Knole

Knole is one of England’s most important, complete, yet fragile historic houses, set at the heart of Kent’s last remaining medieval deer park. One-time palace to archbishops and former royal property of the Tudor dynasty, Knole, in Sevenoaks, was a place of extraordinary wealth and grandeur. Now over 500 years old, this National Trust house wears the marks of six centuries of history with quiet dignity.

This history is reflected nowhere better than in the curious collections housed at Knole. Spread across various state rooms, galleries and intriguing smaller spaces, Knole’s unrivalled collections of royal Stuart furniture, textiles, portraits and tapestries have gradually been worn by light, damp, pests and time. Nevertheless they retain a humble, faded glory, whilst pieces such as the rare silver furnishings of the King’s Room proudly attest to Knole’s more prosperous past.

Visitors can take in all 15 of the newly-conserved historic rooms in their entirety, find out more about the National Trust’s very own Conservation Studio based at Knole, and discover the life story of the Gatehouse Tower’s Bloomsbury resident, Eddy Sackville-West. Also open for the first time are the attics at Knole: hidden above the grandeur of the showrooms, the spaces have evolved over the centuries with each generation. Book onto attic tours to find out more about their decorative ceilings, witch marks and a curiously shaped floor. For more information about the showrooms, attics and opening times, please check the National Trust website here