to add an item to your Itinerary basket.
Book Tickets Online
About
Come and enjoy a day at Helmsley Walled Garden and stroll through beautiful displays of flowers, fruit and vegetables. Enjoy the Clematis Garden or take time out to sit in the Orchard or the Garden of Contemplation. Relax over lunch at the Vinehouse Café beneath Victorian vines laden with grapes, or browse for gifts, produce, plants and garden sundries in our Garden Shop and Plant Centre. The garden is fully accessible to wheelchairs and dogs are welcome on leads.
Dating back to 1759, Helmsley Walled Garden nestles at the bottom of the North York Moors between the Grade One listed landscape of Duncombe Park and the scheduled ancient monument of Helmsley Castle. The garden was a major employer during most of its history, but following the First World War, it was leased as a commercial enterprise and was run as such until 1984.
In 1984, it was abandoned and fell into dereliction. The restoration began in 1994 to restore the garden back to its original Victorian beauty and productivity. Local woman Alison Ticehurst wanted to create a beautiful garden for visitors to enjoy as well as provide horticultural therapy for local people in need. Today the aim of Helmsley Walled Garden is to conserve and restore the fabric of this historically important walled garden and to return it to full productivity using environmentally sustainable techniques. Gardens and gardening carry with them a wide range of therapeutic benefits for people and so the garden provides a horticultural therapy service to local people with a range of disabilities.
We work all year round to develop the garden, this year we are working on the Long Border and Cottage Garden, dividing, replanting and adding to the displays. In our Kitchen Garden we grow produce to be used in the café. Our staff and volunteers are always happy to chat to visitors about what we are doing and the work of the garden in general. The Helmsley Walled Garden was recently named by The Times as one of the UK's prettiest gardens open to the public.
The Vine House
All the vines here form a heritage collection of Victorian vines kindly supplied by Stuart Smith of The Vine House at Westow. Thirty four varieties of Victorian vine are grown on the rod and spur system in the Vine House.
Facilities
Accessibility
- Disabled access
- Disabled toilets
- Wheelchairs available
Booking & Payment Details
- Credit cards accepted (no fee)
Catering
- On-site catering
- On-site light refreshments
- Picnic site
Children
- Baby changing facilities
- Children welcome
Parking
- Parking with charge
Property Facilities
- Dogs Accepted - Dogs on leads accepted.
- Gift shop
- Public toilets
- Smoking not allowed
Site Features
- Regional Tourist Board Member
Target Markets
- Accepts groups
- Coach parties accepted
Map & Directions
Road Directions
Helmsley is on the A170, 25 miles from York, 14 miles from Thirsk and 16 miles from Malton. Helmsley Walled Garden is a short walk from the centre of Helmsley. Follow signposts from the Cleveland Way Car Park, adjacent to the Castle. Parking There is no parking at the garden; visitors should park in Cleveland Way long stay car park. There is limited disabled parking directly outside the entrance to Helmsley Walled Garden Map reference: SE 608837 Lat: 54.24539 Long: -1.06846 By Road: A170 into Helmsley, from York and Thirsk, turn left at Market Square and then right for Stokesley. Turn left opposite Feversham Arms into Cleveland Way long-stay car park. From Scarborough, drive past Helmsley Market Square and turn right towards Stokesley. Turn left opposite Feversham Arms into Cleveland Way long-stay car park. From Stokesley and Rievaux, on entering Helmsley on the B1257 turn right opposite the Feversham Arms in Cleveland Way long-stay car park. Follow footpath signs from car park to Helmsley Walled Garden.
Public Transport Directions
By Public Transport: Bus services provided by East Yorkshire Motor Service from Scarborough and Pickering and Stephenson's of Easingwold from Malton, please see providers’ website for current timetable. Get 20% off garden entry with a valid ticket from East Yorkshire Motor Services (EYMS) 128 service from Scarborough. Simply show your ticket at the kiosk to get your discount. The nearest railway station is Thirsk, which is 14 miles away.
