Ellen Terry’s Timeless Retreat: Visiting Smallhythe Place
About twenty years ago, I first stumbled across Smallhythe Place on one of my countryside walks and I still remember being struck by how timeless it felt — a crooked old house tucked into quiet Kent country lane, with roses climbing the walls and that unmistakable sense of history in the air.
Fast forward to today, and I decided to go back, curious to see if it was just as magical as I remembered. Spoiler: it absolutely was! Managed by the National Trust, Smallhythe Place is more than just a pretty timber-framed house; it’s a slice of English history that has seen everything from medieval shipbuilding to the glitter of Victorian theatre, all wrapped up in one charming place.
My favourite things to see at Smallhythe Place
Smallhythe Place is set out as an Ellen Terry’s museum. The house is filled with her costumes, portraits, and personal treasures – the most famous being the dazzling Beetle Wing Dress, made from thousands of iridescent beetle wings.
Also don’t miss the Barn Theatre, which is still in use today for performances and has original wooden chairs with names of the benefactors burned into the chair backs.
Outside, the cottage garden is a delight, with roses, an orchard, and a nuttery that make for a peaceful wander. I enjoyed walking all the way to the church where you can see a smaller cottage where Edy Craig lived with her friends. You can also see their commemorative stones on the side of the churchyard as you are walk in.
If you’re a theatre lover, time your trip with one of the open-air or barn productions – it’s a magical way to experience the spirit of the place.
The tearooms are also lovely with plenty of seating inside and outside in the apple orchard. On my recent visit, we spend a happy hour inside eating our lunch, whilst there was a summer rain storm outside – the tearoom was so cosy!
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History of Smallhythe Place
Tucked away in the Kent countryside, Smallhythe Place is a charming half-timbered house with a history that stretches back over five centuries. Built in the late 15th or early 16th century, the house originally stood at the heart of a bustling shipbuilding village.
Back then, the River Rother was navigable all the way to this quiet corner of Kent, and Small Hythe became one of the most important shipyards in medieval England. Ships for Henry V and Henry VIII are thought to have been built here, including military ships.
As the river silted up, the shipbuilding industry declined, and the area slipped back into rural life. The house itself survived, and centuries later it became famous for a very different reason: it was the weekend home of Dame Ellen Terry, one of the greatest Victorian stage actresses.
She moved into Smallhythe Place in 1899 and lived there until her death in 1928. The creaky old house became her retreat from the spotlight, filled with theatrical mementos, costumes, and the warmth of her personality .
After Ellen’s death, her daughter Edy Craig turned the barn on the property into a theatre, which still hosts performances today. In 1947, the house was given to the care of the National Trust, hoping that both the history of the building and Ellen Terry’s remarkable legacy would be preserved for future generations.
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Practical Information for visiting
Address: Smallhythe Place, Smallhythe, Tenterden, Kent, TN30 7NG
Opening Times: House, Theatre Barn & Garden: Daily (during the main season from April – end of October) 11:00am – 5:00pm (last entry 4:30pm), Tearooms close 1 hour before the site.
Ticket Prices:
- Adult: £12
- Child: £6
- Family (2 adults + up to 3 children): £30
- National Trust Members: Free
Parking
Parking at Smallhythe Place is quite straightforward, though it’s on the small side:
There’s a layby car park just south of the house, which is the main parking area for visitors. On most days, you can also use the local church car park, a short walk up the hill, with a garden gate providing access down to the house. None of the car parking places are marked as National Trust, so slow down as you are coming down from the slight hill, so that you don’t overshoot them. If you end up between the fields, you’ve gone too far!
For those with accessibility needs, it’s possible to drop off directly outside the house before parking, but the road is quite narrow, so you’ll need to be super careful as you’ll be practically blocking the road.
Facilities
Tearooms, Toilets (no shop, but Smallhythe Place guide book and postcards available at the entrance to the house, where you also get your tickets).
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How to get to Smallhythe Place
By Car
- From central London, the drive takes around 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on traffic.
- The most straightforward route is via the M20 towards Ashford, then follow signs for Tenterden and on to Smallhythe (the property is just off the B2082).
- Free parking is available opposite the house in the layby car park.
By Public Transport
- Take a train from London Charing Cross, London Bridge, or Waterloo East to Ashford International (about 40 minutes on the high-speed service, or around 1 hour 20 minutes on the regular line).
- From Ashford, you can catch a bus to Tenterden (roughly 30 minutes).
- From Tenterden, it’s a short taxi ride (about 2 miles) or you can use the 312 bus towards Rye, which stops at Smallhythe Church — just a short walk from the property.
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What can you see nearby to make it into a perfect day out
If you’re making the trip to Smallhythe Place, it’s well worth exploring the surrounding area too as you probably only need a couple of hours to visit the site.
Right opposite the Smallhythe Place is Chapel Down Vinery, the largest vinery in the Kent and England. You can join one of the guided tours and tastings or you can just pick up a leaflet from the vinery shop and follow a self-guided tour of the vineyard yourself.
Just a couple of miles away you’ll find the pretty market town of Tenterden, with pretty houses, independent shops, cafés, and the charming Kent & East Sussex Railway, where you can ride a heritage steam train through the countryside all the way to Bodiam Castle (English Heritage) in East Sussex.
You can also take the walk on the High Weald Landscape Trail long distance path which runs directly in front of the house. In one direction you can follow it all the way to Rye in East Sussex or the other way to Tenterden and then towards Cranbrook.
This blog post was originally published on 27 September 2025 and last updated on 27 September 2025
