The name Quex originates from the Quekes family, wealthy Kentish wool traders who owned the estate during the 15th and 16th centuries.
The area known to the public as Quex Park, is a 250-acre estates and was once the grounds lived in and managed by the Powell-Cotton family. The estate not only had Quex House at its heart, it was surrounded by a working farm with a number stables and barns and employed a number of local residents. Towards the end of the 20th century, as farming practices and demands changed, the estate repurposed a number of these farm buildings, leasing them out to independent businesses.
Now, Quex Park is a thriving multi-use space, and isn’t just home to the Powell-Cotton Trust, but to schools, restaurants, a farm shop, entertainment and activity centres, a garden centre, accommodation, livery and paddocks, the Isle of Thanet Archaeology Society, many creative practitioners and artisans as well as the historically significant Waterloo Tower.
The Events Field in front of Quex House is managed by Quex Park Estates Company (QPEC) and is used to host a number of largescale events. There are also other outdoor and garden spaces across the Park beyond Quex House and Gardens, and visitors are encouraged to check the opening times and availability of these on the Quex Park website.
While the Powell-Cotton Trust owns and manages the Powell-Cotton Museum, including the publicly accessible rooms of Quex House, the Garden belonging to the House, plus areas immediately surrounding the house, the remainder of Quex House and the wider Quex Estate remain in the ownership of Powell-Cotton family descendants. As such, the Powell-Cotton Trust and Quex Park Estates Company are governed by different boards and priorities.
Other businesses with Quex Park are also operated separately and through different governing bodies. But we all work together to ensure visitors to Quex Park have an enjoyable and memorable experience. So whilst the Powell-Cotton Museum, Quex House and Gardens are closed (see our Open Hours), at all times, Quex Park Estate and its restaurants, walks and wonderful attractions remain open and welcome you to visit.
