Kent

Man dies at Lullingstone Castle after reports of rocks being thrown

Kent police say victim in his 60s, named locally as Charles Hilder, may have been in altercation ‘with two boys or teenagers’

Detectives are investigating the death of a man found dead in the grounds of a medieval castle in Kent after reports of rocks being thrown.

Police said officers looked into reports of a disturbance in the grounds of Lullingstone Castle in Eynsford at 5.21pm on Thursday. They found a man in his 60s who was later pronounced dead at the scene. He has been named locally as Charles Hilder.

A Kent police spokesman said officers had been told that “rocks were being thrown” and that the man “may have been involved in an altercation with two boys or teenagers near to a lake within the grounds” before his death.

The incident followed what locals described as a recent spate of antisocial behaviour in the picturesque village around the 15th-century castle, where a crime scene remained in place on Friday.

Kingfisher Angling and Preservation Society paid tribute to the dead man. A society spokesman said: “The society has been shocked and greatly saddened to hear of [his] death … we would like to pass on our sincere condolences to Charlie’s family and friends.” Formal identification by police is yet to take place.

Lullingstone Castle was built in 1497 and is a popular tourist attraction, featuring a 15-acre lake and several gardens containing international plants.

The estate, near the Brands Hatch racing circuit, has been owned by members of the same family since the 15th century. The current heir, the horticulturalist Tom Hart Dyke, is a cousin of the comedian Miranda Hart.

One villager said a manager at the local cricket club had been “threatened with a broken bottle” earlier this week by a group of young men, in an incident he believes was reported to police.

“It was a thoroughly nasty incident and it scared the life out of the people who were there on an afternoon out,” he said.

Another local, who did not want to be named, said the flowers and hanging baskets of the village shop and pub opposite had been removed and thrown into the road. He said the antisocial behaviour had increased since the lockdown, when more visitors had flocked to the area.

Other residents said villagers had been approached by people trying to steal their dogs, and that a car had been broken into.

One resident, Stephen Jury, wrote to the local Conservative MP, Laura Trott, saying antisocial behaviour in the area had “become a joke and there isn’t a policeman in sight until it is too late”. He added: “There have been several instances over the last week or so. Why does it take the death of an innocent man for something to be done? I just feel for that poor man’s family, but something like this was coming!”

Trott, a former adviser to David Cameron who was elected to represent Sevenoaks in the 2019 general election, urged anyone with information about the incident to contact Kent police on 101.

She added: “I would also like to thank those of you who have been in touch with me regarding increasing antisocial behaviour in the area. This was something I raised with the police and they have reassured me there will be an increased police presence in the area with immediate effect.

“My thoughts go out to the victim’s family and loved ones at this difficult and sad time.”

Eynsford parish council said it was aware of “the dreadful incident … and the other ongoing local policing issues”.

On Tuesday, the council said it had contacted Kent police “following reports of large numbers of visitors and antisocial behaviour over the weekend in the village”.

The Lullingstone Castle Twitter account posted: “If you have seen the news, we just wanted to reassure people that Sarah, Tom [Hart Dyke] and everyone at Lull are safe and well.”