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Newby Hall & Gardens

Tempest Regearsals Shakespeare Rose , York Yorkshire, UK

The nation’s favourite country house garden is…. Newby Hall crowned 2019 Historic Houses Garden of the Year

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  • First time the award, sponsored by Christies, has been decided by head-to-head online public vote
  • Nearly a third of the votes cast were for Yorkshire’s Newby Hall

Yorkshire’s Newby Hall is officially the nation’s favourite country house garden after scooping nearly a third of the votes in the first ever public online poll for the Historic Houses Garden of the Year.

Newby’s magnificent 40 acres of gardens and woodland triumphed against seven other leading gardens for the 2019 title in a head-to-head contest, sponsored by Christies. The prestigious Historic Houses award was redesigned and relaunched this year, featuring a shortlist for the first time since its creation in 1984. Previous winners were encouraged to participate – Newby Hall won in 1986 and so also becomes the first garden to win the title twice.

Newby’s much-loved gardens, owned by Richard and Lucinda Compton, are visited by around 140,000 people every year and often feature on film and TV. They are located at the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales and are filled with rare and beautiful plants and shrubs in 14 stunning garden ‘rooms’, as well as boasting one of the longest double herbaceous borders in the UK, two heritage orchards and acres of woodland.

Lucinda Compton said: “We are over the moon to win this award, particularly as the votes were cast by members of the public. To be the first garden to have won it twice makes it even more special. Our team of gardeners should feel very proud as they work tirelessly in all weathers to keep Newby always looking first class.”

Ben Cowell, Director General, Historic Houses, said: “Newby Hall is one of Yorkshire’s most popular visitor attractions, and is now officially the nation’s favourite garden! Historic Houses’ places tend to remain lived-in, family homes, which means that they are able to evolve and adapt over time. We should not be surprised that Newby has become the first garden to win this prestigious award twice – the changes introduced by owners Richard and Lucinda Compton have made Newby one of the country’s finest pleasure grounds.”

Over 6,000 votes were cast this year for the Historic Houses Garden of the Year, a significant increase in the number of votes from previous years. Newby Hall received 1,982 votes in total.

Already a star of film and screen productions such as Peaky Blinders, Victoria, Gentleman Jack and the ABC Murders, Newby Hall will step further into the spotlight next year when the popular three-day Harrogate Autumn Flower Show permanently moves site to its grounds. Newby Hall is also currently on the search for a new head gardener.

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433 or Louise Scott on louise.s@newbyhall.com  01423 320412

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Photo credit – Charlotte Graham

 NOTES TO EDITORS

Newby Hall is a William and Mary house located between Ripon and Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire, built in the 1690s until the guidance of Christopher Wren. John Carr remodelled the house in the 18th century, with interiors by Robert Adam and furniture by Chippendale. Owner Richard Compton is the 10th generation of his family to live at Newby. The House and Gardens are open to the public from April to September, attracting around 140,000 visitors each season. The venue boasts a restaurant, miniature railway, gift shop and plant centre, day visitor events and weddings. The gardening team has 6 full time gardeners and a handful of volunteers.  They care for the 25 acres of formal gardens and a further 15 acres of woodland and orchard, plus a national collection of Cornus. Newby Hall is just a few miles from the A1(M), the main London to Edinburgh motorway. Close by are the magnificent Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire Moors National Parks and the historic cities of York and Ripon.

Historic Houses is a not-for-profit organisation representing more than 1,650 of the UK’s independently owned historic houses, castles and gardens. Around 500 of these properties open their doors to visitors for days out, special tours, school visits, film locations, weddings and events, or as memorable places to stay. Members range from iconic stately homes such as Blenheim Palace, Highclere Castle, Castle Howard, Knebworth House, Longleat and Burghley House, to more intimate houses such as Traquair in Scotland, Treowen in Wales and Belle Isle in Northern Ireland. Most are still private family homes. The association was established in 1973 to help owners conserve these wonderful places in the interests of the nation and carries out lobbying, advisory and marketing work on behalf of member properties. Just over 320 houses and gardens take part in a member-access scheme, admitting over 50,000 card-carrying Historic Houses members for free.

Head-gardener-Mark-Jackson-on-the-Newby-chair

If Chippendale made garden chairs …. visitors get lofty new view of famous Yorkshire landmark

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Visitors to one of the UK’s most famous flower borders, at Newby Hall in Yorkshire, can sit back and get a new perspective on the floral landmark, thanks to a GIANT hand-crafted replica of a priceless Chippendale chair.

Newby has one of the best Chippendale collections in the country and, to mark the 300th anniversary of the renowned furniture maker’s birth and the opening of a new Chippendale exhibition, it has unveiled a 2.2m high wooden chair at the end of its famed double herbaceous border. Visitors can now climb up to get a new view of the magnificent 172-metre-long flower beds – some of the longest in the UK – which are packed with around 6,500 plants.

Thomas Chippendale was commissioned to provide furniture for Newby Hall by an 18th century ancestor of current owner Richard Compton. The house now boasts the most complete Chippendale interior in existence and, from this month until September, will be hosting a special Chippendale exhibition and guided tours of the collection.1

Richard Compton said: “We wanted to link this year’s Chippendale celebrations with the collection at Newby and its magnificent gardens and thought this would be a great ‘immersive’ way to do it. You might not be able to clamber on our real Chippendale chairs, but we will be encouraging visitors to climb up and sit on our giant version to enjoy the view and have their photo taken.”

Another view of the Newby borders ...
Head gardener Mark Jackson gets a grand view of the Newby borders …

The oversized chair has been handmade by craftsmen on the Newby estate and will be ‘planted’ in the garden over the summer months. Newby Hall & Gardens is marking the ‘Year of the Border’ this year as its flagship border reaches peak flower power.  The border has been a highlight of Newby’s beautiful 25-acre gardens since the 1920s and five years ago refurbishment work began to make sure it continues to wow for years to come.

Over several growing seasons, thousands of new plants were propagated or grown on and carefully planted up in a new, more naturalistic design by Newby’s expert team. This summer sees the hard work pay off as the plants mature and start to claim the stunning spacious border, which runs from the magnificent 17th century house down to the River Ure, for their own.

The scale of the border means that staking the plants in the spring takes three days alone, whilst cutting it back in the autumn takes over a fortnight.

Newby Hall & Gardens is one of the country’s most important and beautiful 20th century gardens – certainly, one of the North’s finest – boasting 14 ‘rooms’ within the main, formal garden including an early 20th century rock garden, serene white garden, traditional rose garden and even a ‘hot’ tropical garden.

newbyhall.com Twitter – @newbyhall @newbyhallgarden Facebook – newbyhallandgardens Instagram – newbyhallandgardens

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433 or Louise Scott on louise.s@newbyhall.com  01423 320412

 NOTES TO EDITORS

  • 1Thomas Chippendale was commissioned to provide furniture for Newby, including some fabulous Tapestry Room chairs, uniquely covered with fabric from the Gobelins Factory in Paris. This is the only Chippendale suite with its original covers and still in its original setting, and the Tapestry Room is the most complete Chippendale interior in existence. Together with dining chairs, hall chairs, card and Pembroke tables, the Newby Hall collection is internationally celebrated as one of the largest and most complete in private ownership anywhere. Until September 2018, there will be guided tours exploring the contribution Chippendale made to Newby Hall. Additional items of Chippendale furniture from other collections will also be displayed, illustrating the breadth of Chippendale’s skill. Chippendale Tours Wednesday and Saturday 3pm – please ask when buying your House tickets.
  • Newby Hall is a William and Mary house located between Ripon and Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire, built in the 1690s under the guidance of Christopher Wren. John Carr remodelled the house in the 18th century, with interiors by Robert Adam and furniture by Chippendale
  • Owner Richard Compton is the 10th generation of his family to live at Newby. Richard’s wife Lucinda, the Curator of the Gardens, is on the North of England Horticultural Society council, which organises the very successful Harrogate Flower Shows
  • The House and Gardens are open to the public from April to September, attracting around 130,000 visitors each season
  • The gardening team has 6 full time gardeners and a handful of volunteers.  They care for the 25 acres of formal gardens and a further 15 acres of woodland and orchard.
  • Newby Hall is just a few miles from the A1(M), the main London to Edinburgh motorway. Close by are the magnificent Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire Moors National Parks and the historic cities of York and Ripon.