Eating at Scotney Castle

Afternoon tea with fruit scones, clotted cream and jam in the restaurant at Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Kent — Will you spread your cream or jam first? | © National Trust Images/David Levenson

Take a moment out of your visit to relax in the tea-room with a tasty home-cooked lunch, cream tea, or seasonal treat, baked on the premises.

Coach-house tea-room at Scotney

The tea-room serves fresh, seasonal, locally-sourced food, as well as a selection of hot and cold drinks and children's lunch box options. There’s a range of delicious hot lunches or lighter options including freshly made sandwiches, salads, soups, cakes and cream teas. Gluten-free options are also available. In season we use as much produce from our walled garden as possible.

Well-behaved dogs on leads are generally allowed inside the tea-room as well in the outdoor areas. However, during peak times, such as when we are offering Christmas lunches with table service, we are not able to accommodate dogs inside.

Opening hours

The tea-room is open 10am-5pm in summer and 10am-4pm in winter. The kitchen hours for full food service are 12.00–2.30pm.

As all our food and hot drinks are made to order, there can be queues at peak times. If you want to avoid the queues, we do recommend you consider either an earlier or later sitting. Outside these hours you'll still be able to purchase snacks, sandwiches, pasties and patries, scones, cakes and biscuits, and hot and cold drinks. We don't take bookings for meals nor can we reserve seating.

Speciality scone

As well as our traditional afternoon tea scone and the ever-popular cheese scone (check out the recipe here to make your own), the National Trust's famous seasonal specialty scones are back. If you fancy a break from tradition and are feeling adventurous, April's scone is simnel.

Visitors enjoying ice cream at Sheffield Park and Garden, East Sussex — Visitors enjoying an ice cream at Sheffield Park and Garden | © National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

Other outlets

On busier days the kiosk in the Courtyard is open. The range on offer here is more limited, but if you just want to grab a quick takeaway cup of tea or Americano, or some snacks, ready-made sandwiches or ice-cream (tub or cone), this can be a good option. You can use any of the tables in the courtyard or lawn area, or you could wander into the garden to enjoy your refreshments with a view. (Please note there are no dustbins in the garden and we don't allow consumables inside the mansion house or old castle.)

Picnic spots at Scotney Castle

An autumn or winter picnic can be great fun - think hot soup with crusty bread, warming samosas or pasties, chocolate brownies or soft chewy flapjacks, and crisp fresh air to build up an appetitie. Bring lunch with you or pick up food-to-go from the kiosk or tea-room. Here's a list of our top picks of places to picnic at Scotney:

For a picture-perfect view of the castle, roll out your rug at the top of the garden.
Sit amid the ruins down on the castle island. Choose a bench or take your rug to the lawn overlooking the moat.
There’s a semi-circular bench on the right just before you reach the Quarry Garden that looks out over the ha- ha and into the parkland. Lots of space to spread out and watch the sheep in the park.
For a peaceful spot try the Walled Garden or take a seat on one of the new benches on the moat path.
Spread out a blanket under the tulip tree on the Queen Mother’s Lawn. Located close to the Badger and Pepper play area, this is a good spot for families.
Head out onto the estate and take your pick of the amazing views.

We don't allow picnic chairs or tables in the garden, but out on the estate you can set up your own banquet with family and friends. Please just take all litter offsite with you and keep away from livestock and wildlife.

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.

The mansion house at Scotney Castle in winter

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