Hestercombe Gardens
Latest Reviews
This is like Manor House with lots of gardens. You must pay to walk around. The kids loved the small stream that runs around the grounds, we enjoyed a nice picnic. Spent about 4 hours here and still more to see.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
The hard landscaping by Lutyens makes this formal garden outstanding. We probably caught this garden at just the right time, with all the roses out in full bloom. There are three seasonal plantings in the formal garden, it would be interesting to see the garden at different times of the year. We visited Hestercombe enroute from Devon to Berkshire so our time was limited. We walked some of the Victorian garden but time did not allow us to see it all. We also did have time for the house although we did enjoy a drink in the courtyard cafe. Despite not seeing everything we felt that we had had value for money.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Had my wedding photos here in the beautiful gardens in the millenium year before Hestercombe did weddings but would have loved my wedding here! Lovely walks for families and a great place for many events ice skating and Santa. Halloween spooky time, mums tea time for Mother's Day to name but a few!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I visit Hestercombe several times a year as it is ever changing depending on the seasons. Stunning gardens, with incredible views of the vale of Taunton Deane. My grandchildren love the freedom to run, walk and climb. The Cascade waterfall is a particular favourite. It is a great place to meet with friends for a stroll followed by a lovely lunch or coffee and cake! A great shop for gifts and plants next to the cafe! I have yet to try the beautiful new restaurant in the house but it looks lovely for a special occasion. There is an art gallery and 2nd hand book shop in the house too. You'll have great time!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Great this time of year.Has great potential but not as good as it could be for wild life.Quite dead in the winter.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Hestercombe gardens are a great place for walks, in both formal and informal settings. The restaurant and cafe are good eating places and there is a sweet little shop. My favourite thing is also to visit the second hand bookshop in the main house - lts of good stuff and as its manned by volunteers, all the money goes to keep the place restored.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
This is a beautiful place exactly halfway (90 mins )between my Devon friend and I.
The kids just love it ! The lawns, the lake , the exploring !
They particularly love the very well stocked shop.
On Sat we prepared to have a picnic with our very well behaved 4,7,8 and 10 year olds. Litter bags at the ready !
Some very rude middle aged woman and her daughter took it upon themselves to tell us not to disturb the stone work on the floor of some water features which were dry.
The childrens ' feet didn't even reach !!!
They said we shouldn't picnic due to litter !
We would NEVER drop litter !
We pointed out there were no signs .
The place was almost deserted on a Saturday . In my opinion these busy bodies are doing more harm than good !
Wonderful book shop and we will return in spite of the pompous volunteers / visitors !
The kids just love it ! The lawns, the lake , the exploring !
They particularly love the very well stocked shop.
On Sat we prepared to have a picnic with our very well behaved 4,7,8 and 10 year olds. Litter bags at the ready !
Some very rude middle aged woman and her daughter took it upon themselves to tell us not to disturb the stone work on the floor of some water features which were dry.
The childrens ' feet didn't even reach !!!
They said we shouldn't picnic due to litter !
We would NEVER drop litter !
We pointed out there were no signs .
The place was almost deserted on a Saturday . In my opinion these busy bodies are doing more harm than good !
Wonderful book shop and we will return in spite of the pompous volunteers / visitors !
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We visited Hestercombe as part of a package with an overnight stay at the castle hotel in Taunton,which as previously mentioned in my review of the hotel was a gift so I am unable to say whether it is value for money. As reviewed by others the gardens were overgrown but they are woodlands and the paths are clear. The formal gardens are laid out lovely but lack colour, just blues and silver. For the time of year we expected to see a variety of colour. As other reviewers have remarked the house is a wasted visit.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We were looking for an open garden with pleasant walks and nice house. The Gardens were a real pleasure being both open woodland and formal garden.
The slight let down is the house, which after being used by the fire service is in a poor state of repair. If you are into Modern Art you will enjoy the artwork on display throughout the house. Sorry this was not quite my cup of tea so cannot give a fair review on this artwork.
The slight let down is the house, which after being used by the fire service is in a poor state of repair. If you are into Modern Art you will enjoy the artwork on display throughout the house. Sorry this was not quite my cup of tea so cannot give a fair review on this artwork.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I enjoy coming here with my four year old son. The views across the surrounding countryside are outstanding. The landscaping of the gardens with the valley and pond are so beautiful. It's worth having an annual membership to enjoy the gardens throughout the seasons.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Hestercombe is one of the loveliest of gardens I've visited. My three year old loved the water all over the place - ponds, little streams, the occasional puddle - and the flowers were stunning. The house isn't fantastic, but that's not why you go to Hestercombe, you go for the gardens, and they were stunning. Handy that they're a member of the HHA so, as Friends of the HHA, our entry was free.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Really beautiful garden with a good variety of interesting scenery and features including lakes and a high waterfall. Some formal gardens as well and an excellent cafe, gift shop and plant sales. It's a bit steep in places but plenty to see on the flat and mobility scooters areavilable fo hire apparently. Extra treat was a seeing wedding reception. NB They they no longer take the Tesco days out vouchers - since December 2015 so maybe a bit expensive for .a quick visit.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Some parts are excellent but others were a bit disappointing. It's not made clear that you don't have to pay the higher Gift Aid price and may feel awkward just offering the lower price.
You are given a very good map/guide which has all the paths and is easy to follow. Some of these paths behind the house in the Georgian Landscape Garden are steep and being gravelly can be slippery. You do though, gave a choice of routes to take - long or short. Several of us came 11 years and thought it now more overgrown and lacking in interest.
The Watermill was new to us. It would have been helpful to have some notices explaining what all the exhibits were.
The Edwardian Formal Garden was looking a bit tired with a drab colour scheme but the Pergola was as good as ever. The rills were filled with a rampant lily, they used to be clear of plants and just had water which made them stand out more.
The house still has an institutional feel, not surprising given its long history as the Somerset Fire Service HQ but there are some grand rooms on the ground floor. The current art exhibition was not to our taste but the second hand bookshop was a real gem and many of us bought books.
The other gem was the Stables Kitchen Cafe. Lots of seats, inside or out, but under cover. The food is delicious and anyone who can resist their array of cakes deserves a medal. The lunches were very good and were highly recommended.
I get the impression that the Trust is working as hard as it can with the resources it has. They have a mammoth task, 50 acres of ground and a huge house to maintain. It is worth supporting so do go.
You are given a very good map/guide which has all the paths and is easy to follow. Some of these paths behind the house in the Georgian Landscape Garden are steep and being gravelly can be slippery. You do though, gave a choice of routes to take - long or short. Several of us came 11 years and thought it now more overgrown and lacking in interest.
The Watermill was new to us. It would have been helpful to have some notices explaining what all the exhibits were.
The Edwardian Formal Garden was looking a bit tired with a drab colour scheme but the Pergola was as good as ever. The rills were filled with a rampant lily, they used to be clear of plants and just had water which made them stand out more.
The house still has an institutional feel, not surprising given its long history as the Somerset Fire Service HQ but there are some grand rooms on the ground floor. The current art exhibition was not to our taste but the second hand bookshop was a real gem and many of us bought books.
The other gem was the Stables Kitchen Cafe. Lots of seats, inside or out, but under cover. The food is delicious and anyone who can resist their array of cakes deserves a medal. The lunches were very good and were highly recommended.
I get the impression that the Trust is working as hard as it can with the resources it has. They have a mammoth task, 50 acres of ground and a huge house to maintain. It is worth supporting so do go.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
The formal gardens by the house are very interesting and worth a close look - beautiful show of roses and burginia and sedums. Otherwise the rest of the gardens is very much a work in progress. The walks within the combe and the various 'temples', statuary etc are interesting, but overall it failed to meet our expectations.
The house is open to the public but is currently used as a gallery of modern art of debatable quality, which certainly didn't float our boat. The best 'original' room is the dining room which holds portraiture relating to previous owners of the estate.
We wouldn't wish to re-visit in the near future.
The house is open to the public but is currently used as a gallery of modern art of debatable quality, which certainly didn't float our boat. The best 'original' room is the dining room which holds portraiture relating to previous owners of the estate.
We wouldn't wish to re-visit in the near future.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Hestercombe Gardens are stunning, always something different to see throughout the year. Great facilities as well. Highly recommend a visit.
Source: google.com
Brilliant place to visit for all the family.
Source: google.com
Wonderful gardens to wander around. Variety of trees and plants to admire set in beautiful countryside.
Used the 2-4-1 Gardener's World card.
Used the 2-4-1 Gardener's World card.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Popped I before walking around the grounds. No breakfast offerings as such which was disappointing but they did have a secret stash of teacakes behind the counter when we asked. Lovely courtyard seating area and lunch looked super.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
These gardens have featured in top 20 lists of UK gardens to see, so we had been looking forward to the visit with high expectations. We were actually quite disappointed.
The more formal gardens were untidy and weed infestation rife. Even in the Edwardian garden designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll, we gained the impression they were losing the battle in managing the garden efficiently. The wider landscaping structure was impressive but the tree selection was a fairly narrow with little in the way of differing colours and shapes. Most of the wooded areas were dominated by laurel with little in the way of Rhododendrons (apart from one small area) so the colour form was quite plain.
Later that day we day we visited Stourhead, which we felt was far superior.
The more formal gardens were untidy and weed infestation rife. Even in the Edwardian garden designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll, we gained the impression they were losing the battle in managing the garden efficiently. The wider landscaping structure was impressive but the tree selection was a fairly narrow with little in the way of differing colours and shapes. Most of the wooded areas were dominated by laurel with little in the way of Rhododendrons (apart from one small area) so the colour form was quite plain.
Later that day we day we visited Stourhead, which we felt was far superior.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
There is a predictability about the National Trust Properties that we came to rely on. There will be a skimpy, poorly designed web site that's almost comically stingy with information. There will be toilets reliably located at strategic points and dependably clean. There will be a gift shop. Always a gift shop.
Hestercombe is stubbornly resistant to those trends. The web site is splendid and information-rich, eager to persuade you to plan your wedding there. The toilets are harder to find. Of course, there is a gift shop.
The "three gardens" aspect of Hestercombe was interesting. For me, the most engaging was a long walk around the estate, with beautiful views of the manor house from several remote points. The water wheel was a big disappointment.
We were eager to see the last remaining baracks where American soldiers had lived when they were stationed at Hestercombe during World War II. It too was a bit of a disappointment: the information presented there was confined to a few readerboards, and there was forest debris littering the floor.
Hestercombe is stubbornly resistant to those trends. The web site is splendid and information-rich, eager to persuade you to plan your wedding there. The toilets are harder to find. Of course, there is a gift shop.
The "three gardens" aspect of Hestercombe was interesting. For me, the most engaging was a long walk around the estate, with beautiful views of the manor house from several remote points. The water wheel was a big disappointment.
We were eager to see the last remaining baracks where American soldiers had lived when they were stationed at Hestercombe during World War II. It too was a bit of a disappointment: the information presented there was confined to a few readerboards, and there was forest debris littering the floor.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Lovely set of gardens set in a really pretty valley. We started by walking around gardens in the valley. It’s full of lots of paths to take but what you start to realise is that it’s all been planted and designed to highlight a specific view from a specific place. Once you realise that you really get a sense of how much time and thought went into the overall design and how effective is it. I loved the waterfall view from across the other side of the valley most.
Once we had finished walking we stopped by the plant shop to buy some very healthy looking plants then had lunch in the courtyard café – I had the falafel burger for lunch which was great. The courtyard is covered but open so a lovely place to sit. Staff we all great and good value too.
Once we had finished walking we stopped by the plant shop to buy some very healthy looking plants then had lunch in the courtyard café – I had the falafel burger for lunch which was great. The courtyard is covered but open so a lovely place to sit. Staff we all great and good value too.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We went with our grandchildren and their parents to see the transformation of the combe which we used to know many years ago. What a fabulous place it has become - a real haven to refresh the spirits - away from the busy world. The planting and the landscaping are wonderful. The restaurant and the shop are a notch above the usual and it was entirely suitable for all ages. There are even many areas accessible to wheel-chairs/push-chairs.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
nice gardens to walk around but seen better at lower prices. a good example of Lutyens and Jeckyl working together
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Extremely beautiful and peaceful gardens. We went with a couple of friends and decided to have a child free day, which was possibly was a good idea as I think we would of struggled pushing the push chair around.
There is a beautiful waterfall and woodland area. We also went into the house which was full of very 'interesting' art.
There is a beautiful waterfall and woodland area. We also went into the house which was full of very 'interesting' art.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We came here at a bank holiday week end but the woodland walk area & gardens are so big we didn't come across to many people, even the cafe was ok. Do get a free map when you arrive so you can find your way around the gardens, beautiful waterfall in the woodland area but if you have a child's buggy or a wheelchair you will struggle, uneven footpaths & very hilly in places and not many benches. If you do a full circuit could take the best part of an hour.
The formal gardens at the front of the house are beautiful with lots of Wisteria & daisies in the brickwork and quite a few benches around so you can sit and admire the views,
We did go in the house as we are HHA members so it didn't cost us any more but the house is empty except for some strange questionable art work.
The formal gardens at the front of the house are beautiful with lots of Wisteria & daisies in the brickwork and quite a few benches around so you can sit and admire the views,
We did go in the house as we are HHA members so it didn't cost us any more but the house is empty except for some strange questionable art work.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
