National Trust - Knole
We are very lucky to have a selection of amazing National Trust spaces near our home, and as members of the National Trust we pop in to many local places when we have time to spare.
One favourite for us is Knole Park, in Sevenoaks. Less than a 35 minute drive sees us arriving at Knole, where there are acres of parkland to walk, surrounded by herds of deer! It is close enough for us to drop in for coffee, and large enough for a day out. We can picnic in the grounds, or visit the house and tower. 
Take in the scale and magnificence of this 600-year-old estate with its courtyards, showrooms, Gatehouse Tower and acres of parkland... a remarkably preserved early Jacobean remodelling of a medieval archbishop's palace. From an even older manor house, it was built and extended by the Archbishops of Canterbury after 1456. During the Tudor dynasty it became a royal residence when Henry VIII hunted there and found it to be a good home for his daughter - later to become Mary I - during his divorce from her mother, Catherine of Aragon.
In 1946 Knole was gifted to the National Trust to be opened to the public. The private apartments were leased back to the current owners, the Sackville-West family, who also kept ownership of most of the parkland, the wild deer herd and the contents of the house.
To find out more about the Knole and other National Trust places to visit, including membership visit https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/
*The National Trust owns Knole House, opening it for visitors to enjoy the history and heritage here. The Trust also owns a small part of Knole Park which includes the main drive and car park - these are facilities provided for National Trust members and paying visitors to the house. Most of the surrounding Knole Park is privately owned with access to the general public available via many pedestrian entrances around the parkland which are open 24 hours a day free of charge.
To manage the overwhelming demand for the car park and to ensure it is prioritised for people visiting Knole House, everyone arriving by car needs an admission ticket for the property. Visitors can choose from a lower priced Outdoor & Tower ticket (£6) or full Showrooms, Outdoor & Tower ticket (£18), both free for National Trust members. Admission tickets include free access to the car park in the heart of Knole Park, there is no additional parking charge.
All income from admission tickets supports conservation work at Knole. Alternative public parking is available in the town, for visitors who just want to walk in Knole Park and do not want to visit any of the buildings. Nearby Sevenoaks Town Car Park is a 5-minute walk away from the boundary of the parkland down a very steep hill.