Ham House & Garden
Ham, Richmond upon Thames, London
A 17th-century house beside the Thames near Richmond, set in formal gardens restored to their Stuart layout, including the Cherry Garden, the Wilderness and an Orangery.
Visit information checked 22 October 2026
Garden UK guide
Why visit Ham House & Garden?
Ham House is one of the best places near London to see what a grand 17th-century garden looked like. The red brick house stands in formal gardens on the bank of the River Thames, and both house and garden keep an unusually strong sense of the Stuart court. The layout is formal and geometric, so this is a garden of lines, hedges and enclosed spaces rather than sweeping borders.
Beside the east front is the Cherry Garden, which the Duchess of Lauderdale could step into directly through a private door from her White Closet. To the south of the house, lawns lead to the Wilderness, a formal arrangement of hedged compartments and paths that was a fashionable feature of the period. The Orangery, now used as a tea room, stands in the garden, and service buildings such as the ice house show the practical side of a large household. On the river side, gates designed by William Bruce face the Thames.
Gardeners interested in formal design will get plenty from a visit. Ham shows how clipped hedges, simple geometry and a limited palette of plants can create strong, calm spaces, ideas that work in small town gardens too. The house is worth seeing as well: it keeps much of its original 17th-century decoration and furniture. A walk along the Thames towards Richmond makes a good end to the day.
What to see
- The Cherry Garden beside the east front, reached from the Duchess's White Closet.
- The Wilderness, a formal arrangement of hedged compartments south of the house.
- The Orangery, now used as a tea room.
- The river gates designed by William Bruce, facing the Thames.
- The ice house and service yard on the west side of the house.
Ham House & Garden through the year
- spring
- Fresh green hedges and lawns sharpen the formal lines of the garden, and the Wilderness is pleasant for a sheltered walk.
- summer
- The formal garden is at its crispest, and the Orangery tea room makes a good stop on a warm day.
- autumn
- Trees along the Thames turn colour, and a riverside walk towards Richmond is especially enjoyable.
- winter
- The clear geometry of the garden shows well when plants are dormant; check the National Trust website for winter opening.
The story behind the garden
Sir Thomas Vavasour, Knight Marshal to James the First, completed Ham House in 1610. It was then leased, and later bought, by William Murray, a close friend of Charles the First, who improved the house in the 1630s. During the Civil War the estate was sequestrated but regained, and Murray's daughter Elizabeth, Countess of Dysart, kept it through the Protectorate.
The house's greatest period came after Elizabeth married John Maitland, Duke of Lauderdale, in 1672. The couple almost doubled the house in size, filled it with fine furniture, paintings and tapestries, and redesigned the gardens and grounds to match their status. Later generations of the Tollemache family mostly preserved what they inherited. In 1948 the family gave Ham House to the National Trust, and in the second half of the 20th century the house and gardens were opened to the public and extensively restored and researched.
Plan your visit
- Best for
- History lovers and anyone interested in formal garden design, especially Londoners wanting an easy day out.
- Getting there
- Ham House is on the bank of the River Thames at Ham, just south of Richmond in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.
- Before you go
- Allow time for the house, which keeps much of its original 17th-century interior, as well as the garden. Check the National Trust website for current opening times and tickets.
Source: Wikipedia: Ham House
Questions about visiting Ham House & Garden
Is Ham House National Trust?
Yes. Lyonel Tollemache and his son gave Ham House to the National Trust in 1948. The Trust opened the house and gardens to the public and has carried out extensive restoration and research since then.
What is the garden like at Ham House?
It is a formal 17th-century garden, with the Cherry Garden beside the house, lawns to the south leading to the Wilderness, an Orangery and service buildings such as the ice house. The park and garden are listed Grade II* on the national register.
Is there a café at Ham House?
Yes. The 17th-century Orangery in the garden is now used as a tea room, which makes a good stop during a visit. Check the National Trust website for current opening times before you go.
How do you get to Ham House?
Ham House is beside the River Thames, just south of Richmond. Many visitors walk along the river from Richmond, which makes a pleasant start or end to a visit. Check the National Trust website for travel and parking details.
Why is Ham House famous?
It is a rare survival of 17th-century luxury and taste, keeping many original Jacobean and Caroline features and furnishings. It is also a popular filming location for film and television because of its period interiors and gardens.
Garden features
Location
Ham, Richmond upon Thames, London
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