Abbey House Gardens, Heritage garden in Malmesbury, England
Abbey House Gardens is a five-acre property surrounding a Tudor country house built on the former grounds of Malmesbury Abbey, featuring formal flower beds and woodland sections. The site combines architectural elements spanning centuries, from medieval foundations to contemporary garden designs.
The house was constructed over a late thirteenth-century undercroft with Early English architectural features, possibly commissioned by Abbot Walter of Colerne. The gardens took their current form in the 1990s when new owners redesigned them into distinct garden rooms and terraced woodland areas.
The gardens show how private owners transformed historical grounds into distinct outdoor rooms, each with its own character and purpose. Visitors see how former monastic land now serves as a peaceful retreat for exploration and reflection.
The gardens are open on scheduled days from May through October, with informed volunteers on hand to share details about the site. The grounds feature both flat formal areas and sloped woodland sections, so visitors should wear suitable footwear for varied terrain.
The property maintains connections to its monastic past while operating under new private ownership with continued public access to the gardens. This balance between preserving history and managing modern use becomes visible when walking through the site.
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