Gatcombe House stands within the ancient woodlands and historic pastoral landscape of Gatcombe Park which was laid out during the 18th century in the English Landscape Garden tradition.
“A fine lawn spreads its verdant turf before the house and extends to the road. On its side front, a prospect more charming is seen. A beautiful piece of water lies in the bottom, and it is agreeably planted with trees.”
John Hassell upon visiting his friend Colonel Rattray, then dwelling at Gatcombe, in 1790.
We are opening the gardens for ticketed guided tours only, from May 1 2025. The restoration of the grounds at Gatcombe will take a decade, and while we hope to be open to the public more generally in the next few years, for now we can only take groups of up to 30 people on a walking route around the estate.
The Estate Manager, the Estate Gardener and our volunteers will take you on a walk lasting around two hours, and will expand upon the masterplan for the Estate, the history and future of the park, lake and woodland. All proceeds from garden tours go directly towards further investment in the gardens at Gatcombe.
We are proud to be part of the island’s heritage and therefore offer island residents a reduced rate.
Please note: Unfortunately, the park and gardens are not currently suitable for visitors with mobility challenges, including those who have difficulty walking on uneven terrain or who use mobility aids such as walkers or wheelchairs. We are committed to improving accessibility and will be implementing measures to ensure the gardens are fully accessible to all visitors once they are officially open to the public in the future.