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Phone to support Archbishop's Palace

The Archbishop's Palace - Kent's only building in BBC2's Restoration programme
The Archbishop's Palace - Kent's only building in BBC2's Restoration programme
TYLDEN REED: urging people of Kent to vote
TYLDEN REED: urging people of Kent to vote

RING 09011 32 22 02 between 10pm on Friday and 9pm on Sunday and you could save the historic Archbishop's Palace at Charing.

Your call could be the vital one for victory in the BBC2 Restoration final where the winner takes a prize of up to £3.5m.

The great medieval complex of flint with ragstone dressing buildings, now partially ruined, was built between the 12th and 15th centuries to serve the Archbishops of Canterbury.

Henry VIII took possession when he dissolved the monasteries but in 1629 it left royal ownership to become a farmhouse.

It was one of 17 Archbishops Palaces across Kent and despite its state is the best preserved with a long history of frequent royal visitors including Henry VII and Henry VIII, and both Edward I and Edward II.

For those that have pledged to restore and convert it into community facilities open for the public, including turning the Great Barn into a banqueting hall, it is a race against time.

Victory could turn the dream of saving the heritage site into an almost instant reality and that the Save our Palace team is determined to achieve.

They have already beaten off many other worthy projects to win the London and south east heat.

Now they face the final with seven others fighting for the winner takes all prize of up to £3.5m.

Leading the campaign for votes is Tylden Reed who said: "We thank the thousands of voters that got us through but now that means nothing.

"We have got to start again in the final and call on all our supporters to find friends to register votes for Kent's Palace over the weekend."

Last week the campaign team were out in force at the Paddock Wood Hop Farm and Woodchurch Wings and Things air show, and this weekend an aircraft towing a banner across Kent and Sussex will be reminding people to pledge their vote on 09011 32 22 02.

Also backing the campaign is Britain’s oldest brewer Shepherd Neame, who is the custodian of the largest number of Listed Buildings in Kent.

Chief executive Jonathan Neame said: “As the guardian of many listed properties in the county, we naturally feel passionately about preserving our heritage. We wish all those involved in the campaign to save the Palace every success on Sunday and would urge everyone in the region to support their cause by voting.”KM-fm's Anthony Masters has this report...

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