There's a buzz in the parkland...

There are some real Vespas in Tatton Park. However, these ones are Vespa crabro, more commonly known as the European hornet.

While out looking for wasps’ nests the Ranger team came across an Oak tree in Boat House Wood that the hornets are visiting. The very large hornets are less aggressive than wasps and can be seen taking tree sap and wasps, as well as other insects.

Hornet in the parkland ©Tatton Park

The tree in question is now littered at its base by many pieces of broken insects caught and eaten by these hunters. The hornets are yellow and red/brown in colour, around 25-30mm long and have a very loud wing drone.

There are no other known species of hornet nesting in Britain. This is the first time the team have seen hornets in Tatton – they are not often known to come so far North West. You could say they have caused quite a buzz!

Find out more about the wildlife and activities in the Parkland at Tatton Park.

Simon Jones, Tatton Park Ranger

Summer ‘Boredom Busters’ in Tatton’s Parkland

This summer’s Boredom Busters took place on Tuesday 16th and Tuesday 23rd August. These annual events are fantastic opportunities for children and their parents/guardians to explore the rich habitat of Tatton’s parkland, under the expert guidance of the ranger team.

Each session started with a tractor and trailer ride through the parkland to see the Red and Fallow deer herds at close quarters. July is prime calving time; nearly two hundred are born each summer in the park and we were lucky enough to see a number of newborn calves (Red deer young) and Fawns (Fallow young).

Following the parkland ride, the rangers led the group on a minibeast hunt in ‘Millennium Wood’ – a young plantation of purely native species. Clem West, Tatton Park Ranger commented “this mixed environment hosts all sorts of creepy crawlies: Centipedes, Beetles, Frogs and Toads and the rangers were on hand to help the many budding David Bellamys to identify them!”



Pond dipping  © George Littler



Next was pond dipping: netting and identifying all kinds of pondlife, including: Dragonfly Nymphs, Pond Skaters, Water Boatmen and Whirligig beetles. Prime pond-dipping prize for many children are leeches – last year’s champion Boredom Busters’ find was a leech over 8 inches long at full stretch!

There were plenty of other opportunities to enjoy the parkland wildlife during this session. This time of year brings a rich diversity of birdlife and fledglings. Each ranger has their own speciality interest: birds, fungi, trees, butterflies and much more, and they relish sharing their enthusiasm and knowledge with participants.

It is great to have the opportunity to share our love of the parkland with visitors, especially with a younger audience.

Don't forget - children can also have a great time following the Parkland Explorer trail at Tatton Park.
Clemency West, Tatton Park Ranger

The Vikings come to Tatton Old Hall!




Battle ©Margaret Clark



Sunday 14 August  saw the Old Hall taken over by The Vikings of Middle England, a really great group of re-enactors showing us how the Vikings lived...not just how we all imagine they were like, fighting and pillaging, but how they were in their daily life.



Of course the fighting is important and these guys don’t pull any punches and demonstrated types of weapons and how they were used both as individual warriors and also as an organised fighting group...axes biting into shields and pieces of wood flying off into the air...and encouraged to cheer for your chosen warrior.



Also a Viking Longship Experience...with a real boat... with involvement for the children imagining what it would have been like to sail in one of these ships and be ready to fight when you landed.

There was a storyteller keeping the children engrossed, have-a-go archery, try your hand at calligraphy and strike a Viking coin...along with just chatting to the re-enactors by their tents.



My Lady

©Margaret Clark



Gauntlet Birds of Prey gave their usual professional display of flying the birds...then a display of a war horse with the rider giving a very accurate account of using a lance and sword and shooting the longbow from the back of the horse...he was dressed in the Norman way but then they were originally Northmen and Normandy was another Viking Kingdom.

Most of the displays happened twice and kept everyone interested and happy...



It was a non-stop day with something going on all the time, very busy with lots of people coming through the Old Hall, trying on armour in the Great Hall and being interested in the building and the people who lived there from early days right through to the 1960s...and the weather was kind to us!

A successful and great day all round.  You can find out more about Viking Sunday here and look out for similar events on our website.



Margaret Clark

History Interpreter Guide





Lovely Lou Lou!

Lou Lou with Evan and Elly

We have been searching for a new Jersey cow for some time now as we plan to start milking the four native breeds of milk cattle, the Shorthorn, the Jersey, the Guernsey and the Ayrshire. Last year we purchased a Guernsey called Beauty and an Ayrshire called Pansy. We have been busy halter training them and getting them used to their new surroundings, they will both be put into calf this year ready to start milking in 2012.

Whilst at the Cheshire County Show this year I got chatting to Mr Jones a well know Jersey breeder from Lancashire, I explained what we were looking for and David thought he had just the animal for us. As soon as I saw Lou Lou, (her posh full name being Bluestone Antheas Louise, far too much a mouthful for an everyday name) I knew she was the lady for us. Beautiful looking and just the nature we were searching for.

Being prepared for milking

We have now been milking for three weeks and everything is running really smoothly, far too smoothly for life on a farm. Milking is 2pm each day and as we walk her up to the shippon she draws a big crowd with her, resembling the pied piper….It’s great to actually see the milk going into the bucket as we have a Perspex unit that enables the visitors to see exactly how much milk she is giving. We plan to chart how much milk she gives on a weekly basis and follow her lactation curve.

The next step is to start the butter churning demonstrations, however at the moment the pigs are having a daily treat of gold top milk courtesy of our lovely Lou Lou.

You can find out more about our other animals at the farm on our website.

Jayne Chapman, Farm Manager

My working weeks at Tatton

Heather preparing the dolls' house for the new exhibition

The very first day of my work experience, and I think what they say about first impressions is definitely true. It was a blur of hard work, fun and lots and lots of experience.

To begin with, I was introduced to the farm team, which quickly brings me to what I noticed the most about Tatton Park; its staff. Every member of staff I’ve had the pleasure of working with here have been as kind and helpful as can be, and have made my time here even more memorable and enjoyable.

Anyway, on to the farm. I’ve been to the farm twice in my two weeks of work experience, both times in my first week, and both times were terrific. Amongst other jobs around the farm, I got a chance to lead in the Clydesdales, Finn and Blossom (although there was a slightly hairy moment when a hornet kept bothering Tabitha, who got a little worried), accompany the pigs indoors and outdoors (and got a chance to see Tallulah’s new piglets!), bring in the new reindeer and the cows, and groom the donkeys, as well as more cleaning. The biggest job on our first day was bringing in the lambs, marking the ones over 35kg for the future (we all know what happens on a farm).

Another area of Tatton I got to work in was with the rangers, which again I did twice. On Wednesday, I got to help out with an Education trip, which basically involved taking a school group out in the park in a trailer, and letting them try out some wildlife-based activities; Mini beast hunting in the Millennium Wood, and Pond dipping. I also got to see some pricket skulls and stag skulls from red deer and fallow deer, and drive around the park looking at the rare breeds of sheep they have at Tatton.

On Friday, I spent most of the time driving a buggy, emptying the bins and picking up litter around the car park and eating areas (it was a lot more fun than it sounds...no really, it was). I also got to collect some grasses from the private fields in Tatton for the Rangers Exhibition.

The other thing I got to do on week one was to try my hand at Education. I spent the day at the farm, dressed as a WWII farm girl, helping out with the various activities. I got to spend time at each of the four bases; learning about life at home in WWII with Aunt Mary, playing old games with Etta, cleaning leather and ‘milking cows’ with Bob, and feeding the goats and chickens with Evan.

My second try at Education came in week two, when I spent the day at the Old Hall, again dressed up, but this time as a Tudor. I also got a title: Mistress Heather. I did completely different things this time, getting to watch the school group try out Tudor cooking, archery, jousting, and learning about weaponry and armour throughout history. I was also lucky enough to watch a falconry display, which featured a number of birds, including a bald eagle, a vulture and a falcon.

The remaining three days I spent in the mansion, doing various tasks. On Wednesday, I was in the Ethnographic store, photographing and recording the old and often valuable artefacts kept in there. Amongst other things, I came across an elephant skull, and a tusk that was unbelievably huge. I also got to take a tour around the mansion, witnessing all of its splendour, and preparing a dolls house for children in the Architectural exhibition that was about to open.

On Thursday, I got to hoover the carpet that I walked along on the tour, and having the pleasure of seeing the mansion in a different light (a.k.a. a lot less light). Although, I didn’t spend all that much time in the mansion on that day, instead going into Knutsford to find frames for some architectural pictures that needed to be hung in the mansion.

Finally, I spent my last day in an office with another work experience girl, making a new staff library. This basically meant that we spent the day glue-sticking library cards and various other items into the library books.

All in all, I think my time at Tatton have been two weeks to remember, and I would recommend anyone to come here, purely for the diversity of the activities you’ll be doing, and the excellent company you’ll have whilst doing it.

Thank you Tatton Park!

Heather Dowling

Willow Weaving Workshop





A group of ten ladies gathered into a room at the Stable Yard. Were they all eager to try their hand at willow weaving a simple individual creation? Could they really achieve this - that was the question. This was an attempt to introduce a craft which our ancestors were excellent at. Using willow for baskets, chairs, tables, etc. would need some experience so we started by making simple circles, which incidentally are essential to any sculpture. Much fun, laughter and frustration followed but eventually we all got there.



and here's one I made earlier..



During the day many wonderful designs were created including a large fish, butterflies, dragon flies, garlands, sun flowers, etc.

Everyone was amazed at what they had created and learnt in such a short time. Hopefully this taster will encourage these very able ladies (where were the men)? to join a local group and create many more wonderful willow objects.

Judith Goodburn - Interpreter Guide

The first willow weaving workshop at Tatton Park in 2012 takes place on 17 March 2012.