What's on in the area

Tatton Park

Daily

Cost: Park - £4 per vehicle, individual attractions £2-4

Hours: Mar-Sep daily 11am-4pm/5pm/6pm; Oct-Mar closed Mon

Tatton Park spans 2000 acres, with 1000 acres of deer park and 50 acres of gardens, as well as containing two historic houses. Originally owned by the Egerton family for nearly 400 years, today it is one of the National Trust's most popular attractions, hosting major events throughout the year.

Tatton Hall has sumptuously decorated state rooms and family rooms, housing collections of Willow furniture, Baccarat glass, paintings by Italian and Dutch masters, Egerton family memorabilia and plenty of porcelain.

The award-winning gardens feature rare species of plants, shrubs and trees, including rhododendrons, bamboo and pines - the results of 200 years of collection by the Egerton family. There is an 18th-century Orangery and Fernery, part of one of the finest groups of glasshouses in England. The Fernery was designed in the late 1850s by Joseph Paxton and provided Lord Egerton with a showcase for his collection of Australian and New Zealand Tree Ferns, which is now of national significance. There are further Italian and Rose gardens as well as a unique Japanese garden.

The estate is a well-known home to red and fallow deer, as well as many other types of wildlife and various animals at its living Home Farm. Outdoor activities for the public include bird watching, horse riding, fishing, golf, walking and sailing (it has two lakes). Home Farm has remained unchanged since the 1930s and its produce is sold in the park.

Tatton Park