Gardens open
We’re pleased to announce that Englefield Gardens will remain open as normal. From Monday 9th November, the gardens will be open each Monday, from 10.00am – 4.00pm.
The safety of visitors and staff remains our main priority, so your visit may feel slightly different. Social distancing is essential, both in the car park and the gardens. We ask that visitors act with kindness and consideration to those around them and please only visit us if you are feeling well. The entry fee of £5 (free for children) will be payable into a secure box at the garden gate and visitors must use hand sanitiser, which will be provided, before paying.
We look forward to offering you a warm welcome soon.
Opening times
Our gardens are open to visitors every Monday throughout the year from 10.00am – 6.00pm April to October and 10.00am – 4.00pm November to March. The entrance fee is £5.00 but is free for children.
Please no picnics, ball games or dogs, except guide dogs.
From March to October we are able to accommodate group tours Tuesday to Thursday for a minimum of 20 people. Tours are led by our Head Gardener and must be booked in advance. Email gardens@englefield.co.uk for more information and to book your tour.
Please note Englefield House is a private residence and is not open to the public.
Download our gardens leaflet here, your guide to your visit.
There are no toilet or refreshment facilities at the gardens. The village store in Englefield village is open, but the tea rooms are currently closed.
Parts of the gardens are terraced or on a hillside making wheelchair access difficult in places. If the ground is firm (after dry weather), then it would be possible to view much of the gardens.
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There is an inscription on a stone staircase in Englefield Gardens which reads, “If you help towards Englefield Garden either in flowers or invention you shall be welcome thither”.
This inscription was taken from a letter written in 1601 by Sir Edward Norris, the then occupier of Englefield House, and shows that a garden was managed and cared for on the Estate over four hundred years ago.
However, the origins of the gardens as they appear today were created in the late 1860’s with the building of the stone balustrades and staircases by Italian craftsmen. In 1936 the woodland garden on the hill above the house was created by thinning the forest. At the same time the stream was constructed and the area planted by Wallace & Barr of Tunbridge Wells.
Much of the original planting is still in place and this includes varieties of rhododendron, azalea, camellia, magnolia, hamamelis, parrotia, cornus, davidia and acer. The lower terrace was redesigned in 1974 by the redoubtable landscape architect Lanning Roper.
The grotto at the top of the stream is a more recent addition to the gardens and is lined with a mosaic of pine cones. Near the entrance gates is a children's garden with water jets hidden in four small statues as well as slides and swings - great fun for younger visitors.
A walled kitchen garden has recently been restored to produce many varieties of fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers (access to the walled kitchen garden is only for groups that book in advance).
The gardens themselves are enclosed by our magnificent deer park and provide stunning views over our lake and surrounding countryside beyond.
When to visit
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Early spring when the witch hazel, Camellias, Daphne bhoula ‘Jacquiline Postil’, snowdrops, aconites and daffodils begin to flower.
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March onwards to view the spectacular Rhododendrons in our woodland and the candelabra primula lining the stream edge.
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May when our woodlands are blanketed with bluebells and our rare and stunning Azaleas bloom.
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From late September when the oaks, maples, Liquidambar and other deciduous trees provide a riot of autumn colour.
Our History
The story of Englefield goes back to 871AD when a battle was fought on the hill above the village, marking an important victory by King Alfred over the Danes. The battlefield was named by the Saxons as ‘Anglefield’ or ‘Field of Angles’ which became Englefield over time.
Location and Event Hire
Combining a magnificent setting with a warm welcome and first class service, the Englefield Estate is a unique venue for private and corporate events and a versatile location for filming and photography.
Englefield Village
Englefield Village sits at the heart of the wider Englefield Estate. It is a vibrant community incorporating a range of housing, businesses and community organisations.