Chartwell House: Churchill’s Country Home in Kent

Located in Westerham, Kent, Chartwell House was the beloved country residence of Sir Winston Churchill for over forty years, from 1922 until his death in 1965. Churchill purchased Chartwell for its sweeping views across the Weald of Kent, a landscape he would paint repeatedly throughout his long life. Today the property is managed by the National Trust and stands as one of the most visited historic houses in England, offering a rare and intimate glimpse into the private world of Britain’s wartime Prime Minister.

Churchill and Chartwell

Churchill’s connection to Chartwell went far deeper than mere ownership. He spent much of his time here during his political wilderness years in the 1930s, writing his four-volume biography of his ancestor the Duke of Marlborough and completing his monumental history of the English-speaking peoples. The house provided a retreat from Westminster and a place where he could think, paint, write, and build – he personally laid many of the bricks in the garden walls with his own hands, a hobby that gave him both physical satisfaction and mental relief.

During the Second World War, Churchill largely vacated Chartwell for security reasons, though he returned frequently in the postwar years. The rooms have been preserved much as he left them, with maps on the study walls, cigars in their cases, and the familiar paraphernalia of a man who inhabited every space he occupied fully and without restraint. Lady Clementine Churchill, his wife of over fifty years, shaped the gardens and domestic atmosphere of the house, and her influence is felt throughout.

What to See at Chartwell

The House

The ground floor rooms – the study, the library, the dining room, and the drawing room – are open to visitors and contain a remarkable density of original objects. Churchill’s study holds the desk at which he wrote much of his literary output, and the walls display photographs, paintings, and personal mementos spanning his career from the Boer War to Downing Street. The map room, used during the Second World War, has been recreated to reflect the operational maps Churchill consulted during the conflict.

Upstairs, visitors can see the bedrooms used by Churchill and Lady Churchill, along with rooms occupied by their children. The atmosphere is deliberately domestic rather than ceremonial, which makes the visit feel more personal than many stately homes.

The Studio

Churchill took up oil painting in 1915, during a period of deep personal crisis following the Gallipoli disaster. He went on to produce over 500 paintings, mostly landscapes, and the studio at Chartwell holds an outstanding collection of his work. The room has been preserved with his easel, palette, and paint-stained apron, and it conveys the seriousness with which he approached painting as both a pastime and a form of therapy. The quality of his work surprised many professional artists of his era, and several paintings were exhibited anonymously during his lifetime.

The Gardens and Grounds

The gardens at Chartwell are as much a part of the property as the house. The kitchen garden, the rose garden, the golden rose garden planted to mark the Churchills’ golden wedding anniversary in 1958, and the water gardens below the house all reflect decades of careful cultivation. Churchill built much of the brick wall that encloses the kitchen garden himself, having become an enthusiastic bricklayer in the late 1920s. The views south and west across the Weald of Kent, which Churchill cited as his main reason for buying the property, remain largely unchanged.

The grounds also contain the black swans on the lake – descendants of the original birds Churchill kept there – and a small cottage where the family’s nanny once lived.

Where to Eat

• The Chartwell Cafe: The National Trust operates a cafe on the estate serving hot and cold food, sandwiches, cakes, and drinks. It is located near the car park and is open on days when the property is open to visitors.
• The Chartwell Tea Room: A smaller tearoom closer to the house offers lighter refreshments including scones, cream teas, and seasonal cakes. Both options use produce sourced in part from the estate’s kitchen garden.
• The Grasshopper Inn, Westerham: A well-regarded pub in the centre of Westerham, a short drive from Chartwell. It serves traditional pub food and has outdoor seating on the green.
• Westerham town centre: The nearby market town of Westerham has several cafes, pubs, and restaurants suitable for a meal before or after visiting Chartwell. The town itself has connections to Churchill and contains a bronze statue of him on the green.

Where to Stay

• Local bed and breakfasts: The villages and towns surrounding Chartwell – including Westerham, Edenbridge, and Oxted – have a range of independent bed and breakfast accommodation. These are well suited to visitors spending a full day at the property and exploring the wider area.
• Hotels in Sevenoaks: The town of Sevenoaks, roughly six miles from Chartwell, has several hotels offering a broader range of facilities. From Sevenoaks there are direct rail services to London Bridge and London Charing Cross, making it a practical base for those combining Chartwell with other attractions.
• Hever Castle Area: Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, lies only a few miles from Chartwell. Visitors combining both properties may find accommodation in the villages between them convenient.

Activities and Experiences

• Guided tours of the house: National Trust room guides are stationed throughout the house and can provide detailed context about individual rooms, objects, and their significance in Churchill’s life. On quieter days, guides are often happy to discuss Churchill’s career, his writing, and his artistic output at length.
• Painting demonstrations: The studio occasionally hosts events connected to Churchill’s artistic legacy, including demonstrations and talks about his approach to painting. Check the National Trust events calendar before visiting.
• Walking in the Weald: The surrounding Kent countryside offers extensive walking, with footpaths connecting Chartwell to Westerham and to the wider High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The landscape Churchill painted is still recognisable in the fields and woodland visible from the property.
• Cycling: The lanes around Chartwell are well used by cyclists. Several National Cycle Network routes pass through the area, and the approach to Chartwell involves hills typical of this part of Kent.
• Hever Castle: Within easy driving distance, Hever Castle offers a complementary experience for anyone interested in English history. The castle has substantial gardens and a wide programme of seasonal events.
• Quebec House, Westerham: Also managed by the National Trust and located in Westerham itself, Quebec House was the birthplace of General James Wolfe, who defeated the French at Quebec in 1759. It is a compact property and easy to visit on the same day as Chartwell.

Practical Tips

• Book in advance: Chartwell is a popular property and timed entry tickets are required on peak days, particularly at weekends and during school holidays. Booking through the National Trust website before visiting is strongly recommended.
• Allow at least half a day: The house, studio, and gardens together take at least two to three hours to explore properly. Allow more time if you plan to walk in the grounds or use the cafe.
• National Trust membership: Entry is free for National Trust members. Given the cost of admission and the number of other properties in Kent, membership represents good value for anyone visiting several National Trust sites in a year.
• Parking: There is a large car park on site, though it can fill quickly on busy days. Arriving before midday helps avoid congestion.
• Accessibility: The ground floor of the house and the main garden paths are accessible to wheelchair users and those with limited mobility. The National Trust website provides detailed accessibility information for each part of the property.
• Photography: Photography is permitted inside the house for personal use, without flash. Tripods are not permitted in the house.
• Dogs: Dogs are welcome in the grounds and car park but are not permitted inside the house or the walled gardens.

Getting to Chartwell

Chartwell is located approximately two miles south of Westerham, off the B2026 road. By car, the property is accessible from junction 5 or junction 6 of the M25 motorway. By public transport, the nearest train stations are Oxted and Sevenoaks; a bus service connects Oxted station to Westerham, from where a taxi or pre-arranged transport is needed for the final stretch to Chartwell. The National Trust and local operators occasionally run shuttle buses from Sevenoaks station on peak days – check current arrangements before travelling.

The surrounding area rewards further exploration. Kent’s designation as the Garden of England is well earned, and the High Weald landscape that Churchill loved offers a compelling reason to linger beyond a single day.