Photo: Hartland Abbey by Greenshed, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
About this place
Hartland Abbey began as a monastery built in the twelfth century, with sources placing its Augustinian foundation somewhere between the 1150s and the 1180s.
It stands in a sheltered valley close to the north Devon coast, and passed into private hands at the Dissolution.
The same family has held it ever since, an unbroken span of ownership that stretches back to the sixteenth century.
The medieval fabric was largely remodelled in the eighteenth century, giving the house a Gothic Revival character that sits in interesting contrast to its monastic origins.
Three walled gardens, eighteenth-century in origin, sit within the grounds alongside a fernery and bog garden added in the Victorian era.
Woodland walks complete the picture, making a visit here worth setting aside a good part of the day.
Plan your visit
Open late March to October, Sundays to Thursdays plus Bank Holidays; check the official website for exact dates and times.