This year’s Fishmongers Gaden Society tour which will take place on Tuesday 4th and Wednesday 5th June 2024. We have a sparkling two days lined up with access to some truly remarkable private gardens, all in the vicinity of Shaftesbury and the South Somerset/Wiltshire/Dorset borders.
Our hosts have a limit on the number of guests they can accommodate, and so total numbers are limited to 40. In keeping with FGS tradition, bringing another half is welcomed, but it does mean that the places will get snapped up quickly, so we will have to go on a first come first served basis, with a reserve list should vacancies arise.
ITINERARY
Tuesday 4th June
11:00hrs – Forest Lodge Gardens, Penselwood, Somerset, BA9 8LL
Hosts: James and Lucy Nelson
Coffee on arrival, garden tour followed by sandwich lunch
14:00 hrs (2:00 pm) Stavordale Priory, Charlton Musgrove, Somerset, BA9 8HN (10 min from Forest Lodge)
Hosts: Sir Cameron Mackintosh and Micheal Le Poer Trench
Look around gardens followed by tea
At the request of our host, FGS will make a donation to Horatio’s Garden.
Tuesday Night
We have dinner altogether at The Coppleridge Inn, Elm Hill, Motcombe, SP7 9HW (near Shaftesbury, about 20 minutes from Stavordale) where we will have our own room and terrace for a drink before dinner. We will be pre-ordering – menu to come!
The Coppleridge has some rooms (heads up, they will go swiftly). Other suggestions in Shaftesbury for staying the night are the Fleur de Lys and The Grosvenor (both well regarded locally). There are B&Bs in the area as well as other inns and hotels – check around Shaftesbury, Motcombe, Gillingham, Hindon and anywhere in between or close by.
If you are travelling to your accommodation after dinner, you may need to book a cab in advance – please ask your hotel or contact A2B Taxis on 07716 829 844 or Willow Travel Taxis on 01747 853 965.
Wednesday 5th June
The first two gardens have a limit of 20 people at a time, and sowe will need to split into two groups. While one group visits Shute House Gardens, the other will ‘cross the road’ to look around the also much favoured Shute Farm Gardens (and vice versa).
10:00 – 11:00 hrs Shute House Gardens, Church Hill, Donhead St. Mary, Shaftesbury, SP7 9DG (15 minutes from Shaftesbury)
Hosts: Sir John and Lady Suzy Lewis
Coffee and a guided tour around the gardens
Note – 20 people at a time, so once the first group have finished their visit, they will then ‘cross the road’ to look around Shute Farm Gardens (and vice versa – see below)
10:00 – 11:00 hrs Shute Farm Gardens, Church Hill, Donhead St. Mary, Shaftesbury, SP7 9DG (pretty well opposite Shute House)
Hosts: John and Caroline David
Coffee and look around the garden
At the request of our host, FGS will make a donation to The Gurkha Welfare Trust.
Note – 20 people at a time, so once this group finishes, it will swap with the other group, and ‘cross the road’ for a guided tour around Shute House Gardens
12.00 hrs both groups depart to Pythouse Kitchen Gardens (15 minutes away) for lunch: Pythouse Kitchen Garden Restaurant, West Hatch, Tisbury, SP3 6PA
Lunch is arranged and we will be pre-ordering – menu to come!
14:30 hrs (2:30 pm) – Ferne House Gardens, Donhead St.Andrew, SP7 0EU (15 minutes away)
Hosts: Viscount and Viscountess Rothermere
Guided tour followed by tea
Away by 17:30 hrs (5.30pm) at latest
Note: The visit to Ferne will be limited to 30 people maximum (first come first served basis). Unfortunately we cannot exceed this number and so, if we are unable to get you into Ferne, we will let you know and your ticket price will be adjusted accordingly.
COST, BOOKINGS & PAYMENT
COST – The cost will be £250 per head. This includes entry to all of the gardens, two lunches, coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon on both days, and dinner on the Tuesday night. We hope you will agree that this represents very good value.
Accommodation and travel are left up to you to organise individually (see suggestions above).
Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis once payment is received, so please, if you would like to come, make sure you email confirmation with payment (see below – please copy in the new FGS email address). There will be a reserve list in case any vacancies arise.
This promises to be a fantastic couple of days allowing us to look around some truly remarkable private gardens which are ordinarily not open to the public. We are very grateful to our hosts who have agreed to allow us in.
Individuals will be responsible for organising their own travel. There are two local railway stations – Gillingham and Tisbury (on the Waterloo/Exeter St. David’s line).
BOOKING – If you would like to come, please email Keeley O’Mahony (Membership Secretary) at the Hall
keeley.barham@fishmongers.org.uk and c/c gardens@fishmongers.org.uk
PAYMENT – must be made direct to The Fishmongers’ Company – account details will be provided upon booking.
We much look forward to seeing you in June.
With best wishes
Rupert Cotterell
On behalf of the Fishmongers’ Garden Society Committee
© The Fishmongers’ Company 2026
