Hall Place and Gardens
Kent, DA5 1PQ
A 16th century flint mansion, nestling in a yew garden on the banks of the River Cray at Bexley.
Hall Place was once the country residence of Sir John Champneys, a successful merchant and former Lord Mayor of London. Inside this 500-year-old historic house is a panelled great hall with minstrel’s gallery, a chapel, a bell tower and original Tudor kitchen. Visitors can discover the secret wartime history of Hall Place and how American soldiers stationed here intercepted messages sent by the Germans.
The 65-hectare estate features a sunken garden, topiary animals and a wildflower meadow. In the glasshouses visitors can see banana trees, as well as fish and terrapins in the pond.