National Trust Properties | Discover Mottistone Gardens | Isle of Wight 2024

Discover the Best National Trust Properties -Isle of Wight’s Mottistone Gardens

With the Isle of Wight offering a vast array of great attractions, I wondered what the best Isle of Wight Gardens to visit could be during a stay here.

The Isle of Wight Gardens offers a diversity of landscapes and coastal locations, but it can be overwhelming planning activities for your stay. I did a little research on the best gardens to visit on the Isle of Wight and Mottistone Gardens was the one I chose to see.

The Manor House is now partially open and houses a bookstore for you to browse. Despite only having limited access to the house’s ground floor, it does give you an insight into how the rest of the Manor house looks.

The gardens offer a mix of formal and informal borders, woodlands, grassy picnic areas, and a delightful tea garden.

Isle of Wight Gardens – Location

Nestled at the foot of the picturesque downland Mottistone Manor and gardens are located on the southwest corner of the Isle of Wight.

West Wight is still an area of the island that remains relatively untouched and the downland and coastal beaches are definitely worth a visit.

Short drive west along the winding road from the village of Brightone leads you to Mottistone. A small rural hamlet with its quintessential village green and church, dating back to the 12th century. 

Getting to Mottistone – Car or Bus

A large free National Trust car park is about 100yards further west if you are visiting the gardens by car or motorbike.

If you are without transport during your visit, an island bus service is available via Southern Vectis. The bus stop is conveniently located outside the gardens on the main road through Mottistone. The island’s Southern Vectis No.12 bus route runs from South Street in Newport to the Needles attraction at Alum Bay and offers regular service during the day.

History of Mottistone Gardens Estate

Manor House

I knew little of Mottistone gardens before my visit, despite being an island resident and driving past many a time I had not yet had the opportunity to explore the gardens.

Now owned by the National Trust it originates back in the 1300s and was subject to renovations and even a landslide in its previous troubled history.

The Cheke family built the house in the 15th century on an older Saxon Manor. They also added a new south wing to the Manor and rebuilt the local village church which is located across the road.

A landslide in 1703 caused by a severe storm buried the rear of the house up to the roof eaves.

The rear of the house remained buried for over 200 years. A farmhouse and dairy occupied the estate during this period until Charles Seely purchased the house in 1861.

General Jack Seely, the first Lord Mottistone set about restoring the estate to its current state in 1921.

Beautiful Mottistone Isle of Wight Gardens

The manicured gardens are a more recent addition to the estate. The garden only started its transformation during the 20th century.

Lady Vivien Nicholson created the gardens in the 1960s. Her Scilllian upbringing inspired the design of the landscaping and terraces.

Mottistone Manor and the surrounding estate were bequeathed to the National Trust by John Seely (2nd Lord Mottistone) on his death in 1963, then later redesigned in 2005 by the National Trust Head Gardener.

The national trust and volunteer gardeners have committed a vast amount of work over the last 16 years and what they have achieved is hugely impressive.

Volunteer gardeners have committed a vast amount of work

Plants and species

The Isle of Wight Gardens has a wide range of plants, flowers, and vegetables, including a flower meadow and a grassy picnic area. Seating areas are located on the lawn and tucked away amongst the woodland areas and provide a great area for a welcome rest or picnic lunch. Raised borders, pathways, and walls will lead you around these beautiful areas.

Many colourful flowers and plants are on display making it a joy to walk around and photograph.

Facilities at the Gardens

A restored 17th-century barn containing the national trust shop greets you upon arrival, well-stocked with gifts for you to take away and remember your visit to Mottistone gardens.

A two-tiered lower garden hosts structural and Mediterranean plants, across a small courtyard, are walled gardens, and pathways around the perennial flower beds. Beyond the formal gardens, a flower meadow and a grassy area provide a tranquil spot, making an ideal area to have a picnic amongst the orchards.

As the garden leads gently up the hill to the rear of the manor the flora gradually changes to woodland offering a cooler, shadier location under the canopy during the warmer months.

For the more adventurous a gate and pathway at the top of the garden will lead you to Mottistone Down and the Longstone monument.

The tea gardens have a range of light snacks, tea, and coffee on sale, with outside seating (some sheltered) for you to sit and enjoy the tranquil setting. I would recommend cream tea as a perfect way to relax and enjoy this English country garden setting at the end of your visit, but they do have many other fabulous delights on offer.

Dogs are welcome on leads within the gardens, and I had no problem with our dog during the visit. Outside the Isle of Wight Gardens to the north, the woodland and downs can contain grazing animals.

Signs are located at the entrance to the woodland asking you to keep your dog on a lead in case of livestock.

Cows were certainly visible on top of the hill near the fort during our short walk to visit the Longstone.

Toilets are available within the garden grounds.

The Longstone on Brighstone Down

If you are still feeling full of energy after your garden visit, follow the tranquil winding woodland trail up the gently sloping hill to the Longstone monument. This peaceful path carpeted with bluebells in the earlier part of the year will lead you up to the Bronze Age burial mound marked by two large stones. These stones are what remains of a 600-year-old Neolithic long barrow used to bury the dead.  

A small trail from here will lead you up to the top of Castle Hill, the site of an Iron Age hill fort. From here spectacular views over the south coast of the Isle of Wight are prevalent.

Mottistone Isle of Wight Gardens – Opening Times

I recommend visiting the National Trust site before your visit as opening times vary. Access to the Longstone and surrounding downs is available anytime and is part of the wider common land and downland area.

The gardens and tea rooms are open during the summer periods from 10.30 to 1700, up till the end of October at the time of writing this article.

Prices (free for national trust members)

Garden Standard

Adult £7.00

Child £3.50

Family £17.50

Local Pubs

The Sun Inn is a thatched traditional pub is located about a quarter of a mile to the west of Mottistone.  Offering traditional pub food and local ale, with a large garden overlooking the coast and even a glimpse of the iconic Needles and Tennyson Down.  Open 7 days a week from 12 to 9 pm, being a popular pub, a booking is probably advisable especially when the sun is shining.

I hope you enjoyed this review of the Best Isle of Wight Gardens. If you have any questions or feedback, please let me know. 😊

FAQs

• Round the Island Race 2025 | Sailing | Isle of Wight
• Street Photography | Berlin, Germany
• Fast cars and famous drivers | Motorsport Gallery
• Street Photography | Rome – Italy
• Round the Island Yacht Race | Isle of Wight

Learn more about what the Isle of Wight has to offer