Salisbury House & Gardens
4.7(570)google
4.3(19)yelp
Historic BuildingPhoto SpotGuided TourOutdoor
Overview
Lake House is an Elizabethan country house dating from 1578, in Wilsford cum Lake in Wiltshire, England, about 7 miles (11 km) north of Salisbury. It is a Grade I listed building. The gardens are Grade II listed in the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.
Practical Info
MonClosed
TueClosed
Wed10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thu10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Fri10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sat10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sun10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Suggested Duration2-3 hours
Best TimeEarly summer (May to June) for peak garden blooms and October for rich autumn foliage offer the finest views of this 10-acre historic estate. Securing a spot on a guided morning tour between 10:00 AM and noon on weekends is highly recommended; bright sunlight streams through the authentic English Tudor flint stone gothic windows, beautifully illuminating the 16th-century oak beams and priceless antique tapestries.
Getting ThereTucked inside a prestigious residential woodland enclave west of downtown Des Moines at 421 Tonawanda Drive. A car is required; drive west from downtown along Grand Avenue, make a left onto Tonawanda Drive, and wind up the shaded road. The mansion operates its own flat, fully complimentary private gravel lot directly in front of the historic stone carriage house entry gates.
Travel Tips
- Fragile vintage parquet flooring and old oriental carpets mandate a strict ban on stilettos or metal-heeled cleats; soft-soled flat footwear or canvas shoes are mandatory apparel choices.
- The historic architectural layout features zero retrofitted mechanical elevator lifts; accessing the secondary and tertiary premium chambers requires conquering steep, narrow winding stone staircases.
- The surrounding affluent corridor carries strict no-curbside parallel parking ordinances; arriving vehicles must dock exclusively inside the estate's private asphalt parking coordinates.
Reviews
Positive
- A magnificent 42-room manor inspired by a 15th-century English estate, packed with rare antiques and master art—visually stunning.
- The gardens are elegantly manicured, blending British Gothic architecture with nature—an ideal escape from crowds to find peace.
- The paid guided tour is highly recommended; docents narrate the cosmetic tycoon owner's legendary life vividly, well worth the fee.
- Immaculately preserved without commercial dilution; amenities like restrooms are modern, clean, and run with top-tier service.
Heads up
- If you opt against the pricier guided option, the basic self-guided ticket restricts access to many prime rooms and rare collections.
- To maintain historical integrity, no elevators are installed; touring multiple floors requires stairs, which is brutal for disabled guests.
- Tucked deep inside a quiet residential neighborhood, it has zero transit access, and limited slots force tricky parallel street parking.
- Operating dates are somewhat inconsistent, often shutting down for private high-end weddings or commercial shoots; web verification is key.