Summary
Sevenoaks is a historical market town easily accessible from London and serves as the administrative center of its namesake district, which represents a significant portion of western Kent.
The Sevenoaks District is home to an impressive array of elegant country houses, starting with the magnificent Knole located at the southeast outskirts of the town.
Notable historical figures such as Winston Churchill and Anne Boleyn resided in these estates, each steeped in history and rich with fascinating memorabilia.
The surrounding countryside is a visual delight, characterized by the gentle hills of the North Downs and the verdant expanses of the sandstone Weald.
Chartwell, Emmetts Garden, and Riverhill are situated prominently on hilltops, offering breathtaking views.
Let’s delve into the premier attractions in Sevenoaks:
1. Knole
Developed over a span of 150 years, from 1455 to 1608, Knole is a stately home of considerable size, featuring seven courtyards and a diverse architectural style that spans from the late Medieval period to the Jacobean era.
The house has a profound historical significance, having been home to Archbishops of Canterbury and prominent members of the Tudor court, making its narrative both extensive and complex.
The long lineage of esteemed occupants has resulted in Knole housing internationally recognized collections.
This includes 17th-century Stuart furniture displayed in the state rooms, some of which are elaborately detailed with silver, alongside revered portraits created by Reynolds, Gainsborough, and van Dyck.
The private chapel, dating to the 15th century, features what might be the oldest playable organ in the UK. The National Trust visitor center provides an informative introduction to Knole and its many notable residents.
For families with children, the National Trust has designed engaging trails that cater to younger audiences.
2. Knole Park
Set within a sprawling 1,000 acres of parkland, the estate also includes an unusually large walled garden, a remnant from Medieval times.
This 26-acre formal garden encompasses dignified avenues, meticulously shaped bosquet hedges, and a patte d’oie.
The park’s ancient woodlands, ponds, and acidic grasslands qualify it as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Roaming throughout the grounds is a herd of 350 deer, adding an enchanting aspect to the landscape, making it an ideal location for photography enthusiasts.
If you’re uncertain where to begin your exploration, the National Trust organizes guided tours of the grounds on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, starting from the visitor center at 14:00. Self-guided maps are also available for download from their website.
3. Ightham Mote
This picturesque half-timbered manor, surrounded by a square moat, has been the residence of Medieval knights, courtiers from the time of Henry VIII, and an American industrialist.
Dating back to the mid-14th century, Ightham Mote has preserved its Medieval and Tudor character due to the minimal alterations made by its various owners over the years.
A courtyard encloses more than 70 rooms, and the house features unique characteristics such as a slit in the gatehouse wall for the porter to assess visitors before admitting them, a sizeable 19th-century doghouse, and a gallery that connects the gatehouse to the main residence.
The estate was developed in the 16th century to appeal to Henry VIII, though he may have found the imagery of Catherine of Aragon in the stained glass of the Great Hall or painted ceiling in the New Chapel less than agreeable after their divorce in 1533.
4. Emmetts Garden
A must-visit while in Sevenoaks, Emmetts Garden is situated on a hillside within an Edwardian estate.
This National Trust site, located at one of Kent’s highest points, provides sweeping views over the Weald.
While the landscape alone may entice you to linger, there’s an abundance of experiences across these six acres.
The North Garden features whimsical water features and a unique wedding cake tree, a species originating from the Far East.
The South Garden retains a design from the early 20th century and harmoniously integrates hardy exotic trees and shrubs.
Notably, the Persian silk tree blooms delicately in summer.
The Rose Garden (1910-1920) is the only section of Emmetts with formal landscaping, while the Rock Garden showcases both English and Alpine hardy species cascading down to a lily pond.
5. Riverhill Himalayan Gardens
This garden, perched on another hillside overlooking the Weald of Kent, has been in the Rogers family since 1840. Open from March to September, the Riverhill Himalayan Gardens provides a family-oriented attraction, captivating children with its hedge maze, den-building activities, adventure playground, and the elusive Riverhill Yeti who occasionally appears in the woods.
Additionally, the garden reflects nearly 180 years of dedicated planting and landscaping.
Springtime brings rare rhododendron specimens to bloom in the Jungle, while the newly restored Rose Walk is enchanting in mid-summer. The Walled Garden features a formal vegetable garden, a pond, and terraced grass in the Himalayan style.
The West End lies in the shade of the Waterloo Cedar, one of the largest cedars in the UK, while the Orchard Sweep contains a Wellingtonia and Cedar of Lebanon, both of which were planted in 1860.
6. Old Soar Manor
Located near Ightham at the foot of the North Downs is a remnant of a house constructed for the Medieval landowning Culpepper family in the 13th century.
Although the great hall of Old Soar Manor was demolished in the 18th century, the private quarters remain intact, allowing visitors to glimpse the luxurious lifestyle of Medieval occupants.
The peaceful location features a solar (bedroom), chapel, and latrine.
Designed for comfort and safety, the house boasts substantial stone walls and arrow loops reflecting its readiness for potential defense.
7. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve
Comprising both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, this 182-acre Site of Special Scientific Interest is located immediately north of Sevenoaks town center.
One intriguing aspect of the reserve is that the landscape has been entirely engineered by humans.
The expansive lakes and ponds were originally gravel pits, and nearly all the trees were manually planted.
Upon completion in the 1980s, it became the first instance of gravel pits being transformed into a nature reserve, a model that has been emulated across the country.
The Jack Harrison Visitor Centre, named after the reserve’s founder, provides insights into the site’s ancient history and its transformation, presenting information on the many species that inhabit or migrate through the reserve.
The water bodies attract a diverse range of wildfowl during the winter, while grey herons are residents year-round, with reed warblers and reed buntings presenting themselves in the reed beds during summer.
Throughout the muddy banks, little-ringed plovers and lapwings can often be spotted nesting within the reserve.
8. Bradbourne Lakes
Located slightly closer to the heart of Sevenoaks is a smaller ornamental park, which was once part of the grounds of the Bradbourne Hall estate.
The history of this charming site can be traced back to a watermill situated on a tributary of the River Darent.
The lakes, as they currently exist, were created by the estate’s owner, Henry Bosville, in 1761. Visitors can stroll around the waterway, feed ducks, geese, and swans (using oats rather than bread), and admire the small waterfalls and sluices that link the two lakes.
9. Lullingstone Castle
Lullingstone Castle, primarily constructed in the Queen Anne style at the onset of the 18th century, has roots that extend back much further, being referenced in the Domesday Book from 1086. The current structure began development at the conclusion of the 15th century, and the brick-built gatehouse remains from that period.
The Hart Dyke family has resided at Lullingstone Castle for 20 generations, including the current proprietor.
The estate and its gardens invite visitors from Friday to Sunday during the summer months.
Interior tours are restricted to a guided schedule occurring once daily at 14:00, allowing guests the freedom to explore the grounds at their leisure.
In the 1930s, a silk farm established here by Zoe Dyke produced the silk for King George VI’s coronation robe in 1936. Over recent years, the walled garden has been transformed into a World Garden of Plants by heir Tom Hart Dyke, featuring approximately 8,000 plants gathered during international plant-gathering expeditions.
10. Shoreham Aircraft Museum
This compact yet informative museum operates on weekends and centers on themes from the Second World War.
Within its single-storey structure, numerous aviation artifacts are displayed, primarily sourced from the Battle of Britain.
Exhibits include wing sections, propellers, controls, cockpit frames, bombs, instruments, and segments of fuselage recovered from downed RAF and Luftwaffe aircraft.
The collection also features entire engines from German aircraft such as the Dornier 17, Fw 190, and Junkers 88, in addition to an RAF Spitfire and Hurricane.
These materials are supplemented with eyewitness accounts, documents, letters, and photographs, adding an emotional and personal aspect to the exhibition.
11. Chartwell
If your interest in National Trust country houses remains unsatisfied, there exists a notable property situated seven miles from Sevenoaks at Chartwell.
Winston Churchill acquired this estate in 1922 and promptly began renovations on the Tudor house, which was suffering from dry rot.
Situated on elevated terrain, Churchill was captivated by the enchanting views of the Weald of Kent from the garden front.
This estate remained under his ownership until his passing in 1965. Churchill visited Chartwell to paint, and the studio now houses the largest collection of his artwork.
Throughout the property, guests may discover delightful surprises, including the pond-side bench where he fed his Golden Orfe, the desk where he composed many of his speeches, family photographs, an order of service from Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, and even Churchill’s private bedroom.
12. Lullingstone Roman Villa
Demonstrating wealth, Lullingstone Roman Villa was established as a family residence around the end of the 1st century AD. Approximately 50 years later, it underwent expansion to provide even greater luxury, with suggestions that it may have served as a country retreat for governors of the Roman province of Britannia.
During excavations following the Second World War, two marble busts were uncovered in the cellar, believed to represent Pertinax, the governor from 185-186, and his father-in-law, Publius Helvius Successus.
The shelter housing the ruins allows visitors to admire exquisite mid-4th-century mosaics located in the dining room, including one illustrating the abduction of Europa by Jupiter.
Numerous artifacts unearthed from the site are exhibited in display cases, such as a pair of dice crafted from animal bone in the 4th century.
13. Hever Castle
A highly recommended day trip, Hever Castle served as the family estate of the Boleyns during the 15th and 16th centuries.
Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII and mother of Elizabeth I, was raised in this residence.
Numerous captivating features are housed within, including Anne Boleyn’s personal prayer books, opulent Edwardian and Tudor interiors, a personal lock used by Henry VIII during his travels, three stories of period furniture, a collection of Tudor artworks, and authentic torture instruments.
The gatehouse, built in the 13th century, houses the oldest operational portcullis in England.
The beautifully landscaped grounds offer picturesque walks through formal rose gardens, Tudor gardens, and Italian-themed gardens, supplemented by cascading water features, topiary, and grottoes.
Additionally, visitors can navigate a yew maze planted in 1904, as well as a water maze designed to be solved without getting wet.
14. Chiddingstone Village
Located near Hever Castle, Chiddingstone Village is esteemed as the “most pristine Tudor village in the country.” This quaint village, primarily laid out on a single street, ranks among the oldest in Kent, featuring a charming collection of half-timbered and corbelled houses that house tearooms and a local pub.
Visitors ought to explore the remarkable sandstone boulder at the village’s perimeter, referred to as the Chiding Stone.
Theories abound regarding the historical significance of this stone and its connection to the village’s name, with one account suggesting that “nagging wives” and witches were brought to the stone in Medieval times to be “chided” for their transgressions.
15. The Mount Vineyard
A short train ride to Shoreham followed by a brief walk down a rural lane leads to The Mount Vineyard, which has rejuvenated a local wine-growing tradition dating back to Roman times.
Here, eight different grape varieties, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Seyval Blanc, thrive in the favorable microclimate of the Darenth Valley.
Tours are available from May to September, and tasting sessions occur throughout the year from Thursday to Sunday.
Guests can sample five of the Mount’s award-winning wines, paired with a selection of cheese and charcuterie.
During the summer months, “Wine Wednesdays” provide evening tasting events beginning at 19:30.
