Longleat House and Safari Park

History

Longleat was purchased by Sir John Thynn in 1541. He was the first of the Thynn 'dynasty'. He completed his magnificent home in 1580, shortly before his death. Though the exterior remains very much a testament to the Tudor style, the interior has changed a great deal over the years and much of the furnishing is now Victorian. Fine art dating back to the 16th century hangs on the walls.

Longleat Safari Park was opened in 1966 and was the first drive-through safari park outside of Africa. It was considered to be a massive breakthrough in the way in which captive animals were kept, with the animals roaming freely and the visitors in cages (cars). Today Longleat's collection comprises over 500 animals.

Food & beverage

Longleat has a number of cafes to suit all tastes. The Cellar Cafe offers traditional Wiltshire dishes whilst the Wessex Pavilion offers sandwiches and cakes.

Grounds & Gardens

The gardens at Longleat cover over 900 acres of parkland and were landscaped by the 18th Century Landscape Architect Capability Brown. Within the grounds is the safari park where visitors can see lions, rhino, zebra, giraffes and hundreds of other animal species. The Hedge Maze is made up of more than 16,000 Yews and can take up to an hour to negotiate.

Other facilities

There are other attractions next to the Safari Park including Longleat House, Adventure Castle, Hedge Maze, Pets corner, Butterfly garden, Railway, Postman Pat Village, Old Joe’s mine and motion simulators.

A `Safari Bus' service is also available, at £6 per person, for those who arrive on public transport or with soft top vehicles.