When William the Conquerer came to England in 1066 he brought with him the concept of the castle. He and his men of which there were 12,000 at most, needed rapidly to make themselves secure amongst a potentially hostile population of one and a half million, and simply…
Distance:
12 miles
away
One of the most famous and evocative castles in Britain, Bodiam was built in 1385, as both a defence and a comfortable home. The exterior is virtually complete and the ramparts rise dramatically above the moat. Enough of the interior survives to give an impression of castle life.…
Distance:
6.5 miles
away
One of the world's most celebrated gardens, the creation of Vita Sackville‐West and her husband Sir Harold NicolsonDeveloped around the surviving parts of an Elizabethan mansion with a central red‐brick prospect tower, a series of small enclosed compartments, intimate in scale and romantic in atmosphere and including the…
Distance:
8.4 miles
away
The half‐timbered house, built in the early 16th century when Smallhythe was a thriving shipbuilding yard, was the home of the Victorian actress Ellen Terry from 1899 to 1928 and contains her fascinating theatre collection. The cottage grounds include her rose garden, orchard, nuttery, a wonderful display of…
Distance:
12.6 miles
away
The interior of this beautiful 17th‐century house, Rudyard Kipling's home from 1902 to 1936, reflects the author's strong associations with the East. There are many oriental rugs and artefacts, and most of the rooms including his book‐lined study are much as Kipling left them. The delightful…
Distance:
4 miles
away
The ruins of a house of 'white' canons, first founded in C.1208, are now set in an 18th‐century landscape. Rooms in the Georgian Dower House are also open to the public.…
Distance:
4 miles
away
Great Dixter is the family home of Christopher Lloyd, who has devoted his lifetime to creating one of the most experimental, exciting and constantly changing gardens of our time. Incorporating many medieval buildings, the gardens surround the house, each complementing the other.One of the pleasant features about the…
Distance:
8.7 miles
away
Winner of the Historic Houses Association Christie's English Garden of the Year Award 1999. A quintessential English Garden, located in South East England, surrounding a private Grade I listed timber‐framed house, dating from 1550 and enlarged in 1720.The Gardens offer a sumptuous blend of romantic landscaping, imaginative…
Distance:
0.8 miles
away
Set in the rural Weald of Kent surrounded by picturesque countryside and ancient parkland, Penshurst Place and Gardens has changed little over the centuries. This mediaeval masterpiece has been the seat of the Sidney family since 1552 and retains the warmth and character of a much‐loved family home.…
Distance:
13.3 miles
away
Designed in the Picturesque style around the ruins of a 14th‐century moated castle, the garden has spectacular displays of rhododendrons, azaleas and kalmia in May and June, wisteria and roses rambling over the ruins in summer, and trees and ferns providing rich colour in autumn. There are fine…
Distance:
3.3 miles
away