Still To Do

The biggest task facing the Trust is the saving of the building across the moat from the Hall, shown above. This was a stable building, which probably also housed the steward of the estate. He would have been responsible for the working of the estate, which at the time this building was completed (1604) included an ironworks on the site.

The Stone Building                                                       Inside the Stone Building

The earliest building on the site, dating from ca 1290 is a stone structure with an excellent, original barrel vaulted roof. The stonework is in much need of repair.

In 2007 a grant from English Heritage has enabled work to begin on the restoration of the Stone Building. The roof will be removed to allow the barrel-vault framework to be repaired. In December 2007 the building is cocooned in scaffolding to allow the work to begin.

1/12/2007 view from the yard                                 view from the east

Coach House           Orangery Base

The Coach House was a substantial building with rooms over and has been partly restored to make a very useful addition to the useable space. The former orangery is of interest, representing, as it does, the wide gulf between the materials available to the haves when the have-nots were lucky to get potato soup to live on.

Corner of Walled Garden           Close up of Garden Wall

The Walled Garden was probably first created in the eighteenth century for the exotic plants then arriving in England from the New World. The collection of plants was much influenced by John Ray, who first interested one of the most noted of collectors, Mark Catesby, in this activity. One of Catesby's clients was the Duke of Chandos, whose wife Cassandra was probably the driving force. It is likely that her brother, the first Lord Middleton, also patronised Catesby, who sent plants from Virginia and the southern states of America.

The wall is soft, hand-made thin brick and it is in need of considerable attention.

Updated 1/12/2007