Frequently Asked Questions
Garden visitors must have a valid Membership prior to entry. This offers unlimited access to the gardens and garden attractions for 12 months, as well as seasonal events.
An adult membership is currently £80 when purchased via Direct Debit, £95 when purchased as a one off card payment.
Joint membership is available for two adults, living at the same address, £130 when purchased via Direct Debit, or £160 when purchased as a one off card payment.
A local membership is currently available at £40 when purchased via Direct Debit, £55 when purchased as a one off card payment, for visitors who reside within a 6 mile radius of the estate. Children (0-16 yrs) are free of charge as long as they are accompanied by an adult member, each member may bring up to 6 children. (All priced are subject to change)
Members can purchase Guest Day Passes, currently £20 when purchased in advance of arrival via The Newt app, £25 when purchased on arrival (up to a maximum of 6 passes per day).
Go to Plan Your Visit on our website and follow the easy steps to buy a membership.
We have created The Newt in Somerset App which helps you make the most of every visit; enabling you to access your digital membership card, book restaurants, workshops and experiences, and keep up with the latest news from the estate.
We sell day passes for member's guests. We do not sell a general day pass because we believe the best way to unlock the value of the Newt is through membership. There is too much to see and do in one day, and the estate changes throughout the seasons.
Member’s Guest Passes can be purchased via The Newt app in advance of arrival, priced at £25, or at the Gate House for £25. The guest pass is valid for single entry for one adult, for the date of purchase only.
Each member can purchase up to 6 Guest Day Passes on any given day. There is no limit to the total number of passes that can be purchased over the 12 months of your membership.
Guests must be accompanied by a member at all times.
Follow this link for a simple guide on how to find your digital Newt Membership card.
Head to Plan Your Visit on our website to book, or email our helpful Reservations team. Note: Garden Membership is required to dine in the Garden Café.
We encourage guests to taste the fruits of the garden and so do not allow personal picnics in the gardens; please enjoy the relaxed service offered at our Garden Café or a take away picnic from our Cyder Bar.
To create your Newt Membership, first download the The Newt in Somerset App (from your smart phones' App Store), then click the 'Become a Member' icon and input the code we have given you in the 'Redeem a code' box. Follow a few easy steps to complete your membership registration.
Your Member Profile will allow you to log into the Members Page and Shop, and to receive the full benefit of your membership - such as access to exclusive offers and content and the ability to book entry to partner gardens.
Yes, these two things are the same, however you need to add your Newt Membership to your profile, so we know you have a valid membership to receive benefits.
Member’s Guest Day Passes can be upgraded to full membership on the day of your visit only. This upgrade cannot be applied retrospectively.
Yes, each member may be accompanied by up to six children.
All guests must be accompanied by a member from arrival and when purchasing a Day Pass.
Our events and workshops are listed on our website on the What’s On page.
Our estate is home to many of our small amphibian friends; they are a protected species, and we take great care to look after them. Newts are semiaquatic, spending part of the year on land. They also possess the incredible ability to regenerate, retaining their functional and structural properties. And so this resident was a perfect fit – to represent an estate that continually regenerates and sustains itself and has expanses of open water.
Newts enjoy the safety of lily ponds; so as well as a newt, our logo features a lily pad for protection and a lily flower bud for growth. The three symbols create a harmonious balance, just as we are in harmony with our environment.
All gardens areas are accessible to wheelchairs and strollers, though via indirect routes – often up thick lawns, steep gradients, uneven ground and gravelled pathways. Pushchairs may be stored at the Threshing Barn, and for longer distances transport is available for those requiring assistance.
Regrettably we cannot allow dogs (except assistance dogs), as we keep various types of deer and fowl in open areas.
With the original Georgian house built by 1689 and remodelled during the Georgian period, there has a been a garden at Hadspen House since 1695. The property changed ownership three or four times, but the longest was by the Hobhouse family, after which it was purchased by the current owners in 2013. The Newt in Somerset opened its gardens to the public on 11 May 2019.
All our restaurants enjoy the benefit of low food miles, with much of the menu picked from the gardens they overlook. Should you spot a blackberry in the woods or a vine-ripened tomato in the Greenhouse, feel free to have a taste. Hotel guests enjoy a private Kitchen Garden to meander among strawberries and help themselves to leaves, peas and beans.
Situated in a beautiful part of Somerset, the estate includes a hotel and spa. Kitchen gardens stock the Farm Shop and restaurants with fresh produce; the Deer Park supplies sumptuous venison; ample grazing ensures a healthy supply of meat for the Butchery, and acres of apple orchards keep the Cyder Press in operation from March to September.
While guests and members are encouraged to capture imagery for personal use, professional filming and photography is prohibited on the estate unless prior permission has been granted.
The Local Membership rate applies to residents of the following postcodes:
Evercreech (BA4 6), Castle Cary (BA7), Wincanton (BA9), Bruton (BA10), Sparkford (BA22 7) or any postcode within 6 miles of The Newt (BA7 7NG) as the crow flies - please check using https://www.freemaptools.com/how-far-is-it-between.htm
We are a very community focussed organisation, which relies heavily on the support of our immediate neighbours for staff, services and suppliers. We have drawn a tight circle around The Newt, using postal codes to create a clear boundary, for a Local Membership. The lower price within this area increases our accessibility, giving everyone in our local community the opportunity to benefit from our facilities and green space.
Photo ID (e.g. Driver license or Passport) and proof of address (e.g. Driver license or Utility Bill) will be requested upon first entry to the gardens, following the purchase of a Local Membership.
No, up to six standard member's guest day passes can be purchased by local members on arrival.
Yes, Up to 6 under 17s remain free of charge with a paying adult Member.
When you renew you will need to purchase a new Joint Membership.
Yes, after purchase you will be able to share the Joint Membership with your partner.
Your bank will be able to cancel the direct debit for you.
No, when it comes time for you to auto renew we will notify you of the amount due, aligned with the price change and the type of membership you have.