Other things to see
Although Stow Bardolph is a very small village, with a population of about 60, we have lots going on in our beautiful historic area. If you fancy packing more into your day at the gardens we recommend visiting these places…
Church Farm Rare Breeds Centre
This Rare Breed Farm Park was opened in 2004 and has got a great reputation for providing a fun family day out. There is a gigantic indoor tree house, with play areas for all ages including young babies. The cafe serves lunches and scrummy cakes, all homemade at the farm. The animals are obviously the star attraction with pigs, sheep, goats, horses, alpacas, rats, rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens! The famous Pig Racing is on for the whole summer holidays and at weekends (check website for details). There are always fun activities on throughout the year as well.
The Hare Arms Pub
The pub is the heart of the village and offers comforting pub classics with a refreshing selection of drinks. It has a roaring fire in the main bar and so is the perfect place to cosy up on a cold winter’s day. There is a large beer garden at the back and there are always a few peacocks wandering around.
Holy Trinity Church
The village church is a peaceful place to sit and enjoy some quiet time. It has many historical monuments in the Hare Chapel of the Hare family over the years. There is also a wax effigy of the late Sarah Hare in a wooden cabinet near the door of the Hare Chapel. Open the cabinet door and prepare to be amazed and slightly shocked by this rather ghoulish-looking lady! It is the only example of a wax effigy outside Westminster Abbey. The church has been mentioned in many books about historical churches and is worth a visit.
The Alms House
The row of decorative Alms houses, just at the gate of Stow Hall Gardens, was built in the 1600s by Sir Ralph Hare. Originally there were 6 very small one-room cottages, but they have since been converted into 3, with a small extension at the back housing a kitchen and bathroom.