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St. John's Jerusalem
KentTranquil garden and 13th-century chapel
Sutton-at-Hone, Dartford, Kent, DA4 9HQ
Important notice
St John’s Jerusalem is open 2pm-6pm (last admission 5:30pm) on the second Wednesday of each month from April - September
M T W T F S S Open
Closed
Opening times for 21 June 2026
Asset Opening time St John's Jerusalem Closed On open days last admission to site is 17:30pm.
Whole property
Ticket type With Gift Aid Without Gift Aid Adult (18+) £3.50 Child (5-17) under 5s free £1.75 Family (2 Adults and up to 3 children) £8.75 Become a member and discover more than 500 places
- Car park
Limited parking is available and is 80m from the chapel.
- Dogs allowed
Dogs are welcome in the garden on short leads but not in the chapel. Assistance dogs are welcome throughout.
- Toilet
Single toilet accessed by one step. Please ask volunteers for directions.
Access to chapel is via steep steps. Toilet is not accessible. Garden surrounded by a moat, some paths uneven and can be slippery when wet.
- Steps/uneven terrain
- Cycling
- Plan your route to St. John's Jerusalem using the CycleStreets journey planner, via the 'By Bicycle' link below. Use postcode DA4 9HQ as your destination in the planner tool. Please note that this journey planner uses OpenStreetMap data which is generally excellent but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. If you come to a footpath or other cycle-prohibited track, please don't ride on it.
- By road
- The chapel is located just off the A225 in the village of Sutton-at-Hone, about 3 miles (5km) south of Dartford. From the M25: Leave at Junction 1 (Dartford) and take the A225 south towards Sutton-at-Hone. From Dartford: Head south on the A225 (Main Road) toward Sutton-at-Hone and look out for the sign marking the entrance.Parking: There is a small grass-surfaced car park with approximately 20 spaces, 80m from the chapel. Spaces are not marked.
- By train
- The nearest station is Farningham Road, approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away. Trains from London Victoria take around 40 minutes. The chapel is 20 minutes walk or a short taxi ride away. Alternatively Swanley and Shoreham stations are both approximately 3 miles away.
- By bus
- Routes 414/414A /414B run between Dartford and South Darenth. The nearest stop is Ship Lane, Sutton-at-Hone, just a 5 minute walk from the chapel and gardens.
Highlights
Chapel
Surviving chapel of the Preceptory of the Knights Hospitallers of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, formed in 1070. The chapel is a rare survivor of a preceptory, and dates from the early 13th Century. It is a stone structure, faced externally with flint, probably from nearby flint mines. Timbers have been dated from around 1234. The inside of the chapel is very well-preserved and is light and airy.
Garden
St John's Jerusalem has a historic, well-tended, and pretty garden. Bounded on one side by the River Darent and on the other three by an ancient moat, the garden is a haven of tranquillity, with a host of wildlife. There are a variety of paths to walk with seats where you can enjoy your picnic and bridges from which you can watch the water gently flow.
Things to see and do
Garden Plan
Visit the beautiful garden at St Johns Jerusalem. Bounded on three sides by an ancient moat, the garden features a variety of fruit trees, yew hedges, wild flowers and an avenue of horse chestnuts. There are seats in the garden where you can relax and listen to the hum of insects and birdsong, while eating your picnic or just enjoy the tranquillity. Why not download the garden plan to your mobile device and let it accompany you around the garden? View and download 0.15MB.
Upcoming events
Event
Open Days 2026
Visit the rare surviving chapel and gardens of the preceptory (monastery) of the Knights Hospitallers of the Order of St John of Jerusalem. The chapel dates from the early 13th century and has a moat, part of which is formed by the River Darent.
About St. John's Jerusalem
Set in the Darent Valley, the rare surviving chapel and adjacent house are the only remaining structures of this Preceptory of the Knights Hospitallers of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, formed in 1070.
Built in the early 13th century, the preceptory remained in use until at least 1338. Following the dissolution in 1540, the lower part of the tower, next to the chapel, was converted into a residence, and was further extensively altered during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Among its later occupants were Abraham Hill, a founder of the Royal Society, and the historian Edward Hasted. The chapel and tranquil gardens are surrounded by a moat, one arm of which is the River Darent.
This property is occupied as a private residence and is maintained and managed by a tenant. Visitors have access to the chapel and the gardens only.
Please consider joining the local supporter group, the Darent Cray National Trust Association – more details here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/kent/supporter-groups-in-kent
History
Find out more about the fascinating history of St. John's Jerusalem
Article
History of St John's Jerusalem
Discover the history of St John’s Jerusalem - a rare surviving example of a 13th century preceptory (or monastery) of the Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem.
