About Iford Manor from their website:

Welcome to Iford – home to the Cartwright-Hignett family since 1965, with a rich history dating back to the Domesday Book. Winners of the 2020 Historic Houses/Sotheby’s Restoration Award for the work to underpin and save Harold Pet’s Grade II* listed cloisters, which can now be visited again as part of the garden visit. 

We are delighted to have reopened our beautiful, Grade 1 listed gardens to visitors again. Often described as ‘soul food’ and ‘like stepping into another world’ we hope to provide both tranquillity and inspiration to visitors, as well as an opportunity to meet with friends and family again. Capacity is limited so please book your ticket in advance to guarantee entry.

A new cafe has also opened on the grounds to cater for lunches, cakes, snacks and drinks to garden visitors. We also offer monthly behind the scenes tours with our Head Gardener, Troy Scott Smith, champagne evening tours with the owner, William Cartwright-Hignett, and guided audio tours to help uncover the many layers of history throughout the grounds. 

Our aim as a family since 1965 has been to restore, conserve and enhance this stunning place, preserving the valley’s environment, improving biodiversity and allowing others to enjoy its rich cultural heritage. We could not do this without your help and all profits from garden visitors and the cafe & restaurant are reinvested back into maintaining the garden, ecology and heritage here at Iford. 

Since 1910, visitors to Iford Manor Gardens have received a warm welcome, a tradition that we are proud to continue. Used as a key location in “The Secret Garden” starring Colin Firth and Julie Walters (2020), we hope that you enjoy visiting and exploring our very real secret garden on the Wiltshire/ Somerset border. 

We look forward to welcoming you to Iford very soon. 

Please note that children under the age of ten are not permitted in the garden. 

HOW TO GET TO IFORD MANOR

Iford Manor sits at the heart of a hidden rural valley, just 20 minutes from Bath and 10 minutes from Bradford on Avon, with the Wiltshire/ Bath & NE Somerset county boundary running through Iford Manor itself and the Grade 1 listed gardens.  

By car: Approached via steep, narrow lanes (6' 6" width restrictions), you'll know you've arrived at this romantic, secret place when you see Britannia standing guard atop the mediaeval stone bridge.
Iford is 2 miles South-West of Bradford on Avon, via the village of Westwood.
From Bath, follow A36 South towards Warminster for 5 miles, and turn left, signposted to Iford.
 Our visitor car park is in the old orchard next to the bridge. 

By coach: We accept groups and coaches by appointment only. We can accommodate up to two 14m coaches at any one time. Please see our Groups page for more information. 

By foot: Easily reached on foot by the many footpaths which run the length of the valley through the estate, walking from Farleigh Castle or Freshford station via Friary Wood provides the most picturesque approaches to Iford. 

By train: We are a 25-minute walk from Freshford Station, or a short taxi ride from the taxi rank at Bradford on Avon station - just pop into the taxi ‘hut’ there to request a driver.  

By bus: The 94 bus from Bath to Trowbridge stops on weekdays at "The Pastures, Westwood". From there it is just a 5-10 minute, very steep walk downhill to reach our entrance.  

By bike: We are close to a number of the national cycle routes, notably National Route 4 and Wiltshire Route 254.  See the Sustrans Map for details.

[all photos credited to Iford Manor's website]