Visiting Wynyard Hall Gardens & The Glass House Restaurant

One of the Tees Valley’s and the North-East’s most beautiful walled gardens, a visit to the Wynyard Hall gardens should be high up on your list of things to do! Here’s why!

Over the last couple of years, particularly since Covid-19, I’ve been exploring much more of our local area and I’m pleased to say that it’s been a joy to discover just how lovely the North East of England really is. I’ve been visiting the area regularly since 2009 but it wasn’t until 2019 that we officially set down roots and call this corner of England our home.

A place that I love to visit with the family are the Wynyard Hall Gardens, part of the larger Wynyard Hall estate that has to be one of the most beautiful estates and halls in the area; it’s an extremely popular wedding venue for good reason. The gardens themselves are lovely and make for a great day out especially when you get to experience dining at The Glass House Restaurant.

This guide will showcase the Wynyard Hall Gardens and The Glass House Restaurant and, hopefully, inspire you to visit when you’re next looking for something to do.

WYNYARD HALL GARDENS & THE GLASS HOUSE RESTAURANT

WYNYARD HALL GARDENS

The gardens at Wynyard Hall are surely some of the finest in the North East and make for a great day out for all. Those with families, which now includes me, will enjoy a visit to the gardens when combined with the Woodland Walk and its great play areas.

First up, we’ll focus on the gardens which can be found a little way away from the main Wynyard Hall.

Set within the 120 acre private grounds, lies a stunning Georgian Walled Garden that just may be one of the finest in the North-East. Dating back to 1822, the garden was initially designed by famed landscaper William Gilpin but it was Lady Theresa Londonderry who recreated the gardens in 1912 in a similar style to what we see today. The gardens were faithfully restored and re-developed in 2015 and 2016.

Within the Wynyard Hall Gardens, you’ll find neatly organised sections containing different types of plants and styles of gardening. There’s a Rose Garden filled with over 3,000 David Austin Roses, a wild garden, a white garden (though filled with plants that are not only white but yellow and pink too), a pillar garden inspired by Moorish walled gardens and Greek and Roman courtyards as well as lush borders full of plants from all types of climates. The Gardener’s Cottage is a lovely little building and you’ll notice the bell above one of the gates that used to ring at the start and end of each working day.

Just outside the Walled Gardens is the Edible Garden where, you guessed it, all manner of fruit and vegetables are grown but, what’s even better, is that that same produce is then served up within the architecturally charming Victorian glass house and it’s name sake restaurant.

For more details on the Wynyard Hall Gardens, here’s a helpful little online map.

Opening Hours

7 days a week – 10am-4pm

FARM SHOP & CAFE

At the entrance to the gardens, you’ll find the Farmhouse Shop full of locally sourced artisanal food and drink including produce grown here at Wynyard Hall. What I think is fantastic is that a lot of the produce sold here in the farm shop is sourced from suppliers within 35 miles of the estate. Whether you’re looking to stock up at home or looking for gifts, there will almost certainly be something for you here. The small cafe within the farm shop serves up great coffee, cakes and sandwiches and you can ever takeaway to enjoy within the gardens themselves.

Opening Hours

7 days a week – 10am-4pm

THE GLASS HOUSE RESTAURANT

The Glass House Restaurant deserves a visit whether you visit the gardens at Wynyard Hall or not. Honestly, this is one of my favourite restaurants and I couldn’t believe the quality of the food on offer. The team here utilise the bountiful produce grown literally within eyeshot from your table in the Kitchen Garden. The menus therefore frequently change with the seasons and what is being grown in front of you. Even if we take aside the food for a moment, The Glass House is housed within an absolutely stunning Victorian glasshouse; there aren’t too many places this beautiful where you also can eat so well.

When we ate here, child-free, we made sure we made the most of it. Of course, that probably means we (read I) went a little overboard (just like I did at The Refuge in Manchester for my birthday!)

We went for a series of little plates to share; think calamari, cured meats, olives and focaccia, triple cooked chips and a sweet potato dish. The menu changes regularly but here’s the sample lunch menu and sample dinner menu.

Opening Hours

Wednesday to Saturday – 11am to 11pm
Sunday – 12pm to 6:30pm

Dogs are welcome within the bar area of The Glass House just not the main restaurant.

WALKS NEARBY

There are other walks within the Wynyard Hall Estate that will see you wander past the wire scultpure of the legendary racehorse, Hambeltonian, which marks its burial spot. The racehorse was owned by Sir Henry Vane Tempest who inherited the estate back in 1792.

There’s an official pathway, the Wynyard Woodland Park, which is part of the Castle Eden Walkway (a disused railway line). There’s a huge adventure playground perfect for kids and a lovely little tea room in the Station House at Thorpe Thewles. There’s free car parking and postcode TS21 3JG will take you right there.

GETTING HERE

The Wynyard Hall estate is located a few miles west of the A19, near Stockton on Tees and Billingham, just off the A689. Google Maps and Apple Maps are reliable using the postcode TS22 5NF but remember that, if you want to head to the Wynyard Hall gardens and The Glass House Restaurant, on the main approach to Wynyard Hall you’ll need to take a right and loop around to the side of the main hall.

If you have any questions at all about the Wynyard Hall Gardens or The Glass House Restaurant, let me know in the comments below. I highly recommend visiting here for a lovely day out whether you’re a couple, friends or need to entertain the little ones.