Trosley Country Park

Trosley Country Park
Visitor Centre in Trosley Country Park
Trosley Country Park shown within Kent
OS grid	TQ633610
Coordinates	51°19′31″N 0°20′30″E / 51.3252°N 0.3416°E / 51.3252; 0.3416Coordinates: 51°19′31″N 0°20′30″E / 51.3252°N 0.3416°E / 51.3252; 0.3416
Area	170 acres (690,000 m2)
Created	1976 (1976)
Operated by	Kent County Council,
Status	Open 7 days a week, dawn until dusk
Website	Kent City Council: Trosley Country Park

Trosley Country Park is in Trottiscliffe, near Vigo, in Kent, England. Once part of a large woodland estate then after many changes, it was passed to Kent County Council, who turned it into a large country park.

The country park was once part of the Trosley Towers Estate.

In 1870, Sir Sydney Waterlow, 1st Baronet bought large areas of land including the village of Fairseat (near Stansted, Kent; 1 mile [1.6 km] west of Trottiscliffe), a major section of Stanstead as well as other pieces of land from Wrotham (2 miles [3.2 km] south of Trottiscliffe) to Meopham (2 miles [3.2 km] north of Trotiscliffe). The parts of the estate were linked by a small bridge bearing the family crest over Trottiscliffe Road (which is still in evidence today).

In 1887, he built Trosley Towers on the crest of the escarpment on the North Downs, to the east of Trottiscliffe Road. Two drives approached the house, and it was surrounded by wooded grounds. Later, other private drives were constructed, including Hamilton Drive which still survives within the Trosley Country Park and runs from the site of the old house to Commority Road.

When Sir Sidney died in 1906, the estate passed to his son Philip (Philip Hickson Waterlow, 2nd Baronet (1847–1931), who also became a sir,). When Philip died in 1931, the estate was sold off. Some of the houses (of the estate) were bought by tenants, one of these was Pilgrims House, with 6 acres (24,000 m²) of land, at the bottom of Trottiscliffe Road, which went for £600. Trosley Towers and the woodlands around it were sold to 'Mr E. E. Shahmoon' in 1935, this was also the time of the chalet building.

In 1936, Mr Shahmoon had Trosley Towers demolished and had Hamilton Lodge built along with adjoining stables. One story suggests that the Lodge and stables were built to accommodate the Shah of Persia and his racehorses on his visits to England.

The whole area was still owned by Mr Shahmoon when it was taken over by the army in 1942 during World War II and Hamilton Lodge was to be the HQ of the Army Brigade that was stationed here.

The manor house in the estate was later demolished.