Heritage venues in Kent

With high-speed rail connections bringing most parts of the county within an hour of London, Kent’s historic towns and stunning countryside have long been popular with businesses in the capital looking to escape the city – for the day or longer.

This section, of course. is not just for those businesses inside the M25, with royal palaces, grand estates, former dockyards and historic defences among the spectacular venues providing the right location for businesses closer to home, as part of the Meet in Kent campaign.

Chatham’s Historic Dockyard, for example, has over 80 acres of maritime history, the world’s most complete dockyard of the Age of Sail including one of only four Royal Navy Ropeyards to remain in operation. Today it’s as famous for TV and film as the ships built here, with Les Misérables and Don’t Call the Midwife amongst the productions shot here through the years.

Where else can you host a meeting, product launch or gala dinner where admirals planned their battles or where the actor Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert sang his Parisian laments, riding on horseback towards the barricades.

Then there’s Leeds Castle near Maidstone, the place to be seen in the 1920s at glittering parties hosted by former owner Lady Olive Bailee – and again today with 500 acres of picturesque parkland and gardens to explore, well-appointed meeting rooms for hire and experiences to enjoy.

Port Lympne Mansion was built in 1913 by architects Sir Herbert Baker and Philip Tilden with a distinctive Cape Dutch style that continues to command attention and inspiration with beautifully designed meeting and dining spaces enjoying views out to sea and 600 acres of parkland, including an award-winning wildlife reserve.

Here you can start your day with a meeting and then head out on safari, enjoy a summer BBQ, play lawn games in Italian-style gardens, or feed a giraffe. As with all listings here, the choice is vast, the choice is yours.

Explore more heritage venues and experiences here.