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Beeleigh Abbey Gardens Open 27 May

Published: 16th May 2013 07:24

Beeleigh Abbey Gardens Open Days

Garden Open Days 2013 Open 10.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Last admission 3.30 p.m

Bank Holiday Monday 27th May Friday 7th June Saturday 22nd June Friday 5th July Saturday 20th July Friday 2nd August Friday 16th August Friday 30th August Friday 6th September Friday 27th September

Prices for 2013:Adult £4.00 Children aged 5-16 £2.00 Children under 5 free Annual ticket £24.00 There is free parking, and a marquee offering light lunches and refreshments for sale beside the main lawn. Plants, other produce and various printed stationery are on sale at the entrance. Telephone 07779 223321

 

These three acres of varied gardens are off Abbey Turning which is just past the cemetery on London Road from the top of the High Street in Maldon. 

Garden design and history

The grounds first recorded occupation was in 1180 by Premonstratensian canons. After various subsequent owners including several generations of the Francke family, the grounds reverted to farming and market gardening in the 18th and 19th centuries. The current layout nearest the house is probably by Basil Ionides and Wykeham Chancellor in the early 20th century.

More recently different generations of the Foyle family have extended the planted areas and added features such as a statue of Beeleigh Abbey's founder. The last few years in particular, since the purchase in 2000 by Christopher and Catherine Foyle, have seen considerable improvements with further projects in hand.

 

NEW BOOK LAUNCHED

Visitors to Beeleigh Abbey often ask if there is a written account of its' history readily available, but up till now there has been only a little booklet dating back to 1962, plus a popular specific study of the archeological excavations there 10 years ago entitled 'Beeleigh Underground', both of which now have only a very few copies remaining.

Now Christopher Foyle has fulfilled a long term personal ambition to produce a new book about his home in Maldon, which is currently going to print. It gives the detailed history of the place, its previous owners including his own family, and a description of the buildings and their gardens. Some 98 pages long it is beautifully illustrated throughout and easy to read.

Included in the accounts are medieval royal visits, the dissolution and partial destruction of the monastery, a local saint, the beheading of a previous owner caught up in Tudor politics, a poisoned abbott, buried treasure, ghosts and much more! The book is very readable and full of beautiful photographs for only £14.99 . A great present for all those fond of the place. It is available from local bookshops and Maldon's Tourist Information Centre in Wenlock Way between the High Street and Butt Lane car park. 01621 856503

 

Christopher Foyle

 

Stephen Nunn with Mrs Foyle

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