Hatch Court

Hatch Court is now closed to the public

Hatch Court is an elegant Palladian mansion set in an exceptionally fine park.

The house has a good collection of pictures and furniture, a china room and a military museum. A herd of fallow deer graze in the park and there are magnificent trees and wonderful views.

The beautiful gardens at Hatch Court have been extensively restored the present owners. The highlight is a huge working walled kitchen garden. Before 1984 this productive garden was a complete wilderness but since then it has been brilliantly restored by Robin and Janie Odgers.

By the entrance mellow brick walls shelter roses and clematis in a marvellous range of purples, lavender, pinks, blue and white. These are underplanted by blue hardy geraniums.

The vegetable garden has clipped box hedges and the unusual vegetables and herbs grown here supply the renowned Castle Hotel in Taunton. Espaliered fruit trees are trained along the walls, with fig trees and kiwi fruit in the warmest spot.

From the kitchen garden an archway in the high wall leads the visitor to the rose garden, herbaceous borders and the sweeping lawns encircled by cedars, yews, copper beeches and mulberry trees.