Manor House Gardens: A Hidden Jewel For Family Fun In Lewisham

Image © Manor House Gardens

Situated in Lee, Lewisham, Manor House Gardens has lots to offer, whether you’re looking for a new picnic spot for lunch, wanting to spend some quality family time outdoors or want to spot out some local wildlife, you can do it all here!

Accredited with The Green Flag Award, which recognises and rewards well managed green spaces and parks across the UK, Manor House Gardens is a clean and well maintained park. With wide, buggy and wheelchair friendly paths and lots of open green space, it’s the perfect location for a fun-filled family day out.

Kids will love the children's playground and spotting wildlife at the gardens fountain lake. With tennis courts and a multi-sports ball court, there is plenty here to keep the kids entertained. Toddlers in tow? Head to the Manor Gardens Library situated within the grounds for one of their weekly sing-a-long baby classes.

Manor House Gardens is a great family-friendly park and we’ve rounded up all you need to know before you go!

Children’s Activities: Little adventurers will love the children’s playground which is well equipped with slides, swings, climbing frames and obstacle courses.  Once they’ve had enough of the playground, you’ll also find multi-sport ball courts, tennis courts and a multi-purpose sports pitch within the garden grounds.

Manor House Gardens Ice House: If you’re looking for a little insight into the history of the Manor House Gardens then you’ll love the historic Manor House Gardens Ice house. Built in 1773, it’s open to visitors on the first and third Sunday of the month from April to September 3pm - 5pm.

Manor House Gardens Lake: Spot some local wildlife at the Manor House Gardens Lake, situated in the centre of the park with its very own water fountain, there are several viewing platforms where you’ll be able to see plenty of ducks, Egyptian geese, swans and moorhens. Make sure to visit the garden park cafe beforehand to stock up on some duck and squirrel food!

Flower Gardens: Take a leisurely stroll around the park and you’ll find their wild flower area and a walled flower garden - a great spot for taking some family photos.

Manor House Gardens Library: Another great reason to head to Manor House Gardens is their on-site library, great for some downtime before heading home for the day. The library hosts drop-in story time classes for children every Monday at 11am and Rhyme Time, with music and nursery rhymes every Wednesday at 11am. It’s a big hit with kids, so definitely worth a visit if you’ve got young children! Manor House Park Library also hosts a number of events throughout the year such as book sales and vintage and craft fairs and they run several clubs in the evenings with craft clubs and yoga classes. Manor House Library is open Monday to Friday 10am - 6pm, Saturdays 10am - 4pm and is closed on Sundays. Please be aware that these times may be subject to change due to COVID-19 and that the library is currently only open for click and collect at reduced hours. Visit their Facebook page for updates and information on upcoming events.  

Manor House Gardens runs a farmers market 10am - 3pm every Saturday where you can pick up some local produce.

Local plant and flower stalls are often held by the cafe.

Throughout the year the park hosts pop-up cinema nights and there is also an annual House Gardens Festival which is a fun day out for the whole family!

Make sure to check out Friends of Manor House Gardens Facebook page for updates on upcoming events.

Built up an appetite? Manor House Gardens is the perfect park for a picnic, you’ll find ample grassy areas and shaded spots and a number of park benches where you can set up for lunch. If you want to stock up on snacks and picnic essentials there is a local shop close to the Manor Lane entrance, a Sainsbury’s at Lee Green which is five minutes away and a Marks and Spencer’s on Lee High Road. Alternatively, head to Pistachios in the Park, a great family-friendly cafe situated in the heart of Manor House Gardens. Serving up a great selection of local, freshly prepared hot and cold food with an extensive kids menu, you’ll find options to suit the whole family.  The cafe has both outside and indoor seating areas so you can enjoy whatever the weather.  

Make sure to visit the cafes Facebook page for news on any upcoming events - Summer BBQ’s are often on the agenda which you won’t want to miss out on!

There are public toilets in the park, one female and one male toilet, both wheelchair accessible and with baby changing facilities. Due to COVID-19, the opening hours have been reduced. The toilets are currently open Thursday - Saturday 11am - 4pm. You’ll also find toilets in the Manor House Library.

Please note that the children’s play area and selected areas of the gardens are dog-free zones however, there are dog exercise areas which are clearly marked around the park.

By Car: You’ll find the main Old Road entrance, London SE13 TA and alternative entrances to the park on surrounding roads; Manor Lane, Taunton Road and Brighfield Road. You’ll find limited pay and display parking spaces on the surrounding roads which are free on the weekends.

Train: The park is within 15 minutes walking distance from either Hither Green or Lee station or a 20 minute walk from Blackheath.

Bus: Bus routes 202, 122, 178, 21, 321 and 273 all run along Lee High Road which is a five minute walk from the park.

If you are looking for more fun days out with the family, be sure to check out Kidadl's extensive resources of all the best parks and open spaces to take the kids to.