Hestercombe House

Hestercombe House stands in the Quantock Hills near Taunton, Somerset, a Grade II* listed country house with a Grade I listed estate. The house began in the 16th century and later became the headquarters of the British VIII Corps in the Second World War. American forces used it as a hospital centre after the Normandy landings until 1945. The gardens were restored to Gertrude Jekyll’s original plans of 1904–07 and draw about 70,000 visitors each year. A biological Site of Special Scientific Interest covers 0.08 hectares and hosts lesser horseshoe bats. The south-facing gardens offer views across the Blackdown Hills. Visitors find a mix of architectural styles from the Victorian era, including Italianate and Gothic elements. The restored watermill now serves as a visitor centre with a dynamo room and biomass boiler. The Edwardian garden designed by Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens shows bold patterns and careful detail in stone, tile and flint.