Hestercombe Gardens
Latest Reviews
We had an enjoyable afternoon at Hestercomb Gardens and we had a terrific Sunday lunch in the cafe, it was plentiful and all well cooked . I believe the cafe has recently changed hands and we wish the new management the best of luck.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Let down, yet again by the catering. Sandwiches ONLY on Sour-bread!!!!
Tried it but not for me!!!!
Tried it but not for me!!!!
Source: google.com
Gardens beautiful and house interesting.
Stables restaurant and Cafe, exceptionally good quality food and service.
A return visit a must!
Stables restaurant and Cafe, exceptionally good quality food and service.
A return visit a must!
Source: google.com
Paths rather rough and challenging for a mobility scooter.
Source: google.com
Really interesting, lovely gardens to look around.
Source: google.com
Interesting place to visit. The house is empty of furniture but still interesting to walk around. The gardens are lovely to walk around with formal planting.The cafe was nice. We only had 3 teas and 2 cakes and it did cost £19.50 which is a bit steep.
The plant sales area was definitely understocked (almost empty)and was just closing so if we had wanted to buy anything we were told we had to walk all the way back to the book shop to pay. Not ideal.
All in all a nice afternoon
The plant sales area was definitely understocked (almost empty)and was just closing so if we had wanted to buy anything we were told we had to walk all the way back to the book shop to pay. Not ideal.
All in all a nice afternoon
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Amazing history to the house, and wonderful gardens.
Source: google.com
Beautiful wooded landscape up through the valley. The sun was shining, birds were singing and it was a wonderfully peaceful place to be walking. I did feel that far too much laurel had been planted though, seemingly to cheaply and easily fill in gaps. It meant colour was not as plentiful as it could be. Lutyens formal gardens were lovely and were obviously very well planted and tended. Well done the garden team.
My gripe would be food and drink. I wanted a cafe for a quick coffee stop but there wasn't one. Instead they have gone down the rather hoity toity route with a head waiter who pretty obviously looked down his nose at us. I don't need to be waited on and I don't want to pay extra for something I don't need. Inflated prices don't help either. Get rid of it. Make it a cafeteria style, reduce prices by 20%, I'm not going to pay £4.50 for an average slice of cake. Maybe have a separate coffee and snack 'to go' outlet where you can just pick something up without being seated. The restaurant is pretty obviously there to sting the foreign coach parties of which 3 were there. Finally the house. Get some interesting exhibitions going. It was good to read the history of the place but it could have been put into two rooms, not spread out thinly over lots.
My gripe would be food and drink. I wanted a cafe for a quick coffee stop but there wasn't one. Instead they have gone down the rather hoity toity route with a head waiter who pretty obviously looked down his nose at us. I don't need to be waited on and I don't want to pay extra for something I don't need. Inflated prices don't help either. Get rid of it. Make it a cafeteria style, reduce prices by 20%, I'm not going to pay £4.50 for an average slice of cake. Maybe have a separate coffee and snack 'to go' outlet where you can just pick something up without being seated. The restaurant is pretty obviously there to sting the foreign coach parties of which 3 were there. Finally the house. Get some interesting exhibitions going. It was good to read the history of the place but it could have been put into two rooms, not spread out thinly over lots.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
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.
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.
Source: google.com
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.
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.
Source: google.com
One of the most beautiful gardens in England, lovely walks through woods, pretty structural features, and endless flowers.
Source: google.com
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 AV tunnel 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 and enhance the visitor experience.
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 AV tunnel 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 and enhance the visitor experience.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Hestercombe gardens are beautiful, well worth a visit.
On the downside, the café only sell cakes on Monday and Tuesday. We went in after 12.00 expecting to be able to buy something savoury, sandwich etc only to be told not available on these days. Very disappointing.
On the downside, the café only sell cakes on Monday and Tuesday. We went in after 12.00 expecting to be able to buy something savoury, sandwich etc only to be told not available on these days. Very disappointing.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Great place to visit at any time of the year.
Source: google.com
Beautiful spot, a really lovely garden to walk around. Would definitely go back. 5 stars for the garden, 3.5 for the food.
We went to the cafe, only a few vegan options, I have a very nice pea soup, the bread though was very dry. Husband had beetroot falafel salad and he was sure they were cauldron (brand) ones, not freshly made. Overall though, nice spot for lunch, good service and fairly priced
We went to the cafe, only a few vegan options, I have a very nice pea soup, the bread though was very dry. Husband had beetroot falafel salad and he was sure they were cauldron (brand) ones, not freshly made. Overall though, nice spot for lunch, good service and fairly priced
Source: google.com
It's a good place to take a good walk and see beautiful flowers
Source: google.com
Friends have recently moved to Somerset and found this gem. They have joined so we got half price entry! There are so many delights to find along the well-kept trails and the formal gardens are absolutely stunning. We were very lucky with the weather as it was a beautiful sunny day. There's not an awful lot to see in the house, but it was obviously grand in it's day. The gardens are most certainly the highlight. Stunning views across the county.
Source: google.com
The gardens are beautiful and we particularly love walking through the woodland with the lovely bluebells on show. What does annoy us is the cafe is now a restaurant and a formal “ wait to be seated”set up. A woman is wandering around flashing menu’s around at 11.am when all we want is a coffee and maybe a cake. The management are obviously on a money making scheme and this is very off putting. The old cafe has now been turned into a book lending snug! Last summer we enjoyed having a coffee and occasional cake on the lawn but that’s all gone now.
Another irritant is the Wedding events . We were sitting on a bench in the landscape garden when we were told to leave as the bride would be walking past ! What a cheek if they don’t want the public there then the bridal party should have to pay Hestercombe to close it down that day to the public like other large venues do.
The grounds are wonderful but the way the place is run is not.
Another irritant is the Wedding events . We were sitting on a bench in the landscape garden when we were told to leave as the bride would be walking past ! What a cheek if they don’t want the public there then the bridal party should have to pay Hestercombe to close it down that day to the public like other large venues do.
The grounds are wonderful but the way the place is run is not.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
This is a beautiful place great gardens where dogs are more than welcome but not in the actual house theirs a lovely place to buy food and plants we had a great day
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Lovely garden
Source: google.com
Fabulous place!
Source: google.com
Gardens are beautiful. Lovely walk. The house was lacking furniture. The rooms are empty due to it being turned into a gallery but there was no paintings. Very friendly
Source: google.com
Beautiful gardens of amazing design, friendly staff, brilliant bookshop!
Source: google.com
Beautiful grounds. Interesting house. Friendly staff.
Source: google.com
Would have been 5 stars as the place is beautiful and I love that the walk round has bits to see everywhere, keeps it interesting. All staff at reception were super friendly and helpful. My only criticism and hopefully its constructive is the cafe. It was our first visit, so no idea how it works. We were given menus and asked to be seated and "someone will come and take your order" After 10/15 mins no-one came so I went back inside to place our order to then also be told what wasn't available. Would have been helpful to be told "please come back inside and order and be aware these items are no longer available/sold out." Would have taken a lot less time. Other than that the visit was amazing and I joined as a member. Thank you.
Source: google.com
