Doddington Hall

Thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, we have a range of award-winning special facilities for disabled visitors to Doddington. In 2005 we were awarded a North Kesteven Access Award, and in 2008 we were given a Bronze Award in the East Midlands Tourism Awards for Access for All.

We recommend that you contact us to discuss your needs with a member of our staff before your visit on 01522 694 308.

Useful information:

Entrance and Admission Fee. The entrance to the Hall and Gardens is through the Gatehouse shop but if the door isn't wide enough for your wheelchair, we will open the big gates.

Parking. There is disabled parking right outside the Gatehouse and the Farm Shop.

2 for 1 entrance for wheelchair user and carer. (See planning your visit for more details).

Toilets. We have full disabled facilities in the Hall, the Gardens and in the Farm Shop.

Facilities for wheelchair users:

Exploring outside!

There are five acres of gardens at Doddington Hall. Most of the gardens can be explored by wheelchair. There is a mixture of grass paths and gravel paths. In some places when the weather has been wet, the grass paths can be a little slippery or muddy.

* We have provided a series of ramps and graded slopes to assist you in negotiating steps and changes of levels but please take care as there are still uneven places to negotiate. (The ramp at the front of the Hall is designed to be used with assistance - please ask a member of staff).

* We will provide you with a free map which indicates routes that avoid steps and narrow bridges etc.

* You will find benches throughout the Garden where your companions may rest.

* There is an electric buggy for use, free, by disabled visitors. This is bookable in advance by calling the office on 01522 694 308.

Exploring inside!

Whilst the stairs make the upper floors inaccessible for wheelchair users, we have provided a variety of special facilities for disabled visitors:

* Really entertaining audio-guide with past inhabitants to guide you around the house.

* Beautiful panoramic virtual tour of upper floors with sound and text on a computer with a choice of mouse to suit your needs.

* Large photographs and descriptions of the upper floors for those who prefer a book-format to a computer.

* Specially trained staff to make your visit comfortable and enjoyable.

Facilities for Visually Impaired Visitors:

Heritage Lottery funded work with visually impaired volunteers has shown us that there is a huge amount for visually impaired visitors to enjoy at Doddington; we have created sensory tours of the House and Gardens which have accompanying tactile diagrams and plans to help you get the most from your visit.

These are designed to be used with a sighted companion; alternatively we can provide a volunteer to accompany you around the Hall and or Gardens but you need to book in advance by calling the office on 01522 694 308.

The sensory tour of the gardens includes:

* Feeling the rough walls, crisp topiary, and huge gateway of the East Front Courtyard.

* Smelling, tasting and feeling herbs in the Herb Garden.

* Hearing the different sounds in the enclosed Walled Garden and the more open wild garden with its birds, tall trees and wind.

* Tactile plans of the house, the formal west garden and the turf maze.

* Feeling some huge trees and a variety of barks and leaves.

* Smelling whatever plants and flowers are in season.

* Feeling the statue of Hebe and the stone pillars of the Temple of the Winds.

* Walking on smooth lawns, gravel paths, paving stones, longer grass, pine-needles.

* Explore the turf maze on foot or use your fingers to find your way using the tactile diagram.

The sensory tour of the House, is designed to be used with the help of a companion or one of our trained staff. It is printed in a folder in large type and will help you:

* Feel tactile diagrams of the house's layout and facade

* Visualise all the rooms with its clear descriptions.

* Find special objects to feel around the house such as carved furniture, antique leather books, embossed. ceramics, polished wooden walls, plasterwork, ornate picture frames, textiles and wall paper.

* Smell the polished furniture, the smoky fireplaces, the exotic tented room.

* Hear the echoes in the huge Long Gallery, and the muffled sounds in the tapestry covered Holly Bedroom.

We also have a wonderful audio tour which you can use with the sensory tour. Sir John Delaval and his wild brother Francis will guide you around the house, telling you stories from their time at Doddington. The tour will bring the rooms to life and you can imagine what it was like in the past. Please click here for a sample of the audio tour.

Special Educational Needs

* We have a special version of our audio-guide for visitors with special educational needs.
* Try the Unicorn Quest activity sheet for younger SEN visitors - it is full of stories and things to find, there are stamps to collect and a prize for every visitor.

Feedback

We like getting feedback and suggestions from all our visitors, so please use our suggestions box at Doddington or email us.

	01522 694308 info@doddingtonhall.com
	Explore our Gardens in Spring with Head Gardener Jon on 24 March Full article > Click here to view our latest newsletter