Signature Experiences

Adisham Benedictine Monastery Heritage Visit

Adisham Bungalow is an authentic 1931 Tudor-Jacobean granite country mansion in Haputale, built by English tea planter Sir Thomas Villiers and now maintained as St. Benedict's Monastery. Surrounded by pristine pine forests and English flower gardens, it preserves period furniture, a monastic library, and working fruit orchards renowned for homemade jams.

Adisham Bungalow surrounded by mist and gardens in Haputale

Location: Haputale, Badulla District (1,500m elevation)
Built: 1931 by Sir Thomas Villiers
Architectural Style: Tudor-Jacobean English Country Manor
Current Use: St. Benedict's Monastery (Sylvestro-Benedictines)

What is the history of Adisham Bungalow?

Sir Thomas Villiers, grandson of the Earl of Clarendon and Chairman of George Steuart & Co., designed Adisham in the late 1920s to recreate a stately home from his native England. The granite blocks were quarried by hand, the roof tiles imported from England, and the Burmese teak fittings hand-carved on site.

In 1961, the estate was purchased by the Roman Catholic Church and entrusted to the Sylvestro-Benedictine monks. Today, a portion of the main house and its extensive manicured grounds are open to respectful visitors on weekends and designated public holidays.

What can visitors explore at Adisham?

Visitors can stroll through classical English cottage gardens filled with blooming hydrangeas, roses, and agapanthus against a backdrop of sweeping highland ridges. The estate's orchards produce strawberries, guavas, oranges, and plums, which the monks process into natural jams and cordials sold on the premises.

The adjacent Tangamalai (Golden Mountain) Sanctuary offers a tranquil walking trail through highland rainforest, home to endemic bird species and purple-faced langurs.

Practical tips before you go

The bungalow interior has restricted visiting hours (typically weekends and school holidays); check current schedules with your guide.
Purchase the monastery's homemade fruit cordials and jams as authentic highland souvenirs.
Combine Adisham with a visit to Lipton's Seat and the Dambatenne Tea Factory for a complete Haputale heritage circuit.
A light sweater or jacket is recommended as Haputale temperatures can be brisk in the mornings and late afternoons.

Frequently asked questions

Can you stay overnight at Adisham Bungalow?

Adisham functions as an active monastic community and does not operate as a commercial hotel, though silent spiritual retreats are occasionally accommodated by prior written application.