Arley Estate

Arley Estate

Arley House and Arley Arboretum are located in Arley, Worcestershire. The estate extends alongside the River Severn and it includes over 2000 acres of woodland and pasture. It also has beautiful walled gardens which include a Magnolia Garden and an Italian Garden. Thanks to this, Arley Arboretum can be enjoyed throughout the seasons. The historic Arley Arboretum was established by Earl Mountnorris in 1800 and is now open to the public, thanks to The Roger & Douglas Turner Charitable Trust (CIO). Roger Turner was a Midlands industrialist and philanthropist. He purchased the estate in 1959 when the arboretum and some of the village properties were in need of repairs and renovations. As well as restoring the arboretum and the Grade II listed Walled Gardens, he had Arley Castle demolished due to its state of dilapidation and built Arley House and other local houses in the village. When Roger Turner died in 1999, he left the entire estate to his charitable trust. Today, the many exotic and rare plants on the estate are thriving, making this one of the oldest and best arboreta in the country. Arley House was built on the site of a 16th century house and the gardens have been planted around its battlements. The Arboretum is Worcestershire’s best kept secret and one of the top ten gardens to visit in the UK. The Italian Garden is inspired by Renaissance gardens of the late 15th century and features a spectacular fountain with 18-ft jets, silver lime trees, a temple and a dovecote. The Magnolia Garden includes more than a dozen species of magnolias, making it a feast for the eye in the spring. This garden also includes a fine collection of acers for year-round pleasures. You will even see Peacocks roaming the grounds. Throughout the estate you will find a huge variety of trees and there is a nursery where you can buy plants grown by the estate’s gardeners. As well as organising events throughout the year for individuals and families, Arley House welcomes guests for private functions such as weddings, parties, conferences and business meetings. The house, the gardens and estate, make an ideal backdrop for a wedding or a party and create a peaceful location for a conference or business meeting. It is an ideal base when visiting Worcestershire, Kidderminster and Shropshire. Arley House offers exclusive hire and can provide everything from catering to marquees, according to your requirements.

Review

There are Country estates up and down the United Kingdom, many open to the public, some are not, some are children friendly, some are not, yet here at Arley Arboretum & Gardens, there is something for everyone, young and old. With a great forward thinking team in their estate office, it is clear to see that a lot of thought has gone into the offering here at Arley and their gardens, despite being in a quite compact area, really are quite special. There are kids trails, a forestry club, a play area and a quite tricky maze to keep the kids entertained, but for those of you who are looking for serenity, they seem to have it all. However, despite all of what Arley has to offer, I absolutely loved sitting on the bank of the hill awaiting the passing Severn Valley Railway train, now that's what life is all about!