Kent’s historical landscape is vast and rich, giving us locals a wealth of magnificent castles, stately homes and stunning gardens right on our doorstep.

With a membership to either English Heritage or the National Trust, you can get free entry to many of the county’s fascinating heritage sites. Here are some of the places where members can find Easter activities on a budget during the school holidays…

ENGLISH HERITAGE

Starting with one of Kent’s biggest attractions, Dover Castle, which sits atop the county’s iconic White Cliffs.

The medieval castle is putting on a quest for young adventurers who will need to crack the clues in order to complete the trail and get their hands on a chocolate reward.

The Easter break will also see the Big Brick Build return to the site. The 10-day event gives visitors a chance to make their own piece of the castle’s lighthouse out of Lego, with a team of expert builders bringing it all together at the end to create one large-scale model.

Walmer Castle and Gardens, near Deal, will also be putting on an Easter-themed trail during the school holidays. The Tudor fort boasts beautiful spring gardens and, if you catch it on a sunny day, it’s just a stone’s throw from the beach.

The former home of revolutionary biologist Charles Darwin, Down House, is open over the Easter break and is the perfect place for budding scientists to feel inspired.

Alongside the Easter trail, the site, located in Orpington, has a collection of artefacts and room recreations to help bring the house where Darwin worked on his pioneering theory of evolution back to life.

It’s a little outside of Kent but, if you’re willing to make the trip, Eltham Palace has lots of family-friendly activities going on over the next couple of weeks.

The former royal residence will have its own version of the Easter trail, as well as the stunning art deco mansion, an underground basement and unique playground for the kids.

An English Heritage membership costs £72 per year for adults and £42 per year for 18-25 year olds. Family memberships start from £72 per year and joint adult memberships start from £99 per year.

NATIONAL TRUST

The National Trust looks after more than 500 heritage sites across the country, including a handful right here in Kent.

Emmetts Garden in Ide Hill, near Sevenoaks, is transforming into an Edwardian circus for the Easter holidays. There will be stunt-tastic activities dotted along the outdoor trail and, on select dates, visitors can catch a traditional Punch and Judy show in the meadow.

Medieval manor house Ightham Mote, just outside of Sevenoaks, is giving families a taste of life on the farm this April with their chicken chase.

If you can catch the chicks that have been let loose in the grounds and complete all of the farmyard-themed challenges, you’ll be rewarded with your very own egg – of the chocolate variety, of course.

At Tunbridge Wells’ Scotney Castle, families can get stuck into a good old-fashioned Easter egg hunt during the school holidays.

You’ll pick up your trail sheet and bunny ears from the visitor centre and then follow the clues around the gardens to complete the trail and receive a chocolate treat to take home.

There’s a similar hunt taking place at Chartwell, the former home of wartime prime minister Winston Churchill, in Westerham.

After you’ve trawled the grounds to solve all of the puzzles and complete your trail sheet, you can find out more about the site’s resident honeybees and how honey is made in Kent.

The interactive trail at Knole, in Sevenoaks, features lots of hands-on activities for the kids, including the tin can alley, ‘natural’ musical instruments, butterfly spotting and the Gatehouse Tower maze.

Don’t forget to take a walk through Knole’s beautiful deer park and perhaps bring a picnic so you can sit and watch hundreds of wild deer in their natural habitat.

The world-famous gardens at Sissinghurst will be open over the school holidays, giving visitors a chance to see them in all their spring glory.

Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Cranbrook boasts not only colourful and unique gardens, but also a host of Easter activities such as the egg and spoon race and an outdoor trail that takes you through Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson’s renowned estate.

Finally, let your theatrical side loose with a trip to Smallhythe Place, a 16th century farmhouse and theatre in Tenterden.

The home, once owned by Victorian actress Ellen Terry, is giving visitors a chance to dress up in fantastical costumes, direct their own plays and take part in stunts like sword-fighting.

A National Trust membership costs £96 per year for adults, £48 per year for 18-25 year olds and £12 per year for under 18s. Family memberships start from £103.80 per year and a joint adult membership costs £160.60 per year.