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The Old Downs is a Residential Care Home in Dartford, Kent

Call 01474 702 146 | Castle Hill, Hartley, Dartford, Kent DA3 7BH

The Old Downs Residential Care Home

The Old Downs Bedroom

Call 01474 702 146 | Castle Hill, Hartley, Dartford, Kent DA3 7BH

The Old Downs Residential Care Home

The Old Downs Lounge Area

Call 01474 702 146 | Castle Hill, Hartley, Dartford, Kent DA3 7BH

The Old Downs Residential Care Home

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The Old Downs Care Home in Dartford, Kent

The Old Downs
Residential & Dementia
Care Home

Call 01474 702 146
Castle Hill, Hartley, Dartford, DA3 7BH

Watch the Why Choose Nellsar? video
Download Quick Guide
Download Quick Guide
Book a Visit
Book a Visit
Email us
Call Us
Find Us

Care Home in Dartford, Kent

Welcome to The Old Downs; a residential and dementia care home located in the pretty village of Hartley, Kent.

At the heart of the village

Steeped in history, The Old Downs has been both a private family home and a school since its beginnings in 1887. Nestled at the end of a private, winding driveway and surrounded by greenery, the Home is at the heart of the village community with local shops and transport links to Longfield, London and the Kent coast.

Elegant rooms and period features

Our 41 rooms have been tastefully styled to meet individual tastes, but we encourage our residents and families to personalise their rooms and we are happy to give any assistance with this. No job is too big or too small and our maintenance team are happy to help paint a room, hang pictures, put up shelves or move furniture around. Lift access makes it easy for our residents to move freely around the Home and there is easy access to several gardens and a terraced area. Our Housekeepers work tirelessly to maintain a clean and welcoming environment.

Despite being a period building, the Home is spacious and has been tastefully extended to provide a light and airy conservatory that boasts beautiful views across the valley. Our tearoom and dining areas also provide a relaxing space for our residents to enjoy private time with their friends and family.

Recreation and well-being

Our Recreation and Well-Being Team and Carers support our residents to remain as independent as possible and encourage them to continue enjoying their own hobbies and interests. The team provides activities five days a week, enjoying anything from art and crafts and baking, to watching movies or sports. Our garden overlooks the Fawkham Valley and is the perfect setting for a spot of gardening, a BBQ or just enjoying some fresh air.

With Millbrook Garden Centre, Hall Place and Gravesend Promenade close by we also make the most of our minibus for visiting local places of interest and enjoying country drives. Family and friends are always welcome to join us.

In the warmer months, we enjoy our front-of-house garden which has a BBQ and summer house, with ample shade from the sun provided by the old oak trees. Families are encouraged to join us for a BBQ or one of our many special events. With decorations, entertainment and often fancy dress, all our team members and residents join in with gusto – especially when the karaoke machine appears!

Our gardens attract a great deal of wildlife, particularly the squirrels whose antics are always entertaining! We also enjoy the varied bird life (including our resident woodpecker) and often wild rabbits too.

Well-being and personal care go hand in hand, and we ensure that everyone’s needs are taken care of. We have our own salon with a hairdresser for the ladies and a barber for the gentlemen, plus a well-equipped nail bar for those who would like a manicure. We are also visited by chiropodists, district nurses, speech therapists and eye care specialists. Our Well-Being Team are also available for booking hand-massages, manicures, reflexology and other holistic treatments.

More on Recreation & Leisure

The Old Downs At The Heart
The Old Downs Recreation and Well-being

At the heart of the village

Steeped in history, The Old Downs has been both a private family home and a school since its beginnings in 1887. Nestled at the end of a private, winding driveway and surrounded by greenery, the Home is at the heart of the village community with local shops and transport links to Longfield, London and the Kent coast.

Elegant rooms and period features


Our 41 rooms have been tastefully styled to meet individual tastes, but we encourage our residents and families to personalise their rooms and we are happy to give any assistance with this. No job is too big or too small and our maintenance team are happy to help paint a room, hang pictures, put up shelves or move furniture around. Lift access makes it easy for our residents to move freely around the Home and there is easy access to several gardens and a terraced area. Our Housekeepers work tirelessly to maintain a clean and welcoming environment.

Despite being a period building, the Home is spacious and has been tastefully extended to provide a light and airy conservatory that boasts beautiful views across the valley. Our new tearoom and refurbished dining areas also provide a relaxing space for our residents to enjoy private time with their friends and family.

The Old Downs At The Heart

Recreation and well-being


Our Recreation and Well-Being Team and Carers support our residents to remain as independent as possible and encourage them to continue enjoying their own hobbies and interests. The team provides activities five days a week, enjoying anything from art and crafts and baking, to watching movies or sports. Our garden overlooks the Fawkham Valley and is the perfect setting for a spot of gardening, a BBQ or just enjoying some fresh air.

With Millbrook Garden Centre, Hall Place and Gravesend Promenade close by we also make the most of our minibus for visiting local places of interest and enjoying country drives. Family and friends are always welcome to join us.

In the warmer months, we enjoy our front-of-house garden which has a BBQ and summer house, with ample shade from the sun provided by the old oak trees. Families are encouraged to join us for a BBQ or one of our many special events. With decorations, entertainment and often fancy dress, all our team members and residents join in with gusto – especially when the karaoke machine appears!

Our gardens attract a great deal of wildlife, particularly the squirrels whose antics are always entertaining! We also enjoy the varied bird life (including our resident woodpecker) and often wild rabbits too.

Well-being and personal care go hand in hand, and we ensure that everyone’s needs are taken care of. We have our own salon with a hairdresser for the ladies and a barber for the gentlemen, plus a well-equipped nail bar for those who would like a manicure. We are also visited by chiropodists, district nurses, speech therapists and eye care specialists. Our Well-Being Team are also available for booking hand-massages, manicures, reflexology and other holistic treatments.

More on Recreation & Leisure

The Old Downs Recreation and Well-being

Team Members have always taken a person-centred approach, making every effort to understand my mother’s individual needs

Care services

  • Day Care & Weekend Care
  • Respite Care & Short Breaks
  • Residential Care
  • Dementia Care
  • End of Life Care

Amenities at a glance

  • 41 bedrooms
  • Several lounge areas
  • Light and airy dining room
  • Secure garden and coffee terrace
  • Large Conservatory
  • Dedicated Recreation and Well-Being Teams
  • Nutritional Therapy
  • Onsite Hair and Nail Salon
  • Wi-Fi

A shared Nellsar culture

As part of a group of Care Homes, we are extremely proud of our caring, supportive culture which embodies empathy, equity, professionalism and continuous improvement. Our shared values focus on the individual – from residents to team members – creating an inclusive environment with both residents and team members at the heart of what we do every day.

Food glorious food

Food and nutrition are very important to us; not only for maintaining good health but as an enjoyable and social part of the day. Our Catering Team uses fresh ingredients to create home-cooked meals and sources local produce to create exciting menus. Residents are welcome to take their meals wherever they feel comfortable and our Dining Assistants make sure that mealtimes are relaxed and unrushed. Family and friends are welcome to dine with us any time.

Nellsar is proud to have its very own Head of Nutrition and Wellness, Leni, who spends time with our Chefs, team members and residents to find out about individual likes and dislikes, plus any dietary requirements, to ensure that variety and choice is made available.

More on Nutritional Therapy

More on Food & Dining

Nellsar Care and Cookery Book

Pioneers in the Care Catering industry, the Nellsar Care and Cookery Book celebrates our person-centred care catering and nutritional support. We also share some of our residents’ favourite seasonal recipes and an insight into the wonderful cooking clubs in our Care Homes.

View the Nellsar Care and Cookery Book

Dedicated team members and supportive relatives

The passion and dedication of the Manager and each team member at The Old Downs is clear to see, and many have worked at the Home for several years.

The Old Downs receives wonderful support from relatives, and we hold regular meetings to discuss ideas, listen to feedback and support not only those we care for, but their family and friends too.

If you would like to visit us or simply speak to someone about the care and services we offer at The Old Downs, please call us on 01474 702146.

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Nellsar Recruitment and Careers

Nellsar Care and Cookery Book

Created by our Head Chef Cosmin Cristea, Head of Nutrition Leni Wood, and Head of Catering Services Adrian Silaghi, the Nellsar Care and Cookery book is a celebration of our person-centred care catering and nutritional support. We share some of our residents’ favourite seasonal recipes and an insight into the wonderful cooking clubs in our Care Homes.

View the Nellsar Care and Cookery Book

Nellsar Recruitment and Careers

Recruitment and Careers

Nellsar is a great choice to begin or continue a career in care; we understand how important a work-life balance is and we look after our team members. We strive to offer the best training and ongoing support, across a range of different roles with flexible hours and shift patterns.

Visit our Recruitment Website

Nellsar Values

Nellsar Values

With over 35 years’ experience in caring for the elderly, Nellsar’s defining values reflect the current realities in social care. Our core focus is on supporting the mental, physical, emotional, spiritual and social well-being of our team members and residents, while also sustaining innovation through the use of technology.

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Nellsar Newsletter

Produced three times a year, Nellsar News is our group Newsletter. It gives an insight into our company and life within our 13 Homes.

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Food & dining

Food and Dining

All Nellsar Care Homes offer enticing and healthy menus that cater for every taste, preference and special dietary requirements, including immune boosting and soft puréed foods.

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Recreation and Leisure

Recreation and Leisure

We encourage our residents to remain as active as possible and our Recreation and Well-Being staff organise daily engaging, fun activities for them to enjoy.

More on recreation and leisure

Our Well-Being Team

Nellsar Well-Being Team

Our team of therapists enhance our residents’ sense of well-being and relaxation through nurturing touch. Their services include Massage, Aromatherapy, Reiki and Reflexology.

View our Well-Being services

What's on , in and around Dartford

The local area

Dartford is the principal town in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, England. The town is situated on the border of Kent and Greater London. Learn a bit about the local area and places of interest.

What’s on, in and around Dartford

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As a Nellsar employee you could earn up to £1,000 for referring a friend or family member to join the team! There’s no limit to how many friends can be nominated or how much cash can be earned! A job with Nellsar can be so rewarding – helping fulfil our residents’ lives with friends at your side.

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Work for Nellsar and earn extra cash with our Refer a Friend bonus scheme

As a Nellsar employee you could earn up to £1,000 for referring a friend or family member to join the team! There’s no limit to how many friends can be nominated or how much cash can be earned! A job with Nellsar can be so rewarding – helping fulfil our residents’ lives with friends at your side.

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