We ventured out to visit Sissinghurst Castle Gardens in Kent today! I have seen Sissinghurst pop up in different articles I’ve read about the most beautiful gardens in England – and since it isn’t too far from our house, I figured we might as well go check it out! The gardens were GORGEOUS! We didn’t venture into the buildings on site since it was just me and Henry, but we had a good wander around the amazing grounds.
From what I can tell, there wasn’t too much significance to the actual buildings themselves. Once upon a time the site was a Saxon home – “-hurst” is a Saxon term for woodlands. Through the years it was home to some notable political figures, including a member of Henry VIII’s privy council. The house even played host to Queen Elizabeth I for a few nights during her reign.
It then spent some time as a prisoner of war camp during the 7 Years War for French prisoners, who referred to it as “le chateaux”, hence being called Sissinghurst Castle even thought it really isn’t a castle. Following the ward, the property was used by the local parish as a work house / farm. Eventually, the house and grounds became unused and derelict, which is where the most recent owners come into the story. Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicholson bought the derelict farm and fixed ‘er up. Vita was the daughter of a Baron, but since she was a girl, she wasn’t entitled to inherit their ancestral home, Knole. So when she and her husband found Sissinghurst after her father died, they made it their home.
In addition to restoring the house itself, Vita was an avid gardener and turned some of the farmland and vegetable plots adjacent to the house into the amazing gardens they are today. Each garden area functions as a “room”, with a different theme or color scheme setting them apart from the others. They are the epitome of an “English Garden”.
When Vita and Harold died, they left the house to the National Trust, an organisation that helps to maintain properties all over the UK, whether they be houses of significance, wildlife conservation, or conservation of land and landscapes.
We had a great time exploring the gardens and will definitely be back to see them as they change with the seasons!
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