Brodsworth Hall & Gardens
About
Brodsworth Hall was built in the 1860s for the Thellusson family, but as the family’s fortune diminished, the house and gardens gradually fell into decline and disrepair.
Today, the Victorian pleasure gardens have been expertly restored to their former glory, and are the perfect place for a family adventure in the fresh air. The house has been gently conserved to tell the stories of the generations of people who lived and worked here. The gardens are ideal for a stroll through the statue walks, the fern dell grotto, and the beautiful dells. With seasonal changes, the gardens provide year-round interest.
History of Brodsworth Hall
Brodsworth Hall was built between 1861 and 1863 for Charles Sabine Thellusson, whose great-grandfather Peter Thellusson, a merchant and banker, had bought the estate in 1791. It survives as a mid-Victorian vision of a comfortable country house, with many of its original furnishings and the formal gardens laid out around it.
Brodsworth had fallen into disrepair by 1990 when it was given to English Heritage. Since then, its fragile interiors have been carefully conserved, while the gardens have been returned to their earlier formality.
Description of Brodsworth Hall and Gardens
Brodsworth survives as a remarkable ensemble of a mid-Victorian country house, with its contents and gardens, lived in and adapted by the same family over three generations. The hall stands at the heart of the gardens newly laid out around it in the 1860s, and overlooks its historic park and wider estate landscape.
Brodsworth’s pleasure gardens of about 6 hectares (15 acres) were laid out at the same time as the hall was being built, with work continuing on them until the end of the 1860s. The gardens are Italianate like the house, and together they provide a remarkable expression of the mid-19th-century taste for that style.
The immediate setting for the house is provided by spacious lawns and terraces, linked by shallow marble steps. A series of white marble statues stand out against the frame of ‘green architecture’ of evergreen hedges and shrub borders.
Further from the house, a succession of areas of different character opens into one another, providing new points of interest at every turn. Brightly planted flowerbeds are laid out around a three-tier fountain, contrasting with the predominant greens of the magnificent topiary and trees. Beyond are a rockwork grotto planted with ferns, a rose pergola, and a quarry garden laced with intertwining paths. These lead to eye-catching garden buildings like the summer house, a viewing point over the house and gardens, and the little target house, which marks the end of a former archery ground.
To the north and east of the hall, less formal areas of woodland planting lie toward the stable block, kitchen gardens, and church (to which there is no public access).
Don’t miss:
- Look out for quirky garden buildings like the target house, game larder, and outdoor loo
- Get adventurous with family events and trails during school holidays and half-terms
- Follow the winding garden walks to discover surprises around every corner
- To protect the listed gardens, we can’t allow dogs at Brodsworth, although assistance dogs are welcome.
Accessibility details here.
Advanced Booking
Book your day ticket to Brodsworth Hall and Gardens online in advance and save at least 10%.
You can book tickets online until 8.45am on the day you want to visit for the price below. You can still buy your ticket when you arrive, but you won’t get the discount.
After booking your day ticket, you can arrive at any time within our opening hours and stay for as long as you like.
Some of our sites can get very busy, especially on bank holidays. The quietest times to visit are before 11am and after 2pm.
Your booking is only for entry to your chosen site or event, and at some sites, you may need to pay for parking – check the facilities webpage of the property for more information.
Note: Open weekends, 10am – 4pm (house closed for winter)