Visiting Mottisfont: what you need to know

What your visit will look like

We have social distancing measures in place to keep everyone safe. Here are some key points about visiting Mottisfont. You can find out more information later in this article:

• Do I need to book? You no longer need to pre-book your visit to Mottisfont. Access to the house and gardens is included in the entry price.
• Parking: Please park in the main car park, there is no extra charge for parking. Campervans that are used for transport are welcome, but not permitted to stay overnight.
• Entry: Entry is free for members. Non-members will need to pay at Visitor Reception.
• Gardens: Explore our beautiful gardens at your leisure. Our gardens won’t be quite how your used to seeing them. We have a reduced gardening team at the moment, there are some weeds and rough edges. Please bear with us as we do what we can.
• House: The house at Mottisfont is open daily from 11am until 4.30pm, last entry is at 4pm. Visitor numbers are limited, and we have a one-way system around the house.
• Art Gallery: The Art Gallery is currently closed. We are planning some new exhibitions for 2022.
• Toilets: The toilets at Visitor Reception, in the Lower House, the Stables and the Kitchen Garden are open and cleaned at least twice a day by a professional cleaning company.
• Wild Play: We're sorry, but the Wild Play area is closed. We haven't been able to carry out essential maintenance to these facilities this year, and we don't feel we can open them safely. We will work on these when we can, but this may take some time. The water play area is now open!
• Water Play: We have reopened water play, have fun pumping water and creating dams this autumn.
• Cafes: The Coach House and Kitchen Café* (*open weekends only) are open from 10am until 4.45pm daily. The Kitchen Garden Kiosk is open daily from 10.30am until 4pm and Jude’s Icecream horsebox (weather dependant) from 12noon until 4pm.
• Gift Shop and Plant Centre: The shop is open daily from 10am until 4.30pm. Whether it's a present for a loved one, or a treat for yourself; a snuggly throw, or an inspiring cookbook; our shop is packed with great ideas.
• Second-hand bookshop: The second-hand bookshop is open from 10am until 4pm, selling everything from contemporary fiction to rare and collectable books. We are now accepting book donations by appointment only, please call 01794 344001 for more information.
• Buggy Service: We are sorry but the buggy service is not currently running.
• Dogs: Dogs are welcome everywhere outside except from the 'Rose Garden' (Walled Gardens) and the formal lawns (assistance dogs only in these areas), but please keep them on a short lead at all times and do not allow them to enter any open watercourse within the grounds.
• Balls, bikes, frisbees, skateboards and scooters: These aren't allowed in the garden, so please leave these at home.

Staying safe

Here are some the of things we have put in place to keep you safe on your visit to Mottisfont.

• House: We still have a one-way system in place around the house.
• Cafes: We have kept the screens at our till and collection points, and the designated routes in the cafes. Our preferred method of payment is by card.
• Face covering: Face covering are recommended in enclosed, crowed area. We encourage you to wear them in Visitor Reception, the House and in the Cafes.
• Sanitiser stations: We have hand sanitiser stations located around the grounds at key locations.
• Feeling ill? If you're showing any of the symptoms of coronavirus, or if you've been in contact with anyone that has had the virus in the last 14 days, please don't visit.

Access

• Visitors are welcome to loan one of our five wheelchairs on a first come, first serve basis.
• Benches are located around the site for visitors to take a rest.
• We are sorry but the buggy service is not currently running. To keep everyone safe, we ask all users to wear face masks, unless medically exempt.