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> SlowTrav > United Kingdom & Ireland > Travel Notes > Southeast England
Southeast England - Houses with Gardens, Stately Homes, Historic Houses
by WSB
Southeast England is noted for many fine gardens, and a fine garden or park can much enhance a visit to a country house so we list those first below.
Links are given in the text below to maps on the Multimap website; this will initially display an extract from the local Ordnance Survey map zoomed in to the place of interest; you can zoom in and out, see other local points of interest and also switch to other map formats if you prefer; there are also links on the map to Wikipedia articles on other nearby places.
Key
Places where members of certain organisations get free or reduced price admission:
Star-ratings in prominent guide books:
Houses with Notable Gardens or Parks
Hever Castle, Kent (HHA) (J****, GG**) (Multimap)
A moated castle, with mock-Tudor village built for Waldorf Astor’s guests, and a splendid Italianate garden; once the home of Henry VIII’s 2nd wife, Ann Boleyn.
Leeds Castle, Kent (J****, GG*) (Multimap)
Romantically set in its moat, Leeds is marketed as “the most beautiful castle in the world.”
Penshurst Place, Kent (J****, GG*) (Multimap)
Palatial Elizabethan house in attractive village setting.
Restoration House, Rochester, Kent (HHA) (J****, GG*) (Multimap)
17th century town house, filled in recent years by enthusiastic new owners with authentic furniture and art, and a garden beautifully restored; a delight to visit.
Loseley Park, Surrey (HHA) (J***, GG*) (Multimap)
Tudor mansion, family atmosphere, garden recreated to Jekyll design within the huge walled garden area.
Polesden Lacey, Surrey (NT) (J***, GG*) (Multimap)
Home of an Edwardian society hostess (a future king honeymooned here), with interesting art collection and fine gardens.
Great Dixter, East Sussex (HHA) (J***, GG**) (Multimap)
A traditional Wealden house reinstated by Edwardian architect Lutyens; famous garden of noted garden writer, Christopher Lloyd.
Monk's House, Rodmell, East Sussex (NT) (J***, G*) (Multimap)
Writer Virginia Woolf’s village home; cottage garden.
Parham, West Sussex (HHA) (J*****, G*) (Multimap)
Unspoilt Elizabethan mansion nestling at foot of South Downs; delightful approach through the deer park; lovable garden.
In the lovely gardens of Parham House
Petworth House and Park, West Sussex (NT) (J****, F****, G*) (Multimap)
The grandest house in Sussex, filled with one of the best art collections in Britain; especially notable are unforgettable carved wood panels by Grinling Gibbons and the paintings Turner painted for the house; the extensive deer-park was designed by Capability Brown.
Other Stately Homes
Chiddingstone Castle, Kent (HHA) (J***) (Multimap)
A late 18th century Gothic Revival mansion housing an extraordinary collection of Egyptian, Buddhist and Japanese artefacts.
Cobham Hall, Kent (HHA) (J***) (Multimap)
A 17th century mansion with characterful 18th century interiors. It is now a school so can normally only be visited during school holidays. Don’t miss the village. (For visiting details follow the link on the website to Historic House.).
Knole, Kent (NT) (J*****, F***) (Google Map) (Multimap)
A vast medieval/Tudor palace, lavishly furnished. Surrounded by extensive deer park.
Lullingstone Castle, Kent (HHA) (J***) (Multimap)
A family home in a beautiful setting, with the village church on the front lawn.
Squerryes Court, Kent (HHA) (J***) (Multimap)
A classic country house in lovely Kent countryside. It featured as the home of Emma Woodhouse in the 2009 TV adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma.
Squerryes Court
Clandon Park, Surrey (NT, AF) (J***) (Multimap)
An Italianate early 18th century house, with a magnificent entrance hall. The rooms house a fine art collection, although it has rather a museum-like feel.
Hatchlands Park, Surrey (NT) (J***) (Multimap)
Although the interiors were designed by Robert Adam (one of his first works after returning from studies in Italy) this house contains nothing as grand as Clandon’s hall, but it has more atmosphere because the National Trust has for many years let it to a wealthy tenant who has filled it a great clutter of many old pianos and much of his own art collection.
Arundel Castle, West Sussex (J****) (Multimap)
The home of the Duke of Norfolk. A medieval castle much rebuilt in medieval style in the 18th and 19th centuries it conveys a very grand impression. It has a fine art collection. The Fitzalan-Howard family remained Roman Catholic despite the English reformation and retained the east end of the parish church as a private chapel, which can only be visited as part of a castle tour; this is memorable for a magnificent collection of tombs.
Brighton Royal Pavilion, East Sussex (AF) (J*****, F***) (Multimap)
The Georgian Prince of Wales’s pleasure palace by the sea, built in exotic “hindoo” style with remarkable interiors; whatever you do in Brighton don’t miss the Dining Room, kitchen and Music Room.
Goodwood House, West Sussex (HHA) (J****) (Multimap)
The house is set in loveliest Downland surroundings, but as architecture it is disappointing. However, it is still occupied by the Duke of Richmond and his rich art collection fills its lavish interiors.
Firle Place, East Sussex (HHA) (J****) (Multimap)
The house nestles in a lovely setting at the foot of the Downs. It is noted for Rococo plasterwork and a fine collection of pictures. Don’t miss the village of West Firle.
Glynde Place, East Sussex (HHA) (J***) (Multimap)
Another house nestling in a lovely setting near the foot of the Downs. An Elizabethan house with a notable panelled gallery. Don’t miss the unusual Georgian church next door.
Uppark, West Sussex (NT, AF) (J****) (Multimap)
A textbook symmetrical classical mansion, set in rolling Downland. It has an exquisite interior, which has been completely restored after a fire in 1989. As with many National Trust houses the kitchens and other service rooms in the basement are fascinatingly presented.
Other Historic Houses
Chartwell, Kent (NT) (J***) (Multimap)
Winston Churchill’s country home, where he would retreat to write, to lay bricks, to paint and to grow roses.
Ightham Mote, Kent (NT) (J****) (Multimap)
A picture-perfect moated manor-house.
Quebec House, Kent (NT) (J**) (Multimap)
Home of General Wolfe, hero of the capture of Quebec in 1759.
Walmer Castle & Gardens, Kent (EH) (J***) (Multimap)
Originally built in the reign of Henry VIII, this is now the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.
Bateman's, Burwash, East Sussex (NT) (J****) (Multimap)
This was originally an iron master’s house. It was bought in the early 1900s by the writer Rudyard Kipling, and the Kipling mementoes give a strong impression of life in their family home.
Charleston Farmhouse, East Sussex (AF) (J****, F*) (Multimap)
Country retreat of artists from the Bloomsbury Set, with charming artworks. Don’t miss the church in the nearby village of Berwick with murals painted by members of the Set.
Lamb House, Rye, East Sussex (NT) (J**) (Multimap)
Writer Henry James’s Georgian house in picture-book hill-town.
St Mary's House, Bramber, West Sussex (HHA) (J***) (Multimap)
Atmospheric medieval house.
Standen, West Sussex (NT) (J**) (Multimap)
Built in Arts & Crafts style and filled with fascinating Arts & Crafts objects from wallpaper to light-fittings.
Resources
Southeast England Vacation Rental Reviews
Southeast England Hotel Reviews
Southeast England Restaurant Reviews
Map
ST
Google Map - Southeast England:
Interactive, annotated map of southeast England. Satellite views available.
Photos
Photos of Southeast England
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