Castles · South East England
Old Scotney Castle
In or near Pembury.
Old Scotney Castle — quadrangular castle and 16th/17th century manor house, set in 19th century landscaped garden.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Wadhurst · 7.1 km
- Paid entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Old Scotney Castle, the nearest railway station is Wadhurst, located 7.1 km away. Entry is paid, and accessibility is limited for wheelchair users. The postcode for sat-nav is TN3 8JD.
About
Old Scotney Castle is a castle in Kent, South-East England. Officially recognised as scheduled monument. Operated by National Trust. The site is within the High Weald National Landscape (AONB), and is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. It sits within the Tunbridge Wells parliamentary constituency. The nearest railway station is Wadhurst, about 7.1 km away. Postcode area TN3.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Details LAMBERHURST SCOTNEY TQ 63 NE 3/224 The Ruins of Old Scotney Castle 20.10.54 GV I Castle, now partly ruinous. 1378, altered C16 and early C17. Sandstone, timber framing, rendered, and red brick, largely in English bond. Plain tiled roofs. The ruins lie on the innermost of two islands in the River Teise, and are reached by a stone causeway, the whole island bordered by red brick and stone walls, all of which are included in this item. Castle founded by Roger Ashburnham 1378-80, the principal remnant of this phase is the round machicolated tower, attached to C16 domestic building, with good interior features, especially enriched C17 stair. Ruins to east of large and ambitious extension of c.1635, and showing advanced, if crude use of classical motifs and proportions. The castle, and especially the C17 wing, was carefully partly dismantled by Edward Hussey on the building of his new house overlooking this site, creating one of the last and greatest picturesque landscaped gardens. The castle is now in the hands of the National Trust, and is fully described in their guide book, and in B.O.E. Kent, I, 506-7. Listing NGR: TQ6896835229 Legacy The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system. Legacy System number: 170061 Legacy System: LBS
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Summary from the official site
Scotney Castle is a historic site featuring a picturesque moated castle and beautiful gardens. Visitors can explore the estate's walks, the mansion house, and enjoy guided tours of the grounds.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Scotney Castle SSSI
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: High Weald
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Kent Downs
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
Place summary
Old Scotney Castle is a scheduled monument located in Lamberhurst, Kent, in South-East England. Operated by the National Trust, it is part of the Scotney Castle SSSI and lies within the High Weald and Kent Downs Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
AI-generated from the structured facts on this page (operator, designation, listing, era). Not a substitute for visiting.
- Coordinates
- 51.0914, 0.4111
- County
- Kent
- District
- Tunbridge Wells
- Parish
- Lamberhurst
- Postcode
- TN3 8JD
- Parliamentary constituency
- Tunbridge Wells
- Phone
- +44 1892 893820
- Nearest railway station
- Wadhurst — 7.1 km
- Opening
- Daily 10am–5pm; house 11am–4:30pm; Old Castle open select days only.
- Official site
- www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q17530343 (CC0)
- commons: The Ruins Of Old Scotney Castle.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Old Scotney Castle?
- Old Scotney Castle is in Kent, South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode TN3 8JD), in the parish of Lamberhurst.
- What is Old Scotney Castle?
- Old Scotney Castle — quadrangular castle and 16th/17th century manor house, set in 19th century landscaped garden.
- How do I get to Old Scotney Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Wadhurst, about 7.1 km away. Drivers can use postcode TN3 8JD.
- Who runs Old Scotney Castle?
- Old Scotney Castle is operated by National Trust.
- Is Old Scotney Castle a listed building?
- Old Scotney Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- Is Old Scotney Castle a protected site?
- Yes — Old Scotney Castle is part of the Scotney Castle SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the High Weald National Landscape (AONB).
- Does Old Scotney Castle charge admission?
- Old Scotney Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Old Scotney Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Wadhurst, about 7.1 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode TN3 8JD.