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Ightham Mote

Ightham Mote is a rare moated medieval house dating from the fourteenth century. Later additions include a Tudor chapel. In many ways the later additions are as interesting as the original house, since the house illustrates over five hundred years of architectural change and development. The house shows how architecture moved from open halls towards the rooms that now divide up our houses and lives today. Daily life today is certainly more fragmented than it once was.

Looking at Ightham Mote I an reminded of Charles Kingsley's description of Harthover House in The Water Babies: "For Harthover had been built at ninety different times, and in nineteen different styles, and looked as if somebody had built a whole street of houses of every imaginable shape, ands then stirred them together with a spoon... Now the house looked like a real live house, that had a history and had grown as the world grew." (Chapter 1)

Ightham Mote is the National Trust's largest ever conservation project, the phased reconstruction project having started in 1988 and being completed in 2004. A range of educational services are offered at the property, including a regular programme of lectures and study days, and an educational room.

There is a restaurant and a shop, baby changing and feeding facilities. Dogs are allowed on leads in the grounds, which extend over two hundred acres.

 

Opening Times: The house is open from 15th March to 31st October 11am - 5pm Thursday to Monday and 1st November to 21st December 11am - 3pm weekends only. The garden opens at 10.30am 15th March to 2nd November. The grounds are open dawn till dusk. Shop and restaurant opening times vary. Check before you visit. Last admission is 30 minutes before closing.

Directions: Ightham Mote is between Sevenoaks and Borough Green in Kent, off the A25. Click here for an interactive road and satellite map centred on Ightham Mote.

Access: wheelchair access is possible to the ground floor with the help of ramps. There is a photograph album tour for areas that cannot be reached. Adapted toilet facilities are available. A map of accessible routes in the grounds is available.

Contact:

phone: 01732 811145 (Infoline), 01732 810378

ighthammote@nationaltrust.org

 

Walks in the grounds at Ightham Mote