Major improvements (From Living Northeast)

Major improvements

4:30pm Thursday 24th June 2010 in

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As Gorst Hall prepares to open its gardens this summer, Ruth Addicott meets the owners and has a sneak peek at what’s in store.

GORST Hall is a far cry from a crumbling high rise tower block in South London, even if its residents do share the name of Trotter. But this isn’t Trotters Independent Traders, this is Major William Trotter and his affable wife, Virginia, who are more likely to stumble into a stag’s head than The Nag’s Head.

Although it’s positively palatial compared to Del Boy’s pad in Peckham, the Trotters are also coming to terms with downsizing, having moved from the nearby Deanery with a dining room that could comfortably seat 18, to one that can only seat eight.

What they lack in size, they make up for in comfort, however. As the Major rightly puts it: “It’s cosy, but has a very nice garden.”

While the Trotters have only lived there six years, Gorst Hall, i n the County Durham village of Staindrop, dates from 1715. It was previously owned by Major Trotter’s mother, who bought it as a dower house in 1949 (a snip at £18,000, according to the Major), but after her death, 12 years ago, it was rented out to tenants.

The Trotters were living across the fields at the Deanery at the time, which has belonged to the Trotter family since 1640. The Major was just 14 when he moved there in 1940, but as the years rolled on, it became harder and harder to manage. The Trotters handed it over to their son, James, six years ago and moved into Gorst Hall.

It’s taken a while – they replaced the curtains, repainted the walls and had to find space for the family heirlooms – but now everything is in place, and the garden is in full bloom, it finally feels like home.

The Trotters share the house with their lovely labrador Guinea. They’ve been breeding labradors since 1970, but this, it seems could be the last. “The first was Penny, the last is Guinea. I’m not going into the Euro,” booms the Major, suppressing a smile.

We’re here today, though, to look at the garden, where the gates will be thrown open this month for visitors to sit back and enjoy a cream tea.

The garden was first opened to the public two years ago and “people piled in”, according to Virginia. “We have got a very exceptional Queen Anne wall,” she says.

It is ablaze with colour during summer with rose beds, poppies, daffodils, tulips, azaleas, rhododendrons and lilac trees at every angle.

The fruit and vegetable garden is another attraction, boasting everything from fresh strawberries and blackcurrants to cucumbers, asparagus and plums, and in the centre sits a magnificent apple tree. “I’m keen to plant a cherry tree but am being fought,” says Virginia, waving her stick in the direction of the Major.

She points out a small plant halfway down the lawn and a plaque that reads: ‘Willie… from Anne and Robin Pease 4-9-04’.

“Last time we opened the garden a lady came up to me and said, ‘Tell me, Mrs Trotter, is your husband buried under there?’ I had to tell her he was very much alive and it was a present for his 75th birthday,” she says, somewhat amused.

A little further down, there’s a sundial which was given to the late Mrs Trotter for her 90th birthday, and a wooden arbour.

“The children thought their father wouldn’t be able to walk down the garden without having a rest half way,” whispers Virginia. “And it’s true. I saw him sitting there only the other day.”

The garden has played host to several big events, including a Conservative Constituency Party and Virginia’s 70th birthday which saw 80 guests last June.

They are gearing up for another celebration in August for their golden wedding anniversary.

The Trotters have tried to create the same feel as the Deanery inside the house. They brought as much furniture as they could physically fit and painted the dining room pillar box red to match the napkins and rug.

The house itself is deceptively large with an entrance hall, kitchen, drawing room and dining room downstairs, a sitting room, two double bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs, and a double room and bunk room in the attic where the grand-children sleep when they come to stay.

“I hated leaving the deanery because the house was my home for many years,” admits the Major. “But this is cosy.”

“People often say it has the same feel of the old house,” adds Virginia.

The rooms are full of impressive paintings and photographs – from smiley snaps of the grand-children to more solemn portraits of generations past. The dining room even has a huge framed portrait of the Major in his prime (given to Virginia as a wedding gift by her mother-in-law).

“You can go back eight generations with these bloody portraits,” sighs the Major. “We left most of them at the Deanery.”

The dining room also boasts some interesting pieces, including an antique sideboard dating back to 1790, a mahogany Georgian dining table and a beautiful old grandfather clock made by Richardson’s in Darlington.

It is the kitchen though, with its huge window looking out on the village green, which is Virginia’s favourite spot in the house.

“What I love about it is you could never be lonely,” she says. “The children wave to me as they go past on their way to school and you can just sit here looking out while the world goes on around you.”

Virginia has virtually kept the kitchen as it was, including the original Aga from 1949.

Like other rooms, the kitchen notice-board is also littered with photos, including one of Virginia meeting Prince Charles, and her husband with former Prime Minister John Major.

“We have a picture of Mrs T somewhere,” she says, flipping up the photos to find it buried underneath. “Dennis always walked behind and it was Willie’s job to make sure he always had a G&T in his hand.”

Being Conservative stalwarts, the Trotters have led extremely active lives – Virginia with her charity work, and the Major as Staindrop Parish Councillor and Church Warden for many years.

For now, however, they are happy taking more of a back seat, pottering around the garden and looking after the grand-children and the brood of labradors.

Virginia has huge affection for Staindrop and its locals, some of whom called around with cake while she was recovering from a back operation and two hip replacements.

“I love the space and the openness and the people,” she says. “They have been so kind.”

■ The gardens of Gorst Hall, 12 South Green, Staindrop, DL2 3LD, are open on Sunday, July 4, from 2-5pm. Visitors will also have access to Passcott House next door.