Ightham Mote

Ightham Mote is a magnificent 700-year-old medieval manor house in Kent, surrounded by a glassy moat and set within 550 acres of grounds, representing one of the most complete small medieval manor houses in the county. Built around 1320 from Kentish ragstone and great Wealden oaks with an attractive timber-clad frame, the original 14th-century structure consisted of a great hall and domestic buildings, expanding to four wings by the 15th century. The property's distinguished ownership history includes medieval knights, a courtier to King Henry VIII, and high society Victorians before the final owner donated the house and estate to the National Trust in 1985. Today, visitors can explore the remarkable timber, stone, and water architecture alongside the gardens, experiencing a rare survival of intimate medieval domestic life.