Corsham Gardens
There are ten acres of gardens, as well as an arboretum and North Walk. From open and exposed sunny areas to secluded walkways, they are full of character and diversity.
On arrival, the enclosed lawns sweep up to the imposing South Front. Dark columns of magnolia grandiflora rise between the windows of the wings and trumpet vines frame the house either side of the porch. On the lawns stand a large ginkgo tree with its distinctively shaped leaves, turning golden in autumn, and the Cedar of Lebanon on the opposite side. To the west the lawn is backed by enormous clouded yew hedging, cut once a year over two weeks.
The East side of the Court enjoys open views towards Corsham Lake, created by Humphry Repton, and leads round to an expanse of lawn over which Thomas Bellamy’s Victorian North front presides. The lawn is bordered by informal plantings of mainly deciduous specimen trees permeated by mown paths.
"The Garden, the peace and the peacocks"
- John Betjeman 1966
When walking up the North Lawn you will notice a large roped off tree to the left, which is a mass of weaving dappled branches. This is the Oriental Plane, planted by the landscape designer Capability Brown in the 1760s; it is now recognised as the largest spreading tree in Britain.
Further up the North Lawn can be seen Brown's Bath House, built at a time when cold bathing was recommended for health, though not used regularly since the time of the Field Marshal, Third Lord Methuen.
Other areas include the Rose Garden, Maple Border and herbaceous Lily Pond Garden; full of colour during the summer and enchanting when shaded by the large leaves of the indian bean trees.
The Lily Pond Garden is also where you'll find the Bradford Porch. Relocated to the gardens in 1967, it was part of the Methuen's former family home, The Priory in Bradford on Avon, before they moved to Corsham Court.
You can also always find one or two peacocks...