Wellington at Tunbridge Wells
July 26, 2015 - The Chairman in News & Blog Posts, Chairman's Blog
On my travels I went to Tunbridge Wells to visit the Gloucestershire Army Cadet Force on their Annual Camp and for this I stayed at a Travel Lodge Hotel in the town. On the way up to my room, I noticed the stain glass arms of the Duke of Wellington. The hotel had once been called the Wellington Arms.
Coloured glass in the grand staircase window incorporates the Wellington armorial bearings; the Wellesley Cross and Plates quartered with the Cowley Lion Rampant.
An advertisement in Pelton’s Directory tells us that the establishment was indeed patronised by the Duke of Wellington, but not of course the first Duke, who had died in 1852. There is no evidence that the “Iron Duke” ever visited Tunbridge Wells, although his Duchess came several times and stayed nearby on Mount Ephraim.
It is now a Travel Lodge with no name any longer attached. I think the Great Duke would be quite relieved!
