WELCOME TO OUR Beautiful Britain - Iford Manor PROJECT
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Summary: A Look at Some of Britain's Beauty spots - Iford Manor in Wiltshire
Beautiful Britain – Iford Manor & The Peto Garden
Located in Wiltshire on the slopes of the Frome Valley, Iford is perhaps best known for the Grade I internationally listed gardens designed by Harold Peto in the early 20th century, and was winner of the Historic Houses Association/Christies Garden of the Year Award in 1998.
The house itself is Tudor in origin; the classical façade was added in the 18th century when much of the hanging woodlands above the gardens were planted.Iford Manor was lived in by the garden architect, Harold Peto, from 1899 until his death in 1933. During this time he designed and created the gardens that we see today. Peto took his inspiration from the Italian style of gardening where planting is secondary to architecture and this is evident throughout the gardens. He terraced the slopes, added fountains and pools, classical statues, urns and colonnades. Cypress trees are used as a structural feature as are Buxus sempervirens, which also grows in the woods above the house. Wisteria, roses and climbers are used to soften the lines of the architectural features.
Peto traveled abroad frequently, and often returned with items of architectural interest, many of which can be seen in the gardens. Peto also built the Italian Romanesque style cloisters to house his collection of sculpture and architectural fragments.Today this building is used by Iford Arts as a venue for musical events such as opera and jazz concerts during the summer months.
The Italian style gardens with their thin cypress trees, terraced walks, marble lions and columns are in great contrast to the English water meadows that run along the valley floor below. Just 6 miles south of Bath, Iford Manor and the Peto Gardens are open from April to October, as follows:
April & October: Sundays and Easter Monday 2pm - 5pm.
From May to September daily except on Mondays and Fridays between 2pm - 5pm.
Contact 01225 863146.
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