Ightham Mote
I always dreamed of the kind of English country house that isn’t grand, that isn’t palatial, that carries its centuries lightly, that you reach at the end of a long, winding, drive through the woods; and when you get there, it’s on of those houses that’s been built over the ages, always adding new bits on, so that it’s a higgledy-piggledy, patchwork house.
And the other thing I want is a moat. The shimmer of water under the windows. Some waterlilies and maybe a few swans or ducks.
Now if you like that kind of house, Ightham Mote is for you.
At the core of the house is a medieval moated, castellated manor house. This wasn’t the seat of some great baron, but a more modest house – still, it was grand enough to have a Great Hall, built in 1330, as the centre of the household. You can still see it today.
Later additions include a fine Tudor half-timber range and chapel. And there’s a fine gatehouse tower.
Everything is mixed up. There’s stone building and half timber; medieval and Tudor; formality and vernacular architecture. And it’s all set in the middle of lovely gardens.
There’s even a Grade I listed dog kennel. It was built for a St Bernard – called Dido – so it’s quite roomy; I’ve slept comfortably in smaller tents!
There’s only one problem with Ightham Mote. You really need a car to get there – bus services are infrequent and the nearest station is 3 miles away (Borough Green and Wrotham) . Probably the easiest, though not the cheapest, way is to get a taxi from Sevenoaks station. But it really is worth it.
Where: Mote Road, Ivy Hatch, Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0NT
When: summer hours (till October 31) Thursday to Monday, 11-5
How much? £8.95 , children £4.95 – the adult price goes down to £5.50 for winter weekend openings (November and December)
Photo credit: Mark Barkaway on flickr
Comments Off