Warley Place

Warley Place is a 10.1-hectare nature reserve in Great Warley, Essex, south of Brentwood. It sits beside the junction of Warley Road and Dark Lane, with access next to the Thatchers Arms pub. The site was once the home of Ellen Willmott, a renowned horticulturalist. The former garden structures are Grade II listed, though the house itself was demolished in 1939. The land was originally part of a larger estate split in the 17th century among the Gonson family’s daughters. Ellen Willmott inherited the property in 1875 and transformed it into one of the finest private gardens of her time. The garden’s most striking feature is the Alpine Ravine, a 65-metre-long ravine with a mountain stream and ponds. Ellen Willmott built this at age 21, funding it with £1,000 gifts from her father every birthday. Gertrude Jekyll called her “the greatest living gardener,” yet Ellen’s spending far outstripped her means. After her death, trespassers dug up many of her plants, and the site fell into neglect until the Essex Wildlife Trust took over in 1977. The garden once included a boating lake, bog garden, rose garden, pergolas, and at least eight gazebos. Today, visitors find ruins of Willmott’s grand designs, including the Alpine Ravine, walled garden, and woodland walk. Historic England lists the site as at risk due to crumbling structures needing repair. Surviving features include a wild garden inspired by William Robinson, a labyrinth of hothouses, a grotto, and winding rockeries. The reserve remains a quiet place where nature and the remnants of a lost garden come together. The winding paths and overgrown borders still hint at its former glory.