Hestercombe Gardens

4.6/5 based on 1320 reviews
Latest Reviews
Great space, wonderful views. Man and dog content in unison.
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Wonderful experience
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Shame about administration. Let's hope they survive intact. A piece of our heritage.
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Ran out of time and energy to do the full gardens.
House needs conservation, must have been wonderful in it's day.
It was a great afternoon on our way home.
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What a lovely place which has been rescued by the trust over a number of years . I read that it is no longer viable and is going into administration. Such a pity. I hope the NT or historic England steps in to save this place otherwise it'll probably become another hotel and spa
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Just had a lovely lunch in the stables at Hestercombe . Absolutely delicious and good service. Beautiful place ❤
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Hestercombe House and Gardens is a beautiful place to visit. The gardens are stunning, with small houses, lakes, and hidden paths through the woods. It was lovely to wander with friends before heading to the café for delicious food. The staff were very friendly, and I would highly recommend visiting.
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This RHS partner garden and Historic house members had a lot going for it in the blurb. But it was a little bit of a let down. The house is currently not really worth looking at , there are plans for development but the last owners were the fire brigade and there is very little to see. The Gardens by Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jeykll should be mind blowing , and although there are good points they are looking a little sorry for themselves in parts. Wether this is down to the weather or neglect im not sure. There is a cafe and book shop on site and some lovely walks (somewhat hilly) but all in all it was a little bit of alot down
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Grounds are nice to walk round. Cafe was disappointing.
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Have been there previously and it was very good. But this time we were very disappointed. Apart from the landscaped garden everywhere else was in poor condition. I know the weather hasn't helped and the gardeners are on catch up but even so when you're paying £17 each for entry you'd expect a little bit more. The cafe was ok but unfortunately the cakes all had flies around them so we didn't bother. Shan't bother going again for a while. ☹️
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Lovely place to visit,very interesting history. The house it's self has little furniture in but a lot of
very nice ceilings,floors,wood carvings & paintings. The garden are the creme de la creme of the place stunning like an enchanted garden beautiful. We did stay for Sunday lunch 2 adults 1 teenager & 1 10year old, the roast beef in a giant Yorkshire pudding was beautiful & the other meals were nice so would recommend to eat there,service was good too. All in all a really nice few hours out.
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Nice place
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A wonderful day out combining a hilly walk and stunning views
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I love Hestercombe and now you can look in house. The gardens are glorious but simple, it's small enough for kids to explore all of it including all the beautiful follies dotted around the garden. The weather was too dry to see the cascade but the views from the Gothic Alcove and the Temple Arbour (pictured) are worth the hill!
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Hosted son's wedding here. Really lovely setting, food really good. Highly recommend.
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A beautiful garden we'll worth a visit. The restaurant was excellent.
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Lovely house and great gardens for a stroll! The views are excellent over the valley. The shaded woods walk is perfect for a hot summer day. There is an on site restaurant and book shop. There are also places to picnic in the shade.
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Great place to visit
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Let down, yet again by the catering. Sandwiches ONLY on Sour-bread!!!!
Tried it but not for me!!!!
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Gardens beautiful and house interesting.
Stables restaurant and Cafe, exceptionally good quality food and service.
A return visit a must!
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Paths rather rough and challenging for a mobility scooter.
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Really interesting, lovely gardens to look around.
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Amazing history to the house, and wonderful gardens.
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It's a mystery to me why this garden is an RHS Partner Garden. This is clearly a long-term project.

Both the house and garden are neglected, and little has been done to inform visitors about the future plans.

With the right team, a solid plan, and proper communication, this could become a beautiful place.

It's painful to see it now.
Consider becoming a friend or volunteer to support these people; they desperately need it. As a one-time visitor, I would skip this site.
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Hestercombe Gardens remain beautiful and extensive, and I’ve enjoyed many visits over the years.

The house once featured excellent art and photography exhibitions, but I didn’t renew my membership this year due to noticeable decline. During my final year, the gift shop relocated, the cafe closed and there were no new exhibitions. The estate looked increasingly neglected—shuttered windows with weeds behind the glass, broken features like the turbine generator and A tunnel AV display, and long-closed upper estate paths.

The much-loved self-service café, once offering quick drinks and snacks, has been replaced by a gift shop. The remaining restaurant is overpriced and inefficient for a simple coffee stop.

I understand funding may be limited as a charitable trust, but the absence of a basic café is a missed opportunity. Hosting exhibitions by local artists, college art departments and photographic clubs could revive interest in the house and enhance the visitor experience.
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Latest Reviews
Latest News & Updates

Get a ‘Life is Sweet’ greeting from Hestercombe
17/11/2013

Up and coming Somerset illustrator Angie Spurgeon has secured a deal to have a range of her products stocked by a popular garden attraction in the county from this month onwards (November, 2013). Read article