Brodsworth Hall is an English Heritage property some 5 miles north-west of Doncaster. It passed into the care of English Heritage around 1990, and several years were spent carrying out work on the building to make it watertight and to restore damaged stonework. The estate itself is some 300 years old, but the buildings are largely in the form that they were changed to in the 1860s
It would have been around 1995 that Katharine and I made our first and only visit there, only shortly after it had been opened to the public. It was a fascinating place to explore, and preserved largely as it was when it's last residents left it. At that times the gardens were badly overgrown and parts were completely inaccessible.
It seemed well past time another visit was due, so I took a train to Doncaster and then got to within a couple of miles of Brodsworth Hall on a local bus service. A fascinating walk through the Brodsworth Community Forest (site of the former Brodsworth coal mine) and along a couple of country lanes got me to the big house.
I spent well over two hours in the gardens, marvelling at the transformation that has taken place since my visit almost 20 years ago. A huge amount of work has been done to restore the gardens, much of it by enthusiastic volunteers, and the results are impressive.
This shot shows the fern garden, which was one of the areas that it wasn't accessible at all on my last visit. It was a beautiful place to sit and enjoy the sunshine, before moving on to tour the Hall itself.
Thank you Graham, and thank you for the fav!
Ian
Thank you Margaret, glad you like it.
Ian
Thank you Kate - they were beautiful gardens to explore!
Ian
Thank you Debbie - it was fascinating to talk to some of the gardening volunteers ad hear about their efforts.
Ian
Thank you Ivan, glad to hear you are making progress.
Ian
Thank you Ferry, it was a lovely place to explore, and I found the volunteer gardeners to be very enthusiastic when I talked to them.
Ian
Thank you Gloria - it was an inspiring place to visit.
Ian
Thank you Lynne - much of this area was actually originally the quarry from which stone for building the house was taken!
Ian
Thank you Richard - it was a fascinating place to look round, with a fascinating history to discover.
Ian
Thank you Bruni - it was a beautiful place to sit and enjoy a snack and a drink and to watch the world pass by.
Ian
Thank you Tony, and thank you for the fav! - the tour continues....
Ian
Thank you Lynn - I was really impressed by the restoration achieved at Brodsworth, it was a beautiful place to visit!
Ian
Thank you Brian, glad you like it.
Ian
Thank you Pete - they are inspiring gardens.
Ian
Thank you Bob, it was a beautiful place to explore.
Ian
Thank you Julia, glad you like it!
Ian