Group visits to Chartwell

A group of adults admiring the Library in the house at Chartwell, Kent — Exploring the house at Chartwell | © National Trust Images / Arnhel de Serra

Bring your group to Chartwell for a memorable day out and see how Sir Winston Churchill and his family lived in this beautiful part of Kent. Here you’ll find all the information you need to help you plan your group visit.

What’s available for your group?

A dedicated group organiser to help plan your visit
Discounted rates for groups of 15+
Welcome and familiarisation talk on arrival (Mon-Fri excluding school holidays)
Timed entry tickets to the house
Special interest tours of the house (additional charge)
Translated copies of house guides available in Arabic, Czech, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japan, Mandarin, Spanish and large print
Shop with gifts and souvenirs inspired by Sir Winston Churchill
Licensed café serving tasty treats

Booking your group visit

If you are planning a trip to Chartwell with a party of 15 or more, you will need to arrange your visit in advance with our group booking team. This is also the case if arriving by coach or in a minibus. Please get in touch with us by emailing chartwell.groupbooking@nationaltrust.org.uk or calling us on 01732 861142. We recommend booking at least 3 months in advance as slots fill up quickly. Discounted group rates are available to parties of 15 or more when you pre-book.

Bank holiday weekends

We regret that we are unable to welcome groups over bank holiday or school holiday weekends when the site is at its busiest. Please check with us for availability.

What we need to know

When making a booking we will ask you for:

The name of your group
The group leader’s name
How many people will be in the group
The date you wish to visit
Your arrival time

Confirming you booking

Once we have provisionally booked your visit, including an arrival time and house entry time, we will send an acknowledgement with a booking form attached. To confirm your booking please complete and return this form to us as soon as possible.

Payment

We ask that payment is made on arrival on the day of your planned visit in one transaction. Payment can be made in cash, by credit card or cheque. Alternatively, if you have a National Trust account, we will invoice you after your visit.

Who is eligible for free entry?

Registered tourist board guides (on production of a valid badge), coach drivers and tour leaders escorting groups of 15 or more. National Trust members also receive free entry, so it is at your discretion whether to refund the entrance fee to members if you have included it in your package – this is not refunded by the National Trust.

Members must bring their current membership cards with them to avoid paying the full group rate. If any of your group would like to join the National Trust please direct them to our Membership page or call 0344 800 1895.

Free familiarisation visits for group leaders

If you're planning a group visit you can request our free Travel Trade Pass and you and a friend or colleague will gain free entry to over 300 of our places throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland for 12 months. There’s nothing quite like seeing or experiencing somewhere for yourself to help you plan a successful visit. To receive your pass, call 0344 800 2329 or email us at NTTravelTrade@capita.co.uk.

A group of visitors strolling on the Terrace Lawn at Chartwell, Kent — Taking a stroll on the Terrace Lawn at Chartwell | © National Trust Images / Arnhel de Serra

Additional information for groups

The site

The house is located on a hillside and the garden is only partly accessible with steep slopes and steps in places. Please refer to our Access Statement on the homepage for further details.

The house

Visitors need a timed entry ticket for the house. Once inside, there is a self-guided system in place to allow you to explore the house at your own pace. There are printed information sheets in each room explaining items of significance as well as stewards who will answer any questions.

Enhance your visit with a guided tour of the house led by one of our knowledgeable volunteers. Tours are available for groups of 15 or more at an additional cost and need to be booked in advance. Please get in touch to book.

Tours and talks

Please note, group leaders visiting Chartwell are not permitted to give tours or talks to their group in all areas of our site.

Talks available for groups

If you are interested in learning more about Winston Churchill and Chartwell, we can offer talks in the Mulberry Room above our café. These are available as an ‘add-on’ to groups already spending the day on site who would like to discover more before visiting the house and gardens, or as single lectures for community groups and educational groups. Catering packages are also available on enquiry.

The topics available to choose from are:

The Churchill Family at Chartwell

Learn about Chartwell from Sir Winston’s purchase of the house in 1922 to the present day.

Churchill the Artist

An exploration of Sir Winston’s passion for painting and an introduction to some of his works.

Additional information:

Charges are:
- £125 for a group of between 15 - 30 visitors
- £175 for a group of between 30 - 50 visitors
Talks will be undertaken by one of our experienced volunteers and last for one hour, including time for questions.
We require a minimum of one month’s notice prior to the date of the talk.

Garden tours

If you are interested in a personal tour of the gardens at either Chartwell or Emmetts Gardens by one of our volunteers, this can be arranged at a cost of £8.50 per person for a one hour walk. They are available on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at Chartwell and on Mondays only at Emmetts.

VIP tours

If you would like to have a really special experience, why not book a private tour of our house one morning before it opens to the public. We offer a choice of prices:

£300 for up to 8 people to share an exclusive look around Chartwell with one of our experienced volunteers
£1,500 in the company of our Property Curator who will share her in-depth knowledge of Winston, the man and politician, for up to 8 people

Each of these tours will last for approximately one hour, starting at 09:45.

Please contact us if you have either a larger group or would like to organise a bespoke tour as we may be able to accommodate this.

A long view of the red brick house at Chartwell in Kent with a sweeping lawn running up to the terrace of the house and trees surrounding the grounds

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