Penshurst Kent: The historic village a drive from south east London

Located within Sevenoaks, Penshurst is a small village between Royal Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge and located within High Weald, known as an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The village is within a 50-minute drive of south east London, and with its rural location and history it offers a lot of opportunities to explore.

Penshurst is most famously known for its historic manor house – Penshurst Place, dating back to the 14th century, which was formerly the property of King Henry VIII.

Penshurst Place, dating back to the 14th century, was formerly the property of King Henry VIII. (Image: Ollie Dixon)

The village was formed around Penshurst Place and today features 32 listed buildings, some of them dating back as early as 1501, with structures ranging from Tudor to Victorian buildings as well as a church which was restored in the 1860s.

Penshurst Place was formerly owned by King Henry VIII and parts of the structure date back as early as 1342.

Today visitors can explore the house and grounds of this estate, which was a former hunting lodge for the King and now features artefacts from the time period and paintings, as well as an original beamed ceiling.

Parts of the structure date back as early as 1342. (Image: Penshurst Place)

The gardens are also worth a stroll, with around 50 acres of land to explore, with highlights including a Union Jack flag created from lavender and roses in the summer, along with landscaped gardens, an orchard, water features and a woodland trail.

The gardens offer around 50 acres of land to explore. (Image: Ollie Dixon)

Kids can also find things to do like the adventure playground and a craft barn within the former Coach House of the Manor.

Tickets to visit the house, gardens and grounds cost £15.00 for an adult, £8.50 for children under 15 and £42 for a family of four.

Visitors can explore the house and grounds of this estate, which was a former hunting lodge for the King. (Image: Penshurst Place)

The village also has a number of places to stop off for food and drink including the village pub The Leicester Arms dating back to the 14th century.

This quaint country pub features a cozy interior with a wood beamed ceiling and a fireplace, along with an outdoor terrace and covered pergola in the summer months.

Village pub The Leicester Arms dates back to the 14th century. (Image: Leicester Arms)

They serve a menu of traditional British dishes like tempura battered cod and chips and chicken and leek pie, along with more European dishes like burrata and dattarini tomato and Italian sausage meat ragu.

They also have a large selection of wines, along with classic and in-house cocktails, whiskeys, spirits and gins, if you fancy a drink.

They serve a menu of traditional British dishes along with more European cuisine. (Image: Leicester Arms)

In the village, visitors will also find Fir Tree House Tearooms, where you can get a classic cream tea as well as a range of homemade cakes, with both indoor and outdoor seating.