To oversee the restoration of the gardens and protect them for the future, the registered charity, Hestercombe Gardens Trust, was established in 1996.
The unique gardens spanned three centuries of garden design, Hestercombe House & Gardens offering a varied experience of a Georgian Landscape Garden (designed 1750s), Victorian Shrubbery and Edwardian Formal Gardens (early 1900s). Sir Edwin Lutyens was commissioned in 1903 to design the formal garden, incorporating a planting scheme by Gertrude Jekyll.
Earlier this year, Hestercombe implemented a series of measures in response to financial difficulties. These measures included reducing staff hours, renegotiating contracts, and conducting internal assessments to ensure its long-term viability. At the time, a spokesperson for Hestercombe stated that the charity’s costs were high, accompanied by a decline in visitor attendance. Despite these efforts, including the introduction of a diverse range of new events and attractions during the spring and summer season, it appears that Hestercombe has been unable to reverse its financial trajectory.
Mark Boughey and Rebecca Dacre, of Forvis Mazars have now been appointed as joint administrator of Taunton-based Hestercombe Gardens Trust and Hestercombe Gardens Limited as of the 1st of August 2025. The business will continue to trade under the supervision of the joint administrators and the estate remains open to the public.
Mark Boughey, joint administrator, said: “Despite the passion and commitment of the current management team and following a period of cost cutting and reorganisation, it is sad to see such a popular and loved historic house and gardens left with no alternative but to appoint administrators to protect the assets. Visitor numbers are down over the past year and wedding/café operations are failing to deliver the profitability the wider estate requires. Like many businesses, Hestercombe has continued to suffer with increasing cost pressures to operate, leaving the Trustees with little option but to seek the protection of Administration and the support of administrators.”
The Trustees said: “Hestercombe, a beloved historic estate and gardens, has played a central role in the cultural and social life of Somerset and beyond. However, despite recent efforts to stabilise its financial position, the Trustees have concluded that the estate is no longer viable under its current operational model. The Trustees hope that the appointment of administrators will ensure a structured and professional approach to managing the Trust’s cash flows and assets while exploring potential avenues for future sustainability including a restructuring and/or the sale of assets.”
