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Chartwell
Family home and garden of Sir Winston Churchill
Mapleton Road, Westerham, Kent, TN16 1PS
Important notice
Selected rooms are decorated for Christmas. Self-led visits available until 23rd December. No pre-booking. Tickets are first-come, first-served at the Visitor Centre. The café dishwasher is out of use; food and drink will be served using disposables.
Opening times for 13 December 2024
Asset Opening time House 11:30 - 14:20 Car park 10:00 - 16:00 Garden 10:00 - 16:00 Studio 12:00 - 14:30 Cafe 10:00 - 16:00 Shop 10:00 - 16:00 Second-hand bookshop 10:00 - 16:00 Visitor reception 10:00 - 15:30 Exhibition 10:00 - 15:00 MTWTFSS2526272829301234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303112345OpenPartially openClosedHouse, Garden and Studio
Ticket type Gift aid Standard Adult £22.00 £20.00 Child £11.00 £10.00 Family £55.00 £50.00 One adult and up to three children £33.00 £30.00 Garden and Studio
Ticket type Gift aid Standard Adult £15.40 £14.00 Child £7.70 £7.00 Family £38.50 £35.00 One adult and up to three children £23.10 £21.00 Become a member and discover more than 500 places
Audio guide
Audio guides to garden available from Visitor Centre.
Dogs allowed
Dogs on short leads welcome in garden and Lady Soames Room in café. Assistance dogs only in house, studio and shop.
Bookshop
Second-hand bookshop next to shop and café.
Plant shop
Peat-free plants, plus pots and garden ornaments.
Café
Landemare Café serving hot and cold lunches, light snacks and cakes.
Shop
Seasonal National Trust ranges for home and garden and Chartwell memorabilia and souvenirs.
Car park
£4.40 per car. Members can park for free by scanning membership card at machines.
Toilet
Behind shop and in garden past Croquet Lawn. Accessible toilet by Visitor Centre.
Hillside location with steps, unsuitable for mobility scooters. Blue Badge parking and drop-off available. Accessible toilets. Wheelchair accessible virtual house tour. Wheelchair available on first floor of house.
Accessible route and/or map
Garden partly accessible, steep slopes and steps in places. Map of accessible route available from Visitor Centre.
Level access/terrain
Level access to café and shop from top parking lane. Step-free route runs past front of café to ramped access by side entrance.
Accessible toilet
Next to Visitor Centre and in garden past Croquet Lawn.
Narrow corridors
Narrow corridors throughout house. Please leave large bags and backpacks in lockers by toilets (£1 required).
Braille (guide or menu)
Braille guide to house available at house entrance.
Ramped access/slopes
Ramped access to ground floor of house. Garden partly accessible, steep slopes and steps in places.
Designated parking
15 accessible parking spaces in car park, near to Visitor Centre and Café. Car park has hard surface tarmac.
Seating available
Seating available throughout garden.
Induction loop
Fixed induction loops available in Visitor Centre, café, shop and second-hand bookshop. Portable loop available on request.
Steps/uneven terrain
Garden partly accessible, steep slopes and steps in places.
Large print (guide or menu)
Available from Visitor Centre.
Transfer available
Minibus with manual wheelchair tailgate lift available from car park to house. This is a volunteer-run service and we advise phoning on the day to check availability.
Level access to food outlet
Café situated close to car park. Level access to café from top parking lane.
Virtual tour
360 degree virtual tour of house available from Visitor Centre and house.
Level access to shop
Shop situated close to car park. Level access to shop from top parking lane.
Wheelchairs available
Limited number of outdoor wheelchairs available from Visitor Centre.
By road
From M25 join the A25 and follow the brown signs with the National Trust oak leaf. M25 anti-clockwise: Exit at junction 6 on the M25. At the roundabout take the third exit onto the A22. At the next roundabout take the first exit onto Oxted Road/A25. At the roundabout take the second exit onto A25. Follow the A25 into Westerham. Turn right opposite Quebec House onto the B2026/Hosey Hill. Fork left off B2026 after 1 ½ miles onto Mapleton Road and Chartwell is a short way down on the left. M25 clockwise: Exit at junction 5 on the M25. Use the left lane to continue on Sevenoaks Bypass/A21. Merge onto Westerham Road/A25 via the slip road. Follow the A25 into Westerham. Turn left opposite Quebec House onto the B2026/Hosey Hill. Fork left off B2026 after 1 ½ miles onto Mapleton Road and Chartwell is a short way down on the left.
Parking: Tickets for non-members are £4.40 per car. NT members will have to scan their cards on the carpark machines in order to claim your free parking. We cannot guarantee parking upon arrival. We have two overflow car parks. During peak season - half-term, Bank Holidays, Summer and Christmas - our car park may become full and the overflow unusable due to wet weather. After 1pm during peak season, we will prioritise afternoon pre-booked tickets if the car park remains full.
Sat Nav: Postcode: TN16 1PS
By train
Edenbridge (4 miles) and Oxted (6 miles) stations are accessible from London Victoria and London Bridge. Sevenoaks station (6 miles) has a regular fast train service from London Charing Cross, Waterloo East and London Bridge. Oxted and Sevenoaks have taxi ranks outside to get to Chartwell. You can find out more on the National Rail website.
By bus
Sundays and public holidays: Catch the 246 London Bus route from Bromley North (passing close to Bromley South train station) to Chartwell - See the 246 Timetable for more details. The 236 bus also operates between East Grinstead and Oxted, stopping at the end of Mapleton Road. Please note this does mean walking along a country lane to get to the Chartwell entrance.
Planning your visit
Article
Planning your visit to Chartwell
Selected rooms in the family home of Sir Winston Churchill have been decorated for Christmas and are open to visitors from 23 November to 23 December. To help us protect the precious collection at Chartwell, you'll need a timed ticket to enter the house. Discover how to get yours and find out more about planning your visit.
Article
Family-friendly things to do at Chartwell
Keep the whole family busy with a visit to Chartwell. There's so much to see with 80 acres of grounds to explore and plenty of fun and games to discover. Take part in the Chartwell Christmas Family Trail and bring home a prize. Purchase your trail sheet from the Visitor Centre.
Article
The garden at Chartwell
Enjoy the views that the Churchills chose Chartwell for, and explore the garden they created and loved, from Lady Churchill’s Rose Garden, to the Walled Garden Sir Winston helped build.
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Visiting Chartwell with your dog
Chartwell is a three pawprint rated place. Bring your four-legged friend along on a short lead for a stroll around the garden or go for a roam in the woods. Find out more about where you can and can't take your dog.
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Accessibility at Chartwell
Find out about visiting Chartwell in Kent if you are disabled or need accessibility information, including visiting in a wheelchair and using the mobility bus.
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Group visits to Chartwell
Groups are welcome throughout the year at Chartwell. Find out about what's available and how to book.
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Learning with Chartwell
Bring your school along for a self-guided visit around the family home of Sir Winston Churchill.
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Highlights
House
Home of Sir Winston Churchill and his family. Filled with treasures, gifts and personal belongings, presented as they knew it.
Rose Garden
Formal rose garden designed by Lady Churchill. Leads into the terrace lawn with views over surrounding estate and countryside.
Walled Garden
Working kitchen garden, with walls built by Winston Churchill. Surrounded by apple orchard and wildflower meadow.
Woodland
Wider woodland with estate walk around the lakes. Children’s play areas, including tree house, bomb crater and Canadian camp.
Studio
Home of the largest single collection of Winston Churchill’s paintings. Interactive displays offer insight into Churchill the painter.
Visitor Centre
Find visit information including tickets, children’s trails and walks. Watch our welcome video and pick up an audio guide.
Landemare Café
Serves light lunches, one pot meals, cakes and bakes. Hot and cold drinks also available, plus ice cream in summer.
Shop
Seasonal National Trust ranges for home and garden, plants, local products, books and souvenirs.
Spotlight events
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Churchill's Champagne Christmas
From Christmas markets to live carol music, wreath-making workshops to a festive family garden trail, plus the lavishly decorated house to explore, there’s something for everyone to enjoy for Christmas 2024 at Chartwell. With so much to celebrate, you’ll want to come back to Chartwell again and again this holiday season.
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Chartwell celebrates 150 Years since the birth of Winston Churchill
Take part in Chartwell’s celebration of 150 years since the birth of Sir Winston Churchill with a visit to the home he loved so much.
Churchill’s Champagne Christmas Guided Tour
Join one of our expert volunteer guides on a tour through the specially decorated rooms at Chartwell. This year’s theme, Churchill’s Champagne Christmas celebrates 150 years since the birth of Winston Churchill. Upon arrival to the Chartwell Visitor Centre, you will need to buy a Garden and Studio ticket in addition to your pre-booked tour ticket. This will allow you to visit the gardens and studio after the tour. (Children under 5 do not need a ticket). Monday–Friday 28 November–20 December 2024, 10:30–11:15am.
Chartwell Christmas Family Trail
Wrap up warm and explore gardens at Chartwell this Christmas with a family trail. Pick up a Christmas tree trail sheet from the Visitor Centre then search for our stamping stations to decorate it. Trails cost £3 and include a small prize. Saturday 23 November 2024–Sunday 5 January 2025, 10am–4pm (closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 24–25 December)
Christmas Carols at Chartwell
We are delighted to welcome singers and bands to bring the magic of Christmas music to Chartwell on selected dates this holiday season. Wrap up warm and head over to the grounds hear Christmas carols with friends and family. Pre-booking not required. Normal admission applies. See our upcoming events listings for the dates, times and other performance information.
Chartwell Winter Guided Walks
Join our Head Ranger for a fascinating two-hour guided walk around the Chartwell estate. Learn about the flora and fauna of the area. Find out more about the conservation work that rangers do at Chartwell and in the West Kent Countryside. Subject to interest on the day, and following a short break, there will be an option to extend the walk for a further hour to follow the Mariners Hill loop trail. Guided walks are scheduled for 3 Thursdays in 2025: 9 January, 6 February, 6 March. Limited spaces are available. Booking is essential. Click through for more details and to check availability.
Winter Walk with Winston
The Christmas Blizzard of 1927 was one of the heaviest snowfalls recorded in Britain in the twentieth century. At Chartwell, the snow transformed the garden and estate into a winter wonderland. The Churchill family and their guests made the most of the freezing temperatures and snowy conditions, and fortunately for us, took marvellous photographs of their adventures. Images used in the display are reproduced by permission of Curtis Brown, London, on behalf of the Broadwater Collection. Stroll around the garden to explore the photographic displays from 11 January to 28 February 2025. Normal admission applies.
Things to see and do
Article
Explore the house at Chartwell
Selected rooms in the family home of Sir Winston Churchill are decorated for Christmas and open to visitors from 23 November to 23 December. Explore the beloved home of one of Britain's greatest politicians, Sir Winston Churchill. The house has many treasures and provides an intimate portrait of the Churchill family.
Article
The garden at Chartwell
Enjoy the views that the Churchills chose Chartwell for, and explore the garden they created and loved, from Lady Churchill’s Rose Garden, to the Walled Garden Sir Winston helped build.
Article
Churchill’s studio at Chartwell
The studio contains the largest collection of Winston Churchill's paintings surrounding you as you enter. His paints are still laid out with a canvas waiting for completion.
Article
Family-friendly things to do at Chartwell
Keep the whole family busy with a visit to Chartwell. There's so much to see with 80 acres of grounds to explore and plenty of fun and games to discover. Take part in the Chartwell Christmas Family Trail and bring home a prize. Purchase your trail sheet from the Visitor Centre.
Article
The estate at Chartwell
Chartwell’s estate and surrounding countryside offers far-reaching views across the Weald. Walk in the footsteps of one of our founders Octavia Hill when you explore Mariners Hill.
Top trails
Chartwell Winter Guided Walks
Join our Head Ranger for a fascinating two-hour guided walk around the Chartwell estate. Learn about the flora and fauna of the area. Find out more about the conservation work that rangers do at Chartwell and in the West Kent Countryside. Subject to interest on the day, and following a short break, there will be an option to extend the walk for a further hour to follow the Mariners Hill loop trail. Guided walks are scheduled for 3 Thursdays in 2025: 9 January, 6 February, 6 March. Limited spaces are available. Booking is essential. Click through for more details and to check availability.
Trail
Weardale circular walk from Chartwell
A beautiful 3-hour walk that links Chartwell with Emmetts Garden. From daffodils and bluebells to roses and autumnal shades, enjoy a rainbow of colour throughout each month of the year as you walk through the West Kent countryside.
Trail
Westerham to Chartwell trail
Enjoy a countryside walk in Kent, starting at the village of Westerham and finishing at Chartwell, Winston Churchill's family home.
Trail
Mariners Hill from Chartwell walk
Explore Mariners Hill and enjoy views of Winston Churchill's home at Chartwell and the Weald in Kent on this moderate circular walk.
Trail
Hosey Common to Mariners Hill loop walk
Explore Mariners Hill on this circular trail, which takes in fantastic views over Sir Winston Churchill's home at the Chartwell estate and the Weald of Kent.
Eating and shopping
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Eating and shopping at Chartwell
From tasty treats and hot and cold dishes, to souvenirs, gifts and Churchill memorabilia, you'll be spoiled for choice in the Chartwell café and shop. Why not treat yourself?
Recipe
Churchill's fruit cake
Try the rich fruit cake recipe, crammed with juicy dried fruit, that was enjoyed by Winston Churchill, and created by one of his cooks.
Places to stay
The Morris Apartment
A one-bedroom apartment in trademark Arts and Crafts style, on the second floor of Standen House.
Woodlands Cottage
A former game keeper’s house, this classically-styled cottage is surrounded by woodland.
Priest's House
Sitting on the edge of Sissinghurst Castle’s gardens, this is the perfect spot for garden lovers.
2 Bettenham Cottages
Immerse yourself in rolling farmland and peaceful countryside. This cosy cottage is the perfect getaway for friends, family and one well-behaved dog.
Upcoming events
Event
Churchill's Champagne Christmas
Join us at Chartwell as we celebrate 150 years since the birth of Sir Winston Churchill with ‘Churchill’s Champagne Christmas’.
Event
Carols at Chartwell: West Kingsdown Guitar Group
Enjoy live Christmas music in the grounds at Chartwell.
Event
Churchill’s Champagne Christmas Guided Tour
Join one of our expert volunteer guides on a tour of selected rooms in the house at Chartwell which are decorated for Christmas.
Event
Carols at Chartwell: 17th Tonbridge Scout & Guide Band
Warm up your vocal chords this Christmas!
Event
Chartwell Winter Guided Walks
Wrap up warm and join a fascinating guided walk around the Chartwell estate with our Head Ranger.
Event
Winter Walk with Winston
Wrap up warm and take a stroll around the garden to explore photographic displays of the Churchill family at Chartwell during the Great Snow of 1927.
Event
Volunteer Recruitment Coffee Morning
Looking for your next adventure? Pop in for a cuppa and a chat about volunteering.
About Chartwell
Winston and Clementine Churchill bought Chartwell in 1922; it would be their family home for the next forty years.
Born in 1874 Churchill started his life as a soldier and journalist and travelled the world. He would go on to serve as Prime Minister twice, as a member of Parliament for over 60 years under five different monarchs and to lead Britain to victory in the Second World War. He lived an exceptionally long political life and is both a celebrated and contested figure.
He loved Chartwell. Here Churchill was a politician and statesman but also a husband, father, writer, painter and garden planner. It remained important to him until his death in 1965. The rooms in the house remain much as they were when he lived here, with pictures, books and personal mementoes while a special exhibition gives deeper insight into his life through 50 objects.
Chartwell’s hillside gardens reflect his love of landscape and nature. They include the lakes he created, the kitchen garden and the Marycot, a playhouse designed for his youngest daughter Mary. Beyond the gardens there is expansive woodland with looped trails and natural play areas, there is den building and a Canadian camp and opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.
History
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Chartwell: The National Trust story
The Trust’s story at Chartwell began whilst Winston Churchill and his family were still in residence. Discover how we helped to preserve a significant piece of British history.
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Who was Clementine Churchill?
Find out about Clementine Ogilvy Spencer-Churchill (née Hozier), a keen promoter of social and humanitarian causes, who was far more than just Sir Winston Churchill’s wife.
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The history of roses at Chartwell
Roses have long been associated with the Churchills and their family home, Chartwell in Kent. The flower was a part of Winston and Clementine's love story from the very beginning.
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Jock the cat at Chartwell
Generations of ginger cats have lived at Chartwell over the years. Discover more about the resident cat called Jock VII and why he lives here.
Art and collections
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Collection highlights at Chartwell
There are thousands of significant collection items at Chartwell, each with their own story to tell. We’ve picked some highlights, including Churchill’s Nobel Prize and speech box
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A history of Winston Churchill in 50 objects
Discover more about the extraordinary life of Sir Winston Churchill in this permanent exhibition at Chartwell, including five must-see items from the curator.
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The visitors book at Chartwell
You can flick through the signatures in the visitors book on the digitised book. They paint a picture of the Churchills' daily lives and the people they invited into their home.
Our work
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The legacy of Churchill’s Chartwell appeal
Discover more about Churchill’s Chartwell appeal, a £7.1 million project to acquire over 1,000 of Churchill’s personal belongings which now have a permanent home at Chartwell.
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Growing fruit and veg at Chartwell
The fruit and veg plots in the Walled Garden are a year-round hive of activity. From spring to winter, there's always something new growing, or being planted ready for next year.
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Winter cleaning in the house at Chartwell
A deep clean and essential conservation work is carried out room by room while the house is closed. Special care is taken look after every item, from skirting boards to chandeliers.
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Garden conservation work at Chartwell
Find out about the behind-the-scenes work that goes into conserving parts of the garden at Chartwell, including a wildflower meadow, opening up views and flower border replanting
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Butterflies and bees at Chartwell
Discover the history of nurturing butterflies and bees at Chartwell, from Churchill’s passion for them to how we ensure we garden for them today.
Project
Project
Chartwell’s energy efficient greenhouses
The greenhouses have played an important role in gardening at Chartwell, and a project in 2018 saw them restored to become energy efficient and more sustainable.
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Our work on the estate at Chartwell
Woodland clearing, tree veteranisation and nature surveys are just a few ways the countryside team work on the estate to improve it for the benefit of wildlife.
Support us
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Volunteering at Chartwell
Volunteering is a rewarding way to get involved with your favourite place and make some new friends. Read some first-hand accounts of what it’s like to volunteer here.