Matt and I are members of the National Trust, and we like to visit NT properties whenever we can. A property we visited recently for the first time is Nostell Priory, situated between Wakefield and Pontefract in South Yorkshire.
Nostell Priory – the house
The House
The house, which was lived in until recently by successive generations of the Winn family, is well worth a visit. It contains interesting decorative interiors and a great collection of Chippendale furnishings.
There is currently (2018) an exhibition about Thomas Chippendale’s life and work, and his dealings with the Winn family at Nostell.
You can join an informative guided tour in the morning if you wish, but we chose instead to visit in the afternoon when you can wander around at our own pace. The guides in the various rooms were very friendly and told us more about some of the interesting items on display.
The Gardens and Parkland
Adjacent to the house there are attractive formal gardens.
Rose garden beside the house
As we love growing our own fruits and vegetables, we were particularly interested in the Kitchen Garden. It is beautifully kept and contains a range of interesting varieties, as well as some lovely climbing white roses.
Immaculately kept walled Kitchen Garden
Another view of the Kitchen Garden
There are lots of beautiful mature trees in the surrounding gardens and parkland, like this huge oak.
Huge oak tree in the garden
Winding paths through trees lead down to the scenic lakes. We saw lots of tame squirrels in the woods, and there were swans, geese, ducks and coots on the lakes. There are plenty of seats where you can enjoy the views and watch the wildlife.
Middle lake
Horse chestnut tree beside the Middle Lake
View over the lower lake
The secluded Menagerie Garden is a great place for a peaceful picnic.
Archway leading to the Menagerie Garden
Magnolia trees in the Menagerie Garden
Ivy clad Menagerie House
If you wish to walk further, there are paths through the surrounding parkland with far-reaching views over the countryside.
Entrance to the parkland
Cattle grazing in the park
More mature trees in the park
We enjoyed our day at Nostell Priory – a great place to relax for a few hours in beautiful surroundings!
Practicalities
Nostell Priory is situated in Nostell village, reached by the Doncaster Road from Wakefield.
There is a tearoom with indoor and outdoor seating, a gift shop and plant sales.
For access information, opening times, prices for non-members and details of special events and exhibitions see the Nostell page on the National Trust website.
If you like to visit National Trust properties regularly, membership makes a lot of sense.
As a member you get free access to over 500 National Trust properties (including National Trust for Scotland), and free parking in many NT car parks. Just a few visits will recover the membership fee and you will then be saving money. You can visit as often as you like, and you will be contributing towards the care and maintenance of these very special places.
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