The stunning free country park near London filled with deer – and it’s not Richmond

This free park is filled with 350 deer, tucked in the grounds of one of England’s grandest stately homes

There’s just a week to go until summer, and as temperatures in London are set to soar, cooling walks in the countryside surrounded by nature may seem all the more attractive for city dwellers keen to make the most of it. One of England’s most enchanting country parks, just a stone’s throw from the capital, is Knole Park in Sevenoaks, Kent, a journey of 25 minutes by train from London Bridge station.

Knole Park measures 383 acres and is home to Kent’s ‘last medieval deer park’ with a herd of 350 deer grazing throughout the year. The National Trust owns 43 acres of the site, including its stately home, Knole House, with the rest owned by the Knole Estate, which also runs the Knole Park Golf Club.

Knole Park is open to the public and pedestrians can walk in for free, with the best access routes via Sevenoaks High Street or Webb’s Alley. Parking charges will apply for those without tickets to enter the house. Dog walkers are also well catered for, with dogs allowed in most areas of the park as long as they are kept under control, particularly near the deer herds.

Entry to the gardens, courtyard, cafe and tower of Knole House is free for National Trust members, while tickets are just £6 for adult non-members and £3 for children aged five to 17, with family tickets for two adults and up to three children available for £15. Children aged under five can enter for free and parking is free with all admission tickets.

More extensive admission to the building’s stately rooms is £19 for adults and £9.50 for children aged five to 17, with family tickets at £47.50.

Knole Park is centred around the stately home, Knole House, one of the top five largest houses in England, formerly the palace of Thomas Langley, bishop of Durham, who bought the land in 1419. It was modified over the following two centuries and became a royal property, until Elizabeth I granted it to the Sackville family in around 1600.

One of its most famous inhabitants was the writer Vita Sackville-West, whose lovers included Violet Keppel and Virginia Woolf, who was born at Knole House in 1892. To this day, the Sackvilles continue to live at Knole as its guardians, although ownership of the house and some of the land was handed to the National Trust in 1947.

Buzzing with wildlife, Knole Park is a designated Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Site of Special Scientific Interest.

TripAdvisor reviewers have raved about Knole Park. One visitor wrote: “Fantastic park for a walk, it’s always great to see the deer grazing. Plenty of paths, plus if that’s not enough, the back entrance leads straight into the woods, offering unlimited amounts of walks. Clean toilets and a cafe are a big plus!”

Another added: “We had a lovely day here, the sun shone as we sat on the roof area of the cafe and had coffee and a famous NT scone. The park was a delight as was seeing all the young deer. A walk through the house is a must just to listen to the excellent guides tell the story of the people and the house, each one adding some interesting titbit.”

Knole Park is situated in Sevenoaks, Kent. Getting to Knole Park from London is straightforward, making it one of the easiest countryside escapes from the capital. Direct trains run frequently from London Bridge to Sevenoaks, with a journey time of around 25–35 minutes. From Sevenoaks station, it’s roughly a 20–25 minute walk into the park, or a short taxi ride if you prefer to save your energy for exploring once you arrive.

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