Madginley Hall is located about 4 miles west of Cambridge in the small picturesque village of – you’ve guessed it – Madingley.
The Hall is owned by Cambridge University and is used for Conferences, Day & Residential Courses, and Weddings. Built in the 16th Century, it is a stunning Country Manor House set in seven acres of gardens and surrounded by several acres of parkland.
The House itself is not open to visitors, although there is a shop and display room detailing the history of the Hall. However the gardens and parkland are open to the public when there are no events on. Entrance is free and everyone is welcome.
This was the second of our Thursday outings of 2012. We chose Madingley Hall because the first week of Spring had brought cold and decidedly unpredictable weather, and Madingley Hall is close enough that if we needed to cut short our visit then that would not be a problem.
Being this early in the season the gardens were not at their best, but that said the lawns and especially the topiary are superb. Designed in the 18th century by Capability Brown there are a number of discrete, self enclosed garden areas, each with their own unique treasures. Oh and don’t miss the Lebanon Yew on the edge of main lawn. It is magnificent, but, unfortunately, is suffering from a white fungal growth, and whilst they are trying to treat it, the tree may not survive much longer.
When we visited the Hall was under-going extensive renovations, basically it was covered in scaffold and tarpaulin, which is why the Hall itself doesn’t really feature in the selection of photos, but I hope you enjoy the images I did get.
