Tyntesfield

Money from guano

Tyntesfield is a Victorian country house where the story is the money behind it. William Gibbs bought the property in 1843. His wealth came from the family firm Antony Gibbs and Sons, which from 1847 had an effective monopoly on importing Peruvian guano, a fertiliser, to Europe and North America.

An earlier Georgian mansion was remodelled in Gothic Revival style to designs by John Norton, finished in 1863, and a chapel was added in 1872 to 1877. The Gibbs family owned it until Richard Gibbs, 2nd Baron Wraxall, died in 2001, and the National Trust bought it in June 2002 after a fundraising campaign. The house is Grade I listed.

The estate

At its peak the estate was more than 6,000 acres, near Wraxall in North Somerset. When it was auctioned in 2002 it still included about 1,000 acres of farmland and 650 acres of woodland, and the Trust kept about 150 acres: the house, the kitchen garden and the park. Today the National Trust describes the grounds as large lawns, shaded woodland including Truckle Woods, orchards, parkland and an area planted with trees from around the world.

Food, shop and facilities

Home Farm is the visitor hub. The Cow Barn restaurant is set in the Grade II listed Victorian dairy, and its cafe has a dog-friendly section. The shop here is described as one of the largest in the National Trust, and Buzzard Books is a second-hand bookshop. Toilets are open at Home Farm, the Pavilion Cafe and the house garden passage. The Pavilion Cafe has outdoor seating only at the moment, so check the Trust’s page for current arrangements.

Dogs and planning your visit

Dogs must be kept on a short lead anywhere on the estate, and are not allowed in the house or the Walled Garden. General admission applies for the facilities at Tyntesfield, and only groups of 15 or more need to pre-book. Cycle parking is in the main car park, with covered spaces in the upper courtyard of Home Farm. Check opening arrangements and access information on the National Trust page before you set out.