Wrest Park, Silsoe Bedfordshire

Wrest Park was owned by the de Grey family and is now part of English Heritage.  The mansion is a Grade 1 listed property and the gardens/grounds are huge.  Capability Brown landscaped the gardens.  The original house stood where there is now a fountain, but was demolished around 1835 and the new house now stands further up from the Thomas Archer Pavilion and Long Canal.

It's probably nearly a mile in a straight line walk from the mansion to the pavilion.  The grounds are so extensive, next time I visit I shall pre-book one of their motorised buggies so I can get down to the pavilion and also have a look at the Capability Brown monument.

I also did not go into the house itself - saving that for a later trip too.

There is ample parking, toilets, a play area for the kids and a very nice cafe - indoor and outdoor seating.  There is a garden area where horticulture students from nearby Silsoe College show off their skills growing veg, flowers and herbs.

Wrest Park has amazing statues dotted everywhere, wonderful avenue tree walks - you really do need to get yourself an English Heritage Annual Pass and go there several times in order to see it all - 3 trips and your annual pass will have paid for itself.

I hope you like these photos.