Planning your visit to Chartwell

A view looking up at the house and garden at Chartwell on a spring day — The house and garden at Chartwell | © National Trust Images/Kate York

To ensure you have the best experience and to help protect Chartwell’s historic collection, timed tickets are required to enter the house. Discover how to get yours and find out more about planning your visit.

Visiting the house

How to get a house ticket on the day

House tickets are available from 10am on the day in the Visitor Centre on a first come, first served basis. You do not need to pre-book tickets to visit Chartwell. The house is open from 11am and last entry is at 3.40pm. When you arrive, the Visitor Welcome team will offer you the next available time slot.

Arrive early

During busy weekends and school holidays, house tickets may sell out. If you are planning to visit during a busy period, we recommend arriving early to give yourself the best opportunity to secure tickets.

How to book a house ticket in advance

To help those travelling from further away, some house tickets are available to book in advance. Pre-booked tickets are limited in availability and only for the afternoon time slots, from 2pm to 3.40pm. Tickets go on sale four weeks in advance on a rolling weekly basis. New tickets go live every Thursday.

Book to visit the house at Chartwell.

House tickets

Please note, if pre-booked house tickets are sold out online, there should still be house tickets available on the day from the Visitor Centre.

Collecting pre-booked tickets

On arrival at Chartwell, head to the Visitor Centre to exchange your e-ticket for a paper ticket. Please arrive at least 10 minutes before the time stated on your booking. Any tickets not exchanged 10 minutes before the time slot will be released back on sale in the Visitor Centre.

The time stated on your booking is for house entry only, you are welcome to arrive anytime from 10am to explore the rest of Chartwell.

Room opening

The Secretaries Office and Sitting Room Annexe are open most weekdays. The Uniform Room is currently closed as we undertake important conservation and restoration work. The room is expected to reopen in summer 2024.

Visiting the garden and woodland

For those who don’t want to visit the house, there is a discounted ticket price for garden-only entry that is available year round. These tickets are available from the Visitor Centre and include access to all outdoor areas, the Studio and the Exhibition.

The path across the southern end of the Lower Lake is currently closed. This is due to ongoing surveys of the historic headwall. Access to the woodlands is via the swings near the meadow, and via the path from the overflow car park.