Forde Abbey near Chard in Somerset is surrounded by 30 acres of landscaped gardens featuring 5 lakes and a magnificent fountain as well as an arboretum and a wonderful bog garden.
Founded nearly 900 years ago by Cistercian monks, Forde Abbey survived the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539. The monks, of course, were forced to leave but, unusually, the abbey remained intact. It eventually became a family residence after being deserted for 100 years. As a result, much of the medieval building remains and from the outside little appears to have changed. However, in the 17th century, the owner refurbished the abbey with panelling and decorative plasterwork, all of which is still there. The Great Hall is magnificent with a splendid grand staircase and Mortlake tapestries.
The history of Forde Abbey is fascinating with connections to Monmouth’s Rebellion and some of the greatest thinkers of the 19th century. It’s still a private house and it’s for the gardens that most people visit the abbey today. Water is a significant feature and is stored at the top of the gardens in the Great Pond, the only monastic feature in the gardens that remains.
Forde Abbey near The Castle at Taunton, perhaps the finest luxury hotel near Forde Abbey, is wonderful for a few idyllic hours at any time of the year.
Other beautiful features of Somerset worth visiting include: Dunster, Exmoor, the Blackdown Hills and the Brendon Hills, the Lorna Doone Secret Valley, the Mendip Hills, Porlock and Porlock Weir, the Quantock Hills, the Somerset Levels and Wells. |
