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Smallhythe Place
Ellen Terry's early 16th-century house and cottage gardens
Smallhythe, Tenterden, Kent, TN30 7NG
Important notice
There is a road closure in place on Smallhythe Road until 21 July, please check diversion routes before travelling. Visitors can still park at the St John the Baptist Church and layby.
Opening times for 18 July 2025
Asset Opening time House 11:00 - 17:00 Garden 11:00 - 17:00 Tea-room 11:00 - 16:00 The Tea Room closes at 4pm, with the house and gardens closing at 5pm. Last entry is at 4:30pm
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Ticket type With Gift Aid Without Gift Aid Adult (18+) £13.20 £12.00 Child (5-17) under 5s free £6.60 £6.00 Family (2 Adults and up to 3 children) £33.00 £30.00 One adult family £19.80 £18.00 Become a member and discover more than 500 places
- Car park
Parking is free of charge and can be found next to the property in a layby 50 yards from the house. Extra parking is available further along the main road in the Church car park.
- Dogs allowed
Dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds but regrettably are not allowed in the house or theatre.
- Tea-room
The Theatre Tea Room is located next to the Barn Theatre, and serves drinks, cakes, light lunches and snacks.
- Toilet
Toilets are located in the garden beside the theatre.
No allocated blue badge parking spaces, drop-off at the main gate. Portable ramp for entry to Museum, toilets and tea-room. Ground floor of Museum is wheelchair accessible, restricted access to the upper floor. Two unfenced ponds around the garden.
- Drop-off point
Blue badge holders are welcome to drop off at the main gate to the property but there are no allocated parking spaces.
- Ramped access/slopes
A portable ramp is available for entry into the Museum, Tea-room and toilets. Please speak to Visitor Reception
- Seating available
Picnics are welcome in the gardens on our picnic tables located beside the theatre. We politely ask you to take your rubbish home with you.
- Steps/uneven terrain
Ground floor of Museum is wheelchair accessible, however there is restricted access to the upper floor. Please speak to Visitor Reception for alternative visual aids. Wheelchair users might find some areas of our garden challenging due to uneven paths and steps, please take care.
- Wheelchairs available
Please ask staff on arrival for assistance.
- By road
on east side of Rye road (B2082)
Parking: free (not National Trust), 50 yards
- By train
Rye 8 miles; Appledore 8 miles; Headcorn 10 miles
- By bus
from Rye to Tenterden
- Cycling
Planning your visit
The Beetlewing Dress - last chance to see
In 2024, Ellen Terry's famous Beetlewing dress returned from its starring role in touring exhibitions and is now back home at Smallhythe Place, where it will remain on display until November 2025.
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The Ellen Terry museum at Smallhythe Place
Step into the Ellen Terry Museum at Smallhythe Place, a creative haven dedicated to the late Victorian actress, curated by her daughter Edy Craig.
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Visiting Smallhythe Place with your dog
Smallhythe Place is a one pawprint rated place. Dogs are welcome around the grounds on leads. Here's some useful information to help you enjoy your walk.
Highlights
The Ellen Terry Museum
The early 16th-century house, once home to renowned Victorian actress Ellen Terry. After her death in 1928, it was transformed into a museum displaying her collection.
Barn Theatre
Seventeenth-century thatched Barn Theatre, keeping Ellen's legacy alive with a diverse programme of productions in the theatre throughout the year.
Garden
A sprawling garden made up of a traditional rose garden, featuring the Ellen Terry rose, orchard, nuttery and ponds.
Rose Arbour
A 55m long rose pergola, with 52 roses of 9 varieties flowering from May to July.
Writing Hut
Built in the early 1900s as a writing space for Christopher St. John, the hut faces the herb garden just below the house she shared with Edy Craig and Clare Atwood.
The Costume Room
A display room within Smallhythe Place showing costumes from Ellen Terry's collection.
Eating
The Theatre Tea Room serves drinks, cakes and snacks. Located next to the Barn Theatre, it enjoys views of the Kent countryside.
Spotlight events
Festival of Archaeology: Smallfest (20 July)
Discover traditional paint pigments with artist Polly Bennett, take part in family activities hosted by the Tenterden Museum, channel your inner Indiana Jones with our National Trust Archaeologists, or attend an evening talk about the archaeology along the river rother!
A Midsummer Night's Dream (24 July - 3 August)
The Summer Theatre Company return to the Barn Theatre this year with their ever-popular production of Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream'.
Summer of Play (19 July - 31 August)
Grab your magnifying glasses and channel your inner archaeologist at Smallhythe Place this summer with a range of activities, dress up, and lawn games.
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Dressing Lady Macbeth: An Exhibition
Rediscover gems of the 1888 Lyceum Theatre production of 'Macbeth' in an intimate exhibition which brings together significant items for the first time in several decades.
Things to see and do
Article
The Ellen Terry museum at Smallhythe Place
Step into the Ellen Terry Museum at Smallhythe Place, a creative haven dedicated to the late Victorian actress, curated by her daughter Edy Craig.
Article
The Barn Theatre at Smallhythe Place
Step into the theatrical world at Smallhythe Place and experience live performances in the National Trust's only working theatre.
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Theatrical Mementoes at Smallhythe Place
From scripts and costumes to props, discover what theatrical treasures you can see at Smallhythe Place.
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The garden at Smallhythe Place
Discover this charming cottage garden surrounding the house, with borders packed full of flowers, an orchard underplanted with bulbs and roses tumbling over the front of the house.
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Family activities at Smallhythe Place
Discover what's on offer for families throughout our open season.
Eating
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Eating at Smallhythe Place
Complete your visit to Smallhythe Place with a bite to eat in our quaint tea room, nestled within the 17th century Barn Theatre.
Places to stay
2 Bettenham Cottages
Immerse yourself in rolling farmland and peaceful countryside. This cosy cottage is the perfect getaway for friends, family and one well-behaved dog.
Sissinghurst Castle Farmhouse
Located on the grounds of Sissinghurst Castle Garden, this stunning Victorian Farmhouse offers a luxurious bed and breakfast service in the very heart of the Weald of Kent.
Priest's House
Sitting on the edge of Sissinghurst Castle’s gardens, this is the perfect spot for garden lovers.
Upcoming events
Event
Summer of Play at Smallhythe Place
Grab your magnifying glasses and channel your inner archaeologist at Smallhythe Place this summer.
Event
'Dressing Lady Macbeth': An Exhibition (26 February - 2 November)
Rediscover gems of the 1888 Lyceum Theatre production of 'Macbeth' in an intimate exhibition - a final chance to see Ellen Terry's Beetlewing dress before it is put away for conservation 'rest'.
Event
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
A bold and contemporary take on Tom Stoppard's iconic and award-winning play by Different Theatre, which takes place, as it were, "in the wings" of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'.
Event
Meet the Archaeologists
Bring along your budding archaeologists to meet members of our archaeology team every other Sunday at Smallhythe Place.
Event
Festival of Archaeology: 'Smallfest'
Join us for a celebration of archaeology at Smallhythe Place as part of the nationwide Festival of Archaeology!
Event
Archaeology Along the River Rother
National Trust Archaeologist Nathalie Cohen uncovers the recent fascinating projects at Smallhythe Place and Bodiam Castle.
Event
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The Summer Theatre Company return to the Barn Theatre this year with their ever-popular production of Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream'.
Event
The Secret Garden
Following their success in 2024, The Plandits are bringing their re-imagining of the classic Frances Hodgson Burnett book back for a second summer season.
About Smallhythe Place
Built in the early 16th-century when Smallhythe was a thriving shipbuilding port, Smallhythe Place was later purchased by renowned Victorian actress, Ellen Terry, in 1899. A year after her passing in 1928 her daughter, Edith Craig, transformed the house into a museum which now displays a fascinating personal and theatrical collection that reflects Ellen's extraordinary career and unconventional private life.
Latest news
News
Exploring Smallhythe Place: Archaeological Investigations by the River Rother
Between 2021-2023, a team of archaeologists have dug trenches in and around Smallhythe Place, revisiting a site once investigated by the Time Team. In August 2023, the team returned for a third dig. Discover more about their work here.
History
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The history of Smallhythe Place
Discover the history of Smallhythe Place, from a centre for royal ship building to the home of Ellen Terry, one of the most famous Shakespearean actors of the Victorian times.
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LGBTQ+ history at Smallhythe Place
Learn about the lives of the extraordinary women who transformed Smallhythe Place into a creative haven, and a space now remembered for its local LGBTQ+ heritage.
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Who was Edith Craig?
Find out more about Edith Craig and her work with partner Christopher St John to further the suffrage movement’s cause for the right to vote.
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The shipyard and port at Smallhythe
The community of workers living in Smallhythe made it a thriving and successful port. Learn about what was there before the shipyard’s decline in the 16th century.
Art and collections
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Costume conservation
Discover the painstaking processes behind restoring some of the most beloved costumes in Smallhythe's collection.
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Pamela Coleman Smith at Smallhythe Place
Discover the work displayed at Smallhythe Place by Pamela Coleman Smith, illustrator, designer and close friend to Ellen Terry.
Project
Project
Conserving the Embroidered Cushion at Smallhythe Place
Conservator, Tabby Gibbs, tells us about the process of treating the embroidered cushion from Ellen Terry’s bedroom.
Hidden Treasures of the National Trust
Follow the journey of conservation at the places in our care in the BBC's Hidden Treasures of the National Trust series. Go behind the scenes and hear from the experts and conservators who look after many treasured objects, including Ellen Terry's famous Beetlewing dress and a collection of illustrations by Pamela Coleman Smith at Smallhythe Place. Catch up on our episode from season one on BBC iPlayer here.
Our work
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Smallhythe Place’s famous patron, Joanna Lumley
Joanna Lumley follows in some famous footsteps as patron of the Barn Theatre. Discover how her local connections, love of the stage and acting pedigree make her the perfect choice.
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Our work at Smallhythe Place
Find out about the work we do in the winter months to maintain and conserve the museum, house, theatre and garden at Smallhythe, ready for the next season, including costume conservation.
Support us
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Volunteer opportunities at Smallhythe Place
Join the volunteer team at Smallhythe Place working to preserve and share the story of actor Ellen Terry’s historic home.