The Friars Aylesford Priory
Aylesford, Mid Kent
Image: The Friars, AylesfordThe Friars is a medieval priory, home to Carmelite friars who first came here in 1242 and returned in 1949. Explore the courtyards, chapels and gardens, feed the ducks, watch the potters at work and stop at the tea room in a thatched barn. It is free, suits families and quiet visitors alike, and fills a relaxed couple of hours.
Highlights
- Medieval buildings around the Great Courtyard, including the 13th-century Pilgrims' Hall
- Chapels from the simple Cloister Chapel to St Joseph's Chapel
- The Rosary Way, Peace Garden and duck pond
- Art by the Polish artist Adam Kossowski
- A pottery making hand-made Japanese-glazed stoneware
Good to know
- The tea room and gift shop are in a restored 17th-century thatched barn
- Lunch is served in Pilgrims' Hall
- The priory guesthouse has 80 bedrooms for overnight stays
- Open-air Mass is held at the main shrine in summer
Getting there
The Friars Aylesford Priory, The Friars, Aylesford, Kent, ME20 7BX
Get directionsChecked on 15 October 2026 against thefriars.org.uk. Details change, so please confirm with the venue before you travel. How we check
Nearby
Image: Visit Maidstone (Maidstone Borough Council)Cobtree Manor Park
Cobtree Manor Park occupies the site of the old Maidstone Zoo on the edge of Aylesford. More than 50 acres of parkland carry two waymarked walks and a sculpture trail, and there are two play areas, one themed on the former zoo. With a café, toilets and baby changing on site, it is a practical free outing for young families.
Image: Kent LifeKent Life
Kent Life is a heritage farm attraction at Sandling, just outside Maidstone, home to more than 200 farmyard animals from pigs and goats to donkeys and alpacas. Stroll the nature trail, meet the animals and check the calendar for seasonal events such as hops and harvest, fireworks and Christmas. It is aimed at families with young children and is dog-friendly in most areas.
Image: Kent Wildlife TrustTyland Barn Nature Park
Tyland Barn is the headquarters of Kent Wildlife Trust, a restored 17th-century barn with a small nature park showing off Kent habitats from woodland and wetland to meadow. Follow the short accessible nature trail, look for bugs under logs and in the bug hotels, and finish at the Pond Café in the barn. It is an easy, buggy-friendly outing for families with young children.