Stafford House

About Stafford House

The gardens at Stafford House includes a river walk and tree planting in the style of early-19th century Picturesque. This is one of only two sites in Dorset for which Humphry Repton prepared landscape proposals. The proposals were not implemented at the time. However, when the house was extended by Benjamin Ferrey in 1848-50, the new building and gardens followed in the spirit of Repton’s proposals.

Nicholas Gould originally commissioned designs for both the house and grounds, which were then named Frome House. The date is uncertain, but must be prior to 1816, when the project was described and illustrated in Humphry Repton’s ‘Fragments’.

The area to the west of the house is the site of the abandoned village of Frome Billet.
Thomas Hardy fans will know West Stafford as the location of the story The Waiting Supper, with the church of St Andrew also being the apparent setting for Tess and Angel Clare’s marriage in Tess of the d’Urbervilles.

A limited number of tickets have been made available for this special private morning opening, hosted by Lord and Lady Fellowes.The gardens at Stafford House include a river walk and tree planting in the style of the early 19th century Picturesque, designed by Humphrey Repton and are not open normally to the public. The morning will include a special home-made elevenses which will be served by courtesy of Julian and Emma underneath the turkey oak tree planted in 1633 on the main terrace. There will be the opportunity to explore the grounds and gardens, finishing at 12pm
.