News from Athelhampton House & Gardens.

When you go round Athelhampton House & Gardens, it's always worth looking up. Hidden details feature in almost every ceiling around the house, and the library is no exception. Alfred Carte de Lafontaine refurbished the room in 1893, stripping out the internal walls to create his "Long Gallery," where he could display his antiques. To complement these objects, many of them Tudor and Stuart in origin, he had the room decorated in a suitable style. The ceiling is heavily decorat

Fairly small and unnoticed, compared to the rainbow of the stained glass or the splendour of the roof, two Green Men sit above two doorways in the medieval Great Hall at Athelhampton House & Gardens. A Green Man in Athelhampton's Great Hall We're not sure how old these two particular "foliate faces" are: they may be contemporary with the rest of the 15th century screen they're attached too, or possibly they were added by Alfred Carte de Lafontaine, when he sourced the screen

The newly refurbished art gallery at Athelhampton is a space designed for local artists to exhibit their work, and these temporary exhibitions change regularly. Our new artist, who was installed yesterday, is Silvia Pineda. The Mexican born daughter of a jeweller and a sculptor, artistry runs in Silvia's blood. She's exhibited her paintings in our art gallery before, with her vibrant blend of colour and movement offering a lively contemporary contrast within Athelhampton's hi

In the current hot weather, a visit to Hardy's Cottage, surrounded by shady woodland, felt appropriate. Another visitor attraction local to Athelhampton, Hardy's Cottage has a very different history. Hardy's Cottage with its Cottage Garden A small cob and thatch building, Hardy was still living here when he wrote Far From the Madding Crowd, a novel that is essentially set in Puddletown and at Athelhampton, though both go by different names in the book. In his descriptions of

Looking back through the visitor guidebooks for Athelhampton that have been produced since the 1960s this morning has proved to be a fascinating way of seeing not just how knowledge advances over time, but also how tastes change! 60 years of guidebooks at Athelhampton Research into Athelhampton, the house, and the families who lived here is constantly ongoing: it's only in the last month that we discovered an extra family who briefly owned Athelhampton, meaning that we need t

For a while, there's been a bit of a gap in the shop at Athelhampton. To most new visitors, it probably isn't noticeable, but for returning visitors and to all our staff, it's been a bit of a hole. However, it's recently been filled again! Book and Bucket Cheeses, made in Dorset, in the shop at Athelhampton Our old fridge had broken, and so we were no longer able to offer the various speciality cheeses, drinks, meats, and other local produce that we had done for years. Howeve

The Lion's Mouth Garden at Athelhampton Like much of England, it has been incredibly hot at Athelhampton House & Gardens this May, and one of the warmest spots in our grounds has to be the Lion’s Mouth Garden. Sheltered by old walls and basking in sunshine for most of the day, it becomes a little Mediterranean corner of Dorset. Looking towards the Eucalyptus tree in the Lion's Mouth Garden at Athelhampton Here, heat loving plants thrive, from the silver blue leaves of the Blu

There is always something unique to discover in the shop at, one of Dorset’s most popular visitor attractions and historic houses. From the Anne of Athelhampton trilogy and colouring books, to mugs featuring Gyb the cat and collections of Thomas Hardy poetry, visitors can take home a special reminder of their day exploring one of England’s finest Tudor manor houses and gardens. Lots of products in the Athelhampton House & Gardens gift shop. The newest addition to the Athelham

The team at Athelhampton have spent this week getting ready for what is sure to be a busy May bank holiday weekend. The gardens are blooming in the sunshine, and we're generating so much power with our solar panels we're exporting plenty to the grid. Roses blooming at Athelhampton House So, we're now able to do a great deal for anyone who drives an electric vehicle! Solar panels powering the free EV charging at Athelhampton If you visit Athelhampton this weekend, when you go

Athelhampton House & Gardens is proud to offer one of the largest visitor EV charging facilities at a historic house in Dorset, with 10 electric vehicle charging points available in the visitor car park. Located near Dorchester in the heart of the South West, Athelhampton House & Gardens combines sustainable tourism with one of England’s finest Tudor houses and award-winning gardens. Whether you are exploring Dorset, travelling across the South West, or simply looking for rel

At Athelhampton House & Gardens, visitors can explore more than 20 historic rooms filled with original Tudor features. Among the most striking are the stained glass windows, which bring colour, craftsmanship and centuries of family history vividly to life. Glass is integral to Athelhampton's history, and not just because of the windows that can still be seen today. Stained glass in the oriel window at Athelhampton Stained glass manufacture in England dates back to at least th

Every historic house or stately home you visit is different, especially those that are part of the Historic Houses Association. Some Dorset houses, like Mapperton House and Sherborne Castle, let you go around as part of a guided tour, giving you personalised information and allowing you to ask questions of a guide as you go along. This is an amazing way of spotting small details, and aspects of a house that you might never otherwise have noticed, and is also a wonderful way o

Tucked beneath the eaves of the East Wing, a new perspective on Dorset’s historic buildings awaits. This season, John Lowe brings his work to the gallery at Athelhampton House, offering a thoughtful exploration of architecture across the county. A Dorset Story in Buildings John Lowe’s work is shaped by a long career as an architect and conservation specialist. His paintings and drawings go beyond surface detail, revealing how buildings were designed, used, and adapted over ti

Not very long ago, the Billiard Table in the Library at Athelhampton was almost impossible to play on. The fabric covering its surface wasn't just worn and faded with play and exposure to sunlight. It had suffered from major tears, meaning that the balls would no longer roll true. However, with the imminent arrival of the Oxford and Cambridge Club in Pall Mall to play snooker in our historic Dorset library at Athelhampton, something had to be done! There was no way for them t

Afternoon tea at Athelhampton House & Gardens has been refreshed, with a new and indulgent selection now served in the Coach House restaurant. Guests can enjoy a classic afternoon tea in Dorset, featuring a selection of freshly prepared finger sandwiches, including chicken and bacon, cheese with red onion and mayonnaise, and smoked salmon with cream cheese. This is followed by warm scones, sweet treats such as brownies and apple beignets, and savoury additions including pork

For all that many people think of the Tudors (and, indeed, many of our ancestors in other periods) as being dirty or unhygienic, in reality, they placed a great deal of importance on cleanliness and washing. One piece of evidence for this lives in the silver safe at Athelhampton - one of more than 20 historic rooms open to the public. The pottery aquamanile, depicting a knight on horseback, used for washing hands before dinner This strange looking piece of pottery, showing an

There's just under a week to go until Athelhampton's Spring Market , and excitement is building as we prepare to welcome 65 incredible stall holders. We have invited a host of Dorset producers, growers and makers to sell their produce on Athelhampton's West lawn. The market is free to attend and is open to all to allow everyone the chance to purchase the finest products Dorset has to offer. The house and gardens will be open as well, though normal admission charges apply. Ath

News that plans for a new hotel in Dorchester town centre have been cancelled has generated considerable local interest, particularly at a time when the area is seeing strong visitor demand. Dorchester’s former M&S site, where plans for a new hotel have recently been withdrawn, highlighting the evolving landscape of the town as a gateway to Dorset. The proposed development, which would have brought over 100 additional bedrooms and created around 30 jobs, had received planning

Being open all year round can be lonely at times, especially when our friends at other historic properties close through the winter. Still, as we move through spring, other Historic Houses are beginning to open up again, giving HHA members and other visitors lots of options for places to visit in Dorset. National Trust and English Heritage locations are also beginning to open back up again. Our closest neighbour, Mapperton, has been open since the first of March, with both th

After the last visitors drift away and the gardens fall quiet, Athelhampton settles into a different kind of stillness. This evening the sun hangs low, catching the warm stone of the Tudor manor and drawing out every detail of its façade. Nearby, the great Cedar of Lebanon stands gently illuminated, its branches holding the last light of the day. A fleeting moment in the gardens at Athelhampton, calm and unhurried, before evening takes hold. And before long, a new day will da