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Capesthorne Hall and Gardens Information 

Capesthorne Hall near Macclesfield has been the family home of the Bromley Davenports since 1726.

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Contact

Capesthorne Hall & Gardens
Capesthorne
Siddington
Macclesfield
Cheshire
SK11 9JY

Tel: 01625 861221

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Exploring further a field

• Spring bulbs
• Summer borders
• Trees

Capesthorne Park

Capesthorne Park is one of several fine old parks in East Cheshire. It is shown as early as 1788 on the Burnett map for Cheshire. The undulating landscape of the park at Capesthorne owes its pleasing character to the sandy drifts common in this area of north east Cheshire and the cover of light soil which has proved excellent for tree growth: oaks, limes, chestnuts conifers, etc.

The gardens have many attractive features including some fine specimen trees and well planted colourful flower borders. Of particular interest is the site of one of Sir Joseph Paxton’s great nineteenth century glass conservatories, as well as other unusual features such as an ice house, a cascade, and an eel trap. The park and the gardens can best be seen and enjoyed by following the various walks across the estate.

The Formal Garden Walk

The lawns and borders of the formal lakeside garden were laid out in the 1960s to a plan drawn by the garden designer Vernon Russell-Smith, and replaced the former labour intensive kitchen gardens which had provided the hall with fruit and vegetables for many years. Alongside the gravel walk running along the top of the garden is a herbaceous border filled with a variety of colourful perennial plants including iris, delphiniums, and roses. The border was created in 1987 and contains many unusual varieties of 18th century plants which would have been found in the gardens when they were originally laid out. Part of the border beyond the Milanese gates, is backed by an unusual ‘hot wall’. Internal flues through which smoke was led from a fire at the base of the wall, run almost its entire length. This artificial heating combined with a southerly aspect created the ideal temperature for ripening various tender fruit crops like peaches and apricots. On the path down to the lake is a beautiful wrought iron gazebo and a fine double herbaceous border, best seen in July and August when its rich array of perennials and shrub roses are in full bloom. Although there are many roses including lovely old varieties of moss, gallica and rugosa roses, the border is primarily filled with flowers such as irises, lupins and geraniums and highlighted with the white garden variety of yarrow. The double border, lined with maples and cherry trees frames the view down to the lake and across the fields beyond.

The West Lawn and Rose arbour

The walk beside the lawn has been recently planted with an avenue of American ornamental hawthorn (Crateagus phaenopyrum) and a grove of Lombardy Poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) There is a good specimen of the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) at the corner of the lawn. At the end of this path there is also a fine Caucasian wingnut (Pterocarya fraxinifolia).

The Lower Lake Walk – The Arboretum

The path passes through a collection of very tall trees, an arboretum resulting from Victorian plantings and Christmas gifts to Lady Bromley-Davenport. Many of the older trees, such as the Wellingtonia (Sequoia gigantean) and Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa), have reached maturity. To continue this late nineteenth century tradition tree planting including  some new specied such as American White Oak (Quercus alba) and Japanese Red Cedar (Crptomeria japonica) have been introduced to maintain the collection of posterity. Prior to the planting of most of the late nineteenth century trees there was in this area an unusual geometrically shaped area of bedding, probably of colourful annual plants in the centre. A space between the trees affords a lovely view  across the secluded lower lake. In the summer, note the spectacularly large leaves of the inedible prickly rhubarb (Gunnera manicata) growing on the shore. On the right in the arboretum are two huge specimens of Wellingtonia Sequoia gigantean or Giant redwood, so called because of its rusty coloured bark and wood. It is the largest species of tree in the world.

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