Iford Manor, Wiltshire

[David King]

You do not need to travel to Italy to see good Italian gardens as we have them in this country too.  One superb example is the garden that belonged to Harold Peto at Iford Manor near Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire.

In the twenty years from 1880 Peto actively travelled in Europe and in particular Italy. He not only gathered ideas but was an ardent collector of architectural items avidly adding them to those he found in France and Spain.  He was, of course, not alone in bringing European and particularly Italian design to English gardens but it can be argued he was the best.

It was in 1899 that Peto found Iford Manor, an Elizabethan house with an 18th century classical facade, in the valley of the River Frome.  The approach to the house is fairly steep and the lanes winding but what presents itself is one of the most stunning, romantic and peaceful Italian gardens you will see outside of Italy.

The steep hillside behind the house has been transformed into a series of terraces with woodland behind them.  What adds so much atmosphere to the garden is Peto’s collection of classical and Renaissance artifacts which are placed around the house and garden.  It is, like so many gardens in Italy, very formal but at the same time very natural.  In fact I think if you were to be parachuted in you would think, with the surrounding landscape, you were in Italy rather than Wiltshire.

In his construction more than a thousand trees were removed and the terraces created.  Cypress and Juniper were planted in their place with other planting to add colour and to soften the hard landscape.  On each terrace there is a pavilion or patio each of which is used to display Peto’s collection of artifacts.  The Great Terrace has stone columns and to each side small enclosures almost like chapels in a church but instead with topiary gardens.  At one end there is a semi-circular stone seat from which you look along the Great Terrace towards an 18th century tea room at the far end and to the left of the seat is a stone loggia with tall columns of pink marble from Verona. 

What you must not miss are the Cloisters which were built in 1914 in Romanesque style and decorated with antique fragments. They house treasures beyond belief. Wrought-iron gates from Verona of 1350, a column of green marble from the Roman Baths of Diocletian, the same marble used for the pilasters in St Peter’s in Rome and the Istrian stone Virgin and Child above the gate. Inside the small square open court, surrounded by twin Pavonazzo marble columns from the south of France, is housed a splendid well-head from a convent in Aquilegia, on which the marks made by the rope over hundreds of years can still be seen.

Iford Manor is something of a cross between a formal garden and a landscape garden.  Peto’s treasures are placed around sympathetically and the structure of the garden is clothed in carefully chosen planting enhancing the architectural content. Well worth a visit if you are down that way.

Finally, if you know Brian and myself well you will know that we not only enjoy seeing good gardens but also like good gardens that have good teas!   Should you visit Iford Manor try to do so at the weekend.  It is then the housekeeper provides the cakes.  If  there is chocolate cake/torte on the menu treat yourself to a piece.  It is to die for.  But a word of caution, as far as I remember, it contains a pound of chocolate, is very rich, and it is best to share one piece between two.   So be warned.

[David King]

And a few more.

[Brian Ellis]

Sad to say there was no Chocolate Torte for love nor money as we were there during the week, but you wouldn't think there was a coachload there would you?  I have, of course, got the recipe

[David Nicholson]

It's on my list now. Many thanks for posting David.

[ruweiss]

What a romantic place, thank you so much for showing
it to us.

[fermi de Sousa]

Might have to detour to Wiltshire after the Czech conference in May!
thanks, David and Brian!
cheers
fermi

[David King]

Well worth it. These are the opening times: 

April to September:    Tues, Weds, Thurs, Sats & Suns (& BH Mons), 2-5pm
October:                    Suns, 2-5pm

[David King]

If  anyone is interested I have now put more than thirty pictures of Iford on my web site - (see below).

[fermi de Sousa]

Just back from visiting Iford Manor and all I can say is that it was well worth the effort of getting over here!  A brilliant use of space and splendid use of plants.
Shall write more when we can post some pics.
cheers
fermi

[Brian Ellis]

So pleased you enjoyed it Fermi, we were close by in the last couple of weeks but resisted the urge as there was so much else to do!!