On the Thursday we decided to visit Berrington Hall as we haven't been since 2023 and it is only just over 20 minutes away.
There are some lovely old trees in the parkland which was designed by Capability Brown towards the end of his career.
The Berrington estate was sold by the Cornewall family in 1775 to a Thomas Harley, son of the third Earl of Oxford.
The hall was built between 1778 and 1781.
Thomas Harley's family had had connections with Herefordshire for many years. He had made his fortune in London as a banker and government contractor. In 1776 he was elected as MP for Herefordshire.
Thomas Harley had no male heir but in 1781 his second daughter Anne married the son of Lord Admiral Rodney and after Thomas Harley's death the estate passed into the hands of the Rodney family for 95 years. The estate was sold in 1901, to pay gambling debts, to Frederick Cawley from Lancashire. The estate came into the hands of the National Trust in 1957.
The entrance lodge resembles a Triumphal Arch.
"Berrington's Brown Yew Balls". Due to being transplanted last Autumn and the driest Spring for 69 years the yew balls have gone into shock. The National Trust plans to continue watering and will then assess the yews to see if they can be pruned. There are many green shoots inside the yew. The green covers protect the yew balls by shielding them from the wind and helping to retain moisture.
The yew balls were moved to make way for a new flower garden.
This photo shows what it looked like before the new garden was created.
The walled garden was originally the kitchen garden for the hall but it fell out of use in World War 2 as it was too expensive to maintain. The National Trust has replanted some of the garden with orchards using pre C20th varieties of apples
Many of the plants in the garden were really suffering from lack of rain which was a shame as the gardens normally look lovely at this time of the year.
A willow reconstruction of the court mantua dress worn by the first Lady of Berrington, Anne Harley, created by local artist Liam Lacey. Nature was often used as an inspiration for clothing patterns and embroidery designs in the C18th and certain flowers were chosen to reflect their hidden meanings.
This is a photo of the actual dress which I saw in the "Fit for a King" exhibition in the hall in 2022.
Apples were being harvested.
The curved wall garden was created by Capability Brown in 1783 and is one of only two in existence. It was believed at the time that curved walls were good for growing fruit and vegetables as the curved walls provided more heat than a straight one.
Behind the iron fence is part of a HaHa commonly used in C18th gardens and landscape It is a ditch with a fence or wall designed to keep livestock at bay but allowing an uninterrupted view of the parkland from the house/garden.
Berrington Hall was designed by architect Henry Holland in the new French Neo-Classical style. The hall has a grand ionic portico.
I didn't go inside the house on this visit but if you wish to see the interior and the "Fit for a King" exhibition including the gorgeous dress above please see Berrington Hall Interior .
This is a lovely lake which we once walked round. It has the largest heronry in the county. Capability Brown designed it to look like a river.
It was getting quite hot by now so we just had a quick look round the second hand bookshop before leaving.
We spent Friday at the caravan site and came home on Saturday afternoon.
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of mine or my son's I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).
Reference: Berrington Hall Guide Book and various information boards.
