Knole has been a family home for over 400 years, but everything here is on a grand scale. There may be seven courtyards, two entrance towers and four long galleries, but the Sackvilles – who have lived here since 1603 – continue to make this a living, working house, full of atmosphere. Knole has 365 rooms, seven courtyards and a footprint of four acres. It’s a house of superlatives where even the tiniest details are special.
Knole House
Knole is one of England’s most important and complete historic houses, built as a palace by the Archbishops of Canterbury, gifted to Henry VIII, remodelled by the Sackville family (who have lived here for 400 years). Knole wears the marks of its long history with quiet dignity: dominating its medievaldeer park, the house contains a world class collection of furniture and textiles from royal palaces, worn by light, time, damp and pests but still glinting in a series of state rooms evoking extraordinary wealth and grandeur, now passed and faded.
The front of the house is deceptively unimposing, even low key. But like everything at Knole, the best is to be found by going further in. The magic of Knole can be found in every corner. There’s so much to see. For example, the largest gallery, the Cartoon Gallery, is named after the five gargantuan paintings that dominate the room. They’re so impressive that it can be easy to forget to turn around. If you do, you’ll see older decoration – a series of intricate flower paintings above a faded, but riotous display of sea creatures and exotic animals painted onto the walls.
For such a great house with such a long and distinguished history, it’s no surprise that with each visit you can see something new. Come and experience the magic for yourself. More about Knole >
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