Out & About
Located on the border of Kent and East Sussex in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Barnfield House an excellent base for exploring Southeast England. A short walk away is Hawkhurst, a pretty Kent village with a Victorian colonnade with speciality shops, the Kino digital cinema, Waitrose and Tesco supermarket sand a number of pubs. Within easy reach are world-famous gardens, centuries-old castles, historic houses and heritage sites, fabulous beaches, and lots of fun-filled family attractions and activities — plenty to keep all the family amused throughout your stay. You’ll find lots of information on what’s on and where to go at www.explorekent.org and www.visitkent.co.uk.
Here, we share with you some of our favourite things to see and do in our beautiful corner of England (in no particular order).
Bodiam Castle
The 14th Century Bodiam Castle is just what you’d imagine a medieval castle should be: four castellated towers complete with arrow slits reflected in the encircling moat, further protected by a portcullis, and in a fairy-tale countryside setting. One of the most photographed castles in Britain today, this National Trust site is only five miles from Barnfield House. There’s a busy calendar of activities at Bodiam during the school holidays, from archery to falconry to medieval battle enactments. And getting there can be as adventurous as you want. Arrive by car, or by steam train from Tenterden or Northian (Kent & Est Sussex Railway), or by boat along the River Rother (Bodiam Boating Station).
Great Dixter Garden
“A place of pilgrimage for horticulturalists. from across the world”, Great Dixter is a riot of colour in the summer months, but is fascinating any time of the year. You can also visit the Tudor house, extensively restored by Edwin Lutyens. Allow time for a tea break in their enchanting garden cafe. And do check out their events calendar of talks, tours and workshops.
Camber Sands
Camber Sands is a lovely place to experience a typical day at the seaside. Just half an hour from Barnfield House, this miles-long beach of golden sand is gorgeous in all seasons. Enjoy bracing winter walks along the promenade, or on the beach at low tide. In Summer, kids love building sandcastles, paddling in the shallow water, and exploring the sand dunes. And there’s excellent kite surfing for the water sports enthusiast. Kent and East Sussex offer many more beaches, and this is among our favourite.
Rye & Winchelsea
On the way to the beach, do visit Rye, and explore the maze of cobbled lanes lined with medieval, Tudor and Georgian buildings (many now pubs and tearooms). We also recommend that you take a short detour to Winchelsea, one of the Cinque Ports built in the 13th Century, once a medieval hub for the wine trade — you can book a tour of the medieval cellars in the summer —and now the smallest town in England to have its own mayor.
Traditional Kent villages
Barnfield House is an excellent base for exploring the beautiful villages of the High Weald. Within walking distance is Hawkhurst, with its Grade II listed Victorian shopping colonnade. Four miles away is Cranbrook, with its 15th century cottages, and the tallest working windmill in England. Glorious countryside drives reveal more picturesque villages with quaint tearooms, cosy pubs, pastoral settings and poetic names that roll off the tongue – Biddenden, Beneden, Rovenden, Tenterden. Plus lots more ‘hursts’ (meaning wooded area) such as Goudhurst, Lamberhurst, and Sandhurst.
Vinyards
Why not book a private tour and wine tasting experience at a local vineyard? Many are award-winning, producing sparkling and still wines that punch way above their weight in both national and international markets. Some of the best are no more than 13 miles away…and you could even book a taxi in anticipation of the tasting! Or book a private tour with Vine & Country Tours and enjoy a day exploring off-the-trail vineyards with experts.
