Haputale · Benedictine monastery

Adisham Bungalow

A Tudor-style country house completed in 1931 for a British planter, now a Benedictine monastery that opens to visitors on a limited schedule.

Facts checked · 10 October 2026Dates, dimensions and history on this page were reviewed against the public sources named in the text; where sources disagree, the page says so. Drive times and prices come from our own routes and rates, and are approximate.

The place

What Adisham actually is

Adisham, also called Adisham Hall, is a country house built between 1927 and 1931 for Sir Thomas Villiers, a British planter. The architects were R. Booth and F. Webster and the style is Tudor and Jacobean, with stone walls, chimneys and a slate roof. It is often said to echo Leeds Castle in Kent.

After Villiers left, the property passed through other hands and in the early 1960s it went to the Catholic Church. It is now St Benedict’s Monastery, run by the Sylvestro Benedictine congregation. Sources differ slightly on the exact year, 1961 or 1963.

Visiting is limited. The house is open to the public mainly at weekends, on Poya days and public holidays, from about 9 am to 4 pm. You see a few rooms, the gardens and a shop selling jams and preserves from the orchard. It sits roughly 1,400 to 1,500 metres up, so mist and cool air are normal.

What to look for

Worth your attention

The house itself

Tudor and Jacobean detail in stone and timber, with tall chimneys and fireplaces. It looks out of place in Sri Lanka, which is the point.

The rooms open to visitors

Typically a sitting room and former library with period furniture. Not every room is open.

The gardens

Terraced grounds with roses, fruit trees and flower beds; the monks and villagers also grow strawberries and vegetables.

The jam shop

Jams, chutneys and cordials made from the orchard fruit are sold to fund the monastery.

Straight advice

Before you go

Do this

Check the day first; weekday visits are unlikely to be possible.
Dress modestly; it is an active monastery.
Arrive before the afternoon mist builds.
Buy jam or preserves; the income supports the monastery.
Combine with Dambatenne and Lipton’s Seat on the same day.

Know this first

Opening is limited and can change without notice.
Some areas are private and photography indoors may be restricted.
Allow extra time; the house is a short drive from Haputale rather than in town.
Sources disagree on the exact fee and hours; bring cash.

Where it fits

Getting to Adisham Bungalow

Most people see Adisham Bungalow as part of a stay around Haputale. Our Haputale guide covers where to stay, how long to give it and what else is nearby.

Coming straight from the airport, the relevant run is Colombo Airport to Haputale — fixed price per vehicle, driver waiting inside arrivals with a name board.

Read the full Haputale guide

From Colombo Airport

Airport → HaputaleUS$ 95

Journey time5 hrs

Distance215 km

Car up to 3 passengers; vans quoted on the route page. No night surcharge.

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