THE OLD RECTORY
Set between the rolling Yorkshire Dales and the rugged North York Moors, The Old Rectory is an elegant 18th-century home beside the village church. In the grounds, an old barn, remnants of ruined walls and scattered stone structures are reminders of an earlier life as a busy farmstead.
The garden had retained traces of this history, but over time its spaces had become fragmented and disconnected from the house. A tall dividing wall cuts through the centre, while the lack of direct access from the house meant the garden had become increasingly separate from family life.
The challenge was to reconnect the garden without losing the character created by its divisions and ruins. Drawing inspiration from the nearby ruins of Rievaulx Abbey, the masterplan uses these existing structures as the framework for a series of distinct spaces, each with its own role in family life. Formal pathways bring order and connection, while the planting becomes progressively looser around the central ruin.
At the heart of the garden, the remains of an old barn become its defining feature: a place where the sense of history is strongest, but where new planting and pathways bring energy and life. Around it, spaces for gathering, playing, retreating and simply being outside give the garden a new rhythm.
Where the garden once felt disconnected, its divisions now give each space a distinct purpose while creating a stronger connection to the house and the life within it. The result is a garden that feels secluded from the world beyond its boundaries, yet entirely connected to the family who live there.
At the quieter end of the garden, a long reflecting pool creates a place to pause in the dappled light beneath the woodland canopy. Its precise geometry provides a clear counterpoint to the relaxed and calming planting around it, giving the family a secluded space for moments of quiet away from the house.
A balance of wildness and structure permeates through the garden.
Opening from the house, the sun-drenched courtyard provides a natural gathering place for family and friends. Reclaimed paving and old headstones retain a sense of the site’s history, while a gravel garden of herbs and physic plants bring scent, texture and seasonal interest close to where people gather.
A journey of discovery: the divisions of the garden create distinct areas to give different experiences, giving the family more flexibility and enjoyment.
At the heart of the garden, the remains of the old barn provide both its physical and emotional centre. Tumbledown walls connect the space to the site’s past, while bold planting and defined pathways bring a sense of energy and purpose. The ruin is neither preserved nor concealed; it becomes a living part of the garden and a place for the family to escape, explore and gather.