Cooling Castle fell after only eight hours under siege (Image: Google Maps)
Tucked away in the northwest reaches of Kent lies a charming village of Cooling.
Boasting a mere 200 residents, this idyllic spot is an absolute gem for those seeking a tranquil day out amid the history and natural beauty of the Garden of England.
With its countryside walks and peaceful ambience, Cooling is certainly a place to absorb the richness of rural Britain.
The village, nestled on the Hoo Peninsula, is home to a 14th-century fortress constructed to defend against French raids into the Thames Estuary. Despite sustaining severe damage in 1554 after being besieged by Sir Thomas Wyatt, the remnants of Cooling Castle remain a sight to behold.
While the structure itself remains inaccessible to visitors due to its dilapidated state, within its walls stands a historic manor house alongside other period buildings.
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St James’ Church is among the charms of Cooling (Image: Google Maps)
These ruins are now the residence of legendary pianist and Squeeze band founding member Jools Holland, reports .
In an interview with Great British Life in 2022, Holland lavished praise on Kent, likening Rochester to “one of the most beautiful old cities in the world, a bit of a hidden gem”. He said: “Kent is unique, almost like an island because it is surrounded by water on three sides.
“It boasts such diversity in the sense that Rochester is completely different to Tunbridge Wells and Romney Marsh is different to the Kent Downs; there are so many contrasts in one county.”
The nearby barn on the property, which acts as a wedding venue, caters to a wide range of ceremonies, no matter how ‘large, small, formal, informal, quirky and very quirky’.
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Jools Holland is among the residents (Image: BBC Studios)
A review found on hitched.co.uk said: “What a fantastic venue to be married.
“Myself and all the guests were blown away with the beauty and character of Cooling’s barn. The staff were excellent, polite, friendly and willing to help anyway they could. I couldn’t fault a thing.”
The barn boasts a charming ceremony room described as ‘atmospheric, calm and romantic’ plus a delightful wedding pavilion in the grounds alongside St James’ Church.
Renowned for its “yummiest food” made from top-quality ingredients, the venue says on its website: “Our aim is to keep our wedding day calm and stress-free; your duty manager will be discreetly by your side to make sure that you relax and enjoy your day.”
Nearby lies another gem – the historic parish Church of St James, dating back to the late 13th century and standing as witness to Jools Holland’s marriage to Christabel McEwen back in August 2005.
This architectural marvel, stewarded by the Churches Conservation Trust, welcomes visitors every day, with its churchyard said to have sparked the imagination of Charles Dickens himself.
As visitchurches.org.uk said: “Charles Dickens used the churchyard of St James as his inspiration in the opening chapter of Great Expectation, where the hero Pip meets Magwitch the convict.”