National Trust - Anglesey Abbey, Gardens and Lode Mill - Cambridge

Lora Dimitrova

Beautiful tranquility, beautiful gardens, amazingly helpful staff, great car parking very close to the venue. Disability-equipped National trust venue with scooters for hire. The gardens couldn’t have been better looked-after, aesthetically pleasing and full of surprising alcoves and corners. A lot of thought and work has gone into it. Each section is different and full of imagination and beauty. Unfortunately, at this particular visit the house was closed so I can’t comment on it here. But the gardens are well worth the visit, and even copying of the design - providing one has the space. The Dahlia and the Birch trees sections need a particular attention, as well as the Cyclamen path this time of the year. The Rose garden is magnificent but a little tired-looking now - it’s Autumn. There are some almost private sections by the river which are designed to be used as tranquility contemplating restful patches. The staff needs special mention as they made our visit just wonderful- caring for each visitor, providing as much information as possible, doing it with as much joy and skill as possible.

Michael Horne

Lovely place to visit. Restaurant was busy at lunch with a small queue, so no complaints. Plenty of food and drink choices. The house is lovely, with plenty of paintings and textiles to appreciate, although the upper floors were closed for restoration work. The rose garden and formal gardens are small, but well tended. A lovely space to walk in.

Alan Robertson

The gardens are amazing. The cyclamens were lovely and the white birch grove jaw dropping. The house is very interesting, although only ground floor open. Light and airy restaurant. Shop has some unique products and attached is a good plant centre. Definitely recommend, and will visit again.

Allan Brown

What a wonderful day we had walking through the grounds. The tall trees are not squeeze together but they have room to display there form. The paths range from hard packed pea gravel to well worn pathways but are good for wheelchairs but some could be heavy going after lot of rain. The dining room was fantastic I have never seen one like it, and the lovely clock.
You have formal garden and rose garden both laid out well.

Elizabeth Baker

As this was not far from Cambridge, where I had spent the weekend, decided to spend a few hours here on my way home. Really nice woodland walk to the mill and then as you make your way to the house, other colourful gardens. With the house, unfortunately only the ground floor was open but apparently the upper floor will be opened later in the year. The Rose Garden around the back of the house is not to be missed as the scent was beautiful. As per most National Trust properties like this, there is a restaurant and shop. There is an entry fee but free for National Trust members.

Edward Bullock

Just over 5 miles to the Northeast of Cambridge, just a few minutes off the A14 is Anglesey Abbey, set in 114 aces of formal gardens and woodland.

Believed to have founded by Henry I in the 12th century as the Hospital of St Marys and in the following century it was converted into a priory of Augustinian canons, although it was never an Abbey. The Abbey fell into disrepair due to dissolution under Henry VIII and some 60 years later the remains were bought by the Fowkes to be converted into a family home. Ownership of the Abbey changed several times until it was purchased by Lord Fairhaven and his younger brother in 1926. Lord Fairhaven lived at Anglesey Abbey from 1926 until his death in 1966 during which he created a comfortable country home with an eclectic collection of antiquities dating from the early Tudor period through to the 1960s.

Due to maintenance work, the Tapestry Hall and upstairs of the house were closed on the day of my visit. However the Living Room, Oak Room and Dining Room on the ground floor were open. The Dining Room would not have looked out of place on a Games of Thrones set! The domestic Wing was also open, having been restored to how it looked in the 1960’s.

The gardens are designed to ensure there is something to see every season, 500 varieties of snowdrops in the winter, daffodils in the Spring and when I visited in mid-September, 60 stunning varieties of Dahlias in a sweeping arc were in full bloom. Although the roses were slightly past their best, you could imagine how splendid they would have looked a few weeks earlier. A personal highlight was the almost never-ending beds of cyclamen as you head to Lode Mill from the visitors centre. Throughout the gardens are countless statues.

In the woodland there are several activity areas including a new Play Area and the opportunity to build a den.

Also on site is a restaurant, gift shop, garden centre, café and second-hand book shop.

A great day out and I will definitely return when the Tapestry Hall and upstairs of the house is reopened.

Stephanie Tsang

Lovely family day out. Visited for the first time with my husband and two children in August summer holidays. There are lots of different landscaped gardens to visit which are all immaculately looked after. The rose garden smelt lovely. We went inside the Abbey and unfortunately were only allowed to look around downstairs as the upstairs is still undergoing restoration works. There were plenty of very knowledgeable volunteers around to tell you about each room and it’s artefacts.

Outside there was plenty of space for kids to run around and there was an adventure playground as well as lots of outdoor activities such as giant chess, badminton, limbo, skipping ropes and limbo.

Jackie T

Beautiful grounds and Abbey. Car park very close to entrance. Gorgeous flower gardens. Great place for families or to just relax. Best way to visit lots of places free is buy the yearly membership.