Dewstow Grottoes - A Very Secret Garden

Hidden away for more than fifty years, buried under heaps of soil and long forgotten until their discovery twenty some years ago, the underground labyrinth of tunnels and gardens at Dewstow are as enticing as any secret garden - their restoration and uniqueness something to excite.

The vision of Mr Henry Roger Keane Oakley, just before the turn of the 20th century, an enthusiast and cultivator of ferns and tropical plants, his creation was considered fantastical and wondrous. As you descend from a space of vibrant colours, lush greens and open sky into a passage dark and damp, there’s an air of anticipation. With map in hand and corners to peer around, a subterranean journey begins.

There are ponds with stepping stones and perfectly clear waters, alive with fish. There are twists and turns and passages to squeeze through, the sounds of waterfalls drawing you on. It’s an enchanting and peculiar place, one to ignite a curious mind an delight a storybook one. Above ground there are 7 acres to explore, with passages among leaves, colours to thrill and lawns to run out on. Dewstow Gardens and Grottoes is a wonderful place to visit.