Featured Kent
Businesses &
Kent Services
Web Design Kent - We offer a complete web design and promotion service.
Travel Insurance - Kent based Delta Travel Insurance. Your travel insurance specialists.
Wedding Venues in Kent - The Hop Farm in Kent provide a fantastic setting & full facilities for your wedding, conference or seminar in Kent.
Kent Cleaners - Carpet cleaners, window cleaners & contract cleaners.
Deal Kent - A guide to the town of Deal Kent.
Plumbing Suppliers Kent - GW supplies for plumbing and electrical equipment.
Easy to Use Mobile Phones - Ideal for the elderly and the visually impaired.
Mobile Farm - Take the far out of farm. An easy and fun way for children to learn about farming and meet the animals.
Stylish hand knitting - A Kent based knitter is taking on the world and promoting stylish, fashionable hand knitting.
Castles, Houses & Gardens || Towns & Villages || Countryside & Seaside
Family Attractions || Indoor Attractions || Sports Attractions
Castles, Stately Homes and Gardens in Kent
Kent is bursting with national trust and English heritage sites. There are also many privately owned houses and gardens that are real must sees. Wherever you are in Kent there is something near you that will make a great day out.
Castles in Kent
Deal Castle
Deal castle is one of a chain of coastal castles built by Henry VIII. The walls of the castle are in the shape of the Tudor rose.
Deal castle is a rugged castle rather than a stately home type castle. The entire castle is open to the public. The audio guides are excellent for bringing the history of the castle to life.
Why not combine it with a visit to Walmer castle or stroll into Deal for a leisurely lunch.
Dover Castle & the Secret Wartime Tunnels
Sample Kent's heritage at Dover Castle. There is plenty to do and see even in the rain.
The history of Dover castle stretches back to the iron age. The castle boasts a wide range of reconstructions and exhibitions giving a flavour of life in the castle throughout the ages.
Personally I found the secret wartime tunnels fascinating. The underground hospital and military command centre really bring the history of WWII to life. It's a day out with something for everyone.
Hever Castle & Gardens
An interesting history linked to Anne Boleyn unfolds as you tour the castle. Hever castle has plenty of attractions including the Hever Lake Walk around the 34 acre lake. Keep your eyes open for kingfishers. At weekends you can also hire boats and row out onto the lake.
The kids will love the water maze, the yew maze and the adventure playground. There is also a range of events throughout the year including falconry and jousting.
Hever castle is located just 3 miles from Edenbridge, between Sevenoaks and East Grinstead, TN8 7NG.
Leeds Castle
Stunning scenery and plenty to do for all the family. Leeds castle is one of the must do visitor attractions in Kent.
Try out the maze and find the secret grotto, see the birds in the aviary, enjoy the gardens and let the kids wear themselves out in the adventure playground.
Look out for the many special events throughout the year including jousting and falconry.
Walmer Castle & Gardens
Walmer castle was built by Henry VIII and has been the home of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports since 1708.
The castle is beautifully furnished and packed with items linked with its many famous inhabitants. The Duke of Wellington's original Wellington boots are on display.
The Queen Mother was a frequent visitor and the grounds include a garden designed for her. The gardens also include a woodland walk and a kitchen garden. Be sure to use the audio guides to get the most out of your visit.
Stately Homes in Kent
Chartwell House & Gardens
Enjoy one of Kent's fine gardens. Chartwell has lakes, water gardens and a wonderful collection of roses. See the kitchen garden as well as 3 way marked country walks with fantastic views over the Weald.
Chartwell was the home of Sir Winston Churchill and the house is a treasure trove of items relating to his life, including many of his paintings.
Chartwell's house and gardens are open Wed-Sun 11-5 until 28th Oct.
Ightham Mote
Beautiful moated 14th century manor house. Charming orchard, gardens, lakes and lovely woodland walks.
Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 0NT
Knole
13 rooms show off the splendor of the 18th century Sackville family home. Sumptuous interiors with impressive paintings by Van Dyck and Gainsborough and rare Stuart furniture.
Look out for the voluptuous sculpture at the bottom of the great staircase and find out about the scandal of the 3rd Duke and the ballerina Giovanna Baccelli.
Walk your legs off in the extensive deer park full of sika and fallow deer. Lord Sackville's private garden is open to the public on Tuesdays.
Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 0RP
Scotney Castle
Spring is an ideal time to visit Scotney castle to see the bluebells, rhododendrons and azaleas. The ruined castle with its moat dates back to the 14th century. The victorian country house is now also open for visitors.
You can also enjoy several walks around the 770 acre estate. Take the kids on the children's trail and discover a dinosaur footprint.
Scotney Castle Lamberhurst, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN3 8JN
Wednesday - Sunday and Bank Holidays 11am - 5.30pm
Smallhythe Place
Smallhythe Place was built in the early 16th century and has a fascinating collections of memorabilia from the Victorian actress Ellen Terry. Included in the collection is a stunning dress made with 1000 beetle wings that was recently restored at a cost of £50,000.
Smallhythe, Tenterden, Kent, TN30 7NG. Tel: 01580 762334
Quebec House
16th century house with a pretty garden.
Family home of General James Wolfe. Lots of memorabilia and an exhibition of items from the 1759 Battle of Quebec.
Westerham, Kent, TN16 1TD
Gardens in Kent
Bedgebury Pinetum & Forest
You can hire a bike (including bikes for the disabled) or walk the trails. There are adventure play areas for younger children and mountain biking areas for the more adventurous.
Bedgebury Pinetum, Goudhurst, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 2SL.
Tel: 01580 211044
Emmetts Garden
4 acre collection of rare and exotic trees and shrubs with great views over the Weald of Kent. Follow it up with a stroll along the wooded valley nearby.
Sevenoaks, Kent, TN14 6BA
Godington House
13 acres of fantastic gardens from rose gardens and water gardens to an Italian garden. Masses of daffodils and other spring flowers followed by big swathes of delphiniums and irises in summer.
Godington Lane, Ashford, Kent, TN23 3BP.
Goodnestone Park
A gem of a garden covering 15 acres. Made up of a walled garden, a woodland garden, the parterre, an arboretum and a gravel garden. Year round interest.
Jane Austen was a frequent visitor at Goodnestone Park.
Goodnestone, Canterbury, CT3 1PL.
Penshurst Place & Gardens
Within the 48 acres of gardens and grounds there is an 11 acre Tudor walled garden made up of different styles of gardens.
Year round interest, but the 100m peony border is worth seeing in the summer.
Penshurst, Tonbridge, Kent, TN11 8DG
Sissinghurst Castle Garden
Visit the famous Sissinghurst and experience the romantic garden design style of Vita Sackville-West. Enjoy the 10 different 'garden rooms', each with their own theme. In addition to the main garden, there are lakeside and woodland walks to explore too. There is also a coffee shop and the restaurant uses fresh produce from the gardens.
Sissinghurst, nr Cranbrook, Kent TN17 2AB