Forde Abbey and Gardens:

Forde Abbey is 12th Century monastery of immense character and charm with 30 acres of award winning, world famous gardens.

Forde Abbey, a magnificent Cistercian monastery (and a private home since 1649), really must be one of rural England's best kept secrets. It is set in spectacular gardens and grounds on the banks of the River Axe and is surrounded by unspoiled rolling hills that provide an unrivalled setting for this truly historic house.

Forde Abbey was founded as a Cistercian monastery in 1140, it is built of deep golden ironstone and has evolved over the years to provide a beautiful country house of immense character and charm. It has been home of the Roper family since 1863 and is believed to be one of the oldest inhabited historic houses of England open to the public today.

Award winning, world famous gardens extending to 30 acres surround the house at Forde Abbey, some of which date from the early 18th century. The majority of the present garden has been developed by the current occupiers to create a garden worthy of the house that it surrounds, the character of which differs so greatly from Spring to Autumn. There is no time throughout the year when things of interest to the gardener and of beauty to the visitor cannot be found, wandering freely wherever they please discovering statues, lakes and a new Ionic Temple and experiencing the tranquility of this delightful garden.

A tour of the house will reveal a host of fascinating treasures including a set of Mortlake tapestries of the Raphael cartoons drawn originally for the Sistine Chapel, and magnificent plaster ceilings of exceptional quality throughout the house.

To keep up with modern times the house has diversified and now puts on a regular annual concert programme as well as being a world famous recording venue for classical music with such musicians as Nigel Kennedy using the facilities. Open from 1999 is a shop and visitor centre to improve the overall experience to the day visitor.

The gardens are open daily throughout the year, 10:00am to 4:30pm

The abbey is open 1:00pm to 4:30pm Easter, Sundays, Wednesday and Bank Holidays from 1st April to the end of October.

Further enquiries should be addressed to: Forde Abbey, Chard, Somerset TA20 4LU. Telephone: (01460) 221290. Fax: (01460) 220 296.

Or peruse other Gardens and Stately Homes:

Gardens only: Abbottsbury, Bicton Park Gardens, Burrow Farm, Kingston Maurward, Rosemoor,

Houses only: Cadhay,

Both House and Garden on same site: Athelhampton, Forde Abbey, Hatch Court

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