"The date for Chevening House's annual garden open day has been confirmed, and it's a chance to wander around an impressive garden normally reserved for government ministers and their staff. The building, Chevening House, was built around 400 years ago, and it would probably still be a private house, but the last Earl Stanhope, childless and with his brother killed in WW1, effectively gifted it to the nation."
"And although any Cabinet minister can be nominated, by tradition, it's usually been the Foreign Secretary. The building is not open to the public, but the gardens are open to the general public one day a year - and this year it's been confirmed that will be Sunday 21st June 2026 between 2pm and 5pm. The gardens are substantial, with a mix of woodlands and formal lawns surrounding a lake, and all face the mansion house."
"The house itself will not be open, but the gardens are worth visiting, and it seems that it's customary to bring a picnic with you and eat it on the Foreign Secretary's front lawn. My review from 2021 is here. Entry is £12 for adults, £1 for children. Although you don't need to book in advance, it will save a lot of time queuing when you arrive if you have booked tickets, which can be requested from here."
Chevening House dates from around 400 years ago and was effectively gifted to the nation by the last Earl Stanhope following family losses in World War I. A 1959 trust allows a government minister nominated by the Prime Minister to use the house as a private residence, a role traditionally held by the Foreign Secretary. The building itself is not open to the public, but the extensive gardens, including woodlands, formal lawns and a lakeside facing the mansion, open to the public one day a year. The 2026 garden open day is Sunday 21 June, 2pm–5pm, with entry priced at £12 for adults and £1 for children; advance booking is recommended and picnics on the front lawn are customary.
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