Plan your visit
🦅Birds✦Heritage🦉Wildlife
Public accessDogs welcome36 ha
Getting here
51.38588, 0.23539
Open directionsv
Franks Hall in Horton Kirby, Kent, is a large Elizabethan country house, completed in 1591. The Grade I listed building remains a private house.
Read more on Wikipedia →English country houseGrade I listed building
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
- 🐦36+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Carrion Crow and Magpie
- ✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
- 🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days
🌤️ Visiting this summer
- 🐦36+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Carrion Crow and Magpie
- ✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
- 🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days
🦅Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Carrion Crow, Magpie, Blackbird +33 more · last seen 2025; Deciduous woodland — woodpeckers, warblers and woodland birds
Free
✦Heritage
Very strong match
Grade I listed building: FRANKS HALL; Historic site with public access
Free
Birds — Carrion Crow, Magpie, Blackbird +33 more · last seen 2025; Deciduous woodland priority habitat
Free
🦋Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Stag Beetle, Banded Demoiselle, Field Grasshopper +19 more · last seen 2025; Semi-improved grassland — butterflies and wildflowers
Free
Dogs allowed with public access
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic
Varies
Trails nearby
Within roughly 5 km5 signed routes nearby · 5 public paths nearby
Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Circular Walk from Darent Valley Path DWalking route▾
Named routeLocal walking route
Darent Valley PathWalking route▾
Named routeLocal walking route
1066 Harold's WayWalking route▾
Named routeRegional walking route
Samuel Palmer TrailWalking route▾
Immerse yourself in the life, work and inspiration of Samuel Palmer on an audio-guided journey through Shoreham and surrounding areas.
Named routeLocal walking route
Southwark Cathedral to OtfordWalking route▾
part A of a route from Southwark Cathedral to Canterbury Cathedral
Named routeRegional walking route
7 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
NCN National Route 1Cycling route▾
Named routeRef 1National Cycle Network
Main RouteCycling route1 km▾
Named routeRef 1Length 1 kmNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt
Main RouteCycling route318 m▾
Named routeRef 1Length 318 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt
Main RouteCycling route139 m▾
Named routeRef 1Length 139 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt
N/ACycling route110 m▾
Named routeLength 110 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt
Main RouteCycling route127 m▾
Named routeRef 1Length 127 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt
Photos
Footpath crosses Franks Lane
Weather for this location
Next 14 daysNearby places
Useful places within 5 km
Wildlife to spot
19,661 records · National Biodiversity Network
Wildlife to spot
19,661 records · National Biodiversity Network🐦Birds36 species
winterspringsummer
2025▾
Carrion Crow · Magpie · Blackbird · Woodpigeon · Robin +31
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- MagpiePica pica
- BlackbirdTurdus merula
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
- RobinErithacus rubecula
- KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- JayGarrulus glandarius
- JackdawColoeus monedula
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2023
- ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos2023
- House SparrowPasser domesticus2023
- PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- Great TitParus major
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Rock DoveColumba livia2023
- Anas platyrhynchos xAnas platyrhynchos x2023
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2023
- StarlingSturnus vulgaris2023
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta2023
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2023
- House MartinDelichon urbicum2022
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- RavenCorvus corax2024
- Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2023
- Tree SparrowPasser montanus2023
- Passer domesticus domesticusPasser domesticus domesticus2023
- Coal TitPeriparus ater2023
- MoorhenGallinula chloropus2022
- Stock DoveColumba oenas2022
- Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2022
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2022
🦌Mammals3 species
summerautumn
2023▾
Grey Squirrel · Common Pipistrelle · Hedgehog
- Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2022
- Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus
- HedgehogErinaceus europaeus2022
Grass Snake
- Grass SnakeNatrix helvetica
Stag Beetle · Banded Demoiselle · Field Grasshopper · Meadow Brown · Small Tortoiseshell +17
- Stag BeetleLucanus cervus2023
- Banded DemoiselleCalopteryx splendens2022
- Field GrasshopperChorthippus brunneus2022
- Meadow BrownManiola jurtina2022
- Small TortoiseshellAglais urticae2022
- RingletAphantopus hyperantus
Common Feather-moss
- Common Feather-mossKindbergia praelonga
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot
19,661 records · National Biodiversity Network🐦Birds36 species
winterspringsummer
2025▾
Carrion Crow · Magpie · Blackbird · Woodpigeon · Robin +31
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- MagpiePica pica
- BlackbirdTurdus merula
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
- RobinErithacus rubecula
- KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- JayGarrulus glandarius
- JackdawColoeus monedula
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2023
- ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos2023
- House SparrowPasser domesticus2023
- PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- Great TitParus major
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Rock DoveColumba livia2023
- Anas platyrhynchos xAnas platyrhynchos x2023
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2023
- StarlingSturnus vulgaris2023
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta2023
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2023
- House MartinDelichon urbicum2022
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- RavenCorvus corax2024
- Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2023
- Tree SparrowPasser montanus2023
- Passer domesticus domesticusPasser domesticus domesticus2023
- Coal TitPeriparus ater2023
- MoorhenGallinula chloropus2022
- Stock DoveColumba oenas2022
- Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2022
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2022
🦌Mammals3 species
summerautumn
2023▾
Grey Squirrel · Common Pipistrelle · Hedgehog
- Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2022
- Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus
- HedgehogErinaceus europaeus2022
Grass Snake
- Grass SnakeNatrix helvetica
Stag Beetle · Banded Demoiselle · Field Grasshopper · Meadow Brown · Small Tortoiseshell +17
- Stag BeetleLucanus cervus2023
- Banded DemoiselleCalopteryx splendens2022
- Field GrasshopperChorthippus brunneus2022
- Meadow BrownManiola jurtina2022
- Small TortoiseshellAglais urticae2022
- RingletAphantopus hyperantus
Common Feather-moss
- Common Feather-mossKindbergia praelonga
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
2022
2022
Common Blue DamselflyEnallagma cyathigerum2022Common Blue DamselflyEnallagma cyathigerum2022Small WhitePieris rapae2021Small WhitePieris rapae2021Batman HoverflyMyathropa floreaBatman HoverflyMyathropa floreaWhite-legged DamselflyPlatycnemis pennipesWhite-legged DamselflyPlatycnemis pennipesAdonis' LadybirdHippodamia variegataAdonis' LadybirdHippodamia variegataNephrotoma quadrifariaNephrotoma quadrifariaNephrotoma quadrifariaNephrotoma quadrifariaAlticaAltica2023AlticaAltica2023EupeodesEupeodes2022EupeodesEupeodes2022Rambur's Pied ShieldbugTritomegas sexmaculatus2022Rambur's Pied ShieldbugTritomegas sexmaculatus202222-spot LadybirdPsyllobora vigintiduopunctata202222-spot LadybirdPsyllobora vigintiduopunctata2022Sicus ferrugineusSicus ferrugineus2022Sicus ferrugineusSicus ferrugineus2022Common BluePolyommatus icarus2022Common BluePolyommatus icarus2022CommaPolygonia c-album2022CommaPolygonia c-album2022Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta2022Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta2022Large WhitePieris brassicae2021Large WhitePieris brassicae2021GatekeeperPyronia tithonus2021GatekeeperPyronia tithonus2021Events & activities nearby
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