The Round House

The Round House sits on the edge of New Romney like some Victorian oddity that nobody quite knows what to do with. It's a genuinely circular building - not hexagonal, not octagonal, but properly round - which made it rather famous when it was built in the 1840s as a private residence. These days it's more a historical curiosity than a destination in itself, but if you're staying at Romney Sands or one of the other holiday parks nearby, it's worth a quick detour to see something genuinely unusual.

What you're looking at is basically architectural eccentricity from an era when the wealthy could afford to be a bit mad about their property. The exterior does most of the talking - the circular design means there are no corners, which sounds clever on paper and looks distinctly odd in person. Most visitors spend fifteen minutes photographing it from outside rather than expecting any grand interior experience.

Historically minded folk get more from it than families with young kids, to be honest. Children might find the shape novelty-value funny for a few minutes, but there's not a great deal to do once you've looked at it. It works best as a "oh, look at that" moment on the way to somewhere else - perhaps combining it with a proper walk around New Romney's shipping canal or heading to one of the Dungeness attractions.

Access and opening details aren't always publicized, so check before you visit if you want to see inside. From Parkdean Resorts Romney Sands it's only 3.2 miles away, making it a realistic afternoon jaunt.