Scotney Castle

Country house, romantic garden, 14th century moated castle - all in a beautiful wooded estate

More about this place

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Scotney Castle

Things to see and do

Scotney Old Castle reflected in the moat during summer

The Garden at Scotney Castle 

With traditional beds and borders, Scotney Castle is best described as a landscape garden with many unique features including a glade and naturalistic planting.

The house at Scotney Castle, Kent

The House at Scotney Castle  

Scotney Castle has a wealth of history dating back to the inhabitants of the Old Castle.

View of Scotney Castle from the estate

The Estate at Scotney Castle 

The estate at Scotney Castle in Kent offers an array of parkland and woodland with perfect picnic spots, hop gardens and a herd of Sussex cattle.

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Scotney Castle

What's on 

Explore inside a tree, build a den or create some wild art - just a few things you can do at our wilderness camp.

February half-term fun at Scotney Castle 

Wrap up warm and enjoy the great outdoors this February half-term.

Dog walking on a lead

Dog Walking at Scotney Castle 

We love dogs, and they're more than welcome to come and explore the estate and garden at Scotney Castle.

Leather bound books on the shelves in a National Trust library

Betsy's Second-hand Bookshop 

Scotney’s second-hand bookshop is a great spot to pick up a bargain and help support our conservation work.

Upcoming events

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Half term family fun

Wed 20 Feb 2019
10:00-17:00
Take part in our children's half term activities or start ticking off your 50 things to do before you're 11 3/4 list.

Nature Photography at Scotney Castle - Kids

Wed 20 Feb 2019
10:30-13:00
We are excited to be working with Sharp Shots Photography Club, the UK's number 1 provider of photography workshops for the under 16's.

Orchard tree planting

Wed 20 Feb 2019
11:30-13:00
An opportunity for you to get involved with the orchard restoration project. The trees have been grafted and are awaiting planting out. Join the rangers for a small talk on the history of the orchard and be shown how to plant your tree.

Nature Photography at Scotney Castle - Teens

Wed 20 Feb 2019
14:00-16:30
We are excited to be working with Sharp Shots Photography Club, the UK's number 1 provider of photography workshops for the under 16's.

Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt

Sat 06 Apr 2019
10:00-16:00
The Hussey children who lived at Scotney Castle in the late 19th century kept diaries about the fun that they had in the grounds. Re-live their adventures as you take part in our bird egg hunt in the garden. Find all of our birds’ nests, collect...
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Scotney Castle

Eating and shopping

A family enjoying the outdoor seating at the tearoom

Eating and drinking at Scotney 

Enjoy a range of tearoom treats at Scotney Castle with scrumptious goodies as well as our popular scones and enjoy an array of seasonal and local produce.

Produce from our shop at Scotney Castle

Pop into our shop 

Scotney Castle's shop has plenty to offer from local seasonal produce, honey and ales produced locally to glorious gifts, souvenirs and memorabilia as well as our secondhand bookshop.

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Scotney Castle

History

Edwards Hussey III and his family on the Bastion at Scotney Castle

The history of Scotney Castle 

Scotney Castle has a long and rich history dating from 1137 and holds some interesting stories about the last inhabitants of the castle, the Hussey family, as well as a former Prime Minister too.

A River Landscape with Jacob and Laban and his Daughters, by Claude Lorrain, 1654

What is the picturesque?  

The picturesque is an aesthetic category developed in the eighteenth-century. It was associated with fashionable landscape gardening, however its cultural significance extended far beyond this.

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Scotney Castle

Get involved

A garden volunteer weeding in the quarry at Scotney Castle

Start your volunteering journey today 

Whether you wish to learn something new or share your existing skills and knowledge with others, we will support your journey and look at ways to enhance your volunteering experience.

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Scotney Castle

Groups

View to the house from the old castle

Group visits at Scotney Castle 

Looking to bring a group to Scotney? We've got all the information to get you started, including how to book and what you can expect here.

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Scotney Castle

Art and collections

Our collections

Explore the objects and works of art we care for at Scotney Castle on the National Trust Collections website

Search the collections
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