Godmersham Park Heritage Centre
Godmersham Park Heritage Centre
Godmersham Park Heritage Centre holds information and artifacts relating to the parishes of Godmersham and Crundale, as well as the Godmersham Park Estate. A small exhibition hall documents the history of the two villages and Godmersham Park.
The House was built in 1732 and was once the home of Edward Knight, brother to the novelist Jane Austen. The Heritage Centre provides information on its interesting past.
Our team...
​
Trustees
Fiona Sunley
Ben Palmer
Margaret Smyth
Greg Ellis
Rebecca Lilley
Jeremy Robson
​
Administrator
Claire Farrar
​
Charity No 1123575
​
Godmersham Park Heritage Centre
The Granary
Godmersham Park
Godmersham
Kent
​
01227 732272
07395 800987
​
Latest News
The House is not open to the public.
However, tours of the Heritage Centre, St Lawrence the Martyr Church and Godmersham Park Gardens for groups of 10 or more for £15 per person (including refreshments).
​
250th Birthday Celebrations!
In advance of Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, visitors marked the event with an intimate and atmospheric celebration at Godmersham Park, a place deeply connected to the author’s life and legacy. The event took place in the magnificent Great Hall, whose historic grandeur was heightened by a beautifully decorated Christmas tree and the warmth of a roaring fire.
​
The programme featured Simon Stallard of This Is My Theatre Company, who performed contemporary pieces from the Regency era. His selection of music and spoken performance offered an evocative glimpse into the sounds and sentiments that would have been familiar to Austen herself, bringing the period vividly to life within the very walls she once knew. Interwoven with the music, were readings from Three Prayers and a Poem, reminding the audience of a lesser known but deeply personal aspect of Austen’s writing. These reflective pieces added a thoughtful, spiritual dimension to the afternoon and complemented the historical context of the celebration.
Simon was joined by Annie Standen, who spoke movingly of her own connections with Jane Austen and shared recollections from Jane’s brother. She highlighted their memories of Jane as being “extremely religious” and “pretty,” offering a warm and human portrait that went beyond the familiar image of the novelist to reveal something of the woman herself.
​
Set against the splendour of Godmersham Park, the afternoon was both celebratory and contemplative, honouring Jane Austen not only as a literary icon but as a person shaped by faith, family, and the world around her. It was a fitting tribute in a place that continues to resonate with her presence, 250 years after her birth.
​
Lending an element of authenticity to the event, several guests attended in stunning Regency costume.
​
Following memorable entertainment in the Great Hall, guests were treated to a birthday tea in The Orangery, which featured a stunning birthday cake created by Lacey at A Slice of Nice in Ashford.
Visit us
The Heritage Centre is currently closed for renovations and reopens in early 2026
Godmersham Park Heritage Centre holds information and memrobelia from the parishes of Godmersham and Crundale as well as Godmersham Park's links with Jane Austen.
We ask that visitors pay an entrance fee of £3 per person
The Heritage Centre is open on
Mondays & Thursdays
09.00 - 13.00
Last admission is at 12.30
Visiting us:
The Heritage Centre is located behind St Lawrence the Martyr Church in Godmersham. In addition to our opening on Mondays and Thursdays, we are also open on Bank Holiday Mondays. We offer a monthly tour of the Heritage Centre, Church and Godmersham Park Gardens, which does not include a tour of the House, which is the home to the Association of British Dispensing Opticians College. Please contact us for details via the Heritage Centre e-mail address.
Support us
Your kind donations help
maintain the Heritage
Centre.
