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 |
Barnsole Vineyard |
Learn about growing vines and making wine |
Fleming Road, Staple, Canterbury |
Bearsted Vineyard |
Two hectare vineyard and winery. Tours and tastings |
Maidstone 01622 736 974 |
Bedgbury Riding Centre |
Lessons, hacking BHS approved |
Goudhurst |
Beech Court Gardens |
Trees and shrubs in interestingly planned gardens surrounding a medieval farm house |
Canterbury Road, Challock |
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 |
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 |
Bluewater Shopping Centre |
The largest shopping centre in Europe. Near Dartford |
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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" |
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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 |
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.
Canterbury Tales |
Guided walks 01227 459 779
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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 |
Chilstone Garden Ornaments |
Classical garden ornaments |
Victoria Park, Fordcombe Road, Langton Green |
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. |
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Cinemas |
Lockmeadow, Maidstone |
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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 |
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) Garden of England Gallery |
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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 |
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Doddington Place Gardens |
Traditional English gardens |
Sittingbourne 01795 886101 |
Dover |
Cinque Port |
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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 |
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Finchcocks |
18th century house housing an outstanding collection of working keyboard instruments. Entertaining demonstration tours. |
Goudhurst |
Food and drink |
A wide range of restaurants and pubs means that all pockets and tastes are catered for. |
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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 |
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 |
Groombridge Place |
Formal walled gardens and 17th century moated manor |
Groombridge 01892 861 444 |
Hastings |
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Haysden Country Park |
170 acre park. Nature trails |
Lower Haysden Lane, Tonbridge 01732 844522 |
Herne Bay |
Traditional seaside resort |
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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 |
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 |
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Iden Croft Herbs |
Aromatic herb gardens. National collections of Mentha, Nepeta, Origanum |
Frittenden Road, Staplehurst |
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 |
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The Admiralty |
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Admiralty Arch |
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The Barbican |
Concert halls, libraries, theatres |
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British Museum |
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Buckingham Place |
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Clarence House |
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Covent Garden |
Cafés, restaurants, pubs, street performers, and of course the Opera House |
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Downing Street |
Home of the British Prime Minister (No 10) and the Chancellor of the Exchequer (No 11) |
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The Guildhall |
Historic hall where a number of famous people were tried. Includes an impressive watch and clock museum |
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Greenwich |
National Maritime Museum |
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Harrods |
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Horseguards Parade |
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Kensington Gardens |
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Kensington Palace |
Home of Diana, Princess of Wales |
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London Museum |
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London Eye |
Giant Ferris wheel |
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Madame Tussaud |
Wax works |
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The Mall |
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Mansion House |
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Marble Arch |
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Milleneum Dome |
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National Film Theatre |
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The National Gallery |
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Piccadilly Circus |
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Planetarium |
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Regents Park |
Park, gardens and zoo |
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Royal Albert Hall |
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Royal Festival Hall |
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St James's Park |
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St Paul's Cathedral |
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Science Museum |
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Tate Gallery |
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Tate Modern |
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Theatre Land |
Countless top rank theatres with shows ranging from hit musicals to Shakespeare |
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Tower Bridge |
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Tower of London |
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Trafalgar Square |
with Nelson's Column and Landseer's lions |
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West End Shops |
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Westminster |
Big Ben |
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Whitehall |
Home of the Civil Service |
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Lullingstone Castle |
Mansion including Queen Anne's state rooms, set in grounds |
Eynsford |
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. |
St Faiths Street 01622 754497 |
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. |
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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 |
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 |
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) |
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Ramsgate |
Port, with Motor Museum, Quex House, Powell Cotton Musuem |
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Raptor Centre |
Birds of Prey |
Groombridge |
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 |
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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! |
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Rye |
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Rye Lane Pottery |
Demonstrations of pottery making |
Dunton Green 01732 462 445 |
Sandwich |
Cinque Port |
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Scotney Castle |
Gardens around ruin of 14th century moated castle |
National Trust, Lamberhurst 01892 891 081 |
Sevenoaks |
Riverhill House and gardens |
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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. |
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Tonbridge |
Castle set in landscaped gardens overlooking the River Medway |
High Street, Tonbridge |
Toys Hill |
National Trust car park serving 160ha of heath and woodland with views and trail |
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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: |
Maps available from Kent Tourism, 01271 336020 |
Walmer |
Cinque port |
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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 |
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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 |
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Other possibilities if you want to spend a bit more time: |
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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 |