Visit Audley Ends attractions and gardens
Visitors to the Autumn Fair can enjoy a day out exploring the spacious grounds and estate of one of England’s grandest mansions, Audley End. Whether it’s exploring the servant’s wing, state rooms, stables, kitchen garden or beautiful grounds, there’s plenty to discover, to see what life was like at a Victorian country house.
Enjoy Audley End's highlights at the Autumn Fair:
Capability Brown Tours
Be transported to the 1760s in half hour tour with the famous architect Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown as he surveys the grounds, shares his exciting plans with you, and expounds upon the landscape’s ‘capabilities’ at Audley End.
Meet the gardeners
The English Heritage gardens team and volunteers will be out and about during the Autumn Fair to share growing tips and talk to visitors about the plants found in the gardens.
Kitchen Garden Tours
Audley End’s walled kitchen garden are not to be missed, running entirely on organic principles and including grape vines in the glasshouses and an array of produce. Explore at your leisure or book a Plant Expert Tour to dig a bit deeper.
Parterre Gardens
The intricately designed Parterre Gardens are a treat for the senses. Designed by William Sawry Gilpin in 1832, the gardens will host ‘In Conversation’ talks at the Autumn Fair, with the Gardeners’ World Magazine’s editors and special guests.
Audley End House
Take time to wander through the impressive great hall, magnificent state apartments, intimate dressing rooms and 18th century gothic-style chapel. And don’t forget to take a look at the Braybrooke’s unique natural history collection.
Plus, head to the Robert Adam rooms to enjoy current art exhibition, The Garden Seekers, where Essex Gardens Trust artist in residence, Jane Frederick showcases an artistic lens on the great gardens of Essex. Find out more here >
Family fun
Explore life below stairs in Audley End House’s service wing, meet the horses in the stable yard and run around in the children’s play area. Four-legged friends on leads are welcome, with spacious grounds perfect for a dog walk.
Things to See and Do
Parterre Gardens
Wander through to the back of the house and discover the intricate Parterre, a treat for the senses designed in 1832. Among other floral delights, the damask shrub roses planted on the Parterre can grow to a staggering six feet tall!
Capability Brown tours
Top 18th-century architect Lancelot “Capability” Brown was hired by Sir John Griffin (officer, politician, and Peer) in the 1760s to modernise the estate’s gardens. Take a half-hour stroll back in time with Audley’s very own “Mr Brown” tour guides!
Explore Audley End
Explore the servant’s wing, state rooms, stables, kitchen garden and beautiful grounds of Audley End, plus the Victorian nursery and heaps more – including the opportunity to experience life as a Victorian servant “downstairs” in the dairy and laundry rooms, and view the memorial to Polish Resistance soldiers who trained at Audley during World War Two.