Montacute House and Gardens: An Elizabethan Gem Rooted in Time

Nestled in the picturesque county of Somerset, Montacute House stands as a magnificent testament to Elizabethan grandeur, its golden Ham Hill stone glowing against a backdrop of meticulously designed gardens.

More than just a historic building, Montacute offers a captivating journey through horticultural history, architectural ambition, and the enduring vision of its custodians.

A House of Ambition: The Elizabethan Masterpiece

Montacute House itself is a truly spectacular example of English Renaissance architecture. Built between 1598 and 1601 for Sir Edward Phelips, a successful lawyer, Master of the Rolls, and Speaker of the House of Commons, it was designed to reflect his soaring status and wealth.

While the precise architect isn't definitively known, it is often attributed to William Arnold, a master mason from Somerset, known for his work on several important houses of the period.

The house is famed for its distinctive E-plan, soaring chimneys, and an array of elaborate gables, obelisks, and intricate stone carvings. Inside, it boasts grand rooms, including the magnificent Great Hall and the famous Long Gallery on the top floor, the longest of its kind in England, where the National Portrait Gallery displays a superb collection of Tudor and Jacobean portraits. Every detail, from the grand fireplaces to the ornate plasterwork ceilings, speaks of Elizabethan aspiration and craftsmanship.

Gardens Shaping Through Time: From Renaissance Order to Modern Interpretation

The horticultural history of Montacute's gardens is a fascinating story of evolution, reflecting changing tastes and practical needs over centuries.

The Original Elizabethan Design: When Sir Edward Phelips built Montacute, the garden would have been an integral part of his grand design, reflecting the Renaissance ideals of order and control over nature. While specific plans from this period are scarce, it's understood that the original garden would have been highly formal, likely featuring:

• Parterres: Intricate bedding schemes laid out in geometric patterns, often filled with low-growing herbs, flowers, and coloured gravels.

• Knot Gardens: Smaller, highly-patterned beds resembling woven knots.

• Topiary: Clipped yew and box creating architectural shapes and allegorical figures, providing evergreen structure.

• Orchards and Kitchen Gardens: Essential for providing food and supplies for the household.

• Formal Avenues: Leading to and from the house, framing views.

The garden was designed not just to be viewed from the house, but to be walked through, offering a sequence of experiences and vistas.

Later Transformations: Over the next three centuries, as the house remained in the hands of the Phelips family (for over 300 years), the gardens would have undergone various modifications, reflecting the evolving garden styles of the 18th and 19th centuries, moving from the more rigid formalism to softer, more naturalistic landscapes, though some core formal elements likely persisted.

The National Trust's Vision: In 1931, Montacute House and its remaining estate were acquired by the National Trust, saved from an uncertain future.

This marked a pivotal moment for the gardens. The Trust embarked on a thoughtful and significant programme of restoration and interpretation.

Rather than attempting to recreate a single, definitive Elizabethan garden plan (which was largely unknown), the Trust decided to create a garden that felt authentically Elizabethan, drawing on historical principles and existing features, while also ensuring it was beautiful and sustainable for modern visitors.

The design, particularly of the main "Long Garden," is directly influenced by the long, linear nature of the house's west front and the famous Long Gallery above.

Who Designed It? The Evolution of Influence

For the house, Sir Edward Phelips himself was the driving force, with William Arnold as the likely master builder. For the garden, there isn't a single named "designer" in the contemporary sense for the original Elizabethan layout. Early gardens were often designed by the owners in collaboration with their gardeners and master masons, drawing on popular treatises and designs of the day.

Today, the National Trust's expert gardening team are the contemporary "designers" and custodians, continually evolving, maintaining, and interpreting the gardens. Their work involves meticulous research, historical understanding, and the practical application of horticultural skills to bring the past to life.

The Beauty of the Plants: A Symphony of Green and Bloom

The gardens at Montacute are undeniably beautiful, and their appeal lies in several key aspects:

• Architectural Planting: The backbone of the garden is provided by towering, immaculately clipped yew hedges. These living walls create definition, frame views, and establish a profound sense of enclosure and structure, reminiscent of Elizabethan formality.

• Seasonal Delights: Beyond the evergreen structure, the gardens burst with seasonal colour. From the vibrant herbaceous borders brimming with traditional cottage garden favourites, to the fragrant rose gardens, and the delicate blossoms of the orchard, there is always something in bloom.

• Scale and Proportion: The sheer scale of the Long Garden, stretching away from the house, is breathtaking. The planting, from the towering trees to the low parterre planting, is carefully chosen to complement the immense size of the house, creating a harmonious and grand composition.

• Variety and Texture: The National Trust has ensured a rich tapestry of plants, offering diverse textures, forms, and colours. This prevents the formal layout from feeling sterile, instead creating a vibrant, living space.

• Walled Gardens: The restored kitchen garden and the beautiful Sunken Garden offer more intimate spaces, showcasing productive plants, cut flowers, and fragrant herbs, adding another layer to the horticultural experience.

The beauty of Montacute's planting lies in its successful blend of historical formality with abundant, healthy plant growth, creating a garden that feels both timeless and vibrantly alive.

Montacute House and Gardens stand as a powerful reminder of Elizabethan ambition and a testament to the National Trust's dedication. It is a place where architectural grandeur and horticultural artistry entwine, offering visitors a profound connection to England's rich past and the enduring beauty of its landscapes.