The Beatles visited Knole Park in Sevenoaks between 30th January and 7th February 1967 to make promotional films for their double A-side single Strawberry Fields Forever and Penny Lane. John Lennon also purchased a Victorian circus poster from an antique shop in Sevenoaks, which became the source of the lyrics for the song “Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite”. This guide provides further information about The Beatles’ visit to Sevenoaks, followed by directions for a walk which visits each of the key locations relating to their stay.

In addition to this guide, my BBC Radio Secret Kent interview “When The Beatles came to Sevenoaks” is on BBC Sounds and BBC News, plus my afternoon with Robbie from the Chatting Tracks channel is on YouTube.

Local historian and author, Bob Ogley, has also recently released a book called The Story of Knole Park, a comprehensive and heartfelt history of the park, which includes a section on The Beatles visit. His book is available from Sevenoaks Bookshop, or signed copies can be ordered by emailing bobogley129@gmail.com.

The Sackville-West family live in Knole House, a historic country house set in Knole Park, although it is now owned by the National Trust. To hear short extracts of recorded interviews about The Beatles’ visit to Knole Park with Sarah and Bridget Sackville-West, plus Margaret Simmons, who lived on the estate in the Bird House at the time, visit the Knole Stories website.

The Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane single was released on 13th February 1967 in the US and on 17th February 1967 in UK. The promotional films were produced by Tony Bramwell and directed by Peter Goldmann a director of pop shows for Swedish television. The films were shown on The Ed Sullivan Show in the US and Top of the Pops in the UK, the day before the single was released in each of those countries.

Strawberry Fields Forever is credited to Lennon–McCartney but was written primarily by John Lennon. The song reflects his childhood memories playing in the garden of Strawberry Field, a Salvation Army children’s home in Liverpool. The promotional film was shot in Knole Park on 30th and 31st January 1967.

Probably inspired by the line in the song “No one I think is in my tree”, the film shows The Beatles with a piano in front of a dead oak tree. The tree is no longer standing, but at the location marked on the map below there is a stump which is likely to be what remains of the original tree, as there are no other stumps in the area, it lines up perfectly with the background landscape, the evergreen tree above Paul’s head, the row of trees in the field to the right of this and the road where a Mini drives past in the film. See below for an overlay of the scene in 1967 and 2023.

See the original Strawberry Fields Forever Call Sheet listing the props used in the film.

Links to other websites containing  Photographs of The Beatles filming Strawberry Fields Forever.

Penny Lane is credited to Lennon–McCartney but was written primarily by Paul McCartney. The lyrics refer to a street and bus terminus in Liverpool, between Paul and John’s childhood homes. The Knole Park scenes for the promotional film were shot on 7th February 1967.

This film includes scenes from Liverpool, such as the number 46 bus to Penny Lane, the bus shelter on the roundabout, and a fireman riding a white horse, with further street scenes shot in Stratford in East London and King’s Road in Chelsea. There are several scenes of The Beatles riding horses in Knole Park, where you can see the stone arch with The Bird House in the background.

Towards the end of the film, the band are seen sitting at a large table to the side of the two ponds close to The Bird House and stone arch.

Links to other websites containing  Photographs of The Beatles filming Penny Lane.


On the way to the Top O’ the Hill restaurant in Sevenoaks, during their lunch break, John Lennon visited an antique shop a few doors along from the restaurant. This was Andrew Mair’s antique shop at 44a High Street, which until recently was occupied by Leverets, a firm of barristers and solicitors. It was here that John purchased a Victorian circus poster for Pablo Fanque’s Circus Royal appearance in Rochdale.

The poster was the source for most of the lyrics in his song “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite”, although he relocated the circus from Rochdale to Bishopsgate and the horse’s name is Zanthus on the poster rather than Henry. The song appeared on the album Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, released in May 1967.

See a full sized image of the Mr Kite Poster.


In between shooting scenes for the Penny Lane film on the 7th February, The Beatles had lunch at the Top O’ The Hill restaurant at 48 High Street, where they were joined by Micky Dolenz from The Monkees. This was reported in The Sevenoaks Chronicle the following week:

While filming Strawberry Fields Forever in Knole Park on 30th and 31st January 1967, The Beatles used Bligh’s Hotel at 135 High Street as a dressing room.  This is now The Oak Tavern & Tap House.

See the original Strawberry Fields Forever Call Sheet showing that Bligh’s Hotel was booked as a changing room by Tony Bramwell, the Producer of the film.

Following is a walking route that visits the key locations in Knole Park and Sevenoaks described above. The walk is approximately 3 miles (5 Km), with a few moderate inclines and will require approximately 90 minutes to complete, depending on how much time is spent on photographs and contemplation.

It is recommended that you start at the path on the far side of Sevenoaks Town multi-storey car park (the path can be accessed directly on Level 2). From here follow the directions below the map. For those parking in the Knole House National Trust Car Park (booking required), start at point 4.

  1. Walk downhill along the path and through the kissing gate into Knole Park.
  2. Follow the path straight ahead to cross the clearing and walk up the hill (watch out for the deer!).
  3. At the main drive turn left and follow the road (watch out for cars!).
  4. At the first crossroads carry straight on (this road is marked as no entry for cars).
  5. Keep on this road across the next crossroads and up the hill.
  6. Walk past the golf green on the left (watch out for golf balls!) and take the next track on the right.
  7. The tree stump is in open ground up ahead on the right of this track.
  8. Keep following this track to reach the Stone Arch and Birdhouse on the right.
  9. The ponds are on the left of the of the track near another golf fairway (watch out for golf balls again!).
  10. Continue along the track, bear right and then turn left to walk along the back wall of Knole House garden.
  11. Turn right to follow the side wall of Knole House garden.
  12. At the end of the wall carry straight on and follow the path through the woods to the main drive.
  13. Turn left and walk up the main drive through the exit and up to the High St.
  14. Turn right onto the High St.
  15. The site of the antique shop (number 44A) is along the road on the right.
  16. Three doors further along the High Street is the entrance to what was the Top O’ The Hill Restaurant (number 48).
  17. Follow the High St to the site of Bligh’s Hotel (number 135), now The Oak Tavern and Tap House.

To provide any feedback, or arrange a personal or group guided tour, please contact Ian Hooper at ian.hooper100@gmail.com.

See beatlesinkent.com for other historical connections between The Beatles and Kent.

Local Businesses of Interest:

Olaf’s Record Store
57 London Road

The Oak Tavern & Tap House
135 High Street