Kent

Find fairy tale castles, a treasure house fit for a king, the home of Churchill and a world-renowned garden dedicated to beauty. These are just some of Kent’s highlights along with spectacular coastline, ancient woodlands and rolling downs. Discover what to see and do in the Garden County of England.

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View up to the house at Chartwell, lit by winter sun, with a frosty lawn and borders in the foreground

Place

Chartwell

Family home and garden of Sir Winston Churchill

Place

Knole

Be part of a 400 year history of visiting Knole

A snowy view of the garden entrance at Sissinghurst

Place

Sissinghurst Castle Garden

Historic, poetic, iconic: a refuge dedicated to beauty. Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson fell in love with Sissinghurst Castle and created a world-renowned garden.

Scotney's ruined medieval castle in winter

Place

Scotney Castle

Romantic Picturesque garden with a 14th century moated castle and a Victorian country mansion - all in a beautiful wooded estate.

Blue sky over the half-timbered west front of Ightham Mote, a moat in the foreground

Place

Ightham Mote

Outstanding 14th-century moated manor house, gardens and estate

Image of visitor walking along the clifftop at the White Cliffs of Dover, Kent on a sunny day in August

Place

The White Cliffs of Dover

Magnificent coastal site overlooking the English Channel

An image looking out over the rose garden at Emmetts Garden in Kent with a dusting of white frost over the ground and a stone fountain in the centre surrounded by pruned rose bushes

Place

Emmetts Garden

Interesting hillside garden with year-round features

Lady Churchill's Rose Garden in Winter at Chartwell, Kent

Gardens in Kent

View of the house at Knole, Kent in winter

Houses and buildings in Kent

Standing stones at Coldrum Long Barrow at sunrise in winter, with bare tree in background

Countryside and woodland in Kent

Visitors walking in winter at Cobham Wood, Kent

Walking in Kent

A family walks along a path covered in fallen leaves, with the house in the background at Knole, Kent

Family-friendly places in Kent

Visitors dog walking in winter at Cobham Wood, Kent

Dog-friendly places in Kent

Visitors in the cafe in winter, Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland

Places to eat in Kent

A volunteer ranger coppicing trees on the estate of Scotney Castle, Kent

Volunteering in Kent

Christmas tree decor at Rufford Old Hall, Lancashire

Christmas in Kent

Look out for giant The Snowman™ sculptures at Knole, inspired by Raymond Briggs' timeless festive tale. Step back in time for a Tudor Christmas at Ightham Mote, with roving musicians and a stunning hand-painted festive Tudor Chapel. Enter a magical storybook world at Chartwell and join carol singing over a festive drink. Meanwhile the party will be in full throes at Scotney Castle, for a Swinging Sixties Christmas with glittering trees and original 1960s' outfits. For a cosy Christmas, see twinkling lights, greenery and a Georgian feast at Quebec House.

Discover year-round interest in walled gardens, vegetable plots and borders – and one of the most famous gardens in the country.

A view over the misty garden at Ightham Mote manor house, complete with small bridge, pond and shrubbery

Winter highlights

Explore rich evergreens at Emmetts Garden and garden water features at Chartwell and Ightham Mote. Keep your eyes peeled for the pure white of snowdrops as they begin to grow. Our gardens offer peace and tranquillity in the winter months. Wrap up warm and take in their structural beauty.

Autumn leaves in the foreground at Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Kent, with the ruins of the fourteenth-century moated castle in the distance

Autumn highlights

With gardens filled with colour and orchards hanging low with fruit, autumn is a great time for a day out at National Trust places nearby. Catch late flowers in the Purple Border in early autumn at Sissinghurst, and breathe in the intoxicating scent of the Katsura Cercidiphyllum japonicum (toffee apple tree) near the North Lake at Ightham Mote. Dahlias and sunflowers continue to bloom in the early autumn sunshine at Chartwell. Later in the season, spot weird and wonderful mushrooms emerging at Emmetts Garden.

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A Persian Paradise Exhibition at Sissinghurst Castle Garden

Love gifts collected by Vita Sackville-West from the ruins of the ancient palace of Persepolis in Persia (now modern-day Iran) are reunited for the first time in nearly a century at Sissinghurst Castle Garden. The pieces of sculpture were gifted by Vita to her lover Virginia Woolf and husband Harold Nicolson. They are part of a new exhibition revealing untold stories, unseen photos and personal mementoes from Vita and Harold’s time in 1920s Persia.

Rudyard Kipling's writing desk in the study at Bateman's, East Sussex

Intricate art installation at Bateman's

Bateman’s in Burwash, the family home of author Rudyard Kipling, will mark nearly 130 years since the publication of his much-loved classic ‘The Jungle Book’. See a magical installation created by book artist Su Blackwell from copies of Kipling’s original handwritten manuscript.

Let little explorers loose in the outdoors. They'll love squelching in mud kitchens, scrambling across natural play areas and running free across open meadows at places like Chartwell, Knole and Sissinghurst Castle Garden.

A family of four walking across the grass parkland at Knole in Kent looking for clues on a family trail activity

Family-friendly places in Kent

Find inspiration for your next family day out in Kent, with nature-themed activities ranging from spotting fish to bug hotels.

Place

Scotney Castle

Romantic Picturesque garden with a 14th century moated castle and a Victorian country mansion - all in a beautiful wooded estate.

Woodland pathway through Oldbury Hill, Kent

Place

Oldbury Hill

Discover the remains of an Iron Age hill fort

The Kent coast is home to towering chalk cliffs and grass downland teeming with wildlife. Pack your binoculars and get ready to take in some fantastic views.

Place

The White Cliffs of Dover

Magnificent coastal site overlooking the English Channel

A man and a child are walking a black-and-white dog through a grassy field towards South Foreland Lighthouse, Kent. The lighthouse is painted white and stands against a grey cloud that's hanging in the sky.

Place

South Foreland Lighthouse

Striking and historical lighthouse high on The White Cliffs of Dover

A cyclist enjoying a ride along a leafy lane in the Kent countryside

Activity

Cycling, riding and running at Toys Hill

With a network of bridleways, there are plenty of ways to explore Toys Hill including horse riding, mountain biking, road cycling and running on a 6km Run England route.

Spring sun through the trees at Toys Hill, Kent

Activity

Walking at Toys Hill

Discover lots of walking routes, points of historical interest and wide-ranging views at one of Octavia Hill’s favourite places. Visit to see the landscape that inspired her.

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.

Priest's House

Sitting on the edge of Sissinghurst Castle’s gardens, this is the perfect spot for garden lovers.

Whether you're looking to travel by train or bus. Plan your visit using greener travel options.

Bicycle leaning against a wall at Ightham Mote, Kent.

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Sustainable travel in Kent

There are a number of sustainable travel options for travelling to and from the places in our care in Kent, whether you're looking to travel by train or bus.

A woman cycling uphill on a road with grass banks either side.

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Sustainable travel in Sussex

There are a number of sustainable travel options for travelling to and from the places in our care in Sussex, whether you're looking to travel by train, bus, bike or foot.

See all events

Event

An Ant's Christmas at Emmetts Garden (2 Dec - 31 Dec)

Emmetts Garden, Sevenoaks, Kent

Join us at Emmetts Garden as we celebrate Christmas with a colony of ants.

Event

Letters to Santa

Scotney Castle, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

A free activity for little ones to get creative and let Santa know what they would like for Christmas at our special letter-writing station in the main shop at Scotney.

Event

Tudor Christmas at Ightham Mote (18 November - 7 January)

Ightham Mote, Sevenoaks, Kent

Celebrate the festive season with us at Ightham Mote with a magnificent Tudor Christmas. With a roaring fire, a Tudor feast and music of celebration there's lots for the whole family to discover and enjoy.

Event

Walking with The Snowman™ at Knole

Knole, Sevenoaks, Kent

Inspired by Raymond Briggs' timeless festive tale, The Snowman™, this winter at Knole you can discover 12 giant The Snowman™ sculptures in the parkland and courtyards.