Knebworth House, Gardens & Park

The romantic exterior of Knebworth House with its turrets, domes and gargoyles silhouetted against the sky does little to prepare the visitor for what to expect inside. The House has stood for many years longer than the Victorian decoration suggests and the stucco hides from view a red brick house dating back to the Tudor times.

Every generation of the Lytton family has left something of its style and taste, making Knebworth an extraordinary walk through 500 years of British history. Stories and heirlooms relect the family's contribution to literature, politics and foreign service and visits by characters as diverse as Charles Dickens, Winston Churchill and Noel Gallagher.

There have been gardens at Knebworth House since at least the 17th Century, but the present layout dates largely from the Edwardian era. The architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, who married into the Lytton family, simplified the ornate beds and statuary of the Victorian garden with lawns and avenues of pollarded lime trees.

Popular features of the 25 acres now include a maze suitable for wheelchair access, the organically run walled kitchen garden, the Gertrude Jekyll Herb Garden and the Dinosaur Trail, where 72 life-sized dinosaurs can be found grazing amongst the rhododendrons and the redwoods. Exploring the woodland paths, children can learn about the T-Rex, the Woolly Mammoth and other fascinating pre-historic creatures.

Our 250 acres of rolling hills and ancient chestnut and lime avenues offer a quiet refuge for country picnics and dog walking. You might catch a glimpse of our grazing herds of Red and Sika deer, residents at Knebworth for even longer than the Lytton family!

Throughout the school holidays, children can run loose amongst the swings, slides and walkways of our Adventure Playground. And look out for our popular special event summer weekends, including garden shows, car rallies and jousting tournaments.

Additional info

Educational visits are offered for all Key Stages and focus on Mazes and Monsters, Tudors, Victorians, Our Home Through History, Gothic Horror and the Supernatural, Creative Writing, etc. We are also happy to work with schools to develop a visit of their own design.