2018: Combermere’s Year in Review

Estate - 24.12.18

We’ve had a busy year here at Combermere Abbey, we’ve seen some beautiful weddings, had another successful Bluebell Walk and our very own Sarah Callander Beckett has written a chapter in the prestigious Country House: Past, Present, Future. As 2018 comes to a close, we thought we’d reflect on the past year and everything we’ve been up to.

April saw the launch of our annual Abbey tours, where visitors could learn about the wealth of history that Combermere is steeped in. Given the centuries that Combermere Abbey has seen, it certainly has a story or two to tell! Next April we open the doors once more for our Invitation to View tours as part of the Historic Houses group. Find out all you need to know about the tours via our website.

This year, our annual Bluebell Walk was very popular again, with good weather and a whole host of furry friends who came with their owners to enjoy the two mile walk through the ancient woods. Local celebrity, AJ Pritchard from BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing also paid the bluebells at Combermere a visit and we’re delighted to confirm that our next Bluebell Walk will take place on Sunday 12th May 2019.

In May, June and September we welcomed garden lovers to our Garden Open Afternoons – offering a rare midweek chance for the public to explore our beautifully restored five-acre Victorian Walled Gardens, Pleasure Gardens and Garden Wood. Our hardworking gardens team were on hand to answer any questions over at our Plant and Produce stall. Its increasing popularity meant that we were able to make a contribution to Whitchurch Hospital again. We now have a great opportunity here at Combermere – we are looking for a new Head Gardener to continue to develop our beautiful gardens and grounds.

On 26th August, we celebrated a very important day, it was National Dog Day! Zola and Zansie certainly had a fantastic day, running around the grounds and enjoying their favourite dog treats – clearly feeling like canine royalty! As you may know, we’re very passionate about dogs and all of our holiday cottages are dog-friendly. In celebration of this important day, we decided to waive our usual fee for bringing dogs to a cottage stay.

September also saw the owner of Combermere Abbey, Sarah Callander Beckett, become a published author. She wrote a chapter on the restoration of the Abbey for the prestigious book, The Country House: Past, Present, Future, offering an insight into the highly successful project of restoring the Combermere Abbey estate. The book is ideal for all who hold a significant interest in the history of country houses in the British Isles.

We caught up with Sarah to get her thoughts on the restoration, what they uncovered along the way and whether there any further plans for restoration in other areas of the Abbey.

If you’re spending Christmas at Combermere this year, we hope you have a wonderful stay with us; and if you want to experience a winter break with us, we have four of our cottages left for New Year’s Eve to ring in 2019. A New Year stay will include a complimentary bottle of champagne and some delicious chocolates.

2019 is a milestone year at Combermere – Sarah Callander Beckett and her family celebrate 100 years of the Crossley family being guardians of Combermere Abbey! We are planning some exciting things during the year, starting with inviting our guests to enjoy a ‘Winter Warmer VAT Free’ short break between January and March 2019. Treat yourself to a well-deserved treat after the rush of the Christmas season.

Have a very Merry Christmas from all at Combermere and congratulations to our wonderful Combermere couples who got married this year. Thank you for sharing your special day with us!

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