Hardy's House, Max Gate
Atmospheric Victorian home designed by Thomas Hardy
Alington Avenue, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 2FN
Book a visit
Opening times for 1 July 2025
Asset Opening time House 10:30 - 16:30 Garden 10:30 - 16:30 Book a visitLast entry one hour before closing.
MTWTFSS3012345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031123OpenPartially openClosed2025
Ticket type With Gift Aid Without Gift Aid Adult (18+) £12.10 £11.00 Child (5-17) under 5s free £6.10 £5.50 Family (2 Adults and up to 3 children) £30.30 £27.50 1 adult, 3 children £18.20 £16.50 Become a member and discover more than 500 places
- Assistance dogs only
- Guided tour
- Toilet
Hardy's House, Max Gate has toilet facilities (not disabled). There is no car park on site. Limited parking is available on the street. There is a 50-yard walk to the house from the street up a gravel driveway. The driveway has recently been resurfaced and is not fully compacted which may make access by wheelchair more difficult until it beds in. Vehicles can be driven up the driveway to drop off wheelchair users by prior arrangement; please phone to make arrangements 01305 262538. There is no café and no refreshment facilities.
- Large print (guide or menu)
- Narrow corridors
- Ramped access/slopes
- Seating available
- Steps/uneven terrain
- Virtual tour
- By road
A35, from the west: From the A35, turn right onto the A352 signposted Wareham. At the roundabout, take the second exit. Turn left into Syward Road and then immediately left into the cul-de-sac. Hardy's House, Max Gate is on the right hand side. A35, from the east: From the A35, turn left onto the A352 signposted Wareham. At the roundabout, take the second exit. Turn left into Syward Road and then immediately left into the cul-de-sac. Hardy's House, Max Gate is on the right hand side. From Dorchester town centre: From Dorchester South train station, turn right onto Weymouth Avenue. Turn right onto Prince of Wales Road (just past The Junction pub). Continue for half a mile. At the mini roundabout, take the second exit signposted Wareham A352. Continue straight over the next roundabout, second exit. At the next roundabout, take the first exit. Turn left into Syward Road and then take the immediate left into the cul-de-sac. Hardy's House, Max Gate is on the right hand side.
Parking: There is no car park. Limited parking is available on the street. Please park considerately to avoid blocking foot and cycle paths and the turning area.
Sat Nav: Use DT1 2FN or, better still, type in 'Max Gate'
- On foot
From Dorchester town centre: From High East Street (where you'll find Dorset County Museum), walk down the road and turn right past the Teddy Bear Museum onto High Street Fordington. Keep following this road for about 5 minutes. At the roundabout, take the second exit onto Alington Road/St Georges Road. Continue to follow the road for about 6 minutes, crossing one roundabout. Continue onto B3144, and at the next roundabout take the first exit. Turn left into Syward Road and then immediately left into the cul-de-sac. Hardy's House, Max Gate is on the right hand side. Alternative route (flatter but slightly longer): From the Corn Exchange cross to Cornhill and follow this to the junction with South Walks Road (Cornhill becomes South Street part way along). Cross the pedestrian crossing to Prince of Wales Road (B3144) and join the route described in the shorter walk above.
- By train
Dorchester South 1 mile, Dorchester West 1 mile. From Dorchester South train station, turn right into Weymouth Avenue. Turn right onto Prince of Wales Road (just past The Junction pub). Continue for half a mile (past the BMW garage). At the mini roundabout, take the second exit signposted Wareham A352 (over the railway bridge). Continue straight over the next roundabout, second exit. At the next roundabout, take the first exit. Turn left into Syward Road and then take the immediate left into the cul-de-sac. Max Gate is on the right hand side. From Dorchester West train station, follow the road downhill to the crossroads. Cross to Great Western Road and follow past Junction Road pub, crossing into Prince of Wales Road. Continue for half a mile (past the BMW garage). At the mini roundabout, take the second exit signposted Wareham A352 (over the railway bridge). Continue straight over the next roundabout, second exit. At the next roundabout, take the first exit. Turn left into Syward Road and then take the immediate left into the cul-de-sac. Max Gate is on the right hand side.
- Cycling
Follow NCN Route 2 out of Dorchester, heading East. Hardy's House, Max Gate is on the left, straight off of NCN Route 2, just after crossing the bridge over the A35.
Planning your visit
Booking your visit to Hardy's House, Max Gate
Find out what you can expect from your visit to Hardy's House, Max Gate, how to book, and how to change your booking.
Highlights
Tours
Our team of expert volunteers deliver daily guided tours at Hardy's House, Max Gate, sharing stories so you can discover more about this special place.
House
The atmospheric home of Dorset's most famous author and poet Thomas Hardy. An architect by training, Hardy designed the house for himself between 1883-85. He lived here until his death in 1928.
Garden
The walled garden and trees provided a rich source of inspiration to Hardy who would walk here every day. The garden remains much as it was in Hardy’s day.
Archaeology
Hardy unwittingly built Max Gate in the centre of a late Neolithic enclosure. During the foundation excavations, he revealed a sarsen stone and various Romano-British clasps and bowls, as well as human remains. The site has been protected as a scheduled monument on the advice of Historic England.
Things to see and do
Things to do in the house at Max Gate
Designed by Thomas Hardy himself, Max Gate is where he wrote some of his greatest novels and poetry, and where he lived until his death in 1928.
Shopping
Pop into Hardy's House, Max Gate's bookshop
Browse the second-hand bookshop to find Victorian fiction, poetry, architecture and gardening books, and stumble across old editions or collectables. Proceeds help fund vital conservation works at Max Gate.
Top trails
Thomas Hardy’s childhood walks
Retrace Hardy’s walks to school in Lower Bockhampton and Dorchester. He imagined his favourite book characters chasing behind him as he walked, and he once ran into some smugglers.
Hardy's House, Max Gate walks
In later life Hardy walked between Hardy's House, Max Gate and Hardy’s Cottage weekly, reliving memories. Follow his route, or walk to see his manuscripts and belongings at Dorset County Museum.
Places to stay
Portland House
Get a spectacular taste of 1930’s glamour in this stunning Art-Deco, Hollywood -Spanish inspired style villa on the Dorset coast.
Upcoming events
The New Hardy Players - poetry readings
Join The New Hardy Players in Thomas Hardy’s garden where they will be reciting horticulture and nature themed poetry, celebrating Max Gate and other gardens, by Hardy and his contemporaries.
Victorian cooking demonstrations
Sample delicious Victorian recipes made by our costumed volunteers.
Festival of Archaeology
The New Hardy Players will be performing in the garden to celebrate archaeology at Max Gate.
Storytelling sessions - 'The Hand of Ethelberta'
Hear Hardy's works brought to life during our storytelling sessions, delivered by our passionate team of volunteers.
Heritage Open Days - Free access
Join us at Hardy's House, Max Gate for free access to the home of Thomas Hardy as part of the Heritage Open Week. Other National Trust properties which will be opening for free in West Dorset are Hardy Monument and Portland House.
Autumn flowers in Hardy's Homes
Visit Hardy's Homes to celebrate the arrival of autumn with both houses filled with floral displays.
About Hardy's House, Max Gate
Hardy's House, Max Gate, an austere but sophisticated town house a short walk from the town centre of Dorchester, was the home of Dorset's most famous author and poet Thomas Hardy. Hardy, who designed the house in 1885, wanted to show that he was part of the wealthy middle classes of the area, to reflect his position as a successful writer, and to enable him to enter polite society. The house was named after a nearby tollgate keeper called Henry Mack. The tollgate was known locally as ‘Mack’s Gate’, which Hardy then used with a different spelling when he named his house, ‘Max Gate’.
Many of Hardy's possessions were dispersed before we acquired the house, but we've furnished the rooms for you to enjoy the spaces he created to write and live in. He wrote some of his most famous novels here, including Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure, as well as much of his poetry.
You will find the garden much as it was originally planned, with high walls and large trees encircling the property to preserve Hardy's privacy. The sundial, designed by Hardy, was erected by his late wife, Florence, in his memory.
Art and collections
Hardy's House, Max Gate's objects and collections
Explore the objects and works of art we care for on the National Trust Collections website.
Things to do in the house at Max Gate
Designed by Thomas Hardy himself, Max Gate is where he wrote some of his greatest novels and poetry, and where he lived until his death in 1928.
Support us
Volunteer with us
Search for live volunteering opportunities, or register your interest with Hardy's House, Max Gate.
History
From 1898 until his death in 1928 Thomas Hardy published eight volumes of poetry; about one thousand poems were published in his lifetime.
Thomas Hardy's Poetry
From 1898 until his death in 1928 Thomas Hardy published eight volumes of poetry; about one thousand poems were published in his lifetime. Here we have selected just one to share with you...