Mapperton House & Gardens
Voted ‘Nation’s Favourite Manor House’ by Country Life and location for the 2015 film ‘Far From the Madding Crowd’.
01308 862645
mapperton.com
House open 1st April to 31st October 2017, Sunday – Thursday (closed Friday and Saturday),12-4pm. Guided tours only at noon, 1pm, 2pm and last tour at 3pm.
Gardens open 1st March to 31st October 2018, Sunday – Thursday (closed Friday and Saturday), 11am – 5pm.
Café open 1st April to 31st October 2017, Sunday – Thursday (closed Friday and Saturday), 11am – 5pm.
Mapperton, near Beaminster. Postcode: DT8 3NR
Home to the Earl and Countess of Sandwich, Mapperton is a glorious sandstone manor house and romantic valley garden deep in a lost Dorset combe among tumbling hills and unspoiled countryside. Fifteen acres of gardens descend from the croquet lawn, through the formal topiary down to the arboretum, with wonderful specimens of shrubs and trees.
Dating back to the 1540s, the House was described as ‘notably characteristic’ by Lord David Cecil, and that ‘the different ages combine to create an unexpected and richer harmony’. Guided tours are provided on the hour, allowing visitors to explore the beautifully decorated rooms and discover The Sandwich Collection, an important archive of Britain’s naval history.