Abbotsbury - Swannery and Gardens

Abbotsbury Swannery has the only managed colony of Mute Swans in the world and is situated on a 2 acre site on the western end of The Fleet. There are two nice walks and we see lots of swans, a decoyman's house and a decoy (used for catching duck and swan which were tempted to enter and then forced down, often with the aid of a dog). The Swannery was originally established in the 11th century be Benedictine Monks who used the swans for lavish feasts; since the dissolution, however, it has been under the stewardship of the Ilchester Estates.

The Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens are situated nearby on a 20 acre site in a wooded and sheltered valley; the microclimate is good for many exotic plants. We see these as we walk through the walled garden, jungle glade, southern hemisphere garden etc and following the Woodland Sculpture Trail; this celebrates characters from classic literature. An excellent visit!Read more