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Bringing the 1620s House and Garden to life!

Five volunteers stood outside the house. some are in period costumes.

The 1620s Manor House and Garden at Donington Le Heath, have a team of over thirty dedicated volunteers who help bring the site to life. Volunteer House Interpreters help visitors explore the house, providing information about its history and artefacts, whilst the Gardening Volunteers develop and maintain the unique 17th Century gardens which include flower, herb and vegetable beds.

The recent pandemic didn’t stop this passionate group of volunteers.  From the safety of their homes, they helped to create new content and created translations of the visitor information into other languages, which has been a real help since the site reopened, as people from all over the world come to visit!

Check out this blog by Garden Volunteer, Steve, who gives us a unique insight into why he chooses to spend his precious time making the gardens look incredible!

Enhancing the visitor experience!

“A wonderful place, so beautifully preserved and looked after by all the amazing volunteers. Many thanks for a lovely day. I will most certainly be back.”

“The volunteers are so obviously, extremely, well-versed in their knowledge of the house and garden- their enthusiasm is infectious!”

“We were made to feel so welcome and had a wonderful tour with one of the volunteers dressed in period costume.”

“A lovely piece of history really made fabulous by the enthusiasm of the volunteer guides who were just brilliant at imparting the history in a fun way.”

 

House viewed from the rose garden
before and after image. before shows rectangle of soil and gardening tools. after shows a growing vegetable garden.
Volunteer pointing behind her to other volunteers in period costumes around a dining room.
A group of volunteers stood outside. some are in period costumes.
sketch of the 1620s house and its garden as it would have looked
View of the garden, with the house partially obscured in the background.
aerial view of the house and gardens
Apple tree. house can be seen beyond the branches.
Volunteers dressed in period costumes sat at the dining table with glasses, metal crockery and lit candles.
Bench in the garden with sunflower bed behind it.

To find out more about the site, visit  https://www.doningtonleheath.org.uk/