Things to see and do in Croome's parkland

A stroll near the lakeside rewards visitors with a palette of rich colours with orange horse chestnut leaves dipping into the water edge, look for the red rose hips, and the butter yellow coloured ginkgo leaves.

‘Capabilty’ Brown, the famous 18th century landscape designer, used a huge number of herbaceous plants in his design at Croome. Tall, floaty, purple verbena, the seed heads of the huge cardoons, pink flowers on the turtlehead and late flowering asters give autumn interest to the “flowering stud” (an 18th century term to a tightly planted bed of flowers) near the statue of Pan. Our gardeners leave the seed heads on the verbena and cardoons for the birds to eat.

Autumn fauna

Autumn is a hive of activity with some birds migrating for the winter and Croome welcoming new arrivals from colder climates.

Out in the parkland many birds of prey such as kestrels, buzzards and the occasional kite can often be seen soaring aloft ready to swoop on their unsuspecting prey. Flocks of fieldfare will also be seen feeding on Church Hill and in the outer parkland.

If you are near water, keep an eye out for our migrant hawker dragonflies that appear from August to October.

Squirrels collect nuts and seeds and bury them in many scattered hiding places or “caches” around the wooded areas of the parkland. They have a highly-developed spatial memory and acute sense of smell, which help them find their stash months later.

Starlings are generally a highly social family bird, a flock of starlings is called a murmuration and can often be seen wheeling around Croome.

Flocks of geese and house martins prepare for their southerly migration to warmer climes.

Temples and follies

Panorama Tower

The Grade I listed Panorama Tower was designed by James Wyatt in 1801, based on an earlier design by Robert Adam for a similar building in the 1760s. The building is made of Bath stone and was modelled on Tempietto Romano in Rome, which was designed by Donato Bramante.

The Park Seat

The Park Seat was designed by Robert Adam in 1766 and has been known locally as The Owl's Nest, as it used to be a home to a barn owl. The Grade II listed building, which overlooks the parkland and has fantastic views to the court along the river, was restored in 2007.

Pirton Castle

Pirton Castle was designed by James Wyatt in 1801. Located on a ridge called Rabbit Bank, Pirton Castle was designed to be viewed from the park at Croome and was deliberately built as a ruin to make the 6th Earl of Coventry's estate seem much older than it actually was.

Dunstall Castle

Grade II* listed Dunstall Castle was designed by Robert Adam in 1766. Adam deliberately designed it as a whimsical folly with elements of both a castle and a church.

Chinese Bridge

When Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown was commissioned in 1751 to redesign both the house and the garden, the Chinese Bridge was one of the few features that he kept. Originally designed by William Halfpenny in the 1740s for the 5th Earl of Coventry, the bridge spanned the river close to Croome Court and linked the house to the wider parkland.

Silent Space

Discover Croome's Silent Space which is part of the Silent Space | Peaceful time in green places

Our Silent Space is located not far from the Rotunda in the Home Shrubbery, the 6th Earl of Coventry’s favourite place in the garden at Croome. Take a seat on one of the benches – listen to nature, breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the views over the parkland. You might spot swans on the river or hear buzzards as they soar overhead. Enjoy a moment of rest and tranquillity before exploring more of the garden and park at Croome.