Westonbirt House and Gardens, Gloucestershire, England

Lewis Vulliamy designed this Victorian building in the 1860s for Robert Holford.  It has 200 acres of gardens and an orchid collection.

Robert Holford was one of the wealthiest men in Britain in the 19th century and wanted a house to reflect his social status. He had inherited the property from his father in 1839 and started to enlarge the park and gardens, employing William Broderick Thomas to plant more trees on site and create an arboretum. He also started to collect orchids and create the Italian garden that’s there. Later on, he commissioned a new house from Lewis Vulliamy, replacing the Elizabethan manor on the site with this elaborate Victorian building, built between 1863 and 1870. It was one of the most expensive houses built during the Victorian period. Inside, it’s equally elaborate: some of the walls are decorated in original 19th-century silk wallpaper and embossed Cordoba leather. The fireplace in the great hall is made of Carrara marble and the library has its original built-in bookcases. 

The house has been a boarding school since 1928 but it’s sometimes open to visitors.



Westonbirt House and Gardens, Gloucestershire, England
Westonbirt House and Gardens, Gloucestershire, England

Temporarily Closed !

Opening Hours

Monday:
09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday:
09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday:
09:00 - 17:00
Thursday:
09:00 - 17:00
Friday:
09:00 - 17:00
Saturday:
09:00 - 17:00
Sunday:
09:00 - 17:00
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