Stansted Park

Overall rating

About

Purchased by the 9th Earl of Bessborough in 1924, Stansted Park is a beautiful Edwardian Mansion standing within 1800 acres of extraordinary landscaped parkland and ancient forest. Visitors to the House can enjoy a true ‘upstairs, downstairs’ experience as they explore the stunning State Rooms, once used by the family to entertain politicians, actors and royalty, before moving downstairs to see the fully furnished Servants Quarters. The private family Chapel of St Paul is also open to visitors. Built by the Reverend Lewis Way in the mid 1800s, the Chapel contains a unique East Window with Christian and Jewish iconography and inspired poet John Keats, who used the Chapel’s imagery in his poems The Eve of St Agnes and The Eve of St Mark. The Grounds and Walled Gardens are open all year. This includes the Arboretum, Pavilion Tearoom, Garden Centre, Stansted Park Farm Shop, Maze and the Light Railway.

Reviews

Overall rating

(1 review)

Overall rating breakdown

5 1
4 0
3 0
2 0
1 0

Access (avg.)

Parking (avg.)

Toilets (avg.)

Staff (avg.)

sunny

Sept 2023

Fantastic visit

Great place to visit if you use a wheelchair. There's a garden centre with café & accessible loo. Farm shop & tea room, also accessible. House & chapel also ok for wheelchair. Extensive grounds & mini railway. Staff were brilliant.

Read full review

Disabled Access Information Provided by Stansted Park

Disabled Access at Stansted Park

Step-free access is available around the House via a platform stair lift and an Edwardian lift. The platform stair lift can only be used when passengers are sitting in their wheelchairs. Please note that due to the size of the Edwardian lift, we are unable to accommodate some motorised wheelchairs or mobility scooters but a manual wheelchair is available to borrow inside the House. There is seating available in each room for visitors. A buggy service runs between the House, Chapel and Garden Centre. The buggy can seat five passengers, including one wheelchair user. You can either arrange the buggy in advance of your visit by calling 02392 412265 (opt 5) or speak to the volunteer in the Chapel of St Paul when you arrive. The volunteer will contact the buggy driver for you. Paths and walkways around the estate are mainly levelled gravel, although small areas may be loose, and there are some slopes across the park.

Accessible parking at Stansted Park

The Garden Centre Car Park is the main car park for all Walled Garden attractions and Stansted House and is clearly signposted from the road. Blue Badge spaces are available beside the entry to the Garden Centre and also in the Bothy Car Park next to the Pavilion Tea Room.

Dedicated on site parking

Toilets features at Stansted Park

There are public toilets located in the Arboretum, which are fully accessible to all. There is one accessible toilet in the Courtyard and one inside the House on the ground floor level. Both accessible toilets have level entry and 90cm wide entrance doors. Each of these accessible toilets have a toilet (80cm transfer space to the left in 1 and right in 2) and small washbasin (70cm high), seat height is 45cm. There are two vertical support rails either side of the toilet and one beside the hand washbasin. There is one horizontal rail beside the toilet on the opposite side to transfer. There are lowered hooks, mirror and shelf in each. Each accessible toilet has a baby changing facility situated away from the transfer area. Please note that the Garden Centre, Farm Shop and Garden Centre are independent businesses and provide their own toilet facilities for use of patrons only.

Accessible toilet

A designated accessible toilet designed for wheelchair users and others with visible and non-visible accessibility requirements is available within the main public areas.