Gardens · South West England
Stourhead
In or near Silton.
Wiltshire's 18th-century classical landscape garden — the original Pantheon-and-lake idyll.
Lewis Clarke — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1 h–2.5 h
- Best time of year
- Spring & summer (Apr–Sep)
- Nearest railway station
- Gillingham · 8.9 km
- Paid entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Stourhead, the nearest railway station is Gillingham, located 8.9 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is BA12 6QF, and entry is paid. Accessibility information is not provided.
About
Stourhead in Wiltshire is the most-recognised English landscape garden — laid out by Henry Hoare II between 1741 and 1780 around an artificial lake, with a circuit walk past a Pantheon, a Temple of Apollo, a Grotto and a faithful copy of the Bristol High Cross. The Palladian house at the centre completes the ensemble. National Trust.
Photo gallery
Summary from the official site
Stourhead is a historic estate in Wiltshire known for its stunning gardens and neoclassical house. Visitors can explore the expansive gardens, which feature a variety of plants and scenic views, as well as tour the house to learn about its history and architecture.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Stourhead () is a 1,072-hectare (2,650-acre) estate at the source of the River Stour in the southwest of the English county of Wiltshire, extending into Somerset. The estate is about 4 km (2+1⁄2 mi) northwest of the town of Mere and includes a Grade I listed 18th-century Neo-Palladian mansion, the village of Stourton, one of the most famous gardens in the English landscape garden style, farmland, and woodland. Stourhead has been part-owned by the National Trust since 1946.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Visiting
The Temple of Apollo is featured in Joe Wright's 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice as the site of the proposal scene between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.1083, -2.3194
- District
- Wiltshire
- Parish
- Stourton with Gasper
- Postcode
- BA12 6QF
- Parliamentary constituency
- South West Wiltshire
- Phone
- +44 1747 841152
- Established
- 1721
- Nearest railway station
- Gillingham — 8.9 km
- Opening
- Daily 9:30am–4:30pm; House 11am–4pm; closed 24–26 Dec
- Official site
- www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Sources
- manual: stourhead-garden (manual)
- wikipedia: Stourhead (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Featured in these 3 guides
Other places nearby
Stourhead House
Historic houses · 0.0 km
Stourton with Gasper
Other places · 0.3 km
Stourhead Gatehouse
Follies · 0.3 km
Stourhead Obelisk
Memorials & monuments · 0.4 km
Church of St Peter, Stourton
Historic churches · 0.4 km
Stourton
Villages · 0.5 km
Bristol Cross
Memorials & monuments · 0.5 km
The Temple of Flora at Stourhead
Follies · 0.5 km
Temple of Flora
Follies · 0.5 km
Wessex Ridgeway Trail
Mountain bike trails · 0.5 km
Stourhead Gardens
Gardens · 0.5 km
Palladian Bridge
Historic bridges · 0.5 km
Nearby
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Stourhead House
Stourhead House — a other in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
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Places to eat & drink
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The Old Bath Arms
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Stourhead?
- Stourhead is in South-West England, United Kingdom (postcode BA12 6QF), in the parish of Stourton with Gasper.
- What is Stourhead?
- Wiltshire's 18th-century classical landscape garden — the original Pantheon-and-lake idyll.
- How do I get to Stourhead?
- The nearest railway station is Gillingham, about 8.9 km away. Drivers can use postcode BA12 6QF.
- When was Stourhead built?
- Built or established in 1721.
- Who owns Stourhead?
- Stourhead is owned by National Trust.
- Is Stourhead a listed building?
- Stourhead is officially recognised as Grade I listed.
- Is Stourhead a protected site?
- Yes — Stourhead is part of the Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs National Landscape (AONB).
- How do I get to Stourhead?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode BA12 6QF. It sits within the South West Wiltshire parliamentary constituency.