Eating and Shopping at The Children's Country House

Visits chatting in the cafe over a cuppa with a Christmas tree in the background — Enjoy treats from the café | © National Trust/Rod Kirkpatrick

Grab a light bite, hot or cold drink or scrumptious snack from the Fairytale Forest Café, or bring a picnic to enjoy in the grounds. The Book Jungle fundraising shop is a treasure trove of gifts and goodies for children and adults alike to bag a bargain.

Eating at The Children's Country House

Festive Afternoon Tea

Partake in a festive afternoon tea this winter in the new parlour at The Children's Country House. Afternoon tea includes a selection of tasty sandwiches, quiche, sweet treats, scones and of course mince pies and a selection of tea or coffee.

Festive afternoon teas can be booked here.

Fairytale Forest Café

Enjoy a tasty treat or snack at the Fairytale Forest Café, located in the Stableyard.

The café serves a seasonal menu of breakfasts, lunches, treats and light bites plus hot and cold drinks.

With indoor and outdoor seating with shelter, and a selection of bakes, snacks and drinks served from our catering van, there's plenty of options for refuelling after a busy day of exploring.

New for 2024, why not stop by the new ice cream parlour for a range of tasty flavours, supplied by Bluebell's Dairy.

Please let a member of the team know if you have any allergens and they will be happy to assist.

Allergen information

Most of the food and drink served is prepared on site in our kitchen, using a wide range of ingredients. As a result, we can’t guarantee that any of our food and drink products are completely allergen free.

If you have an allergy or intolerance and would like ingredient information about the food and drink served, please ask the staff, who will be happy to help.

Always check when you visit

Visited before? We sometimes change our recipes to improve quality and flavour, including the ingredients. When you visit, please speak to one of our team to check the current allergen information for your favourite dish.

Girl sipping a large cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows on the top — Enjoying a tasty hot chocolate | © National Trust Images / John Millar

Pack up a picnic

We're firm believers that there’s nothing quite like a picnic to make a day out really feel like an adventure and we’ve got plenty of great picnic spots both in the warmer and chillier months.

Stableyard

The Stableyard is the perfect place to unpack a picnic at a bench or on a rug. It was once the working stable yard for the Hall and it still has a buzzing atmosphere today. There are plenty of outdoor games, and space to run around for both the young and young at heart.

Grounds and Boathouse

Spread out a feast in the grounds and gardens around the hall and museum – perfect for picnics and burning off excess energy.

For something a little more relaxed, enjoy your lunch with a view across the lake in the Boathouse, the ideal spot for a winter picnic and located at the bottom of the gardens.

Children in the gift shop at Hatchlands Park, Surrey — Take a look at the volunteer-run shop | © National Trust Images/Megan Taylor

Shopping at The Children's Country House

The Book Jungle fundraising shop is a treasure trove of gifts and goodies for children and adults alike.

For children and their families

The new fundraising shop takes a different approach to a traditional National Trust gift shop.

Located in the Stable Yard, beside the entrance to the The Children’s Country House Museum, this jungle-inspired space is run by a team of volunteers.

Pre-loved toys and games

Inside you'll find a range of pre-loved children’s books, toys and games as well as a few books for the grown-ups too.

If the weather has been a little worse than anticipated on the day of your visit, the Book Jungle also has a supply of children's waterproofs available to buy.

This colourful offer is aimed at children and their families, and the space perfectly complements the fun historic day out that can be enjoyed across The Children’s Country House.