8 minutes
Eridge explained: the deer park, the station and the rocks
Eridge, Eridge Green, Eridge Park, Eridge station, Eridge Rocks and Harrison’s Rocks nearby: one name, several places, and why it helps to tell them apart.
The Journal
Gardens, castles & days out
Places to explore from Martins Farm, across East Sussex, Kent and the High Weald.
A day out from Martins Farm might begin in Frant, continue into Royal Tunbridge Wells or follow the lanes further into Sussex and Kent. Here we gather our local guides, village visits and ideas for places to explore. The seasonal collections offer another way in, with gardens, castles and family outings grouped by time of year. Follow the links in each article for the place itself, and check current opening arrangements before setting off.
Latest in Gardens, castles & days out
6 minutes
October half term in the High Weald: seven days without needing seven plans
Half term has arrived, and with it the temptation to fill nine days with nine attractions. Seven ideas from Martins Farm, with one firm instruction: do not do all seven.
5 minutes
Green hops, old apples and new art
An October weekend near Martins Farm does not need much planning. A railway full of green-hop beer, an old village hall full of new work, and the useful instruction to leave a little time unallocated.
7 minutes
What to do near Tunbridge Wells when it rains
Rain moving sideways across the window on a Saturday morning near Tunbridge Wells: museums, historic houses, heritage trains and knowing when to come home.
9 minutes
Six High Weald villages worth a detour
Frant, Wadhurst, Mayfield, Lamberhurst, Goudhurst and Hartfield: six High Weald villages worth turning off the main road for, each for a different reason.
6 minutes
The quiet end of a wedding weekend
A wedding invitation usually contains a very precise ceremony time and a rather less precise description of where everybody is supposed to sleep.
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The Journal Archive
Search titles, places, topics and words from the articles.
12 pieces in Gardens, castles & days out, newest first.
2026
September 2026
- Eridge explained: the deer park, the station and the rocksGardens, castles & days out
- October half term in the High Weald: seven days without needing seven plansGardens, castles & days out
- Green hops, old apples and new artGardens, castles & days out
- What to do near Tunbridge Wells when it rainsGardens, castles & days out
- Six High Weald villages worth a detourGardens, castles & days out
- The quiet end of a wedding weekendGardens, castles & days out
August 2026
- A Weekend in the High Weald Without a CarGardens, castles & days out
- Is Frant in Kent or East Sussex? A High Weald Weekend on Both SidesGardens, castles & days out
- A weekend in FrantGardens, castles & days out
- One good thing a dayGardens, castles & days out
- Bottles from the same hillsGardens, castles & days out
- Opera and open-air jazz: two dates worth planning aroundGardens, castles & days out