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Last updated on 05 May 11
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Ickworth House and Park

  2.8/5 (4 ratings)
  • Silver Garden, Ickworth House and Park Photograph © National Trust
  • Rotunda, Ickworth House and Park Photograph © National Trust

Gardenvisit Editorial

The house was built 1794-1830 with a great central rotunda and curved corridors and flanking pavilions. Ickworth was set in a park designed by Lancelot Brown in 1769. The 'Italian' garden, planted with hedges and specimen trees, is Victorian. It is believed that the garden was set out during the early 1820s following the families two year tour of French and Italian gardens and is also thought to be the first Italian style garden of its kind created in this country. It predates the usual floral Italian style being an essentially evergreen landscape garden with what is believed to be the first raised terrace walk (1820s), separating the garden from the "Brownian" landscape. The layout of the formal garden echoes the floor plan of the Mansion with corresponding corridors (avenues) and rooms centred on an axial pathway that represents the Rotunda. It has a Victorian Stumpery, Silver Garden, Golden garden, Spring garden and a Magnolia garden "rooms".
Address - Horringer, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, IP29 5QE
Opening times - All year. Daily. Closed for Christmas. Open 10am to 5pm (11am to 4pm from November to February). Park open all year daily 8am to 8pm or dusk.
Website - Visit the Ickworth House and Park website

Designers and Influences

This garden has been designed and influenced by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown

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Reviews and Comments

Have you visited this garden?

  • about 1 year ago Pete said

    There is something grand about Ickworth. The Rotunda is an impressive structure - and I'm sorry but the house is no more gloomy than many another National Trust property. The Rotunda was never a family home but was always intended as a place to house the collection or to hold grand events.

    The park is impressive with several lakes an ponds. In Spring there is a mass of Daffodils and there are some nice wildflowers in the Italianate garden. You can have some very pleasant long walks.

    The italianate garden mainly makes use of Shrubs - there is very little planting and what there is it not inspired.

    There is also a Vinyard and the wine can be bought in the shop (the wine is nice!).

    The restuarant is a little pretentious with waited service.

    (3.0/5)
  • about 1 year ago Anonymous said

    Beautiful parkland - great for picnics and dog walking, but generally disappointing. Main gardens ordinary and without any great attraction or charm. House rather gloomy.

    (2.0/5)
  • almost 3 years ago Little Green Fingers said

    A bit scruffy around the edges - in need of some inspired planting (and weeding), but there were some parts well worth a visit. With children in tow, we particularly enjoyed the Stumpery, Italienate gardens (huggable topiary) and woodland walks - more detailed review here (http://littlegreenfingers.typepad.com/little_green_fingers/2009/05/garden-visit-no-2-ickworth.html.html)

    (3.0/5)
  • over 3 years ago Anonymous said

    A wonderful park in the great English manner. The more formal gardens are pleasing if not outstanding. Well worth visiting in the spring but generally full of interest at most times of the year.

    (3.0/5)

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