Groombridge Place Gardens and Enchanted Forest near Tunbridge Wells has been voted one of Britain’s top public gardens in a worldwide poll conducted by travel website TripAdvisor.

It came third in the poll which was compiled by travellers from around the world and TripAdvisor editors. The gardens were voted more popular than Stourhead, Hampton Court, Westonbirt Arboretum and the Lost Gardens of Heligan and were beaten only by Kew Gardens in west London and the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh.

“This is the most amazing compliment and we are absolutely delighted,” said Groombridge Place director Roly Rickcord. “We always make sure that there is plenty for our visitors to see and the combination of the formal gardens and the unusual woodland gardens in the forest seems a winning combination.

“The gardens are still open and October is a wonderful time to visit with autumn bulbs blooming, a kaleidoscope of leaf colour in the forest and the gardens at their most peaceful. We have lots of plans for half term, with spooky Halloween activities and stories, and a fabulous firework event on November 8th, set to the music of Abba and Queen, with a Victorian fairground to entertain visitors before and after the display.”

The sheltered walled formal gardens were designed in the 17th century by John Evelyn and are still laid out in the same style today. A walk along the canal or through the vineyard leads to the Enchanted Forest, with its magical woodland gardens and play areas, including the raised Dark Walk obstacle course, hilltop fort, giant swings and Romany camp.

The house and garden featured as Longbourn, the Bennet’s home, in the recent Pride and Prejudice film which starred Keira Knightley, and there is a museum with a collection of photos taken during filming and an exhibition of period costume. There is also a museum dedicated to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who was a regular visitor at the beginning of the last century. Groombridge Place was also the setting for the Peter Greenaway film The Draughtsman’s Contract.

For more information visit www.groombridge.co.uk or call 01892 861444.