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Latest News
These are the latest news reports from Cricket St Thomas Wildlife Park; see the Cricket St Thomas Wildlife Park News Archive for all reports.
Birth: September 2008
Twin Common Marmosets have been born.
Opening Times
The Park is open every day except Christmas Day:
10.00am - 6.00pm (last admission 4.30pm)
10.00am - 4.30pm in the winter (last admission 3.00pm)
Admission Prices
Peak: | |
Adult | £8.75 |
Child (3 - 14 years) | £6.50 |
Children 2 and under | Free |
Senior Citizen | £7.50 |
Family (2 adults + 3 children) | £27.50 |
Wheelchair users | Free |
Off Peak: | |
Adult | £7.75 |
Child (3 - 14 years) | £5.50 |
Children 2 and under | Free |
Senior Citizen | £6.50 |
Family (2 adults + 2 children) | £25.00 |
Wheelchair users | Free |
Winter: | |
Adult | £6.00 |
Child (3 - 14 years) | £4.25 |
Children 2 and under | Free |
Senior Citizen | £5.00 |
Family (2 adults + 2 children) | £20.00 |
Wheelchair users | Free |
Winter rates apply January to March 30 and September 17 to December. | |
Peak rates apply around school and Bank holidays Apr to Sept. | |
Off Peak rates apply at all other times. For full details, please see zoo's website. | |
Group rates and season tickets also available, see zoo's website for details. | |
Official Website
(Opens in separate window)
Facilities
Car Park
Free
Eating
Black Swan Pub for meals and drinks
Kenco Coffee House for snacks
Lakeside Food for refreshments (seasonal)
several picnic areas.
For Kids
Baby changing facilities, 4 separate children's play areas, electric cars, crazy golf, children's farm
Special Needs
Guide dogs are allowed, disabled toilets, accessible to wheelchair users although some areas of the park are steep and this is therefore reflected in the free admission to wheelchair users. The Safari Train has a carriage suitable for wheelchairs.
Restrictions
No dogs allowed (except guide dogs)
Attractions
Animal Collections
Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish, Invertebrates
Note: The animal pictures on this page are merely representative of this type of attraction; they do not mean that the animals can be found at this specific attraction.
Star Animals
Several babies born this year include 2 lemurs, a camel and emus. Amongst the Park's other star animals there are leopards, cheetahs, meerkats, bush dogs, ring-tailed coati, pelicans, monkeys, ostrich and many, many more,
Special Attractions
Primate Islands, Lemur Wood, Aviaries, African Paddock and The Courtyard
Other Attractions
Safari Train (small charge in summer, free in winter), trout feeding in the lower lake, 3 gift shops, daily events*, functions*, adopt an animal*, keeper for the day*, walk on the wildside*.
*See the official website for details
Description
The Cricket St Thomas Wildlife Park is set in a beautiful valley in the countryside of Somerset. Set in the grounds of an historical manor house it was made famous by the BBC sit-com To The Manor Born starring Penelope Keith and Peter Bowles. The Park is now home to around 600 animals and the Park is focused on conservation and breeding.
Much of the Park is divided into a series of large paddocks, arranged along either side of a long, narrow lake. The African Paddock is home to Chapman's Zebras, Ostriches, Pelicans, and Kafue Flats Lechwes, a type of small antelope. The South American Paddock contains Rheas, Capybaras, Guanacos, and Sitatungas. The Deer Paddock houses a herd of Axis deer, together with Black Swans and Emperor and Lesser White Fronted Geese. The Wildfowl Paddock is home to a group of Bennett's Wallabies, in addition to American Flamingos, and a selection of ducks and geese. The Oryx Paddock contains Mara (a type of rodent) as well as a small herd of Scimtar-Horned Oryx, and the Camel Paddock contains Emus, as well as Bactrian Camels. Other paddocks contain individual species such as African Hunting Dogs, Brazilian Tapirs, and American Bison.
Another major feature of the Park is Lemur Wood, a four-acre woodland area that is divided into two sections, each with two species of Lemur: Ring-Tailed with Red-Fronted; and Black and White Ruffed with Red-Bellied. In this area, visitors have the opportunity to wander through the woodland where the Lemurs live in an environment that is as close as possible to their natural habitat. Guided tours through Lemur Wood also take place regularly.
Other significant animal features include the cage-less Primate and Monkey Islands that are home to Cotton-Top Tamarins, Sulawesi Crested Macaques, and a pair of Spider Monkeys, a pair of Amur Leopards, and a group of Bush Dogs. Recent arrivals include Ring-Tailed Coatis in 2004, and Cheetahs in 2005.
A number of aviaries are also spread around the Park, housing a variety of rare and exotic birds from around the world., including several species of Ibis, Toucans, Parrots, and Pheasants.
For the children, there is a Children's Farm, where you can get close to a variety of friendly farm and domestic animals and pets. There are also four separate play areas around the Park, and a Safari Train with informative commentary runs the length of the Park, including through parts of the larger paddocks away from the normal viewing areas.
How To Get There:
By Car
Cricket St Thomas Wildlife Park is situated just south of the A30 between Chard and Crewkerne in Somerset and is well signposted from the main road.
From Exeter:
Follow the A30 east past Honiton to Chard. Be sure to remain on the A30 when the trunk road to London and the South East becomes the A303. Continue on the A30 throough Chard, and on towards Crewkerne. After about 3 miles from the centre of Chard, look out for the signs to Cricket St. Thomas Wildlife Park, and turn right just after the junction with the B3167.
From Taunton and M5 (North):
Leave the M5 at junction 25 (Taunton), and take the A358 south east towards Ilminster and Chard. Continue on the A358 across the A303 to Chard. Turn Left onto the A30 towards Crewkerne, and continue to the Park as described above (from Exeter).
From Sidmouth (and Seaton):
Follow the A3052 east past Seaton and through Colyford. Turn left onto the A358 towards Axminster. Continue on A358 across the A35 and through Axminster to Chard. Turn right onto the A30 towards Crewkerne, and continue to the Park as described above (from Exeter).
From Lyme Regis:
Take the A3052 north to the A35. Turn left onto the A35 and follow it to Axminster. Turn right onto the A358 and continue through Axminster to Chard and on to the Park as described above (from Sidmouth).
From Bridport:
Follow the A3066 towards Yeovil. Continue through Beaminster to the junction with the A356, and turn left. Continue on A365 into Crewkerne. Turn left onto A30 towards Chard. After about 6 miles, look out for the signs to the Cricket St. Thomas Wildlife Park, which will be on the left, just before the junction (also on the left) with the B3167.
From Weymouth (and Dorchester):
Take the A354 north to Dorchester. Follow the signs for Yeovil through or around Dorchester. Continue on A37 out of Dorchester towards Yeovil, then turn left onto the A356 to Crewkerne. Continue on A356 into Crewkerne, then turn left onto the A30 towards Chard, and continue to the Park as described above (from Bridport).
From Yeovil:
Follow the A30 south-west to and through Crewkerne. Continue on A30 towards Chard and the Park, as described above (from Bridport).
From the A303 (east):
Follow the A303 to its junction with the A356. Turn left onto the A356 to Crewkerne. Continue into Crewkerne, then turn right onto the A30 towards Chard, and continue to the Park as described above (from Bridport)..
Data on this page last updated: Mar 12 2007
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