Ightham Mote is one of my favourite places to visit when I am staying with my uncle in Ightham Village near Sevenoaks in Kent. It is a 14th century moated manor house that I have visited each time I have been to England; my uncle remembers playing there as a boy before it became a National Trust property; and my mother remembers her father gifting some furniture to the property, so it always feels like I have a connection to it. It has been described as “the most complete small medieval manor house in the country”. The building dates back to around 1320 and is important because it has most of its original features and is an example of how such houses would have looked in the Middle Ages.
The last owner of the house, Charles Henry Robinson, an American businessman who gave Ightham Mote to the National Trust in 1985, added his own twist to some of the rooms. Both his bedroom and library have been decorated in the 1950’s New England style.
The picturesque courtyard is definitely a highlight, complete with a Grade I listed dog kennel!! The house is surrounded by gardens with an orchard and vegetable garden, water features, lakes and woodland walks.
Visit to England September 2016:
South East England
Knole House & Knole Park
Penshurst Place & Gardens
Ightham Mote
City of Canterbury & Canterbury Cathedral
Hinchley Wood, Surrey
Hampton Court Palace
London to Greenwich Village
London Walking Tour
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