General Information
Kilver Court & Gardens is located in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 5NF.
Please see our Gardens Page for all up-to-date opening times.
Yes, we have three car parks: Main Courtyard, Great Barton and Lower Car Park.
Yes, we are very excited to announce that our new in-house café is now open. Offering speciality coffees, teas, cakes and freshly baked sweet and savoury goods.
Currently, you can shop with Mulberry, TOAST and Yves DeLorme at Kilver Court & Gardens.
You are also able to explore our Wiggly Shed, which offers a small range of homeware and gifts, as well as our cider bar. Keep your eyes peeled as we are looking to expand our retail offer soon!
Yes, we can offer you the opportunity to purchase and enjoy an assortment of our fantastic ciders and Babycham from The Wiggly Shed.
No, Kilver Court is an independent organisation that is not affiliated to either the National Trust, English Heritage or Historic Houses. We are therefore reliant upon our visitors to ensure that the historic gardens are conserved for future generations to experience and enjoy.
Our Gardens
Please see our Gardens Page for all up-to-date entry prices.
Please note: you do not need to pay admission to visit the shops or café.
Within the grounds of Kilver Court, you can delve into late 19th century landscapes. From a man-made rockery inspired by the gold-medal winning garden designed by George Whitelegg at the Chelsea Flower Show, to the stunning Parterre and the 100m herbaceous border.
Plus, it's impossible to miss the huge piers and elegant arches of the Charlton railway viaduct. Built in 1874 as part of the 26-mile extension to the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway between Evercreech Junction and Bath.
The three-and-a-half acre gardens were first created in the late 19th century by Ernest Jardine (1859-1947), the Member of Parliament for East Somerset. He created a 'model factory; where he built lace-making machines and laid out the gardens (which he called 'Jardine's Park) for the benefit of his employees. He used the millponds as a boating lake and gave over the surrounding gardens for the workers' recreation. Fruit and vegetables were grown to provide lunchtime meals and he also created allotments where workers could grow their own food.
Yes, Kilver Court Gardens is a RHS Partnered Garden.
RHS members have free access (member 1 only for joint memberships) Thursday – Sunday 1st October – 28th February, and Wednesday - Thursday 1st March – 30th September.
Accessibility
Due to the nature of the site, disabled access is limited. Please call our Duty Manager on 01749 705 279 (Mon-Sat, 9am-5pm) before your visit, and we can help you plan your day and the best route for exploring Kilver Court & Gardens and accessing the areas you wish.
Yes, Guide Dogs are welcome in our stores and gardens.
Regrettably, non-assistance dogs are not permitted. However, our café welcomes all dogs both inside and outside on the courtyard patio.
The Showering family bought back Kilver Court in 2021 following the Saul family who ran the gardens for 25 years. It’s their ancestral home with a very exciting future planned.
For any queries, please drop us an email by visiting our Contact Us page or by calling 01749 705 279 (Mon-Sat, 9am-5pm). Or come and visit us at Kilver Street, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 5NF.
Events At Kilver Court
Please contact us and a member of the team will take a look into this for you.
Your ticket will be sent to you via email, once the purchase is complete to the submitted email address. If you have not received your ticket, please check all spam and junk folders before contacting us.
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer refunds for event tickets.