Bradbourne Lakes were originally in the grounds of Bradbourne Hall. Before that, in Saxon times, they were the site of a homestead with a watermill on a tributary of the River Darent.
The series of ornamental lakes were laid out by Henry Bosville who owned the estate until his death in 1761. The estate was bought by the then Sevenoaks Urban Council in 1935 and opened to the public to enjoy.
The lakes are linked by small waterfalls and sluices and there are several paths that circle through the area.
Water from the lakes feeds the River Darent, one of a handful of ecologically important chalk streams in the country.
Location
The lakes are located opposite the Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve, south of the A25 Bradbourne Vale Road.
There is restricted parking available on Betensen Avenue, TN13 3ER.
Bradbourne Lakes improvements
Our ‘Bradbourne Re-bourne’ project will be the biggest overhaul of the Lakes since they were built nearly 300 years ago.
The project will start in 2025 funded by a £1.6 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund (secured in March 2024) and £502,000 of funding from housing developers. The improvements are expected to take about three years.
The Lakes will be drained and restored using reclaimed and locally sourced materials. Sluices and leaks will be fixed.
Green spaces will be planted with wildflowers. Silt will be removed and reused to form new reedbeds and areas for vegetation, improving biodiversity. This will also improve water quality, supporting wildlife in the River Darent.
Paths will be improved and a new natural play area with benches, eco-friendly toilets and homes for bats and birds will be installed.
The Kent Wildlife Trust, South East Rivers Trust, Mind and Historic England are project partners and will run activities to promote conservation, protect the heritage and improve residents’ mental health.
In recent years we employed leisure experts, Land Use Consultants, to seek the views and priorities of visitors, the Bradbourne Residents’ Association and the wider community on the future of the Lakes.
The public told us they wanted action to desilt the lakes and repair the lake edges, repair broken structures and the paths, cut back overgrown vegetation and make changes to support wildlife along with other improvements.
Based on the community’s priorities, Land Use Consultants wrote a detailed vision for the site, which was the basis of the ‘Bradbourne Re-bourne’ project.
The £1.6 million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund is subject to a detailed Delivery application being submitted.