Wednesday 21 November 2012

Stop the press!


Tatton celebrates its first majestic pineapple crop

There's been lot's in the news and on the radio recently about Tatton Park's impressive crop of Pineapples... you may have heard about the first crop grown on the estate in over 100 years!

So if you haven't heard and have been wondering what all the fuss is about here's the success story of the glorious, regal fruit....

Tatton Park is the only garden and property in the country with a traditional working pineapple house, We recently celebrated the revival of the Great British pineapple by welcoming Councillor George Walton, Mayor of Cheshire East Council, who was presented with the first of hopefully many pineapple crops from the pinery. 


'The King of Fruits'

This highly prized fruit was greatly valued in the 18th century (around £5,000 in today’s cash!). Known as ‘The King of Fruits’ it was celebrated when Tatton re-created a historical scene from the late 1600s when Charles II was presented with the first pineapple cultivated on English soil by his gardener John Rose - Councillor George Walton, who also chairs the Tatton Park board, was presented with Tatton’s pineapple by gardener John Hoxworth who is responsible for the pineapple house.


Above: Tatton’s pineapple being presented to Councillor George Walton by one of Tatton Park's gardeners John Hoxworth


Above: Charles II presented with the first pineapple cultivated on English soil by his gardener John Rose
It's a big achievement for Tatton's garden team as it has been over 100 years since the last pineapple crop was grown at Tatton - imported fruit killed their social status - and in time the pinery became a vinery and then gradually fell into disrepair. Thanks to £2.5m from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the former Cheshire County Council (now Cheshire East Council) the National Trust and Cheshire Rural Enterprise Tatton’s six-acre walled kitchen gardens have been gradually restored to their halcyon days.


The pinery was officially opened in 2007 by Sophie, Countess of Wessex. Two years on saw another milestone when the first pineapple was produced after a labour intensive propagation process, (and some TLC from our garden team). Now five years on, Tatton celebrates its first fully functioning crop.


'The King of Fruits'

Here's the science bit...


Pineapple cultivation involves the rotation of three bays for planting, growing and maturing the fruit. They are grown in the traditional way in a pot on a special mixture of oak–leaf compost which creates the same levels of heat as tanner’s bark, a waste product from the tanning industry, originally used when growing pineapple but now no longer available. The complex process which sees a little slip turn into a full plant can take up to three years and requires a combination of heat and humidity for successful germination and growth.

Our head gardener,  Simon Tetlow, explains, “from set up, to establishing a full crop it has taken five years! But it has been well worth the wait, and we hope to soon be growing as many as 300 pineapples a year, which will supply Tatton’s Garden Shop and restaurant”



Above: Head Gardener, Simon Tetlow, with the prized fruit.


You can read coverage on the pineapples on BBC News England and Manchester Evening News.

Caroline Jackson, Marketing


Monday 5 November 2012

The scariest place!


This Halloween was at the Old Hall Tatton Park, even some of the staff who came down from the Mansion were scared!.. and they know the people doing the scaring....though some of the haunters were quite unrecognizable.

Quite a few of the visitors were scary too....one girl on Wednesday came as a ‘mummy’ all self made costume and looked very authentic particularly with a very life like cockroach on her shoulder...she was quite terrified of the pirate though...(Allan Johnson for those who didn't realise!)


Pirate Allan


This year with the extended opening times going into the second week of Half Term, kept the visitors coming and it was very busy those last 2 days. It was well attended the rest of the time too. As usual with the added extras of face painting and mask making, Sheila and Janet, I don’t know how you keep up!... and the small rides in the Old Hall grounds it made it a full day for families and plenty had picnics on the days of good weather...and of course the story teller in the barn kept the children who were perhaps too scared to go in the Old Hall, entranced...thanks Leonie. There were hot drinks and food to keep you going as well.

We returned the place to it’s origins on Thursday, well almost as a few went back today, (Friday) and put everything away for next year...it does come round very quickly.

The last day when we finished, the 31st, I was stood at the door of the Old Hall with Mick and Dawn just chatting and my cloak which has a substantial clasp just slipped off my shoulders onto the floor, right near where someone else had a paranormal incident a few years ago. That has never happened before and it’s the cloak I wear for the Medieval or Tudor Education days and it’s never just dropped off....spooky!

Here are a few of the spooky staff...


 Ghostly Woman


 The Grim Reaper


 The Lady


 Monk

not to miss... 


The sunbathing skeleton!



Margaret Clark
History Interpreter Guide