Visitors to our corner of the Peak District are often spoilt for choice with things to see and do. There are hills to walk, crags to climb, trails to cycle and an abundance to enjoy. Then there are the plethora of country houses to discover, many of which are brimming with history and culture. 

You’ll find all this and much more at Thornbridge Hall, which takes great pride in being that little bit different. 

Originally a Jacobean country house built in 1871, Thornbridge eventually became the home of Charles Boot, head of a Sheffield-based building firm, before being bought by Sheffield City Council who used it as a teacher training college and later a multi-purpose education centre. 

In 1997 it was bought back into private ownership and in 2002 was purchased by Emma and Jim Harrison who have spent the last 20-plus years restoring and renovating the house and gardens of this spectacular property. 

Thornbridge Hall is Grade II listed and is set in 80 acres of stunning parkland just up the road from Ashford in the Water. It’s often been described as ‘the quirkiest stately home in the UK’, a tribute to the Harrison’s style and openness with their visitors who enjoy the type of access that is so often restricted in similar houses.

“Thank goodness it’s been described as quirky,” laughs Emma. “What would be awful would be ‘stately’, ‘dull’, ‘unwelcoming’. We are the exact opposite. Sit anywhere, no ropes, no barriers, no signs telling you what you can’t do.

“Quite frankly it represents me, our family and the Thornbridge team. Where else would you see an enormous dining table covered with vast Lego structures and or/skeletons dogs on tours sitting on the sofas?”

House tours have been a recent addition and have proved really popular with visitors.

“People come up to me and say that is the best house tour they have ever had, they write about them on Tripadvisor,” adds Emma. “Our tour guides are, in a word – fantastic, fun and down to earth. They love the place just as much as we do, our visitors can see that. I often bump into the tours and all the tour guides plans go awry… I ruin the timings of the tour, everything falls to pieces, but we have a hilarious time.”

Thornbridge Hall’s appeal extends beyond the house; there are ten acres of formal gardens, which were originally designed at the end of the 19th century to create a vision of ‘1,000 shades of green’, which the owner wanted to see from his bedroom window. Today, there are many distinct areas including an Italian Garden, 30m Herbaceous Border, Water Garden and Koi Lake as well as terraced lawns overlooking the beautiful Derbyshire countryside.

Visitors will also come across three temples, numerous statues, 46 urns and two grottos, all of which were incorporated into the garden in the 1890s. Some of the statuary came from Clumber Park and Chatsworth while some were gifts from the Greek government.

“We are an RHS partner garden which is a great honour,” says Emma. “The gardens, looked after by Mark, Noah, Sue and all of our lovely volunteers never fail to surprise me. They move on, they are forever changing. I can turn a corner and see the colours and the green and my heart bursts with sheer happiness. Haven’t got a clue what any of the plans are, but my god they look good year round.”

As well as developing the house and gardens, the Harrisons are keen to make Thornbridge sustainable for future generations and are putting plans in place to set up a trust, which will preserve it for the public forever. 

“In essence, Jim and I are going to gift Thornbridge to the trust that we establish so that it will always be Thornbridge for everyone, forever,” explains Emma. “The thought of an oligarch or swanky hotel moving in and shutting the gates makes me feel sick. It will not happen.”

Key to this sustainability is growing visitor numbers, which are already increasing year on year. The addition of the Quackers Café and The Emporium (garden centre) strengthened this appeal. Free parking is readily available and the close proximity to the Monsal Trail is also a big draw.

One of the most recent additions, and located next to the café, is the ‘Love Locker’, which showcases the infamous 40,000 padlocks that were rescued from the Bakewell bridge. After a four-year ‘Save The Locks’ campaign, it was Emma who stepped in at the last minute to give them a new home.

“I had no idea what it would entail, but the thought of 40,000 memories being sold for scrap made me sick,” recalls Emma. 

The locks arrived at Thornbridge – more than five tonnes in 144 bags – and were hidden under canvas so no-one could root through and mess up the order of them. Then, working with planners from the Peak Park, Emma designed and got planning permission for a brand new structure to house them in an order that replicates the bridge so people can find their love locks. 

“Thornbridge is flourishing,” beams Emma. “A great team, led by Olivia, with their ideas, enthusiasm and hard work, is ensuring Thornbridge’s sustainability. 

“Every penny of profit either goes to support the Thornbridge 4 Everyone Foundation or back into the Estate. The Foundation provides experiences and days out for children and adults around the UK who otherwise would not be able to afford it. The Foundation also allows access to all of our wonderful spaces to charities and groups for free.” 

Despite the growing success of Thornbridge Hall, the Harrisons aren’t resting on their laurels and are constantly working to improve.

“I want to hear people going OOO, AAAH and leave here inspired,” affirms Emma. “We will never stop developing Thornbridge because what we care about is people having the best day out ever.”

New for this year are the HobbleGobble Woods filled with wonderous surprises and even a shack full of Lego. There are events and fun-packed weekends and holidays all year round and workshops – everything from foraging and wreath-making – are hugely popular. 

But while the focus is on enhancing visitor experiences and making Thornbridge an independent entity, the obvious question is, how does this affect the Harrisons themselves? After all, this is their family home – are they happy sharing it with so many people?

“It’s been the most exciting journey ever and continues tomorrow and the day after,” explains Emma. “It gave Jim and I the opportunity to work together on a project we both cared about. Before that we both had our own companies, and we didn’t dare to interfere. We love each other and we love Thornbridge, that gives us loads to talk about. 

“For those that really know me know that I love working in the café. Clearing tables, toilet checks and serving behind the counter. I absolutely love it and love meeting everybody. I have just come here off the back of the two busiest days we’ve had. Feet throbbing, loving life.”

To find out more, visit http://www.thornbridgehall.co.uk