THE owners of a historic farmhouse are opening the gates to their gardens to raise funds for a local church.
Passionate gardener Mary Nesbitt, of Alwent Hall, near Winston, is hoping to attract large crowds on Sunday, July 22, when she opens the gardens at her home.
She said: “We’ve tried to make sure we’ve got something for everyone and there are lots of quirky features here and there, things we’ve gathered up from the farm over the years.”
The gardens, which Mrs Nesbitt has spent the past 20 years altering and improving, are filled with a great variety of shrubs, perennials and are dotted with umpteen water features.
Among the attractions are a newly-discovered well, a koi carp pond and secluded shrub lined duck pond.
There are also mature walnut trees, one of which has its very own “green man” face, and ancient, twisted plum trees.
In addition to the meandering gardens of the grade II listed, 17th century hall guests will also be invited to explore those of two neighbouring cottages.
Mrs Nesbitt said: “One of these cottage gardens was just a bare patch of earth a year ago.
“Now it is a wonderful example of what can be done in such a short space of time.”
There will be a display of classic cars and some pedigree Charolais and Texels, bred by her husband Steve Nesbitt, on show during the afternoon, including Charolais calf, Oreo, who has beenhand-reared since he was born seven weeks prematurely.
Cream teas will be served in vintage crockery from an open sided barn with views to Raby Castle.
The gardens will be open between 2pm and 5pm on Sunday, July 22.
Entry is £3.50 and all funds raised will go to St Andrew’s Church, at Winston.
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
