Knole House in Sevenoaks wins heritage award

Knole House was built as part of an archbishop's palace in the 15th Century

A property in Kent has won a heritage education award for the third time.

Knole, near Sevenoaks, has won the Sandford Award which can be applied for every five years.

The National Trust house which is visited by about 3,000 children each year, previously won the award in 2002 and 2007.

Sandford judge Irene Davies said: "Children can learn about the Tudors surrounded by magnificent carving in lofty halls."

She said the house was "steeped in history".

"The children are actively engaged in their learning from the moment they arrive," Ms Davies said.

Helen Fawbert, the house and collections manager at Knole, said: "We have worked very hard in devising our education programme, to engage children in what we are doing."

Deer park

Knole was built as part of an archbishop's palace in 1456.

Set in a 1,000-acre deer park, the palace of Thomas Bourchier, the then Archbishop of Canterbury, was extended by his successors until Henry VIII forced Archbishop Cranmer to hand it over.

In 1604, Thomas Sackville, a cousin of Queen Elizabeth I, became the owner of Knole.

Over 400 years, the Sackville family amassed collections of furniture from royal palaces, paintings, textiles and other objects from around the world.