Scotney Castle

About the museum

Scotney Castle stands in the valley of the River Bewl near Lamberhurst in Kent. The earliest record from 1137 names Lambert de Scoteni as owner, and Roger Ashburnham is credited with building the moated castle around 1378 to 1380. Parts were rebuilt in the Elizabethan period and around 1630. The Darrell family owned the estate for about 350 years, and during the 1590s one of them hid a Jesuit priest in the castle while Catholicism was illegal.

In 1778 Edward Hussey bought the estate. His grandson, also called Edward, built a new mansion at the top of the slope between 1835 and 1843 to designs by Anthony Salvin, using sandstone quarried from the hillside; this is an early and restrained example of Tudor Revival architecture. Part of the old castle was taken down to make a romantic ruin, the centrepiece of a Picturesque garden laid out around the lake. The quarry became the Quarry Garden, which contains the impression of a dinosaur footprint.

Christopher Hussey left the estate to the National Trust when he died in 1970. After the death of Elizabeth Hussey in 2006 the mansion was opened to visitors in 2007, with its large and varied collections. The estate covers 780 acres of parkland and ancient Wealden woodland and includes a walled garden that has grown fruit, vegetables and flowers since 2011. In 2026 work began to restore the Picturesque landscape.

Highlights

• Ruined medieval Old Castle on its own moated island
• Mansion house of 1835-43 with one of the largest and most varied National Trust collections
• Picturesque garden with Quarry Garden, woodland glade and icehouse
• Walled garden growing fruit, vegetables and cut flowers
• 780 acres of parkland and Wealden woodland to explore

Permanent exhibitions

• The mansion house – A mid-19th-century Tudor Revival mansion built for Edward Hussey III, with one of the largest and most varied collections in the National Trust.
• Old Castle and garden – The ruined medieval castle on its moated island, the centrepiece of a Picturesque garden with a quarry garden, woodland paths, an icehouse and a Victorian boathouse.

Operated by

National Trust

Admission & discounts

Prices are shown without Gift Aid; paying with Gift Aid adds about 10% (adult 22.00, child 11.00, family 55.00, one-adult family 33.00). National Trust members visit and park for free; parking for non-members costs 4.50 pounds. All visitors must book car parking in advance to guarantee entry.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Much of the garden and some of the estate is accessible, but the garden is steep and there are steps and uneven ground in places such as the Quarry Garden and the lower terrace. An external lift gives wheelchair access to the ground floor of the mansion, and a video tour of the upstairs rooms is available. Manual wheelchairs and two mobility scooters can be borrowed by calling 01892 893820. Accessible parking spaces must also be pre-booked, accessible toilets are by the courtyard tea-room, and induction loops are at the visitor entrance, the shop and the tea-room. Only assistance dogs may enter the mansion house and walled garden.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area

The estate has natural play areas, hidden paths and acres of parkland to explore, children's meals are served in the tea-room, and most paths in the garden are suitable for buggies. Baby and toddler changing facilities are in the courtyard.

Getting there & parking

Scotney Castle is signposted from the A21 at Lamberhurst; follow the brown signs with the National Trust oak leaf. Use postcode TN3 8JN or TN3 8JD; there is no access via Finchcocks, Goudhurst. Cyclists can use National Cycle Network route 18, 3 miles away.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

The Coach House tea-room has indoor and outdoor seating. There is a shop, a plant shop, a second-hand bookshop at the visitor entrance, and kiosks in the courtyard and at the Old Castle in summer.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit