Ightham Mote

Om museet

Ightham Mote is one of the oldest medieval manor houses to survive in England. The core of the house dates from the 1340s and is built of Kentish ragstone and timber. Four wings surround a courtyard and a moat. The first known owners, the Cawne family, arrived around 1360, and later owners including the Hautes, Sir Richard Clement and the Selby family added to the house over the centuries, mostly in keeping with its medieval character. The Selbys lived here for nearly 300 years before they ran out of money and the estate was sold in 1889.

Sir Thomas Colyer-Fergusson bought the estate in 1889 and began major repairs, adding central heating, electricity and bathrooms. His family opened the main rooms to visitors one afternoon a week in the early 20th century. In 1951 the house and its contents were put up for sale in poor repair and might have been demolished, but three local businessmen bought it for £5,500, and in 1952 it was given Grade I listed status.

In 1953 the American businessman Charles Henry Robinson bought Ightham Mote and restored it. He decided in 1965 to leave it to the National Trust, and it passed to the Trust when he died in 1985. The Trust has since carried out one of its largest conservation projects here. Today visitors see the medieval Great Hall, the Tudor guest suite with its painted ceiling and later interiors, and can explore a 14-acre garden and an estate of more than 500 acres.

Højdepunkter

• Medieval moated manor house dating from the 1340s
• Great Hall and a Tudor guest suite with painted ceiling and stained glass
• 14 acres of garden with lakes, orchard and cutting garden
• Grade I listed dog kennel built in 1890 for a St Bernard named Dido
• Estate of more than 500 acres with walking trails
• Natural play area for children

Permanent udstilling

• The house – A medieval half-timbered manor house with a cobbled courtyard, dark wood panelling, large fireplaces and furnishings from many centuries.

Ejer

National Trust

Entrépriser & rabatter

Prices shown are standard admission without Gift Aid for 28 February to 1 November 2026 (house, garden and estate); the adult price with Gift Aid is £20.90. National Trust members enter free. A Gardeners' World 2-for-1 card offer is valid until 1 April 2027, but not at weekends or Bank Holidays. Parking is free for National Trust members and £4 per vehicle for non-members.

Tilgængelighed

• Delvis kørestolsvenlig
• Elevator: ingen oplysninger
• Handicaptoilet
• Handicapparkering
• Servicehunde tilladt
• Taktile tilbud
• Rundvisninger på tegnsprog: ingen oplysninger
• Letlæste tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Synstolkning: ingen oplysninger

The ground floor of the house and an accessible route through the garden and around South Lake are available; some corridors in the house are narrow and garden paths can be slippery when wet. Two accessible toilets are at the Mote Café and the Coach House. Blue Badge parking is near the visitor centre. Manual wheelchairs can be borrowed for the ground floor, gardens, shop and café, and a Tramper powered scooter for the garden and South Lake (advance booking by phone). A volunteer-driven buggy transfers visitors to and from the house. Induction loops are in the café and shop. A braille guide, a large print guide and a virtual tour of the house are available at the house welcome. Assistance dogs are allowed everywhere.

Børn og familie

Velegnet til børn og familier

• Opgavehæfte, skattejagt eller audioguide for børn
• Barnevognsvenlig
• Puslerum
• Legeplads / legehjørne

There is a natural play area where children can balance, play with chimes and get muddy. In the house there are children's quizzes, baby hip-seats, a baby feeding room and a buggy park. The café has high chairs and lunchboxes, and the toilets have baby changing facilities and steps for children. Until 1 November 2026 The Pikachu Art Adventure is on in the house and garden at no extra cost.

Transport & parkering

Use the sat nav postcode TN15 0NU (some systems do not find TN15 0NT). The house is 6 miles north of Tonbridge on the A227, 6 miles south of Sevenoaks on the A25 and 16 miles west of Maidstone on the A20/A25. Ightham Mote is just off the Greensand Way walking route; the surrounding roads are single-carriageway country roads.

Service & spisesteder

• Café
• Restaurant: findes ikke
• Museumsbutik

Mote Café serves hot and cold food and drink from 10:00 daily, and dogs are welcome in the outdoor seating area. A seasonal kiosk sells drinks and ice cream, and picnic tables stand beside it. The shop is in the visitor centre, and a second-hand bookshop is in the Coach House. Dogs on short leads are welcome except in the house, enclosed garden and natural play area. Six electric vehicle charging points are in the car park.

Arrangementer & udlejning

Museet har ikke offentliggjort oplysninger om dette.

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