Month: August 2022

The children are back in class and the days are growing shorter. September sees summer clinging on while autumn is nudging in.

Garden visiting at this time of year is especially relaxing. The sun is still out however the air is fresher and cooler.

Enjoy a peaceful walk, where you can notice changing leaf colours and the soft sunlight.

Here’s 5 things to enjoy at Painshill in September.

1. Cooler days

If you are like us then you are probably thankful that the days have grown slightly cooler. After the excessive heatwave it is enjoyable to have a fresh morning to stretch your legs and go for a walk. When cooler days approach it is easier to plan a walk further afield. Head off to see the Gothic Tower or find the Hermitage.

2. Notice the start of autumn

September is when signs of autumn begin to creep in. Look out for mushrooms and keep an eye on the colour changes.

At this time of year we have a large amount of enquiries asking when the best day is for autumn colour. There is no best day however. The trees change colour over a series of weeks. The best way to enjoy Painshill is to visit a few times a year and enjoy watching the landscape transform. The beauty of Charles Hamilton’s living paintings is that they never stay still.

3. Become a member

To watch the seasons change all year around why not become a Painshill member? Enjoy autumn colour, atmospheric winter mists, sparkling frost covered follies, snowdrops, daffodils, ducklings and the lush green of summer all for one price! Membership was capped over the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure we could manage numbers. However it is back open now! This September is the first time you can join without a waiting list for many months.

4. Produce from the Kitchen Garden

The Kitchen Garden is busy producing a lovely range of vegetables. Much of the produce is heading to the Gift Shop when it can be purchased for a donation of your choice. Harvest is every Wednesday.

5. Second hand September

Did you know that we sell second hand books in our Gift Shop? We are currently on the look out for more. If you are having a clear out this September why not bring them along to donate? Books are available from 50p and all proceeds go back into the protection of Painshill.

Painshill Park Trust is currently in the process of building a new visitor car park. Work commenced in August 2022 and we anticipate that it will continue for a 12 week period. The building site is situated between the current car park and the Visitor Centre.

Please note: when visiting Painshill you will need to walk past the building site in order to get to the Visitor Centre and enter the landscape. There may be some noise and, due to dry weather conditions, there is some dust.

Together with our contractors, we working hard to ensure the least amount of disruption to members and visitors. We thank you for your patience while this work is completed.

Many members and regular visitors to Painshill will be aware that in wet weather the current car park deteriorates quickly and the surface becomes very muddy and uneven. In order to secure the future of Painshill a new car park has long been needed.

We are delighted that work has started and look forward to offering a greatly improved visitor experience for drivers by the end of the year.

Timeline of the work

Autumn 2020

Painshill Park Trust is granted financial assistance from Elmbridge Borough Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy and planning permission by EBC.

February 2022

Work began on preparing the field. Some trees needed to be felled and bushes cut back. We did this work within the guidelines of an independently commissioned ecology report. The work was completed before the nesting season to ensure the least amount of disruption to birdlife. The reptiles and amphibians in the area were surveyed and moved to new habitats.

Before work commenced archaeologists needed to survey the area. They started digging around 11 trenches to record the area carefully and uncover anything of historical importance.

May 2022

Work was due to start however it was delayed due to further archaeology work that was needed.

August 2022

Work on the new car park has commenced. Please note that if you visit during this time you will need to walk past the building site before you arrive at the Visitor Centre. Parking is still available and free for visitors. This work will continue for 12 weeks.

Approx. Nov 2022

We anticipate the new car park will open for visitors. Work will then begin on returning the old car park to Green Belt.

Into the future

When funds allow, Painshill Park Trust intends to continue to improve the car park by installing CCTV, electric car charging points for a sustainable future and electric security gates. The new car park will be designed in such a way as to allow these improvements to be made in stages in the future.   

If you have a question or would like to know more please take a look at our FAQs or email us at info@painshill.co.uk 

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FAQs

Does this mean we can’t park at Painshill?

There is still free parking available for visitors. Due to the fact we are moving the site of the car park we are able to keep the old one open until the new one is ready.

Will the new car park still be free for visitors?

Yes, the car park will still be free. We will continue to enforce that it is only used by people visiting Painshill.

How can Painshill Park Trust, a small charity, afford a new car park?

Painshill has been granted financial aid from Elmbridge Borough Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy as well as using some of our own reserves.

Will walkers still be able to access the footpath/public right of way?

Yes, a right of way will be maintained at all times. However it might move location. Please follow the signs at all times when walking through the site.  

How will you ensure you reduce your environmental impact and don’t disrupt the local wildlife?

The tree felling, clearing and building work will be undertaken in strict accordance with an expert independent ecology report.  Painshill Park Trust will do its utmost to ensure that, while making space for cars, we minimize the impact on wildlife and the environment.  Once the new car park is open the old one will be replanted and returned to Green Belt.

How does this project secure Painshill’s future?

Painshill will have its own car park that will be used throughout the year. The existing car park is rented, incurring an annual cost for the charity.

At the entrance to Painshill, close to the Visitor Centre, is a feature that is often overlooked. Two large walled gardens were part of the original 18th century estate and vital to Charles Hamilton’s operations. They were built in 1756 to grow fruit and vegetables for his estate and its workers. He also used them to start growing new exotic plants that he received from America in seed boxes, before planting them out in his landscape. The warmth of the walls creates an environment that was described at the time as “some of the most productive in Surrey with extensive ranges of Hot Houses, Grapery and Peach Houses”. Pits for growing pineapples, a rarity in 18th century Britain, were discovered when the Painshill Park Trust undertook archaeology work.

Today the Kitchen Garden is once again thriving due to the charity’s gardening team and our landscape volunteers. It produces a huge variety of fruit and vegetables. Each week from spring to autumn they harvest whatever is in season, from the first salad leaves to October pumpkins.

Much of the produce heads to Mr Hamilton’s Tea Room, where our amazing catering staff get creative. Daily specials with ingredients from the Kitchen Garden can be purchased on your visit and there are often sweet and savoury options. The fresh and tasty ingredients could not be more seasonal or more local!

In our latest initiative to reduce waste, surplus fruit and vegetables will now be available in the Gift Shop. They can be taken away for a donation of your choice to Painshill Park Trust and the ongoing upkeep and restoration of the landscape.

We hope you will stop by the Kitchen Garden on our next visit and see it for yourself!

The school holidays are here and August is all about getting together with your family and making special memories.

With heaps of history and heritage, vast beauty and outdoor adventure, Painshill appeals to all ages.

Here’s 5 things to enjoy at Painshill in August.

1. Enjoy a family day out

School is out for summer!

Put Painshill on your list this summer holiday for a fantastic family day out. Go in search of a fairy-tale castle or a sparkling crystal cave. Get back to nature with our children’s wildlife spotting trails and activity sheets or bring along a picnic and relax all day.

Did you know we offer free tickets for the under 5s? They can also bring a bike or scooter with them.

2. Relax with a festival of Wellbeing

Join us this August as we team up with Wisdom on Wellness to bring you a festival full of good vibes. Take a guided tour of the landscape, listen to guest speakers, shop wellbeing products and try a taster workshop in Forest Bathing, Sound Healing and more!

3. Treat yourself to ice-cream

In the summer sun there is nothing better than a cold sweet treat! Our ice-cream hut is open over the school holidays serving the absolutely delicious Joe Delucci’s Gelato.

4. Enjoy family favourite Alice in Wonderland

The end of August (Sat 27th) brings our last outdoor theatre event for 2022. The family favourite Alice in Wonderland is one for all ages. Follow Alice down the rabbit hole and on one amazing adventure!

5. Listen to jazz music on the Amphitheatre

Relax with a chilled drink from Corks Occasions and listen to live jazz on the Amphitheatre lawn from The Sarah Jane Eveleigh Jazz Quartet every Sunday in the month, plus the bank holiday Monday!