Olde England Cottage is a lovely old place on the outskirts of Hollingbourne and has been my family home for over 60 years. It is a Grade 2 Listed building which I am slowing attempting to restore. I was born and lived here as a child, but actually moved back as the owner (and now canine hotel proprietress) about three years ago. My parents used to own the Olde England Pub which was next to the cottage, and would have been where the car park is now. Sadly the pub was demolished to make way for the M20 when that was first built. The building would have originally been three farm worker’s cottages as it would have been part of the Leeds Castle Estate. It’s age is debatable and would probably be somewhere between 400 to 500 years old. Some of the brickwork is certainly Tudor, and I think, over the years, bits have been added on, or will have fallen off. The roof is Kent peg tile and the walls are made up of lime and horsehair plaster. The front door is very low - just 4’ 10” - so most of our guest's Hoomans need to duck! The canine guests have no problem however. It is a bit of a Hobbit hole. I have sometimes been asked if the cottage is haunted. If it is, then our spook is very benevolent. Actually it likes classical music. So do I as it happens, so we are fine. The cottage sits in an acre of fenced in garden on the edge of a field and a little wood, so there are no neighbours to disturb our guest’s relaxation. There is, however, plenty of wildlife (both indoors and out) which gives some of our guests some entertainment. It is a nature lover’s paradise.
