Kent

3 miles from Penns in the Rocks

Penns in the Rocks is an early 18th-century historic house with artistic and literary heritage, featuring a garden with a dedicated temple and situated near natural sandstone rocks, offering visitors a blend of indoor and outdoor experiences.

Near The Powell-Cotton Museum, Quex House, and Gardens

The Powell-Cotton Museum, Quex House, and Gardens in Kent offers visitors a chance to explore a historic house with guided tours, extensive gardens, and a unique museum featuring wildlife dioramas and cultural artifacts from around the world. The venue is mostly wheelchair accessible and family friendly, with free parking and facilities for children.

Located in Margate

Margate is a historic seaside town in Kent, England, known for its sandy beaches, maritime heritage, cultural sites like Turner Contemporary art gallery, historic theatres, and attractions such as Dreamland amusement park. It offers a vibrant cultural and tourism experience with a walkable town centre accessible by rail and local public transport.

3 miles from St John's Commandery

St John's Commandery is a 13th-century medieval chapel and hall with notable architectural features, open for external viewing during daylight hours and internal visits by appointment. It offers a glimpse into the history of the Knights Hospitallers and later farmhouse conversion in Dover, Kent.

Near Wingham Wildlife Park

Wingham Wildlife Park in Kent features a diverse collection of over 200 animal species including birds, mammals, reptiles, and primates. Visitors can explore tropical houses, reptile exhibits, big cat enclosures, and a unique penguin pool. The park also offers indoor educational facilities, a café, and outdoor play areas designed for families and children.

Near Great Dixter House & Gardens

Great Dixter House & Gardens is a renowned historic house and garden in East Sussex featuring Christopher Lloyd's renowned horticultural design, accessible grounds, a café, a shop, and educational tours, suitable for visitors interested in gardening and heritage.

3 miles from Spell Quest at Bodiam Castle

10 Oct–1 Nov (next week)

Families can follow a magical, Halloween-themed trail around Bodiam Castle, making potions, discovering spells and taking part in activities. On weekends, visitors can also enter a spooky best-dressed costume competition in the castle courtyard.

Near Sutton Valence Castle

Sutton Valence Castle is the ruins of a small 12th-century Norman keep offering dramatic panoramic views over East Sussex and Kent. Visitors can explore outdoor historic remains with free entry during daylight hours, though access involves a steep path with steps. Dogs on leads are welcome and parking is available nearby on Broad Street.

3 miles from Wildwood Discovery Park

Wildwood Trust is a woodland discovery park in Kent featuring over fifty species of native British animals, ancient woodland trails, and conservation projects aimed at protecting and reintroducing native wildlife species.

3 miles from Owletts

Owletts is a historic Grade II* listed country house near Cobham, Kent, known for its 17th-century architecture, connection to architect Sir Herbert Baker, and gardens designed partly by Gertrude Jekyll. It is owned by the National Trust and open to the public on a limited basis.

Near Camber Castle

Camber Castle is a 16th-century Device Fort built by Henry VIII near Rye, East Sussex, to protect the coast from invasion. It is a ruined concentric artillery fortress operated by English Heritage, open to visitors for guided tours. The castle is notable for its historic military architecture and coastal location.

2 miles from Captured by Caricature: Max Beerbohm and Henry James

9–13 Oct, 16–20 Oct…

An exhibition exploring the connection between Max Beerbohm and Henry James, featuring Beerbohm’s caricatures of James alongside sketches by William Rothenstein and John Singer Sargent.

2 miles from Battle Abbey

Battle Abbey is a historic Benedictine abbey site in East Sussex, England, built on the site of the Battle of Hastings. Visitors can explore the abbey ruins, enjoy the visitor centre with exhibitions and film, participate in audio tours of the battlefield, and use child-friendly facilities including a discovery room and playground.

2 miles from Battle of Hastings at Battle Abbey

10–11 Oct (this weekend)

A large-scale re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings, with Saxon and Norman soldiers, living history camps, falconry displays, traditional music and a performance telling the story of the Bayeux Tapestry. Children can take part in sword school and a re-creation of the battle.

2 miles from St Augustine's Cross

St Augustine's Cross is a historic stone memorial in Kent commemorating St Augustine's 597 AD mission to England. The cross features intricate Saxon and Celtic carvings and stands near Pegwell Bay and Pegwell Bay Country Park, marking a significant religious and cultural landmark.

3 miles from Bodiam Castle

Bodiam Castle is a 14th-century moated castle in East Sussex, England, known for its distinctive quadrangular design with towers and battlements. Set in a landscaped environment with an ornamental moat, it showcases medieval architecture and history. The castle is a ruin open to the public under the care of the National Trust and has been featured in films and television.

3 miles from Moat tour with a costumed medieval character

9 Oct, 16 Oct…

Join a costumed medieval character for a guided tour around Bodiam Castle’s moat, hearing about the castle’s construction, landscape and past inhabitants.

2 miles from St Mary's Church, Reculver

St Mary's Church, Reculver, is a historic ruined Anglo-Saxon church founded in the 7th century on the site of a Roman fort in Kent, England. Although the church was mostly demolished in 1809 due to coastal erosion, the iconic twin towers remain as a landmark for shipping. The site offers visitors a glimpse into early Christian architecture and monastic history, with archaeological remains and connections to Kentish kings and Viking attacks. Managed by English Heritage, it is an outdoor heritage site showcasing ruins and a rich narrative of medieval religious and community life.

3 miles from Westwood Cross

Westwood Cross is a pedestrianised shopping centre in Westwood, Kent, featuring over 40 stores, leisure facilities like a casino and cinema, and ample parking. It is housed indoors across three floors and offers a modern retail and leisure experience.

Near Horne's Place Chapel

Horne's Place Chapel is a late medieval timber-framed private chapel dating from 1276 near Appledore, Kent, noted for its exquisite architecture and historic significance as a Grade II* listed building. The chapel is open to visitors to view its interior, but the attached manor house remains private.

2 miles from St John's Jerusalem

St John's Jerusalem is a National Trust property in Kent featuring a 13th century Knights Hospitaller chapel and a garden moated by the River Darent, with historical medieval buildings and landscaped grounds accessible to the public.

Located in Dartford

Dartford is a historic market town in Kent, England, with a rich industrial and religious heritage, accessible by rail and serving as a cultural and shopping hub for visitors.

Located in Minster

Minster is a historic town on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent known for its ancient abbey, coastal location, and fossil-rich beaches, offering cultural and natural attractions for visitors.

2 miles from South Foreland Lighthouses

South Foreland Lighthouses are a pair of historic Victorian lighthouses in Kent, England, known for pioneering electric light and Marconi's radio experiments. The Upper Lighthouse is owned by the National Trust and open for public visits including museum exhibits, while the Lower Lighthouse is privately owned and not accessible.

3 miles from Guided walks to South Foreland Lighthouse 2026

10 Oct (this Saturday)

Join a volunteer-led walk along the White Cliffs of Dover to South Foreland Lighthouse, hearing about the cliffs’ natural and human history and seeing wartime remains and coastal views. At the lighthouse, the guide gives a brief introduction before visitors can explore the grounds and make their own way back.

2 miles from Lamb House

Lamb House is an 18th-century writer's house museum in Rye, East Sussex, showcasing the home and garden of renowned authors like Henry James. Visitors can explore the historic interiors and the walled garden, enjoying both indoor and outdoor heritage experiences.

2 miles from Book of the Month

9–13 Oct, 16–20 Oct…

Visitors can discover a featured novel inspired by or connected to Lamb House and the history of its notable residents. The featured book changes monthly.

2 miles from Bluewater (shopping centre)

Bluewater Shopping Centre is a major indoor retail and leisure destination in Kent, England, featuring over 300 stores, multiple dining options, a large cinema, and extensive free parking. It serves millions of visitors annually and offers a comprehensive shopping experience in a unique triangular architectural layout.

Near Farleys House & Gallery

Farleys House & Gallery is a former Georgian farmhouse that showcases an art gallery and sculpture garden, offering guided tours of the house and seasonal exhibitions. Visitors can enjoy tea and cakes onsite and explore gardens featuring permanent and contemporary artworks.

3 miles from Capel Fleet

Capel Fleet Raptor Viewpoint is an open-air vantage spot on the Isle of Sheppey offering opportunities to observe various birds of prey over wetland farmland habitats. The site features an accessible gravel path and benches for binocular use, with no entry fee or onsite facilities.

2 miles from Doddington Place Gardens

Doddington Place Gardens is a 10-acre outdoor garden located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty featuring diverse planting styles, rock and sunken gardens, champion trees, and panoramic countryside views, welcoming visitors with refreshments and accessible facilities.

2 miles from Autumn Spice Workshop

14 Oct (next Wednesday)

Participants make a seasonal herbal spiced tincture and discuss simple kitchen remedies, then explore the herb beds to discover plants for a home garden pharmacy.

2 miles from Stoneacre

Stoneacre is a 15th century timber-framed yeoman farmer's house near Maidstone, Kent, featuring historic architecture and interiors restored to Tudor style by the National Trust. Visitors can explore both the house and surrounding gardens, orchards, and meadows.

2 miles from Battle of Hastings

The Battle of Hastings site near Battle, East Sussex, marks the location of the pivotal 1066 battle between the Normans and Anglo-Saxons that shaped English history. Visitors can explore the battlefield, Battle Abbey ruins, and learn about this decisive Norman victory and its aftermath.

3 miles from Dreamland Margate

Dreamland Margate is a historic seaside amusement park in Kent featuring vintage rides including the Grade II* listed Scenic Railway wooden roller coaster, alongside modern attractions like a roller disco, live music venue, and children’s play areas. It offers both indoor and outdoor experiences, with food available on site, making it a family-friendly destination with a rich heritage and entertainment events.

2 miles from Swingfield Preceptory

Swingfield Preceptory, also known as St John's Commandery, is a historic 13th-century Knights Hospitaller priory near Folkestone, Kent, featuring a surviving chapel and historic farmhouse architecture under English Heritage care.

3 miles from Mount Ephraim Gardens

Mount Ephraim Gardens features extensive Edwardian gardens with diverse plant collections and a Grade II listed Victorian manor house. Visitors can explore both outdoor gardens and indoor areas with café facilities. The site is family-friendly, pet-friendly, and accessible, with various event options including weddings and group visits.