For our first excursion we wanted to visit the beautiful Ordsall Hall, a fantastic example of a great Tudor house, situated locally to our group in Salford. The house has a long and interesting history and dates back to 1177! Participants and volunteers thought it was important to explore a local museum first, where participants can easily re-visit with friends and family in the future.
We were able to enjoy a special tour that was specifically designed for those whose first language is not English, provided by two very knowledgeable tour guides. This really made the visit very interesting and fun – there was so much to do and discover and we even took part in a quiz!
Participants enjoyed dressing up as Tudors and tried on some chainmail, exploring the different rooms and areas within the great house. There was also plenty of time to ask questions and discuss the different artefacts on display.
We spent an enjoyable time sat at the Tudor dining table learning about foods that would have been cooked at the Hall in the 1500s. We were all fascinated to learn about different recipes and how the diet of the wealthy land owner would differ to that of his servant sitting at the other end of the table!
Our group was fascinated to discover more about the way of life for people living in tudor times. The tour staff answered many questions and added a real buzz to our day which added to what was a very enjoyable time spent with friends exploring the house and gardens.
We also found time to enjoy some tea and cake in the museum cafe!
The gardens surrounding Ordsall Hall are designed to showcase garden elements popular throughout history such as the late Tudor style knot garden, medieval herb gardens and orchards. Exploring the gardens provided participants with plenty of inspiration for our own Paradise Garden rebuild design.
The traditional 20th century allotment that can be explored at Ordsall Hall also provide a fantastic example of the kinds of fruit and vegetables that can be grown within a relatively small space throughout the year.
We hope that participants from our group will come back and explore Ordsall Hall with their friends and family. Thank you Ordsall Hall for a great day!
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