Eating and shopping at Knole

Books displayed on a wooden table in the Bookshop at Knole Kent — The Bookshop at Knole, Kent | © National Trust / Ivan Jones

The Brewhouse Café is the perfect place to soak up Knole’s historic atmosphere over a drink and a bite to eat. Tucked away in Green Court are two shops just waiting to be discovered. The gift shop is a browser’s delight, with a range of items to tempt you, or lose yourself amongst the shelves of timeless and modern-day classics in Knole’s bookshop.

The Brewhouse Café

The café offers a range of hot and cold drinks and food including sandwiches, jacket potatoes, pasties, soups and stews. You'll find a plentiful supply of scones too and a delicious selection of cakes and biscuits. Children's lunch boxes are also available.

Relax on the rooftop terrace

With more than 1,000 acres of parkland and home to a wild deer herd, Knole’s estate offers many beautiful views. One of the best spots to enjoy this is the café's rooftop terrace, where you can take in the views while enjoying a leisurely lunch or simply sit and watch the deer go by with your favourite drink.

Take a seat indoors

If the weather isn’t tempting you onto the terrace, then take a seat inside where there are cosy corners for two or tables for larger groups, plus highchairs for young visitors.

Remember your reusable cup

Every time you present a reusable cup when you order a hot drink at one of our cafés, tea-rooms or kiosks, we'll give you 25p off as a thank you for helping the environment by reducing the number of disposable cups used. This promotion replaces the hot drinks loyalty card scheme, which closed in February 2021.

Seating area in the Brewhouse Cafe at Knole, Kent | © National Trust / Ivan Jones

Allergen information

Most of the food and drink served is prepared on site in our kitchen, using a wide range of ingredients. As a result, we can’t guarantee that any of our food and drink products are completely allergen free.

If you have an allergy or intolerance and would like ingredient information about the food and drink served, please ask the staff, who will be happy to help.

Always check when you visit

Visited before? We sometimes change our recipes to improve quality and flavour, including the ingredients. When you visit, please speak to one of our team to check the current allergen information for your favourite dish.

Thank you

Every cuppa or tasty treat you buy helps us to continue looking after places for everyone to enjoy.

Picnic in the park

Don't forget there is also a dedicated picnic area, just a short walk from the Brewhouse Café towards the car park. You are welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy at Knole, and making use of this dedicated area and not the general park means you will avoid being interrupted by the deer. Please do not feed the deer if they approach you at any time while visiting Knole.

A variety of items on display at the gift shop at Knole. — The gift shop at Knole, located in the former Estate Office | © National Trust / Ivan Jones

Shopping at Knole

The shop can be found in the left-hand corner of Green Court. You can choose from the National Trust seasonal collections of homewares, bags and accessories, souvenir items, food and drink, pocket money toys plus local items made by craftspeople in Kent.

Seasonal items to inspire and refresh your home

Every season, a new collection is released inspired by a National Trust property or outdoor space. Inspiration can come from many areas - the flora or fauna of an outdoor site, the detail on a wooden panel or a piece of embroidery. This autumn you can find throws to keep you cosy and hats and scarves perfect for those autumnal walks. There are also new fragrances to discover for you and your home.

Food and drink treats to take home

If you enjoy a jam, pickle or chutney, then take your pick from the National Trust range available in the shop. Whether you prefer a classic strawberry jam on your scone, or something a bit more unusual like passionfruit curd, you'll find something to appeal to your taste.

Or if savoury tickles your tastebuds more, then why not try the pear, orange and ginger chutney with your cheese and crackers?

Souvenirs of your visit

For the perfect memento of your visit to Knole, there are pens, pencils, notepads, bookmarks, puzzles, boxes of biscuits and guidebooks to choose to take home with you. Every purchase helps support the conservation work carried out at Knole.

Local artists and craftspeople

Here at Knole we are fortunate to work with local makers, artists and craftspeople who sell their work in our retail spaces. They include Debbie Lee (greetings cards), Sophie Wootton Borruso (cards and prints), Kate Neame (cards and prints), Russ Taylor (cards and prints), Sally Ferguson (jewellery) and In The Loop (cocktails and vermouth).

Meet the maker
2024 dates coming soon

The bookshop at Knole

Knole’s bookshop can be found inside Green Court in the right-hand corner next to the Orangery. It’s a destination in its own right, filled with a carefully curated selection of books relating to Knole, its inhabitants and the local area. Unlike other National Trust bookshops, we don’t sell second-hand books at Knole - these are all brand new.

The bookshop includes titles by authors attached to Knole, including Vita Sackville-West, Virginia Woolf, Eddy Sackville-West and the current Lord Sackville, as well as biographies written about them and their ancestors. There is also a collection of National Trust publications, covering gardening, cooking, history and nature.

Calling budding bookworms

For younger visitors, there's a dedicated section just for children to enjoy. From children’s classics, picture books and sticker books to fact and fiction and current bestsellers, there's sure to be something to keep active minds engaged for a few hours. There are also some pocket money toys to choose from, jigsaws and souvenirs.

Meet the author events

Thursday 25 April, 12-2pm - Kim Letson, author of Canterbury and Other Tales: Treading Ancient Trails
Kim Letson will be in the bookshop at Knole to talk to visitors and sign copies of her new book. Seeking solace after the death of her husband, Letson discovers a passion for long- distance walking. Through historical and cultural prisms, accompanied by memories, curiosity, and friends, Letson connects ancient and modern journeys. The Coast to Coast, Cornish Coastal Path, and Ridgeway in England offer opportunities for adventure. As a pilgrim, she explores a Portuguese Camino from Porto to Santiago, the Pilgrims’ Way from Winchester to Canterbury, and then the Via Francigena from Canterbury to Rome. Readers share both the wonders and challenges of the journeys, from mountain passes to wind-swept beaches, from Gothic cathedrals to mysterious stone henges.