National Trust - Crook Hall Gardens

Beautiful gardens, looked after, mostly, by volunteers. Even at this late stage in the year, there was plenty of colour and a wide variety of plants.
We had a warm welcome in the cafe, good coffee and I can recommend the cheese scones.
It's a hidden gem in a busy city.

Wonderful collection of small themed gardens centred around a medieval and Jacobite house. The cathedral and castle are World Heritage sites but this is a gem not to be missed, just a ten minute walk from the Framwellgate Bridge. A good clean cafe and bookshop on site too.

Interesting grounds and a nice location.

Visited here on a Friday morning and enjoyed a lovely walk around the gardens, complete with pretty spring beds, calm ponds, interesting vegetable plots and a wandering cat. The hedge maze is a fun addition but a few too many flies in early spring. The cafe was of a high standard, clean and friendly.

The location was very convenient, being able to couple the visit with a quick trip into the town centre within the three hour parking window.

There is a nice, quirky, selection of well kept and quite beautiful gardens in the grounds of this historic house.

Onsite parking is free to National Trust members although the carpark itself is quite small. (There is council parking near the venue should you be caught short.)

There is also a hedged maze just as you enter the grounds, though the paths are quite narrow. We never made it to the centre so I can't help you there.

You can take your time wandering the various garden areas and there is plenty of seating, both sheltered and open, throughout the grounds should you need a rest or want to stop for a picnic or other refreshments. Otherwise there is a very nice cafe offering the usual NT fare served by very pleasant staff.

Overall, we'll worth a visit!

2023 The entrance fee to non members is £10 per adult.
Whilst the attraction is classed as hall and gardens, it is the gardens that are the main attraction. They are, even on a damp August day, very beautiful and well maintained.
The Hall itself is mainly not open to the public, with only the mediaeval hall and minstrel gallery along with a servants corridor and one other room being accessible to visitors.
The second hand book shop is in this additional room. The books are priced and you pay on the way out at the ticket office.
Due to the steepness and uneven nature of many of the paths this attraction is not suitable for people with mobility problems.
Dogs on leads are welcomed, there is an additional field in which dogs are allowed off lead.

Lovely to add to your Durham trip. There's a fun little maze out front and then a charming house and garden to explore. There was an art exhibition on going whilst I was there. Would have love to buy something but I was supposed to travel onwards. Didn't go to the cafe so can't really speak about it.

Genuinely one of the best National Trust sites we visited. It may be slightly smaller than other NT sites, but it is a very impressive place to visit. The site is kind of divided into different gardens, and each one is as good as the other. There isn't much to see or have public access to the house itself, but the gardens are fantastic. There is good on site parking albeit quite small, however there is ample on road parking nearby. The gardens themselves are beautifully presented, and are immaculately clean. The staff are very informative and friendly, and there is a great café on site and an ice cream kiosk. The maze is quite cool and is exciting for the little ones. There are plenty of places plus a dedicated area with picnic benches to relax, have a rest and enjoy food you may have brought yourself. Would definitely return again

A lovely little prophet and garden, hidden away. We stopped as we were in the area and had some time. The garden was lovely to walk around, interesting sections. Not a huge place but worth a visit, particularly if you are members.

Absolutely loved these gardens. There was so much to see and I was charmed by all the different "rooms" It seemed there was always a gate to be opened and explored. Will be returning again and again to catch the different blooms as the spring turns into summer. It might be my favorite. Note: I have since returned and am adding more photos as the season progresses

First time visiting Crook Hall with my National Trust Membership. On entry there’s a large car park, which is free for National Trust members. £3 for 3 hrs non members. The gardens are absolutely stunning and at this time (end of may), there is so much in Bloom. Beautiful mixture of ancient woodland, huge old trees, wildflowers and cultivated plants and flowers - all wonderfully maintained. Several gardeners on site keeping it all in check. There are kids areas, duck pond, vegetable garden (which was sadly closed today), the old medieval hall and a cafe. There are plenty of outdoor seats dotted all around the gardens and amble space for picnicking. All in all a lovely few hours spent. Pray for decent weather as it’s all outdoors!

A hidden treasure in the middle of a busy Durham city. Lots of small areas to explore, and bursting with colours and aromas, ( we were there early July) then into the historic hall, which in itself is interesting, finishing up in the cafe for a nice cuppa and toastie! Well worth a visit if you're in the area.

We called in here as it was right next to the hotel we were staying in and we are NT members. I think, in my mind, I was expecting more of an inside area to look around, but it was just one room ( my fault for not researching it beforehand.) What made up for this though was the glorious gardens and grounds. We went on a rainy day and were impressed, so goodness knows how we would have felt on a lovely sunny day. One little area of garden then led onto another part, each one as lovely as the next. So many varieties of daffodils and other flowers. Benches dotted around the area and a picnic area. Dogs allowed in the gardens. Toilets and cafe onsite and friendly staff in the reception area with advice etc..

Lovely site I was so glad to have come across. 10-15 minutes or less walk from Durham centre city. We got there near closing time but I would have easily spent hours here! Absolutely beautiful gardens and so glad that I can access it with the National Trust. Beautiful place for a venue also, and kid-friendly areas.

Just been to the cafe. Had bacon bun and lovely homemade scone with jam and cream and tea. Only negative is that the teapot was very small for the size of the cups and a pot of hot water isn't supplied which is needed. Went another day and enjoyed the beautiful gardens.

A beautiful garden with plenty of places to sit and enjoy the views. It’s fairly compact so more of a 1-2 hour visit than all day. We managed to get a pram round (the paths are a bit uneven but manageable). The parking is also quite handy for walking into the city centre (especially the nice riverside path) - it’s free for members for 3 hours

I was staying in Durham and whist there I could not miss paying a visit here.

It is my first visit and one I will no doubt return back to at different times of the year. The gardens are beautiful... lots of different areas/rooms with plenty to see in each including a walled garden, a maze, orchard, pools with many seating areas to admire the views.

It is a little gem of a place and well worth a visit.

Gorgeous place , you can have a lovely walk and there are plenty of seats available around the gardens.
There is also a cafe and toilets.
The second hand book shop is very nice and you can buy good books for a fraction of their real price.

I discovered this and was delighted with what I found. it isn't in any of the National Trust guidebooks because they only recently bought it. The gardens are totally beautiful, full of flowers, with some statues. Lovely winding narrow paths. Wheelchair accesible, most of it, if you can manage rough terrain.
One thing, the carpark was full and getting quite clogged because people didn't know it was full and were trying to find a space, but if you go when it isn't half term I imagine it will be better. I recommend belonging to the National Trust.

Pretty National Trust property a 10-15 minute walk from the centre of Durham. A series of gardens that are well maintained and a maze that kept my children happy. Lovely views of Durham from the gardens. It’s probably a 2 hour visit.

They have a car park which is free for National Trust members.

An absolute gem. Spent most of the time wandering around the gardens in awe of the beautiful plants and flowers. Helpful staff and volunteers. Will definitely be visiting again.