Ickworth

Our work

Ickworth Lives

Working as a kitchen maid in the basement kitchens at Ickworth © NT/Philip Mynott

Who's the boss in this kitchen?

In 2008 we were lucky enough to secure funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund for Ickworth Lives, an exciting project telling the story of Ickworth.

Ickworth's Rotunda basement has been restored to how it was in 1910, enabling us to tell the stories of the servants who worked and lived here from 1910 to 1939.

Volunteering

Jonathan talks to visitors in the basement at Ickworth © NT/Philip Mynott

You can make a difference. Why not volunteer and learn new skills, meet new people and work right at the heart of Ickworth?

Join in

The grand tour

Sean Reid, head gardener of Ickworth in Suffolk © National Trust

Our Head Gardener, Sean Reid, visited Italy in 2010, recreating the grand tour of the Earl Bishop. He visited 11 gardens in 14 days, sponsored by the Martin McLaren Bursary Scheme.

Isola Bella

Isola Bella is one of the islands of Lake Maggiore in Italy. Only 320 metres long by 400 metres wide, it's entirely occupied by the Palazzo Borromeo and its Italianate garden.

Villa Adriana

Villa Adriana, also known as Hadrian's Villa, is in Tivoli. It was constructed as a retreat for Roman Emperor Hadrian during the second and third decades of the 2nd-century AD.

Italianate garden

We're removing the Gold Garden, established in the 1980s. To return the garden to how it would have been early in the 19th century, we're going to plant olives, evergreen oaks and install another stumpery.

Garden conservation

Aerial view of the Italianate garden at Ickworth © Sean Reid

Dr Andrew Eburne researched records as part of the conservation plan and has identified our Italianate garden as the first of its type in the UK. We're planning further design developments to accurately reflect this.

Careership scheme

Garden Careership Trainee at work in the gardens at Ickworth © Sean Reid

The National Trust Careership Scheme trains people as gardeners, specialising in heritage gardening, as well as horticulture.

Catherine Mobbs, a trainee here for three years, now has a full time position in our garden.

Walled garden restoration

Looking across from the lake at the vineyard and church at Ickworth © National Trust

Why not visit the walled garden and see how we're getting on?

We found the 1910 fruit record book and plan to restore the garden to how it was during the early 20th century. This will include 230 varieties of apples, pears, gages and plums. We've already made a start with the spring garden beehives and sponsored fruit trees. To sponsor a fruit tree, please contact us for information.

Allotments

Students on their allotment learning from the head gardener © Claire Webb

Students get some top gardening tips from Head Gardener Sean Reid

Along with establishing our own allotment in 2010, we've also created two school allotments managed by Ickworth Park Primary School and Bury Priory School. Our allotments grow vegetables for our restaurant, providing for the estate as it would have done in 1910. This spring we're creating a third allotment and soft fruit bed, working with Otley College, near Ipswich.