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A lavish family home re-imagined as a Venetian Palace in the rural Dorset countryside.
Wimborne Minster, Dorset, BH21 4EA
Asset | Opening time |
---|---|
House | 10:30 - 15:00 |
Car Park | 09:30 - 16:00 |
Garden | 09:30 - 16:00 |
Park | 09:30 - 16:00 |
Stables Café | 09:30 - 16:00 |
Shop | 10:00 - 16:00 |
Second-hand bookshop | 10:00 - 16:00 |
Badbury Rings car park | Dawn - Dusk |
Kitchen Garden Kiosk | 11:00 - 15:00 |
Please note: last entry to the house is 3pm. House closes at 4pm. Woodland Trail: Between October 2024 and February 2025 sections will be closed due to essential woodland thinning work. For more information please call 01202 884302 or ask a member of team on arrival.
Ticket type | Gift aid | Standard |
---|---|---|
Adult | £21.00 | £19.00 |
Child | £10.50 | £9.50 |
Family | £52.50 | £47.50 |
1 adult, up to 3 children | £31.50 | £28.50 |
Second-hand bookshop located in Laundry Courtyard, just opposite the shop.
A range of sandwiches, light snacks such as soup or sausage rolls, and heartier choices such as one-pot lunches served with bloomers. Cream teas and ice cream. Children's lunchbox. A range of vegetarian and vegan options. Hot and cold drinks (takeaway available). Tables inside and out.
Visit the shop in Laundry Courtyard to buy a range of seasonal plants.
The main car park is 0.25 miles from the main road down a tarmac driveway. The car park consists of tarmac driveways and loose stone and gravel mix.
Located in Laundry Courtyard. A range of home furnishings, fashion accessories, kitchen ceramics, plants and seasonal food and drink, including products from local providers
Dogs on a lead are welcome in the car park, woodland walks, parkland and the Stables courtyard. Dogs not allowed in the formal garden, immediately behind the house, and in the house. Assistance dogs welcome everywhere.
Signposted as you enter the property. Baby-changing facilities are available in the ladies' and men's toilets
Blue Badge parking. Mobility scooters for hire. Accessible WC. House partly accessible, virtual tour available. Garden paths mainly gravel.
Path and floor surfaces around the property are tarmac, concrete, gravel, flagstone, grass, tile, marble and carpet. Map of accessible route available from Visitor Reception.
Located in the Laundry courtyard.
Please leave backpacks and rucksacks in the bag store (free of charge), located in the Laundry Courtyard.
Braille guides are available from the Front of House team in the main entrance.
Three powered mobility vehicles are available for loan from Visitor Reception. Pre-booking advised, telephone 01202 883402 (line 2).
There are 14 designated spaces for disabled people, on a gravel surface. Bays are not marked. Car park has tarmac driveways and loose stone and gravel mix for parking bays. The overflow car park is grass. The parking area is 21 metres (22 yards) from Visitor Reception, up a tarmac slope with a 1:8 gradient.
Induction loops at Visitor Reception and in the shop.
Main entrance to the house is up four steps and access to ground, first and second floors is via staircases. Wheelchair users have level access to three rooms on the basement level only, via a door is located in Laundry Courtyard. Please ring the bell for admission if no one is on duty. One of these rooms contains the virtual tour.
Large print guides are available from the Front of House team in the main entrance.
Audio-visual virtual reality tour available about the history of the house and the family as well as 360º degree imagery of all rooms. The touch screen is located on a 720mm high table within the interpretation space. The screen is positioned at an angle that can be adjusted. A chair without armrest is available.
Flooring within the restaurants is cobble stones or wood.
Three manual wheelchairs and three powered mobility vehicles are available for loan from Visitor Reception. Pre-booking advised, telephone 01202 883402 (line 2).
Two entrance ways: one with steps down and the other (signposted) level. Flooring uneven flagstones.
on B3082 Blandford to Wimborne Road
Entrance to the property what3words ///nearing.daydream.fallback
Parking: free at Kingston Lacy for all visitors. If you are visiting Badbury Rings on the wider estate, there is a pay-and-display car park: free for members (scan your membership card for an all-day ticket) and a charge for non members of £1 for one hour or £3 for the day.
Sat Nav: data unreliable, follow B3082 and brown signs to Kingston Lacy
The Hardy Way and other footpaths pass around Kingston Lacy from Blandford Road and Cowgrove Road.
Poole c.10 miles, Bournemouth c.12 miles.
Bus connections to Wimborne Minster. See below for onward journey.
Services from Bournemouth and Poole to Wimborne Minster, alight Wimborne Square. Taxi advised for onward journey to Kingston Lacy (3 miles). On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays Bus 88 runs from Wimborne to Kingston Lacy car park.
Bus X8 from Blandford Forum to Sturminster Marshall, c.3 miles on foot. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays Bus 88 runs from Sturminster Marshall to Kingston Lacy.
We hold the Good Journey Mark for welcoming car-free visitors. Travel a greener way and enjoy a hot drink with a valid bus ticket. Plan your journey by train, bus, bike or foot at Good Journey
Escape into autumn at Kingston Lacy, where the season is bright, bold and beautiful. Awaken your sense with new colours, new tastes and new sights. Whether you want to stroll through the woodlands, discover the history of the Japanese Garden or join the apple harvest in the Kitchen Garden, we’ve got you covered.
What will you wish for this Christmas? Kingston Lacy’s cheeky Wish Maker sprites need your help – they’ve transformed the house with festive decorations, but their wish machine has gone wrong and sent wishes flying out into the garden. Help them find all the escaped wishes, ride on a vintage carousel and book for Storytelling with Santa. If your Christmas wish is for a memory-making, festive family day out, you’ll find Kingston Lacy can make your wishes come true.
Enjoy nature and fresh air on woodland walks across the Kingston Lacy estate in Dorset, and find out all you need to know about visiting with your four-legged friend.
Groups of visitors are warmly welcomed by the National Trust at Kingston Lacy. Find out more about booking your tickets and the benefits you’ll get.
We're encouraging visitors to arrive at Kingston Lacy by bus. We're offering a free regular hot drink with every valid bus ticket until further notice.
At Kingston Lacy, there is Blue Badge parking and mobility scooters for hire. There is an accessible toilet. The house is partly accessible, and a virtual tour is available. Garden paths are mainly gravel.
A lavish family home, re-imagined as a Venetian Palace, in the Dorset countryside.
Classic English garden with Fernery, herbaceous borders, formal Parterre and Kitchen Garden, surrounded by Japanese-inspired planting and colourful woodland.
Acres of parkland surround the house, grazed by the pedigree Red Ruby Devon cattle and rare breed Portland sheep.
Holt Heath is one of the largest remaining areas of heathland in Dorset, and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Two play areas, one featuring natural play in the woodland and the second in the Kitchen Garden. Both include a variety of features, including accessible play.
Stables Café serving a range of drinks, light lunches and takeaways; takeaway kiosk in the Kitchen Garden.
Shop selling a range of gifts, accessories, food and drink, plants and books. Second-hand bookshop.
There's always plenty to see and do at Kingston Lacy, whatever the weather.
Fire up your creativity at Kingston Lacy at half term, making music with the trees, rolling up a beeswax candle and discovering cows, harvest and honey. Start by picking up an autumn adventures booklet when you arrive – it’s packed with ideas to make the most of the woods, parkland and garden. Hunt out the autumn hideaway for a snuggly read, (re)discover the inspirational magic of words at our vintage telephone tables and head down to the Kitchen Garden to join in the apple harvest.
What will you wish for this Christmas? Kingston Lacy’s cheeky Wish Maker sprites need your help – they’ve transformed the house with festive decorations, but their wish machine has gone wrong and sent wishes flying out into the garden. Help them find all the escaped wishes, ride on a vintage carousel and book for Storytelling with Santa. If your Christmas wish is for a memory-making, festive family day out, you’ll find Kingston Lacy can make your wishes come true.
Take your creativity outside at Kingston Lacy this autumn. Take a moment to explore our creativity boxes, little powerhouses of inspiration with the materials to fire up that right hemisphere. Kick it up a gear with a garden tour (Kingston Lacy's acers are exploding into colour) and book for a wood engraving workshop. Or simply bring your own passion and originality on a walk with family, with friends or just with yourself. Share your creative genius with us @ntkingstonlacy
Santa is stopping at Kingston Lacy this festive season. Make memories, start traditions and come on a fantastical journey with his helpers to find the storybook nook, before settling in for a festive tale, an early Christmas gift and a chance to take a picture together with Santa. Normal admission applies, tickets £15 per child (0-12 years old) with one accompanying adult per child.
Discover all the things to do on a family day out at Kingston Lacy.
Find out more about the Bankes family home. Discover art treasures and look at how a large home was used by the family and their visitors who came to stay.
Relax and wander the gardens to enjoy seasonal interest at any time of year, with plenty of space for children to run, skip and play, and spaces to stop along the way.
Discover the woodland, resident wildlife and historic carriage drive of the Kingston Lacy estate with this circular trail for walkers and cyclists.
Enjoy impressive views across the Dorset countryside on this circular walk, while discovering the history, flora and fauna of the Iron Age hillfort of Badbury Rings.
Enjoy a peaceful walk upstream along this picturesque stretch of the Stour river, with ancient woodland and an array of interesting birdlife to observe along the way.
Starting by an 18th-century mill, this moderate walk goes over rough pasture, alongside the River Stour, through the picturesque village of Shapwick and returns on lanes to White Mill.
Walk around the network of droves and along the tree-lined Beech Avenue at Kingston Lacy. This circular trail takes you back along the outskirts of the Kingston Lacy parkland.
Enjoy a gentle walk through the beautiful unspoilt villages of Pamphill and Cowgrove with good views across the Stour Valley.
This circular heathland walk covers one of the largest heath areas in Dorset, which is home to lots of wild flowers, birds, and all of the UK's reptile species.
Enjoy a relaxing circular walk through the water meadows by the River Stour at Kingston Lacy, taking in short stretches on scenic country lanes and along gravel tracks.
Sample the delicious menu at the Stables Café or visit the National Trust shop to browse a wide range of gifts, souvenirs and local produce. There's also a second-hand book store stocking a huge selection of titles, old and new.
An eye-catching thatched cottage on the Kingston Lacy estate, where you’ll find miles of footpaths through lush rolling countryside waiting to be explored.
A peaceful site surrounded by grassland and ancient trees on the Kingston Lacy estate, a short stroll from the house and gardens.
A picture-perfect thatch cottage with modern rustic interiors, close to Poole Harbour.
A charming, rustic conversion, this holiday cottage has wonky beams and countryside views.
A cosy cottage attached to the larger farmhouse, with views of open heath and woodland.
Five sea-view pitches in the grounds of an old dairy farm, with walks inland to the Purbeck hills or to Chapman’s Pool on the Jurassic Coast.
Celebrate the colourful autumn season at Kingston Lacy this half-term with creativity fun through the gardens and woodland.
Join us this half-term to make an adorable beeswax candle to take home with you. Suggested donation £1
Ever wondered what it takes to care for Kingston Lacy? Learn more about the conservation work that goes into looking after this beautiful place on a special guided tour.
Would you like to try a gentle Nordic walk in the beautiful surroundings of Kingston Lacy? Dorset Council run weekly walks every Tuesday at 10am that last an hour. A Nordic Wellness Walk may incorporate mobility exercises to help with...
Would you like to take up cycling again, have lost confidence, or would just like to ride with other people using traffic-free trails or quiet country lanes? These rides are led by trained volunteers from Dorset Council's Health and Activity...
Design a unique print, a perfect gift for yourself or someone special. Robin Mackenzie will lead this workshop, perfect for beginners or those looking to build on their existing skills.
Discover the ever changing Kingston Lacy woodlands and countryside and have the opportunity to meet new people on these gentle strolls, ranging from 3-4 miles (around 1.5 hours). Please note: new start time of 10am for 2024.
Learn the techniques of Nordic walking and how it can benefit you physically. The session is an hour and a half. Please bring clothes suitable for the conditions. It is £12 per person and poles are provided. Once you have completed your Get into...
Discover Kingston Lacy, an opulent family home built to resemble a Venetian Palace.
There’s plenty to see, from spectacular artworks to beautiful landscapes. Enjoy a summer picnic on the south lawn, or let little visitors run wild in nearby play areas. Wander through the Japanese Garden to the Kitchen Garden, which is being restored to Victorian splendour. Or explore the vast 8,500 acres of estate, featuring Iron Age hill forts, colourful heathland, water meadows and the world’s oldest pedigree herd of Red Ruby Devon cattle.
Kingston Lacy has a dynamic history. Over centuries the Bankes family built, altered, embellished and rebuilt their house. Their wealth came from extensive estates and profitable marriages, including inherited wealth from Caribbean plantations supported by the Atlantic slave trade.
William John Bankes created the house we know today between 1834 and his death in 1855. Forced into exile for homosexuality, at that time punishable by death, he lived in Venice and remotely remodelled the house, creating lavishly decorated interiors such as the spectacular Spanish Room. Displaying remarkable paintings by renowned artists like Rubens, Van Dyck, Titian and Brueghel, the house is a miniature ‘national gallery’ for the South West, and includes Bankes' collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts, the largest private collection in the UK.
Discover Kingston Lacy, an opulent family home built to resemble a Venetian Palace. There’s plenty to see, from spectacular art to beautiful gardens and landscapes. Enjoy a summer picnic on the south lawn, or let little visitors run wild in the two play areas. Wander through the Japanese Garden to the Kitchen Garden, now supplying produce to the cafe. Or explore the vast 8,500 acres of estate, featuring Iron Age hill forts, colourful heathland, water meadows and the world’s oldest pedigree herd of Red Ruby Devon cattle. Kingston Lacy has a dynamic history. Over centuries the Bankes family built, altered, embellished and rebuilt their house. Their wealth came from extensive estates and profitable marriages, including inherited wealth from Caribbean plantations supported by the Atlantic slave trade. William John Bankes created the house we know today. Forced into exile for homosexuality, he lived in Venice and remotely remodelled the house, as well as creating lavishly decorated interiors such as the spectacular Spanish Room. Displaying remarkable paintings by artists such as Rubens, Van Dyck, Titian and Brueghel, the house is a miniature ‘national gallery’ for the South West, and includes Bankes' collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts, the largest private collection in the UK.
A vision from Venice nestled in a pocket of Dorset. Read about Kingston Lacy’s most influential owner who made it the important place you see today.
Learn about some of the prized items that are housed at Kingston Lacy, several of which feature in the National Trust's book 125 Treasures.
In 2024 we are carrying out a major programme of works to upgrade car park, toilets and welcome building at Kingston Lacy. Read on to find out what we'll be doing, and how we will minimise the inevitable disruption.
Discover how Kingston Lacy is encouraging biodiverse, resilient habitats for nature, yet with opportunities for people to explore the landscape.
Conservation work is a vital part of what the National Trust does at Kingston Lacy. Discover more about our latest initiatives.
Home Farm on the wider estate is home to the special Red Ruby Devon cows and rare breed Portland sheep. Find out why you’ll see them out on the Kingston Lacy estate.
There are numerous ways that you can volunteer with the National Trust at Kingston Lacy. Find out how to join our team.
Join today and help protect nature, beauty and history – for everyone, for ever. Enjoy access to more than 500 places with National Trust membership.