Stourhead is a 1,072-hectare estate at the source of the River Stour in the southwest of the English county of Wiltshire, extending into Somerset. The estate is about 2 ¹⁄₂ miles northwest of the town of Mere and includes a Palladian mansion, the village of Stourton, gardens, farmland, and woodland.
When Stourhead first opened in the 1740s, a magazine described it as ‘a living work of art’. The world-famous landscape garden has at its centrepiece a magnificent lake reflecting classical temples, mystical grottoes, and rare and exotic trees, and offers a day of fresh air and discovery.
Uncover the fascinating history of Stourhead house with an Italian ‘Grand Tour’ adventure and enjoy the unique Regency library, Chippendale furniture and inspirational paintings. The Palladian house is set amid ‘picnic perfect’ lawns and extensive parkland.
Explore the 1,072 hectare (2,650 acre) Stourhead estate where chalk downs, ancient woods and farmland are managed for wildlife.
Accessibility
- Disabled parking available in main visitor reception and Spread Eagle Inn car park
- Disabled toilets at visitor reception and Spread Eagle Inn courtyard
- Volunteer-driven shuttle bus service to transport visitors from visitor reception to the house and garden entrances (main season only)
- Induction loop
- Braille guide
- Sensory experience
- Large print guide
- Garden - wheelchair accessible gravel paths with marked routes, steep in places
- House - stair climber available with advance booking, wheelchair to borrow
- Shop - level entrance
- Restaurant - level entrance
- Volunteer-driven 6-seater buggy to transport visitors around the garden
- To read our full access statement please copy this link into your browser (PDF) http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stourhead/documents/stourhead-access-statement.pdf
General
- Restaurant
- Shop - gifts, plants, local produce
- Pub - hot food, drinks, B&B (not NT)
- Art gallery and studio (not NT)
- Farm shop (not NT)
- Ice cream parlour also selling snacks and hot drinks
- Toilet facilities at visitor reception, the Spread Eagle Inn courtyard and the house
- Parking opposite visitor reception, with available shuttle transfer (main season only) to house and garden entrances. Some parking for use of pub and art gallery by the Spread Eagle Inn
- Parking is free for National Trust members, otherwise £4 per vehicle
- Dogs welcome after 4pm in the garden on short fixed leads March - October
- Dogs welcome after 3pm in the garden on short fixed leads throughout November
- Dogs welcome in the garden all day December - February
- Charming holiday cottage right at the entrance to the garden
- Drones and UAV's are not permitted at Stourhead
