Eltham Palace and Gardens

About Eltham Palace and Gardens

Eltham was a royal palace for centuries, and its medieval great hall still stands. In the 1930s Stephen and Virginia Courtauld took a lease on the site, built an Art Deco house beside the hall and reworked the grounds. Both were keen gardeners, and they laid out a series of garden "rooms" around the surviving moat and old walls.

English Heritage has looked after the whole site since 1995 and restored the house and gardens in the late 1990s. Today the 19 acres mix medieval features with an Arts and Crafts feel, and newer planting has been added within the Courtaulds' framework.

What to see

• Sunken Rose Garden and Rose Quadrant: fragrant roses including older varieties such as 'Gruss an Aachen' and hybrid musks like 'Felicia'.
• The moat: crossed by a medieval bridge, with carp in the water and herons often about.
• Rock garden and medieval embankment: pools and cascades down to the moat, with mown paths and a wildflower meadow.
• Herbaceous border: around 100 metres long, packed with peonies, clematis and oriental poppies.
• Seasonal interest: bulbs, daphne and sweet box in late winter and spring, and red sweet gum leaves in autumn.

Planning your visit

The palace is in Eltham, in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Mottingham station is about 15 minutes' walk away, and buses 124, 126, 160 and 161 stop nearby. The on-site car park is small and fills up at busy times, so public transport is a good option and can earn a discount on walk-up tickets.

There is a café, a shop and a children's play area. At the time of checking, the lift in the house was out of service, so the upper floors can only be reached by stairs. Only assistance dogs are allowed. Tickets are valid all day, and booking in advance online is cheaper than paying on arrival.