10 Reasons to Visit Knole House With Kids

You’ll love exploring Knole House’s 365 rooms and climbing the historic Gatehouse Tower for stunning views. Your kids can meet 350 free-roaming deer across 1,000 acres of medieval parkland, follow three family-friendly walking trails, and watch expert conservators restore royal artifacts. The Peter Rabbit Storytime Trail and Christmas Card activities keep children engaged year-round, while the Brewhouse Café offers perfect family breaks. Junior National Trust memberships open even more exclusive adventures and educational opportunities.

Explore One of England’s Largest Historic Houses

When you step through the entrance of Knole House, you’ll immediately grasp why it ranks among England’s five largest historic houses. Your kids will be amazed by the sheer scale—this massive estate covers four acres and contains 365 rooms, 52 staircases, and 12 different entrances. It’s like exploring a small village under one roof!

The house’s “calendar design” makes it educational too. You can teach your children how the architecture symbolically represents time: 365 rooms for days in a year, 52 staircases for weeks, and 12 entrances for months.

As you wander through seven courtyards and countless corridors, your family will discover over 500 years of history spanning six centuries, making every room feel like stepping into a different era. The experience becomes even more magical when you explore the large series of attics accessible from windows throughout the house.

Climb the Gatehouse Tower for Panoramic Views

After exploring the sprawling interior, your adventure continues upward to Knole’s spectacular Gatehouse Tower. This impressive façade, built for Archbishop Thomas Bourchier between 1472 and 1474, recently opened to the public for the first time through a £7.75 million conservation project.

You’ll climb 77 steep stone steps up a narrow spiral staircase – it’s quite challenging, so consider whether it’s suitable for your family.

The effort pays off with breathtaking panoramic views over Knole Park’s medieval deer park and Kent countryside. From the rooftop, you’ll see the house’s incredible scale, including carved stone leopards and countless chimneys dotting the 17th-century roofline. The tower also features previously unseen bedrooms and music rooms that once housed notable residents like Edward Sackville-West.

Remember to pre-book your visit, as the tower requires advance reservations year-round.

Discover 1,000 Acres of Medieval Deer Park

Where else can your family wander freely through 1,000 acres of authentic medieval landscape that’s remained virtually unchanged for over 500 years? Knole’s deer park isn’t just Kent’s last surviving medieval deer park—it’s a living piece of history your kids can actually explore.

You’ll encounter wild deer roaming freely as they’ve since Cardinal Bourchier first enclosed this land in 1456. The same trails Henry VIII once walked for hunting are now perfect for family adventures.

Your children will love spotting deer in the natural dry valley that once served as a racing course for royal hunts. During the 1530s, this very landscape served as a residence for Henry VIII’s daughter Mary during her childhood years.

The wooded terrain offers endless exploration opportunities, from Bronze Age field remnants to centuries-old walking paths.

It’s rare to find such authentic medieval parkland where families can roam freely while experiencing genuine historical atmosphere.

Meet Free-Roaming Deer in Their Natural Habitat

Since deer have roamed Knole’s grounds continuously for over 500 years, your children will encounter one of England’s most authentic wildlife experiences. Approximately 350 fallow and sika deer freely graze throughout the medieval parkland, descendants of Tudor-era herds.

You’ll likely spot deer approaching your family due to their habituation to visitors, but it’s essential to maintain distance and never feed them. Human food harms their digestive systems and creates aggressive behavior.

Visit during autumn’s rutting season for spectacular wildlife viewing when bucks display fully grown antlers and establish territorial stands. Peak activity occurs at dawn and dusk by late September.

The deer naturally consume acorns, conkers, and sweet chestnuts, thriving without human intervention in this remarkable living piece of history. This extraordinary ecosystem exists within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, ensuring the habitat remains protected for future generations.

Follow Family-Friendly Walking Trails and Activities

Whether your family prefers gentle strolls or longer adventures, Knole’s three color-coded walking trails accommodate every fitness level and age group. You’ll choose from the Woodland Ramble (4km), Family Walk (5km), or Boundary Walk (5km), each taking 50-75 minutes to complete.

All routes start from Knole House’s front entrance, making navigation simple for families.

The stile-free trails are perfect if you’re traveling with younger children or mobility scooters. You’ll walk through ancient heath, woodland, and even cross the golf course on paved paths. As you explore, you’ll encounter Kent’s only remaining deer park, largely unchanged since medieval times.

While terrain includes some gradients and occasional stones, the hard surfaces work well for most families.

Pick up trail maps at the Brewhouse Café or picnic areas, and don’t hesitate to ask visitor centre staff for route recommendations based on your family’s interests.

Enjoy Peter Rabbit Themed Events and Outdoor Cinema

When you’re looking for magical literary experiences that’ll captivate your children’s imagination, Knole’s Peter Rabbit themed events transform the estate’s stunning parkland into an interactive storybook adventure.

The Peter Rabbit Storytime Trail runs daily from Thursday 22 May to Monday 25 August 2025, operating 10am-5pm with last entry at 4:30pm.

Your family can explore dedicated activity areas, engage with mirror ponds, and discover reading zones throughout the walkthrough experience. The Trail takes place inside Knole’s Orangery, featuring dressing-up stations, colouring activities, and Mr McGregor’s fruit and vegetable sorting station.

The Christmas Card Trail offers another enchanting option, running 31 March to 15 October across 26 acres.

At £6 per child, it includes trail activities, festive photo opportunities, and a cuddly bunny prize.

Pre-booking’s essential for both events. Call 0344 249 1895 or book online up to four weeks ahead.

Watch Expert Conservators at Work in the Medieval Barn

As your children peer through the glass windows of Knole’s converted medieval barn, they’ll witness something truly extraordinary—expert conservators meticulously restoring priceless artifacts from England’s royal past. This converted agricultural building houses the Royal Oak Foundation Conservation Studio, the only National Trust conservation facility open to the public year-round.

Your kids can watch specialists clean centuries-old paintings, repair Stuart furniture from royal palaces, and preserve delicate textiles. Interactive displays explain the fascinating processes, while volunteer guides answer questions about techniques.

They might even see work on ribbon-framed portraits of Henry VIII or Elizabeth I from 1605, or Charles II’s royal toilet seat. The studio also serves as a national centre for conservation training, where your children might observe apprentice conservators learning alongside seasoned experts. It’s like watching history come alive as skilled hands carefully preserve treasures for future generations.

Experience 400 Years of Living History

Walking through Knole House feels like stepping into a time machine where four centuries of English history unfold before your family’s eyes. Your children will discover stories spanning from medieval manor house origins in the 13th century to its transformation into an archbishop’s palace, then a royal residence where Princess Mary I once lived.

You’ll explore rooms where Queen Elizabeth I held court during her 1573 visit and see architectural layers built by successive owners. The Sackville family’s 400-year continuous residence creates an authentic living history experience that textbooks can’t match. The house showcases royal furniture and ornaments collected during Charles Sackville’s era, adding tangible connections to England’s monarchical past.

Kids can trace the house’s evolution from Thomas Bourchier’s castellated entrance tower to the Sackvilles’ elaborate 17th-century renovations, making English history tangible and memorable.

Relax at the Family-Friendly Brewhouse Café

After exploring centuries of history, you’ll find the perfect spot to recharge at Knole’s welcoming Brewhouse Café, where families can unwind with quality refreshments in a relaxed setting.

The café offers something for all, from cortados and flat whites for parents to hot chocolate for the kids, plus cheese scones, light lunches, and tempting cakes.

You’ll appreciate the thoughtful family facilities, including baby changing rooms and accessible toilets nearby.

Children under 5 enter free with family tickets, making it budget-friendly.

Choose between cozy indoor seating or the scenic roof terrace with stunning Knole Park views.

Open daily from 10am-4pm, the café maintains National Trust’s high standards while providing efficient service and fresh, well-presented food that’ll satisfy hungry explorers. While weekdays offer a more peaceful dining experience, expect the café to be particularly busy on weekends when fellow families flock to explore the estate.

Join Junior National Trust Membership Adventures

While Knole House offers incredible experiences for day visitors, you’ll open even more adventures by enrolling your children in the Junior National Trust membership program. For just £10 annually, your kids gain access to exclusive activities designed specifically for young heritage enthusiasts.

Your little ones can join the Knole Fawns baby and toddler group most Friday mornings, featuring music, crafts, and stories.

Monday babyccino sessions provide coffee mornings with storytime for under-fives.

Throughout the year, they’ll participate in craft workshops, nature activities, and interactive conservation studio visits where they can watch experts restore historic items. Kids will especially love exploring the deer park where these magnificent animals roam freely, creating magical wildlife encounters.

The membership transforms casual visits into ongoing adventures. Your children become part of a community that values conservation and heritage, fostering lifelong connections to natural spaces and historic sites.

The Sum Up

You’ll create unforgettable memories at Knole House that’ll last a lifetime. Pack your camera, comfortable walking shoes, and sense of adventure – your family’s about to discover one of England’s most spectacular historic estates. Don’t forget to check the National Trust website for seasonal events and opening times before you visit. Your kids will be talking about those majestic deer and castle towers long after you’ve returned home.