Vispring Dartington Firm Mattress
The Vispring Dartington is a handmade pocket spring mattress filled entirely with natural materials: British fleece wool and cotton, hand-tufted with felt washers so the fillings stay put over years of use.
- Firm support, gently cushioned top
- Natural wool limits heat build-up
- Hand-tufted to hold its shape
£5,149
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Inside the Vispring Dartington sits a single layer of 1,558 hand-nested vanadium steel pocket springs in calico pockets, which means each spring moves independently and responds to your body rather than the bed as a whole. This is the Firm tension, one of four available, though Vispring describes the overall character of the mattress as a gently cushioned feel. At 21cm deep plus around 6cm of doming, it is a traditional build, and priced accordingly.
Mattress specifications
Firmness
Firm
Type
Pocket Spring
Depth (cm)
21
Number of Layers
2
Trial Period (nights)
Warranty (years)
Price Range
£5,149 to £6,399
Best Sleeping Position(s)
Back Sleeping
Stomach Sleeping
Certifications
Assessed from Vispring's published specification for this mattress, captured September 2026, and from regular price comparison across our UK retail partners.
Why should you choose this mattress?
Choose the Dartington if you want firm support without a hard, flat surface. The Firm tension comes from the springs, while the wool and cotton upholstery above them gives that gently cushioned feel Vispring describes, so you get resistance underneath and softness at the surface. Everything in the fillings is natural, and wool in particular breathes well, which means less heat build-up if you tend to sleep warm. The hand-nested calico springs and hand tufting are slow, labour-intensive methods, and yes, that is a large part of why it costs what it does. It is a serious outlay, but this is construction built to be repaired and to last rather than replaced.
Key features & layer details
Upholstery
Natural fillings only: bonded and blended British fleece wool and cotton, encased in high-quality ticking for durability and breathability. It is hand-tufted with felt washers, which means the fillings are anchored in place and far less likely to shift or lump over time.
Springs
A single layer of 1,558 vanadium steel pocket springs, each sewn into a calico pocket and hand-nested rather than glued in rows. That construction lets the springs contour to you individually, so you feel support where you press down and less disturbance from a partner's movement.
Layer details from vispring.com product page, September 2026.
Best suited for?
Warm sleepers
Natural wool and cotton upholstery breathes well, which means less heat build-up through the night than you might expect from a mattress with this much filling.
Couples
Each of the 1,558 pocket springs sits in its own calico pocket, so you feel less disturbance from a partner's movement, and King and Super King sizes give room to spread.
Allergy sufferers
Fillings are all natural, with British fleece wool and cotton, and no synthetic foam layers, which suits anyone who wants a simple, natural sleep surface.
Eco-conscious buyers
Natural fleece wool and cotton fillings, with hand-nested springs and hand tufting, make a mattress built to be repaired and to last rather than replaced.
Heavier sleepers
Firm tension from the springs gives plenty of resistance underneath, while the wool and cotton upholstery keeps the surface gently cushioned rather than hard and flat.
At a premium starting price it is out of reach for many budgets, and only UK King and Super King sizes are listed, so smaller beds are ruled out. If you want a memory foam feel that hugs and cradles, this traditional sprung build is the opposite of that. Lightweight sleepers may also find Firm tension too unyielding.
Save on an earlier or ex-display model
Some retailers still sell the earlier version of this mattress, or ex-display and returned stock at a lower price. These are the sizes where it costs less than the current model's best price.
Vispring Dartington Firm Mattress
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FAQ's
Is the Vispring Dartington firm or soft?
It depends on the tension you choose. The Dartington comes in four tensions, Soft, Medium, Firm and Extra Firm, and this is the Firm option. Vispring describes the mattress itself as having a gently cushioned feel, so even in Firm you get soft natural fillings over firmer springs rather than a hard surface.
How many springs does the Vispring Dartington have?
It has 1,558 vanadium steel pocket springs in a single layer, each hand-nested in a calico pocket. Springs that move independently respond to your shape and weight, which you feel as more precise support and less roll-together with a partner.
How deep is the Vispring Dartington mattress?
The mattress is 21cm deep, plus around 6cm of doming (give or take 2cm) from the hand-tufted natural fillings on top. It is a shallower profile than some modern mattresses, which is typical of traditional handmade construction.
What is the Vispring Dartington made of?
The fillings are entirely natural: bonded and blended British fleece wool and cotton, encased in high-quality ticking and hand-tufted with felt washers. Beneath that sits a hand-nested calico pocket spring unit made with vanadium steel springs. There is no foam anywhere in the build.
What sizes does the Vispring Dartington come in?
It is listed in UK King and UK Super King. Smaller sizes such as single or double are not listed.
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