Discover Kent celebrated names and places

From big screen heartthrob Orlando Bloom to James Bond creator Ian Fleming, Kent is home to a prestigious line-up of celebrity names and faces. And with two major anniversaries in 2009 – the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII’s accession to the throne and the bicentenary of Charles Darwin’s birth - Visit Kent is launching a three-year campaign to encourage visitors to explore the county’s heritage.

Targeted at both American and domestic visitors, the VIP Campaign will focus on Kent’s connections to heroes, icons, contemporary celebrities and medal-winning Olympians - and the memorable places associated with them.

Kent Historian Dr David Starkey CBE, the man who made TV history sexy and one of the county’s biggest fans, says he’s “never been happier anywhere”. He is a devotee of the historic cathedral city of Canterbury, with its magnificent World Heritage Site status, and the inspiration for Geoffrey Chaucer’s motley band of medieval characters.

Canterbury-born Orlando Bloom made his acting debut on the local stage and recalls carol singing in the cathedral, commenting: “That sort of space instils a sense of awe and imagination.”

Along Kent’s southern coastline Bond creator Ian Fleming was inspired to set some of Bond’s early forays. Margate to Dover is Moonraker and Goldfinger country while the greens of the Royal St George’s Golf Club in Sandwich mark the location of 1959’s famous encounter between 007 and Auric Goldfinger. Fleming also had a holiday home at St Margaret’s Bay. (Look for the white house with green shutters to the north end of the shingle beach). Bond girl Gemma Arterton, who stars in the latest adventure Quantum of Solace, was born in Gravesend.

Charles Dickens’ favourite holiday home of Broadstairs inspired his novel David Copperfield but in Rochester you can spot all the places that the author wove into his stories – as well as Gad’s Hill Place, Higham (open to the public on selected days) where he lived in his final years. At the Dickens World complex at Chatham Maritime you’ll come face to face with most of his characters!

Just outside Rochester, internationally-renowned musician and TV presenter Jools Holland lives at Cooling Castle and has been a deputy lieutenant for the county since 2005. The charismatic bandleader maintains his local ties – whether playing charity concerts in the ancient cathedral or performing with his rhythm and blues orchestra in Rochester Castle Gardens.

In the heart of Kent is one of the county’s most talked-about gardens – at Sissinghurst Castle – which was created by controversial literary figure Vita Sackville-West who shared the idyllic Kent landmark with her politician husband Sir Harold Nicholson.

On to Hever Castle, Edenbridge (via the market town of Tonbridge where the 12 year old future Olympic gold winner Kelly Holmes was encouraged to take up running) and the scene of Henry VIII’s blossoming romance with his future second wife Anne Boleyn.

From a 16th century to a 20th century icon, Sir Winston Churchill, who made his family home at Chartwell, Westerham away from the cut and thrust of politics for 40 years. (His cigar boxes, favourite yellow chair and his paintings in the garden studio are all testament to a statesman totally at ease and able to recharge his batteries.)

It was at Down House, Downe where Charles Darwin carried out the experiments to prove his ground-breaking theory of evolution, On the Origin of the Species. In 2009 English Heritage is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its publication with a fascinating exhibition and new audio-visual guides.

For full details of Kent’s famous connections and visitor itineraries go to visitkent.co.uk.