The History of Montacute House
Montacute House was built in about 1598 for Sir Edward Phelips. A lawyer and politician, Phelips served as Speaker of the House of Commons and later as Master of the Rolls. He is also noted for his role as the prosecutor in the trial of the Gunpowder Plotters. The house was constructed using local Ham Hill stone, a material that defines the character of the building and the surrounding village.
The Phelips family maintained occupation of the house for several centuries. Their descendants remained in residence until the early 20th century. During this period, the estate faced significant challenges; at one point, the property was valued for scrap at just under £6,000.
In 1931, the philanthropist Ernest Cook purchased the house. Following his death, the property was presented to the National Trust. It remains one of the earliest acquisitions made by the Trust.
The Architecture of the Mansion
Montacute House is a Grade I listed building constructed from local Ham Hill stone. The structure follows an H-shaped plan, which originally consisted of three blocks, each one room thick. In 1787, the centre bar of the H was widened through the addition of a corridor on the western side, utilizing material brought from another house at Clifton Maybank. The east front is distinguished by its Dutch gables.
The top storey is almost entirely occupied by the Long Gallery. This level is situated above a series of well-panelled rooms containing fireplaces. The original east front retains a central porch that opens onto a screens passage, with the Great Hall located to the north and the offices to the south. This layout maintains the medieval plan of the site.
The Long Gallery Collection
The Long Gallery is the longest in England, measuring over 52 metres in length. It houses over 60 Tudor and Elizabethan portraits on loan from the National Portrait Gallery. These works provide a visual record of the era in which the house was completed. The gallery occupies the top storey of the mansion.
Due to the 'Saving the Staircases' project, the upper floors, including the Long Gallery, are currently closed to the public. This preservation work is necessary to ensure the structural integrity of the building's vertical circulation. Visitors can still appreciate the scale of the architecture from the ground floor.
Visiting the Gardens and Parkland
The gardens at Montacute House are listed at the highest grade on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England. The estate contains expansive lawns and a large parkland that surrounds the house. These grounds provide a setting for the architecture and offer space for quiet movement through the landscape.
Visitors may walk through the wider estate, which contains several established paths. The Avenues Walk is a tree-lined route through the grounds, while the Ladies Walk offers a more gentle stroll. For those seeking a higher vantage point, St Michael's Hill provides far-reaching views across the Somerset countryside.