The owners of the Sandridge Park estate near Stoke Gabriel will be opening their beautiful gardens to the public in aid of LandWorks for two days at the end of May.
10 acres of formal gardens, walled gardens, orchards and woodland walks on the stunning 110-acre estate overlooking the River Dart will be available to explore and enjoy.
The estate has a long and interesting history.
At one point owned by Sir Walter Raleigh, the estate was developed in the early 19th century when Lady Ashburton commissioned one of the foremost architects of the time, John Nash, to build the Grade 2* listed house that stands on the estate today.
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The house was sold for re-development in 1937 but escaped demolition; subsequently both the house and gardens were requisitioned by US forces during World War 2 to prepare for D-Day.
The estate passed through a number of hands until was acquired by the current owners, Mark and Rosemary Yallop, in 2006.
The estate has been lovingly restored since then, with Country Life Magazine describing it as having had an “inspirational renaissance”.
The Open Gardens weekend is being held in aid of LandWorks, a specialist rehabilitation and resettlement charity based on the Dartington Hall estate near Totnes.
It provides a supported route back into employment and the community for people leaving prison or serving community sentences and at risk of going to prison, working closely with local prison and probation services.
Last year, LandWorks won the top award at the prestigious Civil Society Media Charity Awards.
The Sandridge Park gardens will be open to the public on Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1 between 11am and 5pm.
Entry will be £7 for adults and free for accompanied children and there will be plenty of parking available on site.
Refreshments will be available, and visitors are welcome to bring a picnic.
A range of beautiful crafts made by LandWorks participants will be available to buy, with all proceeds supporting the charity.
Rosemary Yallop said, “We are so pleased to open the gardens in support of Landworks. It is an extraordinary local charity which aims to place its participants on a better track by using a connection with the land as an important source of productive work, team-building and healing.”
Chris Parsons, LandWorks Director, said, “It is very kind of Mark and Rosemary to open their beautiful gardens in aid of LandWorks. All proceeds will go towards running the charity in the future, helping people to start a new life, stop reoffending and ultimately make our communities safer.
We have a strong track record at LandWorks, and we are very grateful for all the local support for what we are doing.”
LandWorks provides intensive worked-based placements, with participants taking part in a series of enterprises, including a market garden, pottery, and wood workshop, all providing produce for sale to the local community.
Alongside gaining important vocational and social skills, LandWorks ‘trainees’ are also provided with arange of additional support to aid their resettlement and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.
This includes counselling and practical assistance with issues such as finding accommodation and getting a job when their placement ends.