By Kind Permisson of Lord Allen and Michael Fisher

One of the finest privately owned Grade 1 listed buildings in Somerset, Ven House is rarely open to the public. It has 35 acres of gardens and grounds including a stream which forms part of the River Yeo and is recognised as of special historic interest.

 Constructed in the William and Mary style, the house was completed in 1698-1700 for James Medlycott and later enlarged by Nathaniel Ireson who retained the west front of the earlier house. It was passed through the Medlycott family through the 18 and 19 centuries. Much of the estate was disposed of after World War 1 and the house sold in 1957

To the south east of the house is Walled garden which was a kitchen garden or plant nursery, but is now largely ornamental. It is surrounded by red brick walls.

The remnants of the early 18century formal gardens and formal park landscape have been designated Grade II in the South Somerset Register of Historic Parks and Gardens and Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England.

The formal garden was designed by Tommy Kyle, who owned the house in the Nineties. The garden’s symmetry echoes that of the red-brick façade, which dates from 1725.