Walled Gardens at Wynyard prepare to welcome visitors…

A building at the heart of the North East’s newest visitor attraction is nearing completion following the end of an eight month long building programme.

The Visitor Centre will be the gateway to the Walled Garden at Wynyard Hall, a £1.6m garden planted with 3000 roses, within the hotel’s grounds, which is due to open to the public on 4th August.

And the £1m building looks set to become an attraction in its own right after blending contemporary design and build techniques with the original Grade II listed walls of the garden.

The Walled Garden at Wynyard Hall was originally built more than a century ago for Theresa, Lady Londonderry and a section of the Grade II listed wall has been incorporated into the glass and steel design of the new Visitor Centre.

“The juxtaposition of the old wall and the contemporary Visitor Centre really works,” said Chris Cant, Managing Director, Metnor Construction Ltd. “The listing and the age of the wall threw up some minor challenges but the result is phenomenal.”

The 36m long Visitor Centre will be the main approach to the Walled Garden and, along with ticket kiosks, it will house a café and a shop selling locally sourced gifts and produce.

The interior wall which overlooks the garden is almost entirely glazed with French windows, providing access to the garden itself and work has now begun fitting out the building in preparation for the opening in August.

Tickets have already gone on sale for the official opening on 4th August when Sir John Hall and the UK’s leading rose expert Michael Marriott will cut the ribbon and declare the Walled Garden open.

There will then be a week long programme of family-based entertainment and live music along with the chance to look at excerpts from an album created by Theresa, Lady Londonderry, about the Walled Garden at Wynyard.

The Walled Garden is the second stage in a £5.3m rolling programme of work to create The Gardens at Wynyard Hall – which will eventually cover four acres and be one of the largest rose gardens in the UK.

The first stage, adjacent to the Walled Garden, was the £1.7m installation of a Grand Marquee and management suite, for weddings and large scale corporate events and further stages will include a £2m investment in the creation of a cookery school, children’s garden and designated walks through the estate.