What to do in Kent and the South East

- all within about an hour of Redstock

Agricultural Museum

14th century barn and 19th century oast house plus a display of farming equipment

The Street, Brook, Ashford
01304 824 969

Barnsole Vineyard

Learn about growing vines and making wine

Fleming Road, Staple, Canterbury
01304 812 530

Bearsted Vineyard

Two hectare vineyard and winery. Tours and tastings

Maidstone 01622 736 974

Bedgbury Riding Centre

Lessons, hacking BHS approved

Goudhurst
01580 211 602

Beech Court Gardens

Trees and shrubs in interestingly planned gardens surrounding a medieval farm house

Canterbury Road, Challock
01233 740 735

Belmont

18th century mansion set in parkland. Collection of clocks and mementoes of India

01795 890 202

Bewl Water

The largest lake in South East England. Boat trips, picnic areas, walks, restaurant, playground, flyfishing, cycling, water sports

01892 890 661

Biddenden

Pretty village with historic pubs and restaurants
Vineyards and cider works

 

Little Whatmans, Gribble Lane 01580 291 726

Birchwood Park

Challenging 18 hole parkland course, 9 hole beginners course, driving range, fitness centre

Birchwood Road, Dartford
01322 662 038

Bluewater Shopping Centre

The largest shopping centre in Europe. Near Dartford

Bough Bridge Reservoir

Nature reserve and visitor centre

01622 662 012

Broadstairs

Seaside resort where Charles Dickens wrote David Copperfield - visit his home "Bleak House"

Broadview Gardens

15,000 different varieties of plant

Hadlow College 01732 850551

Brogdale Horticultural Trust

National Fruit Collection - the largest collection of fruit trees and plants in the world

Brogdale Road, Faversham
01795 535 286

Buckmore Park Karting

RACMSA licensed 2000m outdoor Kart circuit

Buckmore Park, Maidstone Road, Chatham

Butterfly Centre

Colourful butterflies from all over the world flying free in tropical green house gardens

MacFarlanes Garden Centre, Canterbury Road, Swingfield 01303 844 244

C M Booth Collection of Historic Vehicles

Private collection specialising in Morgans

63-67 High Street, Rolvenden 01580 241 234

Canterbury

Norman cathedral is where Thomas Beckett was murdered, and is the inspiration for Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.
Many other historic buildings

  • Heritage Museum
  • Roman Museum
  • Royal Museum & Art Gallery with Buffs Regimental Museum
  • Westgate Museum
  • St Augsutine's Abbey

Canterbury Tales
Walk the town walls.

Guided walks 01227 459 779



Stour Street 01227 452747
Butchery Lane01227 785 575
High Street 01227 452 747


St Peter's Street 01227 452 747
0171 973 3434
St Margaret's Street 01227 479 227

Charing Heath

16th century Church Hill Cottage Garden

01233 712522

Chartwell

Home of Sir Winston Churchill

Westerham 01732 866 368

Chiddingstone Castle

Georgian castle in picturesque gardens with lake

Chiddingstone
01892 870 347

Chilstone Garden Ornaments

Classical garden ornaments

Victoria Park, Fordcombe Road, Langton Green
01892 740 866

Churches

There are so many historic churches it is simply not possible to list them all. Best known in London are St Martin in the Fields in Trafalgar Square and St Clement Danes in the Strand, but there are many, many more by renowned architects such as Sir Christopher Wren.

In Kent almost every village has an historic church: Marden's church dates back to pre 15th century.

Cinemas

Lockmeadow, Maidstone
ABC in Tunbridge Wells
Cineworld in Ashford
Hoyts at Bluewater
Virgin at Strood

Cobham Manor Riding Centre

55 horses and ponies for all abilities. Indoor school

Water Lane, Thurnham, Maidstone 01622 738 497

Cobtree Manor Park

50 acres of parkland. Golf course

Alresford
01622 753 276

Coldrum Long Barrow

4000 year old remains including burial chamber and 24 stone columns

Access on foot from National Trust car park off Pinesfield Lane, Trottiscliffe

Crabble Corn Mill

Working water mill built in 1812 as part of the Napoleonic defences

Lower Road, River, Dover 01304 823292

Cranbrook

Attractive town with windmill (Cranbrook Union Mill)
Local history museum in 15th century timber framed farm house

Garden of England Gallery


01580 712256
Carrier's Road 01580 712 020

David Salomons House

Science theatre houses Welte Philharmonic Organ.

01892 515 152

De Bradelei Wharf

Discount designer shopping village

Cambridge Road, Dover 01304 226616

Deal

Cinque Port
Castle
Narrow streets, fishermens' cottages
Timeball Tower, once used to send semaphore messages.


0171 973 3434

01304 201 200

Doddington Place Gardens

Traditional English gardens

Sittingbourne 01795 886101

Dover

Cinque Port
See France from the top of the White Cliffs
Visit the historic Castle
White Cliffs Experience - Video show describing the siege of 1216, the preparations for Henry VIII's visit and Dover's role in WWII, including its secret tunnels
Old Town Gaol.





Market Square 01304 210101




Biggin Street 01304 242 766

Down House

Home of Charles Darwin

Nr Biggin Hill 0171 973 3434

Druidstone Wildlife Park

Variety of birds and animals in attractive gardens

Honey Hill, Blean 01227 765 168

Dungeness Nuclear Power Station

Tour, visitor centre, interactive displays

Romney Marsh 01797 321 815

Eagle Heights

Twice daily displays of birds of prey

Lullingstone Lane, Eynsford 01322 866466

Eden Valley Museum

In 14th century farmhouse. Tanning, flax production, manufacture of cannon

Edenbridge High Street 01732 868 102

Elham Valley Railway Museum

Includes the largest running railway model of the Channel Tunnel

Peene Newington, Folkestone 01303 273 690

Elham Valley Vineyards

Tours and tastings

Breach, Barham 01227 831 266

Emmetts Garden

Exotic and rare trees and shrubs from across the world

National Trust, Ide Hill, Sevenoaks 01732 750 367

Faversham

Fleur de Lis Heritage Centre with award winning displays depicting life in times past

Finchcocks

18th century house housing an outstanding collection of working keyboard instruments. Entertaining demonstration tours.

Goudhurst
01580 211 702

Food and drink

A wide range of restaurants and pubs means that all pockets and tastes are catered for.
The West End Tavern in Marden is a good example of a traditional Kent pub, serving a range of beers and good food at reasonable prices

Freda Barton Collection

Victorian photographs of the local area

West Malling 0961 536 812

Garden of England Gallery

16th century inn housing photographs of Wealden life spanning 100 years

01580 212 473

Gardens of Gala

22 acres with sculptures integrated into gardens

Golford Road, Cranbrook
01580 715 289

Golf

Many famous courses, including Sandwich Bay, home to the Open

Details of clubs and centres from Kent Tourism

Goodnestone Park

14 acres of grounds, once enjoyed by Jane Austen

Nr Wingham 01304 840 107

Grand Shaft

Triple spiral staircase connecting Victorian army barracks with the town below

South Military Road, Dover 01304 201 200

Great Comp Gardens

Seven acre garden with a wide variety of trees, shrubs, heathers and herbaceous plants

Wrotham Heath
01732 882 669

Groombridge Place

Formal walled gardens and 17th century moated manor

Groombridge 01892 861 444

Hastings

Haysden Country Park

170 acre park. Nature trails

Lower Haysden Lane, Tonbridge 01732 844522

Herne Bay

Traditional seaside resort
Museum and Gallery


12 William Street 01227 367 368

Hever Castle

13th century castle. Anne Boleyn lived here as a child

Edenbridge 01732 865 224

Higham Park

Restored Palladian house, secret garden

Bridge 01227 830 830

Hop Picking

Hop Farm Country Park

Museum of Kent Life
Take part in the harvest at Britains last hand picked hop garden and sample over 80 real ales

Paddock Wood 01622 872 068

Loch Lane, Sandling, Maidstone 01622 763 936

Hot Air Ballooning

There are a number of sites in Kent

Details of clubs and centres from Kent Tourism

Howletts Wild Animal Park

70 acres of parkland with gorillas, elephants, tigers, wolves etc

Bekesbourne 01303 264 647

Hythe

Cinque Port
St Leonard's Church houses a mysterious collection of 2000 human skulls which are of a different type from any others found in Britain

Iden Croft Herbs

Aromatic herb gardens. National collections of Mentha, Nepeta, Origanum

Frittenden Road, Staplehurst
01580 891 432

Ightham Mote

Medieval moated 14th century manor house

National Trust, Ivy Hatch, Sevenoaks 01732 811145

Jet skiing

Lydd Water Sports Centre

01797 321 885

Kemsing Heritage Centre

History and development of Kemsing village

Kemsing 01732 761 772

Kent and East Sussex Railway

10 miles through some of the most beautiful countryside in the South East

Tenterden 01580 765 155

Kent Battle of Britain Museum

Collection of Battle of Britain artefacts

Aerodrome Road, Hawkinge 01303 893 140

Kent Country Tour

Drive or cycle down country lanes through orchards, vineyards and hop fields

Join the signposted route just 400 metres from Redstock in the centre of Marden village.

There are four tours, with maps available from Kent Tourism, 01271 336020

Kits Coty House

Ruins of two prehistoric burial chambers

West of A229 2 miles north of Maidstone

Knole

House dating from 1656 set in deer park

National Trust, Sevenoaks 01732 450 608

Lashenden Air Warfare Museum

Miscellaneous wartime exhibits including aircraft and a flying bomb

Headcorn Aerodrome 01622 890226

Leeds Castle

Royal residence to six medieval queens and Henry VIII. 500 acres of parkland

Leeds (Nr Maidstone) 01622 765 400

London is under an hour away by train from Marden. Here is just a small selection of the many places of interest in London

The Admiralty

Admiralty Arch

The Barbican

Concert halls, libraries, theatres

British Museum

Buckingham Place

Clarence House

Covent Garden

Cafés, restaurants, pubs, street performers, and of course the Opera House

Downing Street

Home of the British Prime Minister (No 10) and the Chancellor of the Exchequer (No 11)

The Guildhall

Historic hall where a number of famous people were tried. Includes an impressive watch and clock museum

Greenwich

National Maritime Museum
Cutty Sark
Greenwich Observatory
0 degrees Greenwich Meridian

Harrods

Horseguards Parade

Kensington Gardens

Kensington Palace

Home of Diana, Princess of Wales

London Museum

London Eye

Giant Ferris wheel

Madame Tussaud

Wax works

The Mall

Mansion House

Marble Arch

Milleneum Dome

National Film Theatre

The National Gallery

Piccadilly Circus

Planetarium

Regents Park

Park, gardens and zoo

Royal Albert Hall

Royal Festival Hall

St James's Park

St Paul's Cathedral

Science Museum

Tate Gallery

Tate Modern

Theatre Land

Countless top rank theatres with shows ranging from hit musicals to Shakespeare

Tower Bridge

Tower of London

Trafalgar Square

with Nelson's Column and Landseer's lions

West End Shops

Westminster

Big Ben
Houses of Parliament
Westminster Hall
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Cathedral

Whitehall

Home of the Civil Service

Lullingstone Castle

Mansion including Queen Anne's state rooms, set in grounds

Eynsford
01322 862 114

Lullingstone Roman Villa

See how a middle class Roman family lived

Eynsford 01322 863467

Maidstone

Museum and Art Gallery, housed in the Elizabethan Chillington Manor.
Archbishops Palace
Tyrwhitt-Drake Carriage Museum
Some 17th century buildings in shopping area (see above Boots for example)
Mote Park 450 acres, 30 acre lake
Leisure Centre

St Faiths Street 01622 754497


Mill Street 01622 754 497



01622 602 188

Manor Park Country Park

52 acre park with lake

West Malling 01622 817 623

Margate

Traditional seaside resort with donkey rides, Punch and Judy, fun fair and a lively promenade.
The Tom Thumb theatre is reputed to have the world's smallest stage.

Marle Place Garden

20 acres including borders, avenues, woodland, scented garden

Brenchley 01892 722 304

Mill Yard Craft Centre

16th century converted barn and carriage house where a wide variety of craftsmen can be seen at work

Swan Street, West Malling 01732 845 888

Motor Racing

Brands Hatch

Lydden Hill

01474 872 331

01304 830 557

Mount Ephraim Gardens

Edwardian garden

Hernhill Nr Faversham
01227 751 496

Nepicar Farm

Traditional livestock and poultry farm

Wrotham Heath 01732 883 040

Old Soar Manor

Original solar building. A late 13th century knight's dwelling

Plaxtol
01892 980 651

Oldbury Hill

150 acres of woodland. Iron age fort

Borough Green 01732 823 570

Otford Heritage Centre

Village's natural history, geology and archaeology

High Street 01959 522 384

Owl House Gardens

13 acres of spring flowers, azaleas, rhododendrons surrounding a 16th century wool smugglers cottage

Lamberhurst 01892 890 230

Parsonage Farm

Working farm with rare and traditional breeds

North Elham 01303 840766

Pashley Manor Gardens

Old traditional garden

Ticehurst 01580 200888

Penshurst Place

Includes Barons Hall dating from 1341. State rooms. Walled tudor garden

Penshurst 01892 870307

Penshurst Vineyards

View winery and vineyards. Tastings. Wildlife park.

Grove Road, Penshurst 01892 870 255

Port Lympne Wild Animal Park

300 acre park, mansion, 15 acre formal garden. Elephants, rhino, lions, tigers, wild horses, monkeys

Port Lympne 01303 264 647

Quebec House

17th century childhood home of General Wolfe.

National Trust, Westerham 01892 890 651

Queen's Own West Kent Regiment Museum

Housed in Maidstone Museum (qv)

Ramsgate

Port, with Motor Museum, Quex House, Powell Cotton Musuem

Raptor Centre

Birds of Prey

Groombridge
01892 861 444

Reed Court Farm Trail

Working farm producing cereals, sheep and cricket bat willows

Chainhurst, Marden 01622 820 314

Richborough Roamn Fort

Remains dating from AD43

Richborough Road, Sandwich 01304 612 013

Riding

By bicycle: a choice of dedicated cycle routes

By horse: 412 miles of bridleway

Details of clubs and centres from Kent Tourism.

A special Kent Cycling Pack is available from the Tourist Information centre.

Riverhill House Gardens

Hillside garden with views over Kent countryside. Bluebell woods

Sevenoaks 01732 458 802

Rochester

Castle
Cathedral with Norman and Gothic architecture
Town Wall walk

Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway

World's smallest public railway

New Romney Station 01797 362 353

Romney Toy and Model Museum

Toys and models from 1920's onwards. Two working model railways.

New Romney Station 01797 362 353

Royal Engineers Museum

History of the Royal Engineers

Prince Arthur Road, Gillingham 01634 406 397

Royal Tunbridge Wells

Over 35 antique shops!
The pantiles date from 17th century
Museum and Art Gallery



Civic Centre, Mount Pleasant 01892 554 171

Rye

Rye Lane Pottery

Demonstrations of pottery making

Dunton Green 01732 462 445

Sandwich

Cinque Port
Attractive fishing town with old buildings and narrow streets
Part of town wall intact, including a gated entrance.

Scotney Castle

Gardens around ruin of 14th century moated castle

National Trust, Lamberhurst 01892 891 081

Sevenoaks

Riverhill House and gardens
Downderry lavender collection
Museum and Art Gallery



Buckhurst Lane 01732 453 118

Shoreham Aircraft Museum

Aviation relics and homefront memorabilia from the Battle of Britain

High Street, Shoreham Nr Seveoaks 01959 524 416

Smallhythe Place

16th century home of Ellen Terry

National Trust, Tenterden 01580 762 334

South of England Rare Breeds Centre

Rare and historic farm animals

Woodchurch 01233 861493

Spa Valley Railway

Steam train between Royal Tunbridge Wells and Groombridge

West Station, Tunbridge Wells 01892 537 715

Spitfire and Hurricane Museum

Spitfire and Hurricane on display

Manston Road, Ramsgate 01843 821 940

Squerryes Court

Manor house and gardens dating from 1686.

Westerham 01959 562 345

St Leonards Tower

Norman tower (1080)

West Malling 01732 870872

Stoneacre

15th century half timbered house and garden

National Trust, Otham 01622 862871

Tennis, Bowls

Many clubs and public courts

Details of clubs and centres from Kent Tourism

Tenterden

Attractive town with interesting shops, some good restaurants and a steam railway.

Vineyard with tours and tastings.





Smallhythe 01580 763033

Tonbridge

Castle set in landscaped gardens overlooking the River Medway
River cruises from castle
Boats for hire

High Street, Tonbridge
01732 770 929
01732 360 630
01732 360630

Toys Hill

National Trust car park serving 160ha of heath and woodland with views and trail

Trosley Country Park

160 acres on the North Downs. Neolithic Coldrum Stones

Vigo 01732 823 570

Tyland Barn Visitor Centre

17th century barn with wildlife displays, large wildlife garden

A229 Bluebell Hill 01622 662012

Walking

Kent has 3,569 miles of footpaths:
Greensand Way
North Downs Way
Saxon Shore Way
Plus a multitude of local footpaths

Maps available from Kent Tourism, 01271 336020

Walmer

Cinque port
Castle associated with the Queen Mother as Warden of the Cinque Ports

Water sports

Boating, sailing, fishing and conoeing at Bewl Water

350 miles of coast for sea fishing, boating, sailing and swimming

Details of clubs and centres from Kent Tourism

Whitstable

Traditional seaside resort
Museum and Gallery (Seafaring)


Oxford Street 01227 276 998

Willesborough Windmill

Built in 1869.

Mill Lane, Willesborough 01233 661 866

World Naval Base

Historic dockyard with ships and exhibits

Chatham 01634 823 800

Yalding Organic Garden

14 "garden rooms" trace the development of English gardening from Medieval times to the present day

Other possibilities if you want to spend a bit more time:

Brussels

1 hour 40 minutes by Eurostar from Ashord

Ashford is about 20 minutes by train from Marden

Calais

35 minutes by Hovercraft or Eurotunnel Le Shuttle from Dover/Folkestone

Coach day trips available from Ashford

Paris

2 hours by Eurostar from Ashford

Ashford is about 20 minutes by train from Marden

 

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