I remember watching a movie a while back about how King John, after signing, and then ripping up,…read morethe Magna Carta, laid siege to this castle. I don't think it has been repaired since (though I think there are other reasons it is in the state it is in). It is one of William's castles, namely because they all pretty much look the same. It is still cool to go in and explore, and even though it is ruined, there is still a lot to check out here.

One of my favorite castle ruins, the imposing Rochester Castle, a mighty Norman tower-keep of…read moreKentish ragstone standing 113 feet, was built c. 1127 by William of Corbeil, Archbishop of Canterbury. It stands on the east bank of the River Medway. Rochester is the tallest keep (central tower) in England and has been the commanding presence of the city and river crossing for over nine centuries. The castle and keep take up half of the Roman-built walled city. From the 12th into the 14th centuries Rochester Castle played an important role in defending against invasion and uprising threats. After falling into disrepair, King Edward III reconstructed the castle and it was fully functional by 1400. Over the next three centuries it was, once again, neglected and vandalized until the city took command of the property. Though the castle's center wooden flooring no longer exists there are passageways and stairs that carry visitors to the top of the keep, offering impressive views in all directions. The English Heritage now has responsibility for preservation and its doors are open to the public. This castle is a must see when visting the South of England.

Magnificent palace located in a far out London suburb. This palace was for a time, the home for the…read moreCourtaulds family who built a magnificent house attached to a mediaevel hall. The hall was all what remained of a Royal palace. But its foundations have been partly excavated and exposed for public viewing in the magnificent gardens. If you love art deco interiors, then you will love this place which still remans fresh and contemporary with its numerous en suite bathrooms and fitted bedrooms. And a simply beautiful lobby with a unique domed ceiling. Do buy a bag of carp food and have fun feeding the greedy fishes!

My fiancé and I visited from the US and we're looking to visit some unique attractions in England…read more This is one of them. A beautiful Art Deco house! The staff was very friendly. They have beautiful gardens to stroll in as well. If you can appreciate vintage/antique Art Deco architecture you'll enjoy walking around this palace. They also have a tea room at the end of the walk which we enjoyed a pot of tea and a slice of maple walnut coffee cake. Very good.

This modern looking lodge with exterior walls and an inside fire place over looking forest and…read moremeadow is the only surviving Tudor hunting lodge. In the 16th century it was called "The Great Standing" - an elaborate OPEN SIDED viewing platform used by the corpulent Henry the Eighth and court to view hunting and equestrian displays. He was better able to gracefully ascend the "procession stairs" (as you will) that had low risers and wide treads to accommodate his girth, equestrian injuries and the ladies' great skirts. The supporting massive oak beams have survived more than 500 years. Banners with family crests used to festoon the sides of the platform and flags flew gaily above. See what the Royal party will be feasting on and hear the kitchen help chopping and dicing in the background. Children can try on Tudor clothing upstairs. This is a family-friendly destination. The volunteers are great about answering your questions. Many thanks to volunteer Danny, now 94 who used to play about the ruins as a boy and has studied the history of the site for years. He was an incredible font of knowledge.

I brought a group up here today for a work trip, and I was pleasantly surprised!…read more It's a very neat building from the 1500s, first used as an open building for Henry VIII to go hunting from (they apparently corralled deer in for him to shoot with his bow and arrow from a chair in the building). Queen Elizabeth then closed it in and made it into the building it is today. The building is charming and a bit corny, set with fake food and costumes to try on - definitely a bit school group centered, but at the same time, it's really more about coming in and having a bit of a feeling of how old and special the building is, and there are lovely views from the top floor. Plus the staircase is original, and is apparently one of the first (if not *the* first) example of a staircase that goes up in a square (like most staircases now!) The guide told us that The Globe came and measured up the stairs and used them as a template when they redid the Globe, so you're in fine company. It's free to go and is open 7 days a week from 10am to 5pm (subject to some closures for private tours, like us today, or school groups). It's set in Epping Forest but is easy to get to as it's less than 10 minutes by foot from Chingford. There's a pub next door and a café across the street, so it's a nice place to start or end a trip to the Forest. There's also a great visitor centre, with permanent and temporary exhibitions, and a gift shop (naturally).

Whitstable itself is a rather modestly attractive beach hovel (I wouldn't call it a town - if you…read morewant a more "bourgeois" atmosphere on the Kent coast, travel to Margate or Ramsgate instead). It also comes up short in the tourist attractions department - and indeed the smallish harbour area is its main claim to fame. Oyster/lobster bars, stalls & restaurants everywhere, plus the odd kebap stall. Prices for sea food vary quite a bit, so look out for less stylish but cheaper places that will give you the same quality of food. You can have fish and chips for UKP 9 or 17 - but it's still the same, locally caught cod. The harbour is one of the few active fishing ports in the area, and you can almost always get a nice glimpse of some boat entering or leaving. The promenade itself is fairly narrow, but extends for about a mile along the seafront. On its western end you can find The Old Neptune, one of the busier pubs and a nice place to sit outside and enjoy the view. On weekends the area gets rather busy indeed, with many punters from London and abroad. If you want a beachside experience in Kent on limited time, then go to Whitstable. It won't occupy you for longer than a couple of hours - at most! But with more time to spend and more opportunities for sightseeing (old town, museums, shops), I'd recommend Margate - which also offers a broad, sandy beach as opposed to the ocean of stones and mussels shells in Whitstable.

Ightham Mote (pronounced 'Eye-tum Moat') is one of my favourite spots to take friends and visitors…read more The setting, on a hot summer's day, is just perfect: you approach through a lovely, quiet valley (astonishingly so, given how close you are to London), and suddenly, there is a beautiful 14th Century Manor-House, set in a wide moat, surrounded by delightful gardens. The house itself dates from 1320, with additions dating to around the early 1500's. Set around an internal courtyard, features include the original 14th century Great Hall, Old Chapel, Crypt, and a Tudor chapel with a painted ceiling, with motifs reflecting the marriage of Catherine of Aragon to Henry VIII. The house features classic overhanging Tudor wooden-framed walls. The gardens are small but delightful, but the parkland around is very extensive (over 500 acres - 200 hectares). There are both cycle-ways and marked foot-paths around the estate for the more energetic visitor. Being owned by the National Trust, there is an excellent small shop and cafe, with details on accessibility on its web-site.

This is a charming historical building and gardens. Dating back to the 13th century, it reflects…read morethe layers of renovation over the ages all on top of the original 'bones'. It also has a wonderful feel to it of a house someone really lived in, as opposed to a cold museum. Oh, and be sure not to miss the painting of the house and moat by Winston Churchill in the library! The gardens are also lovely, small scale, with some very pretty topiary. All this is set into the background of the moat, which provides a cool feel on a warm summer day. The cafe is also nicely run with a good selection of fresh items for lunch or snack. All in all, a very worthwhile stop!!

We had a fantastic day at Leeds Castle! This visit was made possible through a NCL shore excursion…read morefrom the Port of Tilbury. It usually takes about an hour to get there via the M25, but we encountered an accident on our way to the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. We ended up taking a detour through the Dartford Tunnel instead. Our coach driver was able to make up some time. Our guide was great at pointing out everything she saw of interest along the way. She told our group about the history of Leeds Castle as a preview of what we were about to see. Once we arrived, she walked us up to the admission area and gift shop. We received our wrist bands. We also bought 2 bags of bird feed based on her recommendation. Do not leave this store without buying some. The families of birds at Leeds Castle will be extremely happy to see you. I'm not going to get into the age of the castle, nor its history. It's way too much information. Just know that it's something you must see. The interior was last updated in the Art Deco style of the 1930s by Lady Baillie and her French designer Stéphane Boudin. All of her staterooms were beautifully restored. Another cool part of the castle is the Eleanor of Castile exhibit that features a life size AI avatar of the Queen. Ask her a question and she will reply with either an answer or a stern dismissal. It's certainly a challenge to anyone who dares to ask her anything. The garden and grounds of the property are the biggest highlight here. There's so much beauty all around this castle. I wish we could have stayed longer. We were totally amazed by all the birds, ducks, coots, geese, and swans. The flowers in the many gardens are even more spectacular during the springtime. There are so many attractions including a maze, grotto, dog collar museum, birds of prey center, and playgrounds for the kids. There are many activities as well as scheduled falconry displays throughout the day. You can even book a stay at one of the lodges and cottages as well as the Maiden Tower. How lovely is that? It's also popular as a wedding venue. The Castle View Restaurant is available for tourists and guests, and there are some fast food options as well. I could definitely spend a whole weekend here. The owls at the Birds of Prey Center were particularly interesting. I really enjoyed seeing Zorro the Spectacled Owl. I would have stayed for the falconry demonstration, but there just wasn't enough time to see it all. Do plan to stay all day if you have the time. It's so worth the drive from London.

Lee castle is most popular between London and Dover. The castle entrance fees is not cheap. The…read moremain entrance is very far away from parking. This castle requires a lot of fees. For example, tram to castle, audio guide, and more. Basically a lot of fees after general admission. I would suggest visit once that it is due to many fees. The entrance is about 20 minutes walk to castle. But it does go through the garden. There are stations for kids to play along the way. The castle is at middle of the pond. It surrounded by water and an entrance bridge. The castle was build and expanded during the history. The front castle is kind of small. The back castle is connecting by another bridge with larger rooms. The visit takes 2.5 hours due to long walk. That includes the maze garden, aviary. Seems like the owner like bird.

Smaller than many of the 'great' houses in it's collection, Quebec House is a gem nonetheless…read more General Wolfe was born in this house and lived here till he was 10. The name of the house reflects his routing of French forces at Quebec. Th stables at Quebec House contain an excellent exhibition all about the General and his battles. The house itself makes for fascinating look/see as an example of Elizabethan architecture successively adapted by the Georgians and Edwardians. Because Quebec House is smaller and more 'domestic' in scale, it is all the more fascinating. The rooms are furnished and maintained in a style that would have been familiar to the younger Wolfe and access is fairly wide-ranging. There is no cafe and other services are basic at best. But as Westerham and other Wealden villages lie close to, that's not a problem. Recommended as a 1 hour stop on a trip to the Weald, or as a break from a walking itinerary.

Hever Castle is one of the most popular castle to visit. This castle is one of the top castle in my…read morelist. The castle is about 1 hour drive from London. The castle is beautiful. It has several beautiful gardens, two mazes, jousting tournament, falconry, and night tale. The garden includes the Italian gardens, rose gardens, sister lawn, faith garden. The compound has one garden maze and a water maze. The compound also has 4 other attractions. At the back of castle is the owner housing. The castle has good decoration. The interior was well decorated. The castle requires tickets. But it worth the visit. The entire visit can be half day and more. Great for adults and kids.

Thatcher would be proud…read more Looking around Hever, many would be left with the impression that the owners are enormous fans of Anne Boleyn. The unfortunate wife of Henry VIII is, after all, the main focus of the exhibition and makes an appearance on much of the marketing material. But look a bit closer, and the more astute visitor may notice a different, more 'true blue', streak permeating the house. Yes, Labour voters clutch your pearls, but the proprietors appear to be worshippers of none other than Margaret Thatcher. (More so than Ms Boleyn, I would wager.) In the castle, visitors are treated to a near life-size oil painting of the union basher. And for those lucky enough to stay in the guest house for the price of £300 per night, they will find a letter written by the Iron Lady to thank the castle for her stay that has been framed and hung in one of the hallways. Among the owners personal possessions, I note Ms Boleyn has not received a similar dose of affection. Of interest is also the fact that this castle, its stunning gardens and water maze, owe their amazing condition to our friends across the Atlantic. Most stately homes in Britain are now virtually on their knees, with years of decline and underinvestment in the country reflected in their faded carpets, moth-eaten curtains and peeling paintwork. Hever, however, has avoided this fate for the good reason that it was bought by... gasp... an AMERICAN. Horrifying as it may sound, Mr Astor - who owes his astounding wealth to the rise of New York City - purchased the castle and injected nothing short of a fortune into it in order to create the attraction that we see today. Demonstrating an entrepreneurial spirit so often absent in Britain, he then had the vision to order the construction of a second moat, a lake, a walled Italian garden complete with artefacts from Pompeii, a 'wall waterfall' and to direct the gardeners to shape some bushes like a chess set. I don't think he was involved in the water maze, so loved locally, but its presence reflects Hever's enduring ambitious spirit. Perhaps it was this spirit that so inspired Margaret Thatcher to write of Hever: 'I have seen several castles and large country houses but none as perfect as Hever.'