Lullingstone Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lullingstone Castle |
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Lullingstone Castle (the main house)
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| Type | Manor house |
| Location | Lullingstone, Kent |
| Built | 1543-1580 |
| Built for | Sir Percyvall Hart |
| Rebuilt | 18th century |
| Architectural style(s) | Tudor and Queen Anne |
| Owner | Hart-Dyke family |
| Website | lullingstonecastle.co.uk |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Official name: Lullingstone Castle | |
| Designated | 1 August 1952 |
| Reference no. | 1222202 |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: The Gatehouse to Lullingstone Castle | |
| Designated | 1 June 1967 |
| Reference no. | 1217173 |
| Official name: Lullingstone Castle | |
| Designated | 18 March 2004 |
| Reference no. | 1001687 |
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Lullingstone Castle is an old and important house in Kent, England. It's in the village of Lullingstone and the area of Eynsford. For over 20 generations, the Hart Dyke family has lived here, including the current owner, Tom Hart Dyke.
Contents
History of Lullingstone Castle
Lullingstone Castle is very old! It was even mentioned in the Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1086. In 1279, Gregory de Rokesley, who was the Lord Mayor of London many times, bought the land. Later, the Peche family owned it. The house you see today was started in 1497 by Sir John Peche. Important people like King Henry VIII and Queen Anne often visited the castle.
From Peche to Hart Family
In 1543, the estate went to Sir Percyvall Hart through marriage. He was a chief helper to several kings and queens, including King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I. When he died in 1580, his grandson, Sir Percival Hart, took over. In 1603, he even sent fish and birds from Lullingstone to King James.
The house later passed to another Percival Hart. He updated the house and gave it the name Lullingstone Castle. His daughter, Anne, married into the Dyke family, which is how the Hart Dyke family came to own the castle.
Recent History of the Castle
In 1934, the estate was sold to a brewery, then to Kent County Council in 1938. During World War II, the Army used the castle. In the 1960s, a golf course and public park were made in the grounds. However, the house itself has always stayed with the Hart Dyke family.
In 2011, Lullingstone Castle was even used for a TV advert for Comparethemarket.com, featuring the famous meerkats Sergei and Aleksandr!
Architecture of the Castle
Lullingstone Castle has interesting architecture, showing changes over many centuries.
The Main House
The main house, now called Lullingstone Castle, was built between 1543 and 1580 by Sir Percyvall Hart. It is made of red brick and has three floors. You can still see parts of the original 16th-century building. Later, in the 18th century, the entrance was updated in the Queen Anne style. This part was changed by a later Percival Hart.
The Gatehouse
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The castle used to have two gatehouses. Only the outer gatehouse remains today. It was built in the late 16th century. It might even be built on older foundations from Sir John Peche's time. This makes it possibly one of the first gatehouses in England built entirely from brick.
The Gardens and Park
The castle is surrounded by a large park of about 120 acres. This area used to be a deer park, and the castle was like a hunting lodge. The park is next to the River Darent. Hidden within the grounds are an 18th-century bathhouse and an icehouse. Most of the old estate grounds are now part of Lullingstone Country Park.
The park is home to some of Britain's oldest oak trees and many wildflowers. There's also a church called St Botolph's in the grounds, which is very old. A famous Roman building, Lullingstone Roman Villa, was also once part of the estate.
Lullingstone Silk Farm
Zoe Dyke created the Lullingstone Silk Farm here. Even Queen Mary visited it! The farm produced silk for important royal events, like the coronation robe of King George VI. It also made silk for the wedding dresses of Princess Elizabeth (who became Queen Elizabeth II) and Lady Diana Spencer. The silk farm has since moved away from Lullingstone.
The World Garden of Plants
The walled garden at Lullingstone was once a herb garden. Now, it has been changed into the World Garden of Plants by the current owner, Tom Hart Dyke. He is a famous plant hunter and the 20th generation of the Hart Dyke family to live at the castle.
The story of creating the World Garden was shown in a BBC2 TV series called Save Lullingstone Castle. Tom Hart Dyke and his garden were featured again in 2007 in Return to Lullingstone Castle. You can visit the garden and the castle from April to September.
Gallery
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St Botolph's Church in the grounds of Lullingstone Castle
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A view inside Lullingstone Country Park
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A wire baobab tree sculpture at the World Garden of Plants
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The main entrance of Lullingstone Castle
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Lullingstone Castle in its beautiful landscape
See also
In Spanish: Lullingstone Castle para niños
