Grappenhall Heys walled garden sign, Grappenhall Village, South Warrington, Cheshire, England, UK, wooden sign, WA4

Grappenhall Heys Walled Garden was created by a wealthy Warrington banker, Thomas Parr, around 1830 when he built a new house and estate for his family. The land nearest the house was designated as parkland to give a suitable setting to the mansion and the outer areas were farm land. The landscape that existed at that time was incorporated into the estate and many of the woodlands, ponds and avenues that formed the parkland then still remain in place today. As a whole these features form a significant record of a landscape designed in the manner of a gentry country estate. It appears, from historical records, that the estate was at its height from 1875 – 1899 and this is considered to be the most significant period for the design and productivity of the garden. The house was demolished in 1975 but the 4 acre walled garden was retained as a local amenity. English Partnerships refurbished much of the garden as part of their development of the area and new housing, working closely with the Grappenhall Heys Walled Garden Conservation Project charity, the Warrington Organic and Wildlife Gardening Society and the Woodland Trust. Grappenhall and Thelwall Parish Council took ownership of the garden in 2005 and, with the help of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Friends of Grappenhall Heys Walled Garden, has developed the facility into a peaceful, well maintained and beautiful garden which is now a popular local visitor attraction and resource for horticulture, education and enjoyment. The walled garden consists of two main areas, the fully working kitchen garden and the ornamental pleasure garden which are separated by a yew hedge. The garden is very unusual in that both the kitchen garden and pleasure garden are enclosed within a single, continuous sandstone wall. The site also includes a run of 8 fully refurbished Victorian glasshouses, several outbuildings, 3 ponds and a café in the central glasshouse space.