THOMAS Hardy was famously shy, even occasionally slipping out of the back door when people arrived at the front of Max Gate, his home in Dorchester. Now the National Trust has replanted part of a hedge in front of the house, which formerly shielded the writer from prying eyes.
Ahead of Thomas Hardy’s birthday on 2nd June, and nearly a century after it was removed, this long-lost feature has been brougdht back to life. The privacy hedge at Max Gate has been recreated for the first time since the author’s death – restoring a defining feature of the writer’s home as he knew it.
Guided by historic photographs, the hedge has been carefully replanted, offering visitors an authentic glimpse into the life of one of Dorset’s most famous literary figures.
When Hardy built Max Gate in 1885, he was a renowned writer. Admirers often travelled long distances hoping for a glimpse of him, but he valued his privacy. The house and garden were designed to offer a quiet retreat, with trees, shutters and carefully positioned paths shielding him from the public eye. The front hedge played a vital role, hiding the house from passers-by and allowing Hardy the space to write, reflect and entertain notable guests including Rudyard Kipling, Siegfried Sassoon and the Price of Wales.
Caps Barry, senior gardener at Hardy’s Cottage and Max Gate, led the replanting with a team of volunteers. “Max Gate was very much about privacy for Hardy,” she said. “Rumour has it that if visitors knocked at the door, he would sometimes slip quietly out through the back gate. Replanting these hedges helps us restore the original spirit of the house.”
This restoration forms part of a wider conservation approach at Max Gate and Hardy’s Cottage, focusing on supporting wildlife while maintaining the historic character of the gardens. Volunteers care for the gardens weekly, using environmentally sensitive practices, creating a safe home for wildlife without the use of chemicals.
“We have not used chemicals in these gardens for many years,” says Caps. “Hedgehogs, glow worms and other wildlife thrive here, and we aim to support them while keeping the gardens as Hardy, who was a nature lover, would have known them.”
Hardy walked in these gardens daily, drawing inspiration from the sights and sounds around him. Now, with the hedge restored, visitors can experience Max Gate much as he intended – stepping into the world of the writer on the anniversary of his birth.
Pictured: Caps Barry by part of the replanted hedge. © National Trust