On the fringes of the Cotswolds, just ten miles from Bath, lies a Victorian folly resting within the original walled garden of Dyrham Park, one of England’s most distinguished country houses. Once the estate’s potato house, The Walled Garden now stands transformed as a romantic bolthole; its true magic revealed when the back door opens to the scent of clambering jasmine and hum of bumblebees.
“The property was built in the late 18th century,” notes property owner Kate Lockey, a creative who swapped designing shoes for, aptly, gardens. “It was in such a state of disrepair when we bought the land and property, and was completely restored and converted into living accommodation in 2012.” The renovation centred around an open-plan design, intended to bring people together – of a morning, some boiling eggs; some pouring coffee; some reading the newspaper – while protecting its pretty Cotswold exterior.
“The interior layout was designed by my mother. Originally the owner and designer of Hobbs clothing and shoe company, she had sold up and went on to design properties all over Europe. So, I was grateful for her expert advice and help,” she adds. “The rooms have a Scandinavian feel – painted stone and off-white colours. It’s a modern space, with clean lines, lots of linen and modern luxury.” Key to the design, too, is its sublime English garden setting: bi-folding doors encourage indoor-outdoor living, and an Italianate style terrace calls for goblets of strawberries and cream in summertime. “I designed the planting to feel extremely romantic on the outside; dripping with pale pink roses and scented jasmine.”
“It wasn’t the house but the plot that I fell in love with,” Kate recalls. “It was the river, Victorian pool, and views that took my breath away.” And rightly so. The grounds here have a distinctly The Secret Garden quality – ethereal and transportive. Arched gates carved into stone walls, glassy pools, fragrant wild meadows, soaring trees, luscious paddocks and a wooden tree swing. “Leading from the house and stables are steps down to the apple tree walk way and down the grass path to the Gothic door,” she enthuses. “From here, one arrives at the river, waterfall and Victorian pool – this is definitely the most romantic area of the garden.”
At once, you can imagine Mary Lennox wandering about the grounds in a grass-stained white dress; poppies strewn in her apron pocket and a friendly robin atop her shoulder. Kate rhapsodizes: “Lavender and wild roses spill over the sloping bank, retained by a neat yew hedge to create a feeling of privacy and enclosure.” The newest addition to The Walled Garden’s acres of grounds is a natural swimming pond. Guests are encouraged to submerge in its waters during balmy August days – with a pontoon bedecked with sun loungers ripe for sipping homemade lemonade and counting damselflies – or to float atop at nightfall, taking advantage of the stars in all their glory during enchanting midnight dips.
The sheer escapism here is extraordinary – enveloped by a landscape that has endured far beyond those who have tended, loved and left it behind. “A haunt of ancient peace,” to borrow Tennyson’s phrase.
Feeling inspired? Read more of our owner stories, discover the best places to stay in the Cotswolds, or peruse our collection of secret garden escapes.
