Famous Faces and Local Legacies
Meet the heroes and heroines of the South East, individuals who have all lit up the region in some way, shape or form, leaving lasting impressions behind. From world famous painters, writers and war heroes to local legends with impressive legacies - retrace the steps of a famous few.
Henry VIII
Find out more about one of the country's most famous monarchs, King Henry VIII, on a tour of the Garden of England. Visit Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn Henry's ill fated second wife and mother to eventual monarch Elizabeth I. After Anne's death ownership of the property was transferred to his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, who he met in the not so far away city of Rochester.
Charles Dickens
Another famous name wrapped up with Kent is of course that of the much loved author Charles Dickens. Having lived some of the happiest years of his life as a child in Chatham, he never lost his enthusiasm for the Medway area and ended up featuring Rochester in his writings more than any city outside of London. You can still see many of the buildings that inspired his work from Restoration House which featured in Great Expectations to the historic Rochester Castle a landmark from the Pickwick Papers.
Mad Jack Fuller
In Sussex, Hastings and 1066 Country has a long and prestigious history attracting many well known names to its realms along the way. Follow the trail of Mad Jack Fuller, a 19th century squire who is remembered as one of life's great eccentrics. Educated at Eton, Jack Fuller was an MP for Southampton before making his way into the Sussex political arena, however it is for his follies that he will most widely be remembered. Constructed during the 19th century, no one knows why he built the follies, which include The Obelisk and The Sugar Loaf, but theories are rife and range from drunken wagers to philanthropic urges!
John Logie Baird
Hastings is also associated with a more household name. John Logie Baird, inventor of the world's first working television set, visited the area in the early 1920s whilst recuperating from a bout of illness. He ended up producing the first shadowy outline of an object whilst there.
George IV
Further along the regions bountiful coastline, you find the glimmering lights of Brighton, a vibrant city with an overwhelming thirst for life. An undoubted focal point is the Royal Pavilion a lavishly adorned palace that was the brainchild of Prince Regent George IV. A flamboyant character, George shunned his strict up-bringing in favour of an opulent lifestyle and headed to Brighton on the advice of his physician who believed the seawater beneficial to his ailments. Initially a farmhouse, George hired Henry Holland to enlarge the building before instructing John Nash to transform it into the exotic residence that stands today. Perfectly intone with the quirky city in which it sits, the Royal Pavilion and the Prince Regent have left behind a rich architectural history and more than a tale or two.
Lord Admiral Nelson
Heroes are often made at war and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in Hampshire is an unfolding book of naval escapades with many historical figures brought to the fray. One name that can be heard clearly above the rest is Lord Admiral Nelson, who set sail from this famous waterfront city when embarking on the Battle of Trafalgar. His warship HMS Victory, arguably the Royal Navy's most famous, still stands as a proud reminder of all that he accomplished and you can jump aboard and explore, even seeing the spot where this hero eventually met his end.
Mary Shelley and Lewis Carroll
Move inland and follow the meandering path of the Thames and you'll come across many a famous resident of South East. One street in Marlow alone (West Street) boasts connections with T.S. Elliot, Thomas Love Peacock and Percy Bysshe Shelley and his wife Mary. Full of small but attractive houses, the street surrounds the picturesque grounds of Sir William Borlase's Grammar School and blue plaques adorn the walls of its famous inhabitants. Further upstream come across the literary hotspot of Oxford. It is under these dreaming spires the imaginations of Narnia creator CS Lewis and Alice in Wonderland's Lewis Carroll, were fuelled.
JMW Turner and John Constable
Look to Wiltshire and the magnificent Salisbury Cathedral for brushwork of the masters. Views of this stunning structure, interior and external, have been painted by the romantic landscape painter J M W Turner and his creations can now be found displayed in the South Wiltshire Museum. The Cathedral was also depicted by John Constable in the famous 'Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows'.