Cadhay

The gardens are lovely and very well kept. A hidden gem. Reasonably priced entry too (compared to some other gardens in the locality). Not the biggest gardens in the world but…. bigger is not always better. Staff and Owner all very down to earth and friendly too.

What a beautiful place to stay. The perfect Devonshire holiday

Panning week in self catering coach house cottage for wedding in the main house this August. Perfect. Didn’t stay in the main house but grounds are beautiful and very well looked after.

Cadhay isn’t a hotel but it is possible to book the house to stay in. 12 bedrooms, sleeps around 23. Amazing house with beautiful grounds, lakes and a courtyard, enormous dining room, wonderful kitchen, several living rooms, a great hall and museum! Beautiful but so comfortable and homely too. We’ve stayed around 12 times over 20 years. A perfect place for celebrations.

Lovely house. Good guided tour.

This is a wonderful place to visit. The man at the till was very polite and we did the 2.30 tour of the house. The house guide lady was knowledgable, friendly and very engaging. There is a great courtyard in the middle. Unfortunately we had to leave before it ended, but I will look forward to our return next year.

Brilliantly lovely summer’s day tour of Ottery St Mary Church and Cadhay. House is beautifully restored and chimes with modern days needs. Gardens are beautiful and cleverly “alloted” and tea and company were superb. A memorable day of history, conversation and gardens

★★★★★

Absolutely Enchanting: A Dream Wedding Venue (and Photographer’s Paradise!)

Cadhay House and Garden is simply breathtaking. I recently had the pleasure of attending a wedding there, and I was utterly captivated by its charm. The stunning location provides a truly magical backdrop, with the beautiful grounds offering endless opportunities for picturesque moments. The manor house itself is steeped in history and exudes elegance, creating an atmosphere of timeless romance. From the meticulously manicured gardens to the grand architecture, every detail contributes to an unforgettable experience. As a wedding photographer, I was particularly impressed by the diverse range of settings – from intimate corners to sweeping vistas – providing incredible scope for capturing truly special memories. I’m so excited to be returning to Cadhay in 2025 and 2026 to photograph more weddings at this incredible venue. It’s a photographer’s dream and the perfect setting for a fairytale wedding. Highly recommend!

Nice tour.

So different from the usual Country House. Excellent guides I hope to visit again sometime

Amazing quiet area.

14 years on it’s doorstep and first time visit. Wish I’d known about it earlier. Will go when the season starts next year.

Beautiful gardens. Lots of pretty dahlias. The house tour guide was very interesting and knowledgeable. Great choice of cake. Well worth a visit.

A beautiful Tudor house (family home)and gardens open Friday afternoons from 2 until 5. House tours also available. Delicious tea and cakes. Wheelchair access/ mobility scooter. A wonderful place to visit.

I chose Cadhay for my wedding venue and could not have been more impressed. Rupert and Jayne were extremely helpful and made the whole experience that much more special. The house and cottages are well kept and the grounds are stunning. Would highly recommend.

Very interesting old house. Great tour around the house and of course a good cup of tea with a wide choice of cake!!

Lovely place. Only saw garden this time. Will do house on next trip.

Gardens are good and gardeners were helpful. Café had good vegan options and informative staff. House closed.

Super ambiance to this lovely house. Rooms are spacious and appropriately furnished. The careful addition of modern pieces of art and furniture is really well done. A fantastic place to stay. Can’t write more as I’ve been called outside for croquet. Update: Can see that this is a super wedding venue. The new pieces of art that have updated the Nursery are really very fine. This is our third week-long stay here. Nuff said!

We managed to get the timing right this year for a visit, beautiful gardens and had a lovely, informative chat with the gardeners. We’ll definitely return another time.

We hired Cadhay for our wedding reception and turned our big day into a big weekend. The gardens were absolutely stunning and we were showered with compliments by our guests. (Which we later passed on to the gardners). We filled all rooms including all the cottages and there was still plenty of space for everyone to find a quite corner throughout the grounds. All staff at Cadhay are passionate about the house and it shows. I can fully recommend Cadhay for anyone planning their special day. 10/10

We visited as part of a group tour. Our guide was delightful and very knowledgeable. A very interesting history with lots of personal stories. Tea and cake in the walled garden lovely

Only open on Friday afternoons and with a limited season this is nevertheless a worthwhile visit if you are in the area at the right time. The coffees and cajes were acceptable and the ambulance was attractive. We enjoyed an excellent tour full of interesting detail and then walked around the very attractive gardens. Amazing Autumn colour and we were lucky enough to see a kingfisher cross the kake

Just visited the house and gardens. Very nice, small version of the big houses. It can be rented out too. Small windy road unless you go past Ottery leisure centre. Only open Fridays.

Stayed here for postponed 60th birthday party it was fantastic rooms spectacular 20 people sat down for dinner and afternoon tea It teams with history a place on one of the guided tours is really interesting Grounds and gardens were glorious Owners so helpful and friendly A great place for that special event

Only open some Friday afternoons for tours but well worth a visit. Fascinating place and wonderful grounds.

Beautiful house within a great setting. I would recommend anyone to go to the Friday tour as the house is oozing with history. Only down side to the house was we didn’t stay there longer. Amazing house

Nice gardens but pricey for cake and coffee, charged £8.50 for two regular coffees and one piece of cake. Also, when paying, found that after paying it was only entry to the gardens and found the lady was very unpleasant and not helpful. Shall not go back.

A friend hired the house for a birthday weekend for a large family group. What an amazing experience. You are embedded in the home of another family as if they just walked out before you arrived. Fantastic facilities, lovely artworks and more than everything needed to make you comfortable. Quite simply the best kept and serviced place I have ever stayed in. Many thanks to the owners for a very special event.

Opulent, historic, very comfortable Elizabethan country house with ample space for 22 old friends; surrounded by exciting brilliant flower gardens with small lake, set in parkland a mile of so outside Ottery St Mary

Amazing place beautiful wedding last week, incredible accomodation in the coach House ideal venue .thanks for everything.

Great garden, lots of beautiful dahlias

Beautiful garden borders in a tranquil setting. Well worth a visit to give you inspiration for your own garden.

This review only covers the gardens and not the self-catering apartments. The gardens are gorgeous, a quintessential English country garden set around a Tudor manor house. Due to its relatively ‘off the beaten track’ location, it doesn’t seem to ever get over-busy and there are plenty of quiet places to just sit and take it all in. The staff on duty in the tearoom (also currently serving as an admissions desk) are unfailingly pleasant and friendly. There are occasional tours of the garden if anyone wants in-depth knowledge about the various plants and the history of the garden (the ‘lakes’ are the remnants of medieval fishponds) but although I’ve been several times I’ve always ‘just wandered’.

Glorious herbaceous borders, tea and cake made a pleasant afternoon visit.

Well what a gem! A haven of tranquility, beautiful gardens and lovely teas. Visited here with a herd of 7 children ages between 5 and 15 and they loved it. Note that the gardens are only open on Friday afternoons between 2 and 5.30. The ‘formal’ gardens by the house are centered around a number of focal points, the lawns and the ponds. But the paths meander and there are numerous benches to sit and absorb the gently bee humming sight lines and abundance of flowers. The walled garden is productive with lots of edibles. Looking like a good harvesting is now required! We had teas and coffees and cake which was served with friendly helpful service by the staff. A great afternoon. Look forward to revisiting when house tours are back on. Oh and the toilets were beautifully clean (always a litmus test).

We were a group of 11 friends originally destined to go to Greece, however, that got cancelled due to Covid and so I set out to find a staycation to accommodate all of us. What a find!

Cadhay House is simply beautiful..It was grand without being enormous, with comfortable sitting rooms, of which there were several, and very comfortable bedrooms, all en-suite. They had even provided separate kitchens and lounges to accommodate the ‘rule of six’ thus providing large outside get-together areas for us all to congregate.

The house is steeped in family history, and the owner of the property was able to fill us ‘in’ with the bygone era of family life. It even has it’s own museum. A must to see!

The Gardens were also delightful. So pretty, with flowered walk-ways, various ponds and super Flora and Forna specimens. Not forgetting the stunning views…

We all loved it so much, that we are planning a return next year.

A wonderful place for a family group. Plenty of space to get together and also escape when you want peace and quiet! Great kitchen with everything you need if you are self catering. Very warm for such a large house at this time of year. Lovely bedrooms and nobody had to queue for the bathrooms – plenty of hot water. Excellent communication prior to stay. Just perfect – we don’t know when but we will be back!

We love coming to Cadhay every year for our family gathering…22 of us enjoying this unique, historic manor house. Every one of the luxurious rooms has its own bathroom. Over the years we all, and especially the children, have enjoyed exploring the house and the beautiful gardens. There is a timeless feel in the house which endures. The kitchen is particularly well equipped so that the foodies amongst us can enjoying cooking there. One of our more successful entertainments was the family Bake-Off competition.

There is plenty to do at Cadhay, and nearby there is the sea and wonderful walks.

We always wish we could stay longer.

Fantastic venue. We were here for a wedding and had an absolutely amazing time.

Visited Cadhay for a family wedding and was so impressed with the grounds and house. Absolutely stunning!!

Brill place lots of history

A beautiful manor house.

Super ambience to this lovely house. Rooms are spacious and appropriately furnished. The careful addition of modern pieces of art and furniture is really well done. A fantastic place to stay. Can’t write more as I’ve been called outside for croquet.

Super ambience to this lovely house. Rooms are spacious and appropriately furnished. The careful addition of modern pieces of art and furniture is really well done. A fantastic place to stay. Can’t write more as I’ve been called outside for croquet.

Luckily we were in the area on a Friday afternoon and so able to visit this wonderful place. There are timed tours of the house in small groups. Our guide was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. We found the visit very interesting. The gardens are beautiful and very well maintained.

Only open on Friday afternoons in the Summer … a beauitful Tudor manor house, superb grounds, very nice tea room with excellent home made cakes… Friday afternoons is ‘changeover day’ as the house is often rented out, the house tour covers those rooms which are rented out. The exterior of the house is stall largely Tudor and the inner courtyard is wonderful, the interior is of course heavily refurbished. A most enjoyable visit.

Very enjoyable tour of the house and lovely gardens.

Beautiful wedding venue. Accommodation was perfect!

Beautiful area of Devon. Really nice old house with a visit and book a long weekend to stay with friends

Our extended family stay here over Christmas some years and it’s a great place. Beautiful house, and the improvements made over the last few years (adding en suites to some rooms, upgraded heating and stable, high-coverage WiFi), has put the icing on the cake.

Never being able to visit on the Friday (normal opening day), we visited yesterday (Saturday 25/08/18). It really was worth the wait. We had a guided tour of the house, which is so light and welcoming. The information received from the knowledgeable guide was very interesting. We didn’t visit the tea room, because there was an added bonus. On our way to the house, we saw a summer fair advertised. It was such a lovely afternoon: there were lots of stalls, ice-cream, a bar, food, grand raffle – all in aid of St. Mary’s Church Ottery St. Mary. The MC was fantastic. The entertainment was fabulous, with The Blackdown Steel Band, Ottery Silver Band and the amazing Johnathan Marshall Falconry and Spanish Horse display. The commentary from Jonathan during the display was emotional and the story of Picasso the one horse enlightening. Now I know about the annual summer fair I look forward to returning.

We visited Cadhay on a Friday afternoon – unfortunately the only time in the week it is open to visitors, which is a shame. It was busy from first opening at 2 pm. Tours of the house are guided and last about one hour. They seem to start at 30 min intervals. The guide was informative and personable and explained so much which would otherwise not be apparent. Gardens are lovely and the allotments rented by local residents are excellent. Didn’t use the cafe but it looked excellent.Show less

We visited Cadhay on a Friday afternoon – unfortunately the only time in the week it is open to visitors, which is a shame. It was busy from first opening at 2 pm. Tours of the house are guided and last about one hour. They seem to start at 30 min intervals. The guide was informative and personable and explained so much which would otherwise not be apparent. Gardens are lovely and the allotments rented by local residents are excellent. Didn’t use the cafe but it looked excellent.

Restricted opening hours so read carefully! We didn’t and had to return later, but it was worth it! Lovely grounds and very sensible charges ( £4 each) we used the Gardeners World 2 for 1 ,so only £2 each. Head Gardener a true character with obvious passion for his job, even left us a couple of Dahlias at the tea shop after discussing them with my wife. Don’t miss it if you visit the area ,its a little gem.( Free ample parking, and tea rooms) I’ve got some lovely pictures but TripAdvisor don’t usually bother posting them !

Restricted opening hours so read carefully! We didn’t and had to return later, but it was worth it! Lovely grounds and very sensible charges ( £4 each) we used the Gardeners World 2 for 1 ,so only £2 each. Head Gardener a true character with obvious passion for his job, even left us a couple of Dahlias at the tea shop after discussing them with my wife. Don’t miss it if you visit the area ,its a little gem.( Free ample parking, and tea rooms) I’ve got some lovely pictures but TripAdvisor don’t usually bother posting them !Show less

Restricted opening hours so read carefully! We didn’t and had to return later, but it was worth it! Lovely grounds and very sensible charges ( £4 each) we used the Gardeners World 2 for 1 ,so only £2 each. Head Gardener a true character with obvious passion for his job, even left us a couple of Dahlias at the tea shop after discussing them with my wife. Don’t miss it if you visit the area ,its a little gem.( Free ample parking, and tea rooms) I’ve got some lovely pictures but TripAdvisor don’t usually bother posting them !

Thank you Cadhay for giving us a chance to see your wonderful home and gardens, we are in love with it, its no to big that you cannot see all of it, and not to small ether its just perfect for a day out, with lovely cake and tea room, to end your visit with.

I am wheelchair bound but the access and accessability for me was wonderful, i could get aroung the garden and the ponds with no real problems at all, the path was not deep gravel so was not an issue for anyone pushing you, or for myself pushing around the gardens, even after all the rain we had i could still get around on the grass with ease and the staff were so helpful and friendly if you wanted to ask about anything, the only area you had to take care on was the cobbled path but so long as you went careful it was not a problem for my wheelchair.

Thank you so much for a wonderful day, we are looking forward to our next visit.

Very Best Regards Ken & Lyn PerrittShow less

Thank you Cadhay for giving us a chance to see your wonderful home and gardens, we are in love with it, its no to big that you cannot see all of it, and not to small ether its just perfect for a day out, with lovely cake and tea room, to end your visit with.

I am wheelchair bound but the access and accessability for me was wonderful, i could get aroung the garden and the ponds with no real problems at all, the path was not deep gravel so was not an issue for anyone pushing you, or for myself pushing around the gardens, even after all the rain we had i could still get around on the grass with ease and the staff were so helpful and friendly if you wanted to ask about anything, the only area you had to take care on was the cobbled path but so long as you went careful it was not a problem for my wheelchair.

Thank you so much for a wonderful day, we are looking forward to our next visit.

Very Best Regards Ken & Lyn Perritt

This is a beautiful home opened to the public on occasions such as the Church fete. The gardens are beautiful and twice we’ve been fortunate to have a fantastically interesting guided tour with a really knowledgeable lady which made the old manor house come alive through the varied families which have owned it. It’s a shame the present owner is unable to live here and enjoy it full time but he kindly allows it to be used for the May fair each year so we all can appreciate it.Show less

This is a beautiful home opened to the public on occasions such as the Church fete. The gardens are beautiful and twice we’ve been fortunate to have a fantastically interesting guided tour with a really knowledgeable lady which made the old manor house come alive through the varied families which have owned it. It’s a shame the present owner is unable to live here and enjoy it full time but he kindly allows it to be used for the May fair each year so we all can appreciate it.

We took Cadhay for a week to celebrate a very special 90th birthday. Four generations of our family gathered there from all over the world! It was sensational. It is a lovely house – beautifully maintained, and extremely comfortable. There is lots of space – we could all be together or we could gather in groups. It is full of history and yet has a very homely feel. It has the most wonderful gardens, a croquet lawn which provided lots of entertainment, beautiful borders and a marvellous old swing from one of the trees. Over the week we had a couple of large formal dinners provided by caterers but also a few quieter kitchen suppers. The house has a very happy and welcoming atmosphere and it all contributed to the happiest of weeks.Show less

We took Cadhay for a week to celebrate a very special 90th birthday. Four generations of our family gathered there from all over the world! It was sensational. It is a lovely house – beautifully maintained, and extremely comfortable. There is lots of space – we could all be together or we could gather in groups. It is full of history and yet has a very homely feel. It has the most wonderful gardens, a croquet lawn which provided lots of entertainment, beautiful borders and a marvellous old swing from one of the trees. Over the week we had a couple of large formal dinners provided by caterers but also a few quieter kitchen suppers. The house has a very happy and welcoming atmosphere and it all contributed to the happiest of weeks.

Cadhay is a beautiful Tudor gem set in the most lovely grounds with delightful lily pond. We visited on the 8th August and as we were booked on the 4pm tour we decided to have tea. The cream tea was excellent with scones perfectly cooked. We sat in the lovely garden behind the barn and enjoyed the view of the well kept allotments. After tea we wandered around the gardens and couldn’t resist the swing in a tree.

We rented Cadhay for our annual family reunion and it was marginally more expensive than other places we had visited previously but wow… what a fabulous decision! This place is heavenly… the Owners has managed to retain all the history and yet combine it with the warmth, comfort and facilities of a modern house. The location is fabulous- a pleasant walk to Ottery StMary. The grounds are beautifully kept with ornamental ponds. The house is just gorgeous, steeped in History yet with functionality. So much attention to detail too, comfortable beds, luxurious linen , nice en suite bathrooms with plenty of hot water. In December, with snow and cold it was warm and cosy. Thoroughly recommend it. We shall return!

We rented Cadhay for our annual family reunion and it was marginally more expensive than other places we had visited previously but wow… what a fabulous decision! This place is heavenly… the Owners has managed to retain all the history and yet combine it with the warmth, comfort and facilities of a modern house. The location is fabulous- a pleasant walk to Ottery StMary. The grounds are beautifully kept with ornamental ponds. The house is just gorgeous, steeped in History yet with functionality. So much attention to detail too, comfortable beds, luxurious linen , nice en suite bathrooms with plenty of hot water. In December, with snow and cold it was warm and cosy. Thoroughly recommend it. We shall return!Show less

Fabulous place, the gardens a riot of colour and plants. The huge variety of dahlias especially impressive. Really friendly, helpful gardener too. Make sure you have a proper walk around as loads of different paths, especially at the bottom of the large (and beautiful) pond. Lots of unusual fungi to spot as well.

House tour very interesting, again with a knowledgeable and friendly guide (Arthur). Apparently, the whole house can be rented by the week!

Good value tea room.

Plenty of parking space, but one field can get very muddy.Show less

Fabulous place, the gardens a riot of colour and plants. The huge variety of dahlias especially impressive. Really friendly, helpful gardener too. Make sure you have a proper walk around as loads of different paths, especially at the bottom of the large (and beautiful) pond. Lots of unusual fungi to spot as well.

House tour very interesting, again with a knowledgeable and friendly guide (Arthur). Apparently, the whole house can be rented by the week!

Good value tea room.

Plenty of parking space, but one field can get very muddy.

Fabulous place, the gardens a riot of colour and plants. The huge variety of dahlias especially impressive. Really friendly, helpful gardener too. Make sure you have a proper walk around as loads of different paths, especially at the bottom of the large (and beautiful) pond. Lots of unusual fungi to spot as well.

House tour very interesting, again with a knowledgeable and friendly guide (Arthur). Apparently, the whole house can be rented by the week!

Good value tea room.

Plenty of parking space, but one field can get very muddy.

visited cadhay house really lovely house with a guide with some great tales to tell, wonderful gardens well worth a visit but only open Friday from 2pm till 5pm tea rooms for a hot drink, weddings and rooms for rental great place

Well worth a visiting. A knowledgeable guide gave an interesting talk covering the history, architecture and owners of the house. Small groups are taken through this gem of a Tudor manor house and can see how the house was changed and restored over its long history. Although not lived in by the present owner, the house feels lived in and is furnished as a family home. The gardens have received a lot of attention and add to the ambience of Cadhay.

Open every Friday 2pm to 5pm. NW of Ottery St Mary, best approached from the Daisymount junction of the A30, take the B3174 east and turn into Cadhay Lane just before Ottery St Mary.Show less

Fascinating historic house, informed guide, beautiful location, nice tea room, very friendly atmosphere. Recommended.

Our visit was all a bit rushed. The house, garden and tea room only open on one day a week and not until 2.00pm. Guided tours are somewhat inflexible to those who want tea before the tour. Listen out for the bell. It could be ten minutes earlier than you expect – possibly whilst you are still eating your tea!!! The house tours are a short term filler between the major income earner of wedding venue or holiday lets. The property is disappointing with huge gaps in the historical records and is a strange mix of Tudor and Georgian styling. The most interesting contents are those made by the owner. Gardens have two stew ponds suggesting an historic relationship with the towns collegiate church (where we actually saw an excellent flower festival and with top quality refreshments.) It was cheap though.

We stayed here with a group of friends just before Christmas 2013 and had just the most amazing time. The house is beautiful and the staff were most welcoming. We loved it so much that we’re going again…

Cadhay, Ottery St Mary, Devon EX11 1QT    Cadhay will feature on the main Landed Houses site shortly but here is a preview. By chance much of the house was built around the same time as Pekes (reviewed above) in 1550. As with all old houses extensions have been added on and the result is a charming rectangular house with a courtyard in the centre. Outdoor furniture is provided in the courtyard for use in warmer weather and inside the dining room happily caters for all up-to-22 guests. Cadhay’s grounds are impressive and its gardens are open to the public on Friday afternoons when public tours are conducted around the house (the only one I have seen with ‘brown road signs’ on surrounding roads!). There are two full-time gardeners who were hard at work when I arrived planting beds for the summer months and maintaining the winter ones. Of all the houses seen to date Cadhay is the only one with such extensive gardens, which explains why it is so popular for weddings. Inside there is a multitude of sitting rooms and plenty of seating – the main sitting room also has a fireplace and wood is included. All of Cadhay’s downstairs rooms are light and airy with original features such as wooden beams on view. There is a good balance struck between having old paintings and furniture and the avoiding too much clutter.    Upstairs the bedrooms are well presented, comfortable and clean. Some of the beds are four-poster, some regular doubles and some twins. Much of the bedroom accommodation and bathrooms are closer to the luxury end of comfort and if you are willing to pay a small premium for the privilege of living like kings and queens in Cadhay then it is a good bet. I have no criticism for it; the kitchen has both an Aga and regular cooker and the rest of the house over-delivers rather than under-delivers. One of our best options for those with a larger group than 18 and those that value gardens and comfort. In case readers are interested there are three additional properties available for rent a hundred yards away, though owing to dining room capacity in Cadhay they are considered completely separate (the dining room chairs in Cadhay are enormous!).