John and Cynthia Ramsden The <strong>Hall</strong> driveway Yew <strong>to</strong>piary and rambl<strong>in</strong>g roses on <strong>the</strong> <strong>Hall</strong> terraceCottage garden favouritessurround <strong>the</strong> front doorAll pho<strong>to</strong>graphy by Mark Ramsden © Grafika LtdNo-one could more ardently have fulfilled <strong>the</strong>stewardship role for old build<strong>in</strong>gs, describedby William Morris as ‘not <strong>in</strong> any senseour property, <strong>to</strong> do as we like with <strong>the</strong>m.We are only trustees for those that come after us.’Cynthia and John Ramsden are not <strong>Fanshawe</strong>s but <strong>the</strong>yhave made <strong>the</strong> Tudor-<strong>in</strong>spired garden of <strong>Fanshawe</strong> <strong>Gate</strong><strong>Hall</strong> one of <strong>the</strong> most visited private gardens <strong>in</strong> Derbyshire.The work <strong>the</strong>y have done and <strong>the</strong> welcome <strong>the</strong>y offer isacknowledged <strong>to</strong> be so extraord<strong>in</strong>ary that earlier this year<strong>the</strong>y received <strong>the</strong> Exceptional Service award from <strong>the</strong>National Gardens Scheme (NGS). The couple, who haveopened <strong>the</strong> garden for <strong>the</strong> past 15 years, are credited wi<strong>the</strong>pi<strong>to</strong>mis<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> heart of <strong>the</strong> charity, ‘br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g so muchenjoyment <strong>to</strong> thousands of visi<strong>to</strong>rs over <strong>the</strong> years and rais<strong>in</strong>gmoney for such worthwhile causes.’It is <strong>the</strong> most tranquil garden imag<strong>in</strong>able, imbued withsometh<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> glory of God and a place of recovery from<strong>the</strong> oesophageal cancer which struck Cynthia 11 years ago.Her beautifully illustrated coffee table book, A Garden <strong>in</strong> MyLife, published <strong>in</strong> 2001 for Macmillan Cancer Support, doesnot dwell on that period of her life but <strong>in</strong> her own words is‘an account of one woman’s pleasure <strong>in</strong> creat<strong>in</strong>g her garden.’Her cont<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g delight <strong>in</strong> it is evident <strong>in</strong> every blade ofgrass, every flower bed, every newly planted seedl<strong>in</strong>g.The couple are celebrat<strong>in</strong>g 50 years at <strong>Fanshawe</strong> <strong>Gate</strong>,which dates back <strong>to</strong> 1260. They met at Dronfield GrammarSchool, founded <strong>in</strong> 1579 under <strong>the</strong> will of Henry <strong>Fanshawe</strong>and now bear<strong>in</strong>g his name, and when <strong>the</strong>y married, built ahouse <strong>in</strong> Ecclesall. They had been <strong>the</strong>re seven years, hadstarted what became a family of five children, and had no<strong>in</strong>tention of mov<strong>in</strong>g – until <strong>the</strong>y saw <strong>the</strong> <strong>Hall</strong> advertised <strong>in</strong><strong>the</strong> Saturday property section of <strong>the</strong> local paper and ‘justhad <strong>to</strong> have it.’The first 12 years saw <strong>the</strong> start of res<strong>to</strong>ration on a houseand cottage which were largely 16th century but where<strong>the</strong> rema<strong>in</strong>s of a mediaeval dwell<strong>in</strong>g were still <strong>in</strong> evidence.The Ramsdens are only <strong>the</strong> fourth owners of what becamea tenanted farm, sold by <strong>the</strong> <strong>Fanshawe</strong> family <strong>in</strong> 1944.The present head of <strong>the</strong> family, Simon <strong>Fanshawe</strong>, visitstwice a year, and <strong>the</strong> school now possesses <strong>the</strong> beautifullyThe new wildlife pond and orchard with box <strong>to</strong>piary,lavender and <strong>the</strong> <strong>Hall</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> background.
‘We <strong>to</strong>ok 40 years <strong>to</strong> res<strong>to</strong>re <strong>Fanshawe</strong><strong>Gate</strong> – we were very much f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g ourfeet and it would have been foolish <strong>to</strong>employ a professional landscapearchitect and do it all at once...’Cynthia <strong>in</strong> her pott<strong>in</strong>g shedis between <strong>the</strong> first two levels of this five-level garden. It isunique <strong>in</strong> hav<strong>in</strong>g three s<strong>to</strong>reys, <strong>the</strong> uppermost still <strong>in</strong>habitedby white fantailed doves. The orig<strong>in</strong>al <strong>in</strong>ch-thick Elizabethanglass rema<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong> its t<strong>in</strong>y w<strong>in</strong>dow and <strong>the</strong> Ramsdens have dugup o<strong>the</strong>r pieces of mediaeval glass on <strong>the</strong> site – <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>gone particularly large fragment that was subsequentlydropped by a small grandchild. No recrim<strong>in</strong>ations followed:grandchildren are cherished here and trees planted <strong>to</strong>commemorate each birth.When <strong>the</strong> Ramsdens arrived 50 years ago, <strong>the</strong> wholeof this second level of <strong>the</strong> garden was populated by laurels,which Derbyshire farmers used <strong>to</strong> plant for peck<strong>in</strong>g hens<strong>to</strong> scratch beneath. Cynthia outed <strong>the</strong>se <strong>in</strong> favour ofrhododendrons, which proved ‘f<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong> spr<strong>in</strong>g butun<strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g for <strong>the</strong> rest of <strong>the</strong> year.’ So John terraced <strong>the</strong>bank <strong>to</strong> allow shrubs <strong>to</strong> be planted and a flow of colour <strong>to</strong>cont<strong>in</strong>ue down each terrace. Shade-lov<strong>in</strong>g plants occupy aAbove: The Elizabethan gate pillars and entrance planted withNepeta, Agapanthus, ‘Happy Child’ and ‘Golden Shower’ roses.Left: Trimm<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> cottage knot garden with <strong>the</strong> herb border and<strong>the</strong> dovecote <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> background.Below: The medieval dovecote with <strong>in</strong>ner gate pillars, yew <strong>to</strong>piaryand ‘north fac<strong>in</strong>g’ border planted with ferns, hostas and poppies.illum<strong>in</strong>ated family tree discovered by a Leeds solici<strong>to</strong>r andpresented <strong>to</strong> it by John Ramsden, who was <strong>the</strong>n its chairmanof governors.Of both house and garden, John says, ‘We <strong>to</strong>ok 40 years<strong>to</strong> res<strong>to</strong>re <strong>Fanshawe</strong> <strong>Gate</strong> – we were very much f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g ourfeet and it would have been foolish <strong>to</strong> employ a professionallandscape architect and do it all at once, even if we’d beenable <strong>to</strong>. We would certa<strong>in</strong>ly have regretted it.’Visi<strong>to</strong>rs beg<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir <strong>to</strong>ur <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> lower courtyard of <strong>the</strong>steeply terraced property, <strong>in</strong> front of <strong>the</strong> cottage that wasused as a stable and s<strong>to</strong>rage build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Vic<strong>to</strong>rian timesand which <strong>the</strong> Ramsdens extended <strong>to</strong> accommodate <strong>the</strong>irgrow<strong>in</strong>g family, Nicola, Louise, Mark, James and Anna.The courtyard itself evolved with different phases of familylife and was gravelled over as park<strong>in</strong>g space when <strong>the</strong>teenagers acquired cars. When <strong>the</strong>y left home, Cynthia wasable <strong>to</strong> plant <strong>the</strong> Elizabethan knot garden that so eloquentlyreflects <strong>the</strong> age of <strong>the</strong> present house.A herb garden by <strong>the</strong> cottage wall reflects it <strong>to</strong>o, as does<strong>the</strong> ti<strong>the</strong> barn <strong>in</strong> <strong>view</strong>, surrounded by strutt<strong>in</strong>g chickens anddat<strong>in</strong>g from around 1536. The grassy banks that l<strong>in</strong>e <strong>the</strong>courtyard are steep, with relics of farm<strong>in</strong>g his<strong>to</strong>ry <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>shape of staddles, mushroom-shaped s<strong>to</strong>nes which were <strong>the</strong>foundation for corn ricks. ‘Someone found us an oldpostcard from <strong>the</strong> turn of <strong>the</strong> century, and <strong>the</strong> whole of thisarea was haystacks,’ Cynthia says. Snowdrops planted 20years ago from a neighbour’s garden proliferate here <strong>in</strong>spr<strong>in</strong>g and she marvels, ‘There was just a circle round eachtree. Look how <strong>the</strong>y’ve spread.’The medieval dovecote commands attention, poised as itJohn’s new vegetable garden…radish harvest<strong>in</strong>gFounta<strong>in</strong> shaped <strong>to</strong>piary with glass teardrops <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> front of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Hall</strong>‘Lion Head’ waterfall <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> courtyard