National Trust open up forgotten Walled Garden at Gawthorpe Hall

Situated in the grounds of Gawthorpe Hall, this area was formally known as the kitchen garden and included a gardeners cottage, one or more bothies (accommodation for under-gardeners and ‘journeymen’) a potting shed, a boiler-house and other buildings likely to be used for storage.

The team have transformed the area which now houses an outdoor yurt, with the intention to use it for educational talks and crafts, beehives, fruit trees, a wild meadow, and an area dedicated to growing plants and vegetables.

“After a lot of hard work, it’s really exciting to share this special place with visitors. Come and learn how the garden would have looked, how its purpose has changed through the ages and how we now use it as a hub for our community work in the wider estate”, said Nik Taylor, Lead Ranger at Gawthorpe Hall.

In addition to the Walled Garden the National Trust has recently opened up a second-hand bookshop onsite, offering visitors the opportunity to purchase pre-loved books to help raise funds to support the work carried out within the grounds of Gawthorpe Hall. The bookshop is located in the cobbled Courtyard, open Monday to Wednesday, 12-30-3-30pm and run by volunteers.

Located outside the new bookshop RePause Coffee, a mobile coffee van, recently joined the team offering visitors a wide range of coffee drinks, teas, luxury hot chocolates and speciality drinks. As well as drinks they also offer a selection of sweet and savoury snacks from fresh pastries, premium cakes and fresh fruit.

Owner Georgia Bone, a fully qualified health coach, is keen to educate customers about areas of health and wellness, offering a number of products with proven health benefits. RePause Coffee will be located in the cobbled Courtyard Wednesday to Sunday, 10am – 3pm.

One of the first of many events to be held in the Walled Garden will be a Bio Blitz on June 15th, intended to identify as many species of plants, animals and fungi as possible. Suitable for all ages, children and adults will get the opportunity to learn alongside experts and share and develop their enthusiasm for nature.