I believe the two houses were gate houses on the private road from Chiddingstone to Hever Castle - if anyone knows better please let me know!
This first delightful view of the shamefully demolished Round House in Chiddingstone was given to me by my mother.
It was published by W G Lawrence, of Tonbridge in Kent. I wonder who all those people are (presumably local), it would be lovely to find out!
A recent email correspondent (Ray Reynolds) has found a newspaper cutting with an image of James Edward Fautly (aged 89) and his wife sitting inside one of these round houses taken on May 24th 1938 by a local newspaper. The cutting is in poor condition and the publication is unknown - if anyone has any suggestions or can provide more details please contact me.
The second card shows the house on the other side of the road, with the building in the above picture, covered in ivy, on the right. Again, it would be lovely to identify the individuals in the picture. The card is produced by H H Camburn, Tunbridge Wells for C P Wells, Post Office, Chiddingstone. It is numbered 22.
Number 21 in the same series depicts the view looking the other way and rather nicely includes both of these attractive buildings. I would imagine the photos were taken on the same day as the lady in the apron appears in both.
What a pity these lovely buildings are no longer there to enhance the parish.
More about Chiddingstone can be found here.
Scanned antique postcard
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