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).

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!!

A very beautiful Castle, not far from the Medway river. It's very well maintained and weddings are…read moreheld here quite often. There's quite a lot to explore here, some wonderful views and plenty of room for the kids to run about and burn off some energy. There isn;t a restaurant but there are a couple of family orientated pubs just a short walk away.

Beautiful area without and within the castle walls. Very well preserved and maintained grounds…read more Personally, I was disappointed with the experience....not enough meat in there for me!! There is a great view overlooking the town from the now disappearing battlements. There is free parking on site ...BUT, beware, it is only for 30 mins....it's all you need, really!!!

I beautiful example of a Motte and Bailey Castle, situated right in the centre of Tonbridge…read more The gatehouse tours are excellent with audio and plenty of signage. They take about an hour. You can also walk up pathways to the top of the motte (the hill) and admire the views from up there. It's open every day and is easy to find right alongside the high street and next to the River Medway. There are car parks all around. The nearest is the Upper Castle car park approached by Castle Street (yes, indeed!) (The Lower Castle car park is free on Saturday afternoons and Sundays and just a short walk). The castle sits just inside Tonbridge Park, a huge area for sports activities, walking, flying kites, you name it! Tonbridge is very lucky to have such a wonderful piece of history and such a lovely park alongside. The Castle is also a venue for Wedding and other ceremonies, so a luxurious occasion can be enjoyed here.

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.

My 5 stars are biased a little. Only cause this 13th century castle was named after me…read more Built in 1215, and added to over the next 100 years, Hadleigh castle was unfortunately build on soft clay and although it spanned a century and a few royal owners.... eventually underpinning was still 800 years before it's time and the castle collapsed over the years. Still take a 5 minute detour and a quick walk and get up close to some 800 year old medieval architecture and some stunning views of the estuary. Its free, its exercise, its history.....

We stopped by here as part of the capital ring walk. This was our planned stop, so we were relieved…read morethat it was open (during one of the many phases of COVID lockdown). We had a couple of coffees, a cream tea (without the tea), and one of THE BEST sausage rolls I've ever tasted (but I'm America - living here 6 years, so please assess that statement as you see fit). We ate on a bench right outside the folly, but I recommend continue walking for about 60 seconds and there are some more benches with wide open views! Only 4 stars as I live in north London and I'm not sure it's worth a way out of the way trip, but definitely worth a stop if you are in the area.

I am really happy that this "castle" (ahem...it's really a folly...) has been done up and is…read morelooking good! Around four years ago my friends and I walked past here on one of the green chain walks around South London...and we all thought it was a shame that this place was all boarded up and empty. Yesterday, we were walking in the other direction (this time on the capital ring walk...) and it was a lovely surprise to see that it is all in use. Now they have a café on the ground floor, selling cakes, teas and pretty decent ice-cream. Apparently if you pay £2.50 you can climb up to the top and explore, and hear about the history of Severndroog. The lady in the tea room also mentioned that it is possible to hire the whole place for events / weddings. Apparently Severndroog Castle's opening times are 11:00am - 3pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays Oct - March. So pop in if you're wandering along one of South London's pretty walks.

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.