Groombridge Place, Manor house in Speldhurst, England.
Groombridge Place is a manor house in Speldhurst, England, built with red brick and surrounded by a stone-lined moat within a protected park. The two-storey structure combines residential rooms with outdoor spaces that feature water channels and terraced planting beds.
A fortified residence stood here from the 13th century and housed a French nobleman as prisoner of the Waller family between 1412 and 1444. The current brick building arose in the 17th century as a replacement for the medieval structure.
The name Groombridge combines 'groom' with 'bridge', referring to a crossing managed by a servant of the manor. Visitors today walk through gardens that reflect 17th-century design principles, with clipped hedges and rectangular parterres arranged in geometric patterns.
The estate opens daily from April through early November between 10:00 and 17:30, with parking available on site. Visitors should bring sturdy footwear for gravel paths and grass areas.
Parts of a medieval house from Court Lodge in Udimore were dismantled in 1912 and inserted into the main front. These reused elements give the facade a composite appearance with older architectural details.
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