Layers of landscapes walk at Montacute
A masterpiece of glittering glass and golden stone rising out of the landscape; an Elizabethan grand design of courage, innovation and architectural brilliance in the shadow of 'mons acutis', the conical hill at the heart of a motte and bailey castle.
Map
Start:
Old Kitchen Garden car park, Montacute, grid ref: ST499172
1
From the car park follow go through reception head toward point 21 on your welcome leaflet. On entering the park, bear left until you're in front of the house, turn right and walk the length of the Lime Avenue.
Montacute House
Montacute House was built in the late 16th century for Sir Edward Phelips, with many renaissance features and a Long Gallery - the longest of its kind in England. The beautiful formal gardens include a collection of roses, mixed borders and famous wobbly hedges.
2
At the top of the avenue, by the bench, turn left, walking along the hedgeline. Keep following the park hedgeline around until you see a pedestrian gate on the right marked Mill Copse. Proceed into the copse, bearing left.
The Lime Avenue
A double avenue of lime trees mark the East entrance to Montacute House. An ash avenue extends north to Mill Copse, planted in 1887, and the oak avenue, planted in 1845, extends south-easterly to Odcombe Lodge.
3
Cross the brook before bearing left towards the field gate. Cross the stile back into the park, turn right and continue following the hedgeline. Please note: if wet take care crossing the brook or do not enter the copse and continue walking in the park, taking a look at the mill by entering the stile exit.
Odcombe flour mill
Odcombe flour mill was a former 16th-century flour mill on Wellhams Brook. Disused by 1948, it was offered to the Youth Hostel Association for accommodation, but by 1951 was demolished and stone offered to the Parish for the village hall.
4
On reaching a pedestrian gate at right angles to a stone wall, attached to a hedge, continue through and follow the track, bearing right through an orchard to a field/pedestrian gate at a road junction.
5
Leave the orchard and cross the road, before turning left and walking along the pavement, entering 'the rec' on your right between the stone wall. Follow the hedgeline on the left until you reach an iron kissing gate.
6
Continue through the gate and the next kissing gate before reaching a stile directly ahead. Pass into woodland, turning right along the path (or stay grassland side and bear right) until reaching a field gate/stile within the woodland fence line. Walk up a gravel track to the tower.
St Michael's Hill
A tower built on the summit by the Phelips family in 1760 marks the site of a Cluniac church and a Norman motte-and-bailey castle. Explore to find out more about the earthworks of this strategic site.
7
Descend from the tower via the gravel track, bearing left within the woodland at a field gate/stile at the bottom. If you're feeling adventurous, bear right at first bend down from the tower, both routes exiting at a stile into grassland. Bear left before crossing a ditch onto a bank, following a hedgeline to your right and then through an iron kissing gate.
8
Follow path through farm buildings before turning right and through two pedestrian gates to Hollow Lane. Cross road and enter field through the gate directly ahead.
9
Continue into field before turning right at footpath post, heading along the ridge to a pedestrian gate into woodland. Follow the woodland path to the right before bearing left to the top and then sharp left, remaining in the woodland.
10
Follow the path, descending to a kissing gate onto the road at the school entrance. Walk along this road, crossing over to Back Lane, just to the right.
11
Re-enter the park, either through the iron kissing gate or the field gate on the right. Bear left and continue along hedgeline until meeting a pedestrian gate on the left back to the Old Kitchen car park.
End:
Old Kitchen Garden car park, Montacute, grid ref: ST499172
