National Trust - Rainham Hall - Rainham

W W. H.

Rainham Hall in the village of Rainham Essex has a long and a rich history having had some 50 owners during its lifetime.
From traders to artists and at one stage a nursery.
There are three floors of rooms to explore and each floor has a different story to tell.
Upon entry, one of the National Trusts volunteer guides will set the scene for you before you explore the house. I always find them.both friendly and knowledgeable.
The house has a pleasant garden which you can enter and to the side there is a tea room and also public toilets.
Entry is free to National Trust members. As an adult you can join for just £7.50 a month. There are deals for young people couples,families etc.
There is no car park but there is paid parking nearby or a Tesco Extra a few minutes away.

Nicholas C.

It's unusual in the sense the house doesn't have a permanent display. The history of the place is interesting and they have a different approach to telling it. Which means you have the opportunity to learn about everyone who's lived there. The staff are amazing and polite, they have toilets and a café.

Hannah W.

I was really impressed how much there was to see here despite being small. Had a warm welcome followed by a look in the 2 information sections, one upstairs from the reception and one out in the courtyard showing the information on the history of Rainham Hall.

We then looked around the house, which is spread over 3 floors. The staircase going up to the 3rd floor is difficult if you have mobility issues as it's a spiral one.

The cafe is small but has a nice selection of cakes and sandwiches. There's not much seating, so you may have to wait for a while.

The garden is looked after by the community and has lots to see.

N G.

A well-kept and well-managed National Trust property. I'd have liked to find out a bit more about the original owner. As soon as I hear "shipping entrepreneur... 1700s" I start thinking of the slave trade. I couldn't find out what Earle traded in apart from coal. It's £6 to see the house, the gardens are free. The staff and volunteers couldn't have been more helpful. It has bike parking and the toilets were spotless.

Keith A.

A hidden gem just off the M25. Well worth a visit. Lovely house with a lovely history. A good NT cafe and a lovely garden to see.

shelagh S.

This place is local to me so surprised to see something so lovely in the locality. Beautiful Georgian house. The lady guide was very knowledgeable. You travel through different eras of the house. Very informative. Small cafe and very expensive but hey ho just opposite the courtyard is a pub where you would get a cheaper drink or food. Worth a visit.

Michael R.

A real find, close to home too. This place has a lot of history. The cafe was very good too.

Jay B.

Lovely garden for the kids, they have made a lot of effort to provide activities and it's relaxing at the same time. Nice cafe. We didn't visit the house this time but have done in the recent past and enjoyed that too