Description
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Down House was the home of Charles Darwin from 1842-82 and the gardens retain some of the structure from his time, including a square lawn below the south-west front, shrubbery with trees planted on mounds, a series of walled gardens, and the wood with the 'sand walk' around it. The garden was an inspiration for his study and experiments, and he installed paths, flower beds and outbuildings associated with his research. An asphalt tennis court was constructed in 1881. Since acquisition by English Heritage in 1996, the gardens have been restored, as far as possible, to their appearance towards the end of Darwin’s life.
Down House was the home of Charles Darwin from 1842-82 and the gardens retain some of the structure from his time, including a square lawn below the south-west front, shrubbery with trees planted on mounds, a series of walled gardens, and the wood with the 'sand walk' around it. The garden was an inspiration for his study and experiments, and he installed paths, flower beds and outbuildings associated with his research. An asphalt tennis court was constructed in 1881. Since acquisition by English Heritage in 1996, the gardens have been restored, as far as possible, to their appearance towards the end of Darwin’s life.
Practical Information
| Site location | Luxted Road, Downe, Orpington |
|---|---|
| Postcode | BR6 7JT |
| What3Words | ///manual.dare.pace |
| Type of Site | Private Garden |
| Borough | Bromley |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | Open mid March-end June and Sept/Oct Wed-Sun:11-5pm; July/August daily 11-5; mid Feb-March: Wed-Sun 11am-4pm |
| Special Conditions | Free to members of English Heritage, entry fee for non members (£7.40/£5.90 concessions/£3.70 children in 2008) |
| Facilities | Audiotour, tearoom, shop, toilets |
| Events | exhibitions in Down House |
| Public Transport | Rail: Orpington; Bromley South, Bromley North, Hayes. Bus: 146 (daily), R2, R5, R8, 402 (all Mon-Sat); R1, R11, 246, 320, 353, 358 |
| Research Updated | 1 May 2008 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Site on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens, for Register Entry see https://www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list
Down House was the home of Charles Darwin (1809-82) between 1842 and 1882 and the gardens around the house retain some of the structure from Darwin’s time, including a square lawn below the south-west front of the house, shrubbery with trees planted on mounds, a series of walled gardens, and the wood planted by the Darwins laid out with a sand path around it. During the first few years of his occupancy Darwin and his family developed the garden and orchard, which was to become an inspiration for his study and experiments. Over the years extensions were made to the house and an area of woodland, which became known as the 'sand walk', was added to the grounds. Darwin installed paths and flower beds and outbuildings associated with his research. An asphalt tennis court was constructed in 1881.
The house was occupied by a school from 1907 - 1927 at which time changes were made to the garden. The Royal College of Surgeons owned the site until 1996 when it was acquired by English Heritage with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Wellcome Foundation. Since then the gardens have been restored, as far as possible, to their appearance towards the end of Darwin’s life. The lawns of Down House support a nationally important community of grassland fungi, including various wax caps. Down House is surrounded by one of London's largest areas of ancient woodland and chalk grassland, part of which is now West Kent Golf Course and adjacent scout camp. The woodlands are particularly diverse owing to the varied topography and mixture of soil types producing a rich flora (orchids white helleborine, twayblade and the nationally rare fungus Squamanita paradoxa). Part of the ancient woodland has been replanted with beech and Scots pine. Chalk grassland on the edge of the golf course is managed as a nature reserve by the London Wildlife Trust and its rich flora includes large numbers of pyramidal, bee and common spotted-orchids, 28 recorded species of butterflies including the nationally declining small blue, grizzled skipper and dark green fritillary and several protected reptiles.
The Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England was established in 1984 and was commonly called English Heritage. In April 2015 it split into 2 separate entities, Historic England (HE), which continues to champion and protect the historic environment, and the English Heritage Trust, whose role is to look after the 400+ historic sites and monuments owned by the state. HE manages the National Heritage List for England (NHLE) that includes over 400,000 items ranging from prehistoric monuments to office blocks, battlefields and parks, which benefit from legal protection.
Down House was the home of Charles Darwin (1809-82) between 1842 and 1882 and the gardens around the house retain some of the structure from Darwin’s time, including a square lawn below the south-west front of the house, shrubbery with trees planted on mounds, a series of walled gardens, and the wood planted by the Darwins laid out with a sand path around it. During the first few years of his occupancy Darwin and his family developed the garden and orchard, which was to become an inspiration for his study and experiments. Over the years extensions were made to the house and an area of woodland, which became known as the 'sand walk', was added to the grounds. Darwin installed paths and flower beds and outbuildings associated with his research. An asphalt tennis court was constructed in 1881.
The house was occupied by a school from 1907 - 1927 at which time changes were made to the garden. The Royal College of Surgeons owned the site until 1996 when it was acquired by English Heritage with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Wellcome Foundation. Since then the gardens have been restored, as far as possible, to their appearance towards the end of Darwin’s life. The lawns of Down House support a nationally important community of grassland fungi, including various wax caps. Down House is surrounded by one of London's largest areas of ancient woodland and chalk grassland, part of which is now West Kent Golf Course and adjacent scout camp. The woodlands are particularly diverse owing to the varied topography and mixture of soil types producing a rich flora (orchids white helleborine, twayblade and the nationally rare fungus Squamanita paradoxa). Part of the ancient woodland has been replanted with beech and Scots pine. Chalk grassland on the edge of the golf course is managed as a nature reserve by the London Wildlife Trust and its rich flora includes large numbers of pyramidal, bee and common spotted-orchids, 28 recorded species of butterflies including the nationally declining small blue, grizzled skipper and dark green fritillary and several protected reptiles.
The Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England was established in 1984 and was commonly called English Heritage. In April 2015 it split into 2 separate entities, Historic England (HE), which continues to champion and protect the historic environment, and the English Heritage Trust, whose role is to look after the 400+ historic sites and monuments owned by the state. HE manages the National Heritage List for England (NHLE) that includes over 400,000 items ranging from prehistoric monuments to office blocks, battlefields and parks, which benefit from legal protection.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ432603 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | English Heritage |
| Site Management | English Heritage |
| Dates | C19th |
| Designers | Charles Darwin |
| Listed Structures | LBII*: Down House |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | Yes |
| NHLE grade | Grade II |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Bromley |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Metropolitan Importance + West Kent Golf Cse |
| Green Belt | Yes |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Part of proposed World Heritage Site (UDP Draft 2002 for details) |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
St Mary the Virgin Church and its churchyard in the village of Downe date from around 1291 and while the church has gained a tower since then the churchyard is probably little altered. Of the many noteworthy residents of Downe, Charles Darwin is undoubtedly the most famous and lived nearby from 1842 until his death in 1882. Darwin, who was buried in Westminster Abbey, is commemorated by a sundial and plaque on the tower, but his wife Emma and other members of the family are buried in the churchyard. Among the trees in the churchyard is an ancient yew.
St Peter and St Paul's Church is a medieval church, mentioned in the Domesday Survey of 1086, and may date from the C10th. In the churchyard are two ancient yew trees, one in the south west corner by the main entrance and the other in the south east near the chancel. One of these predates the church and may be around 1,500 years old, which suggests that the church may have been built on an existing burial site.
Cudham is an old settlement mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and the parish church may date from the C10th. The fields to the east of the church were used as a sports ground by the early 1930s, crossed by various footpaths. The recreation ground had a cricket pavilion and by the 1960s there were tennis courts. On adjacent land to the east was the Angas Convalescent Home for Sailors, which had opened in 1918 as a branch of the Seamen's Hospital Society Dreadnought Hospital.