Wednesday
About the castle
Perched dramatically on a wooded hill overlooking the picturesque village of Dunster, this majestic castle has been watching over Somerset for more than a thousand years. From Norman fortress to lavish country home, Dunster Castle is a living timeline of British history, packed with medieval intrigue, Victorian elegance, and some seriously Instagrammable views. For over 600 years, it was the ancestral home of the Luttrell family, whose influence helped shape the castle’s rich character and enduring legacy.
Surrounding the castle, you’ll find beautifully landscaped gardens, winding riverside paths, and lush greenery that perfectly complement the historic charm with a touch of natural splendor.
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The House
The entrance to the castle, now managed by the National Trust, is literally 1 minute from our cottage front door. Upon arrival you ascend through an arched gate house and up some stairs, to a large expanse of garden and entrance way to the house. We decided to explore this first.
Much of the castle was demolished on the order of Cromwell as he saw it as a threat to parliament. However, at some point his order was rescinded and the main house escaped demolition and much of it is still seen today. It does mean there isn’t really a castle per se to see. The National Trust, who own the property, allow the public to meander through many of the houses rooms that are preserved in both decor and furnishing of past times. A bit like any other National Trust property really. Although some bits are interesting, such as secret passages, once you have seen one NT property you have seen them all.
Gardens of Dunster Castle
Our tour really became special as we left the house and explored the gardens. There are numerous paths around the entirety of the house where you can wander at will. Dunster sits on Devon slate and other ancient rocks that produce slightly ericaceous soil. The Victorean owners, mainly George Luttrell became obsessed with importing plants from Asia as he remodelled the gardens. Today there is an abundance of Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Camellias and Magnolias that provide amazing colours. This type of flora is of course prevalent at the Master Golf tournament held in Augusta Georgia just last week (with the amazing Rory Mcllroy grand slam victory). It must highlight the difference in climate between Augusta and North Somerset as here the blooms are only just coming to life, where Augusta hosts an amazing splash of colour. I imagine in a months time, the colour at Dunster will be overwhelming.
The particular highlight is the area of gardens around the River Avill. It’s a fast flowing river with many photo opportunities at viewing points and bridges, including the Lovers Bridge. You find such peace wandering through these gardens.
Some memories of the gardens
The Victorian Reservoir
In the late 19th century, George Luttrell, the owner of Dunster Castle, embarked on a significant modernization project to transform the medieval fortress into a comfortable Victorian residence. As part of these improvements, an underground reservoir was constructed in 1870, boasting a capacity of 40,000 imperial gallons (approximately 182,000 liters). This reservoir was designed to supply running water to the castle and the nearby village, reflecting the era’s advancements in engineering and the Luttrell family’s commitment to modern amenities .
The reservoir was decommissioned in 1976, but today visitors can descend into its vast cavern, where clever lighting and sound effects make it feel as if the reservoir is still in use.
Castle Mill
At the end of our walk we came to the water mill. It dates back to around 1780 and was restored to full working order in 1979. The visitor is allowed to access all areas of the mill and see the power of the mechanisms in action. To think that this engineering was achieved 4 years after the USA declared indepence and became a sovereign nation – and Trump thinks they are the ones that own technology!
In the small shop in the mill, you can still buy flour that is ground today within the mill. Amazing.
Reeves Restaurant
Having spent about 4 hours at the castle, a quick pint and a short nap later, we went to dinner at Reeves Restaurant.
This seems to be Dunsters only fine dining restaurant and it turned out to be well worth the visit.
Nikki had the Roast cream of pumpkin and red pepper broth served with a cheesy rarebit crostini to start, followed by Char grilled fillet of Quantock venison “tournedos Rossini style”, dauphiniose, port wine reduction and a jardiniere of vegetables (although they had run out of venison and swapped it for fillet of beef).
I had Pan roasted Somerset pigeon breast, toasted brioche, wilted winter greens and a blackberry jus, and Baked wild halibut steak, yellow raison rice pilaff on a cream lobster fond and finished with asparagus spears.
We probably didn’t need it, but we finished with a Somerset cheese board.
Every single dish was amazing. The restaurant is very ambient, with friendly staff. It is owned by a couple where husband is the chef and wife is front of house. Highly recommend if you are down this way.