Opening Times

For school visits we are open on weekdays all year round for pre-booked groups.
For the general public we are open 11am-5pm on Sundays to Wednesdays from Easter to September

What makes this a great venue for School group Fun or Educational Visits?

Chiddingstone Castle is an unique rural property home to the amazing and varied collections of the late Denys Eyre Bower, hosting an eclectic mix of stunning Japanese amour, swords and lacquer, Egyptian antiquities, Buddhist artifacts and Jacobean manuscripts and paintings. Set in 35 acres of open parkland and informal grounds, the Castle is held in trust by the Denys Eyre Bower Bequest. For educational visits the castle provides the perfect opportunity to escape to the countryside and bring history to life!

What are the Curriculum Topics or Benefit to the students from a visit?

Historical studies of the ancient Egyptians, Stuarts and the Victorians.
Outdoor nature discovery sessions linking to science and geography
A great open space in which to run, explore and play games linking to physical education

What are the activities?

All activities are interactive, promoting an enquiry and investigative based approach especially in the Egyptian and outdoor nature and geography sessions. The Victorian and Stuart sessions are very much hands on to bring history to life for the children.
Please visit our website for more details. www.chiddingstonecastle.org.uk

What is the age range of the activities?

Victorians
Key Stages 1 and 2 - ages 5-11
Ancient Egyptians
Key Stage 2 - ages 7-11
Outdoor Nature Discovery (Science and Geography)
Key Stages 1, 2, and 3
Stuarts
Key Stages 2 and 3 - ages 7-13

Sample programme of the activities:

Please visit our website for details of the activities available. www.chiddingstonecastle.org.uk

What are the minimum and maximum group sizes and the free Teacher Ratio?

We can accomodate up to 30 children in one session at a time, however we can have up to 60 children for a whole day and split the group in half for the education sessions and optional extras.
The Stuart and Victorian Sessions with Arriere-ban can be outdoor and accomodate larger groups from both primary and scecondary schools.
Steps in Time Egyptian and Victorian Performances can accomodate audiences of up to 60.

Do you have or how do you arrange risk assessment?

Details of risk assessment guidelines are provided. Teachers are responsible for their own assessments

Do you offer Teacher familiarisation days?

With prior arrangement teachers can organise a pre-visit for free.

What facilities are there for school groups for food and drink, shop etc?

We have a shop and tearoom which are open Sunday-Wednesday from Easter-September.
If you are visiting on a different day or out of season we can arrange for the shop to be open for you

Is specific clothing required?

Suitable outdoor clothing if you are using the grounds, please check weather forecasts and advise parents appropriately

Do you have first aid on site?

We have first aid on site and trained first aiders, however we ask that teachers are responsible for their classes' first aid should the need arise

Are there any restrictions on photos, copyright etc?

Due to the nature of the museum collections photographs of the collections are not permitted.