Scotney Castle- National Trust

Scotney Castle- National Trust Ruined medieval castle + Victorian mansion house + Picturesque garden + ancient estate = Romance, drama, nature, a castle for all seasons.
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See Scotney website and page links for events, more information, and car park booking. Scotney is not one but two houses. At the top of the hill is the new house, designed by Anthony Salvin in Elizabethan style and built in 1837 for Edward Hussey III, who took the ‘Picturesque’ style as his inspiration. At the bottom of the valley are the romantic ruins of a medieval castle and moat. This is the f

ocal point of the celebrated gardens featuring spectacular displays of rhododendrons, azaleas and kalmia in May/June with trees and shrubs providing autumnal colour. The estate is open all year, offering a variety of walks through beautiful parkland, woodland and farmland. HOUSE RULES
We want our page to be a place where people can share how they feel about the National Trust and talk about their experiences in a fun environment. We welcome feedback – both positive and negative. It helps us to learn and grow. These house rules aim to ensure everyone can enjoy themselves while they’re here. We ask you to be nice and polite to one another – you almost always are!- and respect each other’s views and comments. We ask all users to ensure your contributions are civil, polite, tasteful and suitable for all ages. We won’t
tolerate disruptive, offensive or abusive behaviour, unlawful or objectionable content. This includes any material which might be defamatory, offensive,infringing, obscene, lewd, pornographic, violent, abusive, insulting, threatening, harassing, discriminatory, blasphemous, indecent or otherwise unlawful or objectionable. It also includes any material which is aggressive, argumentative or likely to be construed as bullying. No spamming or repetition, please, nor off-topic material in subject-specific threads or areas. MODERATION POLICY
In general, we don’t moderate posts – except on the rare occasion that someone has used offensive language or made libellous allegations about named or identifiable individuals on our page. We have a duty to protect our
staff and volunteers, so while deleting comments is totally out of character for us, our legal position is that any post containing a libellous accusations, should be removed. If an individual continues to post offensive, threatening or
libellous content then we’ll be forced to block that person from the page. We won’t tolerate postings, content, or links that are racist, sexist or homophobic. We also don’t permit linking to or posting any content which endorses illegal
activity, or any activities against the values of the National Trust. If you’re concerned that a posting or user content has broken any of our house rules or you’re worried about any comment or content then please send us an email to: [email protected] and let us know.

📣Now open: Flapper FashionDaily until 1 November | FreeHigh fashion pieces from the early 20th century are on display in...
11/09/2026

📣Now open: Flapper Fashion
Daily until 1 November | Free

High fashion pieces from the early 20th century are on display in the Mansion House at Scotney Castle, featuring the National Trust's only Schiaparelli dress.

Suitcases packed with gowns were found stored in our attics, sitting undisturbed for decades. Now a research project has revealed many of these pieces to be by haute couture designers such as Callot Soeurs and Elsa Schiaparelli.

Due to their age and delicate fabric, these items cannot be on long-term display, and so this special display celebrates these hidden gems by highlighting the important work that goes into preserving them.

The display is located upstairs in the Mansion House. There is no step free access on the upper floors. Photographs of the display will be available upon request.

Photos:
1. Flapper and haute couture dresses
2. 1936 black and gold evening gown designed by Elsa Schiaparelli (laid flat due to its fragile condition)
3. 1920s peach Flapper 'dancing dress'
4. 1920s Flapper 'dancing dress' (left) and 1920s metallic evening gown designed by Collot Soeurs (right)
5. 1920s pink Flapper 'dancing dress' designed by Collot Soeurs (laid flat in its box due to its fragile condition)

© National Trust Images/Alice Bowen

A Scotney haircut ✂️Late summer is the perfect time for a tidy-up. The gardening team has been busy trimming and shaping...
08/09/2026

A Scotney haircut ✂️

Late summer is the perfect time for a tidy-up. The gardening team has been busy trimming and shaping hedges across the garden, helping to keep them healthy, tidy and looking their best as we transition into autumn.

What a difference a fresh trim makes.

See the results for yourself. Click the link in our bio to book your parking and plan your visit.

Please note: car park booking is essential at Scotney in 2026

© National Trust Images / Andrea Bennett

☀️ Final week of Summer of Play!There’s still time to join the fun before Summer of Play comes to an end on 6 September....
31/08/2026

☀️ Final week of Summer of Play!

There’s still time to join the fun before Summer of Play comes to an end on 6 September.

Spend the final days of summer exploring, playing and making memories together, with opportunities to get active, get creative and enjoy the great outdoors.

Free with standard admission.
Open 10am to 5pm until 6 September.

🔗 Click the link in our bio to book your parking and plan your visit.

Please note: car park booking is essential at Scotney in 2026.

📷 © National Trust Images/John Miller

Scotney Castle, National Trust

📣New display: Flapper Fashion 11 September - 1 November | FreeHaute couture dresses, including the National Trust's only...
30/08/2026

📣New display: Flapper Fashion
11 September - 1 November | Free

Haute couture dresses, including the National Trust's only Schaiparelli dress, will go on display in the Mansion House at Scotney Castle.

Recently discovered in the attics, these designer pieces belonged to Betty Hussey and her mother Maud Kerr-Smiley and showcase their taste in early 20th century high fashion.

A perfect addition for fans of the V&A's current Schiaparelli exhibition.

The display is located upstairs in the Mansion House. There is no step free access on the upper floors. Photographs of the display will be available upon request.

☀️ Planning a Bank Holiday visit to Scotney Castle?To help make your visit as smooth as possible, please book your parki...
28/08/2026

☀️ Planning a Bank Holiday visit to Scotney Castle?

To help make your visit as smooth as possible, please book your parking before you travel. Due to limited capacity in our car park, all visitors, including National Trust members, need to book parking in advance.

Once you've booked your parking, you can look forward to:

🌿 Summer of Play fun in the Festival Field
🌿 Beautiful gardens and views of the Old Castle
🌿 Stepping inside the Victorian mansion house
🌿 Miles of estate walks and countryside views
🌿 A browse in Betsy's second-hand Bookshop
🌿 Coffee and cake in the Coach House Tea Rooms

We can't wait to welcome you this weekend.

🔗 Book your parking and plan your visit here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/kent/scotney-castle

©National Trust Images/James Beck

📣Old Castle Works | From 1 September 2026Work is being carried out to repair storm damage to the roof of the Ashburnham ...
24/08/2026

📣Old Castle Works | From 1 September 2026

Work is being carried out to repair storm damage to the roof of the Ashburnham Tower on the Old Castle.

This work includes repairing damaged glazed panels of the cupola to keep the weather from entering the rooms beneath, with associated repairs of the roof and stonework.

Work is due to begin on Tuesday 1 September and is expected to be completed by mid-October.

There may be no visitor access to the Old Castle island for several days to allow initial scaffolding construction to be carried out safely.

Essential conservation work like this is made possible through the support of National Trust members and our visitors.

23/08/2026

🦋 Moths, Glorious Moths

Since 2017, Scotney’s dedicated moth recording programme has documented an incredible 719 species and 46,445 individual moths across the estate.

Moths are such incredible and important insects for our ecosystem. They help pollinate plants, serve as a vital food source for a wide range of wildlife and act as an indicator species, meaning their presence can tell us a lot about the health of the environment around them.

Thanks to regular recording, 11 new species have already been recorded at Scotney in 2026 alone.

Featured in this reel are the Drinker, Elephant Hawk-moth, Merveille du Jour, Large Emerald, Leopard Moth, Beautiful Pearl and Eyed Hawk-moth.

Which is your favourite?

📸 Scotney: 1874 vs NowIt's incredible to think that nearly 150 years separate these photographs.Taken by Edward Windsor ...
21/08/2026

📸 Scotney: 1874 vs Now

It's incredible to think that nearly 150 years separate these photographs.

Taken by Edward Windsor Hussey, known as Edwy, in 1874, these images capture views of Scotney that are still instantly recognisable today.

While the landscape has evolved over time, the enduring architecture remains a powerful link to the past, connecting us with the people who lived, worked and explored here generations ago.

These images, along with many more from Edwy's collection, can be discovered in our photography display in the Small Dining Room, offering a fascinating glimpse into Scotney's history through the lens of the man who would inherit the estate in 1894.

Display available until 31 October.

📸 Click the link in our bio to book your parking and plan your visit.
Please note: Car park booking is essential at Scotney in 2026.

© Pages from Edward Windsor Hussey's scrapbook
album, Reproductions / Courtesy of University of St
Andrews Libraries and Museums (ID: msdep121/8/8/3)

Supported by CEWE



Museums of the University of St Andrews

Address

Scotney Castle
Lamberhurst
TN38JN

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+441892893820

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