‘A miniature world, dotted with follies as absurdly pretty as illustrations in a fairy tale.’ The Guardian
Shuttleworth Swiss Garden
Shuttleworth is open daily 10.00-17.00 (excluding airshow event days), with a ‘site-entry’ fee.
Please note: the site will be closed from 21 – 26 December 2020.
- Adults – £15
- Children under 16 – free (4 per person, excluding pay2play area).
- Shuttleworth Veteran Aeroplane Society (SVAS) and Friends of Swiss Garden members only need to bring valid membership card for free entry.
- RHS members are free on Thursdays only (no booking required, please show your card on the gate).
- Gardeners World 2-4-1 (book one ticket online and show your card on the gate).
- Carers are free of charge (no booking required).
Buy your ticket online and re-use it multiple times for up to a month after the date for which it was purchased. Contactless payments are available on the gate but these are single use only.
The Engineering workshop, library, restaurant, and gift shop remain closed to the public.
Outdoor takeaway, hot food, snack and drinks, and toilets available.
AREAS INCLUDED in ENTRY FEE
Around 60 acres of space:
- Six aircraft & vehicle hangars of the Shuttleworth Collection
- The Swiss Garden
- North Park
- Paddocks overlooking the airfield
- Play area
PLAY AREA
The play area is now included in the daily admission fee. There will be a member of staff available to ensure that we do not exceed the maximum capacity.
(Max 6 children per adult. Groups of adults should be no more than 6 together to meet Covid 19 rules.)
Dogs
Dogs on leads are welcome on site (excluding specific events) but only assistance dogs are allowed within the Swiss Garden and hangars.
Throughout September find our Shuttleworth Fairies in the Swiss Garden.
ENJOY YOUR VISIT
Observe fantastic views of Shuttleworth House and the surrounding countryside from North Park’s gentle hills, and stroll around the paddocks overlooking the grass airfield. Bring a picnic*, relax and unwind.
The Shuttleworth Collection’s six hangars are open to visitors, with COVID-19 measures in place including hand sanitiser stations positioned throughout. The engineering workshop remains closed to the public to enable our engineers to work safely. Please be aware of the arrows indicating the direction you should follow around the hangars, and ‘in/out’ points.
Toilets are located around the site.
*Please picnic in all of the space outside the Swiss Garden
Shuttleworth has COVID-19 measures in place to keep our visitors and staff as safe as possible – please read before visiting.
CATERING
On weekdays (Mon-Fri) find one of our catering pods on paddock 4 and one by the playground both selling hot & cold drinks, sandwiches, snacks and ice creams.
Weekends (Sat & Sun) find our catering pod on paddock 4 selling hot & cold drinks, sandwiches, snacks and ice creams. Our food pod offering hot food and a selection of drinks plus Shuttleworth Bar open for hot & cold drinks, sandwiches, snacks and ice cream.
Support
Independent venues need your support more than ever at this time. Please review your visit on TripAdvisor and/or Google.
About the garden
Shuttleworth Swiss Garden is an RHS Partner Garden to which RHS members can enjoy free entry on Thursdays (excludes ticketed event days).
Download the map of the Swiss Garden in PDF format.
Adjacent to the aerodrome that houses the Collection, the Swiss Garden is an outstanding example of the Regency fashion for creating landscapes in a picturesque alpine style.
It is a peaceful, tranquil space, and one which has new vistas revealed at every turn. Within the garden are 13 listed structures, an adjacent woodland sculpture trail, and three resident peacocks. It’s a delight to explore and recent restoration work in 2014 has ensured it has accessibility for all visitors.
Explore the Swiss Garden photo gallery below!
♦ browse the Swiss Garden ♦
LOWER POND
Just outside the entrance to the Swiss Garden, look out for fish in this small body of water.
MIDDLE POND
DOG CEMETERY
Burial place of Dorothy Shuttleworth’s beloved Japanese Chin dogs.
POND CASCADE BRIDGE
Clayton & Shuttleworth manufactured bridge c1870s, and with a Pulhamite cascade.
PENINSULA ISLAND
The plinth once boasted a prominent statue depicting Lord Ongley in empirical costume!
PUNT HARBOUR
THE AVIARY (RUIN)
Once home to exotic feathered fowl, and terminating one of the key view-lines from the Swiss Cottage.
EAGLE REDOUBT
A raised vantage point for viewing the garden, complete with a terracotta eagle.
ROCK GARDEN
A later Pulhamite addition (early 1900’s) to the garden, showcasing alpine plants and bulbs. It always looks particularly lovely in Spring.
THE BROADWALK
With impressive ironwork rose bowers, the ‘Night & Morning’ Vase, and two lion statues.
SWISS COTTAGE
The ‘heart’ and focal point of the garden. Views to and from the Swiss Cottage are key to the garden’s design.
PRIVY
A two-seated privy, but only one side in use at a time. An early example of a green loo!
THE FORGOTTEN ONE
A popular poem by Letitia Langdon, edited by Lord Ongley for the Swiss Garden.
TREE SEAT
Generously donated by Friends of Swiss Garden.
WOODLAND GATE & SCREEN
This marks the original entrance to the Swiss Garden as used by both the Ongley and Shuttleworth
families.
QUARRY GARDEN
With Istrian marble well-head dating from the 1900s.
CHAPEL
Delightful little building, highly reminiscent of a roadside shrine.
THE TERRACE
Popular with wedding photographers, it offers grand views of the Dolphin Tazza and undulating lawns leading to the Swiss Cottage.
DOLPHIN JARDINIÈRE & TAZZA
Manufactured and perfected by sculptor Felix Austin. It has an artificial ‘pudding stone’ finish.
CEDAR OF LEBANON
The tallest and oldest tree in the Swiss Garden, at around 250 years old. It is listed in the Champion Trees register and is a key focal point.
GROTTO & FERNERY
The amazing cave-like interior is formed from Pulhamite, added by the Shuttleworth family to house
their collection of ferns.
EAST LAWN
Find the colourful Acer tree here, the Rose Seat, and sun loungers during the warmer months of the year.
INDIAN KIOSK
The Indian Kiosk has a beautiful glass embossed rear panel and an interesting ‘room’ beneath it. It dates from c1830.
NORTH BRIDGE
Cato & Sons manufactured the North Bridge. It is quite steep, but this makes it an ideal spot for wedding photographers to capture romantic images!
MOAT BRIDGE
Also by Cato & Sons, manufactured in wrought and cast iron, it leads onto Middle Island with views of the Indian Kiosk.
GARDENERS’ COTTAGE
Joseph Shuttleworth re-roofed and extended this humble cottage in the 1870’s.
THE UNDERPASS
Built in the 1820s, this was pivotal to Lord Ongley’s vision for a ‘picturesque’, magical, hidden wonderland.
SERPENTINE LAKE
WOODLAND WALK
SCULPTURE TRAIL
PICNIC AREA
PEACOCKS
GARDEN ROOM
About the garden room
BROWSE 33 ITEMS
The Friends of Swiss Garden
The Friends of The Swiss Garden play an important part in the life of the garden, and enjoy an excellent range of benefits; joining the Friends will put you at the heart of events at the Swiss Garden.
Become a Friend
Visit the Friends of the Swiss Garden website for the most up to date information on The Friends of the Swiss Garden and their activities.