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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.

Strong Foundations

When Morgan and Jon moved from London to Tunbridge Wells, they embarked on a sizeable renovation project, breathing life back into a property’s late Victorian bones to create a beautiful family home If you want a sturdy heritage home with...

Stable Star

Interior designer Ben Stokes’ redesign of an old stables has resulted in a perfectly formed and popular airbnb rental with lashings of individuality  When we arrive at The Stables there’s a baby outside, lying happily in her pram. No crying...

Nougat

1. Roast the nuts on three baking sheets at 160˚C for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Take out the oven and leave to cool. 2. Put 400g of the sugar in a thick-bottomed saucepan with the glucose and 125ml...

Pan Seared Scallops, Cauliflower & Crispy Chicken Skin

For the cauliflower:  1. Cut the cauliflower into florets. 2. Slice 2 large florets thinly on a mandolin and place in a separate container. Add 100ml white wine vinegar over the sliced florets and 60g caster sugar. Carefully stir, ensuring...

Hot Smoked Salmon

This dish is a real crowd pleaser and centrepiece showstopper. The delicate smoky flavour combines perfectly with freshness of the dill and lime. It is extremely versatile – have it on Christmas morning with scrambled eggs and muffins, whip up...

Keep it Manageable

Sarah Maxwell shares her Christmas exercise stress busters With Christmas around the corner, I’m focusing on the benefits of stretching, to keep you in tip top form – both mentally and physically – during this busy season. Although Christmas is...

New Beginnings

Jo Arnell takes a closer look at houseplants for Christmas – and beyond – with help from The Glasshouse Project It’s been a tradition to bring evergreen foliage into the home at this time of year for thousands of years....

Meet the Head: Eastbourne College’s Tom Lawson

Eastbourne College’s Tom Lawson explains what keeps him inspired as a teacher and head What inspired you to pursue a career in education? My English teacher at school, Poppy Anderson, inspired me to teach and I had many other great...

Slow, Grow, Eat

Hairdresser-turned-shepherdess, Zoë Colville farms nearly 100 acres of land near Maidstone with her partner, Chris Woodhead. With prime focus on their animals’ wellbeing, together they rear cows, sheep, goats and pigs, eventually selling their meat through The Little Farm Fridge....

Meet the Head: St Andrew’s Prep’s
Headmaster, Tom Gregory

St Andrew’s Prep’s new Headmaster, Tom Gregory, discusses how his own fond memories of being a pupil at the school he now heads-up have made him realise his dream of becoming a teacher You’re brand new to St Andrew’s Prep,...

Coastal Drama

Interior masters, Fred & Ginger, have taken on the renovation of an incredibly positioned seaside property, transforming it from tired care home to design spectacular Not all period properties pass gently from owner to owner, sympathetically updated and treated with...

Rooms with a View

Having decided to make Hastings their home, writer Sue Dawson and her architect husband Paul Gammon were struggling to find the right spot, until they chanced upon a tumbledown bungalow with huge potential The great charm of Hastings Old Town,...

Raspberries Baked with a Pecan, Cinnamon & Oat Crumb Topping

The speediest but most delicious pudding you can imagine. The topping is made in the time it takes to melt the butter. It can be made in advance and happily kept in the fridge. Using frozen raspberries means there is...

Warm Crab & Horseradish Dip with Homemade Tostaditas

This utterly sublime crab dip takes 3 mins to put together, perfect for having with drinks. I’ve paired it with homemade tostaditas, which can be made a few days in advance and stored in an airtight container (or simply serve...

Dauphinoise Potatoes

This is a glorious creamy potato dish, flavoured with Gruyère cheese and garlic. It can be cooked the day before and simply reheated when ready to serve. It’s super quick to make if you use a food processor. The slicer...

Beef Carpaccio

This is a wonderful way to enjoy fillet of beef. The perfect entertaining dish, as it can all be cooked in advance, makes the beef go a long way and is gorgeous with big salads, or hearty potato dishes such...

Make Your Winter Garden a Wildlife Haven

Follow Jo Arnell’s expert tips for a thriving outside space all year round Imagine sleeping in the garden all through the winter months. Where would you sleep? In the shed? Under a hedge? I could possibly eke it out for...

A Taste of the Mediterranean

It is possible to bring a little holiday magic into your own garden, as Sue Whigham explains As the nights draw in, the thought of a Mediterranean holiday becomes more and more appealing. The image in one’s mind of being...

Meet the Head: Nicky Whittaker, Head of Pre-prep at Vinehall

Nicky Whittaker, Head of Pre-prep at Vinehall, talks to us about what inspires her  What are you most looking forward to in the coming year?  I am most looking forward to running a school year which is as normal as...

Expanding Horizons

Interior designer Cassie Williams’ family home is a masterclass in clutter-free accessorising – mixing new and upcycled seamlessly and stylishly You can tell a lot about a home – and its owner, from the front garden and as we approach...

History in Colour

The complete refurbishment of British Army General Sir John Moore’s Hastings home provided an irresistible project for George and Charlotte Rendall A long the East Sussex and Kent coast some of the country’s greatest military landmarks make their mark, from...

Globe Trotters

Mayfield School explains why their premium equestrian facilities offer the ultimate experience for horse-loving pupils Tell us about horse riding at Mayfield… Located in 75 acres of the beautiful Sussex countryside, Mayfield School has a long tradition of horse riding....

Paws 4 Thought

Therapy (PAT) Dogs have become an intergral part of school life at Holmewood House School, providing comfort and easing anxiety for pupils across the year groups. Here, we get to know a little bit more about the group of four...

Black Cat, Bat & Toothsome Cupcakes

These are surprisingly easy to make – to be quite honest, any combination of ghoulishly coloured icing and lurid sweets will go down well. Let your imagination run wild and get monstrously creative. Pre-heat oven to gas 4/160˚C. Line cupcake...

Creepy Pizzas

If you don’t want to go to the bother of making your own pizza dough, there are kits available (near the ready rolled pastry at most supermarkets), and even part baked pizza bases and tomato topping. They can be circular...

Jack O’ Lantern Chicken Pies

These pies are scarily simple to put together and can be made to suit the size of the pie dishes you have to hand – make cute individual servings or one big pie. These are made with sweet potato and...

The Thought that Counts

Sarah Maxwell takes a closer look at mindfulness and its role in exercise The health, fitness and wellbeing industry is ever-changing, over the years we have seen many things come and go, but mindfulness practice is here to stay. Mindfulness...

Wild Harvests

Jo Arnell is scouring the English countryside for all its treasures General foraging rules Make sure you can identify the plant – poisonous plants can look edible and some may look almost identical to edible varietiesDon’t pick from roadsides polluted...

Top Trunks

Sue Whigham takes a closer look at native trees and hedging and explains how we can all do our bit to provide year-round sustenance and shelter for wildlife What a peculiar year it has proved to be weather-wise and every...

Slow, Grow, Eat

Hairdresser-turned-shepherdess, Zoë Colville farms nearly 100 acres of land near Maidstone with her partner, Chris Woodhead. With prime focus on their animals’ wellbeing, together they rear cows, sheep, goats and pigs, eventually selling their meat through The Little Farm Fridge....

A touch of Beverly Hills

An interior designer adds contemporary glamour to a Georgian family home It was the pool that did it. Out there on the pristine white non-slip flagstones, with the groovy all-weather sofa and armchairs, the dining area and the pool house,...

Case Study: Silver Screening

New Wave AV discuss a special project in East Sussex Can you run us through the project brief? “We were approached by this customer with the idea of converting an underutilised garage into a luxurious dedicated home cinema. During the...

Case Study: Space Odyssey

Audio visual specialists Philharmonic talk us through a custom Cinema Room created specially for a family home in Wandsworth First, can you tell us a little about the background of this project? “The cinema space was a key focus for...

A World Beyond

Surrounded by countryside and forest, a beautiful country house with truly enviable gardens has been opened up for photoshoots by its owners Eight years ago when Michelle and Ian were looking to relocate from Otham, near Maidstone, they had decided...

Goats’ cheese, nectarine & Parma ham salad

Put water on to boil for the pasta, then while the linguine is cooking, gently fry the anchovy fillets (which will melt away into the pan), garlic and chilli for three minutes or so.Add in the kale (if using older...

Blackberry & hazelnut mini baked Alaskas

Hints of autumn suffuse this version of the classic ice-cream cake. I’ve made 4 mini Alaskas here, but the recipe should adapt to one larger (which might stay solid in the middle for longer). This is not difficult to make,...

Lemony linguine with kale, walnuts & anchovy

Put water on to boil for the pasta, then while the linguine is cooking, gently fry the anchovy fillets (which will melt away into the pan), garlic and chilli for three minutes or so.Add in the kale (if using older...

Live fast die young

Let your borders live life in the fast lane with Jo Arnell’s annual selection Hardy annuals, as their name suggests, are tough, easy going plants that will survive the frosts, so they can be sown in the autumn to flower...

What to do in September

Sue Whigham rolls up her sleeves for a host of garden activities this month Two little granddaughters went home earlier in the week with, amongst other things, a plastic container full of seed heads that they had chased across the...

Robotics and Emerging Technologies: Reed’s School

How Reed’s are keeping up with the latest advances Gareth Hart, Assistant Head, Digital Learning & Head of FutureTech at Reed’s School How are you keeping children abreast with the latest technological developments? At Reed’s we not only start computing lessons...

Robotics and Emerging Technologies: Ashford Prep School

How Ashford Prep School are keeping up with the latest advances Mr Nick Tiley-Nunn, Headmaster of Ashford Prep School How are you keeping children abreast with the latest technological developments? In terms of keeping up with the latest technological developments,...

The Ripple Effect: Battle Abbey School

How excellent pool facilities are enabling students to develop their strength in multiple swimming events Does your pool operate all year round? Yes, the pool is obviously used very extensively by Battle Abbey pupils during term time, but a variety...

Get Involved!

Parents of Parkside create a new Outdoor Classroom Parents of Parkside (PoP) is a PTA with a difference. They are an inclusive ‘Community’ of families connected to Parkside School, who have a variety of talents to bring to the table....

Meet the Head: Head of Claremont Senior School, Ed Dickie

Head of Claremont Senior School, Ed Dickie, chats career progression, teaching, and the rewards of overcoming learning challenges with students What were you doing before you joined Claremont? Before I joined Claremont I spent 13 years at Bedes/St. Bedes School...

Slow, Grow, Eat

Hairdresser-turned-shepherdess, Zoë Colville farms nearly 100 acres of land near Maidstone with her partner, Chris Woodhead. With prime focus on their animals’ wellbeing, together they rear cows, sheep, goats and pigs, eventually selling their meat through The Little Farm Fridge....

Knock on Wood

The combination of bespoke woodwork and choice mid-century pieces creates chic sophistication in this St Leonards maisonette When it comes to the dream team of people to transform a run-down maisonette into an apartment with the kind of quiet sophistication...

Home at Dormestone

Kim Partridge's vision for a Grade II listed farmhouse has seen its tranfsormation from a dark and gothic interior to an informal and relaxed space with a strong family vibe The dream of finding an idyllic rural retreat steeped in history and...