Family-friendly things to do at Mompesson House

A woman and child look at the border in the garden of Mompesson House. She is wearing a dark blue dress and he has light hair and is wearing a light blue top. He is around five. — A woman and child look at the border in the garden of Mompesson House | © Lucy Fenna

If you’re planning a day out in Salisbury, Mompesson House is the perfect place to relax and while away a few hours. From indoor activities to exploring our self-contained walled garden, there’s enough to keep interested minds busy and encourage play. For babies, we have a new term-time Monday sensory play offer.

Planning your family visit

Here's the information you need at a glance to help plan your day out at Mompesson House:

Baby-changing facilities are located in the accessible toilet in our courtyard.
Pushchairs are allowed in the garden. We have a sheltered storage area for pushchairs and buggies and a member of staff will be happy to help you.
Hip carriers are available to borrow.
Garden games and blankets available to use during the summer months.

Baby tree time

Take a moment to relax with your baby under the shady boughs of our golden rain tree in the tranquil city garden at Mompesson House. Meet up with a group or come by yourself, all are welcome. Baby tree time will be on Mondays during term time from April to September, weather permitting.

We know it can be hard to find something cheap and easy to do with your baby, especially when they are on their own timetables. On our baby tree time days, we’ll provide you with baby-friendly sensory toys and activities as well as blankets for use under our golden rain tree. You can stay for as long as you want and these items will be provided from when we open at 11am to when we close at 4pm (last entry at 3.30pm).

This activity is free for National Trust members. For non-members, we have a garden-only price of £1 for adults (under 5s enter the house and garden for free). This also includes access to our tea-room, where we offer hot and cold drinks, cakes, savoury snacks, sandwiches and soups. You are welcome to purchase items from the tea-room and take them into the garden.

Extra information

Mompesson House and its tea-room pride ourselves on being breastfeeding-friendly environments.

We spray all toys with a baby-safe sanitising spray at the end of the day.

As this is an outdoor activity, it will not take place on rainy days.

Visiting with a buggy

Our garden and tea-room are buggy-accessible, and buggies can also be parked up under our carriage arch. Upon entry, our welcome team will scan your card or take your payment and then a member of the team will meet you to let you in at our exit door to avoid any steps.

Mother and baby in the Orangery at Knole, the baby is looking curiously at a leaf dangling above their head — Mother and baby in the Orangery at Knole, Kent | © National Trust Images/John Millar

Family-friendly things to do

We have a free Regency themed spotter trail to encourage children to take in their surroundings and engage with the collection. There are toys and games for children to play with in the Green Room which has been dressed as a Regency playroom.

Our garden is the perfect place to come with younger children. It is a walled garden that has no hidden points.

Our second-hand bookshop has a children's section with chairs available to sit and read.

Our tea-room has plenty of child-friendly options, with sweet and savoury snacks available.

Two girls enter Mompesson House through the front door. — Visitors at Mompesson House | © ©National Trust Images/James Dobson

SEND families

Mompesson House is trying to become an inclusive site for families of children with SEND. We can offer the following:

Child-size ear defenders to borrow on entry at the front door.
A map in the second-hand bookshop showing quiet and busy areas. There are also seats in the second-hand bookshop and this is a quiet zone.
A sensory guide to Mompesson involving touch, sight, sound and smell. These are available at the front door or the second-hand bookshop.
A 'Now and Next' board in our second-hand bookshop.
A peaceful and accessible garden.

If you have any questions or concerns about visiting, please call or email us. Our staff are happy to help guide you through your visit.