A public park, originally laid out between 1740 and 1761 as a picturesque landscape of lakes and waterfalls, forming the setting for a house of the same period. The house was demolished in the 1930s and the landscape park reduced to its current extent during the 19th and early 20th century.

The park was reduced in size through gradual selling off of portions. When the land passed to Sevenoaks District Council in 1935 streets were laid out over the greater part, leaving a 3.5 hectare park as remains today. The lakes are the product of landscaping carried out in the early 18th century. (1)

Bradbourne Lakes Park was acquired by Sevenoaks District Council in 1935. The story of Bradbourne is well-documented from Saxon times, but the years from 1740-61 are the most interesting to this survey. During this period, Henry Bosville utilised a tributary of the River Darent to form a series of ornamental lakes.

The five lakes, linked by waterfalls and sluices, are embanked by stone verges, and covering a distance of a quarter of a mile are no mean feat of water engineering.

Paths follow the lakesides to north and south and the reflections of the muted greens of waterside trees are brightened by the aquatic birdlife. (2)

<1> Kent Gardens Trust, 2011, Bradbourne Lakes Park, Sevenoaks: The Kent Compendium of Historic Parks and Gardens for Sevenoaks District (Unpublished document). SKE17278.

<2> Parks and Gardens Data Services Limited (PGDS), 2005, Parks and Gardens UK (www.parksandgardens.org) (Website). SKE16061.