Chiddingstone & the Search for the 'Chiding Stone'

The Chiding Stone is an extremely old stone, form 135 million years ago. (How do they know that?) It is what they called it, a device for 'chiding' ..... scolding and flogging 'wrongdoers'. It has also been used as a Druid altar. This is a very old village and is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. The family that I talk about in the church were major landowners and they were enormously wealthy. Their wealth came from the iron industry, which provided munitions for warships and building materials. There are many Streatfeild graves in the Church, In 1584, they build a house on what was then the high street. It was rebuilt in the 17th century and later, where the family castle was built. That is called Chiddingstone castle and is still lived in today and can be visited as we did. There are some amazing old buidlings here, protected by the National Trust. One that we went into was the oldest shop in England. Originally owned by Anne Boleyn's father. Henry VIII was very active in the area. The Inn, where we went to have coffee is a really welcoming place to visit. The staff are fantastically friendly and the Inn itself is an amazing buidling from the 15th century. So, Helena and I went for a wander. Shameful really ..... we've been living here for virtually 30 years and never visited the old Inn at Chiddingstone!! (Amongst other places) When it's on your doorstep, you tend to just forget!!!!