ATTINGHAM PARK – NATIONAL TRUST

Attingham inspires a sense of beauty, space and awe. The imposing entrance, glimpses of the vast mansion against silhouettes of cedars and expansive parkland, epitomise classical design and Italian influence. Its completeness of survival exemplifies the rise and decline, love and neglect of great country-house estates. Discovering the Berwicks’ estate with acres of parkland, miles of walks, the huge organic walled garden, large playfield and welcoming mansion is a full day out. There’s so much to see and do at Attingham – whether you’re a family looking for activities, both inside and out, or simply in search of a traditional visit to a historic house and parkland. Full of life and locally loved, there’s something for everyone all year round.

From ancient landscapes to mansion restoration, the estate at Attingham has witnessed a lot of change.

4000 years in the making.
Attingham’s Estate is centred around the confluence of the Rivers Tern and Severn, with mostly flat, light alluvial soils and lots of sand and gravel. Our ancestors found this to their liking and we have lots of evidence of human activity from an early age: Iron Age field systems, Bronze Age barrows, the Roman city of Viroconium and Saxon palaces.

The Hill family
The Hill family, later to become the Lords Berwick, bought the original piece of land here in 1700 – which came indirectly from land taken from Haughmond Abbey during the Dissolution. Over the next century they added to it until there were over 8,000 acres, extending right up into Shrewsbury.

The family made their money through politics, the acquisition of land, money-lending and mining. However, not all of them proved to be so good at managing their great fortune.

The work of the last Lord and Lady Berwick to restore the Mansion meant that half of this was sold off in the first half of the 20th century, leaving nearly 4,000 acres that we still manage today.

The massive Parkland, Walled Garden and Deer Park are open for pre-booked visits, along with car park, the Carriage House Café (for takeaway drinks and snacks only), Field of Play and most toilet facilities. To ensure the safety of visitors, staff, volunteers and local communities, you’ll need to book your visit in advance.

Attingham is a no smoking or vaping site (indoors and out) and dogs must be on a lead at all times (except for off-lead paddock area).

The outdoor spaces at Attingham remain open for local visitors to access fresh air and open space for exercise in line with government guidance. This includes the parkland, walking routes, Deer Park, Walled Garden and Field of Play.

As the evenings get lighter opening hours are extended to provide additional arrival time slots. The last arrival time slot of the day is 4.30pm-5pm, the estate then closes at 6pm.