Visits

Halswell House is currently undergoing a large-scale restoration and so cannot be open to individual visitors all the time. However individuals can book on the tour dates listed below and we are always very pleased to host interested groups who would like to learn more about the historic buildings or have an insight into a restoration project. 

Mill Wood and Temple Opening for Summer Season 2020

The Temple and its pleasure grounds, Mill Wood, will be open to the public on Sunday afternoons and bank holidays from 2 pm to 5 pm  from 19 July to 27 Sep 2020. Entrance fee is £3 per adult, £5 per couple, £2 for children/students/over 60s and £7 for a family of two adults and up to four children.  Annual membership, special inaugural ‘Friends of Halswell Park’ half price offer to run for 2020 season: £5 per adult or £10 per family.  CASH ONLY, PLEASE BRING THE CORRECT MONEY.

Well behaved dogs are welcome on a short lead.  Guided tours of the House and Gardens can be booked.  Details can be found on Here.

Directions

​The Temple is situated on the narrow lane that connects the village of Enmore and the village of Goathurst.  It is about half a mile outside Goathurst.  Do not attempt to access the Temple via the main-gated drive to Halswell House as this is a private residence that is not open to the public.

These villages are close to North Petherton and Bridgwater in the county of Somerset.  There are no buses and the only access is by very narrow, bendy lanes that are unsuitable for large vehicles. There is little or no parking in Goathurst, but there are two spaces in the lay-by at the Temple’s entrance.

​Parking available in adjacent field at your own risk.

​Please note: Mill Wood is historic parkland, access is suitable on foot only, there are uneven and slippery surfaces, deep ponds and steep drops. Children should be closely supervised. We look forward to seeing you!

 

Open to the Public 2020, via Historic Houses

Please click on any date to book your visit

Date	Time
Wed 03 June	1:00 pm – 5.00 pm
Fri 17 July	1:00 pm – 5.00 pm

Group Visits 2020

13th May – Yetminster History Society

4th June – West Somerset Asscociation of the National Trust Tour

Group Visits 2019

17th April – Conservation of Historic Buildings class from the University of Bath

29th April – Arts Society Taunton Valley

19th May – The South West Heritage Trust Open Day

7th June – Historic Houses Open Day

16th June – Garden Party for the Church of St Edward King and Martyr, Goathurst

19th June – Avon Gardens Trust

27th June – The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and Corbel Conservation

19th July – Historic Houses Open Day

21st August – Art Society Sedgemoor

14th September – Heritage Open Days

15th September  – Heritage Open Days

These two Halswell House and Mill Wood Heritage Open Days events are being held in association with The Landmark Trust for Robin Hood’s Hut, the Halswell Park Trust for the Temple of Harmony and the Church of England for St. Edward, King and Martyr, Goathurst.

17th September – Arts Society Blockley

Group Visits 2018

26th April  – The Devon Gardens Trust

26th April  – The Somerset Gardens Trust

4th May – Bath University Masters Degree course

25th May – The Minehead Conservation Society

7th June – The Georgian Group

17th June – Garden Party for the Church of St Edward King and Martyr, Goathurst

16th July – The Gardens Trust 

13th August – Heritage Tour Group

3rd September – Friends of the Quantocks

16th September – Heritage Open Days – Halswell House and Mill Wood open to the public

If you’ve enjoyed your visit, please tell us in the comments section below.

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Visits 2017

 Monday, 9th October – Historic Houses Association Group Visit

Monday, 25th September – Country Land and Business Association Group Visit

Sunday, 10th September – Heritage Open Day at the Temple of Harmony

Thursday, 10th August – Enmore and District WI Summer Party

Women of the Enmore and District WI gather at Halswell House for their summer party

Tuesday, 11th July – Picnic for Family and Goathurst

To mark the completion of the exterior of the Tudor Manor Edward hosted some family and friends for an afternoon lunch. With mid-July promising summer weather a bouncy castle, archery, laser clay pigeon shoot and other outdoor festivities were arranged to accompany a day of walks around the parkland and Mill Wood. Sadly the gods of the Somerset weather had other ideas so the assembled had to huddle around a fire inside while a gale battered anyone who ventured out of the house. None of this seemed to dampen the enthusiasm of the hardy guests.

Monday, 26th June – Somerset Building Preservation Trust Annual General Meeting

http://www.sbpt.info

Wednesday, June 7th – Bob Croft Visit

Bob Croft, County Archaeologist and his team visit after his Heritage Landscape Walk tour of Cothelstone Hill, to view the on-going digs by Marc Steinmetzer at Halswell House.

Saturday, May 20th – Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Group Visit

http://www.sanhs.org/index.htm

Sunday, May 14th – BBC Radio Visit

Ann Manders is interviewed by BBC Radio show Clueless, as the Temple of Harmony is used as a clue on one of their broadcasts

Wednesday, May 3rd – Bath University Masters Degree Teaching Course Visit

The students at Bath University continue their educational visits to Halswell House for historical digs and excavations

Visits 2016

Sunday, 11th December – Historic England’s Somerset Conservation Officer’s Group Visit

https://historicengland.org.uk

Friday, 28th October – Halswell Topping Out Party

To commemorate the completion of the roof over the Elizabethan Manor House, Edward Strachan hosted a Topping Out Halloween Party at Halswell House

Monday, 17th October – SAVE Britain’s Heritage Visit to Halswell by Henrietta Billings, Emily Lunn and Mike Fox

http://www.savebritainsheritage.org

Sunday, 11th September – Heritage Open Day Visit at the Temple of Harmony

Thursday, 18th August – U3A Visit

https://halswellpark.wordpress.com/2016/08/31/u3a-visit-to-halswell-house/

Friday, 10th June – Tipple at the Temple

http://www.halswellparktrust.org.uk/events.html

Saturday, May 7th – Wiveliscombe Civics Society Visit

https://www.wiveliscombe.com

Friday, 29th April – Bath University Master Degree Teaching Course Visit

The students at Bath University continue their educational visits to Halswell House for historical digs and excavations

Saturday, 23rd April – Oxford Graduates Architectural Society Group Visit

All Souls College, Oxford, 1598. Nicholas Halswell was Proctor of the college in 1480 as was Hugh Halswell in 1627. Ten Halswell men in total were at the University of Oxford in the years between these All Soul’s posts. The Tudor Knot Garden being created at Halswell House is based on the designs at All Souls when the Halswell’s were there.

Monday, 8th February – Tree Presentation with Somerset Gardens Trust

The group at the Tree Presentation event.

Monday, 18th January – Mill Wood Tree Planting with Somerset Gardens Trust

Ann Manders, Simon Bonvoisin, Ian Dier and Edward Strachan at the Tree Planting

2015

Saturday, 19th September – Somerset Gardens Trust 25th Anniversary

https://halswellpark.wordpress.com/2015/09/19/somerset-garden-trust-annual-general-meeting-and-25th-anniversary/

Saturday, 11th April – Folly Fellowship Visit

https://halswellpark.wordpress.com/2015/04/11/the-folly-fellowship-private-group-visit-to-the-house-landscape-gardens-and-of-course-the-follies-2/

 Wednesday, 18th March – Bath University Masters Teaching Course

Students from Bath University, led by Dr. Marion Harney, visit Halswell House for their Master Degree Course

2014

Tuesday, 11th November – Edward’s Birthday and the Reopening of Halswell

https://halswellpark.wordpress.com/2014/11/27/48/

Thursday, 9th October – The Georgian Group

https://halswellpark.wordpress.com/2014/10/09/the-georgian-group/