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    Chislehurst Caves

    4.0 (16 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

    Chislehurst Caves Photos

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    I live fairly close to Chislehurst and have visited the Caves several times. I'd recommend them to pretty much everyone. Chislehurst Caves are man-made mines that were built by the Romans, Druids and the Saxons and use during the Wars as aid raid shelters by hundreds of people. But even if you're not very interested in the history (like me), walking amongst the cold, pitch black mines with a gas lamp in hand is a really unusual experience. There are ghost stories and interesting facts to be heard along the tour which covers a small section of the 22 mile expanse of caves. There really is nothing else like this place, it's nothing like natural caves you may have visited. This is a dark, creepy, cold and damp place with an incredible history, hidden away in the outskirts of London. It's cheap... Around £5 each for a tour of the caves (you cannot go in without a tour) and It's rarely busy. Every time I've been the tour has been slightly different. It is well worth a visit if you're in London. It's easy to get to, only a short walk from Chislehurst train station. It's one of those places that only locals really seem to know about.

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    Review Highlights - Chislehurst Caves

    The caves were actually inhabited during World war II due to the continuous air raids There are also ghost stories and scary tales that will igve the children a fright or two.

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    The Home of Charles Darwin - Charles Darwin

    The Home of Charles Darwin

    5.0(3 reviews)
    5.3 miDowne
    ££

    If I was giving a review for what a pain it is to get to Down House on public transport, this would…read morebe a 1 star (there are two buses you can take - one is every 90 minutes, the other every 60...). But once you drag yourself there, Down House is simply lovely. I actually only quickly flew through the ground floor of the house, but even on my quick visit I could see it was full of interesting things and I will definitely be back to explore more properly. However, this visit was for a garden tour, which I wholeheartedly recommend. We were in a private group - about 15 of us, and the tour was £75 on top of the normal entrance fee (£12.30 if you want to gift aid it). They do offer the garden tour for everyone on Wednesdays and Sundays in July and August for a small fee on top (£4). Our tour was lead by the gardener, Christina, a knowledgeable and enthusiastic lady from Prague. She knew the garden inside out, but also had plenty of Darwin spiel. It was interesting to learn how much of the garden is planted to Darwin's specifications. The kitchen garden is spectacular, and they try to plant strains popular from the 1800s, even if there's often something 'better' developed now. They use the vegetables in the café, and also sell some (I was eyeing up, but too slow, courgettes with the flower attached - 3 for £1!) The garden also still does some of Darwin's experiments. It's all in a lovely setting and the nearby village of Downe is quaint with a couple of pubs and a church. All in all, a fine day out that you can get to on London transport, but feel like you're in the middle of the countryside (and well, you are!)

    Visit this amazing and remarable house where Charles Darwin the Victorian scientist revolutionised…read morethe world with his groundbreaking theory regading evolution.I was touched by his spirit when I visited this place to see the room where the origins of the species was written.There are extensive interactive exhibitions on Darwin's life and theories and will captivate all age groups.

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    The Home of Charles Darwin - Mulberry tree, original to when Darwin lived here. It's nearing the end of life; cuttings have been taken & replacement trees being grown!

    Mulberry tree, original to when Darwin lived here. It's nearing the end of life; cuttings have been taken & replacement trees being grown!

    The Home of Charles Darwin

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    Hall Place and Gardens - The South front of Hall Place

    Hall Place and Gardens

    4.7(6 reviews)
    5.6 miCrayford

    Great place to be outside in the sunshine and have a walk around the well kept gardens. My mum and…read moreI went in the blazing heat a few weeks ago. Parking was easy (and free!) and we had a drink and a slice of cake in the cafe and then a walk around the gardens. The cafe is reasonably priced and had a large selection of cakes and snacks. We grabbed a seat outside overlooking the lake and gardens which was lovely. There is a historical house that you can pay to visit, but we gave that a miss this time due to the beautiful weather and stuck to the gardens. My favorite thing we saw were the Queen's Beasts, the topiary. They were immaculately maintained and I got some great photos. There is plenty to explore and lots of space if you wish to sit and bring your picnic. We decided to visit the Butterfly Jungle experience. It costs £4 for adults, which isn't very much, but the 'experience' is very small and although there were lots of butterflies, it's wasn't really even worth the £4, you could walk around the space in under a minute and if there are other people in there you get stuck and have to wait for them to move on or you miss seeing those butterflies! It was enjoyable to see them, but I wouldn't bother visiting that area again when I return. Equally the owl experience looked very short and sweet, you could see the Owls through the doorway before the pay point, and there were 4 owls in perches. You'd be done after a few minutes. I look forward to returning to visit the house and for a walk around the gardens and a slice of cake!

    I have been to Hall Place numerous times with the family, there is a HUGH car park (free), there…read morewas no admission price into Hall's Place, instead donations were invited. The grounds are vast and truly beautiful especially in the spring & summer periods and perfect for families to take children with a picnic and just enjoy the outdoors. The House itself was interesting and well maintained, parts can be hired for functions. The house is rather unique, with some bits tudor, some bits much more recent, some interesting art and artifacts, and the history of the building was well explained. Hall Place is not just a pretty historic house. It is also an art gallery, a fantastic garden, and the borough museum that captures the Bexley's history from the Romans to the end of the twentieth century. The Jacobean house and its connections to all sorts of British and world events from the Doomsday Book, through to the reformation, Levent Trade,slavery, abolition, the East India Company, the great estates and the Irish road to independence. The formal gardens around the house were lovely. There is a little river with a bridge which is lovely and very scenic!. There is also a plant nursery as well!. The cafe around the grounds was perfect for a light snack. If you do want a meal there is a nice steak house next door (WHICH IS FIRST CLASS). A programme of events are available regularly throughout the year, (i.e Open Air Cinema, Farm Animals etc), Well worth a visit. Extremely, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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    Hall Place and Gardens - The North Courtyard at Hall Place

    The North Courtyard at Hall Place

    Hall Place and Gardens
    Hall Place and Gardens - The Topiary Lawn at Hall Place

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    The Topiary Lawn at Hall Place

    Hever Castle - Hever Castle's dining hall, laid up for a private event

    Hever Castle

    4.8(20 reviews)
    15.4 mi

    Thatcher would be proud…read more Looking around Hever, many would be left with the impression that the owners are enormous fans of Anne Boleyn. The unfortunate wife of Henry VIII is, after all, the main focus of the exhibition and makes an appearance on much of the marketing material. But look a bit closer, and the more astute visitor may notice a different, more 'true blue', streak permeating the house. Yes, Labour voters clutch your pearls, but the proprietors appear to be worshippers of none other than Margaret Thatcher. (More so than Ms Boleyn, I would wager.) In the castle, visitors are treated to a near life-size oil painting of the union basher. And for those lucky enough to stay in the guest house for the price of £300 per night, they will find a letter written by the Iron Lady to thank the castle for her stay that has been framed and hung in one of the hallways. Among the owners personal possessions, I note Ms Boleyn has not received a similar dose of affection. Of interest is also the fact that this castle, its stunning gardens and water maze, owe their amazing condition to our friends across the Atlantic. Most stately homes in Britain are now virtually on their knees, with years of decline and underinvestment in the country reflected in their faded carpets, moth-eaten curtains and peeling paintwork. Hever, however, has avoided this fate for the good reason that it was bought by... gasp... an AMERICAN. Horrifying as it may sound, Mr Astor - who owes his astounding wealth to the rise of New York City - purchased the castle and injected nothing short of a fortune into it in order to create the attraction that we see today. Demonstrating an entrepreneurial spirit so often absent in Britain, he then had the vision to order the construction of a second moat, a lake, a walled Italian garden complete with artefacts from Pompeii, a 'wall waterfall' and to direct the gardeners to shape some bushes like a chess set. I don't think he was involved in the water maze, so loved locally, but its presence reflects Hever's enduring ambitious spirit. Perhaps it was this spirit that so inspired Margaret Thatcher to write of Hever: 'I have seen several castles and large country houses but none as perfect as Hever.'

    If you are visiting London, Hever Castle is a must do. Only a 90 minute drive from London hotels,…read morethe trip is well worth the wait upon arrival. From its sprawling vistas to the castle itself this place is a real treat. There is a large lake on site that offers rowing, an area that allows you to try your hand at archery and even a place to see falconry. There are jousting exhibitions and plenty of food from the cafe or restaurant on site. The REAL gem is the castle. Home for Queen Anne Boleyn from 5 years old to 12 one can only imagine the wonder this place brought her. The castle provides an audio tour in several languages so there is no issue there. (The staff are marvelously kind and helpful in the castle and in the dining areas and gift shop.) It's small but chock full of informative history about Anne Boleyn as well as those who lived in the castle after her death. If you are looking for a respite from the concrete jungle and noisy planet that is London, Hever provides you with lots of peace and quiet Tour the rose garden or just sit and enjoy the views and shade from the trees. It's an idyllic setting and a trip that will make your visit to the UK complete.

    Photos
    Hever Castle - Lovely walkway to the castle

    Lovely walkway to the castle

    Hever Castle - Billard Room

    Billard Room

    Hever Castle - Tulip room's four poster bed - Do not be mislead by the beauty of this bed.  It is the most uncomfortable bed we have ever slept in.

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    Tulip room's four poster bed - Do not be mislead by the beauty of this bed. It is the most uncomfortable bed we have ever slept in.

    The Crossness Pumping Station - Part of the engine Prince Consort and decorative ironwork

    The Crossness Pumping Station

    4.8(5 reviews)
    7.6 miThamesmead

    While visiting England for a few weeks I found out about Crossness by accident. I was googling some…read morehistory sites, and up popped some photos of a beautiful Victorian cast iron fantasyland, a monument to 19th century civil engineering and the the sewers that transformed London from a stinky disease-ridden hellhole to a large and thriving metropolis. I was delighted to score a ticket for one of their guided tours, which are held once a week and seem to sell out fast. The trek from Central London in the morning by tube/train was very easy, and I got a cab for the short distance from the Abbey Wood station. This was well worth the trip. The building dates from the 1860s and was nearly lost to the wrecking ball in the 1950s, but has been lovingly restored by many volunteers who continue to work on maintenance, preservation, and expansion. You enter from a separate gate outside the Thames Water facility, and walk up a ramp to a little volunteer-run small-gauge train shuttle. The pumping station looks somewhat nondescript from the outside (especially as some of its original features were removed/scrapped over the years), but once you walk in, you will discover there's no hyperbole to the website's claim that Crossness is a 'cathedral of engineering' - our current-day public works are so half-a** in comparison. Glorious, lavishly ornate painted ironwork and complex machinery, all to handle poo! We started with a slide presentation and talk, about the Thames, backyard privies/cisterns and cholera outbreaks, the Great Stink of 1858 & the building of the sewers. Then we were split up into groups and guided around the property on a leisurely and thorough tour. Much of the facility has been lovingly restored, as funds permit, and the meticulous attention to detail with matching Victorian paint colors, etc., is commendable. The steam engine wasn't operational when I went, but I can imagine how loud it must be when it's going! The outbuilding that once served as a school for the workers, now contains a number of antique mechanical devices that have been expertly restored, and another is the shop where you can see people working away at metal lathes, etc. There is also an impressive array of antique toilets. This was well worth the side trip out of town and I would definitely go back; it would be a great family trip, or school visit. Anyone who doesn't stop to think about how our cities and civilizations deal with human waste, is missing out. Read "The Big Necessity" by Rose George, and "The Ghost Map" by Stephen Johnson, and visit Crossness Pumping Station. Why Bazalgette doesn't have an enormous statue in London I will never understand.

    You wouldn't really put 'sewage' and 'beauty' in the same sentence, would you? Well, you might…read moreafter a trip to Crossness in Abbey Wood. The interior of this Romanesque style Grade 1 listed building looks more like an ornate church than a pumping station, but not without reason, as this served as Victorian London's much-needed sewerage system. The Prince of Wales opened this building in 1865 and claimed to feel the whole floor rumble when he turned on the giant engines (a rumble you can still feel today if you go on a steamer day). These engines are the originals and possibly remain the largest rotative beam engines in the world. Adult entry is £4/£5 on streaming day, children under 16 go free. Crossness has just received a large grant from the National Heritage Fund, so check the website for opening times as they will be by appointment only in 2009.

    Photos
    The Crossness Pumping Station - A view from the Beam Floor into the Octagon, the central area of the Beam Engine House

    A view from the Beam Floor into the Octagon, the central area of the Beam Engine House

    The Crossness Pumping Station - Toilets galore

    Toilets galore

    The Crossness Pumping Station - One of the capitals of the columns between the windows features a little Joseph Bazalgette face!

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    One of the capitals of the columns between the windows features a little Joseph Bazalgette face!

    The Whitgift Almshouses Croydon - View of the North End facade - sadly a bit messy because of the tram wires!

    The Whitgift Almshouses Croydon

    5.0(2 reviews)
    7.2 miCroydon

    An astonishing survivor in central Croydon is this lovely complex of almshouses. Located right in…read morethe heart of the shopping district, and surrounded by bars and clubs, it seems oblivious of the world beyond. The building was the brainchild of Archbishop Whitgift (c. 1530-1604) who, resident in the nearby Archbishop's Palace, sought permission from Elizabeth I to build some almshouses for the poor of the parish. Begun in 1596, and built in brick with stone detailing, it survives essentially unaltered; a quadrangle of individual houses, each with their own entrance and porch, surrounds a delightful courtyard of pretty gardens. The chapel contains a memorial to Whitgift himself, and other Tudor fittings, including the original benches. There are two entrance porches, sensibly gated off, but the one at North End allows passers-by a glimpse into this secluded world. It still fulfils its original purpose, providing sheltered accommodation for the elderly. The present Queen Elizabeth described it as 'An oasis of peace and tranquility'. It's hard to disagree. ############################################# Photographs added 01-12-2007

    It's astonishing how many people must walk past the almshouses every day without giving a second…read morethought to what they are and why there are there. This beautiful building is just one of the legacies which John Whitgift left to Croydon about 500 years ago. That it still survives when so much of the town has been replaced with concrete and glass is a small miracle. Opposite the almshouses, you used to able to sit in a small raised area (dubbed locally 'pigeon s**t square' until it was demolished to make way for the tram), but now the corner is very much busier, and it is increasingly difficult to stop and take in the Tudor brickwork, the tiny windows and over-sized chimneys. If you turn your back to Primark, and claim one of the benches for 5 minutes, you might start to imagine what Croydon was like before the advent of the high street.

    Photos
    The Whitgift Almshouses Croydon - View into the garden. The present Queen Elizabeth described it as 'An oasis of peace and tranquility'. It's hard to disagree.

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    View into the garden. The present Queen Elizabeth described it as 'An oasis of peace and tranquility'. It's hard to disagree.

    Reculver Towers & Roman Fort - Reculver Towers & Roman Fort

    Reculver Towers & Roman Fort

    4.5(4 reviews)
    48.7 mi

    Reculver Towers is the remains of a 12th century church, which is located on the remains of Roman…read moreand Saxon buildings. The Towers themselves are perched on the top of a large cliff, which has been heavily eroded in the past and is the reason why there are only partial remains of the church left standing. Due to its location on the north coast, the towers lend themselves to some lovely photographs with the sunset to their rear and the sea to one side. There is a large stony beach at the base of the cliffs, which is ideal for dog walking rather than bathing, as the Thames Estuary leaves it somewhat muddy. Also be aware that the tide can come rather far in at certain times of the year, partially cutting off some areas at the base of the cliffs!! There are reputed to be a decent number of fossils to be found along the beach, especially following storms, though me and the dog have never found anything exciting. There is ample parking in the vicinity of the towers, good paths suitable for wheelchairs and buggies along the cliff top. There is also a pub very close by and a small shop/amusements arcade associated with the nearby caravan park. All in all, a nice place for a picnic or for a stroll.

    A beautiful area to have a picnic on a sunny day. About 3k walk from Herne Bay. Not easily…read moreaccessible by public transport. Very good toilet facilities though, which is important on a picnic! Worth a visit if you're in the area, as it really is a beautiful spot.

    Photos
    Reculver Towers & Roman Fort - Reculver Towers & Roman Fort

    Reculver Towers & Roman Fort

    Reculver Towers & Roman Fort

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    Chislehurst Caves - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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