Bateman’s

Bateman's was built in 1634. Rudyard Kipling lived there from 1902 to his death in 1936. Finding the place was not that straight forward. The lanes were narrow and windy and we had to double back now and then as we had the panic we were on the wrong road. At last we found the place and got one of the last available parking spaces. We were early for our rendezvous with S&J. As it was National Trust (NT) open day parking and entrance was free, hence the full car park.
We wandered around the gardens and the shop that is always found on NT properties. We eventually found S&J and went to have tea and cake. The wasps, from Bodiam (see Bodiam Castle post) that we visited earlier that day, seemed to have caught us up and carried on their mission to annoying us.
We decided to go in and look around. S&J are 'professional' NT visitors and use their annual subscription to the full. As they had been there before they gave us a running commentary as we went round the place.
I’ve never read any of Kiplings works. Of course the Jungle Book stories, published between 1893–95, are well known. There were pictures on the walls depicting scenes and characters from the stories. The bedroom looked like he had just left it, although the bed was made.
His study also had the look of “just left”. The study desk was cluttered and the paper bin overflowing. Nobody seems interested in clearing up after 77 years. These days you just can’t get the personnel.

The estate were well looked after, and we wandered about until we decided to find a pub and have a drink and catch up on what we had been getting up to since our last meeting.

S&J had to leave early to get back to London, traffic being what it is, but we stayed for some pub food, a rare treat for us.
All too short..