Prior Park Landscape Garden

A garden shaped by Allen, Pope and Brown

Ralph Allen bought the land in the 1720s and developed the garden from the 1730s, taking advice from the poet Alexander Pope. In the mid-1700s Capability Brown reworked the hillside into a single sweep running down towards the city. The Palladian bridge, a copy of the one at Wilton House, is one of only four of its design left anywhere and is Grade I listed. The house at the top is now Prior Park College and is not part of the visit.

Getting there and getting round

There is no car park, so plan to arrive by bus or on foot. The no. 2 bus from Dorchester Street in the centre stops right outside the gate, and the National Trust's Water Walk leads up from Bath Spa station in under a mile. Inside, the paths between the upper and lower garden are steep; there are shorter level routes along the top and around the lakes.

Making a morning of it

Allow an hour or two to loop down to the bridge and back. The Tea Cabin by the lower entrance does drinks, cake and ice cream, and dogs on leads are welcome. The garden is a stop on the Bath Skyline walking route, so it pairs well with a longer hill walk, or with the views from The Bath Lookout nearby.

Highlights

• Palladian bridge of 1755, one of four of its design
• Garden developed by Ralph Allen with advice from Alexander Pope
• Hillside views over Bath
• Lakes, woodland paths and a Silent Space trail
• Tea Cabin at the lower entrance

Good to know

• No on-site parking: use the no. 2 bus, park and ride or walk up from the station
• Paths between upper and lower garden are steep and unsuitable for wheelchairs
• Dogs on leads welcome
• No need to pre-book general entry; National Trust members free

Frequently asked questions