Duchy Barn Garden

A once-unused space next to Chichele College has been transformed into a welcoming community garden, designed to attract wildlife and increase biodiversity.

Everyone is invited to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and connect with nature. Whether you fancy a stroll, or a sit-down to watch the birds and butterflies, there’s something here for everyone. 

Feel free to bring your friends and family along—it's the perfect spot for a friendly chat or a quiet moment of reflection.

A variety of groups, including The Gateway Club, Social Prescription users and the Carers Association, love spending time in the garden for their summer gatherings. 

With a welcoming barbecue and bar, plus seating, it’s a wonderful place to come together and share good times.

What the garden offers  …

The garden is easy to reach, just a short walk from the centre of town, and accessed via a gravel drive lined with cottage-style borders and a fruit, flower and vegetable plot at the rear.

• A garden bursting with life and colour, ideal for relaxing and meeting friends.

• Planting schemes are designed to welcome pollinators, and we’ve added a bug hotel to go alongside the recently discovered ancient bee boles.

• The garden is a favourite with many groups, including the Gateway Club, Social Prescription users, and the Carers Association—there’s always a warm welcome for everyone.

• A brilliant spot for tourism events, with plenty of seating and extra space to enjoy refreshments with friends old and new.

• Loads of educational opportunities, especially for those keen to discover nature and heritage — perfect for curious minds of all ages.

• Peaceful corners where anyone can take a breather and soak up the tranquillity.

• Easy access for disabled visitors, including a dedicated parking space, an accessible toilet, and baby changing facilities to make every visit hassle-free and enjoyable for all families.

A favourite ...

Our community garden is a real favourite with the Higham Gateway Club — a wonderful charity that supports adults with learning difficulties and proudly works alongside Mencap. 

Members love getting their hands dirty, looking after the raised beds, and creating cheerful bursts of colour with flowers from spring all the way to autumn.

It’s a welcoming space where everyone can join in, feel valued, and share in the joy of gardening together.

Find out more on YouTube

Don’t forget to check out our short films on YouTube —they’re a lovely way to see what makes our garden so special.

• The creation of the Duchy Barn Garden

• Excavations at the Duchy Barn Garden, Higham Ferrers by HiFARS

How the garden came about ...

Next to Chichele College, a set of barns were kindly made available for storage by the Duchy of Lancaster, which Higham Ferrers Tourism gets to use. 

This area was once an underused green space, holding plenty of potential for sharing the stories uncovered by archaeological digs. These digs, led by the Higham Ferrers Archaeological Research Society (HiFARS), revealed a charming section of cobbles believed to have been the hardstanding for stables and a yard previously used by shire horses many years ago. 

The site's history is closely linked to Chichele College, a Scheduled Monument of significant local interest.