Tonbridge and Malling Council along with a consortium formed by English Heritage, the National Trust and Kent County Council have today announced that the medieval castle at the heart of old Tonbridge is to be fully restored to it's former glory. The architects, Messrs. G.I. Raffe and Sons, who have been appointed to the project have based their plans on the original drawings (see pictures above) which were discovered in the archives at the British Library last year. For many years the castle has been thought to have housed Henry VIII's old crown jewels in its keep and to be one of the best kept Motte and Bailey castles of its type. The old curtain wall and the battlements are already being excavated ahead of the build. The tower at the watergate will be around 200 feet high, dwarfing even the parish church tower and will provide panoramic views over the whole of Kent. Mr John Showers, the planning director responsible for overseasing the project at TMBC, said that on a clear day visitors to the castle will be able to see right across the English Channel. "The people of Tonbridge are in for a treat..." Mr. Showers said "...of course the project won't come without its costs" he added "We intend the new Tonbridge Castle to stand for the next thousand years so it will be worth every penny of the extra £650 special contribution from every household in Tonbridge and Malling. Although the people of the town won't have a choice in whether or not they pay this one off tax, I'm sure that all will agree that it will be worth it." A spokesman for English Heritage also hailed the project as "the project of the millennium" and apologised in advance for the probable three years of disruption to Tonbridge that the building work and the re-routing of the River Medway would cause. This is sure to cause a stir in the town so have your say by posting a comment below....
Tonbridge and Malling Council along with a consortium formed by English Heritage, the National Trust and Kent County Council have today announced that the medieval castle at the heart of old Tonbridge is to be fully restored to it's former glory. The architects, Messrs. G.I. Raffe and Sons, who have been appointed to the project have based their plans on the original drawings (see pictures above) which were discovered in the archives at the British Library last year. For many years the castle has been thought to have housed Henry VIII's old crown jewels in its keep and to be one of the best kept Motte and Bailey castles of its type. The old curtain wall and the battlements are already being excavated ahead of the build. The tower at the watergate will be around 200 feet high, dwarfing even the parish church tower and will provide panoramic views over the whole of Kent. Mr John Showers, the planning director responsible for overseasing the project at TMBC, said that on a clear day visitors to the castle will be able to see right across the English Channel. "The people of Tonbridge are in for a treat..." Mr. Showers said "...of course the project won't come without its costs" he added "We intend the new Tonbridge Castle to stand for the next thousand years so it will be worth every penny of the extra £650 special contribution from every household in Tonbridge and Malling. Although the people of the town won't have a choice in whether or not they pay this one off tax, I'm sure that all will agree that it will be worth it." A spokesman for English Heritage also hailed the project as "the project of the millennium" and apologised in advance for the probable three years of disruption to Tonbridge that the building work and the re-routing of the River Medway would cause. This is sure to cause a stir in the town so have your say by posting a comment below....
4 comments:
This has to be an April Fool
Groan.. Mr Showers!
Good one....
This really had me going until I realised that it was not only 1st April but G I Raffe (Giraffe). Great!!!!
Ho, ho! Not bad for an April Fool's spoof, and much better than some I've seen.
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