Three Rushton Gardens: Cottesbrook Hall, Kelmarsh Hall, Broughton Grange

July 12, 2026

Three Rushton Gardens: Cottesbrook Hall, Kelmarsh Hall, Broughton Grange

Cottesbrook Hall

We saw a lot of sheep on this trip, especially at our first stop of the day, Cottesbrook Farm. After passing through the gate, a gravel road wound through a pasture and across a creek. A large flock of sheep was relaxing in the shade of some mature trees. A few were standing right on the road, so we had to stop and wait for them to wander out of the way.

Cottesbrook Hall is the home of the Macdonald family, known for their Black Label whisky. The house is believed to have been the inspiration for Jane Austen's Mansfield Park.

This was my favorite garden of the day. It was filled with beautiful garden rooms, gorgeous brickwork, and tranquil water features. There were delightful little vignettes around every corner!

Kelmarsh Hall

From their website: Kelmarsh Hall is a Grade I-listed country house built in 1732, surrounded by Grade II*- listed gardens, set in the heart of a traditional agricultural estate. They are now in the care of an independent charitable trust, The Kelmarsh Trust, charged with maintaining it in perpetuity for the benefit of the nation.

The main part of the garden was a large walled garden filled with perennials, herbs and vegetables. It was another hot day. There was no shade in the walled garden, so it was very uncomfortable. Other areas of the garden did have shade to escape to.

Broughton Grange

The final stop of the day was Broughton Grange. Dating back to 1620, the estate was owned by the Morrell family for 200 years. It was purchased by the present owners in 1992. In 2001, Tom Stuart-Smith, transformed a 6-acre field into a terraced garden. Punctuated by tall, slender trimmed yews, large swaths of perennials and grasses fill the area, along with a rill and a large pool of water.

Farther out, there is a large fountain garden surrounded by a billion orange poppies. Descending down the slope is a lush woodland garden (probably my favorite part of the this garden). There is also a stumpery, a rose garden and a knot garden.