How Hestercombe Is Trying to Save The British Ash

**A vision to completely restore Hestercombe is one step closer thanks to a £1.5 million grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund.**: This remarkable donation has enabled Hestercombe to acquire land totalling 320 acres, securing the world-class, Grade 1 heritage landscape, gardens and buildings for future generations. A vision to completely restore...

**Out in the gardens, our gardeners have been making the most of wet days by turning the compost heaps. Head Gardener Claire Greenslade tells us more!**: “We have some bark chip to add into our compost heaps as unfortunately we were forced to fell a couple of ash trees which were suffering with ash dieback. However, this really helps add the carbon needed...

**1940-42**: In July 1940, the British Army established 8th Corps to take responsibility for all British troops in the South West of England, and Hestercombe became the division’s rear HQ. In early 1941 the first six barrack blocks were built with brick bases, concrete block walls and roofs covered with asbestos slates. **1943-44**: The British 8th Corps...

**Hestercombe Shop Blog!! (a little message from Hannah - Shop Manager)** The shop is changing with the new wintery season........there's lots of new and exciting gifts arriving weekly, from stocking fillers to that extra special gift for someone in your life. Locally produced items available to support the area and community, all our cards are personally...

**Get outside this season, breathe in the fresh air and watch Hestercombe gardens come alive with the rich colours of autumn.**: - Autumn at HestercombeSeptember and October sees Hestercombe transformed by the rich shades of autumn; the cold-loving flowers and shrubs begin to bloom, bringing new colours and points of interest to the gardens. On your next...

**Help for heritage as Hestercombe receives lifeline from Government’s Culture Recovery Fund**: - Help for heritage as Hestercombe receives lifeline from Government’s Culture Recovery Fund**Heritage sites protected**: - More help for heritage in need with £14 million investment in England’s historic sites - Hestercombe among 162 organisations...

Have you spotted our exciting new Dogs of Hestercombe exhibition in the Long Gallery, which celebrates Hestercombe's patrons with paws? We love to welcome visitors and their dogs for walks in the garden and a spot of canine ice cream in the Stables Cafe. Earlier this year, volunteer and photographer Daniel McCarthy captured these charming photos of visitors...

Image: 'Quenanville as Antipode' (detail), slideshow + 11 digital prints, 2014_ **Simon Faithfull exhibition '**_Elsewhen_**' at Hestercombe Gallery, Taunton**: 9 March - 30 June 2019 A new exhibition by **Simon Faithfull** brings together a series of works which allow gallery visitors to orientate themselves in relation to places across the planet. Created...

**Chapter Two: The Portman’s & the Church of St. Mary, Hestercombe** “I remember well how, when I came to St. Andrews (Taunton) in 1947, I was faced with a very large and run-down parish, & no curate... and no car. You can perhaps imagine how I thought when I was told that I was expected to take services for an old lady in her private chapel, which was...

**Head Gardener, Claire Greenslade, shares tips on how we’re saving water at Hestercombe**: As you can imagine in the high temperatures we’ve experienced recently the gardens are beginning to suffer from heat exhaustion - just like the rest of us! At Hestercombe we are very conscious of our water consumption and use. We recognise that water is such a...

**The next instalment from the Hestercombe Archives explores the fascinating early history of 'Haegsta’descumb', from 682 - 1391**: **_Written by_**_ _**_Kim Legate, Senior Archivist_**: As far as the valley of Helsdena (Hel... ‘s Valley). Then by a brook to the ford which is called Wealaford (Ford of the Welsh or Celts). And so along the course of that...

50% OFF CHRISTMAS! The Hestercombe Gift Shop is now selling Christmas items for an amazing HALF-PRICE! Plus HOLLY WREATHS and MISTLETOE to bring the outdoors in! Beautiful wooden and fabric decorations and last minute gifts for all the family. From sparkly snowmen to beautiful carved tea light holders the Hestercombe shop has a great range of Christmas...

**Part 2 - Sport, Eating, Hospitals and Tragedy.**: - Mr. and Mrs. Edward Portman will give a ball about January 11 to celebrate the coming of age of Mr. Ivo Vesey, Mrs. Portman’s eldest son by her first husband, Captain Eustace Vesey... To Mr. Portman, indeed, everything connected with dancing is more or less of a bore. He prefers hunting, shooting, or...

**The National Lottery Open Week returns for 2021, offering free entry and discounts at hundreds of venues across the UK this June, including Hestercombe Gardens**: - Hestercombe is proud to be taking part in National Lottery Open Week 2021 to help say thank you for support received from the LotteryTo say thank you for the £30million raised for good causes...

The house opens on Saturday!! The whole team have been busy helping get it up to standard. The Gallery spaces have been reclaimed - this means that the rooms used have not been restored, as this would take much more time and money than is available at the moment, a lovely little 2nd hand bookshop has been created, and a stunning area for a tea room has been...

**Head Gardener Claire Greenslade shares her step-by-step guide on how to sow seeds, from preparing seed trays to hardening off**: **Why sow seed?**: Sowing seed is one of the most easy, satisfying and cheap ways to get growing. March is the perfect time of year to start the majority of seed sowing. Some people start early in autumn, some start seeds off in...

There’s little better than a butterfly fluttering past, a bee buzzing by or a dragonfly darting through when you’re pottering in the garden. You can make those chance encounters more likely by embracing wildlife gardening. Luckily, finding the balance between a wildlife garden and beautiful planting is easier than you might think. Here, we suggest five...

Sunday 23rd September 11.30a.m. to 7.30p.m. Half Price Entry to the Gardens with your lecture ticket... An exciting line up of authors will be appearing at Hestercombe on Sunday 23rd September for the second day of the Taunton Literary Festival. It’s the second year of the festival and the first time this attractive venue has been used and promises to be a...

Some good news from the gardens: our gardeners Ben and Claire have been noticing that there are many more goldfinches at Hestercombe than usual. And rather incredibly for this people-shy species, one is even nesting in a standard rose on the Victorian Terrace! If you have a keen eye for bird spotting, then you may be able to just catch a glimpse on your next...

by Claire Greenslade, Hestercombe’s Head Gardener_ **How do you manage a large garden with a furloughed team and locked down volunteers?!** Who knew that this would ever be a question I would have to ask myself. This virus is something that none of us had been able to prepare for. Since March 23rd 2020 Hestercombe has had to close its gates. Really big...