14.09.2018: Lena + Keith's in Highstead, England

We had an incredible day, having been picked up by Casey's relatives, Lena and Keith Jordan, in Sittingbourne. They drove us to their home in Highstead Valley, which used to be an old water pump station. It's a very beautiful home filled with old photos and trinkets from all their travels and around the area. Their yard and garden are also something to be envied! 

They took us on such a great adventure today, and here are some pictures of what they showed us:

Lena and Keith's home, Waterside

Lena and Casey 

Milstead Cricket Club pavilion; notice the thatched roof

Lena wrote a book about Milsted and the cricket club here, for which she's been
widely recognized.

Courtnie in front of the pavilion

We met the caretaker of the pavilion and cricket pitch, also named Keith,
and he explained to us that the roof was re-thatched not long ago with reed instead of the
original wheat straw. They had to go through quite a large process to do so, as it is protected as
a heritage building and the reed would be different than the original material used. However,
they prevailed and were able to use reed, which is much more durable and can last up to 30
years before having to be replaced.

It really is an art form, and the ridge is made out of wheat straw still, as it bends much nicer.
There is also netting around it to deter birds from stealing the straw and reed for nests.

Lena and Keith took us to the Milsted church and cemetery, which was started
 in 1100 A.D. Many of the headstones are illegible due to weathering. Lena, being
the historian that she is though, has a detailed list of everyone buried here and where.

Keith, Casey, and Lena standing outside the bell tower. The graves are not organized in a
grid pattern like they are at home, and are quite random. There are many just placed right
along the walk way.

The main door. The entire church is constructed out of flint, as all of
the soil and ground is of flint in this area.

The cemetery holds many people of importance to the area; there are some
tombs as well that hold families all in one area underground. 

The "Devil's Door". A small side door on the church that the vicar would
use to come in .

Apparently Casey is too large to be a devil...

Keith explained how the flint, if hit in the right way, will shear off and'
create a really smooth, glassy surface, making it a really nice material
for facades of buildings.

The church was all built by hand, so portions were added over time. Keep in mind
there was no scaffolding or types of support that we have now when building
with [all irregular sized] stone.

Courtnie and Lena visiting in their friend Victoria's beautiful garden. The archway
in the background goes on to the turf tennis court.

More of Victoria's garden.

Victoria's house is quite spectacular. It used to be a shop, and it too is protected as a
heritage building. She has done a magnificent job keeping it and restoring it to reflect
the time in which it was built.

We got a great tour of her huge home.

This is in the master bedroom and is called the crown post. It was used in
beam construction of this type and bore all the weight from the roof. Quite
the architectural feat!

Her gorgeous four poster bed with a glass partition where the support
posts are, in order to let in light and keep the structure visible.

The timbers in all of the rooms were so cool to see. All of the plaster work is
also done by a specialist in historic restoration.

Ornate window latches.

The loft in one of the bedrooms.

Each unique space was utilized. This one is in the upstairs bathroom.

The wood working really was something else!

Both of us loved how quaint, and grand at the same time, it was. There
were so many unique moments in the house.

Keith took us and Victoria's working cocker spaniel, Merlin, for a walk
through the countryside.

One of the many apple orchards in the area.

Lovely apples and the flinty soil. The stone lumps kind of look like bone when
they're unbroken. I have no idea how people are able to farm here...

Lena and Casey walking through the orchard.

Victoria's house once again.

This is called the Lychgate. Every English church typically has one, and it is a sheltered
gate for either brides to be walked through, or a funeral procession to enter
the cemetery through.

Keith promising us that he will get the keys to take us in to the church tomorrow!

Another  thatched roof cottage.

The ridge on this one was very ornate and beautiful! The detail of the thatching was really
something else.

We were really surprised at how low the roof came!

And how thick! The owner described to us that they had a master thatcher come to re-do
it not long ago, and the first few layers actually do not have to ever be replaced as they never get
touched by the sun or weather.

This is Milsted School, which is also made out of flint. Lena went there, as
well as her father and uncles, and her children! 

We know what you're thinking... you went all the way to England and are taking pictures
of cows?! Well we're here to tell you, these aren't Jerseys, they're a breed called Dexters,
and they apparently produce extremely creamy milk!

This was Percy Cowley's (Casey's great uncle) dairy farm. Percy was
his great grandma Beatrice Knight's brother.

The farmhouse at Percy Cowley's old dairy farm.