A garden for all seasons
Castle Hill was built in 1730 as the Earl Fortescue’s family home in North Devon. The Palladian House, in which his descendants, the Earl and Countess of Arran are living, is set in a spectacular 18th century parkland landscape with grass terraces and statues leading down to the river and lakes.
To the east side of the house is the Millennium Garden designed by Xa Tollemache, the Chelsea Gold medallist. The large herbaceous borders are edged with box and lavender and an illuminated “topiary” water sculpture was designed and built by Giles Rayner in 2002. From there the path takes you to the formal terraced lawns in front of the house where the eye is drawn across a small country road by a tree-lined avenue towards the Triumphal Arch built as an eye catcher.
Following the path to the west of the house, the woodland gardens are reached where there are camellias , magnolias, rhododendrons, azaleas, hydrangeas, eucryphias planted in abundance together with many other beautiful shrubs and rare trees growing both by the river, along a network of woodland paths and in the Easter Close. Many of the paths, some gentle, some steep, are punctuated with follies, and temples built by each generation of the Fortescue family. The final climb takes you to the Castle perched splendidly on the high hill behind the house with magnificent views of Exmoor, Dartmoor and Lundy Island.
View our gallery|Groups and Coach Party Information | Downloads: Vistor Brochure
Grounds Map
2008 Opening Times:
The gardens will be open from 21st March to 30th September, every day except Saturdays, from 11.00am to 5.00pm.
Groups and coach partiesare welcome at other times by prior arrangement
2008 Admission prices:
- Adults: £4.00
- Senior citizens: £3.50
- Children under 14: Free
- Groups (20+): £3.50
We welcome dogs in the gardens but please ensure that they are kept on leads at all times.
Visit our new Garden Ticket Kiosk and have refreshments before or after your garden walk.
What's Out in the Garden Now
After a very slow and cold start many of the rhododendrons are flowering well above carpets of bluebells. Beech trees have burst into a canopy of lime green leaves and the air is filled with the scent of azalea luteum.
2008 Special Events:| Dates & Descriptions | Special Event |
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Saturday 10th May:
(Starts with a reception at 6.30pm. Tickets are £10 and are obtainable from the Festival Office
01643 831370). www.thetwomoorsfestival.com
| The Two Moors Festival Fund Raising Auction |
Bank Holiday Monday 26th May:
(in support of The National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens) | Plant Fair |
Catering:
- Light lunches and teas are available in the West Wing restaurant on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays
- Hot and cold drinks and snacks are available at other times from our ticket entrance
- Lunches and teas must be pre-ordered by groups and coach parties
Disabled Access:
Parking is available adjacent to the ticket entrance. Access to the formal gardens and terraced lawns in front of the house as well as the riverside walk is possible for visitors in wheelchairs or with limited mobility, but some of the woodland gardens and hilltop castle are only accessible by steep paths.
Other gardens to visit:
Great British Gardens
Broomhill Sculpture Gardens, Muddiford, Barnstaple,Devon
Clovelly Court Kitchen Gardens, Clovelly, Bideford, Devon
Docton Mill Gardens, Lymebridge, Hartland, Devon
Hartland Abbey and Gardens, Hartland, Bideford, Devon
Heddon Hall Gardens, Parracombe, Barnstaple, Devon
Marwood Hill Gardens, Marwood, Barnstaple, Devon
RHS Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Devon