Bridewell Gardens, a mental health recovery service set within a walled garden and vineyard in Wilcote, West Oxfordshire, will open its gates to the public for a series of Open Days in 2026, alongside a separate ticketed winter event.
Hidden in a quiet valley near Chipping Norton, Bridewell uses gardening and other land-based activities to support people who have experienced serious mental ill health. The Open Days offer visitors the chance to explore the gardens, enjoy the setting, and learn more about how working with nature supports recovery.
Open Days 2026
The vineyard and walled garden will be open from 11am to 4pm on:
- Sunday 19 April
- Sunday 17 May
- Sunday 14 June
- Sunday 6 September
On Open Days, visitors are welcome to explore all areas of the gardens at their own pace. Plants propagated on site will be available to buy, alongside home-made jams and chutneys and Bridewell’s acclaimed organic sparkling wine, produced from grapes grown in the vineyard.
A pop-up café will be serving tea and cake, and visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic blanket and relax among the vines, making the most of this peaceful corner of West Oxfordshire. Families and children are welcome to explore the site, with opportunities to see fruit and vegetables growing, spot dragonflies by the pond and count the chickens roaming the vineyard. Dogs are welcome on leads.
Staff and volunteers will be on hand throughout the day to talk about Bridewell’s recovery service and answer questions about how gardening and working outdoors supports people living with serious mental ill health.
- Suggested donation: £5 per person
- No booking required.
Winter Wander: February event
Bridewell will also host a separate Winter Wander event on Sunday 15 February 2026, from 10am to 1pm.
This ticketed morning event invites visitors to see the gardens in mid-winter, when the vineyard and walled garden are “full of promise for the seasons ahead”. Tickets cost £6 per person and include a mug of hot spiced apple juice to enjoy while wandering the site.
Bridewell wine and gifts will be available to buy. Visitors are advised to wrap up warm and bring a travel mug if preferred. Dogs on leads are welcome.
Please note: there will be no café during Winter Wander, and parking will be in the vineyard car park.
About Bridewell Gardens
Bridewell Gardens helps people recover from serious mental ill health through gardening and other land-based activities, working sustainably with nature across the seasons. The charity supports people to rebuild confidence, develop social connections, learn new skills and take steps towards employment, volunteering or further study.
As one former gardener described it:
“I thought I was crashing to the ground before starting at Bridewell. Bridewell has been my parachute. It got me out of the house, gave me structure, and helped reduce my anxiety.”
The impact of Bridewell’s work can be seen in growing confidence, renewed friendships, and people finding hope and purpose again. The site has recently expanded to include a neighbouring woodland area, with plans underway to improve access, plant native trees and wildflowers, and care for this new space alongside the gardens and vineyard.
How to find Bridewell Gardens
- Bridewell Gardens
- Wilcote, Chipping Norton, OX7 3DT
Visitors are advised to check a map before travelling, as sat nav directions can be unreliable.
From North Leigh and Long Hanborough
Turn into Boddington Lane and follow the road for approximately 1.5 miles until you reach a single-track road on your left, signed to Finstock and Wilcote. Turn left and continue for around 0.5 miles, passing the turning to Bridewell Farm. The vineyard entrance is on your left, followed by the main gates to the walled garden.
From Finstock
From The Plough Inn in Finstock, follow signs to Wilcote and North Leigh. Continue for approximately 1.5 miles. Bridewell’s main entrance is on the right. Continue past this to the vineyard entrance for parking.
Parking
Visitor parking is in the vineyard, south of the main gates. Please follow the path through the vineyard up to the walled garden.
What3words (vineyard entrance): ///scarves.rivers.initiated
Practical information at a glance
- Open Days: 19 April, 17 May, 14 June, 6 September 2026 (11am–4pm)
- Winter Wander: 15 February 2026 (10am–1pm), £6 per person
- Suggested Open Day donation: £5 per person
- Location: Bridewell Gardens, The Walled Garden, Wilcote, Chipping Norton, OX7 3DT
- Dogs: Welcome on leads
- Charity number: 1158456
