This guide covers two short trips in the west of Kent: Hever Castle and the Eden Valley Museum on the Edenbridge side, and Chartwell and Quebec House at Westerham. Three of the four are run by Hever or the National Trust and have winter patterns that differ from their summer ones, so the guide gives the dates it knows and says where they have not been published. InKent lists Hever under Edenbridge.
Hever Castle and Gardens
Hever Castle is a double-moated 14th century castle on Hever Road, Hever, near Edenbridge, and was Anne Boleyn’s childhood home. The grounds have Italian gardens, a lake and mazes. The castle’s site lists an adult castle and gardens ticket at £25.50 online or £28.40 on entry from 2 September to 19 November 2026. Christmas entry is by timed slot: pre-booked tickets must be bought online, and walk-up tickets on the day depend on availability. Prices are in the castle’s Christmas price list.
Winter 2026/27 opening, as listed: Wednesday to Sunday from 4 to 19 November, with the grounds opening at 10.30am and the castle at noon; the Christmas season from 20 November to 2 January, with the grounds mostly open 11.30am to 8.30pm (some days close at 6.30pm or 4.30pm), closed on 23 and 24 November and on 25 and 26 December; and daily from 11 February 2027. Opening for early January to 10 February is not published. Dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds but not in the castle, cafes, shops, mazes or play areas. The castle’s ground floor is on one level and is the only floor suitable for wheelchairs, but there is one step down to the Gatehouse and three more down to the Courtyard, with no ramp. Motorised wheelchairs and mobility scooters cannot be used in the Courtyard or castle, and pushchairs cannot enter the castle. Accessible parking is available.
Eden Valley Museum
Eden Valley Museum is in Church House, 72 High Street, Edenbridge, a Grade II* listed timber-framed house whose original hall dates from the late 14th century. Collections cover local history, including the old tannery, cricket ball making and archaeology, and displays change regularly. Edenbridge Town Council and the museum’s own site list free entry. Opening is Wednesday and Friday 2pm to 4.30pm, Thursday and Saturday 10am to 4.30pm, and Sundays 2pm to 4.30pm in June to August only. It is closed on Monday, Tuesday, in January and on Good Friday, with last entry at 4pm.
Chartwell
Chartwell, on Mapleton Road, Westerham, is the National Trust property that Sir Winston Churchill bought in 1922 and made his family home, with the house, his studio and terraced gardens above the Weald. House entry is by timed ticket, and opening days and hours change by season, so check the National Trust page for its Christmas 2026 dates. Members go free, and the standard adult price is on the National Trust page. Visit Westerham lists a waymarked walking trail of about two miles, taking about an hour, from Westerham to Chartwell.
Quebec House
Quebec House, on Quebec Square in Westerham, is a National Trust house and the childhood home of General James Wolfe. It dates from the mid 16th century, took most of its present look in the 1630s and was renamed in Wolfe’s honour after the Battle of Quebec in 1759. Entry to the house is by timed ticket and opening days change by season, so check the National Trust page for its winter and Christmas dates. Coram, the children’s charity that worked with the National Trust on the exhibition The Story of the Westerham Foundlings, lists it as a free exhibition in the Coach House running until 20 December 2026, although its press release describes entry as free with normal admission, so check before you go. Members go free, and the adult price is on the National Trust page.
Dates to note this winter
- 4 to 19 November: Hever is open Wednesday to Sunday, with the printed adult prices applying to 19 November.
- 20 November to 2 January: Hever’s Christmas season.
- 20 December: the Coach House exhibition at Quebec House ends.
- January: Eden Valley Museum is closed.
Choosing between them
- Ticketed castle and gardens: Hever, with timed Christmas tickets booked online.
- Free entry: Eden Valley Museum. Coram lists the Coach House exhibition at Quebec House as free.
- With a dog: Hever’s grounds, on a lead.
Getting there
Edenbridge and Westerham are separate towns, so check a route planner for the journey between them. Use the Hever and National Trust pages for parking and ticket booking.
Frequently asked questions
Is Eden Valley Museum free?
Edenbridge Town Council and the museum’s site list free entry.
Is Hever Castle open in winter?
Yes on the dates listed: Wednesday to Sunday from 4 to 19 November, then the Christmas season from 20 November to 2 January and daily from 11 February 2027. Early January to 10 February is not published.
Is Quebec House open every day in winter?
Not necessarily. Opening days change by season and entry to the house is by timed ticket, so check the National Trust page for its winter and Christmas dates before you go.