Athelhampton House & Gardens
One of England's prettiest, and most important, medieval manor houses.
Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 7LG
- Accessible parking
- Guide dogs welcome
- Wheelchair ramps/routes
- Accessible toilets
Athelhampton is one of England’s finest Tudor manors. The Great Hall built in 1485 remains greatly unchanged with a mainly original hammer-beam roof, carved stonework, stained glass and other details.
- Accessible parking
- Guide dogs welcome
- Wheelchair ramps/routes
- Accessible toilets
Mention in the Domesday Book
Before 1066 Aethelric held the manor.
The Domesday Book of 1086 records that the manor, then called Pidele, was held by the Bishop of Salisbury with Odbold as a tenant.
Tudor influence
About the year 1485 Sir William Martyn, a land owner and collector of wine duty at Poole, built Athelhampton Hall, he received a licence to enclose 160 acres of deer park and fortify his manor with walls of stone and lime and to build towers and crenellate them.
Enter, Thomas Hardy
In 1862 George Wood builds a new Church at Athelhampton, with Hicks of Dorchester as Architect who employed Thomas Hardy. George Wood dies in 1866, his nephew George Wood Homer manages the estate and inherits a few years later.
The 20th century
In 1992, Patrick Cooke, the third generation of his family to live here, inherits Athelhampton. Much restoration is due to his tireless efforts, including the kitchen garden and the main staircase.
The house today
In 2019, Giles Keating purchased Athelhampton. His is the tenth family to own Athelhampton since Tudor times, adding a new story to its rich history. New rooms, including the Elizabethan Kitchen, have opened, and an innovative project has made Athelhampton’s energy use carbon neutral.
Related links
Athelhampton House & Gardens
Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 7LG
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