The gardens will close at a slight earlier time of 4pm when our Illuminate event is taking place that day during various dates throughout December. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Your visit to Hestercombe
Hestercombe is now a fully cashless venue - only payments by debit or credit card, contactless, Apple Pay and Google Pay are accepted.
As an independent charity, this helps us to save on costs associated with handling cash, such as security, counting, and processing fees, allowing us to allocate more funds directly to our mission.
A guide map showing all accessible routes around the gardens is available from our Ticket Office, and you can also download the guide map (PDF).
If you have any questions about visiting, please contact our Visitor Reception team at info@hestercombe.com
Opening Times
Gardens (winter opening hours)
10am – 5pm, daily (last entry 3:30pm)
Please note: The gardens will close at 4pm when our Illuminate event is taking place that day throughout various dates in December.
Hestercombe will be closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, but will be open daily throughout the rest of the Christmas holidays.
Visitor Reception: call 01823 413923 (10am - 3:30pm)
*Please note: when visiting, use the postcode TA2 8LQ for Sat Nav, or ///fancy.arena.tanks for What3Words.
The Stables & Caffè + Gelato
The Stables: daily, 10am - 5:00pm (last orders 4:30pm)
Enjoy a menu of fresh, locally sourced food and drink including brunch, lunch and afternoon tea.
Reservations: call 01823 414197 (10am - 5pm).
Caffè + Gelato: now closed for the winter.
Enjoy hot and cold drinks, cakes and delicious local gelato Baboo, as well as savoury and light bites.
Both The Stables and Caffè + Gelato are free to enter.
Plant Centre & Gift Shop
Daily, 11am – 5pm
The Plant Centre and Gift Shop is now by the main car park and is free to enter. Pick up a gift for someone special.
Gallery Shop & Second-hand Book Shop
Open daily 11am - 4pm
Gardens admission is required in order to visit the Gallery Shop and Secondhand Book Shop.
Hestercombe House & Gallery
Open daily 11am - 4pm
Gardens admission is required in order to visit the Gallery. See what's coming up in the Gallery
Admission
Join the Hestercombe family and save money!
Enjoy unlimited access to the gardens for a year, plus a range of exclusive benefits, by joining as a Hestercombe member from as little as £4 per month. Find out more about membership
Day admission prices
Adult | £16.90* | |
Child | 4 - 15 years | £8.45* |
Child | Under 4 years | Free |
Family Saver 1 | 1 adult & up to 3 children | £25.50* |
Family Saver 2 | 2 adults & up to 3 children | £42.50* |
Wheelchair User | Half Price** | |
Admission for Tramper user | Please call us before you make a booking on 01823 413923 | Half Price** |
Accessibility
Tramper Mobility Scooter £5.00 (per 2 hour slot)
Ring 01823 413923 or email ahead to book before booking an admission ticket (payment required to secure booking).
Tramper scheme operated by Countryside Mobility, non members of the scheme will be required to join for a fee of £3.00.
**Please read our accessibility webpage for further information to help you plan your visit.
*Gift Aid
If you're a UK taxpayer and you make a Gift Aid donation when you enter of 10% more than the admission price, the UK Government will give Hestercombe Gardens Trust an extra 25% of the full admission price.
If you do not wish to make the donation, then please advise our ticket staff accordingly. Admission prices without a donation are: Adult £15.30; Child £7.65; Family Savers £23.15 and £38.60.
Groups and Tours
Groups and tours enquiries are very welcome – please see our Groups information for further details of what we can offer you.
Have you visited recently?
If you’ve visited Hestercombe recently, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Please take a minute or two to share your feedback in our quick survey and help guide our future.
Important information
- If you wish to visit the gardens, House, Gallery, Gallery Shop or Second-hand Book Shop at Hestercombe, you will require gardens admission.
- Visits to the Stables Restaurant, Caffe + Gelato, Gift Shop and Plant Centre are free, and do not need to be booked.
- To keep Hestercombe litter free picnics are not allowed in the gardens, however, we do have a dedicated picnic area at the entrance.
- Dogs are very welcome on a lead throughout the gardens, shops, restaurant and cafe, and parts of Hestercombe House (excluding the Gallery).
- Partner Gardens members and BBC Gardeners’ World offer-holders must bring their membership cards or vouchers with their booking references in order for their tickets to be valid. Our Partner Attractions are The Bishop’s Palace, Wells, The Garden House, Forde Abbey Gardens, Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Dartington Trust Gardens and Exmoor Zoo. Please be aware that Partner Gardens members need to have full membership to receive half price entry.
- Hestercombe is an RHS Partner Garden, and RHS membership cards are valid for entry from 1st October to 31st March. See the RHS website for further information.
- Hestercombe also participates in the Historic Houses scheme.
- Please pay on arrival if using a Gardeners World 2 for 1 voucher.
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
