Gav Grayston
We found Brockhampton Estate a hidden little gem within the Herefordshire countryside…
Some National Trust places are huge grand buildings. Some are ancient castles. And some are old, but have a homely feel about them. That’s Brockhampton Estate.
At Brockhampton is a medieval manor house, with a charming gatehouse.
The building, although has its origins as a grand dwelling, it eventually turned into a farm house when the Brockhampton family built a newer and grander house, so this place evolved over time.
Although it’s still a bigger building than a lot of us live in, it’s not that big, and even with its wonky medieval floors and low timbers in places, you could quite easily see this place as a family home today.
Things to To Do at Brockhampton Estate
Apart from visiting this charming little medieval manor house, the estate itself is massive and has plenty of walks to go on. In fact there are two car parks. The first is at Upper Brockhampton, where the main cafe is and place you can park and set off on walks. The second car park is at Lower Brockhampton, by the house, which is where we visited.
Walks & Nature Activity Trail
Unfortunately we didn’t have enough time to do any of the walks, nor the nature activity trail at Brockhampton, which included a rope swing, balance logs, and other things to keep kids entertained and informed.
Here’s some of the main walks they have:
- Oak Walk – 3.5 miles – 2 hours
- Holly Walk – 2.5 miles – 1.5 hours
- Ash Walk – 2 miles – 1 hour
- Beech Walk – 1.5 miles – 45 mins
- Heart Walk – 1 mile – 30 mins
- Chestnut Walk – 1 mile – 30 mins
Of course, times depend on how fast or tired little legs are.
In addition to the walks and Nature Trail, there are a number of orienteering courses (£1 per route).
Brockhampton Family Trail
We did do the family trail.
This was quite well organised, with many information boards containing interesting facts that helped you answer questions on the trail map.
This took you around the house, gatehouse, and gardens.
It was also nice to see that there was a prize for completing the trail, and it wasn’t just chocolate or sweets. Instead there was a table to choose a prize from, which included a variety of things, like small toys and other items. (Our youngest who did the trail chose a box of polished stones).
Picnics
Brockhampton is a great place for picnics.
There are a number of picnic benches around the place, but you can also go and sit by the moat, which is a perfect place for it.
There’s also some very friendly ducks that will probably come and say hello.
Events
There are a number of events on around the year. If you’re planning on going, check the National Trust website, or even better, use the National Trust App on your phone, which includes events, opening times, and you can even get directions to different NT locations.
When we visited a medieval reenactment group was at Lower Brockhampton. They fired a cannon, demonstrated archery, and even got kids to come and join the nights.
They were a very friendly bunch, and we learnt a lot when we walked around their tents and chatted with them afterwards.
Though a bit of a drive for us, visiting Brockhampton Estate was well worth it, and it’s definitely a place we shall be going back to.
Getting in Touch with Brockhampton Estate
Here's how you can get in contact with Brockhampton Estate.
Brockhampton Estate Facebook Page
01885 488099
Where to find Brockhampton Estate
Sat Nav Postcode: WR6 5TB
Greenfields, Bringsty, near Bromyard, Herefordshire, WR6 5TB.
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Gav Grayston Contributor
Father to 3 kids, who loves getting out and about (hiking, running, camping, cycling, canoeing...) Co-founded Get Out With The Kids to help other parents enjoy the outdoors with their family.
