Outside view of the Ramsey Abbey walled garden greenhouse

Case Study

Ramsey Abbey Walled Kitchen Garden

7 October 2016 | Daisy Faughnan

Ramsey Abbey Walled Kitchen Garden Trust was established in 2004 to manage the restoration of the walled kitchen garden at Ramsey Abbey. In 2012, they were left a very generous donation from L. J. Drake to fund the rebuild of the old lean-to greenhouses that once occupied the East wall and border.

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National Trust Collection

Project Overview

Style

Traditional greenhouse, Lean-To, Faceted feature lobby, 3/4 span ‘wings’

Dimensions

25.5m x 4.5m

Colour

Wood Sage (RAL7032)

In The following year, The Trust approached Alitex to express their interest in replacing the three original greenhouses with a single large lean-to greenhouse. It took two years for their plans, funding and specify for the designs to be finalised. The Trust confirmed the designs by Alitex and they both felt confident the greenhouse would both represent the original structures and remain in keeping with the authenticity of the Abbey’s historical buildings.

In 2015, the designs were finalised for the greenhouse to measure twenty-five and a half metres long; it has a faceted feature lobby with two 3/4 span wings on either side. The greenhouse project was fuelled by John Drake, whose dedication and commitment inspired the structure and development of the walled garden. The Victorian style glasshouse was finished in August 2016 and the plans for the planting are currently underway. Whilst the central lobby will be used as a display house, either side will have their specific purpose including use for propagating, over wintering and aiding vegetable and fruit growth.

The building works were started in Spring 2016, ensuring that they were finished to specifications by Summer 2016 ready for the aluminium structure to be built. The timings were crucial with this project to ensure there was no disruption to the school now occupying the Abbeys grounds and that the safety of pupils and staff were a high priority. Alitex met these priorities and the expectations were highly achieved while delivering a beautiful greenhouse that represents the original Abbey greenhouses.

“We are pleased to recommend the Alitex Glasshouse design for the walled garden at a sensitive site in Oxfordshire as it was individually tailored to complement the special historic character of these listed gardens.”

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