This
romantic moated castle, childhood home of Anne Boleyn, the
second wife of Henry VIII and more recently acquired by
William Waldorf Astor, Hever Castle has a stunning backdrop
of water lillies, a 35 acre lake and an exquisite four acre
Italian garden. Access to the grounds is good, as there are
ramps in various places. The approach to the castle however
is not ramped and there is a drawbridge and ramps to
negotiate. Once inside the castle, those who have difficulty
with mobility will only be able to visit the five rooms on
the ground floor. There is no charge for wheelchair users
and a reduced price ticket for the visually
impaired.
Hever Castle
Edenbridge
Kent
http://www.hevercastle.co.uk
WISLEY-
accessibilty-very good
One of the worlds
biggest gardens, this is widely regarded as the showplace of
the Royal Horticultural Society.
Disabled access is excellent-there are electric buggies and
push wheelchairs available for hire, which are free of
charge. It is advisable to book in advance, especially for
the electric buggies, of which there are just five. There is
also disabled parking situated near to the entrances of the
restaurant and the gift shop, and there is a recommended
route, which avoids steep slopes and difficult
areas.
Wisley
Woking
Surrey
http://www.rhs.org.uk
THE ROYAL BOTANICAL
GARDENS/KEW
accessibilty-very good
Three hundred acres of greenhouses, lakes, and garden,
with thousands of varieties of plants. Combined with
stunning scenery and vast open spaces, Kew Gardens is a
wonderful day out that can be seen on its own, or visited
jointly with Hampton Court.
A representative for Kew Gardens told us 'virtually all of
Kew Gardens is accessible to our wheelchair users, apart
from the basement of the Palm House'.
Kew Gardens
Richmond
Surrey
http://www.kew.org.uk
WOBURN ABBEY
accessibilty-fair
Home to the Duke of
Bedford, the Abbey houses a fine collection of tapestries,
furniture and silver, not to mention one of the most
important collections of art in the world, with paintings by
Rembrandt, Gainsborough and Van Dyck.
Access is limited-the ground floor is accessible, and the
lift allows one wheelchair at a time to the first floor.
They are not, however, able to gain access to the 2nd floor
as the guests will have to walk past the dinner room where
the owners have lunch. There are CD audio tour guides which
may be suitable for the visually impaired.
Woburn Abbey
Woburn
Bedfordshire
http://www.woburnabbey.co.uk/
SUDELEY
CASTLE
accessibilty- partial
With
the Cotswold Hills providing the magnificent back-drop, and
the illustrious thousand year history that blesses this
castle, Sudeley provides for an unforgettable day out.
Katherine Parr, the sixth wife of Henry VIII, made Sudeley
her home, and the Castle was also visited by Anne Boleyn,
Henry VIII himself, Lady Jane Grey and Elizabeth I. There
are also seven enchanting gardens, with wonderful topiary
and roses.
Access is very limited- the gravel paths in the gardens make
manoeuvring difficult, and there are lots of stairs in the
castle itself. There are two wheelchairs available, but no
Braille guides
Sudeley Castle
Winchcombe
Gloucestershire
http://www.stratford.co.uk/sudeley
CHARTWELL
accessibilty - 'so so'
From 1922 until his death in 1965, this Kent historic
house was home to Sir Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister
of Britain from 1940-45 and 1951-55. Today it acts as a
memorial to his accomplishments, with a collection of his
uniforms, his many paintings and gifts that were given to
him from ambassadors and foreign diplomats. The garden is
also open to view, a visitors can inspect the walls made by
Churchill's own hands.
Contact Chartwell to make arrangements to park in front of
the House, as there is a sloping path and several steps from
the main car park to the entrance. It is not possible for a
coach to gain access to the front of the house.
Wheelchairs are available for hire at the visitor centre-
fire regulations mean that only one wheelchair at a time is
allowed on the upper floor. There is a lift in the House,
but it is not large enough for a wheelchair. However, there
is a seat in the lift, and once upstairs there will be a
wheelchair available. Foldable wheelchairs may be folded and
taken upstairs. There is also a Braille guide available. The
garden however is quite tricky for a wheelchair to
negotiate, owing to differences in level and intervening
stops.
At time of writing (October 2001) the lift (originally
designed for Churchill's own use) is broken
Chartwell
Westerham
Kent
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk
International Churchill Society
http://www.winstonchurchill.org
SISSINGHURST
accessibilty-very good
Created by Vita
Sackville West around the old tower of Sissinghurst castle,
Sissinghurst is particularly alluring during Spring, when
the daffodils are in full bloom in the orchard.
A spokesperson at Sissinghurst rates them as having 90-95%
accessibility. A map is available upon arrival, which shows
where all the steps are and how high they are. The paths are
slightly uneven but are accessible. The only place which
would be difficult to see is the orchard on a wet day.
Sissinghurst
Cranbrook
Kent
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk
HIDCOTE MANOR
accessibilty-good
Masterpiece of
American horticulturist Major Lawrence Johnston, Hidcote
offers 10 acres of herbaceous borders, hedges and rare
shrubs and trees.
There is a drop off and pick up point to gain access to the
garden, with level access to the garden. According to a
spokesperson at Hidcote, sixty per cent of the garden is
accessible for wheelchair users and stick users. There is a
small step into the main restaurant and a small step into
the main gift shop, but staff are on hand to assist.
Hidcote Manor Gardens
Chipping Campden
Gloucestershire
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk
WADDESDON MANOR
accessibilty-fair
Built in the late
19th Century by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, the French
Renaissance Waddesdon Manor features a collection of fine
art and furniture, wine cellars and a fleet of exotic birds,
which are housed in the aviary in the garden.
As this is a National Trust property, there are strict
guidelines that Waddesdon meets. There are lifts and wide
doorways, and there are also wheelchairs available for use
in the house and in the garden.
Waddesdon Manor
Nr Aylesbury
Buckinghamshire
http://www.waddesdon.org.uk
KNOLE
accessibilty-fair
Knole,
the Tudor mansion of Henry VIII, is one of Englands largest,
and finest, private houses, with 365 rooms, and an amazing
52 staircases. Inside you will also find some ornate
examples of plasterwork, and some luxuriant rugs and
furniture that dates back to the 17th Century.
The park at Knole is fully accessible, due to the tarmac
paths. The House is less so, as there are no lifts, so the
wheelchair bound are restricted to the Great Hall, the
Stoney Courtyard and Green Courtyard. An audio guide is
offered. There is a loop system for the hard of hearing and
a Braille guide for the visually impaired. A spokesperson
for Knole said: 'We do try to make it as accessible as
possible, but due to the fact that there are architectural
restraints as it is a grade one listed building, we cannot
make alterations to the building'.
Knole
Sevenoaks
Kent
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk
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Hever Castle
Knole
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