National Trust - Hardy's House Max Gate — Attraction in Dorchester

Max Gate is the home of Dorset's most famous author and poet Thomas Hardy. The house itself is very apt for the era, and a contrast to the quaint countryside cottage he grew up in. The garden is very much untouched, with high walls and trees surrounding the property.

Much like the gardens, the house is also mostly untouched, lots of furniture and antiques are carefully placed within the rooms and are era-appropriate. Extended on from the reception room is a sunroom, enclosed by multiple exotic plants. To the back of the property on the ground floor is the hallway leading to public toilets (baby change available), the admissions office and finally the kitchen; which still includes the AGA oven.

Upstairs are the two main bedrooms, unfortunately, both are quite bare; with little furnishings. Hardy’s study is further to the back of the house, being the main attraction for visitors, it contains the most items, including desks, bookcases and pictures. Just outside of the study are the stairs leading to the attic ‘Emma’s bedroom’ where Hardy’s first wife, who became unwell spent her final years.

The staff at Max Gate are friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, there are no food/drink kiosks or cafes onsite, however, the café at Hardy’s cottage (10-minute drive away) is usually open...

I loved my visit to Max Gate! I arrived there in the afternoon after my morning visit to Hardy's Cottage, so it felt as though I was seeing both properties in context. Sadly, there's no café there, but the visitor centre at Hardy's Cottage does, so I'd advise that you have a cuppa there if you're going straight to Max Gate afterwards. The house is wonderful and although much of the original furniture was auctioned before the Trust took ownership, many original items remain and the rest of the furniture has been carefully sourced to provide an authentic representation of how Max Gate would have looked when Hardy lived there. The helpful guidebooks available at the entrance of the property are wonderful, but I'd recommend one of the regular guided tours. Jan showed us around both the garden and inside the property and she was excellent! So knowledgeable and engaging and provided an interesting insight into...

As the former home of one of England's great writers, Max Gate is an essential visit for Hardy readers and an interesting example of architecture in its own right. The author designed the unusual but pleasing house himself, and we thoroughly enjoyed our tour of it with the friendly and knowledgeable guide. We were able to wander freely around the house and grounds upon conclusion of the tour.

Virtually the entire house can be viewed across its three floors, including the attic rooms occupied by his first wife, Emma, in her later years. The house is furnished with period furniture, including some authentic Hardy pieces.

Tours are operated on a prebooked basis; there is no car park but limited roadside parking. A combined visit with the nearby Hardy's Cottage is...