A Note on

The Newt in Winter

Published

19 November 2025

  • Somerset’s rolling hills hold the traces of history – and legend
    Somerset’s rolling hills hold the traces of history – and legend
  • Set amid the frost-tipped grounds is Hadspen House, the 17th-century heart of The Newt estate and home to its exquisite hotel
    Set amid the frost-tipped grounds is Hadspen House, the 17th-century heart of The Newt estate and home to its exquisite hotel
  • Winter reveals the layered landscape’s true architecture
    Winter reveals the layered landscape’s true architecture
  • The mirror-like surface of one of the ponds reflects the stillness of the season
    The mirror-like surface of one of the ponds reflects the stillness of the season
  • The Garden Café serves dishes inspired by the gardens below, their seasonal rhythm guiding the menu year-round
    The Garden Café serves dishes inspired by the gardens below, their seasonal rhythm guiding the menu year-round
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Photographer: Dave Watts

Step into the vast grounds of The Newt in Somerset, where a crisp frost has settled over orchards, woodland, and walled gardens. The masterfully designed landscape feels as rich in the stillness of winter as it does in summer’s abundance. Thin ribbons of smoke rise from the chimneys of the estate’s buildings – among them a garden museum and a Roman villa – as if the houses themselves were alive to the season.

Captured by Dave Watts – Somerset’s most in-demand photographer – these views trace every contour of a notable landscape, shaped in recent years by renowned garden architect Patrice Taravella.

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