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Kent Leasing

Did You Know?

Ever been watching Wimbledon and suddenly find yourself craving a bowl of fresh strawberries (accompanied by some double cream, of course)? Kent is the proud supplier of Wimbledon’s perfectly formed strawberries - each red juicy berry must measure between 25mm-45mm in diameter, be fully red all over and without the slightest hint of a defect..

Native American princess, Pocahontas, was famous for saving English Captain John Smith’s life in Virginia. She married colonist John Rolfe and they went on to have a child together, Thomas, in 1615. Pocahontas and Rolfe boarded a ship to return to Virginia in 1617; the ship had only sailed as far as Gravesend in Kent when she became incredibly ill and died on board, later being buried in Gravesend.

Comedy double act, Laurel and Hardy, opened the famous Kent tourist attraction: The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, back in 1947. Despite the heavy rain, the stars were welcomed by large crowds who were charmed by their slapstick-style comedy.

Contrary to popular belief (or not) Kent is not named ‘The Garden of England’ for being the back garden… of England (strange, right?). In fact, Kent’s iconic title dates back over 400 years when Henry VIII allegedly once sampled a bowl of cherries that were grown in Kent – he was so delighted with them and their flavour that from then on the county became known as 'The Garden of England'.

There are few places of interest in Kent as famous as Sevenoaks. As many people know, the town was named after seven oak trees which were on the Vine around AD 800. Since then, the trees have been replaced several times, and during the Great Storm of 1987 six of those trees were blown down completely.

Kent is home to one of only three ‘Royal’ towns in the UK. Royal Tunbridge Wells was granted its official regal title in 1909 after Edward VII granted the prefix in special recognition of the town’s connections with the royal family since the Stuart dynasty.

John Buchan wrote The 39 Steps while bedridden in Kent. Suffering from stomach ulcers, he wrote his famed novel to distract himself from the excruciating pain. He even took inspiration from the nearby North Foreland and the 78 steps from the villa to the beach, although why the number of steps was halved is a mystery.