National Trust - Ightham Mote - Sevenoaks

Address: Mote Rd, Ivy Hatch, Sevenoaks TN15 0NT, United Kingdom.
Phone: 1732810378.
Website: nationaltrust.org.uk
Specialties: Castle, Tourist attraction.
Other points of interest: Onsite services, Wheelchair accessible entrance, Wheelchair accessible parking lot, Good for kids.
Opinions: This company has 4446 reviews on Google My Business.
Average opinion: 4.7/5.

📌 Location of National Trust - Ightham Mote

☎️1732810378

⏰ Open Hours of National Trust - Ightham Mote

Monday: 10 AM–5 PM
Tuesday: 10 AM–5 PM
Wednesday: 10 AM–5 PM
Thursday: 10 AM–5 PM
Friday: 10 AM–5 PM
Saturday: 10 AM–5 PM
Sunday: 10 AM–5 PM

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👍 Reviews of National Trust - Ightham Mote

National Trust - Ightham Mote - Sevenoaks

Andrew T.

5/5

Remarkable medieval moated manor house set amongst simple but pleasant gardens. There are longer walks around the estate for those looking to extend their visit.
The house is built from a combination of local stone and oak beams, giving it a charming and unusual appearance. The house changed hands between many different families over the generations before falling into a state of repair and being rescued by the National Trust.
Inside, the rooms are quite dark to preserve the historic furnishings. The upstairs chapel is particularly interesting, featuring stained glass windows acquired from Germany, and a painted ceiling. Friendly volunteers were stationed around the house to answer any questions and explain more about the house's history and features.
I visited in mid December and found the house tastefully decorated for Christmas, with attractive trees, wreaths and winter greenery.
On-site facilities are good and have been upgraded nicely over the years, with a café, toilets, a large gift shop, secondhand bookshop and ample parking (on that last point, if you have a low vehicle be aware that the speed ramps on the way in and out seemed unusually jarring - perhaps the electric buggies used to go racing along the driveway 😂).
Tickets were £18 for non-members at the time of my visit, reasonable value for the amount to see. The house closes from January 6th until March, when a significantly reduced ticket price applies. I'd advise visiting when the house is open as it's the main attraction and would be a shame to miss.

Matthew B.

5/5

Never visited before and chosing to go on a mid October day, weather predicted to be a bit miserable, could be a good time to go. How wrong was I. This place was amazing, certainly thinking about my visit, a Summer day would be ideal, such I will go again then. It would be best to pre explore this site as anyone interested in older buildings with substantial gardens, you could easily spend absolute hours here. The building is staffed by extremely knowledgeable volunteers who really are very welcoming and assist hugely in information and points of interest. The house itself seems to go on and on and each room offers a different aspect of the overall history and past occupants including a painting from Sir Winston Churchill which we had to go out to find the spot where he painted it, (of the house while he stayed for a few days). The grounds are almost immaculate and offer an abundance of gardens, small lakes and places to stop, look and even have a quiet picnic. Steeped in history, hundreds of years and the changes made by previous owners over the years. There is a very modern cafe before you go in, staffed by friendly and more than capable young people who are fully engaged in your choice of drinks or/and food which was more than good, table service for us too. Easy car parking, a short walk down a path into the main grounds where you can walk around this moated house and onto the many gardened areas. As I mentioned before, you could easily spend a vast part of the day here and I was reluctant to finally leave. Many of the exhibits are not to be touched, although in a trust worthy effort, put on display for you too see. If I were a 20 something then I probably would but wisdom and maturity says, no, let it be looked at rather than damaged. I enjoyed this visit and for me, I will return in the Summer months to enjoy a warm moment and take a packed lunch and watch the world go by.

W W. H.

5/5

Ancient moated house and gardens that belongs to the National Trust.
Much to see inside the house and there are staff on hand to tell you about the various rooms and their contents. So much history dating back many hundreds of years.
Outside there are some lovely garden areas and a huge pond, almost a lake that you can walk around.
There is a large flat pawned area where you can picnic but if you prefer there is a cafe and a kiosk serving snacks ice creams and drinks.
If you like to walk there are a few walking trails but you'll need a reasonable level of fitness as there are some very steep slopes in some parts.
There is a gift shop and there are toilets.
Parking is chargeable but reasonable.
If you are a National Trust member both parking and entry are free but you must scan your membership card and display a ticket on your dashboard.
There are close parking spaces for disabled visitors. Some parts of the house would be difficult to access for mobility impaired visitors.
Kids are welcome and there are activity sheets available to make things more interesting and educational for them.
Without taking in one of the walks, allow about three hours for your visit.

Julie G.

5/5

A very interesting property hidden in a country road in Kent. Easy to get to on the M25, near Sevenoaks. Lovely house surrounded by a moat. Changed owners a few times and was once owned by an American businessman who loved the architecture. He bought the house when he saw it advertised for about £5000. Some rooms are just beautiful. Ightham Mote is a lovely place to visit and every member of staff is helpful, friendly and know their job. Had a very pleasant visit. There is a shop, secondhand bookshop and a pretty good cafe where we had a bite to eat. You can also buy plants. Definitely worth a visit if you're that way. Weather wasn't the best but didn't spoil the day.

Steve T.

5/5

An amazing place to visit and just take in the architecture, scenic views and the very interesting history and how it was saved and handed over to the national trust. A must visit and I would highly recommend to anyone.

Alex W.

5/5

A very nice National Trust property, lots of interesting facts and History. Some developments in progress some elements already completed and improvements make visiting easier and add value. Excellent Cafe and Shop,

Helen G.

5/5

We hadn't visited for a couple of years. Oh my, this place has had major investment. Apart from the historic moated manor house itself, where more rooms are open and furnishing authentic to the time has been improved (most contents were sold by the previous owner and some have been returned home by those generous buyers), there is a brand new tearoom and shop area. This was airy, clean and inviting. We had our usual coffee and bun while we planned where we'd walk after the house visit. Usual NT standard (delish) and good value if you compare it with somewhere such as an M&S café. The carpark has been enlarged and upgraded, making access easier for us (there's a shuttle for people with mobility issues). We loved the house and the free introductory talk by Diane before we went in was fascinating and informative. A walk around the gardens, lakes and beyond polished off a really enjoyable visit. Just wish that it was a little closer to home for us to visit more often.

Rosalyn J.

5/5

A wonderful National Trust. Beautiful Tudor house with a moat. The grounds are lovely too. We went on the seed trail and got a small packet of seeds as a gift.