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historic quintessential picnic spots
Gardens &
Historic Houses
capability brown tearooms spend a day
Herefordshire is packed with history and culture, amazing properties and really beautiful gardens. Here is a flavour of those formal and less formal to enjoy in their different seasons.
In this, the 300th anniversary of ‘Capability’ Brown let’s begin with Berrington Hall near Leominster. Thomas Harley’s ancestral links to Herefordshire prompted his purchase of the Berrington estate in 1775, and his plans, as many still do, to retire to the area.
Harley commissioned Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown to lay out the park, with its glorious views west towards Wales and the Black Mountains. He also took on Brown’s son-in-law, Henry Holland, to design him a new house in the latest French influenced Neo-classical style. Having used the finest London craftsmen, the mansion is arguably the most intact house built by Holland left today and includes the Staircase hall, which is his most sophisticated experiment in space, light and colour. Holland also designed the arched gateway and former coachman’s home, which is now a charming holiday cottage. The 456 acres of parkland and gardens, including lovely lake are home to a wealth of wildlife and fortunately open to explore. Look on nationaltrust.org.uk/berrington-hall Dating back to the Domesday book, Croft Castle has been home to the Croft family for over 1000 years and its 1500 acres of historic woodland, farm and parkland are ploughed deeply with
politics, power and pleasure. The walled garden brings lots of surprises like a vineyard, its own church, rare apple orchard and more. Walkers and their four-legged friends will love the expanse of the parkland with its ancient trees, wooded valley and Iron Age hillfort, children will play away in Croft’s natural play area. They say there are 50 things to do at this lovely National Trust venue. nationaltrust.org.uk/ croft-castle-and-parkland
A trip to the Brockhampton Estate at Bringsty just outside Bromyard, will be a real trip back in time. Surrounded by 1000 acres of farmland and 700 acres of woodland, it is still a working farm and its 14thC timber framed manor and gate house, surrounded by a moat is picture book perfect. With several of its buildings tenanted to artisan makers, you too can create your own cottage industry and pick-your-own fruit in season from the vast orchards, or kick back in the tearoom having enjoyed the exhilarating wildlife and sculpture trail. More information on nationaltrust.org.uk/ brockhampton-estate
Bordered by the River Wye at Swainshill, The Weir Garden, the last of our National Trust locations, sits within unspoilt Herefordshire countryside and for
42 The ULTIMATE Herefordshire Guide