Tuesday 11th October 2022
My delightful hosts took me around the Isle of Sheppey which has a fascinating history. We stopped at the Minster, which is the highest point in the area and we could see over the low lying flat lands towards the 2 bridges, the Kingsferry and the newer Sheppey Crossing. Unfortunately the first church was locked so we drove on to the next highlight, the Aviation Museum.
Like many museums, this one is run by passionate volunteers who fill their retirement days by doing things for the community. The island has a long history of aviation development in England. The Short brother built aircraft which the Wright Brothers came to visit. From those early days through the war years the area was very Aviation friendly. I'd never heard of the Short brothers before, but we stopped in front of a statue to commemorate them.
We passed some prison grounds, caravan parks and holiday homes which are deserted now after the booming summer season, drove a back road past the nudist beach, and stopped in front of a Nature reserve and a small private area of the town where residents are said to stay cut-off from the rest of the world. Of course I had hundreds of questions but we moved onto a more peaceful sight of the next church, St Thomas the Apostle, Harty.
This one was open and it felt like we'd stepped across a gateway into days gone by. The smell of the church was familiar but old, and there was even a lantern hanging from the ceiling. The wooden beams looked so old and it has no electricity. The building dates back to the 11th or 12th century and has stunning views while looking at the graveyard.
All this fresh air, worked up a need for coffee and cake so we made our way to a local nursery's coffee shop.
A stunning day
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