Historic and scenic county with rich heritage, dramatic coast, and vibrant culture.
Chartwell is a historic English country house near Westerham, Kent, best known as the home of Sir Winston Churchill for over forty years. Visitors can explore the restored interiors, including Churchill's study and memorabilia, as well as extensive gardens and lakes designed by Churchill himself. The site includes a restaurant, shop, and exhibitions reflecting the life and legacy of Churchill.
7 Oct–1 Nov (another 23 days)
Families can follow an outdoor Halloween ghost-hunt trail through Chartwell’s parkland, completing games and activities at eight spooky stops before collecting a sticker reward. The trail is designed for children under 8.
Bateman's is a 17th-century Jacobean house in Burwash, East Sussex, known as the home of Rudyard Kipling. Visitors can explore the house preserved as it was in Kipling's time, including his study and collections, as well as the garden and the historic water mill on the estate.
23 May–1 Nov (another 23 days)
A family trail at Bateman’s inspired by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s Monkey Puzzle. Visitors explore the house and garden, helping Little Monkey find his mum through interactive games and challenges.
Knole is a large English country house of Jacobean architecture set in a 1000-acre deer park near Sevenoaks, Kent. It features extensive historic gardens, rich collections of 17th-century Stuart furniture, and a medieval chapel with one of the oldest playable organs in England. The house is a National Trust property with public tours and occasional cultural events. It has been used as a filming location for famous films and music videos.
One Tree Hill and Bitchet Common is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Kent, featuring ancient mixed woodland and diverse habitats with rare flora and fauna, located within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and accessible via public footpaths.
15 Oct (next Thursday)
Join an expert-guided walk through Knole’s parkland to learn what archaeology reveals about its history and how people have used the landscape. The walk includes viewing the historic icehouse from a newly installed platform.
The Darnley Mausoleum is a neoclassical Grade I listed building in Cobham Woods, Kent, designed by James Wyatt. It is an outdoor historic monument on a prominent hill in the landscape, restored and open to the public with visitor facilities nearby. The mausoleum features distinctive classical architecture and forms part of the parkland designed by Humphry Repton.
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.
Tilbury Fort is a historic 17th-century artillery fort in Essex with star-shaped defenses, water-filled moats, and extensive military history, now a tourist site operated by English Heritage featuring original magazines, barracks, and gun emplacements.
Walmer Castle in Kent is a historic 16th-century artillery fort built by Henry VIII, now managed by English Heritage. Visitors can explore its well-preserved interiors with exhibitions on military and political history, enjoy extensive formal gardens including the Queen Mother's Garden, and dine at tea rooms within the castle grounds.
Deal is a historic coastal town in Kent, England, known for its maritime heritage, Tudor castles, and vibrant arts and cultural scene. It offers a walkable town centre, museums, a pier, and a seaside resort atmosphere attracting tourists.
Bayham Old Abbey is a historic 13th-century Premonstratensian abbey ruins located near Lamberhurst, Kent. Now maintained by English Heritage, visitors can explore scenic outdoor ruins featuring ornate stonework and a nearby gatehouse, set within landscaped grounds enhanced by famous landscape gardener Humphry Repton.
Deal Castle is a well-preserved 16th century artillery fort in Kent, England, featuring stone bastions, a moat, and a historic keep. Built by Henry VIII to defend the Downs anchorage, it offers visitors both indoor historical exhibits and outdoor exploration of the castle grounds and fortifications.
Ightham Mote is a medieval moated manor house in Kent, England, featuring over 70 rooms arranged around a central courtyard and surrounded by a moat. It is a Grade I listed building owned by the National Trust, offering visitors a unique glimpse into medieval architecture with notable features such as a Tudor barrel-roofed chapel and extensive gardens.
14 Oct (next Wednesday)
A guided tour of Ightham Mote’s walled garden, led by garden volunteers. Hear about its history, seasonal planting, sustainable growing and plans for its future.
Eltham Palace in southeast London is a historic royal residence featuring a medieval great hall with the third-largest hammerbeam roof in England and an attached Art Deco house from the 1930s. Visitors can explore both the indoor period rooms and outdoor gardens with ruins, making it a unique architectural and historic experience.
St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury, Kent, is the ruins of a historic Benedictine monastery founded in 598 AD, notable for its extensive archaeological remains and historical significance as part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors explore the outdoor abbey ruins, which reflect over 900 years of monastic history and royal connections.
Lullingstone Roman Villa is an archaeological site and museum featuring a Romano-British villa from the 1st to 5th century AD, notable for its early Christian chapel murals, intricate mosaics, and marble busts. Visitors can explore both the villa ruins and the surrounding grounds, gaining insight into Roman Britain's history and early Christianity.
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.
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.
Milton Chantry is a historic 14th-century chantry chapel in Gravesend, Kent, now housing the Chantry Heritage Centre museum with exhibits about the local area, set within Fort Gardens park. The site offers both indoor museum experiences and outdoor historic park surroundings.
Gravesend is a historic riverside town in Kent, England, with significant maritime heritage, notable landmarks including piera and town hall, and a vibrant cultural scene with markets and festivals. It offers walkable town centre, rail access, and local public transport for tourists to explore its rich history and river views.
Oldbury Camp is a large Iron Age hill fort in Kent featuring defensive earthworks and archaeological rock shelters, with public access to its wooded southern area managed by the National Trust.
7 Oct–1 Nov (another 23 days)
Explore 30 illustrated Pikachu trading cards around Ightham Mote, learn facts about the character and design your own Pikachu card as part of an indoor and outdoor art trail.
Rochester Castle is a well-preserved 12th-century ruin featuring the tallest keep in England, set beside the River Medway and Rochester Cathedral. Visitors can explore the castle's stone walls, towers, and extensive gardens while learning about its key role in medieval English history and multiple historic sieges. Managed by English Heritage, the castle is open to the public as a historical outdoor experience.
Rochester is a historic port town in Kent, England, known for its Roman origins, medieval castle and cathedral, and strong literary connections to Charles Dickens. It offers a rich blend of historic architecture, cultural festivals, and riverfront charm.
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.
Rye is a picturesque historic town in East Sussex, known for its medieval streets, cobbled lanes, and rich maritime history as a former Cinque Port. It offers a vibrant arts scene, cultural festivals, and local seafood specialties, making it a popular tourist destination.
Old Soar Manor is a small 13th century stone manor house in Kent, England, now owned by English Heritage and the National Trust, featuring historic rooms such as the solar, latrine, and chapel for visitors to explore.
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.
Upnor Castle is an Elizabethan artillery fort on the River Medway in Kent, originally built to protect the Chatham Dockyard and now serving as a historic site managed by English Heritage. Visitors can explore its fortified buildings and river-facing gun platforms, learning about its military history including its role in the 1667 Dutch Raid on the Medway.
Gillingham is a historic town in Kent, England, known for its rich naval heritage, diverse cultural attractions, and its role as a regional retail and community hub with extensive sports and leisure facilities.
Red House in Bexleyheath, London is a seminal Arts and Crafts building designed by William Morris and Philip Webb, featuring medieval-inspired architecture and original Pre-Raphaelite art. It serves as a historic house museum managed by the National Trust, showcasing Morris' pioneering design ethos and craftsmanship.
Kit's Coty House is a Neolithic chambered long barrow near Aylesford, Kent, part of a unique regional group of prehistoric megalithic monuments known as the Medway Megaliths. The site, managed by English Heritage, is open year-round and offers visitors a view of ancient stone structures set in a rural landscape.
Coldrum Long Barrow is a Neolithic chambered long barrow ruin located near Trottiscliffe in Kent, England. It is part of the Medway Megaliths and features stone burial chambers from the Early Neolithic period. The site is open year-round without charge and hosts both archaeological interest and modern Pagan activities.
Snodland is a historic town in Kent on the River Medway, known for its Roman links, lime and paper industries, and notable churches dating back to the 12th century, with convenient rail access and a walkable town centre.
Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent is a renowned historic garden created by Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson, featuring an influential series of garden rooms, including the iconic White Garden. Located on Tudor-era estate buildings, it showcases a vast collection of old garden roses and other plants, attracting large numbers of visitors and managed by the National Trust.
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.
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.
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.
The White Cliffs of Dover are iconic chalk sea cliffs on the Kent coastline facing the Strait of Dover and France, offering stunning natural views, wildlife habitats, and cultural history including nearby Dover Castle. Visitors can explore outdoor trails, enjoy the National Trust visitor centre with food facilities, and learn about the area's ecology and heritage.
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.
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.
Western Heights of Dover is a historic series of forts, earthworks, and barracks built in the 18th and 19th centuries to protect Dover from invasion. The site includes Napoleonic forts, Roman lighthouse remains, and extensive military earthworks now serving as a country park and local nature reserve open for public exploration.
Dover is a historic English town and major ferry port in Kent, known for its White Cliffs, castle, maritime heritage, and vibrant cultural and retail scene, accessible by train and local transport.
Smallhythe Place is a Tudor-era historic house and theatre museum in Kent, dedicated to Victorian actress Ellen Terry, featuring her theatrical collection, costume displays, beautiful gardens, and an active barn theatre hosting numerous productions annually.
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.
Maidstone is the historic county town of Kent, with a rich history from Neolithic to modern times, situated on the River Medway, offering diverse cultural attractions, shopping centers, parks, and accessible public transport, making it a vibrant tourist destination.
Down House is the historic home of naturalist Charles Darwin where he developed his theory of evolution. Visitors can explore the restored Georgian house with original furnishings, Darwin's greenhouse, and extensive gardens including the Sandwalk woodland path. The site offers both indoor historical exhibits and outdoor natural landscapes.
Scotney Castle in Kent is a National Trust property featuring a medieval moated manor ruins and an early Tudor Revival country house surrounded by picturesque gardens with seasonal floral displays. Visitors can explore both indoor historic house spaces and outdoor gardens with historical and natural highlights.
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.
Battle is a historic market town in East Sussex famous for the 1066 Battle of Hastings and its medieval abbey, with a charming high street, cultural heritage, and scenic walking opportunities.
Quebec House is a Grade I listed historic house museum in Westerham, Kent, featuring exhibitions and memorabilia related to General James Wolfe. Visitors can explore the historic interiors, 18th century styled gardens, and enjoy a tea room and bookshop on site.
Emmetts Garden is an Edwardian estate featuring six acres of arboretum and gardens on a high sandstone ridge near Ide Hill, Kent, offering expansive views and a rose garden next to a Victorian house, though the house is not open to the public.
7–11 Oct, 14–18 Oct…
An exhibition at Quebec House explores the story of children cared for by the Westerham branch of the Foundling Hospital and the tokens their mothers left with them. It also displays tokens made by local schoolchildren in response to the story.