Marianne and William Cartwight-Hignett

The custodians of Iford Manor Estate invite Rosanna Rothery into their timeless garden paradise

This year marks 60 years of the Cartwright‑Hignett family owning the idyllic Iford Manor Estate near Bradford‑on‑Avon, on the Wiltshire‑Somerset border. Now next‑gen custodians William (who grew up on the estate) and wife Marianne are pouring their energies into reinvigorating it for generations to come.

Iford’s story may stretch back to the Domesday Book but William and Marianne refuse to take a fusty approach to the estate. For them, history is about creating a living heritage that’s vibrant and engaging, so they’re taking the lead from Iford itself: a melting pot of eras, styles and influences.

‘We are very protective and respectful of our heritage, but try to do things that are utterly relevant to people today,’ says William. ‘My problem with places that preserve the past in aspic is that, with every year that goes by, that place becomes less relevant to the people who visit it.’

Immersive odyssey

The pleasures of sitting and contemplating in a beautiful garden or strolling through an evocative landscape have resonated with people throughout the centuries. And it’s just as captivating for the flux of visitors (capped daily at 250 to preserve the sense of tranquility) who visit Iford today.

Secret garden

It’s no surprise to discover that some scenes in the 2020 film The Secret Garden, starring Colin Firth and Julie Walters, were filmed at Iford.

Ascending the landscaped hill, visitors find themselves in a secluded haven of romantic Roman, Italian and Japanese architecture which seamlessly merges with curated gardens and magnificent views of rolling farmland. Daisies and campanula peep through stone steps, giving visitors the sense they’ve stumbled upon a secret spot.

Peto’s magic

William and Marianne took over the Grade I‑registered garden in 2018 and, with head gardener Steve Lannin, have embarked upon a ten‑year renewal plan to maintain this very special place.

‘There are very few places like Iford where you can really experience complete peace,’ says Marianne. ‘There’s a sense of timelessness and deep tranquility.’

Its magical effect can, in large part, be traced to architect and garden landscaper Harold Peto who lived at Iford between 1899 and 1933. As well as designing for royalty, aristocracy and tycoons, he was a treasure hunter who travelled the globe acquiring rare plants and eclectic antiquities. The result is an enchanting sanctuary imbued with a beauty that echoes previous times and far‑off places. Fragments of Italianate architecture and statuary, tumbling wisteria and roses, and fragrant wafts of rosemary and lavender invoke nostalgia.

‘People experience a calm in the garden which is harder and harder to find in today’s crazy world,’ says Marianne. ‘They tell us it’s like stepping into another world: you never know precisely what country you are in – and you’re not quite sure which century either.’

Nose‑to‑tail dining

In line with modern visitors’ requirements, the couple have also created a beautiful daytime restaurant (which recently won Best Newcomer at the Trencherman’s Awards 2025) and supper club. Here, visitors can feast on rustic dishes crafted from ingredients grown, reared or foraged on the thousand‑acre estate.

Heading up Iford Manor Kitchen is Michelin‑star‑experienced chef Matthew Briddon. At Iford, he puts his twist on the kind of recipes, skills and crafts (like fermentation) that would have been practised in rural Wiltshire in times gone by. Dishes utilise beef and lamb grazed in the valley, and veg harvested from the estate’s walled garden.

‘Being able to incorporate a nose‑to‑tail and root‑to‑leaf food offering is amazing because it ties into the farm and everything we do with sustainability and wildlife in the valley,’ says Marianne. ‘It’s a fantastic way for people to experience Iford and enjoy its authenticity.’

A bit of a fraud

In some ways, Iford is a curious place; nothing is quite what it seems. The manor house, where William and Marianne live with their two children, isn’t actually a manor at all: it’s a 15th‑century former wool factory, cleverly concealed behind a 1720s facade. Many of its features, in themselves authentic, have been added at various points to create an olde‑worlde effect.

‘The whole thing is a bit of a fraud,’ laughs William. ‘Iford is oozing in history but it is an unclear history. Peto built on that and alluded to bits of the story: if details were true, that was lovely. If they weren’t, then the imagination was just as good.’

Many heritage destinations are proud to be bastions of the past but Iford is constantly evolving. Innovations introduced by William and Marianne include a jazz festival, regular concerts, supper clubs based around sumptuous tasting menus, and behind‑the‑scenes tours with head gardener Steve.

Everything has the personal touch. William leads an intimate Champagne tour of the garden where he reveals his parents’ vision for rescuing the gardens and the secret history of some extremely rare and unusual plants.

Future plans

Changes are always afoot and the couple are poised to take over two local pubs: Cross Guns in Avoncliff and The Inn at Freshford. William has been going to both since he was a youngster and is keen to preserve them as thriving hubs in the community.

Managing Iford’s evolution as a visitor experience while simultaneously bringing up a young family results in a demanding schedule for the couple. Ultimately, though, they believe it’s worth the effort.

‘If you inherit a historic estate, it’s not a job,’ says Marianne. ‘It’s a passion and a lifestyle. It has to be driven by you and you have to love it. If you don’t, it won’t survive. It’s like having a wonderful grandparent who is entirely dependent on you – but who loves you back enormously.’

ifordmanor.co.uk

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