Hestercombe and the Swan Story

 I posted some photos of our trip to Hestercombe at the beginning of the month. It has taken me a while to get round to showing some more. Hestercombe is an estate just north of Taunton in Somerset. It has the benefit of being up on the hill overlooking the surrounding countryside. The house dates back to 1280 however much of what is visible today of the house and gardens stretches through the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian periods.

I shall start by taking you on a walk around the Georgian Landscape Garden. This pond is known as the Pear Pond simply because of it’s shape. You look down on this as you start out but I will show you a little more of it later.

The landscape garden was originally created in the 1750s by Coplestone Warre Bampfylde. It has been restored and opened to the public in the 1990s. The path takes you past a series of temples, lakes and waterfalls. This is one is know as the Chinese Seat.

There are a series of cascades that feed the small lakes. Unfortunately my photo of the Great Cascade is rather shadowed. It was a sizzling hot day at 11.am. It is an ideal spot for children to play and cool off.

The top pool is called the Box Pond. This Chinese Bridge and small cascade are at the bottom of this. You can see from the pictures that there are only a limited number of people around. The bridge was one place where we had to wait our turn to cross. We had the distinct impression that a lot of the people we met possibly had not been many places since lockdown. They were understandably very nervous and tended to view everyone as if they were highly infectious even at a distance.  

A great deal of restoration has been carried out on many of the temples and follies to try and return them to their further glory. One of the more recent projects has been Sibyl’s temple which has been totally rebuilt.

Note the wasps nest!

Some of the paths are not currently open because of trying to maintain a one way system. The charcoal burners are not accessible however the main path gradually winds up to the highest point where there is a sudden turn which  brings you to the Gothic Alcove boasting  an open view out across the open fields towards Taunton Vale and the Blackmoor Hills.

Like many of the follies you get a better view of the Gothic Alcove as you walk on and look back. The whole idea of the garden design is to offer a series of carefully composed views, designed to look like a landscape painting and inspired by classical views of Italy.

The Temple Arbour is set just off the path as you descend along the main path. It is becoming a little hidden amongst the undergrowth. There was only one gardener working during lockdown in the formal gardens but it is not clear what maintenance was possible in the landscaped garden.

The Witch House is a curious addition to the garden with macabre shapes and statues created from twisted branches.

Like many landscaped gardens features reappear as you wander round. The Chinese Seat is visible again as you drop down to the other side of the Pear Pond.

It is then down to the Mill Pond .

Views of the side of the house are now visible.

There is also a feeling of being back where you start as you glimpse the Octagon Summerhouse which was the first folly that you past when you start out.

Finally I am returning to a photo I posted a week or so ago of the pair of swans with a bit of a sad story. Since our visit the male swan has had to be treated by a vet for leg injuries and was sadly put to sleep. Swans normally mate for life and the female flew off in search of him. She was fortunately found and has been taken to her original home in the hope of finding her a new mate. She may then be able to return to Hestercombe.

A sad note to finish on so here is a taster of the formal Edwardian garden. These fantastic daisy steps connect the formal gardens to the older Victorian shrubbery and then the landscaped gardens.