Hill Close Gardens
Hill Close Gardens, Warwick, Warwickshire
A rare group of 18 restored Victorian detached town gardens on a hillside above Warwick Racecourse, with hedged plots, lockable gates and listed summer houses, open to visitors since 2007.
Visit information checked 22 October 2026
Garden UK guide
Why visit Hill Close Gardens?
Hill Close is not one big garden but a hillside of small ones, and that is its charm. In the 19th century many Warwick townhouses had no garden of their own, so their owners rented or bought a plot here, overlooking the racecourse. Each was enclosed by a wall or hedge with a lockable gate for privacy, and many had a little summer house so the family could spend a whole day there whatever the weather. Eighteen of these detached gardens survive, and together they are listed Grade II* on Historic England's Register of Parks and Gardens.
As you walk round, the interest is in seeing the plots side by side: the boundaries, the gates, the paths between hedges and the brick summer houses, four of which are listed buildings in their own right. The Trust that runs the site has worked to restore the gardens to their Victorian character, so this is a chance to see how ordinary town families used a small private garden for growing and for leisure long before allotments and back gardens became the norm.
Anyone with a small or awkward plot will find ideas here. Notice how a hedge or wall turns a narrow strip into a private room, how a summer house gives a small garden a focal point and a reason to linger, and how much can be packed into a modest space. The site is compact, so an hour or two is usually enough, and it pairs well with a walk round the historic centre of Warwick.
What to see
- The four listed Victorian summer houses where families spent whole days in their gardens.
- The run of hedged and walled plots, each with its own gate, just as the Victorians had them.
- Views from the hillside across Warwick Racecourse.
- The chance to compare 18 small gardens side by side, each restored to its Victorian character.
Hill Close Gardens through the year
- spring
- Spring is a good time to see the layout of each plot clearly before summer growth fills the beds.
- summer
- The plots are at their fullest in summer, when the summer houses make most sense as shady places to sit.
- autumn
- Autumn is a quieter time to wander the hillside and compare how each plot was laid out and used.
- winter
- In winter the hedges, walls and summer houses show the structure of the plots best; check the official site for winter opening.
The story behind the garden
The hillside was once common grazing land outside Warwick. In 1845 Edward Wilson divided his land into gardens, and by 1851 a map shows 23 plots, some with buildings. In 1866 the land was sold to Mark Philips as 32 plots, and by 1886 maps show summer houses on several of them. The gardens fell out of use in the 20th century, with only one or two still worked after the Second World War.
From the 1950s the local council bought up plots, and in the 1960s the hillside was earmarked for housing. Planning permission was granted in the 1980s but lapsed, and in 1994 four summer houses were listed. Volunteers began clearing the site in 1998, the Hill Close Gardens Trust was set up in 2000 on a peppercorn lease, a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant followed in 2005, and the restored gardens opened to the public at Easter 2007.
Plan your visit
- Best for
- Small-garden owners, allotment holders and anyone interested in social history and how ordinary Victorian townspeople gardened.
- Getting there
- Hill Close Gardens are in Warwick, on the hillside overlooking Warwick Racecourse, within reach of the historic town centre.
- Before you go
- The site is compact, so it fits easily into a day exploring Warwick. Check the official Hill Close Gardens website for current opening times and admission.
Questions about visiting Hill Close Gardens
What are Hill Close Gardens?
They are a group of 18 surviving Victorian detached gardens on a hillside in Warwick. Townspeople whose houses had no garden rented or owned these enclosed plots, often with a summer house, and they are now listed Grade II* on Historic England's Register.
When did Hill Close Gardens open to the public?
They opened at Easter 2007. A trust was formed in 2000 to restore the gardens, volunteers had begun clearing the overgrown site in 1998, and a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant in 2005 paid for the restoration.
Who runs Hill Close Gardens?
The Hill Close Gardens Trust, a charity, has run the gardens since they opened in 2007. It leases the land from Warwick District Council for a peppercorn rent and relies on volunteers as well as visitors.
How long do you need at Hill Close Gardens?
Around an hour or two is usually enough. The site is compact, so you can see all the plots and summer houses at an easy pace and still have time to explore the centre of Warwick the same day.
Garden features
Location
Hill Close Gardens, Warwick, Warwickshire
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