Things to see and do

Things to See and Do

There's a wide variety of things to see and do at Wrest Park, both inside the house and in the extensive gardens. Read on to find out the highlights: how to book volunteer-led tours of the grounds or of the house itself; where to take the kids for a run-around; and information about the cafe, the shop and the second-hand bookshop.  

A group of smiling women walk through gorgeous red, yellow and purple flowers in the parterres at Wrest Park.

Parterres and Woodland

Discover more than 90 acres of beautiful gardens showcasing French, Dutch, Italian and English styles side by side. Fancy French curves and bold Italian geometry provide an opportunity for contrast through Wrest Park's dynamic bedding displays.

Explore Wrest Park's sweeping landscapes and woodland walks. From an explosion of colour in spring to the lush greens and browns of summer and autumn, Wrest Park changes its remarkable colours every season.

Hidden Garden Gems

Keep an eye out for the hidden gems in Wrest Park's gardens. These include an ornate marble fountain, the 18th-century Bowling Green House, a Chinese Temple and Bridge and more than 40 statues dotted around the grounds. Can you find them all?

The Chinese Temple and Bridge originally formed part of a tableau imitating scenes found on Chinese willow pattern plates.

The Long Water is encased on either side by walkways leading to the spectacular Archer Pavilion. Built by Thomas Archer between 1709-11, this baroque pavilion, with its stunning interior, is the focal point of the gardens.

A man wearing a red checked shirt and a woman in a grey sweatshirt look up at the Portland Stone Neptune in the Dairy Sculpture Gallery at Wrest Park. There are other statues around them, and stained glass windows in the background.

Dairy Sculpture Gallery

Take a trip to the Dairy Sculpture Gallery, which showcases some of the estate's most beautiful statues, now restored to their former glory.

The dairy used to supply butter and cream for the de Grey family. Later, it was converted into a sculpture gallery bringing together those precious garden statues which were too fragile to remain outside.

Look out for a magnificent Portland Stone Neptune and an elegant bronze sundial from 1682.

A smiling boy wearing a cap, trainers, cut-off jean shorts and a blue t-shirt sails very high on the swing at the Wrest Park playground.

Children's Play Area

Make the most of the outdoor space at Wrest Park and play. Families with energy to burn can grab an activity backpack and an audio trail designed for kids, and head out to explore the grounds.

Bring a picnic and wear the children out playing hide and seek. They will be thrilled to discover the fantastic play area inspired by the property, which includes its very own pavilion to climb, and even a zip wire.

The playground at Wrest Park is right next to the café so parents, carers and grandparents can relax with a cup of tea while keeping an eye on their little ones.

Two young boys and their mum look at items in the Wrest Park archaeological collection with an English Heritage volunteer.

Archaeological Collections Store Tours

Join our collections team in the Archaeological Collections Store and discover a treasure trove of unique and special objects spanning 2,000 years of England's history.

These are objects not normally on display, and form around a third of English Heritage's total stored collection. 

Tours take place from April to October. Booking is essential. Tours cost £5 for both members and non-members in addition to the normal admission price. 

Book a Store Tour
The sweeping French gardens at Wrest Park, filled with red and purple flowers, dotted with white sculptures. The house is in the background, looking lovely in a bright blue sky.

Garden Tours at Wrest Park

Join a Wrest Park volunteer guide for a tour around the gardens. These free tours (with admission) cover one of a variety of routes, taking in the delights of either the Upper and Great Gardens or one of our popular Tree Tour routes. Please ask a member of staff at the admission point about booking a tour (subject to availability).

  • Garden Tours take place on Wednesdays and Sundays at 11.30am and 13.30pm
  • Statue Tours take place twice a month on the second Friday of the month and the last Saturday of the month at 11.30am and 13.30pm
  • Tree Tours take place on the first Friday and third Saturday of the month at 11.30am and 13.30pm starting in May

You can also enjoy an audio tour of Wrest Park by picking up a handset at our admissions point.

A man wearing a dark coat and glasses looks up at the wonderful French 'Eldorado' wallpaper, produced by Zuber, at Wrest Park. The wallpaper features the Pyramids of Egypt, palm trees and exotic flowers and birds.

Wallpaper Tours

Join us on the first Sunday and third Thursday of the month between April and October at 11am and 1pm for a unique peek inside the mansion house at Wrest Park as we explore rooms rarely open to visitors – the amazing wallpaper rooms.

See the stunning 'Eldarado' papers in the French Room and the intricate hand-painted papers in the Chinese Room as our knowledgeable volunteer guides explain the history of these rooms and the family's use of them.

  • Wallpaper Tours are free with your admission ticket and booking is not required. However, we recommend arriving early to ensure a space on the day. 

 

 

 

Sunlight streams through three huge windows at Wrest Park. The room is decorated with golden wallpaper, golden light fittings, with a sumptuous, colourful rug on the polished wooden floor.

Behind the scenes tours

Join us on Thursdays and Saturdays at 11am and 1pm for a unique peek behind the scenes of Wrest Park.

Please note that the Wrest Park Behind the Scenes tours are first-come, first-served. Book your place in the shop on the day of your visit.

Please arrive early to avoid disappointment.

A woman browses books at the Wrest Park second-hand bookshop.

Secondhand Bookshop

Looking for a new book or have a few books you'd like to donate? Visit Wrest Park's secondhand bookshop in the Bothy building, located in the visitor car park.

During Wrest Park's opening hours, the bookshop will be open from 10am to 4pm. All proceeds go towards projects at Wrest Park. 

Why not pop in and have a look? We've got lots of perfect reading spots in our stunning grounds.  

Eating and Shopping

Feeling peckish? Head to the Wrest Park café with its selection of delicious hot and cold meals and snacks, including a homemade soup of the day and freshly made sandwiches.

Take inspiration from history at the shop where you can pick up jams and chutneys, wines, beers, books, garden gifts and more.

Or you can shop online before or after your visit.

The Revitalisation Project

Wrest Park is one of the few places in the world where visitors can see the evolution of landscape gardening over the last 300 years.

Taking ownership in 2006, English Heritage launched a 20-year masterplan for Wrest Park which started with the Revitalisation Project. The project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the J Paul Getty Jnr Charitable Trust and English Heritage.

Work included new visitor facilities, new interpretation in the mansion, and the restoration of the rose garden and the Italian garden. In 2012, the French Parterre was restored and a new sculpture gallery opened. Most recently the Ladies' Lake was restored to its former glory with reinstated paths and repairs to the waterworks.

We will keep you up-to-date as work continues in the gardens.