Location: Baslow Road, Ashford in the Water, Bakewell, DE45 1NZ
Website: www.thornbridgehall.co.uk
In the centre of the Peak District sits the Grade II listed majestic mansion known as Thornbridge Hall. Within a 100-acre privately owned parkland, it is flanked by 12 acres of distinctly English gardens.
Since 2002, Jim and Emma Harrison, proprietors of the Thornbridge Brewery and A4e, have owned Thornbridge Hall, which serves as both a private family residence and a venue for events, such as weddings. Between April and September, the gardens are accessible to the general public.
Within the grounds of Thornbridge Hall, the original Thornbridge Brewery was housed in a former joiner’s and stonemason’s workshop.
Thornbridge Hall Gardens
The Peak District National Park’s Thornbridge Hall is encircled by 13.5 acres of eccentric and distinctly English gardens. The original owner wanted to be able to view them from his bedroom window, thus they were built around the end of the 19th century to create a vision of “1,000 colours of green.”
The striking, tranquil, and courteous gardens are the epitome of Victorian ingenuity in transforming the landscape into a network of garden rooms.
The Gardens were first made available to the public in the 1930s. There are a number of distinctive areas, including the Italian Garden, 30 m (100 ft) Herbaceous Border, Water Garden, and Koi Lake, as well as terraced lawns with views of the lovely Derbyshire countryside.
Three temples, countless statues, 46 urns, two grottos, and other structures that were all placed into the garden in the 1890s are also visible to visitors.
Some of the statues were gifts from the Greek government, while others were from Clumber Park and Chatsworth.
Since 2002, the Kitchen Garden, Scented Terrace, Long Border, Modern Knot Garden, Cascade Garden, The Greenhouse, and The Orangery have all been created by Emma and Jim and the gifted Thornbridge team. Work is underway on a new garden – The Jaipur Garden (for current owners Emma and Jim Harrison to celebrate their 1993 marriage in Jaipur)
The gardens, created at the end of the 19th century to realise a vision of “1,000 shades of green,” are the epitome of Victorian ingenuity, tenacity, and ambition to transform the environment into a network of garden rooms. The areas were first made accessible to the general public in the 1930s and feature, among other things, an Italian Garden, water gardens, grottos, a Kitchen Garden, a Scented Terrace, and a Koi Lake. The grounds are filled with temples, statues, and fountains, as well as many more surprises.
By going to the Garden Centre, you can bring a tiny bit of the gardens home with you. The nursery, which is close to the Orangery, offers a wide variety of plants for sale or just for viewing. The bulk are raised from garden seeds, cuttings, and divisions.
Quackers Cafe
Without having to enter the gardens, visitors can visit the beautiful Café and the Garden Centre. At Quackers Café, you can take in the garden views as well as cuisine and beverages made using locally sourced ingredients. The café offers wonderful seasonal menu items in addition to amazing cakes and desserts baked on site. Dog Days, a family-friendly event every Sunday where you can participate in competitions, win prizes, and spend the day with animals, are available throughout the autumn.
Events at Thornbridge Hall
At Thornbridge Hall, there are numerous activities for kids throughout the year, as well as Christmas and Halloween festivities, plays, lectures, and book readings. By joining the email list on the website or following Thornbridge Hall on Facebook and Instagram, you can keep up with all the latest events. Additionally, there are three membership grades available at Thornbridge Estate: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Any of these entitles you to join the Thornbridge Club and offers a variety of unique advantages.