Notice
Please be aware that Hestercombe will be closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, but will be open daily throughout the rest of the Christmas holidays.
This event is fully booked
Join us for an intellectual evening as we host our annual Bampfylde Lecture - held each year on the anniversary of the birth of former owner Coplestone Warre Bampfylde - with guest speaker Marcus Chilton-Jones MA, Curator of RHS Garden Bridgewater.
Marcus will deliver a lecture on the restoration of RHS Garden Bridgewater, one of the largest gardening projects undertaken in Europe in recent years. This lecture will give audiences the chance to hear more about the transformation of this 154-acre green space, and much like Hestercombe, how green spaces that embrace a site's heritage enrich the lives of local communities and protect the environment for the future.
If you would like to enjoy a Supper with us before the lecture, consisting of two-course and a small glass of wine, please add this in addition to your ticket(s).
Marcus Chilton-Jones MA
Marcus Chilton-Jones started in the new role of Curator of RHS Garden Bridgewater in January 2017. He joined the project from the Dorothy Clive Garden in North Staffordshire, where he worked as Curator for eight years.
After I finishing his apprenticeship with National Trust he worked on a restoration project at Morden Hall Park in southwest London. He then moved on to Berryfields, former location of BBC Gardeners’ World.
Marcus is passionate about his role in creating a garden on a site that has a history of gardening that's been lost for over 100 years and his personal ambition "for Bridgewater is that it becomes the number-one garden in the north west of England".
The person he admires most in the gardening world is "Lancelot Capability Brown. He was the leading landscape architect of his day and his legacy 250 years on is massive - there are more than 190 'Capability Brown' landscapes across Britain".
Tickets
This is an event aimed at raising funds for Hestercombe's continuing restoration and preservation work.
Tickets are priced at £10 for non-members and £8 for members. Members will be given priority booking before remaining tickets are released widely.
Help us continue our important restoration work
Membership at Hestercombe
Join today and enjoy unlimited access to Hestercombe for a whole year
Described as “one of the top twenty gardens to visit in the country”, Hestercombe is always beautiful throughout the year. Join today and enjoy great value: unlimited access to Hestercombe with prices from £4.21 per month.
Your membership includes:
- Unlimited access to Hestercombe Gardens for a year from date of joining for the Member, guests and children according to membership type
- 10% dining discount at The Stables Restaurant
- Unlimited 'bring a guest' privileges during March and September
- 20% Gift Shop Discount during November when you spend £10 or more
- Half price entry for visitors accompanied by a Member of Hestercombe (one visitor per member)
- Free children's trails available throughout the year
- Free events such as Spring Fair and Fun Dog Show
- Special members’ discounts on many of our events throughout the year
- Our 'members first approach' with members receiving 24 hours priority booking for our most popular events, such as Mother's Day, The Bampfylde Lecture, workshops and most importantly, our winter events such as the Christmas Market, Father Christmas and ILLUMINATE.
- Full colour e-newsletters and ‘What’s On’ emails to keep you up to date with news and events
- Half price entry to our partner attractions: Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Forde Abbey Gardens(half price garden entry only), The Bishop’s Palace, Wells(available for full membership only), The Garden House, Dartington Trust Gardens,Exmoor ZooandGlastonbury Abbey(half price garden entry only).
Give a Gift of Membership to friends and family and they too can enjoy all the benefits of membership.
See Membership Options
Event Location
Bampfylde HallHestercombe Gardens
Cheddon Fitzpaine
Taunton, Somerset TA2 8LG
