Halswell Park

15/03/2026

https://c.org/g8CWMt7M6K Our gardens and historic landscapes are precious national assets, help save the setting of this one.

Save our Countryside

23/01/2026

Tree Planting At Halswell January 2026

Walkers may be wondering what we are doing alongside the public footpath which runs to the west of Halswell House. As most followers of Halswell’s progress know, we are always trying to reinstate the park to its original design and purpose of the 1750’s, when Sir Charles Kemeys-Tynte, gentleman landscape architect, designed the Mill Wood, the Park, and the Follies.

Originally, the so-called West Wood, which runs alongside the ha-ha by the public footpath, used to extend into a neat, sharp triangle. You can see this in the map of 1771.

This was also seen in all the Ordnance Survey maps, in the 19th Century. You can see where the private entrance to the House was marked [X] where the public footpath forks off to the right from the access road to the House. We have no evidence of a gate at this points, but the current blue gateposts highlight, where public access is separated from private.

In this map, you can see the fence which runs from the Rotunda to the gate post. This would have kept sheep, to be viewed from the North Rooms of the House, over the new ha-ha, built between 1887 and 1904.

When the Park was broken up and sold off, this triangle from the Rotunda, the small triangle of trees to X, to the ha-ha, was all given over to farmland. So as part of the mass-cutting of trees at Halswell in the 1950’s, this small triangle of West Wood was lost. We are now replanting these, with the original mixture of 120 trees of native woodland. We believe the original ha-ha extended along this side of the triangle, and if our archaeological excavations confirm this and we have the original ha-ha wall, we will reinstate this too.

We will keep you informed of any other progress, but in the meantime we would politely request that walkers respect our privacy and keep to the public footpath, turning right at the blue signs towards the Thickets and returning the same way.

Edward Strachan

29/11/2025

08/10/2025

Harvest moon over Mrs Busby's Temple aka The Rotunda this evening.

13/09/2025

Counting down the hours before Halswell House opens it doors for the Heritage open Days. Don't miss the opportunity to explore the estate, visit the magical St. Edwards Church in Goathurst, whose history so close connected to Halswell House and amazing Temple of Pan, that used to be the folly in previous centuries and turned to be an amazing residential property with magnificent garden and one more, but not the last explore the inspirational works of Tessa Shaw, who exhibits her works in Halswell House.
SEPT 13-14 BETWEEN 12-5PM
FREE ENTRY

13/09/2025

We are very much looking forward to welcoming visitors to our Heritage Open Days this weekend, 13th and 14th September 2025. Doors open at 12 noon and gates close at 5 pm. Free entry.

Parking is alongside the Halswell drive. Event brochures available at St Edward's Church, Halswell House and the Temple of Pan along with printed copies of the walking map below.

Art and history display inside Halswell House, Art Exhibition at the Temple of Pan.

Well behaved dogs welcome on short leads. Open countryside location with deep water and steep drops. PLEASE KEEP CHILDREN UNDER CLOSE SUPERVISION!

12/09/2025

If you are looking for an inspiration, come and visit us in Halswell House for an Heritage Open Days. Need some optimistic notes in these gloomy days? Meet with an inspirational Art works of Tessa Shaw and celebrate the mystery of an early photography and the joy of pastels. Tessa' s art work will be displayed in Halswell House for the next 3 weeks and you can enjoy it this weekend 13-14 September between 12-5pm and on following 2 Sundays (21st and 28th Sept between 1-5pm, during House opening hours).
No fees on these weekend, Sundays 21st and 28th - the entry fee of £10pp to visit the house and ground.

02/09/2025

For more information about our forthcoming Heritage Open Weekend, please visit:

View the Halswell House State Rooms. Visit the gardens and parkland. Enjoy the woodlands, ponds and follies. Take part in a Goathurst Heritage Trail.

31/08/2025

Counting down the days until our Heritage Open Weekend. https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/goathurst-heritage-trail-halswell-house-parkland-mill-wood-and-the-temple-of-harmony.html Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th September, 12 noon until 5 pm. Come and have a walk around our joint Heritage Trail.

30/08/2025

We are repairing the pond at Halswell House, thank you to Orchard Stonemasons for the great job they've done on the Rockwork Screen. We'll be carrying on with the pond next week. Watch this space for updates.

30/08/2025

We were very pleased to host the Barnacle Buoys last weekend in the last of the summer sunshine. Thank you to everyone who came and supported us. Profits made for two local charities, St Edward's Church, Goathurst and Goathurst Village Hall.