Open Days 2026

About this event

The Earls of Darnley were usually buried in Westminster Abbey, but by the late 18th Century, their vaults were full. In his will, the 3rd Earl John Bligh left instructions for a mausoleum to be built in Cobham Park. Designed by architect James Wyatt and exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1783, the mausoleum was built under the supervision of another famous architect, George Dance the Younger. The mausoleum features a square stone building with a prominent pyramid roof rising steeply above. It was completed in 1786, but was never consecrated or used. The mausoleum is the most prominent feature in Cobham Park with the pyramid towering over the tops of the trees. Extensively vandalised in the 20th century and eventually damaged by fire, its future looked bleak until the building was featured in the BBC television series Restoration in 2003. Following successful grant applications to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Union Railways, restoration was undertaken on the condition that the mausoleum transferred ownership to the National Trust. In 2010, Darnley Mausoleum won the 'Conservation and Craftsmanship' category in the Kent Design Awards as well as Project of the Year. The mausoleum opened for visitors in 2014 and is open on selected days between April and September.