Reviews of Markshall Estate. (Other) in Colchester (Essex).

Markshall Estate

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395 Comments

Other

Tourist attraction

Coggeshall, Colchester CO6 1TG, United Kingdom

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Information of Markshall Estate, Other in Colchester (Essex)

On this page you’ll find the address, open hours, more popular times, the contact, photos and real reviews of this business.

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Open hours of Markshall Estate

Popular times

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Reviews of Markshall Estate

H. S.

We enjoyed a festive afternoon tea with our daughter and her boyfriend, then a walk around the gardens/estate. The weather wasn't that kind, and the walled garden was closed for winter maintenance until April 23, but it was still a glorious walk with several different areas to explore. I'm looking forward to seeing what it looks like in spring summer and autumn. The food was also very good, plentiful and tasty.

B. O.

We had a lovely day on Markshall Estate - it was a nice sunny day which was an added bonus for us. Arrived around 10am and bought tickets at the gate. They are £8 per adult. There were no queues so we just walked right in. Grounds were well kept, and the sculpture trail was a nice addition for this summer. There were a lot of nice picnic spots / benches dotted around the estate. We found Volunteers at different points on our walk, they were all nice friendly amd happy to have a chat. We had lunch at the on site cafe, they had a wide range of hot and cold food with fairly decent prices. Cakes looked amazing. Would definitely recommend a visit.

J. S.

Nice re visit but decided to take the path that said woodland walks just past the entrance which only leads to a perimeter road around the estate and closed and locked entrances to get back into the gardens and arboretum. Also there are no toilets bar those at the entrance and for such a big estate this is not good enough really.

L.

These garden are lovely to wander around. They are a hidden treasures in Essex. Lots of trails to follow with lots of plants and wildlife to see. Lovely cafe to refuel. Also a beautiful place to hold a celebration at Markshall Coach House

M. S.

Absolutely gorgeous place. The weather was especially lovely, which gave us nice dry ground to walk around on but there are plenty of paths, too. There's some amazing tree specimens, from ancient oaks to very quirky trees from the Southern hemisphere. Strongly recommended.

O. C.

Nice place to go for a stroll. Family friendly and wheelchair accessibility. All in all an amazing place, with well kept gardens, beautiful sculptures and some animals. Some highlights for me being; the ancient oak tree (circa. 800yrs old); the wildlife (incl. peacocks, large fish to feed and ducks); the australasia section; the walled garden. You might not get to see it all in one day with 2,000+ acres but that's a good reason to come back. Entry was £9-£10 for each adult (children maybe slightly cheaper). Nice coffee shop at the end of it all and some plants for sale etc. Recommended.

K. G.

Lovely day out to explore the wildlife and look at the different trees, plants and beautiful conservation landscape. Dog friendly space and so much history here! My friend also got married here and it was a beautiful backdrop in a gorgeous day in June and such a special day. We explored the Estate by going a day-out walk a few months before the wedding. Loads of car parking and a cafe inside to get coffee/tea and a lunch.

J. W.

Wow! What a beautiful place. Loved the stunning gardens, feeding the fish and getting mugged by the resident peacock and ducklings! The walled garden statue display was also fabulous. Definitely recommend a visit!

E. H.

Absolutely beautiful, and well worth the £8 adult entry fee. Stunning space with a variety of settings (woodland, a walled garden and more), as well as flowing water with a range of different types of bridges to cross. Plenty to keep kids entertained: feeding the ducks and geese, seeing the peacocks, wandering through the woodland, playing games like giant Jenga and hoopla, wooden animal carvings to see...there's an adventure around every corner! Good to see a sensibly priced cafe on site too: a kids' lunch bag (half a sandwich, crisps, fruit, a full sized tube of Smarties, a Babybel and a carton of drink, plus a free toy), two cheese scones, a pot of tea and a coffee came to around £14 in total.

D. S. H.

Stunning venue with some beautiful surroundings. This venue has so much to offer including an outdoor area which you can get married at. The staff are really friendly and approachable, keeping the day running smoothly and yet relaxed.

D. W.

Visited with friends who are members of Markshall Estate. They kindly paid for our entry so didn't get to see the admission fees, but it was around a tenner for an adult. It has quite an expanse of grounds, but we concentrated around the walled garden and lakes. Our friends bought along fish food, and I could see why, as the lake is very well stocked with fish, and ducks too. Before very long, there appears hundreds of fish trying to get a bite, it's almost piranha like to watch. 😁 We took a coffee break at the end of the walk, which was very pleasant. It would be good to visit another time and explore more of what Markshall Estate has to offer.

R. T.

Lived here over 20 years. Why have I never visited before? What a gem. Lovely walks through various 'world zones' & lovely lakes. Make sure to buy a bag of fish food.

C. G.

Came here for the first time on Sunday and little did we know it was your anniversary! Had a lovely mooch amongst the leaves, spotting peacocks, animal tracks, new plants and best of all, my new favourite tree. Autumn is the best time to go for the colours, nip in the air and foot crunch! Had a warming and tasty cream tea in the pretty café barn to top it off, prices were very reasonable, although the service was a little complicated and slow(I think some staff were new) but we got there in the end.

M. L.

Wonderful gardens so pretty to stroll through in the Summer sunshine. Sculptures were a real bonus. Such friendly staff as well. Thoroughly recommend for a day out.

C. C.

Real nice place to go. It's the Kew Gardens of Essex. Lots of various trees, all labeled up. You must buy fish food and feed the fish! If you walk to the memorial I'd say its around 2/3 hour round trip walk slow pace.

A. C.

Markshall is one of my favourite places , I go there so often , summer and in the autumn . My children love running around the woods or just chill in the gardens.

W. L.

Visited these gardens for the first time, in November on a Saturday. This is a vast area of gardens and woodland, with a lake. I think there were more lakes, but we didn't come across them. We recommend getting a map of the area, before beginning your journey. We didn't realise how big the area was and just went off walking. Lovely time spent walking and photographing. Hope to return in the different seasons.

A. J.

Great place for a sunny day, Lake with carp, walled garden, caff and small area selling plants. Take a picnic perhaps.

R. P.

Extensive grounds, lovely walks through the arboretum, great fun feeding the carp (but fish food from the ticket office), plenty of space for a picnic, interfering contemporary landscapes on the walled garden. Worth the entry fee.

M. C.

A lovely gem hidden away near Coggeshall. Large grounds to enjoy walking around, an 800 year old oak tree, and lots of water so don't forget to buy fish food for £. 50p to have fun feeding all the carp. The toilets are great, there is a plants for sale area and a cafe serving breakfast and lunch, cakes and drinks. The walled garden is lovely. They also do occasional live performances outside, usually Shakespeare. A real treat.

J. H.

This is a nice area of woodland for a nice walk. The area named gondwanaland has many eucalyptus trees that smell amazing in the sun as the volatile oils evaporate and fills the space. The cafe is very nice and reasonably priced. The walled garden is well planted and interesting. It is overall a very nice place..... But, be forewarned, having an RHS card won't get you in cheap. It's not accepted off peak! However, I could use my gardeners world magazine, 2 for one entry card. This isn't a plants person's garden like Wisley or even Hyde Hall, it is mainly woodland but there are lots of unusual trees and the atmosphere is charming. Well worth a visit.

L. M.

Markshall Estate is like two parks in one, an outer trail with surrounding footpaths and woodland and the inner arboretum which is manicured and deceptively extensive. They've recently opened a really nice little shop and organised their plants section (which is really nice because they don't seem to have the "regular" plants you see everywhere). The Cafe is great and offers a nice selection of items for a breakfast or a lunch. Staff are friendly and helpful. We've been there a few times, these photos are from one of their numerous foraging walks, and this was brilliant!

J. G.

Lovely walk on a sunny day. Wasn't sure what to expect, it is an Estate, no house, with various areas of tree planting ie Europe, N America etc. Friendly staff in the cafe. Unfortunately the Visitors Centre was being refurbished/extended and wasn't opening for another week or two.

N. J.

Lovely day out. Hunt the pumpkins today! Found 15 of the 30! Beautiful autumn colours. Love visiting Marks Hall any time of year! One year later, just as beautiful 😍

S. W.

Now allowed dogs in Arboretum some days which is great. Lovely place. Beautiful autumn colours.

M. C.

Absolutely stunning, fantastic walk was had, followed by a lovely cup of coffee and a piece of cake 🎂☕😊

E. P.

Visited for the first time today, staff are lovely, worth getting the annual pass if you plan to visit alot - stunning walks, very photographic, had a lovely day. Cafe prices and offerings are very good, as is the plant centre. Can't wait to return already - absolute gem.

Y. T.

Lovely grounds with varied treescapes and a beautiful walled garden. Great to spend better half of a day ambling round, or if you wanted to sit/linger/picnic, could make a whole day of it. Some landscaping or something being done at the moment so some noise/less scenic bits noted. And nearby airfield noises are a bit of a drawback. Still very lovely though!

K. G.

Beautiful grounds with interesting History. Fascinating pond life with fish and ducks. Lovely cafe too. Most enjoyable time had here, free car parking. Modest entrance fee to grounds.

w. h.

This is our local estate and we love going round for wander. We recently had a look round the Christmas fair and it was really nice. Smidge expensive for a one day trip, but as members it makes it good value for a year long pass. Walled garden is really nice to look around and there is always something going on in the expansive gardens.

P. C.

Beautiful grounds. Amazing woodland walks. Lots of brave Carp. Nice cafe and garden centre / gift shop.

E. K.

A (hidden) Essex gem that definitely should be visited more! Great if you want to be immersed in some real countryside. We (me and my partner) loved it! All the usual facilities; toilets, plants you can buy, a cafe with freshly-prepared food, in-door and out-door seating. One recommendation - it's a large place so make sure you pick up a map when you arrive. Friendly staff throughout; special thanks to Mark!

s. t.

Beautiful surroundings and fairly priced membership. Looking forward to returning for regular events.

W. B.

A fantastic walled garden and woodland walks. Restaurant food lovely and great value. Even become members. A fantastic place place to visit...

N. W.

This is a very nice place to visit and walk around. The lake area is very nice. We want to go back and see more. Especially the walled garden, we did not have time to see it. There is also a nice cafe if you need food and drink.

A.

Lovely walk through the trees and round the lake. Good sandwiches in the cafe afterwards.

R.

Huge gardens, perfect for families to get their kids out of the house.

O. O.

Beautiful walks around the estate, plenty of activities to keep kids (or adults) occupied

J. L.

It was half term so expected it to be busy but no real wait for entry, estate itself full of children enjoying themselves. We were there for the pumpkin trail and did end up off the trail so an indication of route would be useful as the kids got tired and grumpy but not a massive issue, and dog friendly as well. Only downpoint was the cafe didn't allow dogs but there was outside seating but no menus but very minor issue

V. J.

Wonderful area for trees. Most were labelled so you could learn what they are. There were good quality information boards and fun trails for children. The autumn colour was beginning to develop but not yet in its full glory. The Betula Jackmontii were washed and stood out brilliantly on the walk by the lake. Many paths including a good amount of wheel and pushchair usable ones with plenty of options for a long or short walk. There was an excellent map available with lots of interesting information. Staff were lovely, friendly and helpful. There was a very good little plant sales area (bought a tree!) Altogether well presented and worth a visit, or two or more!

M. L.

Visited the gardens in 2013. Thought we'd have a return visit. There were sculptures in the walled garden, but they are only there for a month. Still a lovely place to visit, lots of walking.

B. G.

If not paying then fantastic walks around the exterior jammed full of wildlife, dogs welcome. Inside the perimeter dogs on leads welcome during the week bar the walled garden. It is reasonably priced, food for the huge fish in lake supplied at front entrance also just £1 a bag, beautifully maintained parkland and walled gardens, fascinating plants and trees, half term often has a kids trail. If you're a member ( also very reasonably priced) there's another carpart you can access, and discounts in the cafe. Food can be purchased, hot or cold, lovely range of cakes, and indoor or outdoor seating. Revamped plant centre and shop . Picnics welcomed. Lavatories onsite at entrance. Plants and cuttings also sold. Peacocks strut about providing plenty of photo opportunities!

T. R.

We visited the Markshall Estate during the Halloween Pumpkin Hunt event, and had a great time trying to find all of the pumpkins. Moreover, the arboretum is stunning and the walled garden, if you have a chance to visit, is a beautiful location.

C. g.

Dog friendly with beautiful walks a well priced cafe and lovely plant and gift shop. Annual membership seems like a good idea as it would be an interesting place to visit year round.

S. N.

Lovely place for a quiet walk. Super walled garden and lakes packed with enormous carp. Plenty of space for kids to roam. Great cafe.

S. C.

Marks Hall has beautiful grounds. Super gardens. Huge lakes. We walked for some time admiring everything in the well kept, well sign posted grounds. We stopped to have coffee and scones, before walking in the parts still to be explored. Finally we ended up at the plant shop. Took advantage of the deal when buying our plant selection. A lovely afternoon out.

K. R.

Lovely gardens to walk around. Unfortunately the shop has closed but plant sales is still open. Cafe is great, excellent food. Lovely helpful staff.

D. P.

Great for walks and the grounds are well maintained and managed. Picnic areas. Great for kids as well. Our 4 year old grandson loved going there.

A. C.

We had a lovely time wondering round Marks Hall - we have been a few times in the past (pre children!) You can take a number of routes up to the lakes/ponds and various gardens and woods. At the admission area you can also purchase some fish food, which is worth doing to see the massive fish! There are lots of areas to explore, and its well worth going up one side of the area and then zig zagging across on the other side - there is a memorial area at almost the furthest point and a woodland / nature play area (not too far from walled garden). Its not overly expensive, and even better if you have a gardeners world card (buy one get one free admission). If you are a speed walker then you'll probably get round the site pretty quick, but if your just going for a slow wonder and looking at the trees and nature your make much more of your trip. On our visit we also visited the cafe / kitchen on way back, unfortunately our experience wasn't great - poor signage, long wait and didn't feel it was value for money. Not great when you have a couple of small people in tow..! If it wasn't for the experience at the cafe / kitchen I think it would have been 5*.

N. C.

Great great out with the kids for the Pumpkin Trail. The only thing to make it better would be a little play area for younger children. Otherwise, great times all round.

S. V.

Great place to visit. We had fantastic weather. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. 👍👍👍👍👍

S. S.

A beautiful place to visit. Lovely vistas across the fish-filled lakes. The trees starting to show their Autumn colours. Lots of different paths to follow depending on what you are looking for. Benches conveniently situated around the gardens. The restaurant has a very good choice of cakes and tea in a pot. Food comes in very good quantities. Highly recommend a visit, and will be returning during other seasons.

J.

I've been visiting markshall estate since I was a child, always maintained to a very high standard, plenty of walking to do, and feeding the fish is great for the kids! Can work out fairly expensive if going with multiple adults though they do have a 'friends of markshall estate' program which is fairly priced and includes year round entry along with other benefits.

S. O.

Beautiful arboretum, lovely at any time of year

K. A.

was there to attend Suffolk Horse Spectacular, amazing place, had best experience of year 2019 so far, massive, lush green garden with lakes and exotic tree from across the globe, few of them never seen before in Essex, 800 years old Oak tree, On top of everything recently equipped with 300 sculpture made of all sorts of material from wood, marble to metal and they are placed open across the garden and bank of lakes. garden has a nice cafe with really nice staff... never realised there is a hidden gem in Essex. The best place if you are a fan of nature and art at the same time.

A. B.

Lovely place. Lots of well-maintained areas, and some allowed to be a little wilder. Many specimens of plants, again, well cared-for. The walled garden is a highlight. Marred only by the near-constant noise from light aircraft flying overhead (there's a landing strip nearby) We visited relatively early, so it was quiet. Bt the time we left, it was getting busy (lunchtime). The site itself is very large, so it'll easily absorb a lot of people.

P. K.

Great walks and fabulous grounds to explore!

G. G.

I absolutely love Markshall. It is so pretty and the walk is amazing. I attend most Saturdays for Park Run as I find it the best in the area!

C. M. (.

Absolutely beautiful place. We visited the Christmas Market. Lots of lovely stalls, pretty fairy lights everywhere, really nice and Christmassy ⛄

J. C.

A great place for all the family. Lots to see some formal gardens. Children can feed the fish, food purchased from kiosk on way in. Very reasonably priced entrance fee. Picnic areas or Cafe available.

D. W.

A beautiful hidden little gem. We've been to many of the estates and parks in Essex and I think this has to be the best. So much to see and the views are amazing. Will definitely be back for a scone and to take in the other parts of the park we didn't have time to see. Definitely a birthday well spent!!

K. F.

First visit today very interesting collection of trees and plants good walk but a harder slog with a wheelchair. Very nice Cafe/Restaurant with helpful friendly staff. Will revisit later when we have a warmer day.

J. S.

Always something different to see, love it here. Yesterday we sat on lots of benches to really appreciate the varying views and changes with season 💞

D. C.

A lovely place with some quiet & peaceful spots to sit & take it all in. I was very lucky with my visit as there was also a sculpture exhibition on mingled between to the various areas of the Arboretum. A lovely cafe/restaurant area & ample seating inside & out. A lot of walking involved so comfy shoes, however golf style buggies will run you around from various spots .

E. C.

An interesting place. There has been an exhibition of sculptures dotted around in various forms. The walled garden was interesting. Lots of interesting walks. There is a café which was very popular. Would visit again.

A. B.

A great landscaped haven for trees and shrubs, with a café and walled garden. Two lakes and many different ways to find your way around, even a section with trees from Australia. Great for all ages.

A. S.

Well maintained gardens with friendly staff happy to give you pointers on where to visit. Entry can feel a little steep, especially when coming as a large group but as the grounds are maintained with no financial support, all this money goes to running the gardens.

B. M.

A loverly day out. Picturesque scenery. A wooded area with trees from around the world and a beautiful walled garden. A place high on tranquility.

J. G.

Lovely place Large grounds / gardens various walks ,lake wildlife and tea room Many places to find a quite spot on your own. Visited during their sculpture exhibition , wonderful exhibits dotted around the grounds .

K. D.

Lovely area for a walk, but limited options for dog owners so check before bringing your dog

R. s.

Enjoyed our visit to the gardens, unfortunately the walled garden was closed again but would go back. Food was very nice at the cafe.

A. F.

Beautiful gardens. Personally thought entry for a garden was a bit pricey. However when we walked around there was enough to keep the children occupied with a lawn games area and little makeshift play area. We did the Easter trail which was brilliant and could have easily spent all day there had we have taken a picnic. Unfortunately the cafe was very busy and we couldn't get a table. The plant area of the gift shop was lovely but the gift shop seems to be closing so nit much in there. We would definitely go again.

W. C.

A really lovely estate with walled garden and large lakes. I really enjoyed my visit here!

D. E.

So many different walks, a good size so doesn't ever seem 'busy' easy parking and good value for money.

S. D.

Always a great day out. We visited to have a picnic with our family who were visiting for the weekend. Gorgeous day warm and sunny. We had not looked at the website and found their were many events on over the weekend. The family crown trail is great fun for the kids. The lawn games area ( behind the walled garden) was also great fun. Various games to play and all free. Small food and drinks kiosk and portaloo also in this area. £9 per adult, free parking and level access with flat pathways around the arboretum. Wood benches are placed all around the grounds to allow you to sit and enjoy the views and tranquillity. Beautiful walled garden and large lakes. You can easily spend the day here. At the entrance is a restaurant and plant sales, toilets and a new building. ( possibly a future craft and gifts store ). So peaceful and relaxing and a great place to get away from crowds and noise.

M. S.

A very nice place. Friendly staff. There are gardens and lakes and woods. Beware dogs are not allowed in the arberitum area but there are many other places they can go. Nice looking tea room but it closes at 3.30 in winter as the staff finish at 4.00. Family ticket £13. Would go again.

G. G.

If you enjoy walks in the country, this is definitely a place to go. Impressive planting, landscaping, lakes, waterfalls, and trees. Don't miss the 800 year old Oak Tree with a 27ft girth, very impressive. A nice place to visit, especially with your dog and the staff are all very welcoming and friendly. Well worth a visit

m. f.

Beautiful parkland, lakes and gardens covering hundreds of acres . Plenty of space to a oid crowds

M. W.

Lovely as always. Stopped for coffee etc wonderful experience lovely new furniture suitably positioned felt safe.

R. S.

Amazing place, lots of hard pathways so great for a pushchair. Good inexpensive day out for all of the family

C. D.

Fabulous place. Does a great range of events that are accessible to all. Helpful, friendly staff and amazing food, cake and drinks.

L. G.

The beauty of Marshall is breathtaking set within acres of grounds. You can feel at one with nature whilst walking or even run a parkrun. Not forgetting the amazing cafe

L. D.

Really friendly staff at the gate that recommended which way to go to get the most our of our walk. beautiful walled garden and lovely monkey trees! definately coming back

A. C.

One of the best places I've ever been to, stunning walks amongst wonderful trees, estate lakes and walled garden. Simply superb

M. D. L.

Loved the statues and the fish pond

j. l.

What a truly amazing peaceful place to visit. You can wander around amazing gardens or walk through woods and be at one with nature. It truly is the place to be when you need space to just reflect without the emcumbance of everyday life around you. I loved it so much that I became a member as a result of my visit

N.

Nice place for a stroll, many varieties of trees, plants and open space, big lakes with fish, ducks and the odd woodpecker flying round

N. F.

If you like walking and nature this is for you. Acres of space to wander with plenty to see. Nice cafe with simple but varied menu. Well worth a visit.

L. W.

Relaxing and good for topping up your overall well-being, seems to attract the older generation, but a few young families with children who were enjoying running around, if you're in the "goodness mode" this place is for you, you won't find the passionate and ignorant types here.

G. T.

Lovely space with lots to see. Sculptures well worth the entrance fee alone. Nice food too.

O. J.

I love these gardens. They are well maintained and stunningly beautiful. The staff is friendly and the food is tasty.

J. B.

We went on a belter of a day, weather wise, but a gorgeous open park with a variety of planting, from woodland to open land, and with planting to represent different parts of the world.

W. S.

A great place to stroll with friends. Very good if you are interested in tree specimens. Cafe is good.

X.

Great place for a nature walk

D.

Beautiful arboretum with lakes, walks, gardens and fish. Fantastic cafe and helpful staff. In summer you can spend hours walking through the woods and gardens. Last year they had the most amazing sculptures, so really hope they return for 2018. During winter you need a good pair of boots and a big coat to make the most of their woods and tracks. It's a stunning site all year round. The lovely old barn cafe is always good with fresh home made food and good drinks. The big woodburner is always alight so it's a cosy refuge in the less perfect weather. We're very lucky to have Marks Hall So near by.

B. P.

This is a beautiful place to visit. The arboretum is amazing, and venue is dog (on leash) friendly.

F.

Worried? Anxious? Stressed? Go and look at trees till you feel all better again. That's what they do to you. If it's a sunny day look at them for *hours*.

S. B.

An enjoyable day walking through the trees. Winter coloured stems by the lake were breathtaking. Finished off with a nice bowl of hot soup in the cafe.

E. B.

I got married at the Coach House, Marks Hall on the 1st july and it was the best experience of my life. The setting is absolutely stunning and the facilities are spot on, but alongside this, what made the Coach House such a wonderful venue were the amazing staff. The Wedding team at the Coach House made sure absolutely everything ran smoothly from the moment of booking two years ago to the big day itself. We met many of the lovely coordinators who we really couldn't have planned a Wedding without, a special thanks to lovely Jenae who was our coordinator on the day and made everything run smoothly, to Clare and Lisa who were always at the end of an email helping us out with everything from small touches to the really important things, and to Sam the bar manager at the Coach house who let us request our favourite drinks and was a laugh on the day. My husband and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend getting married at beautiful Marks Hall, a truly beautiful setting which I have been visiting since childhood.

S. c.

Very nice place to visit. Lovely walks. Conifer trees. Lake, ducks and fish. Arboretum closed over Winter to protect grass and to allow certain works to take place. Over 200 acres to walk around. Nice barn/ cafe / restaurant with log fire. Plenty of parking. Restricted opening in Winter, limited to Friday's Saturday's and Sunday's.

D. S.

Only went there for parkrun, lovely location

s. l.

Lovely walks got a sculpture desplay at the moment 20th July till 31st August

J. D.

It was a very foggy day when we were there, but it seemed like it would be a beautiful place.

D. C.

Very approachable and helpful staff. Beautiful surroundings and plenty of seating available around the estate. Restaurant had excellent choice of menu. Very busy but didn't wait long to be served. We had the afternoon tea which was plentiful and attentive service .Highly recommended.

D.

Acres of space to explore. Large amenities at the carpark. Excellent tea room with large range of hot and cold food. Cakes and snacks or ice cream. The park is extensive. Plenty of different routes to walk in the woods. There is a formal garden next to the main pond. Lots of carp in the pond. You can buy fish food in the reception area. Ducks, geese and a few peacocks wandering the lawn areas. Within the woods there are an abundance of wild birds to watch and plenty of places to sit and take in the surroundings. Even when it's busy there are plenty of places to be alone.

H. P.

Lovely dog friendly family walk

J. P.

Did the Easter Egg hunt. Most routes were Wheelchair/ Pushchair friendly. Beautiful Scenery. Great spaces for the kids to run and explore. Lots of benches to rest around the estate. The shop and Café was a little pricey.

M. W.

Fabulous place for walking, taking photos, family outings & fabulous food.

P. O.

Great service, friendly staff, food excellent and a lovely venue to explore

L. B.

Great views,beautiful scenery. Great place to visit

R. B.

Relaxed gardens,estate walks in arboretum, garden centre and cafe. Feeding fish in lakes is big for children. Free parking and picnic areas. Also one area used as a wedding venue. We particularly liked the plant centre,well above the norm for most places,with plants keyed to the themed geographical areas in the estate. Only downside under Covid rules is slow cafe service and queue for female toilets.

R. H.

Beautiful place to walk round, great food and beautiful flowers and plants

K. B.

Really beautiful place to walk around. Lots of different paths to follow.

t. c. r.

Nice quiet place with woods and lakes. Pleasant walks. Big enough not to seem busy. Nice cafe (takeaway only at the moment).

V. S.

An amazing place to visit so much land to cover and the lakes are beautiful. Well worth a visit.

Z. K.

I had great day. Lovely place to visit. Recommend. 💕💕👍

L. P.

Lunch was very nice. Lovely bread. Lots of food missing off menu.

T. H.

First visit to Markshall Est. Great location to relax and enjoy tranquility of woodlands. Grounds are well kept and in spring/summer will be awash with colour. The Cafe was also superb, they have a wide selection to choose from, hot or cold.

J. C.

Hidden gem with peaceful gardens, forest and exotic trees

N. F.

Just right for the "lets get out for some fresh air" healthy, educational, relaxing and lovely. What's more tea and cake......

P. A.

Lovely peaceful day walking through the gardens and woods.

S. M.

First visit and a really great impression. Lots of space and very peaceful to walk around. Highly recommend for lovely walks and things to see. Really great staff and well maintained

J. G.

A lovely place to visit for an autumnal walk, especially if you like wild mushrooms!

M. E.

A sprawling estate with various forested areas and lakes. It also has a walled garden with a wide range of sculptures and plants, and a wood based play park, with carved wooden furniture and animals. It also has a nice tearoom and an outside area to sit. A visit is relatively expensive but you can see where the money is going, as everything is well kept and obviously worked on weekly to keep it maintained. You can also give gift aid, so that maximizes the donation to the charity that runs the place. All in all a great place to visit with or without kids. You can walk for miles if you like, or pay for a golf buggy to take you to key areas. Well worth a trip.

W. A.

Great late winter/ early spring colour.

A.

Great place to visit, lots of space to walk and enjoy the lovely grounds. During the week is usually quieter, and you can now take your dog. The cafe/restaurant is now open as well is the shop, cafe/restaurant does some lovely cakes. A good place to chill out for a few hours or so, also they have lots of things happening in the grounds like outside plays and concerts. See the Web sight for more info, all in all a very nice place to visit 😀

D. B.

Lovely place to walk around and enjoy the colours of autumn

J. A.

Beautiful autumn walk, long we walks, firm paths, different zones of different trees from around the world and forest area, tea room, a lake, toilets and picnic areas, great for kids to loose some steam or a nature walk... Well presented.

C. M.

Fantastically peaceful place to walk, feed the fish and ducks. See the Wollemi pine trees!

G. B.

We spent a wonderful afternoon exploring the lovely grounds

P. W.

Great place to visit, wide range of interesting trees & shrubs along with wildlife. RHS members can go in free (some months only so check). What has really opened it up is responsible dog owners are now able to bring dogs into the main arboretum not just walk around the outside (short leads & only during the week).

F. M.

Better beautiful gardens and the sculpture exhibition was awesome.

J. R.

We have visited here numerous times as we now have annual membership. In the summer there have been lots of things put on for the children and, for example, art & sculpture exhibitions for adults. Plenty of walks in the wood, a walled garden with plenty of seasonal planting, and a lake. In the winter there is obviously less to see and the weather affects where you can walk. However on a cold but sunny day it is a great place to just walk and talk and chill out in. There is a cafe selling hot and cold food and a shop selling a small collection of items and garden plants. Marks Hall Road (the road to it from Colne Road) is narrow at times with passing places so best to drive slowly and keep your distance. Also when driving back to the A120 there is a junction where you have to turn right from Marks Hall Road into Colne Road. The view to the right is partially obscured by hedging so extra care needed when pulling out.

T. S.

Beautiful day out! If not a bit pricy for entry

M. P.

A lovely place to visit … beautiful gardens!

D. K.

Nice walk, not really in season for the gardens but quite a expensive walk, enjoyed Highlands Park much more and its free

R. C.

Absolutely beautiful grounds lots to explore brilliant for little ones

D. H.

We got very wet- 4 times- and dried off 4 times !! Made our regular visit to check on the Wollemi nobilis plantation. The sculpture exhibition is wonderful.

A. H.

I always enjoy walking around here and food at the cafe is lovely

J. L.

Worth a visit the Sculpture were interesting on until 4th of September cafe good as well

R. A.

Ideal place for a day out.Woodland walks wonderful walled garden and lots of wild life.

M. A.

Brilliant Sculpture Park during July & August. Over 250 sculptures.

M. B.

Very well laid out place to walk round. Different trails to find. Car park and cafe good. Don't forget to get some fish food at the ticket office, the fish in the lakes are always hungry!

M. R. S.

Very peaceful, loved the sculptures and the eucalyptus trees

L. A.

Went to Mark's Hall with my 2 year old and 3 month old to do the easter trail with the grandparents. My 2 year old loved it. It was very well thought out and kept us all entertained while enjoying a nice walk on the beautiful grounds of the arboretum. We enjoyed a picnic by the river once we had finished. It was a lovely Easter Sunday.

C.

Beautful walk and gardens and plenty of fish to feed. If you're lucky you'll also see a friendly peacock wandering around!

K. G.

Pleasent & peaceful visit, beautiful colours in the Autumn sunshine.

A. W.

Beautiful tranquil place to visit. Lakes and fish are amazing

C. M.

Enjoyable day out. There were plenty of lovely walks with a variety of trees and shrubs which were all helpfully named. The walled garden was pretty with a lovely view across the lake just outside it. Found it good that the gardens had a special separate walk for dogs. There is a cafe near the entrance which sells hot and cold food and drink. You can either sit inside or outside in the pretty picnic areas that the cafe customers can enjoy. In April we were told they were having some new benches near one of the lakes for people to enjoy they're picnics.

R. T.

A lovely peaceful part of the world with plenty of beautiful walks. Entrance fee very reasonable and cafe provides good food and drinks. Also plant sale area has good quality plants at very good prices.

n. k.

Just a stone's throw away from a busy route that whilst you're there you wouldn't know existed, an absorbing,tranquil,historic place. Somewhere you will want to return time after time to see the changing flora of the different seasons.

S. N.

Lovely day walking at Markshall and finding the wonderful blanket of snowdrops in the woodland. New shop and plant centre a real bonus. Cafe staff so friendly.

L. E. F.

We loved this place. Beautiful mix of gardens? Woodland, areas of rare trees and lakes full of huge coy carp! Cafe was great, too. Plenty of space to sit outside, and inside with good, clear directional signage.

S. E.

Sculptures for sale. A great garden with beautiful flowers. There are sculptures around the garden which enhances the garden. Well worth a visit.

S. H.

We spent a great day at Markshall Estate yesterday. At long last able to meet up with family. We found Markshall was the perfect place to walk, chat & marvel at the well kept grounds, plants blossom & outstanding trees. Plenty of space to picnic, great ice creams & ultra clean toilets. What more could we have wanted?

L. N.

A lovely place for families to explore. It has everything from woodland, to grass fields, to the lake with geese which was great entertainment for our children. The only thing we were disappointed with was the lack of bins around - not sure why there weren't many when it seems such a great place for picnics!

J. D.

Found this place by accident. Lovely gardens, extensive woodlands. Great variety of trees...the Wollemi Pine are worth seeking out (open space in middle) as they are very unusual and seldom seen anywhere outside Australia. Plenty of benches. Look forward to going back in another season.

J. S.

Loved the feeding the fish and the statue exhibition in the walled garden

A. M.

Wonderful place, great value and easy to socially distance

G. D.

We joined Marks Hall a few months ago and we have made good use of the grounds to walk our dog. That is to say, the perimeter grounds of the estate. I cannot understand why the Estate does not allow dog walking in the Arboretum on weekends but will allow dog walking in the Arboretum Monday to Friday? Also, for an area such as this that attracts quite a high percentage of Dog Walkers, does not allow dogs into the Café area but will allow dogs in the Shop next door? You are missing additional custom in the café, particularly when the weather is inclement and us dog walkers are made to sit outside on wet benches. Please change the rules on this and I wouldn't mind betting your income in the Café will improve somewhat. The fact that the dog owners are overlooked on the above two points is the only reason I cannot give a full 5 stars.

N. R.

Beautiful vast estate perfect for a leisurely walk around and feed the ducks. Large ponds with fish to feed, various areas to walk around and the arboretum has a lovely layout. The estate has events on throughout the year which are posted on the website. Nice, quiet and regenerative!

L. H.

A beautiful wide open country space with lots of good walking paths and plenty of interesting forestry for the little ones to discover along the way. A fun day out with good parking and reasonably priced refreshments available.

L. J.

What a gem of a place. Not sure I even want to write a review as too many people could disturb the peace and tranquillity of the most beautiful surroundings and walks. Dogs are now welcome in the arboretum area but must be on a short lead and all mess cleaned up. I would recommend checking their website first though as we were told this is a trial at the moment and subject to change. If it's beautiful views, peace and quiet then this place is a must.

V. B.

Beautiful. The gardens were stunning. A lovely picnic spot too.

P. G.

Interesting place with a good cafe. Had an excellent ploghmans lunch off the specials board and it was special. Gardens are good with hundreds of sculptures on display throughout the grounds some are excellent. All grounds well kept and well marked paths on the woodland walks. Entry only £6 or £6.60 with gift aid.

M. K.

Had a wonderful family picnic here. The grounds are beautiful. There's a very good café/restaurant, a lovely shop and a good little garden centre where we bought a tree. A nice more formal garden very child friendly and suitable for disabled people. Would highly recommend. A hidden gem!

s. h.

Excellent Gardens / arboretum. Sculpture Trail until 10 September.

d.

Lovely place to spend some time. Great parkrun with a good coffee shop at the end.

R. A.

Well thought out social distancing measures. Toilets are all open, one family at a time. Cafe and shop is open, with usual 2m markers etc. Clear one way system around the entrance, shop and cafe. Was quite busy in the car park when we visited, but the grounds are so expansive that you hardly bump into anyone when walking. Great spot for a picnic (you need to pay entrance fee to get to the picnic area). Love the arboretum. Kids loved feeding the fish in the lake (food purchased from the admissions hut).

S. B.

I love this place. It’s so quiet and relaxing.

D. G.

Lovely gardens, arboretum and sense of history

A.

As the name says, it is a mix of Arboretum and formal gardens with two lakes running down a shallow valley. The woodlands have plenty of walks, both shorter and longer (within the confines of the park). Walks can extended round public footpaths outside the arboretum. The part walled gardens are laid out with attractive hard landscaping which breaks it down in to different areas and makes each section feel more private. A great place for a quiet walk or a somewhere to go as a family or group. This time of year is starting to show the autumn colours to their best. Great for photography. But each season is attractive in its own right. The entrance charge is a little on the pricy side, but certainly worth a visit.

S. D.

Very pleasant place to stroll around on a sunny day. There's a cafe available for a light lunch when you need a rest. I went there a few years ago and it is much improved since then.

P. S.

Good place to walk around, variety of landscapes including large carp in the lake which seem very used to visitors. Can be a bit muddy in places at certain times of the year so appropriate footwear required!

P. H.

What can i say 6 hours I spent there amazing trees not what I was expecting. .very rare and unusual species good cafe a bit pricey for the cakes £3 each but drinks were good enough. The site is bigger than you expect and lots of space to be alone in the quiet to admire the trees and wild flowers. Must see is the 800 year old oak absolutely beautiful all for just £6.00. I'll be back without a doubt.

K. B.

Gorgeous place. Something for everyone. Not too big, not too small

M. L.

Lovely place for a walk with family. Coffee shop, great for coffee and the cakes looked delicious. Will come again

N. B.

There are extensive, well maintained woods, gardens and lakes with paths to walk along and a lovely walled garden to explore. There is plenty of room if you bring a picnic and a play area for children to burn off their excess energy. There is also a converted barn containing a clean cafe/coffee shop that's not bad with a welcoming fire on a cold day. Dogs are not allowed in the main gardens and have a separate area and it's not cheap. On balance, it's worth it if you make a day of it.

L. F.

Lovely gardens and arboretum. But some constructive criticism. Def needs more signage around the grounds and more benches. The map could be clearer. V disappointed the cafe did not serve any savoury food after 230pm. Just cakes etc. Many people walked away due to lack of choice after 230pm. No serviettes or knives provided with tea cake. Lovely trees though!!

T. B.

Went to see the snowdrops. Lovely.

S. W.

Good day out, went there for Mothers day with family. We ate at the Restraunt there, food was nice and hot and tasted good. We only left our selves about one and half hours to wander around, next time will get there earlier. Gardens/lakes are really nice, I imagine in the height of summer they will look spectacular. We brought a 50p bag of food for the fish, mind you the ducks were eating it as well, will definitely go back, and dogs are welcome.

S. N.

Very pleasant walk, nice lake and plenty of interesting plants and flowers. Some grassy areas left wild with plenty of butterflies. Café had good selection of cakes at the end. All in all a nice place to visit.

N. A.

My first visit and won't be my last. Lovely walk around the gardens looking at all the sculptures followed by a jacket potato in the cafe. Great staff and service but a little pricey but as the parking is free this balances out.

R. J.

A beautiful place to visit. There are toilets on site, as well as a cafe and new gift shop. You can also buy a variety of plants.

L. F.

Nice grounds and cafe!

S. M.

Lovely unexpected grounds great for winter walk. Enjoyed cup of tea and cake in a lovely barn on site and pretty shop.

M. N.

Beautiful and tranquil. Cracking vegetable and brie bap too!

S. F.

Beautiful gardens, especially the walled garden and it's child-sized beech hedge maze, and such beautiful and varied trees. A wonderful space for children to explore and use their imagination. Lovely tea room too.

J. P.

Little gem hidden away in Coggeshall. My husband and I went there because we wanted to avoid the busy beaches even though it was baking hot outside. There was plenty of parking and really lovely food available and a little gardem centre. The only downside is that you can't take dogs into the gated gardens on the weekends, only the weekdays. We brought our dog and so we took a treck outside of the gardens. Plenty to walk around although the maps given are pretty useless!

T. A.

Simply beautiful. Lovely day out. Gardens are of a high standard, level pathways, good signage. Thoroughly enjoyable.

T. B.

Nice place to walk around. Nice little nursery selling cheap plants. Expensive entrance fee for a walk. Hopefully when they have finished the café and shop there will be something else.

n. F.

A beautiful place to visit, with gorgeous scenery to enjoy. Everywhere is pushchair-friendly too. The cafe serves fresh food made to order and is observing all social distancing guidelines.

L. K.

Lovely open spaces with some cultivated gardens. The only toilets are at the entrance (so be prepared with kids!) and little by way of refreshments so picnics etc best.

M. C.

A lovely place to visit. We went on a sunny Sunday afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed a stroll through the grounds, taking lots of photographs of the birds (including ducklings, goslings and a peacock) as well as the trees, plants and views. Be sure to buy some fish food from the ticket office to feed the fish in the lake - there are lots of them; some of them are very big; and all of them seem to be attracted by the food resulting in something of a feeding frenzy! Before visiting the Gardens and Arboretum we enjoyed a light lunch in the Visitors' Centre, where there is also a gift shop. The food here is so good that we have been known to call in at the Visitors' Centre just for lunch or for coffee and cake without visiting the grounds. Parking and access to the Visitors' Centre are free - you only pay to visit the Gardens and Arboretum.

S. M.

Another splendid walk around the arboretum.

T. G.

Great venue for parkrun with lovely cafe for post run catch up

L. T.

An absolute gem of a place, well worth a visit.

J. S.

Pretty walled garden in the sunshine, wheelchairs available to borrow if booked. Nice cakes and scones while main café is closed for refurbishment.

A. E.

Beautiful well cared for gardens. Trees especially interesting and some unusual. Only downside was limited toilet facilities but probably due to covid restrictions.

P. M.

No matter what the weather's like or the season, there's always something to see and enjoy at Marks Hall. The gardens are full of life all year round. Even on a damp muddy autumn walk, there's a glorious range of colours on the trees, the ducks and geese are still out and if you look at the ground there are loads of fungi to spot. The food in the café isn't too bad either and they have the best boot scraper too! ☺️

A. P.

Great for a walk in the countryside although not very clearly marked for following the routes suggested on the website. Enjoyable trip all the same!

M. S.

Beautiful gardens and estate. Arboretum prohibits dog walking but there are plenty of walking routes around and nearby. Cafe based in an old barn close to the entrance. Free parking, but you have to pay to enter the arboretum (unless you're a member)

L. M.

Absolute Gem! Great visit. Lovely arboretum and walled garden. Very good value for money. We loved it so much, that we have joined as members and look forward to our next visit. A great credit to the staff and volunteers.

P. E.

I have visited Marks Hall Arboretum for a few years now and have always had a pleasant time. There is plenty of parking available but even when there are many cars on site, you do not see many people actually in the Arboretum while walking as it is so large. There is a small cafe there with inside and outside seating available and of course toilets. At a steady walking pace you could get around within 90 minutes. There are however plenty of benches dotted around where you can sit down and take in the views. I would recommend it for a visit.

J.

Very friendly staff, beautiful grounds and views. Easy to get around, loved the peacock! Lovely way to spend a day

S. g.

Huge area to explore for just over 6 pounds for an adult. Beautiful lakes and trees. Currently a sculpture exhibition with hundreds of sculptures to see. This gardens and more relevantly and arboretum is a joy to visit throughout all seasons

D. T.

Lovely peaceful garden

G. Q.

Love it here. Went on the open day so only £2 entry. Be aware though in the winter walled garden is shut

A. A.

A good place for families to visit with a good restaurant for lite bites. Nice walks with a well laid out walled garden. Needs a play area for children.

J. M.

Very nice place to walk round looking for photo opportunities, saw a red kite.

A. G.

Great place for walking!! lots of trees 🌳 from around the world!! Nice restaurant!!

C. H.

Great place to walk a dog. Plenty of wood lands for them to run about in. Lovely laid out formal gardens and superb food from the restaurant. They had a wedding going on at the coach House when we visited and it looked idilic settings for a wedding venue.

K. W.

Had a great walk today followed by lunch at the cafe. Great covid control, cafe open for food indoors and out. There was also a great Christmas Market. Enjoyed it so much we took out an annual membership

D. M.

Had a lovely day out at the garden and country show

T. W.

Great place for walk and to look at tree's in the fresh air.😀

T. L.

Great place to visit beautiful setting

J. B.

Great gardens good day out

S. H.

Beautifully tranquil place to visit. Even when busy you can always find plenty of quiet spots to sit and take in the views. We are members and have been visiting for nearly 30 years.

g. c.

Nice quiet place to relax have a leisurely walk and chill out

T. D.

A peaceful place to relax and enjoy nature:

J. C.

Beautiful gardens. Lovely cafe. Plenty of car parking space, and even a small choice of plants to buy.

J. A.

I've been coming to Marks Hall for many years and it just keeps getting better and better. The collection of the almost extinct Wollemi pines is the largest in Europe. The walled garden is great fun for young children. And for the future, a large area of old Forestry Commission pines has been cleared. I greatly look forward to seeing their replanting plans.

K. P.

Peaceful and relaxing. Great for nature.

M. S.

Lovely place to walk around and as a family we did the Easter Egg hunt which the kids enjoyed

A. L.

Lived in Essex for 25 years and only just discovered Markshall, wish we'd realised where it was years ago and how close it was. Great for a day out, kids will love feeding the fish (food available at reception) and running round the estate.

V. H.

I Have been going to Marks Hall for 40 years. It is a very special place with very good cafe and eat in or outside in garden Very good home baked cakes and lunches. Today was special because of the Sculptures scattered around the Arboretum which runs until end of August, I highly recommend this (children love it).

A. C.

Tucked away down a narrow road but well signposted. Free parking and access to the cafe, shop and plant sales. Paying access to the rest of the estate. Lots of paths and a helpful map given on entry. Lots of trees and plants to be amazed by. Ducks and geese make the various ponds their home. Great family day out but beware of the water if your kids are small.

V. P.

It was lovely to find some shade on such a hot day

A. C.

1st time here for Park run and was really pleasant. Will definitely return.

C. H.

Lovely place to feed the fish

J. C.

Really great day out Loads of walks, secret paths, grass circles in beautiful countryside. The trees and plants are set in natural and cultivated settings. Gorgeous waterways. We'll be back!

H. P.

Came here for my Dad's 90th birthday. He has very limited mobility so we originally planned only to have tea in the tearoom, however the lovely staff arranged for us to have a buggy ride around the gardens even though we hadn't booked. My parents both had a really lovely time. Thank you in particular to Karen for making it happen and Peter our chauffeur (!) for the very interesting talk while we drove round the beautiful gardens. It made for a really special day. Thanks also to the tearoom staff for the lovely and helpful service.

L. P.

Lovely place to walk around, cakes are delicious in the tea room. Bit pricey for entry into the country park. You can walk around the outside without paying

P. S.

I loved it here. I went on my own and spent a good three hours just walking about amd losing myself in the grounds. I went in September and there was still plenty of colour and interest. The keepers were really helpful with my questions and after my visit the online team on Facebook viewed my photos and helped fill in some gaps on the plants which werent labelled. I highly recommend it if you have a spare 2-3 hours and want to get lost in your thoughts whilst admiring everything beautiful about plants and trees.

R. G.

Venue was lovely but the food in the café was at best underwhelming. Their "Granary" bread was a slice of bog standard brown bread from a packet and the soup was nothing special.

P. A.

Get there early to park. Lovely place, saw red kites in the blue skies on our visit.

P. S.

Stunning walled garden, lakes and scultures in the garden

T. W.

Very nice, lovely walk

K. B.

Lots of different walks, great that dogs can go inside the arboretum at weekends now!

K. B.

Lovely peaceful place to walk around with a gift shop & cafe on site. Lots of parking on site too.

M. D.

A must visit in the area. Entry isn't overly priced. Nice cafe restaurant. Plenty of parking and amazing grounds to explore. If you have children make sure to grab a bag of fish food for the giant fish in the giant ponds.

S.

Wonderful arboretum to stroll around! Friendly staff, beautiful surroundings, tea room also serves small selection of gluten free food. I'll be visiting again!

R. G.

Excellent estate to walk around. Relax and enjoy a stroll in these beautifully kept grounds. Very peaceful and calming. Delicious food from the cafe.

Y. S.

Excellent at this time of year with the leaves falling off the trees. A fantastic selection of shrubs, trees and walks. Very well kept ....super setting for a wedding.

S. B.

Vast country estate with frequent events. Also a wedding venue but most of the latter is kept separate from the public. With an arboretum, lakes, walled garden and huge area devoted to the Southern hemisphere, there's plenty to see and miles to walk. Don't miss the eucalyptus groves and the bizarre Wollemi pines

c. c.

Marshall is a wonderful place to walk with its mixture of a walled garden, two lakes huge amount of different trees etc to see, and then have a drink and something to eat in the barn restaurant. Plenty of parking as well.

T. W.

I attended the Suffolk Horse Spectacular event which was well organised and an enjoyable day out. The arboretum, lake and walled garden provide a beautiful environment for a quiet walk and the tea room does a good variety of lunches and teas.

C. R.

Very good to walk lots too see.

D. F.

Nice gardens. Signage could be better on the walks. Nice cafe, expensive coffee for the size cup. If you want a large coffee they'll charge you for 2 coffees, bout £5.00.

P. A.

I visited with a friend to see the sculptures and loved it. I have been there before and recommend this impressive park to others. Now you will be able to see the trees changing colour. Spectacular.

S. F.

Stunningly beautiful despite the British weather. Great park run as well.

S. L.

Beautiful place with lots of places to walk and enjoy nature. Nice gardens and a pond where you can feed the fish . Admission prices are reasonable too. A gem of a countryside in Essex.

K. S.

Beautiful! A gorgeous place to picnic, walk, bring the children and relax. We attended a wedding here. The weather was gorgeous and the grounds magnificent. Perfect for stunning photography.

S. B.

A hidden gem. Beautiful grounds, well maintained and managed but not at the expense of the natural surroundings. Friendly, happy and courteous staff all on hand who clearly take pride in where they work. Nice facilities that are clean and modern with reasonable/expected prices.

J. C.

I definitely loved my visit! The surroundings were quiet beautiful and well kempt and well organised with ample car parking. Lunch was good too.

N. M.

Beautiful gardens and woodland with many ancient trees and history. Coffee and cake also very yummy!

J. H.

It's lovely to be able to spend time in the beautiful arboretum and walled garden without being hassled by dogs. Thanks for providing that dog-free space as it's harder and harder for those of us who don't share the national obsession with dogs to find such a haven. It may surprise some dog-owners to learn that the whole world does not worship your dog or have any interest in your dog at all. No, I don't relish your dog jumping up at me with muddy paws, yapping at me or sliming my hand.

M. S.

Beautiful place for reasonable length walks. We enjoy visiting in Autumn and Winter. Nice tea room and plant shop too.

j.

Beautiful wide open spaces. Really peaceful (visited midweek) . Great Value, lovely coffee shop / light lunches. You can spend hours there just chillin'with the 🌲 trees.

M. B.

Had a lovely walk round the stunning gardens. Cafe is currently closed, but refreshments were available from an ice cream van

T. W.

Always a great lovely place to visit and relax. Entry is very reasonable but wish we became members as this is one of our favourite places in Essex. Make sure you visit the arboretum section with eucalyptus trees and smell the seeds.

P. W.

Great place for day out, lovely gardens and lakes if you visit buy fish food and feed the fish in the lakes.Great place for dog walks as well. Enjoyed so much bought membership so can visit anytime.

J. &. P. D.

As always, a lovely place to walk and explore around the trees and grassy paths - several World War 2 air raid shelters underneath masses of brambles/bushes to see if you are interested and of course countless various unusual trees and shrubs, most of them labelled, to investigate. The 'Screaming Oak' and Honeywood Oak are spectacular and we never tire of them. Marks Hall is open at present from Thursday to Sunday until 20 December, closed for two weeks, opening again on 2nd January. Normal hours from Tuesday till Sunday resume in April. After lockdown ceases on 2nd December, hot & cold lunches will once again be served from 12noon till 2.30 pm.

C. C.

Most tranquil place with ancient trees, lovely walks and woods and interesting gardens. It also has a very good tea room and will not break the bank to visit!

D. W.

Beautiful grounds, there wasn't that my Ch to see when I visited, but that was due to the time of year. However, it was still very nice to walk round, I will definitely visit again.

L. C.

Great place to visit and explore the wonderful grounds and finish off in the cafe with a great cup of tea and cake.

J. C.

Beautiful and varied estate with extensive walks and locations. Ample parking. Pictures of park show all that needs to be said!

L. L.

Beautiful gardens with lovely tea room

S. P.

Fab day at Suffolk punch spectacular. Sun shining. Free milkshakes from Shaken udder, delicious. Impressive horses and staff. Lovely day out with my family x

M. W.

lovely gardens to wander around in beautiful Essex.

P. K.

Always excellent. Good forest/farm walks outside the arboretum. Beautiful specimen trees and shrubs from around the world inside. A nice pleasant café too

C. A.

The lungs if the earth feel like they start here in the arboretum. The whole place including the staff and volunteers are a delight. Well worth a visit and even better value if you become a member

S. C.

Really nice place to walk around. Visited on the Suffolk punch horse day. Wonderful gardens and the tea room is nice to. The event was really interesting and informative.

A. G.

Wonderful place to visit! Looks fabulous all year round.... even better when the Sculpture Exhibition is on. Well worth the entrance fee with a wonderful tea room for replenishment after all that walking.

T. o.

A show with exhibitors was on. Could have done with more but still a pleasant time was had

E. H.

Beautiful place. Friendly staff.

C. T.

Forgot how lovely this place is. The tearoom was great and the food good and staff very friendly. The trees and gardens are wonderful for a winter walk

J. G.

Wonderful garden and arboretum walks

E. S.

Fantastic day out. Great for family time, enjoying nature together. Beautifully kept gardens with a lovely cafe at the end.

D. R.

Very attractive gardens, huge carp in the man made lakes you can feed, great for children, just make sure they don't fall in. Good food in the cafe.

A. B.

The cakes were lovely and had a really nice few hours.The grounds are kepted very well.

E. F.

Wonderful gardens especially the walled garden area. 2 lovely lakes, would recommend buying some food at the entrance to feed the fish, kids love it.

J. F.

Lovely walks.. beautiful trees and a cream tea to finish the afternoon. Perfect.

P. f.

We only go for the tea room as we are cycling. Often there is a selection of "different" cakes. The fruit cake with Marmite is really good

P. C.

We love visiting Marks Hall. A lovely place for a walk. Tea room is very nice. Very friendly staff. Fantastic place to take a day off in peaceful surroundings and reconnect with nature.

O. B.

Beautiful grounds and an 800 year old tree!

C. B.

Pleasant if somewhat remote and little known estate with gardens, lake and less formal woodlands.

M. S.

Really lovely place with choice of longer woodland walks or a leisurely stroll around the arboretum. Feeding the fish is a must!

D. L.

Cycled to the cafe here, very nice cakes and good coffee. Friendly staff and lots of seats.

B. B.

Had a lovely day there on Saturday The snowdrops were amazing carpeting the grass wherever we went. The only complaint we had was that we couldn't use our RHS cards! Can't be used till May.

H. F.

Lovely parkrun around the estate. Will visit again with friends.

J.

Well organised and gardens were great. We were there at Easter and the Easter egg hunt was really good for the kids

K. T.

Went to support the 3rd Marks Hall Parkrun event! Watched my husband running and had a lovely walk.

S. H.

A lovely place to visit, fantastic woodland gardens with different themes and plenty of wildlife. Beautiful views and a lovely place to have a picnic

S. W.

It was so pretty, nice to be out in the fresh air, well organised would go again, although a little steep on entrance fee tbh but all in all lovely day

R. A.

Wonderful gardens with lovely woodland walks.Nice tea room with a reasonable choice of food.Certainly worth a visit.

A. L.

Lovely walled garden and lovely walks, cafe for a bite to eat and picnic area if you take your own, all in all, a great day out.

K. C.

The Statue exhibition is totally amazing. Highly Recommended. The place is beautiful and serene. Great for dog walking. X

G. D.

The first Snowdrops! And a delish jacket potato!

B. W.

Lovely walk around the grounds. Grandchildren enjoy feeding the fish.

T. B.

Visited the gardens during the art exhibition

B. S.

Lovely walks, pretty snowdrop forest, and. Bluebell woods, much to see any season, nice restaurant , cafe, really good value.

P. S.

Nice place for wander. Pretty child friendly. It even has its own cafe, the food here is very nice.

C. B.

Lovely and peaceful place with a lovely cafe/tea room. Feeding the fish is amazing, they never seem to get full up!

L. W.

Beautiful walking around extensive estate. Beautifully kepf grounds. Dogs welcome weekdays

R.

Obviously trees there long before the currently overpriced 'undortunate' attempts at creating a food outlet! Take your own food and enjoy what nature has done most of the work producing.

A. W.

Great place for good walk in parkland. Walled garden good. Nice cafe. All in all a good place for a few hours out in fresh air.

J. W.

First time visit, very impressed. Lovely gardens to walk around and good place to eat in the Barn Restaurant.

C. T.

Lovely surprise I live nearby n this was our first visit to the Country show.stayed a lot longer than expected. Beautiful place even in the heatwave this year.

C. E.

Very enjoyable, even in the rain! Had a lovely light lunch and the staff were Great, friendly, welcoming and helpful ad usual.

M. D.

Great place for a walk and dog friendly other than the walled garden (so it seems).

A. W.

Really good cafe and a great walk.

S. H.

Lovely place. Very nice cafe, although the coffee was terrible which was a shame.

C. L.

Super day out. Fabulous walks, Walled garden, tea rooms and gift and plant shop.

A. R.

Beautiful grounds, lovely walks, well laid out with lots of interesting plantings, one visit is not enough!

D. C.

Beautful well kept gardens and interesting sculpture trail. Lunch in the tearooms was very fresh and tasty.

G. M.

Peaceful. Kids love it, lots of open space to run, great little playground partway round and great arboretum. Cafe is nice as well.

A. B.

Lovely woodland walks and gardens, especially liked the walled garden. Nice food in restaurant, reasonably priced.

J. L.

Lovely wildlife, great place to visit over easy walking routes

S. S.

Beautiful and picturesque, plenty of information and some wonderful sculptures, really helpful staff and some excellent walking routes with plenty of benches.

R. P.

Disabled friendly. Loads of spa e for social distance. Has picnic area and tea room. And great view.

t.

It’s amazing!! A very good place to see different types of trees or plants, and even has the name of the type of plant/tree on it! Also has cool activitys

D.

Beautiful grounds that are unique in each season. Plus a nice tea & cake room is always a bonus!

C. S.

A fantastic and manageable arboretum with a friendly workforce. The visitor centre is a great place to sit down and digest the experience!

S. H.

Lovely place to visit. Beautiful gardens. Very nice cafe. Some nice plants to buy

J. F.

Lovely walk today. My first visit to Marks Hall, but not my last. Lovely log burner in the tea room and very pleasant staff.

J. W.

Really nice grounds ok for all ages have a picnic field and coffee shop bought plants from them reasonable prices.

D. K.

Beautiful gardens and lovely cafe.

G. B. G.

Great place for picnic and spend time with family and friends. Clean and good services: cafeteria, toilets, gardening..

B. W.

An enjoyable walk around a nice county type park estate

R. A.

Uncrowded,peaceful with well maintained gardens.A nice tea room with a nice selection of food and drinks.Well worth a visit.

j. c.

Beautiful place. Our 3 yr old can go into woods, pick up sticks and see the fish in the lake.

r.

A lovely quiet place for wooded walks, fish feeding and just a nice day out

T. W.

Really nice place to go for a walk and relax.

V. C.

Not taking part in Eat Out to Help Out. Paper plates and plastic cutlery. No tap water, £1 for a can of still water, apparently contamination concern for tap water! Disappointing.

R. B.

The most wonderful walks and beautiful gardens. So good we have just joined as members.

T. C.

Beautiful gardens to walk round.tea room was nice to just a bit unorganized

C. D.

Lovely walk, dogs allowed during the week.

n. p.

Always a pleasure to spend time here whether picnicking with the children or a quiet walk around the walled garden and grounds

D. H.

Really lovely to walk round with the dog..wasn't very busy on a Wednesday.

M. S.

Great gardens arboretum lovely cafe when you need a rest. Bonus plants for sale as well.

p. o.

Interesting place , beautiful in the sunshine, nice cafe

J. D.

Did park run - loved it and a great chance to see the private estate

L. G.

Nice place for walk with cafe for tea and cake after

T. F.

Well worth a visit. Plenty of paths to wander along

D. S.

Beautiful grounds filled with fish and birds. Especially entertaining for kids.

j. w.

Very interesting and restful. Plant centre interesting but small. Cafe has good food but again limited choice

R. N.

Lovely relaxing place for a quite walk and superb food

b. W.

So much for you to see the gardens look great and so many paths to walk around

P. W.

Absolutely beautiful place for walking, so well kept.

S. G.

Love Marks Hall, something different to see every season and every time I visit. Friendly, helpful staff, great food at reasonable prices too. Well worth a visit.

S. M.

We had a pleasant few hours walking around the lakes and woods and playing on the playground. The family had fun.

J. H.

We had a lovely sandwich lunch and walked it off surrounded by gorgeous autumn colours.

J. A.

Beautiful serene gardens, amazing sculpture exhibition during summer, staff exceptionally helpful and friendly

P. A.

Lovely gardens to walk around, very good wedding venue, and many ducks, ducklings and Geese around

A. B.

Beautiful gardens with lovely lakes and fish.

J. B.

Excellent gardens and woodland. Nice walks for dogs and an fun play area.

A. S.

A bit mean of them to charge my husband and the dog to walk the footpath (dogs not allowed into the arboretum ) while I paid the same to visit the garden and arboretum.

J. T.

Lovely staff, and wonderful sculpture tour today. Our kids had great fun.

L. R.

Really lovely gardens with plenty of wildfowl. Nice cafe and facilities at the entrance.

J. P.

Fell upon this by chance to visit a Country & Garden show and was not disappointed, wonderful gardens and a spectacular arboretum, in the Lake you even get the chance to feed the carp...

D. W.

Great place to visit. Lovely walks and a nice cafe afterwards. Reasonable prices too.

A. C.

Lovely walled garden and great selection of plants to buy at a good price

R. J.

Lovely walk to see the autumn colours. Decent Covid safe eatery as well.

D. G.

Great place could spend all day here in nice weather entry price a little expensive

A. M.

A really nice place to walk round with a good refreshment place but entry fee expensive in comparison with other similar places.

B. S.

Great day out...lots of space so good social distancing ...enjoyed the spooky trail with our little one

j. w.

A great place to spend a few hours outside. Walks, gardens and lovely views.

N. B.

Massive very pretty gardens. Geese, pheasants, trees galore. Nice cafe.

D. G.

Very relaxing, good for strolling around woods and lakes. Also has nice cafe.

S. E.

Beautiful walks around the grounds. Nice onsite cafe

R. F.

Absolutely beautiful tranquil gardens...a lovely morning out....

L. T.

Beautiful kept gardens. Friendly staff in the cafe, good food & prices are OK.

G. C.

Signage of walks a bit sparce but enjoyed it.

S. A.

Lovely place to visit , you can have a good long walk in the arboretum.

S. C.

Great place to enjoy a walk.

T. B.

There is a biannual art/sculpture exhibition at Marks Hall, a perfect reason to visit. A rich and wonderful afternoon, thank you Marks Hall.

L. B.

Lovely grounds

A. P.

A beautiful place, I have never been before, but I will definitely be going back.

E. S.

Magnificent place! My favourite from now)

L. N.

Wonderful outdoor space and great restaurant

J. B.

Great days walking. Brilliant week kept grounds. Very good

B. N.

Fantastic Parkrun. great setup. coffee in the cafe afterwards

A. c.

Lovely quite place to visit. Take a few hours to get around. Cafe at the entrance.

J. D.

A lovely garden and arboretum. Looking forward to going again in Autumn to see the Taxodiums autumn colour

T. C.

Lovely gardens,coffee shop was nice but unorganized

S. F.

Brilliant place to visit if you love trees, so quiet and peaceful.

S. P.

Great for walking and spending time outdoors in some beautiful areas. Good café.

D. W.

A bit over priced these days. They'll also try and charge you for using the public footpaths. Proper grumpy old folk on the gate too.

A. K.

Lovely garden and great sculpture trail. Needed more time there

L. M.

Beautiful tranquil place.Beautiful lakes and gardens .The Koi Carp are amazing

A. A.

Excellent snowdrops in the woods.

M. S.

Beautifully kept gardens

T. B.

Great day out with the kids .Good place to run around and make the tired great place for a good walk and don't forget to feed the fish

P. W.

Great place to visit. Dogs welcome. Beautiful grounds.

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