Things to do · Tetbury
Rodmarton Manor
An Arts and Crafts house built from 1909 to 1929 by Ernest Barnsley and local craftsmen, with an eight-acre garden of outdoor rooms, open in summer.
The great house of the Cotswold Arts and Crafts movement, built and furnished by hand over twenty years. It opens only two afternoons a week in summer, so plan around it.
- Good: Wheelchair users can reach the ground floor and most of the garden
- Good: Historic Houses members free
- Good: Tearoom with homemade cakes on most open days
- Worth knowing: Wednesdays, Saturdays and bank holidays, May to September only; 2027 dates not yet published
- Worth knowing: No dogs, and no photography in the house
About
Rodmarton Manor, between Cirencester and Tetbury, was built between 1909 and 1929 by Ernest Barnsley and the Cotswold group of craftsmen for Claud and Margaret Biddulph, and furnished by the same makers. It is still the Biddulph family's home: John and Sarah Biddulph and their family are the fourth and fifth generations to live there, and the furniture, metalwork and textiles made for it are still in the rooms. Its 8-acre garden was designed as a series of outdoor rooms and is still laid out that way.
In 2026 the house and garden opened from 2 May to the end of September on Wednesdays, Saturdays and bank holiday Mondays, from 2pm to 5pm, and from 11am to 4pm in June and July; when we checked in October 2026 the 2027 dates were not yet published. Last entry to the house is at 4.15pm. Tickets can be booked ahead or bought on the day, by card if possible, and Historic Houses members go free.
The tearoom serves tea and homemade cakes on most open days, with light lunches in June and July. Wheelchair users can reach the ground floor and most of the garden. Dogs are not allowed, and photography is not allowed in the house. Groups can book private guided tours outside public hours. It suits anyone with an interest in the Arts and Crafts movement or in gardens.
Opening hours and season
| Monday | Closed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 14:00 to 17:00 |
| Thursday | Closed |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | 14:00 to 17:00 |
| Sunday | Closed |
In 2026, from 2 May to the end of September, plus bank holiday Mondays. In June and July, 11am to 4pm. Last entry to the house 4.15pm. Closed for the winter; 2027 dates not yet published.
Facilities
- TearoomTeas, coffee and homemade cakes on most open days; light lunches of quiche, sausage rolls and salad in June and July
- ParkingFree parking at the house, with accessible spaces
- ToiletsIn the grounds
- Wheelchair accessGround floor of the house and most of the garden
The details
- Time to allow
- Two to three hours
- Features
- Café · Parking · Guided tours
- History
- Built 1909 to 1929 for Claud and Margaret Biddulph
- Parking
- Ample free parking at the house, with accessible spaces (Historic Houses listing, 2026). From Stroud the lane off the A419 at Frampton Mansell is narrow; coaches approach from the A433.
Photos
The house and topiary garden 
The drawing room 
Wisteria on the house 
The garden in snow
Location
Accessibility
- Parking within 50 metres
Wheelchair users can reach the ground floor of the house and most of the garden. Toilets in the grounds.
Places to stay nearby
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The Trouble House
Restaurants · Tetbury
A bar, restaurant and B&B on the London Road outside Tetbury, family and dog friendly, which says it has been serving since 1754.
Dog-friendly · Family-friendly · Wedding venues
Verified Nov 2026
-
The Thames Head Inn
Pubs · Kemble
A pub serving Arkell's beers on the A433 between Cirencester and Tetbury, a short walk from the source of the Thames, open all day with food from 11am, four rooms and a campsite.
Dog-friendly · Walker-friendly
Verified Oct 2026
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The Rectory Hotel
Hotel · Malmesbury
A hotel in an early 18th-century rectory at Crudwell, near Malmesbury, with 15 rooms in the house, a three-bedroom garden cottage and a heated outdoor pool in summer.
Verified Oct 2026
Nearby walks, places and things to do
- The Trouble House 3.7 km away
- The Tavern Inn, Kemble 4.1 km away
- The Thames Head Inn 4.5 km away
- Jolly Nice 4.5 km away
Sights nearby
-
St James's Church, Ashley
Sight · Church · Tetbury
The small Norman parish church of Ashley, a village north-east of Tetbury, with a south doorway carved in dogtooth and horseshoe patterns, an Early English arcade and fine eighteenth-century wall tablets. Grade II*; on the Tetbury and Ashley walk.