Historic Gardens

Chiddingstone Castle, Chiddingstone

Picture of Chiddingstone Castle Chiddingstone Castle has evolved over 500 years from a 16th C Tudor Manor House to a Carolean Mansion in 1680, which was then gothicised between 1805 and 1808 by the architect William Atkinson. The Steatfeild family continued to won the property throughout this period until 1938. It is now owned by a charitable trust. The park and garden similarly evolved from 17thC formality to the more open parkland with lake favoured in the 18th and 19th centuries. The three acre lake was probably made by extending a formal canal. Near the water are some caves with a mock tomb, and a hollow tree with a gothic arch cut into it. These are set in mature hornbeam and beech woodland and are considered an important example of the Picturesque period of gardening history.

www.chiddingstonecastle.org.uk

Chilham, Chilham

Picture of Chilham Sir Dudley Digges completed the building we see today in 1616 on the site of a pre-existing Norman castle. He introduced the spectacular terracing that is a key feature of the garden today. In the middle of 18thC the then owner Thomas Heron enlarged the park and redesigned the grounds with the help of Capability Brown whose main legacy is a ha-ha that allowed the parkland and views to the Stour valley to be seen from the house without interruption. The gardens were further developed in the 19thC by the then owner Charles Stewart Hardy who created a lake, and arranged for the planting of thousands of trees.

www.chilham-castle.co.uk

Cobham Hall, Cobham

Picture of Cobham Hall Cobham Hall is a grand 17th century country house that is now an independent boarding and day school for girls. It lies within 150 acres of magnificent Grade II* registered parkland designed by the landscape gardener, Humphry Repton (1752-1818). He worked there for twenty years from 1790. The parkland has undergone restoration and shows how Repton introduced subtle details and views, contrasting with the grand panoramas of his contemporary, Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. There is a range of listed garden structures, including the Grade II ‘Repton's Seat’ and later garden additions, including 20th century formal features by the designer William Goldring.

www.cobhamhall.com