Win an overnight stay in one of Wynyard Hall's picturesque self-catering cottages

Once the head gardener’s home, The Gardener’s Cottage is one of four self-catering cottages spread across the historic estate’s 120-acres.

Whilst Dukeswood, Maplewood and Woodlands cottages are at the top end of the estate at the northern gates entrance, Gardener’s Cottage is surrounded by the lush greenery and blooms of the historic walled garden, which can trace its roots back to 1623.

Botanics have long played an important role in the Tees Valley estate from being the passion project of Lady Theresa Londonderry, a socialite who hosted high society at Wynyard along with husband the 6th Marquess of Londonderry in the late nineteenth century, to its modern-day chapter as a walled garden visitor attraction.

In 2015, the gardens were brought back to life spectacularly by current owner Sir John Hall with the aim of creating the “most beautiful rose garden in Britain” and today it’s home to more than 3,000 roses, as well as a whole host of other plants, shrubs and trees, including an avenue of cherry blossom trees.

And the following year, the Victorian glasshouse, one of the largest in the country, was restored in all its glory and today hosts The Glass House restaurant and its sprawling kitchen garden, growing everything from rhubarb and kale to herbs, which are used in the kaleidoscope of dishes and cocktails available at the restaurant.

Gardener’s Cottage lies between the two gardens and is like a picture postcard sprung to life, with its Georgian features and traditional English feel – hard to believe you’re a 5-minute drive from the hustle and bustle of the A19.

It’s comprised of a large kitchen, kitted out with all the necessary equipment for a self-catering stay, as well as a dining room, living room, two bathrooms and three double bedrooms – as well as a hot tub on a private terrace. Other features include open fires, TV and DVD player, Noble Isle toiletries, robes and slippers for the hot tub, and free guest Wifi.

From the walls filled with sepia images of the former head gardener and scenes of English wildlife to William Morris-style cushions, the cottage is an ode to country life and one that harks back to the golden age of this grand estate.

Food & Drink at Wynyard Hall

The main Wynyard Hall mansion house, and its former Wellingtons restaurant, is now for private hire only – or to host seasonal events such as Mother’s Day afternoon tea.

But, if you’re not planning to dine in the cottage, there’s two other food sites at the estate.

The walled garden has its own cafe which is open daily for pies, quiches, soups, salads, sausage rolls, pastries and huge slabs of cake. It also has its own farm shop, packed to the rafters with produce.

Meanwhile, the nearby Glass House restaurant, at the other end of the gardens, is open from Wednesdays to Sundays.

It recently launched is new spring menu, which showcases the plethora of produce grown on the estate.

There’s not many restaurants where you can look out of the window to see what’s been grown to go into your dishes and it really adds to the dining experience here.

Plot-to-plate dining is a real USP at The Glass House and they utilise as much of their kitchen garden as possible. Even ingredients which can’t be reared on site, such as fish, meat and dairy, comes from within a 20-mile radius – as food miles go, you can’t get much shorter than that.

It’s a sustainable and green approach to cooking that results in a real explosion of fresh flavour.

Take for instance, its pappardelle dish with spring garden vegetables, herb pesto, preserved lemon and toasted pine nuts (£16 from the mains menu). It’s a beautifully fresh example of the quality produce grown in the kitchen garden outside: bursting with natural flavour.

The new menu really showcases the fruits of the kitchen gardeners’ labour with ingredients such as purple sprouting broccoli, radish and Jersey royals served with seared cod loin and smoked butter sauce (£22) and a lovage emulsion, garden nasturtium, radish and apple adding extra depth to torched mackerel fillet (£9) among many of the other dishes on offer.

Even honey, used in everything from truffle honey to honey and fennel ice cream, comes from the estate bees.

Prices

Prices for a stay at one of the cottages start from £400 a night mid-week for the entire cottage.

Note: although the walled garden cafe is free to visit, there is an admission fee for the gardens themselves, which are open seven days a week from 10am until 4pm.

By purchasing an annual pass you gain unlimited entry to the gardens for 12 months. It cost £9 for adults, £6 concessions, £6 for children aged three to 13 and under 3’s go free.

Win

We’ve teamed up with Wynyard Hall to give away a stay at one of its self-catering cottages.

You can choose from a stay at either The Gardener’s Cottage or Dukeswood and Maplewood, both of which have recently been given a new look.

Each cottage sleeps up to six, meaning you can take five friends, and have a hot tub.

The cottages are also pet-friendly and have their own parking.

The prize is for a mid-week stay, Monday to Thursday, subject to availability and you have six months to use the prize.

To be in with a chance of winning, answer this question: what is the name of Wynyard Hall’s restaurant?

:: A: The Glass House

:: B: The Glass Onion

:: C: The Glass Slipper

Email your answer, along with your name and contact details to [email protected] by 9am on Monday, April 17, 2023.

Usual National World competition rules apply.