By Lyn Funnell
The Kentish hamlet of Lynsore Bottom (tee hee hee) is in Pett Bottom (snigger snigger.)
But all childish toilet humour aside, Pett Bottom, which is five miles from Canterbury, actually has a claim to fame.
Ian Fleming’s novel You Only Live Twice, says that James Bond lived there as a child with his aunt after both his parents died in an accident when he was 11.
Ian Fleming used to visit the local pub, the Duck, and he had a favourite seat. There’s a blue plaque on the wall with his details on it.
Lynsore Bottom is around 174 acres of Special Scientific Interest. It has a variety of trees, plants and birds, including tawny owls, hawfinches and grashopper warblers.
There are bridle paths amongst the trees, and beautiful, undisturbed woodlands to explore.
I’ve been unable to find out the origins of the two names, but they obviously date back a long way through the centuries, like a lot of ancient places in Kent. And obviously the meanings of their names has changed!
But the beauty of the area has remained unspoilt, thank goodness.
