House, Gardens & Cafe Open Tuesday - Sunday 10.30 - 17.00

Gilbert’s Garden: Meadow Day

Wednesday 19th June 

10:30-16:00

Our 12 acre wildflower meadow will be in bloom and members of the team will be on hand to give tours of the meadow throughout the day and answer questions on meadow management and the plants, butterflies, reptiles and mammals to be found in the meadow.

This is a drop in event and is free with admission.

    Gilbert Whites House

    Gilbert White was aged 7 or 8 when the White family moved from the Vicarage on Selborne’s Plestor, to this house, called ‘The Wakes’ (named after the Wake family who had lived here previously). At that time the property would have been no more than a ‘two up, two down’  but over the subsequent years lots of extensions and additions have been made, creating the long sizeable house you see today.

    The rooms have been restored following descriptions in White’s own correspondence and include a chair he used at Oriel College, Oxford (loaned from the College), items of contemporary furniture, family portraits and bed hangings embroidered for him by his aunts.

    On display is the original manuscript of his book, The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne, which was purchased with generous help from English Heritage and others.

    Learn more