There is an Old Castle within the grounds of Scotney, found at the bottom of a long walking trail taking you along the perimeter, surrounded by a moat, giving you spectacular photo and video opportunities.
The Old Castle was estimated to be built circa 1370’s by Roger Ashburnham, and was designed on the moat to be a decently fortified medieval house, which eventually fell to ruin when Edward Hussey III built the new Scotney Castle house on the above grounds.
Scotney House New was built in the 1830’s by Edward Hussey III to house his family for generations before it was curated by the National Trust in 1970.
Walking down and around the Castle grounds fills you with a sense of awe and provides it’s own atmospheric charm from the specialised variety of species of plants to it’s well maintained horticulture.
Upon reaching the bottom of the trail, you are welcomed by the stunning ruin of Scotney Old Castle, surrounded by it’s natural moat, set on the river bewl. What is lovely about the trail is that you can wonder in a loop around the old ruined castle and be greeted by the wildlife and get some great photos for your Instagram. The walk up to the Old Castle is definitely a brisk one with steep gradients, but the views and opportunities for great photos is completely worth it.
It was unapparent that the Old Castle was accessible during this time in the pandemic, as it is not very clear on the National Trust website. Nevertheless, the walk down and around the grounds was amazing and we definitely recommend people to visit in the future, hopefully including entrance into the Castle once the pandemic calms down again!
The best part of the day out at Scotney, apart from the free admission for National Trust members, was the Old Castle in down in the valley. The location, weather and scenery was spot on that day, and the atmosphere was amazing, being not busy and not ruined by sounds of children running around. Our advice? Go now, before schools break up for holidays and when the seasonal vibes start with autumn on the horizon.
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