This beautiful Benedictine monastery once belonged to tea planter Sir Thomas Lester Villiers. To recreate his English lifestyle he developed some English country-cottage gardens which are still enchanting visitors today. Inside, visitors are allowed to see the living room and library, which is filled from floor to ceiling with dusty tomes – the Love Affairs of Mary Queen of Scots was the raciest book we could find. If that makes you blush try the History of the Tory Party 1640–1714 .
Today, Adisham is one of only 18 monasteries in the world belonging to the Sylvestrine Congregation, a suborder of the Benedictine fraternity founded in the 13th century.
There’s a small shop selling produce from the monastery’s lovely gardens and orchards. Buy some real strawberry jam or wild guava jelly to enliven your next guesthouse breakfast.
The monastery is about 3km west of Haputale. Follow Temple Rd along the ridge until you reach the sign at the Adisham turn-off. A taxi should cost Rs 500 return, including waiting time. Before you reach Adisham the road passes through Tangamalai , a bird sanctuary and nature reserve, but there are no facilities.
