Knole park is in the town of Sevenoaks in the English county of Kent. Knole is a wonderful National Trust property that comprises of a grand fifteenth century country house set within extensive grounds. Knole is still occupied by its owners the Sackville family whose linage goes back many generations. (1) (2) The house is open to the public and contains interesting and opulant rooms filled with original antiques, portraits and textiles.
This beautiful area in the Weald of Kent is a really popular attraction that draws people of all ages to relax and enjoy the country air and views together. The unspolit woodland has ensured that Knole has been classified the status of a Site of Special Scientific Interest. At the weekends queues of cars can be seen waiting to enter the gates and park in front of the medieval castle. Today the official website stated:
“Our car park is now open but remains busy. We may need to close it again to ease congestion onsite. Updates will be posted here.” (2)
The park is open all year around and at this time of year it is open from dawn until dusk. The cafe opens at 10am and the main buildings are all open 10am until 5pm. A National Trust membership is around £100 for a family and represents great value as an NT card can be used to gain entry to any one of its 500 or so properties all year round.
Knole is ideally situated off the M25 main road around London so is in easy driving distance for many capital city dwellers and also folk living in Kent too. Tourists also love to see British heritage and Knole has traditional architecture, walled gardens and a very special history to discover by the spade load.
This traditional estate was designed for one family and their servants hundreds of years ago and not for thousands of visitors. Technology may provide the solution to this over popularity by introducing timed tickets purchased online in advance. The Tate Britain and other cultural institutions find this is a way to ease the pressure and manage limited resources to ensure that everyone enjoys their time at the much loved institution.
It seems in the technically driven digital age that some fresh air, a good old fashioned walk, a historical house tour and an afternoon tea has an enduring appeal that is as unique, timeless and as in demand as ever.
(1) Knole Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knole
(2) National Trust https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/knole