Guided Tour – Bridge End Garden, Saffron Walden

Bridge End Garden was created around 1840 by Francis Gibson, a local Quaker businessman who also built the Fry Art Gallery. Francis’ daughter Elizabeth married Lewis Fry of Bristol and, in 1918, the Fry family leased the Garden to the local council. Over time, Bridge End Garden fell into neglect but an ambitious restoration project took place between 2003 and 2008, resulting in the garden being registered as Grade II* by Historic England. It comprises a number of inter-connecting ‘rooms’: a Dutch Garden (see image above), replanted to a 1912 Jekyll design; a Wilderness; a Rose Garden; a Walled Garden; a Poet’s Corner, and a Maze, together with a Summerhouse and a Classical Pavilion. More garden information can be found here; for further information on the Fry Gallery click here.

Logistics: The tour will start in Close Garden, at the southwest end of St Mary’s churchyard opposite 5 High Street, where we can gather off the street and meet our guide Liz Lake, CGT member and Trustee of the Friends of Bridge End Gardens. Liz  will do a short introduction and then take us to the Castle Street entrance, which is shared with the Fry Gallery. The garden tour is about an hour and a quarter and ends at the Maze. Afterwards there will be an opportunity to visit the Fry Gallery at 19a Castle Street, which closes at 5.00pm. Please note that should our group comprise  more than 20 we will divide into two groups with the garden group alternating with the self-directed Fry visit. Both tours will be completed by 5.00pm at the latest.

Parking: The garden is in the centre of Saffron Walden, where on-street parking is a challenge. There are two car parks that can be suggested: Swan Meadow Car Park, 11 Park Lane CB10 1DA (5-7 minute walk from meeting point); Catons Lane (free) Car Park, 8 Catons Lane CB10 2DU (10 minute walk from meeting point but close to the Maze end point). There are several lunch opportunities in Saffron Walden or, if the weather is good, a picnic in the park is also enjoyable.

Bookings: Members £5 and guests £7, payable by BACS to the Cambridgeshire Gardens Trust account (sort code 30-99-50, account number 80635768), using your name as reference.

We look forward to seeing you there!