Ightham Mote - Life's Bounty

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.

It has also been described as ‘one of the most beautiful and interesting of English country houses’ – with layers of history over 700 years. The house has seen many changes and been owned by Medieval knights, courtiers to Henry VIII and high society Victorians. The house has more than 70 rooms, all arranged around a central courtyard, and then the house is surrounded on all sides by a square moat, crossed by three bridges. The Great Hall, the Chapel, Crypt and two Solars are believed to have survived from the early 14th century. The battlemented tower was constructed in the 15th century. Most of the exterior was rebuilt and refaced in the 15th and 16th centuries.

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.