Thirty two kilometres west of Manchester is the epitome of the English country garden, complete with its splendid 'Jacobethan' hall.
The Pennine hills east of Manchester may be the most visible reminder of the rural delights surrounding this north-western English city. But the rolling plains of Cheshire, to the west, are where the prettiest countryside is to be found. And Arley Hall and Gardens, with their 'Jacobethan' mansion and wonderfully arranged gardens, showcase that famed English landscape at its very best. Resting on land held by the Warburton family for 900 years, you couldn't find a more history-steeped ancestral home.Except that not all is quite what it seems with Arley Hall. While the Warburtons have been building on this green-and-pleasant plot since 1469, today's Hall was actually built in the mid-19th century. The first, more ancient, medieval Hall, had so much Elizabethan and neoclassical reworking, that it proved an unstable and problematic home. The young Rowland Egerton-Warburton decided to pull the whole thing down, and start again with a home that was true to the spirit of the Elizabethan and Jacobean styles.The first thing you'll notice when you pull up to Arley Hall is The Ride, a long lime-tree lined avenue leading to the Clock Tower. This charming tower is Victorian, while the barns either side are 15th century, noted for their architectural peculiarities. You pass under the clock's arch to reach Arley Hall itself. On entry, look out for the spectacular Grand Staircase, leading off from the entrance hall. Deeper in you'll find the Library, the Dining Room and the Emperor's Room. This is where Napoleon III slept in the winter of 1847-8. But Arley Hall is known more for its gardens than its famous guests. These spread for just over 800 hectares the Hall, and include the charms of organically-farmed Stockley Farm, surrounding woods, and the Hall's formal gardens. These were first arranged in the 18th century, with a kitchen garden, a landscaped park and a 'pleasure garden'. Innovations like the Herbaceous Border were introduced by the Egerton-Warburtons in the 19th century. The present formal gardens are much the same as in their day, with sundials, craggy alpine beds, a herb garden and a scented garden. So if you're looking for that genuine 'English country garden experience', then Arley Hall is the place to indulge.
