A few weeks ago we went to visit Painshill Park in Surrey. It’s highly recommended, especially if you enjoy scenic walks, historical architecture, and tranquil natural settings. Located in Cobham, Surrey, this 18th century landscaped garden spans 160 acres and features a variety of follies and picturesque views. It’s also been used as a film location, so many of the places were familiar to us!
Highlights of Painshill Park
Painshill Park is worth a visit and is a beautiful landscaped garden packed with a variety of places to explore. There is a house called Painshill but this is not open to the public. The house was designed by Richard Jupp in the late 1770s for Benjamin Bond Hopkins who we are distantly related to. If you’re wondering what happened to Painshill House? Once known as Pains Hill House, the current house was altered in the 19th century, and recently converted into six private residences. In the late 1940s the estate was split up and sold to separate owners. Today you can visit roughly 2/3 of the original estate.
We parked in the car park and bought our ticket at the gift shop before entering the gardens. We noted the cafe for after our walk (a great incentive for the teens!). There are several walks around Painshill Park of differing lengths, with many highlights along the way:
Vineyard – Painshill has its very own vineyard and you can buy the wine in the giftshop
Ruined abbey – this is one of the first sites you will see, built as a romantic ruin
Crystal Grotto – a unique, sparkling cave adorned with over 10000 crystals and stalactites, offering a magical experience. Visit on a sunny day and watch them sparkle in the sun. Note that it’s closed on Mondays for maintenance.
Gothic temple – architecturally striking structure that provide excellent photo opportunities for everyone over the park
Serpentine Lake and Woodland trails – ideal for leisurely strolls, wildlife spotting, or a peaceful picnic during Summer
The Five Arch Bridge – the bridge features heavily in the Bridgerton series
Water wheel – this was built to draw water from the River Mole to create the 14 acre Serpentine Lake.
Temple of Bacchus – this is the most recently restored building with amazing views over the parkland.
Turkish Tent – this is the final spot on the circular walk and has lovely views towards the lake. The vista deliberately mirrors the one seen from The Gothic Temple.
We walked for about 90 minutes before we decided it was time for refreshments. Fortunately our walk brought us back to Mr Hamilton’s Tea Rooms which offered a selection of refreshments, including vegetarian and vegan options. It was also dog-friendly which was perfect as we hate having to sit outside just because we have a dog.
If you are wondering what has been filmed at Painshill then choose from this list which includes Netflix’s Bridgerton, Black Mirror, Dorian Gray, 101 Dalmations and Suffragette as well as music videos for Ellie Goulding, Florence & The Machine and Jessie Ware. As a Bridgerton fan I was really excited to recognise parts of the garden and the bridge from the last season, they were instantly recognisable.
We had a lovely time exploring Painshill Park and only wished we had discovered it sooner. It’s dog-friendly and family-friendly, with lots of activities such as educational workshops, a natural play area, and wildlife trails making it suitable for younger children. We can’t wait to go back and see the landscape during a different time of year.
