Penshurst Place and Gardens is the ancestral home of the Sidney family who were given the house and parkland by King Edward VI in 1552. The fortified manor house, with one of the few medieval halls surviving in England today, was originally built in 1341. Extended over the centuries, it is home to a collection of staterooms containing a wide variety of antiques, works of art and textiles. The 11 acre garden features a series of ‘rooms’, some of which have remained largely unchanged in their architectural design since the 1560’s, along with several herbaceous borders, a unique Union Flag garden and many varieties of roses, tulips and trees. The Toy Museum was opened on 1st July 1970 by  William Sidney, 1st Viscount De L’Isle, and features a wonderful collection of toys and games for visitors to see and enjoy, including many that were donated by Yootha Rose, stage designer, artist, and royal toymaker. There is also an adventure playground, a Woodland trail for nature walks and exploration and facilities for schools including lunch rooms, tours and toy workshops.