social commentary , satire , politics , history and autobiography cementing his literary legacy . Though best known for his science fiction novels , Wells ’ supposed favourite work was his novel , Kipps : The Story of a Simple Soul , which centred around the character of Arthur Kipps as he progressed from rags to riches .
While living on the coast of Sandgate , Wells took inspiration from the Kent marshes , writing the very landscape into his work : ‘ The incessant interest of the mystery and motion of windmills , the windy excursions with boarded feet over the yielding shingle to Dungeness lighthouse - far adrift from reality ... long excursions reaching even to Hythe , where the machine guns of the Empire are forever whirling and tapping .’
To connect with the very same views that H . G . Wells once gazed upon , guests can stay at CABÜ by the Sea , an intimate retreat on a stretch of grassland beside the Romney Marsh seafront . With access to the beach and miles of explorable coastline , their Writers Studio cabin features luxury interiors , a cosy log burner and a private timber deck to enjoy the inspiring views .
FOG SIGNAL BUILDING www . insidekent . co . uk • 49