Welcome to Woodchester Mansion
A unique unfinished Victorian Gothic house hidden in a beautiful Cotswold valley
The Mansion is open to the public 11am – 5pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday & Bank Holidays until 1st Nov. Click for more info on our Open Days.
For all enquiries, please email: info@woodchestermansion.org.uk
The house like no other…
Woodchester Mansion is a unique and amazing Grade I listed Victorian Gothic house hidden in a beautiful Cotswold valley.
It is an unfinished masterpiece. Building started about 1857, but stopped in the mid-1860s so floors and ceilings are missing, walls not plastered and windows unglazed. All the secrets of the construction of the Mansion are visible – something visitors will never see in another country house.
The Mansion was designed by a young local architect, Benjamin Bucknall from Rodborough. He produced a unique Gothic Revival house which blends the local traditional work in limestone with the ideas of the French architectural thinker Viollet-le-Duc.
If you have a serious interest in the Mansion and its history we have a book.
The quality of the craftsmanship is outstanding: some stone carvings are inspired by the plants in the surrounding valley and others are life-like images of animals. There are also real mammals to be seen as the Mansion houses breeding colonies of Greater and Lesser Horseshoe bats. Both the animal carvings and the bats are fun for kids!
Owned by Stroud District Council, the Mansion is managed by the Woodchester Mansion Trust (it is NOT a National Trust property). On Open Days visitors can see how the house was built, admire the fine carvings and look at the bats on CCTV. Refreshments are available, we have a gift shop and the surrounding Woodchester Park (National Trust) can be explored. It is also possible to arrange private tours and hire of the Mansion.
Latest News & Events
New Grant!
We're delighted to have been awarded a grant of £1,000 in the Movement for Good Awards Draw. Thank you to The Benefact Group for funding us and other charities with the scheme, and to all our supporters who nominated us.
Stone Carving Workshops
Our popular STONE CARVING WORKSHOPS with master mason and experienced tutor Paul Maggs will be held in 2026 on Saturdays 18 Apr, 9 May, 20 June, 11 July, 22 Aug, 19 Sept & 17 Oct. Read more to find out about costs and booking.
Volunteers Needed
We're looking for new volunteers - all ages, all skills welcome! Especially minibus drivers, reception & ticket desk volunteers, and new tour guides for our open days in 2026. We also need volunteers for routine maintenance around the Mansion.
Café Opening
We're thrilled that HENRY'S BAKEHOUSE CAFÉ from Minchinhampton will be with us again in 2026 with their delicious range of quality coffees, teas, cakes and lunches. HENRY'S @ WOODCHESTER will be open 11-5pm Fri, Sat, Sun on Mansion Open Days, including bank holidays. Everyone welcome - come along, bring your dog, sit and eat!
Woodchester Bat Experiences
NEW DATES AVAILABLE! Due to high demand - events fully booked - we have added 3 extra Bat Experiences this summer. Dates are 3rd July, 31st July and 18th September. The cost for the evening is £30pp. Join this very special opportunity to observe our rare horseshoe bats close up.
Grant Award
We're delighted to have been awarded a grant of £154,729 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for securing the future of Woodchester Mansion and its environment. PRESS RELEASE
Things to see and do at Woodchester Mansion
2026 Summer Season
The 2026 SUMMER SEASON at Woodchester Mansion has started. We are open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and all Bank Holidays, until Sunday 1st November, 11am – 5pm.
At the beginning of May we will be spending MAYDAY with the Steampunks of Gloucestershire, and then we have some exciting plans for the school summer holidays before the autumn and our annual HALLOWEEN celebrations.
Upstairs Tour
We now have a film of the UPSTAIRS TOUR for less able visitors. Please ask at reception.
Finding Us
As you can see from the picture above, the Mansion (centre) is hidden deep in a beautiful Cotswold valley.
Please use the NT Buckholt car park at Woodchester Park, just off the B4066 Selsley – Uley road close to Coaley Peak (though the Mansion is NOT an NT property). There’s an hourly minibus service to the Mansion from this car park only on the hour 11am – 4pm.
If you’re not a local, please see the How to Find Us page so you have an easy journey. It’s best not to use our postcode in your satnav, as it can take you to the wrong end of the valley where there’s no access.
HENRY’S BAKEHOUSE CAFE
We’re delighted that the famous HENRY’S from Minchinhampton will be with us again this season, serving their superb coffee, delicious brunches (including the sausage rolls), light lunches and a range of mouthwatering cakes. Open when the Mansion’s open, all visitors to Woodchester Park welcome.
Volunteers Needed!
We’re looking for new volunteers – all ages, all skills welcome! Especially minibus drivers, reception and ticket desk volunteers, and new tour guides for our open days in 2026. We also need volunteers for routine maintenance around the Mansion. Come and join our friendly and enthusiastic group of local people.
Private tours 2026
We offer private tours for groups of 12 or more visitors, on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday during the open season. You’ll have exclusive access to the Mansion, with tea/coffee & home-made cake and lunch options from our caterers HENRY’S.
MAYDAY26 with the Steampunks
Bring the family and enjoy the Mayday fun with the Steampunks on Sun 3rd and Mon 4th May. Have a look at the Gallery to see what happened last year.
We’re supported by
Grants
Thanks to a grant from SVTEC (the Stroud Vintage Transport and Engine Club) we are now able to offer visitors who have problems managing stairs the option of a video tour of the upper floors of the Mansion.
Mansion Café
HENRY’S @ WOODCHESTER
Henry’s Bakehouse from Minchinhampton manage our cafe.
They offer coffees, snacks, brunches, teas and DELICIOUS cakes
OPEN 9am – 5pm on Mansion Open Days (Fri, Sat, Sun & Bank Holidays)
