Chiddingstone Castle

About

Chiddingstone Castle, whose history can be traced back to the early 16th Century, is a unique country house located in the historic village of Chiddingstone in Kent.  The original Tudor dwelling was first replaced in the 1670s as High Street House and went through another transformation in the early 1800s to resemble a medieval castle, as was fashionable at the time – Chiddingstone Castle was born!

Between 1955 and 1977 the Castle was home to the late antiquarian, Denys Eyre Bower.  Denys was a gifted collector who devoted his life to collecting art and artefacts.  His home is now open to the public and a fully Accredited Museum.  The stately rooms exhibit over 4,000 objects from Denys’ collections, including Japanese lacquer, Samurai armour and swords; Ancient Egyptian antiquities; Royal Stuart portraits and Jacobite memorabilia; and Buddhist artefacts.

As well as learning from these remarkable and unique collections, visitors can enjoy exploring this fascinating house with rooms such as Denys’ study where one can piece together his eccentric and complicated life, which featured failed marriages and a notorious scandal.  A number of Victorian rooms are also open to visitors, including the Castle Kitchen, the Scullery and the Housekeeper’s Room.  From the Servants’ Hall group visitors can climb the secret back stairs and discover the Servant’s Bedroom in the attic – a real ‘upstairs downstairs’ experience (accompanied pre-booked groups only).

On the first floor there is a new exhibition room (the Streatfeild Room) featuring the history of the Castle and the local area; and in 2015 the Library was opened to visitors for the first time.

Chiddingstone Castle Gardens

The beautiful 35 acres of informal grounds which surround the Castle include a lake, woodland, herbaceous borders, a courtyard rose garden and a Victorian Orangery.  In 2014, a unique conceptual garden was created – a grass maze called the ‘Fields of Eternity’, a microcosm of Ancient Egypt where visitors can learn about life and the environment in 2000BC, linking the garden to the collections within the house.

Chiddingstone Castle Tea Room & Gift Shop

No visit to the Castle would be complete without sampling a light lunch or a traditional cream tea in the Castle’s Tea Room in the former Buttery or outside in the sunny, sheltered courtyard.  The Gift Shop is located in the Well Tower and sells a delightful array of local produce, gifts, antiques and second-hand books.

Get Married at Chiddingstone Castle

With the Castle and grounds closed to the public for weddings, we are able to offer exclusive use of our wedding venue throughout the day. We have three separate areas licensed for the ceremony. During summer months most couples opt for a ceremony at the Orangery in the grounds, followed by drinks on the formal raised lawn, before coming inside to the Great Hall and the drawing room for the wedding breakfast and evening reception.

During the winter months, or in wet weather, the ceremony is by no means compromised by coming inside to the majestic Great Hall, a grand, formal room of Tudor heritage reflected in its oak panelling.