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Highclere Castle |
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Highclere Castle tel: 01635 253210 Area: Hampshire |
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| Visitor Information | www.highclerecastle.co.uk | ||||||||||||
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| Highclere Castle Hampshire All details updated* as of: 18/02/2008 |
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| Opening Days and Hours | |||||||||||||
Gardens: Easter Opening: 23rd Mar - 10th Apr but closed Good Fri & Easter Sat. |
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| Parties
/ Coaches: Yes Groups of 15 or more |
Groups
/ Coaches need Appointment: Yes |
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House
Open for Viewing: Yes |
National
Garden Scheme days: No |
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| Best
Times of Year to Visit: |
To
see: |
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| Admission Prices | |||||||||||||
| Adults £8; Child (aged 4-15) £4; Concessions £7; Family ticket (2a/3c or 1a/4c);£20 Grounds & Gardens only; Adults £3; Child £1 Group Rate (15+); Adults £7; Child £3.50; Concessions £6; School Tour to visit Egyptian Exhibition £4 per child +VAT. Private Guided Tours on Mons in season - £600 for up to 40 people, extra people £15 pp + VAT (or by arrangement out of season) |
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| Onsite Facilities | |||||||||||||
| Parking:
Yes Lavatories: Yes Disabled Access: Yes |
Shop:
Yes Plants for Sale: Yes Lunches: Yes |
Teas:
Yes Light Refreshment: Yes Picnics: Yes |
Dogs
Allowed: Yes On Lead only: Yes Special Events: Yes |
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| Other
Facilities: |
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| Garden Features | |||||||||||||
| 19th May: Countryside Rocks - Bryan Ferry, Eric Clapton, Kenney Jones, Mike d'Abo etc. 27/28th May - Highclere Country Fair 10th June - UCI Highclere Castle Cyclosportive 19th July - Shakespeare in the Park, Comedy of Errors. 4th Aug - Battle Proms 12th Aug - Ferrari Sunday 26/27th August: International Horse Trials 30th Sept - ADP 10K Multi-Terrain Race |
English Heritage Garden Grade: I | ||||||||||||
| National Collection: | |||||||||||||
| Description of Garden | Designer:
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| The gardens, dominated by the enormous pile of the castle itself, feature great stretches of glasshouse in a walled garden built to satisfy the needs of the numerous incumbents of the castle. Of particular note is the tropical house which still grows grapes, oranges, grapefruit, figs and acacia. However, more surprisingly, bananas, rice, coffee and even eucalyptus are also grown here. Apart from the rather gloomy and damp fernery, other glasshouses grow a wide variety of bedding plants including lilies and sweet jasmine. The walled garden is divided in two by a yew hedge with on one side a border of roses and pinks and a bed of scented geraniums. Medlar and quince trees line the end wall along a lavender walk. In the other section is a white herbaceous border and passing through a gate you enter the Secret Garden with curving herbaceous beds and serpentine paths desinged by James Russell. In the parkland there are varieties of azalea and ilex and a cross between an azalea and rhododendron developed at Highclere. |
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| History of Garden | |||||||||||||
| The earliest record of a garden at Highclere dates to 1218 when the Bishop of Winchester, who owned the land, planted 61 fruit trees here. Robert Herbert laid out the early Georgian pleasure grounds with a series of vistas down open roads radiating out from the house. His collection of arches and temples is still visible from the main drive up to the house. however everything else was swept away in a design in the manner of 'Capability' Brown by the 1st Earl of Carnarvon in the late 18th century. He even moved a farm house and some tenants' cottages which interfered with his view. The 2nd Earl in about 1800 planted specimen cedar trees brought back from the Lebanon by Bishop Stephen Pococke, a plant collector who also visited Egypt and studied the tombs there. The 2nd Earl also introduced azaleas and rhododendrons from the Himalayas to replace the existing laurels. However he had first to import vast quantities of peat to neutralise the natural chalk soils of Highclere. The fernery and yew walk were completed about 1860 and, in the 1960's, a secret garden was created by the late Earl. | |||||||||||||
| Nearby Hampshire Hotels, Facilities & Amenities | |||||||||||||
| Hotels
& Accommodation: White Hart, Hampstead Marshall |
Restaurants: |
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| Inns & Pubs: Yew Tree, Highclere |
Villages / Towns
/ Sightseeing: Sandham Memorial Chapel Kennet & Avon Canal Newbury |
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  - Hampshire |
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*Information
Updates
Garden guide and review © Gardens-Guide.com and Armchair Travel Co Ltd Armchair
Travel Co Ltd also operates these Click HERE for more details
0421_Highclere.jpg - Highclere Castle (Hampshire)
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