Hestercombe Gardens
Latest Reviews
A great place if you enjoy woodland walks and interesting follies. There's an easier flatter route or a slightly moderate hilly climb, we'll worth the effort. When you've finished there's a nice cafe/ tea room with the usual delicious cakes and savouries and a gift shop.
We've also been to a wedding reception here. It's a wonderful venue. Allow an afternoon to really enjoy it.
We've also been to a wedding reception here. It's a wonderful venue. Allow an afternoon to really enjoy it.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Brilliant kids friendly place with the superb traditional tearoom.
Perfect for a day out with family.
Helpful team members and relaxing atmosphere in the restaurant.
Perfect for a day out with family.
Helpful team members and relaxing atmosphere in the restaurant.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Wonderful formal gardens and rills. Lovely walks through beautiful landscapes with surprises at every turn
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
we visited this place because our friends wanted to go there and ,with them not having a car we were able to take them. The gardens must be the loveliest gardens we have seen. They had several features in them and a couple of towers. the house was interesting, we went upstairs into the rooms where we came across a room with the most bizarre [modern art] there. It looked like a total mess to me and looked like a 5 year old had thrown a load of paint onto a wall, but whatever turns you on.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Lovely gardens to spend a couple of hours in. Cream tea tasty too, if a little on the expensive side!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Still good but not as nice as few years ago. Maybe due to dryer weather in 2017
Source: google.com
It is a pleasure to support the Hestercombe Gardens charity by dining in their pleasant cafe. The menu is varied and delicious. Meal is served quickly to your table. Lovely gift shop including plants for sale! Support the cause!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Hestercombe House and Gardens are very well worth at least a half-day visit. Look first at the beautiful gardens below the house, and then grab either a snack in the café by the entrance, or lunch in the restaurant at the main house. Although the house itself is not very noteworthy inside, it's history is fascinating to read. Afterwards, take a walk up through the woodland behind the house. Finish your day with an expensive but absolutely superb cream tea. You won't want any dinner afterwards! Finally, there is a small shop and selection of plants for sale as you leave. We shall certainly return.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Relaxing, dog friendly and always interesting lunch options on the menu.
Source: google.com
Certainly worth a visit - woodland walks, waterfall and beautiful house with formal rose gardens. Good views of Taunton Deane from the top of the hidden valley and the folley can be seen from The Obridge Viaduct if you look to the hills at 10 passed 12 going towards Priorswood.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We had a cup of coffee on arrival and then spent an enjoyable couple of hours walking around the gardens and lakes. There are some stunning views from the higher parts of the gardens.
Unfortunately we didn't have time for a detailed look around the formal gardens but viewed them from the terrace, even from there they looked very nice and I was sorry not to have the time to stroll around them. I'll have to leave that for another visit.
Unfortunately we didn't have time for a detailed look around the formal gardens but viewed them from the terrace, even from there they looked very nice and I was sorry not to have the time to stroll around them. I'll have to leave that for another visit.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Hestercombe had been on our bucket list for quite a while but did not quite live up to expectations. Dominated by a large and hideous house (mainly used as art gallery & wedding venue) the gardens are relatively small and the formal areas quite meagre. The planting did not seem particularly interesting. Sorry.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We attended a family wedding here and had a great day at the gardens! Bear in mind it was mid-February, wet, and cold, as you would expect of Somerset that time of year, but the staff made the day memorable! We started in the orangery for drinks after the wedding, which had been elsewhere, then out to the gardens during a break in the weather for photos, followed by dinner and dancing in the reception area. The staff did a great job making the day and night flow freely and the buildings and gardens are beautiful, even in the beastly weather. Definitely a must-see!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Ever changing gardens . Lovely walks all year
Source: google.com
Really good pleasant and extensive cultivated natural grounds with beautiful formal gardens close to the house. Lovely semi formal dining in the Comom Room and good self service eating in the stables.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
These gardens are of real importance with Lutyen's designs (and his famous benches) along with evidence of the original planting by Gertrude Jekyll. For me, the important thing is that it's all dog friendly (on a lead) The long walk in the wider park is wonderful with the variety of shelters and created views and this contrasts with the formality of the house garden. Paths could be better for mobility scooters but a must visit place for lovers of gardens.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Lovely walk through a woodland garden - cool on a hot day! A few shopping opportunities, 2nd hand bookshop etc. Cafe has good food and drink but a shame they allow dogs in, and all over the furniture.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Great atmos lovely grounds and building wonderful friendly people
Source: google.com
First time visitor, and most impressed by the whole experience. Nice blend of formal gardens, landscape gardens, meadows, orchard, buildings, views and eating places.
Thought the sandwiches in the stable cafe seemed a bit expensive until the waitress brought them to our table - they are a meal on their own!
It's probably worth allowing a few hours to fully explore the place.
Advance purchase of tickets gives you a 15% saving.
2 fo 1 admission available to holders of the Gardeners World card (available with the May issue of the magazine) as well as many other gardens.
Thought the sandwiches in the stable cafe seemed a bit expensive until the waitress brought them to our table - they are a meal on their own!
It's probably worth allowing a few hours to fully explore the place.
Advance purchase of tickets gives you a 15% saving.
2 fo 1 admission available to holders of the Gardeners World card (available with the May issue of the magazine) as well as many other gardens.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Great service and Beautiful landscape
Good value for your money.
All charity should work like this
Good value for your money.
All charity should work like this
Source: google.com
I had read some negative reviews of this attraction before visiting but you need to appreciate that this is a work in progress and will take years to complete. It started 800 years ago, became overgrown and lost now being slowly and lovingly restored. Newish visitor centre and the house is also now open. Formal gardens were a bit disappointing but see my opening comment. It's a fair walk round but well worth the effort, walking shoes recommended. Don't go in the rain. Well signposted and plenty of parking even an electric vehicle charging point. Well worth the visit.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We travelled over 2 hours to visit having seen the gardens on TV and read about them and the house.
Location is a delight, but be aware that the house and gardens are in various stages of early restoration, more so than we had expected.
The house. Overall in poor condition but they are doing their best to use it profitably. Sadly the advertised art gallery was closed, as was too the restaurant the day we visited. This left a short walk around the ground floor and the rather inadequate bookshop. It has nothing on interest, having been cleared from past users.
The gardens. Quite a lot has been done to open up the gardens as they were originally and there is a pleasant 2 hour walk incorporating woods, lakes, several buildings and views all on good walking paths. We enjoyed this part. The formal gardens were disappointing and not what we were expecting after seeing them on TV. Just a few beds planted very different from the original. Clearly lots of work to do, looks like they need a small army of dedicated volunteers to keep it in shape.
Overall we thought it worth visiting. But it is a work in progress and that progress is going to be slow and expensive but the final product in years to come should be well worth it.
Location is a delight, but be aware that the house and gardens are in various stages of early restoration, more so than we had expected.
The house. Overall in poor condition but they are doing their best to use it profitably. Sadly the advertised art gallery was closed, as was too the restaurant the day we visited. This left a short walk around the ground floor and the rather inadequate bookshop. It has nothing on interest, having been cleared from past users.
The gardens. Quite a lot has been done to open up the gardens as they were originally and there is a pleasant 2 hour walk incorporating woods, lakes, several buildings and views all on good walking paths. We enjoyed this part. The formal gardens were disappointing and not what we were expecting after seeing them on TV. Just a few beds planted very different from the original. Clearly lots of work to do, looks like they need a small army of dedicated volunteers to keep it in shape.
Overall we thought it worth visiting. But it is a work in progress and that progress is going to be slow and expensive but the final product in years to come should be well worth it.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Had been waiting to visit here for many years. Sadly disappointed. The gardens look tired and they need looking after. The structure is lovely but the plants don't live up to it.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Everyone seems to agree the gardens are beautiful. But the Christmas market is a must. Busy, bustling and full of choice, it's a must in the run up to the festivities. Very well worth a visit.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Hestercombe is a hidden gem - it's a place you know about, always mean to visit, and just don't get around to.
The estate is split into 3 main areas/gardens, developed at different times. You can explore any or all of these depending on how long you want to spend at Hestercombe. When we visited all of the estate was well looked after, with in particular the Formal Gardens/Great Plat (the work of Gertrude Jekyll) looking stunning in the afternoon sun.
The cafe is nicely located and certainly the lunch we purchased was excellent.
Worthy of special mention was the enthusiastic (and very professional) introduction we were given at the Reception Desk when we arrived at the gardens.
A previous review quotes the admission prices as £11.00, it's actually just under £9 (for an online booking), which is considerably less than the one off admission price to most National Trust houses/gardens.
The estate is split into 3 main areas/gardens, developed at different times. You can explore any or all of these depending on how long you want to spend at Hestercombe. When we visited all of the estate was well looked after, with in particular the Formal Gardens/Great Plat (the work of Gertrude Jekyll) looking stunning in the afternoon sun.
The cafe is nicely located and certainly the lunch we purchased was excellent.
Worthy of special mention was the enthusiastic (and very professional) introduction we were given at the Reception Desk when we arrived at the gardens.
A previous review quotes the admission prices as £11.00, it's actually just under £9 (for an online booking), which is considerably less than the one off admission price to most National Trust houses/gardens.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
