The formal Edwardian Hestercombe Garden has been described as ‘Lutyens at his best’. Designed just before the First World War, a collaboration between Edwin Lutyens hard landscaping and Gertrude Jekyll, weaving her magic with soft planting: a plan of which she left pinned up in the potting shed and is still used for reference. The Victorian mansion with its somewhat dour southern Victorian facade is in contrast to the gardens which reside below on three levels. In the combe north of the house forty acres of Georgian landscaped gardens were created by Copleston Warre Bampfylde, artist of arcadian images at Stourhead. Lost for a century, restoration of these pleasure grounds was started in 1995 by Philip White.
Head Gardener Claire Greenslade gave us a synopsis of the estate’s history in a rather gloomy outhouse yard. We paused at where bats lurk before being led through a dark Victorian Shrubbery along the gravel terrace walk above the pear pond to stop and hear Claire explain about each restoration project and preservation of the 18th century pleasure gardens. Crossing to the other side of the coombe to view the towering Great Cascade in our imagination, as unfortunately the water had been shut down for the morning due to restoration. This was just a taste of the pleasure gardens as there are acres of pathways, statuary and folly to discover amongst mature trees, before reaching Sibyl’s temple (that lass gets everywhere)! Upon returning back to the Mill Pond and 17th century Water Mill with its Dynamo House, Pope’s Urn is passed: nothing to do with Rome but named after an original for the poet Alexander Pope’s Twickenham garden.
Passing to the formal gardens romance is in the air at Lutyens impressive baroque style Orangery set about by romantic planting and rills. To the side and above is the Dutch Garden with its’ dry formality and dark backdrop of trees beyond its walls. Returning to rise by graceful steps to round pool and Victorian Terrace overlooking Gertrude Jekyll’s Great Plat, a large sunken parterre laid out with geometric borders edged with stone. This with the East and West Rills and south facing Pergola enclose and frame the garden, with views of the surrounding countryside.
Below on the outer edge are paths lead to steps up onto the pergola or beyond to stand beside swaying grassland and fruit trees of the countryside. To look back at the rich planting of the pergola flowing down the sides of the high retaining wall and to glimpse the square leaded water tower’s metal pennants, could be to glimpse some enchanted villa.
Hestercombe Gardens are in the care of a charitable trust whose objective is basically to restore and preserve for public benefit, the landscape, gardens and buildings of heritage. In the 11th century the estate belonged to Glastonbury Abbey, then owned by the Warre family from 1391 until 1872 when purchased by the Portman family. In 1951 it became the headquarters of Somerset Fire Brigade and the arts and crafts garden were nearly lost. Learn more about Coplestone Warre Bampfylde at Google’s arts and culture website under artist/story.
Photos and text by Sarah Herrring