Penshurst Placeand Gardens

Penshurst Place has belonged to the Sidney family since 1552, when Edward VI granted the house to Sir William Sidney after it had passed through Henry VIII's hands. The current custodian, Viscount De L'Isle, lives in the house with his wife Isobel rather than treating it as a pure visitor attraction, and the medieval Baron's Hall remains the building's centrepiece. The eleven acres of formal gardens are split into eleven distinct rooms by more than a mile of yew hedging, with planting records going back to 1346, among the oldest in private ownership in England. A walled garden, parkland and a toy museum sit alongside the house on the visitor route. Opening times vary by season, with the house and gardens closed over parts of the year, so a check of current hours before travelling is worthwhile.