Mompesson House
Homely and welcoming 18th-century townhouse in the heart of Salisbury's Cathedral Close
The Close, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2EL
![A view of the front of Mompesson House from Choristers' Green in Salisbury Cathedral Close](http://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/binaries/content/gallery/website/national/regions/wiltshire/places/mompesson-house/library/spring/the-main-facade-at-mompesson-house-159684.jpg?auto=webp&width=676&crop=16:9&dpr=2 2x)
Opening times for 24 April 2024
Asset Opening time House Closed Garden Closed Tea-room Closed Second-hand bookshop Closed MTWTFSS12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293012345Garden
Ticket type Gift aid Standard Adult £1.00 Child £0.50 Family £2.50 Family (one adult) £1.50 House and Garden
Ticket type Gift aid Standard Adult £9.00 Child £4.50 Family £22.50 Family (one adult) £13.50 Group Adult £8.55 Group Child £4.27 Become a member and discover more than 500 places
Assistance dogs only
Tea room
Garden tea-room serving drinks and light bites
Book shop
Second-hand bookshop with a variety of books and jigsaw puzzles.
Toilet
Two toilets, one of which is accessible
Guided tour
Introductory talks available throughout the day.
Limited Blue Badge parking available. Ground floor of house accessible. Level access to garden. Manual wheelchair available. Accessible toilet.
Accessible toilet
Two toilets, one of which is accessible.
Seating available
Designated parking
Limited spaces for Blue Badge holders; please book in advance by phone or email
Wheelchairs available
A manual wheelchair bookable in advance by phone or email
Level access/terrain
Ground floor of house accessible. Level access to garden.
By road
Park and ride on all main routes into city.
Parking: Pay and display available in the city centre (not National Trust).
On foot
From city centre follow tourist signs to the Cathedral. Enter the Cathedral Close through the High Street Gate and take the turning to the right in front of Choristers' Green.
By train
Salisbury train station ½ mile. Turn right out of the station onto Mill Rd, follow the road past the park and over a bridge. Turn right at the traffic lights into The Cathedral Close.
By bus
Buses to city centre from surrounding area.
Planning your visit
Mompesson House is no longer on a pre-booked ticket system. Please just arrive on the day for entry. Please note last entry into the house is at 3.30.
![Three visitors on the staircase at Mompesson House, Wiltshire.](http://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/binaries/content/gallery/website/national/regions/wiltshire/places/mompesson-house/library/group-visit-at-mompesson-house-wiltshire.jpg?auto=webp&width=733&crop=16:9&dpr=2 2x)
Group visits
If you're interested in visiting Mompesson as a group, please phone 01722 335659 or email mompessonhouse@nationaltrust.org.uk for more details.
Highlights
House
18th-century town house in the heart of Salisbury's Cathedral Close.
Garden
Tranquil walled garden with traditionally planted herbaceous borders and pergola.
Things to see and do
![Close view of Charles Mompesson's monogram in the wrought-iron gates at the front of Mompesson House](http://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/binaries/content/gallery/website/national/regions/wiltshire/places/mompesson-house/library/built-heritage-history-and-collections/close-view-of-the-wrought-iron-cresting-detail-above-the-gate-and-railings-on-the-main-facade-at-mompesson-house-159688.jpg?auto=webp&width=505&crop=16:9&dpr=2 2x)
Things to see and do at Mompesson House
Step inside the 18th-century town house, wander through the atmospheric rooms and discover a tranquil walled garden in the heart of Salisbury’s historic Cathedral Close.
![Two girls run on the lawn behind Mompesson House.](http://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/binaries/content/gallery/website/national/regions/wiltshire/places/mompesson-house/library/built-heritage-history-and-collections/1458684.jpg?auto=webp&width=505&crop=16:9&dpr=2 2x)
Family-friendly things to do at Mompesson House
Count the hidden faces in the plasterwork, imagine yourself back in time and check out the creaky staircase.
![Cheese scones in a baking tray](http://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/binaries/content/gallery/website/national/library/commercial/fb/food/cheese-scones-1450737.jpg?auto=webp&width=505&crop=16:9&dpr=2 2x)
![Pear blossom](http://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/binaries/content/gallery/website/national/library/visit/spring/pear-blossom-1557214.jpg?auto=webp&width=505&crop=16:9&dpr=2 2x)
Festival of Blossom at Mompesson House
From 22 March to 4 June, celebrate blossom with activities, workshops and a Cathedral Close trail, all free with entry. Family activities during May half term.
Top trails
![Front view of Mompesson House, Salisbury, Wiltshire](http://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/binaries/content/gallery/website/national/regions/wiltshire/places/mompesson-house/library/56072c.jpg?auto=webp&width=733&crop=16:9&dpr=2 2x)
A walk around Cathedral Close, Salisbury
While visiting Salisbury, take this walk around the historic Cathedral Close and soak up the atmosphere and history of this special place.
Places to stay
![The exterior of 89 Church Lawn, Stourhead, Wiltshire](http://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/binaries/content/gallery/website/holidays/library/somerset-wiltshire/89-church-lawn/89churchlawn-exterior-2-chrislacey2013.jpg?auto=webp&width=505&crop=16:9&dpr=2 2x)
89 Church Lawn
Sitting at the entrance to Stourhead, this secluded cottage has a world-famous garden on the doorstep.
![The exterior of 524 Pamphill Green, Dorset](http://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/binaries/content/gallery/website/holidays/library/dorset/524-pamphill-green-cottage/524-pamphill-green-dorset-exterior.jpg?auto=webp&width=505&crop=16:9&dpr=2 2x)
524 Pamphill Green Cottage
An eye-catching thatched cottage on the Kingston Lacy estate, where you’ll find miles of footpaths through lush rolling countryside waiting to be explored.
Upcoming events
The Invisible Hands of Mompesson House: Artisans
This year, celebrate the unseen people who ran Mompesson House behind the scenes.
Festival of Blossom at Mompesson House
Celebrate blossom this spring at Mompesson House with free activities from 22 March to 4 June.
Festival of Blossom - Mompesson in Bloom
The house will be alive with floral displays created and provided by volunteer and community groups from around Salisbury and Wiltshire. There will be multiple flower arrangements in every room of Mompesson House.
Festival of Blossom - Arts Week
Bring a sketchbook or borrow one from Mompesson and take the time to draw, paint or even write a poem in the garden. Free botanical illustration workshops in the garden.
Early entry
As part of our Festival of Blossom celebrations, we are offering free early entry to Mompesson House for those who require a quieter environment. Early entry starts half an hour before opening times.
Festival of Blossom - botanical drawing workshops
Drop in to one of our Saturday workshops with local artist Sally Pond to discover some tips on botanical drawing.
Festival of Blossom - collage making workshops
Join in a collage making workshop with local artist Chris Formaggia in the garden at Mompesson House. All materials will be supplied and you can join at any time.
About Mompesson House
Visiting Salisbury’s Cathedral Close, you step back into a past world. Mompesson House, which featured in the film Sense and Sensibility, has a warm and inviting atmosphere and many different families have called the house ‘home’.
The sense of tranquillity is enhanced by the magnificent plasterwork, graceful oak staircase and fine period furniture, which are the main features of this quintessential Queen Anne townhouse. Mompesson has one of the finest displays of English 18th century drinking glasses and a collection of watercolours by former resident Barbara Townsend.
The garden, with its traditional herbaceous borders and pergola, is an oasis of calm.
History
![Mompesson House watercolour by George Henton (1888), at Mompesson House, Wiltshire](http://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/binaries/content/gallery/website/national/regions/wiltshire/places/mompesson-house/library/built-heritage-history-and-collections/mompesson-house-george-henton-1888-watercolour-wiltshire-22685.jpg?auto=webp&width=733&crop=16:9&dpr=2 2x)
History of Mompesson House
Discover the stories of the people who have lived at Mompesson House over the past 300 years, from Charles Mompesson in 1701 to Denis Martineau in the 1950s.
Art and collections
![The Drawing Room in 1857 by Barbara Townsend at Mompesson House, Wiltshire](http://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/binaries/content/gallery/website/national/regions/wiltshire/places/mompesson-house/library/built-heritage-history-and-collections/drawing-room-1857-barbara-townsend-mompesson-house-22459.jpg?auto=webp&width=733&crop=16:9&dpr=2 2x)
Mompesson House's objects and collections
Explore the objects and works of art we care for at Mompesson House on the National Trust Collections website.
Support us
![A close-up of a hand gently brushing a dusty surface with a specialist brush, at Tyntesfield in Bristol](http://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/binaries/content/gallery/website/national/library/support-us/volunteering/conservation-cleaning-brush-dust-tyntesfield-bristol-1229171.jpg?auto=webp&width=505&crop=16:9&dpr=2 2x)
Volunteering at Mompesson
We're looking for House, Collections Care & Conservation and Visitor Welcome volunteers to join the Mompesson team in 2024. Please phone 01722 335659 or email mompessonhouse@nationaltrust.org.uk for more details.
![Sheep grazing green grass in front of the ha-ha at Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire on a warm autumn day](http://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/binaries/content/gallery/website/national/regions/wiltshire/places/lacock/library/lacock-village-wiltshire-1556854.jpg?auto=webp&width=505&crop=16:9&dpr=2 2x)
Supporter groups in Wiltshire
There is one National Trust supporter group in Wiltshire where you can join to meet like-minded people, make new friends and learn more about the work of the National Trust.