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

Friends Walk: International Dawn Chorus Day Walk

Friends Walks are organised and run by the Friends of Gilbert White & The Oates Collections to find out more click here

International Dawn Chorus Walk on International Dawn Chorus Day An introductory dawn chorus walk on Selborne Common

1st May

5AM TILL 8AM

Ticket cost £5 to join email chair.friendsofgwoc@gmail.com 

    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