House, Gardens & Cafe Open Tuesday - Sunday 10.30 - 17.00

Garden Entry January 2021

Whilst East Hampshire is in tier 4 and the museum is closed, you can still visit the garden’s here at Gilbert White’s house and enjoy the great out doors!

The gardens are open from 10:30am till 4pm (except Mondays). The Café is open as a takeaway until 4pm.

You need to book: simply pick which day you’d like to visit, there are no timed slots. Prices during this period are the same no matter the age of the visitor, unless they are under 5 or a carer of a visitor in which case they are free.

Please show proof of purchase to a member of Staff in White’s café before entering the garden. Please use the entrance from the High Street as the Car Park entrance will be closed.

Please follow government guidelines whilst visiting us. You may either visit in your household or support bubbles or as a single person meeting another single person from a different household.

    Gilbert Whites House

    Gilbert White was aged 7 or 8 when the White family moved from the Vicarage on Selborne’s Plestor, to this house, called ‘The Wakes’ (named after the Wake family who had lived here previously). At that time the property would have been no more than a ‘two up, two down’  but over the subsequent years lots of extensions and additions have been made, creating the long sizeable house you see today.

    The rooms have been restored following descriptions in White’s own correspondence and include a chair he used at Oriel College, Oxford (loaned from the College), items of contemporary furniture, family portraits and bed hangings embroidered for him by his aunts.

    On display is the original manuscript of his book, The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne, which was purchased with generous help from English Heritage and others.

    Learn more