Iford Manor Gardens ANCESTRAL Houses and Family Homes “ Find peace and tranquillity” 24 #timeforwiltshire
Great Chalfield Manor > Kelmscott Manor > Stourhead > Abbey House Gardens Rooted in time and place, Wiltshire’s great estates reveal stories that bring the history of England to life. Set against the drama and majesty of the surrounding landscape, these magnificent residences come complete with equally outstanding grounds, from acres of landscaped parkland to intimate formal and informal gardens. Spanning the centuries, grand country properties don’t come much finer than those to be found in Wiltshire. Longleat House, an outstanding example of high Elizabethan architecture. Impressive 18 th century Bowood, with interiors designed by Robert Adam. Wilton House, home to the Earls of Pembroke for over 400 years. As you might expect, legendary horticultural genius Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown was hard at work in 18 th century Wiltshire. The breathtaking pastoral settings which complement these properties today were greatly influenced by his brilliance as a landscape architect. While the grounds surrounding Lacock Abbey - founded in the 13 th century for monastic purposes, before later becoming a family home - are also said to have benefited from his attention. However, he was not the only such genius to have left his mark on Wiltshire. The stunning National Trust garden at Stourhead was designed in the 18 th century by ‘Henry the Magnificent’. Described as a living work of art, it has at its heart a glorious lake, where reflections of classical temples and grottoes shimmer in the water. Home to many rare and exotic trees, the garden is open all year, and from March to October (as well as in the run up to Christmas) you can also visit the Palladian mansion of Stourhead House. Lydiard House, at the opposite end of the county, is another Palladian jewel, renowned for its elegant state rooms, original family furnishings and Elizabethan portraits. It is surrounded by 260 acres of parkland, with a lake and 18 th century walled garden. Designers of note have left their mark on smaller homes of the well-to-do, too. Lesser in size, maybe, but equally rewarding to visit. Thanks to the vision of General Pitt Rivers, Larmer Tree is an extraordinary example of Victorian extravagance, perfectly set amid the timeless downland of Cranborne Chase. The Grade I listed house and enchanting riverside gardens at Kelmscott Manor were the Cotswold retreat of William Morris: poet, designer, craftsman, socialist and founding father of the Arts and Crafts movement. An Arts and Crafts garden also surrounds 15 th century Great Chalfield Manor near Melksham, familiar to many as a TV location from Wolf Hall and Poldark. Iford Manor Gardens, with its romantic Italianate gardens cut into the hillside, provides an Edwardian version of Tuscany. While the 5 acres at Abbey House Gardens, straddling the river beside the 12 th century Abbey Church in Malmesbury, have been restored in recent years by the Pollard family (better known as ‘The Naked Gardeners’). A walled garden is often regarded as horticultural heaven. This is certainly true of three properties in the timeless setting of Salisbury Cathedral Close. Mompesson House, where the garden is bounded on one side by the massive city wall, making it the ideal accompaniment to this charming Queen Anne mansion; Arundells, home of former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath; and The Rifles Berkshire & Wiltshire Museum. The gardens at the latter two properties run down to the river, further enhancing their appeal. Two properties just across the county boundary are equally memorable. Just a quick hop over the Wiltshire border into Gloucestershire, the 600 acres at Westonbirt Arboretum are a record-breaker, with one of the world’s finest collections of temperate trees and shrubs. While 15 th century Chavenage House near Tetbury in Gloucestershire, with its golden stone walls and lichened grey rooves, is the perfect vision of a Cotswold manor. visitwiltshire.co.uk 25
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