Day Out: Mapperton House & Garden

I visited Mapperton House in Dorset a few weeks back with my family. The house has been used as a film location many times, most recently in the Carey Mulligan version of Far From the Madding Crowd.

It is a beautiful house and you can have a guided tour inside which we opted to do. There is some amazing history related to the collection in the house which contains the diaries of Samuel Pepys and Captain Cook.

But, for me, the most interesting part was the Italianate garden, which is in a coombe to the rear of the house.

It is laid out so beautifully with arbours and fountains and statues galore. Each way you turn, you happen upon something else to catch your eye. You can imagine wandering down with your gin and tonic and watching the sun set!

The house is currently occupied by the Montagu family (the Earl of Sandwich, whose ancestor famously was too busy for lunch so just asked for a piece of beef between two slices of bread!) and the tour guides are often surprised at something unexpected that the boys have placed in a room!!

There is also a lovely cafe on site, obviously I opted for a sandwich, albeit smoked salmon, not beef. Mapperton House is a beautiful location and well worth a visit, although quite expensive - we paid approximately £70 for entry and lunch for four of us. 

Love Mrs Jones x