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Places to Visit
Castles
- Arundel Castle - Built towards the end of the 11th century by Roger de Montgomery this impressive castle with a magnificent interior overlooks the river Arun in West Sussex.
- Bodiam Castle (NT) - A lovely stone built castle and moat built as a fortress home by Sir Edward Dallyngrigge in 1385.
- Dover Castle (EH) - Positioned above the famous 'White cliffs of Dover', the castle site dates back to Roman times. Included in the castle tour are visits to tunnels within the white cliffs that were used as a command centre by Sir Winston Churchill during World War 2.
- Hever Castle & Gardens - Childhood home to Anne Boleyn (Henry V111's 2nd wife). Important restoration works were undertaken by William Wardorf Astor around 100 years ago. He also created beautiful gardens and a lake.
- Leeds Castle - Sometimes described as 'The loveliest castle in the World', Leeds was built in 1066 and was home to Kings and Queens until the middle of the 16th century.
- Lewes Castle - Built following the Norman conquest, the castle now dominates the town of Lewes in East Sussex.
- Pevensey Castle (EH) - The walls remain of the original Roman fort. This fortress was used by William of Normandy when he landed nearby, prior to the Batle of Hastings. After the victory the castle was built on this site.
- Rochester Castle (EH) - Dating from Norman times, Rochester castle boasts one of the tallest keeps in England at 113feet and has walls of 11feet thickness
- Walmer Castle & Gardens (EH) - A Tudor castle that is now a residence and has been home to William Pitt the Younger, The Duke of Wellington, Sir Winston Churchill and sometimes visited by our Queen Mother.
Historic Houses / Abbeys
- Anne of Cleves House - A timber framed house given by Henry V111 to his 4th wife.
- Batemans (NT) - This Jacobean house was home to the author Rudyard Kipling from 1902 to 1936 and includes much of his oriental collection.
- Battle Abbey and Battlefield (EH) - You can take an interactive audio tour of the Abbey ruins and battlefield of England's most famous battle fought on October 14th 1066.
- Chartwell (NT) - Family home of Sir Winston Churchill with amazing views across the Weald. Very atmospheric, you could almost imagine that Churchill has only just left the house.
- Ightham Mote (NT) - This medieval manor house, complete with its own moat, originates from 1340 but has features from many era's.
- Knole (NT) - Set in an extensive deer park, Knole originates from the early part of the 15th century and was enlarged in the 17th. There are 13 state rooms to visit with much of the original furnishings.
- Lamb House (NT) - Set in the middle of the picturesque town of Rye, this was the home of the writer Henry James.
- Michelham Priory - This Tudor mansion was built from the original Augustinian Priory and is encircled by a mile long moat.
- Penshurst Place & Gardens - Described as one of England's oldest family homes (Currently Viscount de L'Isle), Penshurst is full of charm and collections from 600 years of it's history. There is also a magnificent formal garden of 11 acres.
- Royal Pavilion, Brighton - One of the most eccentric buildings in the country, the oriental style pavilion was originally built for George 1V
- Smallhythe Place (NT) - 16th Century home to the Victorian actress Ellen Terry from 1899 to 1928. Also includes a charming barn theatre.
- Standen (NT) - A house from 1890 with fine examples of the interior design of William Morris and still boasts the original light fittings.
Gardens
- Borde Hill Garden - Colour abounds in all seasons at Borde Hill. The gardens are part of a 200 acre park.
- Emmetts Garden (NT) - Colour throughout the season, Emmetts has many rare trees and shrubs.
- Great Dixter House & Gardens - Well renowned experimental gardens developed by Christopher Lloyd around his 15th century home.
- Groombridge Place Gardens - Award winning formal gardens and an 'Enchanted forest'.
- Nymans Garden (NT) - Especially good for summer borders and unusual plants grown from seed at the property.
- Leonardslee Gardens - Especially stunning in May with Rhododendrons, Magnolias, Bluebells and Japanese Azaleas.
- Pashley Manor Gardens - A very English garden with its own character set alongside a Tudor house.
- Scotney Castle Garden (NT) - A romantic sloping garden offering excellent viewpoints towards the remains of the 14th century castle.
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- Sheffield Park (NT) - Beautiful in any season, these superbly landscaped gardens were laid down by Capability Brown. Excellent walks can be taken alongside the four lakes.
- Sissinghurst Castle Garden (NT) - World famous gardens created by Vita Sackville-West and her husband Sir Harold Nicholson with wonderful views from the tower of the Kent weald.
NT = National Trust
EH = English Heritage
Towns & Cities
- Brighton - The city by the sea, Brighton is the largest seaside resort in Sussex. It became a fashionable resort after the construction of the Royal Pavilion in 1787 for the Prince of Wales (later George 1V). The pavilion was transformed to its current exotic style by John Nash in 1823. Brighton has a large marina, parks, squares and crescents and a traditional seaside pier. There is a popular area known as 'The Lanes' which has many unusual and unique shops.
- Canterbury - Centre of the Church of England since 597 AD when St. Augustine arrived as a missionary from Rome. The famous cathedral was built between 1070 and 1180. On the 29th December 1170 four knights arrived at the cathedral and murdered the Archbishop - Thomas a Becket. Other places to visit in Canterbury include the Roman Museum and the Canterbury Tales visitor attraction.
- Eastbourne - A beautiful seaside resort with a 130 year old pier, four theatres and a modern harbour complex. The 'Carpet Gardens' on the sea front are world renowned and glorious throughout the season.
- Hastings - Known for it's 1066 connections, Hastings is a seaside town that has a lovely old town section. The eastern end of the front is where you can find the fishing fleet that winch their boats on to the beach alongside the tall net drying sheds. On the West hill there are the remains of the castle and caves once used by smugglers.
- Rye - Very photogenic, this ancient market town has been described as 'The most beautiful small town in England'. Built on a hill overlooking the Romney Marshes and is topped by the 12th century church of St.Mary's. Rye has narrow cobbled streets, Georgian and Tudor houses, antique shops, tea rooms and old inns - altogether a 'Must Visit'.
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- Royal Tunbridge Wells - Once a fashionable Spa town, you can still drink 'the waters' served by the traditional dipper. The Pantiles is an area of colonnaded antique and specialist shops.
- Winchelsea - The smallest town in England, just 2 miles west of Rye. An unspoilt town of great character and full of history.
The above are just some of the attractions available to visit. Also there are many special events throughout the season - open air concerts, battle re-enactments, air shows, car rallies, fireworks displays etc. Any special events timed to coincide with your visit will be advised to you.
 National Trust www.nationaltrust.org.uk |
 English Heritage www.english-heritage.org.uk |
 Rye, East Sussex www.rye-tourism.co.uk |
 Go South www.gosouth.co.uk |
 1066 Online www.1066online.com |
Other Links