20 Attractions to Explore Near Kent & East Sussex Railway

Chapel Down is England’s leading wine producer with an award-winning range of world-class sparkling & still wines and hugely successful range of Curious beers and cider. Chapel Down offers a world-class range of sparkling and still wines, together with a collection of premium spirits, and an award-winning range of Curious beers and cider. Enjoy a truly memorable day out at England’s leading winery.

Smallhythe Place in Small Hythe, near Tenterden in Kent, is a half-timbered house built in the late 15th or early 16th century and since 1947 cared for by the National Trust. It has existed as a simple working farm, one of the most significant shipyards in medieval England, and later the home of distinguished Victorian actress, Dame Ellen Terry. The unique Barn Theatre radiates the spirit and history of Ellen's life. Discover this hidden gem in the Kent countryside.

Biddenden Vineyards is Kent’s original commercial vineyard; a family run vineyard with the second and third generation of the Barnes family managing the estate. Here at Biddenden 11 different grape varieties are planted across 23 acres of gentle south facing slopes, on sandy loam over clay situated in a shallow sheltered valley.

This is one of the best known gardens in Kent, a worthy winner of Visit Kent's Garden of the Year award in 2016. It contains fine yew hedges, large lawns with specimen trees, walled gardens, pools and mixed borders combined with bulbs, rhododendrons and azaleas. The massed bluebells in the woodland walk make spring an especially good time to visit.

Sissinghurst Castle garden was created by Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson who transformed the ruins of this Elizabethan mansion and gardens in the 1930s. It is among the most famous gardens in England and is designated Grade I on Historic England's register of historic parks and gardens. The gardens contain an internationally respected plant collection, particularly the assemblage of old garden roses. The writer Anne Scott-James considered the roses at Sissinghurst to be "one of the fi

The Big Cat Sanctuary is the UK's largest specialist Big Cat Breeding and Conservation Centre. It was founded in 2000 and is a UK registered conservation charity which is home to over 50 wild cats. A 32 acre site hidden in the peaceful Kent countryside began by default as a refuge for rescued cats. Now recognised as a centre of excellence and one of Europe's biggest wild cat centres making global partnership and supporting conservation initiatives.

Great Dixter is a historic house, a garden, a center of education, and a place of pilgrimage for horticulturists from across the world. The garden, widely known for its continuous tradition of sophisticated plantsmanship, is Grade I listed in the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.

Bodiam Castle is a 14th-century moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge. It hosts one of the largest bat roosts in south-east England, and is home to five species of bats. The castle survives physically as a moated ruin within the Rother valley, but its spirit resides in its power to capture your imagination and allow you to ‘look into another world’.

The Ypres Tower is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It has uneven floors, low doorways, uneven steps and no lift. The castle may have been used as a prison and in 1430 became the property of John de Iprys; which lead to the name Ypres Tower.

Rye Heritage Centre is the home of the ‘Story of Rye’ Town Model Sound and Light Show – a totally unique ‘Son et Lumiere’ style 1:100 scale handbuilt model of Victorian Rye that uses dramatic sound and light effects that brings to life over 700 years of Rye’s rich history and folklore. They are home to one of the UK’s largest collections of working pre-decimal amusement machines in the Old Pier Penny Arcade.

Lamb House is a delightful National Trust Georgian house in Rye, East Sussex, once home to writer Henry James. It was here that much of the English literary establishment came to visit James, including H.G. Wells, Rudyard Kipling, Ford Maddox Ford and Max Beerbohm.

Godinton is a remarkable country house, nestled in the heart of Kent. Dating back to the 14th century. It has a Rose Garden, an Italian and Walled Garden, Delphinium borders, a Wild Garden and Ponds. The gardens include one of the longest Yew hedges in England, as well as having spectacular displays of delphiniums, irises, wild flowers and roses.

Camber castle should have been one of Henry VIII’s most celebrated and innovative defensive structures, but, due to the whims of nature, it lies derelict and almost unheard of. It was originally located overlooking the shallow sea on a shingle spit which protected the approach to these towns. Camber Castle once stood on the shoreline of an important estuary guarding access to the major Cinque Port of Rye and the primary anchorage for shipping in the eastern English Channel.

Rye Harbour Nature Reserve is one of Britain’s most important conservation sites, a rare coastal landscape of outstanding geological, biological, cultural and heritage value on the unspoilt coastal boundary of East Sussex and Kent. One of the unique location which provides information about unique wildlife and nature.

Bedgebury is an award-winning visitor attraction with something for everyone. Open all year, Bedgebury is the perfect place for healthy outdoor activity. Its Forest has miles of family cycling and mountain-biking, walking, and running trails, as well as Go Ape treetop adventure, and an adventure play trail. It's National Pinetum is a world-class collection of dramatic conifers and a beautiful setting for a country walk in all seasons.

Bedgebury National Pinetum is the most complete collection of coniferous trees anywhere in the world. It provides a beautiful setting for peaceful walks and picnics. The Bedgebury cafe also has wonderful views of the pinetum. It has miles of family cycling and mountain-biking, walking, and running trails, as well as Go Ape tree top adventure, and an adventure play trail.

Sedlescombe Organic is proud to be the oldest organic and biodynamic certified vineyard in the UK, Est.1979. England's oldest organic wine estate comprising 22 acres organically certified vineyards. An independent business established in 1979 by Roy Cook producing 30,000 bottles of ‘Estate Bottled’ English wine annually.

This stunning stretch of sandy beach is home to the only sand dune system in East Sussex. Camber Sands is the perfect get-away with unspoiled views of sand and sea stretching for miles. The best section of the beach is the western end near where the River Rother empties into the sea. Here it is wall-to-wall sand whilst further along the beach becomes more shingley. Two holiday resorts are near Camber Sands owned by Pontins and Parkdean Resorts just off New Lydd Road and Lydd Road respectively in

Pashley Manor is a house with Tudor front with 11 acres of award-winning gardens. A few hours in these immaculately maintained gardens is an ideal way to relax and reconnect with nature. There are also glimpses of beautiful sculptures which enhances this garden.

Scotney Castle was built in c. 1378-80 by Roger Ashburnham. It was strategically sited where the road from Rye and Hastings crossed the valley of the Bewel. It is a fourteenth century moated castle with a garden that is a prime example of picturesque aesthetic ideas applied to garden design. The central feature is the ruins of a medieval, moated manor house, Scotney Old Castle, which is on an island on a small lake.