Thatched cottage where Thomas Hardy was born and penned some early novels, plus country garden.
Definitely worth a visit. There is a nice cafe with toilets and parking just 2 minutes from the cottage. Once you get to the cottage you can pay the entrance fee (although I would recommend to book in advance, if possible). The garden of the house is very pretty and the cottage itself is wonderful. The local guide was great in explaining the life of Thomas Hardy, his works and a few details of the house and the garden. After the visit to the cottage, I would suggest visiting the Puddletown Forest.
You need to book in advance. Otherwise, entry is not guaranteed entry. Is is such an amazing little place with an amazing back story. It's about a 10-minute walk from the carpark (not national trust) down to the property. The gardens are amazing, so pretty. The tour lasts around half an hour and is run by passionate volunteers with great knowledge. It's quite a small house, so the stairs are a little tight. Recommended q trip to Hardy's house Max Gate afterwards to continue the story, only 10 minutes down the road.
Beautiful rustic cottage reached via a serene walk through the woods! It's a 15 minute drive from Dorchester South train station. Make sure to book tickets online at the UK National Trust Website (nationaltrust.org.uk) as they get booked fast for small group tours through 3pm. The knowledgeable speaker gave us a good background on Thomas Hardy's life to help us understand what shaped him into the great author. The best part was walking through the cottage where he was born and wrote his early works from his study overlooking the inspirational front garden that he designed!
A lovely cottage, especially poignant for Hardy's legion of readers. You can imagine him sitting at the old desk, creating his early works. The guide was excellent and brought the place to life. The simplicity of the interior is a reminder that Hardy did not come from privilege or wealth, giving added weight to his writing. Free to NT members but worth it even if you have to pay. Advance booking essential.
It's lovely cottage to see. From the parking lot there are three different routes - pushchair friendly about 5 mins walk and two others through the woods 15-35 mins. If you are booking to see the nearest Max Gate as well leave couple of hours between two bookings.
Beautiful place Knowledgeable guide Information could have been more interactive rather than lecture style or have included visuals such as photo of Max Gate for example
On-site services
Getting tickets in advance recommended
Good for kids
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Definitely worth a visit. There is a nice cafe with toilets and parking just 2 minutes from the cottage. Once you get to the cottage you can pay the entrance fee (although I would recommend to book in advance, if possible). The garden of the house is very pretty and the cottage itself is wonderful. The local guide was great in explaining the life of Thomas Hardy, his works and a few details of the house and the garden. After the visit to the cottage, I would suggest visiting the Puddletown Forest.
You need to book in advance. Otherwise, entry is not guaranteed entry. Is is such an amazing little place with an amazing back story. It's about a 10-minute walk from the carpark (not national trust) down to the property. The gardens are amazing, so pretty. The tour lasts around half an hour and is run by passionate volunteers with great knowledge. It's quite a small house, so the stairs are a little tight. Recommended q trip to Hardy's house Max Gate afterwards to continue the story, only 10 minutes down the road.
Beautiful rustic cottage reached via a serene walk through the woods! It's a 15 minute drive from Dorchester South train station. Make sure to book tickets online at the UK National Trust Website (nationaltrust.org.uk) as they get booked fast for small group tours through 3pm. The knowledgeable speaker gave us a good background on Thomas Hardy's life to help us understand what shaped him into the great author. The best part was walking through the cottage where he was born and wrote his early works from his study overlooking the inspirational front garden that he designed!
A lovely cottage, especially poignant for Hardy's legion of readers. You can imagine him sitting at the old desk, creating his early works. The guide was excellent and brought the place to life. The simplicity of the interior is a reminder that Hardy did not come from privilege or wealth, giving added weight to his writing. Free to NT members but worth it even if you have to pay. Advance booking essential.
It's lovely cottage to see. From the parking lot there are three different routes - pushchair friendly about 5 mins walk and two others through the woods 15-35 mins. If you are booking to see the nearest Max Gate as well leave couple of hours between two bookings.
Beautiful place Knowledgeable guide Information could have been more interactive rather than lecture style or have included visuals such as photo of Max Gate for example