Didlington Nurseries - July 21

[BikinGlynn]

Didlington Nurseries

Didlington Nurseries was established by Edwin Rickard in 1962 & is still a running business today.
Now in the hands of his son, Sean, who took over when his father retired, the business occupies a four-acre plot of land within a walled garden, believed to be the biggest in England.

This abandoned part was in the grounds of the old hall.
Didlington Hall was a country house, which at one point housed the Egyptological collections of William Tyssen-Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst of Hackney. Apart from the stables and a clock tower, it was demolished in the 1950s. A new house was built on the site in 2007.

Please exercise caution if you do decide to visit, there was a barn owl roosting in here when we went, hence the delay in posting this one.

First we had a look at what I presume was the head gardeners cottage.

Outside were various potting sheds

The main greenhouse / shed was most interesting though.

Heading out there were a few old building remains

which all seemed rather boring except this room had stunning floor to ceiling tiles.

Thats all from here​

 

[UrbanX]

Excellent photos and write up!
Love the tiled room!
Doesn't 'Didlington' sound like it's been made up for a childrens TV programme?

 

[BikinGlynn]

Excellent photos and write up!
Love the tiled room!
Doesn't 'Didlington' sound like it's been made up for a childrens TV programme?

yeah it dose really hadnt thought about it

 

[Hayman]

The Levington Composts information sheet seen in one of the pics looks very old. But, going online, I see the company was founded in 1967; mind you, that's a while ago now; I was 26 at the time! The firm is still in business today; Robert Dyas sells its products.

The cast iron fastening embedded in brickwork - made by Boulton & Paul of Norwich - reminded me how this firm changed direction. Originally ironmongers, it built more Sopwith Camels than another other aircraft manufacturer; and went on to design its own military planes.

Also woodwork manufacturers, Boulton & Paul turned to making kitchen furniture. One firm I was with used their cupboards, etc when refurbishing council properties. You'd never think that when looking at this ancient piece of cast iron with a lug to hold something, perhaps a control rod to do with a water tank on the top of the brickwork.

The other old machinery has nostalgia stamped all over it.

 

[verdigris]

thanks. The tiles are lovely and exactly like the ones used in the fireplace surrounds of rooms at Merrymeade House in Brentwood. (built 1912) I used to work in one such room.
Didlington Hall, demolished 1952, must have been wonderful in its heyday
'The loss of Didlington Hall and its fabulous collections is still lamented locally and is widely regarded as one of the most serious losses in Norfolk..if house and collections had remained intact, it would today be regarded as one of the treasure houses of England'
Especially the Egyptian Room. William Amherst Tyssen Amherst was a patron of the young Howard Carter.
(according to the Lost Heritage website)