Hinton Ampner House

Hinton Ampner House is a country house with a celebrated garden near Alresford in Hampshire, southern England. It sits roughly eight miles east of Winchester and is cared for by the National Trust. Most visitors come for the garden, yet the house has its own story, shaped almost entirely by one owner in the twentieth century.

Who created Hinton Ampner as we see it?

Ralph Dutton, the eighth and last Baron Sherborne, inherited the estate in 1935. He disliked the Victorian look of the house and set about undoing it. In 1937 he brought in a friend, the 7th Duke of Wellington, to help transform the building. The aim was a return to Georgian proportions, free of later Victorian additions. A serious fire later damaged the house, and it was rebuilt in the same spirit. Dutton wrote about the family seat in his 1968 book A Hampshire Manor.

He had already begun the garden in the 1930s, with financial help from his father. When he died in 1985 he left both house and grounds to the National Trust.

What is there to see?

• The house – a Grade II listed building on the National Heritage List for England (Historic England entry 1095121, listed in 1955).
• The garden – laid out by Dutton around long sight lines and a series of distinct garden "rooms", designed to frame views over the countryside.
• All Saints church – a medieval church within the grounds, described as Grade II* listed.
• The landscape – open Hampshire farmland, which the garden's vistas are built to show off.

How do you get there?

The estate lies on the road between Winchester and Alresford, so driving is the easiest option. From Winchester allow about half an hour. Alresford, the starting point of the Watercress Line steam railway, makes a good base for a day out in the area.

When should you visit?

The garden changes through the year, and spring to autumn gives the most to see. Check opening times and ticket prices on the National Trust website before you go. Members enter under their membership terms.

Frequently asked questions

Who owns Hinton Ampner?

The National Trust, which received it from Ralph Dutton's bequest after his death in 1985.

Is the house a listed building?

Yes. Hinton Ampner House is Grade II listed by Historic England.

Where is it exactly?

In Hampshire, about eight miles east of Winchester, close to Alresford.

Who remodelled the house in the 1900s?

Its owner, Lord Sherborne, who worked with the 7th Duke of Wellington in 1937.