About Smedmore House
The house and gardens at Smedmore are in a windswept position on the southern side of the Purbeck Hills within sound and sight of the sea. Shelter belts to the south west and north have been planted to enable a calmer climate to be created around the house.
The 1761 front of the house faces towards the north west with the gardens to the south and east, where there are terraces and small walled gardens. Five walled gardens, including a Mediterranean garden, surround the house and are filled with a great variety of shrubs and flowers, including mimosa and banana. The garden is filled with roses, wisteria and includes a honey locust tree. There is a 17th C brew house and an orchard with Bee Boles.
Clavell Tower, a cliff edge eye catcher, lies to the east. The tower was built in 1831.Clavell Tower was relocated and restored by the Landmark Trust in 2007-8.
Brief history of site:
In 1391 Henry Smedmore sold the site to William Wyot, ancestor of the present owner. The first mention of the gardens is when the original house was built by Sir William Clavell in 1612 with ‘pleasant’ gardens. In 1817 the Rev. John Richards took the name of Clavell when inheriting the estate and built the Clavell Tower. In1833 his niece Louisa Pleydell, wife of Colonel John Mansel inherited the estate.
The garden’s fortunes have fluctuated due to many tenants, but the most noteworthy was Major Van de Weyer 1896-1924, who was an enthusiastic gardener and raised the Buddleja x weyeriana. After a period of neglect following World War II, the flower garden was restored by Mrs John Mansel, wife of the owner, in 1958-89. Since 1989 her son Dr Philip Mansel has made a walk from the garden to Kimmeridge Bay, with urns and obelisks. The kitchen garden has become an orchard and pasture. Tropical plants have recently been added due to climate change.
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Website:
https://www.smedmorehouse.com
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