Thanks to our supporters and those that purchased raffle tickets in 2019, we are able to restore this historic greenhouse.
The glasshouse at Croft dates back to 1908 and was built by J.W. Weekes and Company.
It’s a beautifully constructed building of around 90 feet in length, with original cedar frames and large panes of beaver-tailed glass. The glasshouse is a much loved and admired building.
It was state of the art in 1908, with the beaver-tailed glass specially cut to allow rainwater to run down the centre of the pane, condensation channels in the glazing bars on the roof and an ingenious system of levers and winding mechanisms to open roof and side vents to cool the whole building on really hot days.
It’s a hive of activity in the growing season with tomatoes and fresh vegetables being grown for the tea-room. It has provided many visitors with shelter from the rain and also with a space to soak up the atmosphere and reflect. The garden and indeed the whole property wouldn’t be the same without it.