Chiddingstone Castle: A Perfect Day Out in Kent

You may have heard of Leeds Castle and Hever Castle, both popular castles to visit in Kent, but have you heard of Chiddingstone Castle? If not, this post will uncover a delightful castle in beautiful surroundings with a fishing lake. Nestled in an incredible medieval Tudor village, it has a Post Office in a 15th-century building once owned by Anne Boleyn's father. What more could you ask for?

So bring yourself a picnic and, maybe, your fishing gear and enjoy a perfect day out at Chiddingstone Castle, one of the lesser-known castles in Kent.

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Chiddingstone Castle History

The castle's history has Tudor origins, a connection you will see when you visit the village of Chiddingstone, accessible through the castle grounds. The castle was remodelled in the 1800s to represent a medieval castle with turrets and a doorway worthy of any historic house. The last owner was the renowned collector Denys Eyre Bower, who bought the castle in 1955 to house his extensive art collections.

His collection remains here despite his passing and contains artefacts from Egypt and the Far East. Some say this is the second most important collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts after the British Museum!

Visiting Chiddingstone Castle

The castle address is Hill Hoath Road, Chiddingstone, Near Tonbridge, Kent, TN8 7AD.

Castle opening dates are from March to October annually. The castle entry fee is £11.00 (adults) / £5.50 (children aged 5-15 years). The castle grounds and Chiddingstone village are free to enter.

An honesty box is in the car park for your parking fee of £3.

Afternoon Tea at Chiddingstone

The castle tea rooms open yearly from 1st March and shut at the end of October. Enjoy a lovely afternoon tea for £18.50 or £25.00 with a glass of prosecco. Sit in the Victorian Room, Grade ll listed courtyard or the walled garden and enjoy the views. Chiddingstone Castle afternoon tea must be booked in advance as it is very popular.

Chiddingstone Castle Grounds

While the castle and tea rooms are closed over the winter season, the grounds and car park remain open daily from 9:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Sensational views across the countryside can be seen from the castle's vantage point. Golden wheat fields are a common crop grown in the UK and Kent, and you will see acres of them as you drive around the area during the summer months.

Chiddingstone Castle Fishing

A beautiful 3.5-acre lake complete with water-lilies is the centre-piece of the grounds. On my visit, the lake looked so pretty, with ducks gliding across it and overhanging branches from the weeping willow tree dipping themselves into the mysterious dark water. Anglers lined themselves up on the bank, waiting for that elusive tug on the fishing rod; this was all such an English scene with the backdrop of the castle, and I loved it!

A bridge across the lake links the castle grounds to the village of Chiddingstone. Standing on the bridge reminded me of my visit to Monet's Gardens in Giverny. I wonder whether any watercolours of Chiddingstone's lake hang inside the castle.

If you want to fish in the Chiddingstone Lake, it is open from 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. There is a £10 charge for one adult and two rods (under 14's go free with a paying adult), which a groundsman will collect. Alternatively, leave £10 in the car park honesty box.

Chiddingstone Medieval Tudor Village

We finally found a thirst-quenching beer outside the castle's gates at the 15th-century Castle Inn in Chiddingstone - one of Kent's oldest villages. Owned by the National Trust, this small street is the perfect example of a surviving medieval Tudor village.

The pub in Chiddingstone has a lovely outdoor garden seating area and several tables at the front, so there is plenty of space to enjoy a drink or a meal. Being my first venture to a pub since lockdown, I was happy to feel safe and secure with the social distancing measures they had put in place.

We wandered around the 17th-century church of St Mary's, as I have a penchant for headstones and obituaries, before heading further up the village to discover the Chiding Stone legend, from where the castle and village take their name. On our way, we checked out Berghesh Court ad 1453 to visit the Tulip Tree Tea Rooms and popped into the post office/gift shop, believed to be the oldest working shop in the country and once owned by Anne Boleyn’s father!

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The Chiding Stone

I know what you are thinking - probably the same as us. Who wants to visit a stone; however, this lump of stone is millions of years old and has many stories connected to it.

Local folklore claims it to be the place where nagging wives or villains were "chided" (told off by the rest of the villagers); hence the name "Chiding Stone". Another explanation was that it could have been a Saxon boundary marker or a Druid's altar. I would like to believe that mystical things may have happened on this spot, but whatever the truth, we will never know, so for now, I am happy to believe in folklore tales.

Beyond Chiddingstone

Chiddingstone Castle Address:  Hill Hoath Road, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 7AD

Visiting Chiddingstone Castle is the perfect way to spend a day in Kent, and if you are looking for somewhere steeped in history, this will tick all the boxes.

Other historic venues close by, such as Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn and Chartwell, the family home of Winston Churchill, are worth visiting.

If you are looking for a countryside walk to do in the area, Toys Hill and Emmetts Garden will give you sensational views across Kent.

Why not stay longer at one of the comfortable guesthouses in the adjacent area of Edenbridge, including apartments at Hever Castle?

Please PIN for Future Travel to Kent

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