My favourite 12 Kent castles and historic sites open in winter
My favourite 12 castles and historic places you can visit in Kent during winter season, including winter opening times and what’s best to see in each place.
Have you ever thought about exploring castles and historic sites during the winter season? If not, you’re in for a treat! Imagine wandering through cosy historic rooms, frosty gardens, and experiencing the magical atmosphere of these places without the summer crowds. It’s like stepping into a winter fairy tale!
I remember when most of castles and historic properties would close for the winter season, so it’s nice to see that some of them are now open through the winter season. There is nothing better, than to go for a stroll around the winter gardens and castle grounds and then head to the warm castle to explore the historic rooms.
What I have also noticed as I visited some of these castles and historic sites during the winter, is that National Trust properties are open all week, but the main house is usually closed.
Some places, such as Ightham Mote, Knowle House or Chartwell keep the main house closed during the winter, but the grounds and tearoom are open all year round, so they are definitely worth the visit too.
On the other hand English Heritage properties, like Dover, Walmer Castle or Down House are only open during the weekend, but the whole property and the grounds are open.
The only private castle I found, that’s open all year round is Leeds Castle and if you are planning to visit more than once a year, their annual ticket is a great value.
FESTIVE SEASON IN KENT
1. Leeds Castle
What’s open in winter season: House, Grounds, Gardens, Park, Cafe, Shop, Moat etc
Leeds Castle is one of the most impressive castles in Kent. The castle dates back to 1119 and has an impressive moat around it and has a strong connections to King Henry VIII.
Apart from the castle tour, the grounds of Leeds Castle are also a must-see. The gardens are beautiful even in the winter and are perfect for a leisurely stroll and there is also a maze and grotto to explore. For children, there are a couple of playgrounds, including the Knight’s Stronghold Playground with enormous wooden fort.
You can easily spend a whole day at Leeds Castle, including a lovely lunch in the castle tearooms. During the festive season, there are extra events put on for families to enjoy, such as the Christmas lights walk after dark and the houses is beautifully decorated for Christmas.
- Location: Leeds Castle, Maidstone, Kent, ME17 1PL
- Winter Opening Times: Grounds and Gardens: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, The Castle: 10:45 AM – 3:30 PM (last entry at 2:45 PM), Playgrounds, Maze & Bird of Prey Centre: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Ticket Prices: Annual Ticket (Online): £33 or (Onsite): £36, Child (4-15 years): £17.00, Children under 4: Free
MORE CASTLES HISTORY IN KENT
National Trust properties opened in winter season
2. Scotney Castle
What’s open in winter season: Main House, Grounds, Gardens, Cafe, Shop (the Old Castle is closed)
I love that you can visit Scotney Castle in the winter, because the main house is open if it’s too cold to walk around the gardens and the grounds. The only part that’s closed is the Old Castle, but to be honest there is not much to see inside anyway and you can easily walk around it and see it from the outside.
The main house is a grand Victorian country mansion, which is surrounded by nearly 800 acres of beautiful gardens, parkland and woodland. The main house and gardens were created with the intention of looking over the old castle and surrounding estate.
I’ve recently visited for the festive season, when the whole house was decorated for Christmas and in the evening the grounds had a pretty light display open as part of one ticket. The only new thing at Scotney is that you need to pre-book your parking in advance otherwise you won’t be able to park in the National Trust car park. I’ve noticed that there were plenty of tickets if you book a day in advance, but if you try to book on the day, you might find out that all the tickets are already gone.
There is a lovely tea room with locally sourced food, hot lunches and freshly baked scones and cakes. Scotney Castle also has a lovely shop where you buy local produce including honey from the estate’s own bees.
- Location: Lamberhurst, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN8 8JN
- Winter Opening Times: House, Estate & Gardens: Daily 10am – 4pm, Old Castle: closed during winter season
- Winter Ticket Prices: Adult: £17, Child (5-17 years): £8,50, Family (2 adults + 3 children): £42, National Trust Members: Free
3. Sissinghurst Castle & Gardens
What’s open in winter season: Grounds, Gardens, Cafe, Shop, Tower & Cottage
Sissinghurst is a historic estate and gardens which were created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West and her husband Sir Harold Nicolson. The gardens are divided into a series of 10 distinct garden “rooms” separated by walls and hedges, each with a different theme and style. Some of the rooms include the White Garden, Rose Garden, Herb Garden, and Cottage Garden. Even in the winter the gardens are magical and definitely worth visiting.
The gardens surround the remains of an Elizabethan manor house that dates back to the 16th century. Parts of the original structure still stand including the tower, library, and Priest’s House. If you get cold, you can warm up by visiting the tower and the south cottage. The tearooms have a great hot lunches served each day until 2.30 pm.
- Location: Sissinghurst, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 2AB
- Winter Opening Times: Open Daily: 10 – 4 pm (grounds, tearooms), 11 – 3 pm Tower & Cottage
- Winter Ticket Prices: Adult – £16.00, Child (5-17 years) – £6.50, Family (2 adults + 3 children) – £32, National Trust Members: Free
4. Chartwell
What’s open in winter season: Grounds, Gardens, Cafe, Shop, Studio (main house is closed)
Chartwell was the home of Winston Churchill from 1924 until his death in 1965. The house was built in the 16th century and purchased by Churchill in 1922. The house contains many of Churchill’s possessions and mementos from his long career in politics and writing.
The house includes landscaped gardens and lakes that were an integral part of Churchill’s creation of Chartwell. As you walk through the grounds you can admire the Golden Rose Avenue, waterfall, kitchen garden as well as great views from the grounds just outside the house.
In 1946, Churchill gifted Chartwell to the National Trust on the condition he could continue living there. After his death in 1965, the house was opened to the public.
The house is closed during the winter season (until the 1 March), but you can visit the grounds, gardens, tearooms and the studio. The studio is also closed from 6 Jan to 7 Feb.
- Location: Chartwell, Mapleton Road, Westerham, Kent TN16 1PS
- Winter Opening Times: Daily – Gardens & Grounds: 10am to 4pm, Studio: 12-2.30 pm, Cafe & Shop – 10am to 4pm
- Winter Ticket Prices: Adult – £14, Child (5-17) – £7, Family (2 adults + up to 3 children) – £35, National Trust Members: Free
5. Ightham Mote
What’s open in winter season: Grounds, Gardens, Cafe, Shop (main house is closed)
Ightham Mote is a charming medieval moated manor house which is set in acres of stunning gardens and lakes, and has a pretty orchard, bursting with daffodils and bluebells in early spring. There are also three estate walks with spectacular views across the Kent countryside.
Whilst the main house is not open during the winter season, you can walk around the gardens, see the house from the outside and have a lovely lunch at the cafe. You can take an advantage of the reduced tickets during winter as adult tickets are only £7 as opposed to the £18 during the main season.
- Location: Mote Road, Ivy Hatch, Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0NT
- Winter Opening Times: Daily: 10 am – 4pm
- Winter Tickets: Adult – £7, Child (5-17 years) – £3, Family (2 adults + up to 3 children) – £17.50, National Trust Members: Free
6. Knole House
What’s open in winter season: Grounds, Park, Cafe, Shop, Tower (main house is closed)
The deer park is particularly beautiful in the winter and you can walk around trying to spot the wild deer that still roam across the sweeping parkland. There are three fantastic trails around the grounds of different length and difficulty.
When you visit Knole House in the winter season, you will find the main house closed, but you can visit the Gatehouse Tower, tearooms, shops, bookshop and the grounds and deer park. The good thing is that this is reflected in the admission charges, so the adult ticket is only £6 as suppose to the normal £18.
The visit to the Gatehouse Tower is as good visit to the main house since it tells the story of one of the owners of Knowle House and there are amazing views from the top of the tower roof.
- Location: Knole House, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 0RP
- Winter Opening Times: Every Day: 10pm – 4pm (last entry 3pm)
- Winter Ticket Prices: Adult – £6, Child (5-17 years) – £3, Family (2 adults + 3 children) – £15, National Trust Members: Free
English Heritage Properties opened in winter season
7. Home of Charles Darwin (Down House)
What’s open in winter season: House, Gardens, Cafe, Shop
Down House was the home of English naturalist Charles Darwin from 1842 until his death in 1882. It was here that Darwin worked on his theory of evolution by natural selection.
The house was built in the early 18th century and was later significantly remodelled by Darwin for his family. It has been restored and now contains Darwin’s study, greenhouse, and gardens.
Down House and its gardens provided inspiration for many of Darwin’s ideas. He conducted experiments on plant growth in the gardens and studied earthworms in the surrounding countryside. Inside Down House there are exhibits related to Darwin’s work and life including his study, library, and billiard room. The house still contains original Darwin family furniture and possessions.
- Location: Down House, Luxted Road, Downe, BR6 7JT
- Winter Opening Times: Saturday & Sunday only (January & February – but open all week during Half-Term Holidays) 10 am – 4 pm, also open Wed – Friday in March
- Ticket Prices: Adult: £14.50 – £19, Child (aged 5-17): £8.60 – 10.50, Concession: £12.50 – £17, Family (2 adults + 3 children): £37 – £49, English Heritage Members: Free, Book online to save 15% from your ticket (prices also vary depending on whether you pay with voluntary donation or without)
8. Dover Castle
What’s open in winter season: The whole site is open including the Castle, Tunnels & Grounds, Cafes, Shops
Dover Castle is sitting on a hill, which means that it can get pretty chilly and windy if you are visiting during the winter season. The castle ground are quite extensive, so it’s worth planning your visit by including breaks from the cold and wind by visiting the tunnels, tower and cafes.
The historic Dover Castle was founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century after the Norman conquest and strategically located to defend against invasions. In the 12th century, Henry II lavishly rebuilt and expanded the castle with advanced stone fortifications, making it one of the most formidable in Europe.
Dover Castle was expanded by Henry VIII in the 16th century to deal with advancements in gunpowder weapons. It played a key defensive role for Parliamentary forces during the English Civil War in the 17th century. Secret wartime tunnels were constructed within the white cliffs during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century. Most recently, the castle housed British and Canadian troops awaiting Dunkirk evacuation in World War II.
- Location: Castle Hill, Dover, Kent, CT16 1HU
- Winter Opening times: Saturday & Sunday only (January & February – but open all week during Half-Term Holidays) 10 am – 4 pm, also open Wed – Friday in March
- Winter Ticket prices: Adult ticket: £22 – £30, Child ticket (aged 5-17): £14 – £19, Family ticket (2 adults + 3 children): £51.80 – £79, English Heritage Members: Free, There is also 25% offer on all tickets purchased until the end of winter season (end of March) when booking online, (prices also vary depending on whether you pay with voluntary donation or without)
9. Deal Castle
What’s open in winter season: Castle, Cafe, Shop
Deal Castle was built by order of King Henry VIII between 1539-1540 as part of his chain of artillery castles along the south coast of England to defend against invasion from Catholic Europe. Deal was also one of the Cinque Ports in Kent, so the castle was in a very strategic position. It was designed by Stefan von Haschenperg, a military engineer from the Netherlands. The distinctive circular design allowed firing from all angles.
Deal Castle has an outer defensive wall with 6 circular bastions surrounding a large central circular keep. It was built on the site of an earlier medieval castle and acted as an artillery fortress with over 140 guns. The castle walls were up to 11 feet thick.
- Location: Marine Road, Deal, Kent CT14 7BA
- Opening times: Saturday & Sunday only (January & February – but open all week during Half-Term Holidays) 10 am – 4 pm, also open Wed – Friday in March
- Ticket prices: Adult: £7.70 – 10.50, Child (5-17 years): £4- 5.50, Concession: £7.70, Family (2 adults, up to 3 children): £22.20 – £26, English Heritage Members: Free, 15% off your ticket when you book online, (prices also vary depending on whether you pay with voluntary donation or without)
10. Walmer Castle
What’s open in winter season: Castle & Grounds, Cafe, Shop
Walmer Castle is perfect for visiting in the winter, because the main house is quite cosy and takes a good time to walk around. There is a great view from the castle terrace, but it can be quite windy there. The gardens are definitely worth the stroll around and you might even see spring bulbs coming through.
Walmer Castle was built in 1539-1540 by order of King Henry VIII as part of his chain of artillery castles along the south coast to defend against invasion from Catholic Europe. It was designed by Stefan von Haschenperg and formed part of a defensive barrier stretching from Walmer to Deal and Sandown.
In the 18th-19th centuries it became the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and was home to the Duke of Wellington for 23 years until his death in 1852.
The castle grounds contain beautiful terraced gardens first laid out in the early 19th century. There are also earthwork remains of the original Tudor gardens.
- Location: Walmer, Deal, Kent CT14 7LJ
- Winter Opening Times: Saturday & Sunday only (January & February – but open all week during Half-Term Holidays) 10 am – 4 pm, also open Wed – Friday in March
- Ticket Prices: Adult: £12.70 – £15, Child (aged 5-17): £7 – £9.50, Concession: £12.10
- Family (2 adults + 3 children): £35.40 – £42, English Heritage Members: Free, There is 15% offer off when you buy your tickets online during the winter season, (prices also vary depending on whether you pay with voluntary donation or without)
11. Rochester Castle
What’s open in winter season: Castle, Gift Shop
If you are visiting Rochester Castle in the winter season, make sure that you wrap up warm, as this castle doesn’t have a roof and it can get pretty windy and chilly even during warmer months. The castle doesn’t have any cafe, but there are plenty of great cafes at Rochester High Street, which is only about 5 minutes walk.
Rochester Castle is a Norman castle in the historic town of Rochester. It was built in the 1080s by Gundulf, Bishop of Rochester, on the site of an earlier Anglo-Saxon fortification.
The castle is strategically located on the River Medway and because of that it was an important royal castle and saw many sieges and battles. Most famous was the siege by King John in 1215, during which the castle’s corner tower was undermined.
The massive square keep was one of the tallest in England at over 115 feet high. It had walls up to 12 feet thick and was three floors tall. The castle grounds also have the remains of a Roman temple, a 12th century keep with its towers and remains of buildings added in the 13th century.
- Location: Rochester Castle, Castle Hill, Rochester, ME1 1SW
- Winter Opening Times: Tuesday – Sunday (closed on Mondays): 10am – 4pm
- Winter Ticket Prices: Adult: £8.50, Child (aged 5-17): £4, Concession: £8.50, Family (2 adults + 3 children): £22, English Heritage Members: Free, (prices also vary depending on whether you pay with voluntary donation or without)
12. St Augustine’s Abbey
What’s open in winter season: Abbey grounds, Museum, Gift Shop with hot drinks machine
On a sunny winter day, you can also make your way to the St. Augustine’s Abbey and walk around the extensive grounds. But, there is nowhere to hide if the weather is bad outside, so you’d need to return back to the small museum and gift shop at the entrance to the grounds. There is no tearoom, but the gift shop staff can make you a hot drink from a machine.
I’ve recently visited the abbey for the winter festive lights display and it was pretty amazing evening. The entrance was through the original gateway, which is now part of the school and we had the chance to walk and see the other side of the abbey ruins that are not normally open to general public.
St Augustine’s Abbey in Canterbury was a Benedictine monastery founded in 598 AD by St Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury. It was one of the first and most important monastic sites in England. The abbey was used as a monastery and burial site for the early Archbishops of Canterbury as well as Anglo-Saxon kings of Kent like Ethelbert and Bertha.
The original Saxon church and monastic buildings were replaced and expanded over the centuries into a grand complex with cloisters, dormitories, libraries and specialized buildings like the 12th century Fyndon Gate. The abbey owned extensive lands and properties making it one of the richest and most influential Benedictine monasteries in England until the Dissolution in 1538.
- Location: Longport, Canterbury, Kent CT1 1PF
- Winter Opening Times: Saturday & Sunday only (Plus open all week during Half-Term Holidays in February) 10 am – 4 pm
- Ticket Prices: Adult: £7.70 – £10.50, Child (aged 5-17): £4 – 5.50, Concession: £6.40 – £9, Family (2 adults + 3 children): £19.40 – £26, English Heritage Members: Free, (prices also vary depending on whether you pay with voluntary donation or without)
This blog post was originally published on 2 January 2025 and last updated on 2 January 2025
