Thursday 2 April 2009

Skywatch Friday - 3 April 2009

Crook Hall Gardens
This is a lovely peaceful place to visit right in the heart of Durham City. Hard to believe it's just a few minutes walk from the Market Place. I worked in Durham for years and didn't know it existed. If you like English country gardens this is just up your street!

Crook Hall is a Grade 1 listed Medieval Manor House. It has a 13th Century banqueting hall, and a 17th Century Jacobean room. Not large but very charming. It is supposedly haunted by the ghost of the White Lady. You are advised to avoid the Jacobean Room if you are sensitive to ghosts. I mustn't be as I didn't sense anything. It was rather cold in there on one of the hottest days of the year, but old stone buildings were designed to be cool in summer and warm in winter.
13th Century Banqueting Room

Children can leave messages for the White Lady and there were lots there! When we visited there were lots of pieces of art there, stained glass balloons and kites, butterflies in a net, ceramics and a strange metal object like a bottle in the centre of the maze!
There were lots of things for children to look for such as gnomes and bear heads and a maze to get lost in. Not for too long though as it is quite low.
Alan Titchmarsh described it as "A tapestry of colourful blooms" and it certainly is. You can wander through different gardens such as the Secret Walled Garden, the Shakespeare Garden, the Cathedral Garden and the Silver and White Garden.


Cathedral Garden

The Moat Pool is very tranquil, hard to drag yourself away from it. There are lots of little tables and chairs around the various gardens if you just fancy relaxing, taking in the wonderful scents and the peace of the place.
Moat Pool


If the weather is fine you can enjoy a cream tea out in the gardens and if it's not, just go into the Georgian Dining Room.
The "delightful views of Durham Cathedral" from the gardens were unfortunately spoilt by a huge crane, but luckily just a temporary thing! It's an absolute gem of a place if you like gardens and it's as the leaflet describes, "an oasis of peace in the heart of Durham City".

There are various events going on throughout the season and although it's open mainly from late May to early September there are other activities going on at Bank Holiday times, Halloween and Christmas. For more detailed information about the gardens, opening times, directions, parking, prices and special events
check out the website

Crook Hall Gardens
Frankland Lane
SidegateDurham
0191 384 8028
info@crookhall.co.uk

Like to join Skywatch Friday? Just go to the Skywatch website and post your pictures. It's easy and we'd like to see them.

14 comments:

  1. What a delightful place Winifred.
    I would spend the whole day there, and never be bored !
    We English can "do" gardens so well...lol
    Love your pictures, maybe someday I'll get there.....

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  2. That was a wonderful tour. I love English Gardens.
    Patsy

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  3. That was a fun trip! I really enjoyed the hedge trimming. All of it sounded like a beautiful place.

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  4. I always wonder about that whole "Ghost thing". Do you believe in it Winifred. I think it was on "Holiday Showdown" that the Goth-family took the other stuffy family to some haunted house. Hard to believe it, isn't it?
    Nice looking house and gardens though.

    Kat

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  5. I just love the pictures of the gardens, Winifred. When I was in England (oy my, nine years ago already) I took a tour of the Cotswolds and so enjoyed some of the gardens. It was early in the spring so I didn't see as many glorious blooms, but still, I loved it.

    ~hippo hugs~

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  6. Gday Winifre, Beautiful gardens I could spend the whole day there just wandering aroung around before enjoying a devenshire tea sitting in the gardens....

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  7. Thanks for taking me along. Fascinating and such a beautiful place.

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  8. Winifred,

    That was a very interesting walk through the English Garden. I know I will never get there again, but the tour with you was delightful. I didn't go in the haunted room, I waited outside for you and just wandered around looking at the beautiful flowers and I almost got lost in the maze, but you found me. Thanks again for inviting me along for the adventure. It was fun!

    Ann ;)

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  9. I'm pleased you enjoyed the tour and the pictures.
    Poetikat- Not quite sure about the ghost thing I'm open minded. I don't know the Holiday Showdown" programme.

    Hippo Chick
    I've never been to the Cotswolds unfortunately but I've heard it's lovely. Living in the North we tended to go up to Scotland and over to The Lakes for trips. Nowadays we go abroad to get better weather.

    Gramma Anne
    Glad you enjoyed our trip. I have to say we were lucky as it was a glorous summer day. We don't get that many.

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  10. Beautiful pictures and lovely gardens and homes. Thank you for sharing.

    By the way, thank you so much for your encouraging words on my blog post after Ron's accident. He is doing quite well.

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  11. Lovely photos Winifred. It is amazing isn't it to find such a place in the middle of a city. A x

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  12. I love English gardens this one is indeed beautiful. You are lucky to live in such a beautiful and interesting part of England.

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  13. What an awesome place. I love English gardens too. My mom lives in B.C. and they have many English gardens there.

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  14. Awesome photos! Looks like a wonderful place to spend time... Thanks for sharing... 8-)

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