The Earl and Countess of Sandwich’s gardens at Mapperton pick up Historic Houses top honour

The lush grounds of their Dorset family seat – seen this year on Netflix's Rebecca – have won the title of 'Garden of the Year'
Mapperton HouseInstagram/ Mapperton_Estate

Mapperton House, the family seat of the Earl and Countess of Sandwich (who live in the Old Rectory on site), and home to their daughter-in-law, the glamorous American Viscountess Hinchingbrook, and her husband and children, has been voted the best garden in Britain in a public poll by Historic Houses.

Boasting 15 acres, featuring formal Italianate gardens, as well as an orangery, an arboretum and a croquet lawn, the Dorset-based country pile drew almost 3,000 votes of the 12,000 cast. There are also formal ponds, a shrub garden and even a secret garden.

Mapperton HouseInstagram/ Mapperton_Estate

As Mapperton's official website explains: 'Tucked into a steep north-south combe, the gardens descend from the very formal topiary gardens and Orangery to the north to an arboretum, beyond which the land unfolds in small, steep valleys and headlands down to the sea five miles away.'

The orangery in particular has enjoyed a moment in the spotlight this year, after it was used as a filming location in Netflix's hit adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's magnum opus, Rebecca. It was used during scenes filmed at Manderley, when the second Mrs de Winter meets her husband's grandmother for the first time, alongside his sister and her husband.

The Orangery at Mapperton in Netflix's 'Rebecca'Netflix

The upkeep of the gardens is largely overseen by 78-year-old Lady Sandwich, who took up the green-fingered project when her father-in-law's ill health meant he was no longer able to tend to his gardens so lovingly. Following his death in 1995, it has been her passion project.

She thanked voters at the awards ceremony, saying: 'John and I are delighted Mapperton Gardens has won the Historic Houses Garden of the Year award. It’s lovely for us and it’s such a wonderful endorsement of all the work everyone has put into the garden.

'It’s not just the achievement of this extremely difficult year, but of all the work of the past years. Thank you to all the people who voted for us all over the world; we are very grateful.

'We hope the gardens will have many more visitors to enjoy the peace and calm, and the special trees and shrubs. We are open till mid December. Come and enjoy the tranquility and autumn colour.'

Mapperton HouseInstagram/ Historic_Houses

Voters may have been swayed by the fact that the family has granted increased access to their home during the pandemic, filming tours for their YouTube channel, which see the Earl and the Countess showing Julie Montagu, Lady Sandwich's daughter-in-law, around the property, explaining its history. As explained in a press release at the time, Julie's husband Luke Montagu (Viscount Hinchingbrook) is behind the camera.