Manor Park Country Park

Once part of the 18th century estate created by Thomas Douce, Manor Park is now an attractive location with an impressive variety of habitats and landscapes to explore, together with the facilities that make the park a good destination for families.

There is a family walk which will take around 40 minutes to complete before exploring the other sections of the park or spending an afternoon with a picnic and allowing the children to let off some steam.

Manor Park’s 52 acres are divided into four distinct sections:

• The Lake is a haven for wildlife such as swans, moorhens and dabchicks
• Abbey Field & Chestnut Paddocks are grazed fields with plenty of wildflowers in summer.
• The Ice House field, on the far side of the lake, takes its name from the structure used to store ice taken from the lake over winter for use in the manor house’s kitchen.
• Douce’s Meadow, meanwhile, is an area of open grassland where the excellent adventure playground is situated, along with picnic tables and plenty of space for ball games.

There’s some history to be discovered here, too – across the road from the park, the 18th Century Grade II listed Manor House was used to accommodate airmen flying from nearby RAF West Malling, while the Ice House field within the park itself was used as a prison camp for interned Germans.

The eco-friendly Green Café offers a range of light meals, snacks and drinks, and a relaxed setting to take it easy after an enjoyable stroll through the park grounds.