The Berkeley family’s imposing Georgian mansion, designed by London architect, John Tasker, was built at the turn of the nineteenth century, but the story of the Spetchley Estate extends right back to the Tudor period.

Spetchley Park House

The original residence was indeed a moated Tudor house, situated on the north bank of the Garden Pool. It was home first to the Lyttleton family and then to the Sheldon family, before wealthy wool merchant and banker, Rowland Berkeley, bought the estate in 1605.

Rowland passed the Spetchley estate to his son, Sir Robert Berkeley, a judge in the reign of Charles I, but disaster struck just prior to the Battle of Worcester in 1651 when, in spite of Sir Robert’s Royalist sympathies, a disgruntled band of Scottish Presbyterians, themselves Royalists too! - succeeded in burning the family home to the ground, ostensibly to prevent Cromwell from using the house as his headquarters.

Sir Robert then converted the stables which became the main residence at Spetchley until the present house, constructed of Bath Stone in the Palladian Style, was built in 1811.

This house is home to a lovely garden. Mr & Mrs John Berkeley whose other home is the historic 12th Century Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire are keen gardeners. Spetchley has belonged to the Berkeley family since 1606, but the greatest extension to the garden took place at the turn of this century when Mr. Berkeley's grandmother, Rose Berkeley, assisted by her sister, that great Edwardian gardener Miss Ellen Willmott, of Warley Place in Essex, enlarged and enhanced the garden. At Spetchley you will find most aspects of gardening, the formal and informal, woodland and herbaceous. A garden full of secrets, every corner reveals some new vista, some new treasure of the plant world, whether it be tree, shrub or plant. The exuberant planting, the peaceful walks make this an oasis of peace and quiet.
You will find a vast collection of plants, many of which are rarely found outside the malar botanical gardens, and the visitor will find much of interest throughout Spring and Summer. 'Truly a Plantsman's Paradise"
SPETCHLEY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
April and May produces a wonderful display of daffodils and other bulbs, and are also the months of flowering trees and shrubs, many rare and unusual. The large collection of roses, both old-fashioned and modern, come into their own in June and July, whilst July, August and September reveal the great herbaceous borders in all their glory. Late September sees the start of the Autumn tints. A new garden within the Kitchen Garden is now open to visitors. One part of this garden is Italianate, with covered walkways of Cercis canadensis, Forest Pansy and Robinia hispida Macrophylla. The other part is a sunken garden with a rill of water and plantings of tender and semi-hardy plants.
HOW TO GET TO SPETCHLEY
After coming off the M5 at Junction 6 or 7 follow signs for the A44 to Evesham. As you start the A44 you will see signs for Spetchley. Follow this road for about 1 mile until you pass under a white footbridge, the entrance to the Gardens is 100 yards past this on the right.
Refreshments, teas and a range of delicious cakes are available from the tea-rooms, and teas for parties can be arranged - for details contact 01453 810 303
Visit also the Deer Park, containing fine herds of red and fallow deer, which has changed little since the 17th Century and makes a delightful walk for the more energetic visitor.