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Wealden Times Magazine is the monthly lifestyle magazines for Kent & Sussex. Discover beautiful homes and interiors, read about their owners, find recipes for every occasion and delve into our pages on horticulture. Feel inspired by our fashion features and get the latest on health and beauty.

Welcome to real Tunbridge Wells

When Cathe and John Wheatman moved into their generously proportioned Victorian town house four-and-a-half years ago they were only the third family to live in it, since it was built in 1870.  That must be a pretty rare record –...

The Haven

After buying buildings they had admired for years, a couple well-versed in renovating properties have created a uniquely peaceful and welcoming home they now open as a B&B sanctuary It’s hard to pinpoint what determines the atmosphere of a house....

Turkey Ropa Vieja

No, not a curry! Use up leftover turkey in this warming Cuban-inspired stew.  In a saucepan, heat the rapeseed oil and fry the onion, chillies, ginger, allspice, cinnamon and pepper.When onions are translucent add the cubed turkey and stir to...

Spiral seasonal tart

Preheat oven to 190˚C. Grease and line a 22cm (8 inch) fluted tart tin.Cube your cold butter into a bowl with the sifted flours in, rub together with your fingers until like breadcrumbs. Slowly add warm water, mixing with a...

Sweet & sour baked ham

Put the gammon joint, cider, peppercorns, onion, bay, celery, carrots and parsley into a large pan, followed by enough water to cover the ham, then add the thyme and rosemary. Bring slowly to the boil, skim off any scum, then...

Canopies of Wonder

Sue Whigham shares her love of native trees and their regional differences Wayland’s Smithy is a Neolithic long barrow in Oxfordshire built about a mile and a half along the ancient Ridgeway from the Uffington White Horse. History has it...

Seasonal Scentedness

Jo Arnell’s recommendations for naturally festive fragrances to raise your Christmas spirits You’d be forgiven for thinking that Christmas fragrance comes in the form of a mulled wine sachet or a garden centre scented candle as a pervasive blend of...

Meet the Head: Mr Nick Waite, Head of Beechwood Sacred Heart School

We find out a little bit more about Mr Nick Waite, Head of Beechwood Sacred Heart School in Tunbridge Wells  What was your first ever job? My first paid job was at a cling film factory when I was a...

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Life’s a Beach

The impact of Lockdown on our local community has been profound and, as a school, we have learnt much along the way.  Although we have been using Google Suite for many years, the moment we launched our ‘School without Buildings’...

Coffee and cardamon (no-churn) ice-cream

This is adapted from Diana Henry’s recipe and is the simplest ice cream I’ve ever made. Actually, I don’t make much ice-cream, as the thought of having another kitchen-clogging machine puts me off, but the addition of a single ingredient...

Easy Monkfish curry

This curry can be made with any firm white fish and if you make the sauce in advance and refrigerate overnight (or freeze until needed) it can be made very quickly. Add all the spices and oil to a heavy-based...

Onion and Courgette Bhajis

The hardest bit in this recipe is the eye-watering process of slicing the onions. These bhajis are so simple to prepare and may help to use up any courgettes still lurking out there. Mix all the ingredients together in a...

Interior Vocation

With an eye for design that she has honed working on the complete renovation of her own period cottage, and following a career in events management, interiors lover Rebecca Middleton has hit the ground running with the start of her...

Cover Girl

Former Fashion Director turned upholsterer, Sadie Dorchester takes Antonia Methuen on a tour of the interior of her spacious Victorian terrace, the gorgeous result of a seven-year renovation project Like many people who move to Hastings, Sadie Dorchester and her...

Lazy bottom

Do you suffer from lower back pain? You just might have a lazy butt! Most people are unaware of how important their buttocks (actually their gluteal muscles or glutes) are to their overall core stability and overall muscular skeletal health....

Holiday skin

Henrietta Norton’s six steps to sensational post-holiday skin Nourishing our skin is always important, never more so than when we return from a sunny holiday, to prevent dry skin and premature ageing and to prolong your sun-kissed glow. Here are...

A Taste of the Exotic

Tom Hart Dyke, Curator of The World Garden at Lullingstone Castle, shares his passion and top plant care tips for orchids – which aren’t always as tropical as you may think Orchids are now considered to be the largest family...

Where the WILD things are

Try these tips to encourage wildlife to flourish in your garden “There is a shortage of natural nesting holes for wild birds, which impacts population numbers of many familiar species. Putting up a nestbox provides shelter and attracts welcome visitors...

Shape it up…

Sue Whigham makes a statement with unusual colours and shapes Well, the usual deluge hasn’t happened today. Perhaps spring is definitely on its way. Actually, I think it is and so do the bumblebees. I saw a huge one collecting...

Wild at heart

How have our Wealden garden designers been encouraging wildlife back into the garden with wildflower planting?  WILDFLOWER MEADOWS “Creating a wildflower meadow in your garden is a lovely way to ‘soften’ the space and to encourage wildlife diversity, such as...

Sow a meadow

With many options to choose from, Jo Arnell talks us through the basics A dreamy meadow full of poppies, cornflowers and ox-eye daisies is a lovely thing to behold, but perhaps more fantasy than reality in the countryside these days –...

Final Goodbyes

We talk about the different options available for funeral services Jo Loveridge, funeral director and owner of Albany Funerals   Does a funeral have to take place in a church or crematorium? It can do if you want it to,...

Reading Pleasure

Hilary Wilce emphasises how settling down with a good book can considerably boost your child’s progress at school Last month we celebrated World Book Day, the annual international event that champions reading, especially among children. Students were given £1 book...

Feasts for Families :: Roast Loin of Lamb with Jersey Royals & Chimichurri

Like many herby sauces, chimichurri transforms plain fish, meat and veggies into show stopping meals. Treat lamb loins like fillet steak – season them generously, sear them and don’t overcook. They are very lean and so require less cooking than...

Feasts for Families :: Spring Risotto

Simple and full of fresh spring flavours, I often make asparagus risotto but decided to bulk this one out with everything green I could lay my hands on. Method Snap off the woody ends from the asparagus and discard them.Chop...

Feasts for Families :: Teriyaki Salmon, Noodle & Vegetable Traybake

We all know that eating oily fish is good for you – it’s brain boosting food! Whether it’s the smell, the flavour, the skin – or is it the bones that can sneak in no matter how careful you are...

Fables from the Farm :: April

It’s April, Easter is upon us, and that of course means we’ll be busy lambing The rams went in with the ewes on Bonfire Night and five months later, April Fool’s Day, the lambs start arriving. And every year we...

House of Beulah

Using her own professional skills, Zoe Joannou has transformed a classic Tunbridge Wells villa into a glamorous space for modern living I started off interviewing interior designer Zoe Joannou about her own house – but I was soon asking questions...

Dressed to Impress

The transformation of a Grade II listed building, which once served as a public house before becoming an oriental restaurant, has been 20 years in the making for creative couple Jane and Rob – enlisting the help of many talented...

Dreaming of a French Escape?

Are you lusting after the idea of owning a rural property in France, but not sure how and where to start your search? WT asks the advice of French property finders, Country Homes France How does Country Homes France work?...

Retire in Style

Stunning Surroundings at Wildernesse House A collection of 31 one- and two-bedroom apartments in the historic Grade II listed Wildernesse House, and eight new mews houses set in the sprawling Wildernesse Estate, Sevenoaks, are now available from luxury retirement home...

The Evolution of Beauty

How does the way we look after our skin and hair change as we age? We go straight to the experts for tips, tricks and treatments to maintain optimum condition Hair... Russell Barradell, owner of William Charles Hair, Tenterden How does...

Courses & Hobbies

Our rundown of five of the best from across the South East Cook Smart...  Last month, The Limpsfield Cookery School in Surrey opened its doors for the first time to provide a range of classes focusing on various culinary skills,...

Fit over 50!

Sarah Maxwell explains how it’s time to ramp things up when it comes to exercise Are you 50+ and think it’s about time that you slowed down and took things easier? I’m going to disappoint a few of you now...

It’s good to talk

With the baby boomer generation set to pass on a significant amount of wealth, discussing plans and goals with beneficiaries can give everyone a head start, as Anna Murdock explains “Communication is something we as a nation have always been...

Mental Health Matters

New Beacon School will host a children’s wellbeing conference in April, Emily Pavey finds out more New Beacon School is shining a light on child mental health. In April they host Helping Young People Navigate the 21st Century, a conference...

Fresh Thinking

Hilary Wilce looks at the impact of environment on learning outcomes March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers, the old rhyme tells us. But according to many teachers March winds bring forth something altogether less welcome – classrooms...

Join the Club

We talk to schools about what goes on outside the classroom Mayfield School, East Sussex “Mayfield School has a tradition of developing academic excellence. Our curriculum encourages questioning, reflection, creativity and the freedom to learn from mistakes.  While maths and...

It’s a Wild World

Sue Whigham discusses the measures we can all take to protect biodiversity Last week, squeezed in amongst the newspaper supplements, I spotted a report on comments made by the new President of the British Ecological Society. In it she urges...

Easy Edibles

Read Jo Arnell’s words of wisdom and your gardening confidence will grow alongside your supply of home grown veg  Whatever anyone tells you about growing your own vegetables – it’s a lot of hard work, things often go wrong, pests...

A Piece of Cake: Banana Loaf

Rope in some extra help – this recipe is great for the kids to get messy with Method: Preheat your oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Oil and line a 2lb loaf cake tin. Put the bananas still in...

A Piece of Cake: Rhubarb Crumble and Custard Cake

To make the crumble:  Put all crumble ingredients into a bowl and rub until it resembles chunky breadcrumbs. To make the cake:  Preheat your oven to 160°C, fan 140°C, gas 3. Oil and line 2 x 8 inch spring form...

A Piece of Cake: Cinnamon ‘Breakfast in Bed Cake’

Method: Preheat oven to 160°C, fan140°C, gas 3. Oil and line an 8 inch spring form cake tin. Mix cinnamon, salt and brown sugar in a bowl and leave to one side.Add the lemon juice to the milk.Beat your butter...

The Forever Home

When it came to renovating their dream house, Andy and Ran turned to their friend and interior designer Justine Hodgson-Barker to ensure they ended up with a home fit to start the next chapter of their life Andy Clark and...

The House of Magical Objects

Maggie Alderson takes a step through the looking glass into this Hastings writer’s home Sally Gardner writes award-winning children’s books of extraordinary imagination – and has the house to match. Some houses are family homes, some are private havens, others...

Fables from the Farm: Missing her feathered friends, Jane restocks her flock with rare breeds

With the evenings beginning to draw out and the first crocuses poking through it’s just about possible to imagine that spring is round the corner. And at Coopers Farm that means only one thing: the arrival of abundant and assorted...