Join us in the Gardens on Saturday 18th July for some exciting and thrilling full contact combat sport in clanking armour.

Birmingham Medieval Combat are a martial arts sports team basing their activities on the foot combat tournaments of the 14-15th Century, similar to Jousts.

On this day they will be treating us to some skillful duels and noisy group battles – all unscripted ‘ouch’- in the Gardens.

Across the day there will be plenty of opportunities to talk and ask questions of the combattants, to learn about theior skills and techniques and to understand the growing popularity of this modern version of the ancient sport.

Likely shape of the day –  subject to change

• 11am – Duels and Weapons Combat demonstration
• 11.30 -1pm – Prebookable Adult Beginners Class (10 spaces only) BOOK HERE
• 1.30pm – Armoured martial arts and group battle
• 3pm – Group battle and …… eek free for all skirmish

The BMC team will be onsite all day offering adhoc fights,  answering questions and showcasing their weapons and equipment.

No need to book for the event day –

Normal Entry Fees to the Gardens apply

£5-£6.60 See main website page 

Cafe open… come and picnic.. if you dare

Suitable for all ages to watch – but please note these are noisy and unscripted fights

The post Medieval Combat – watch, cheer, learn: A Demonstration Battle Day appeared first on Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens.

Castle Bromwich Hall and Gardens represent a rare example of a 17th century Jacobean country house, complete with its original garden setting and parkland. Situated only five miles from Birmingham City centre, the hall is now in private ownership, but 40 acres of historic garden and the parkland are managed by Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens Trust. The site contains a mosaic of habitats including formal gardens, orchards, woodland, wetlands and grasslands making it ideal for all year round foraging!

Our Foraging Courses begin with a short introduction to Wild Food UK, what to expect from your day and a brief summary of the general countryside codes, including our Foraging Code.

Heading off at a leisurely pace, your instructor will teach you how to safely identify the different species of edible and poisonous plants and mushrooms that you discover. This exploration will take about 2.5hrs, during which we’ll take a break for a homemade refreshment, such as our Hogweed & Wild Garlic Soup or Elderflower Champagne!

Then it’s back to the meeting point for a tasty wild food meal. This will include a selection of foraged homemade treats created by your instructor, and a dish made with what we have collected during the walk.

All of our food is seasonal, so what you are served depends on what is growing at that time of year. In Spring we will be making use of the fresh wild greens and in Autumn, the array of tasty wild mushrooms that the area has to offer.

You will receive a comprehensive set of Wild Food UK ‘Course Notes’ a few days after your course. This email will contain links and articles relating to the plants and mushrooms we discovered or discussed during the day.

Dates

• Friday 24th April (12-3.30pm)
• Sunday 10th May (12.3.30pm)
• Saturday 11th July (10am- 1.30)
• Sunday 16th Aug  (12-3.30pm)

Castle Bromwich Hall and Gardens has free parking, a courtyard cafe and toilet facilities. There is usually a charge to enter the gardens, but if you are attending a course with us we will cover the cost. 

Discover more about this Historical Landmark: Castle Bromwich Hall and Gardens

N.B. Please be aware of the possibility that you will also cover Steep slopes, rough woodland on this course.

Tickets here

The post WildFoodUK Foraging Course appeared first on Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens.

Yogi Claire will lead you in this unique yoga class is suitable for all levels, with a focus on relaxation and mindfulness.

Gentle, flowing sequences and restorative Yin yoga postures will be fused together, along with meditation, breath work, poetry, seasonal anecdotes and guided relaxation to help you feel balanced, grounded and rejuvenated.

Where exactly in the Gardens we practice is weather dependent. If it is warm and sunny we can practice amongst the trees and flowers. If the weather is less agreeable, we have the option to retreat under a canopy, protecting us from the elements, while still allowing us to enjoy the scenic gardens.

Book directly with Claire  – click each date below

Sunday June 14th   10am

Friday June 19th 6.30pm

Please arrive at least 10 minutes early to check in and set up your mat so the class…

The post Yoga for Midsummer appeared first on Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens.

Yogi Claire will lead you in this unique yoga class is suitable for all levels, with a focus on relaxation and mindfulness.

Gentle, flowing sequences and restorative Yin yoga postures will be fused together, along with meditation, breath work, poetry, seasonal anecdotes and guided relaxation to help you feel balanced, grounded and rejuvenated.

Where exactly in the Gardens we practice is weather dependent. If it is warm and sunny we can practice amongst the trees and flowers. If the weather is less agreeable, we have the option to retreat under a canopy, protecting us from the elements, while still allowing us to enjoy the scenic gardens.

Book directly with Claire  – click each date below

Sunday June 14th   10am

Friday June 19th 6.30pm

Please arrive at least 10 minutes early to check in and set up your mat so the class…

The post Yoga for Midsummer appeared first on Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens.

Having ‘adopted’ local naturalist and artist Edith Holden as our guide and inspiration, we invite all visitors to have a go at capturing a bit of Spring on paper.

There will be paper and drawing materials available to use and you are welcome to bring your own. 

No pressure, no judgement…. just observe and enjoy.

Across the day, Edith Holden enthusiast and collector,  Rachel Smith- Chopra, will be on hand to share her experiences and knowledge of  Edith Holden’s travels around Birmingham and Solihull.

individuals, families, groups… all welcome.

All materials and activities free with Normal Gardens Entrance Fee. No need to book.

The post Pictures of Spring – drawing inspiration from Edith Holden appeared first on Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens.

A bit like pantomime, ‘Mummers’ plays are gentle knock about folk plays tradtionally played at christmas, new year and easter.

Brummagem Mummers are thrilled to make their return to the Gardens to bring their own take on mumming, in this short Easter themed play that is suitable for all ages.

Free performances (about 20mins) in the Courtyard at 12 and 1.30 ish …

Robin Hood and Little John battle with Fred the Fly Tipper, who not only is dumping rubbish all over our countryside but is now trying to steal the King’s deer from Sherwood Forest.  

Join Brummagem Morris in their off-beat, hysterical, modern, interpretation of a traditional mummers play.  

Cringe at the terrible gags. 

Meet Dobbin the horse and Jolly Jack the sailor (what’s he doing in Sherwood?)  

See what wonderous cures the Doctor can pull out of his bag to resuscitate the fallen characters.

Laugh at the terrible rhyming poetry and groan at the awful puns. 

Fun for all the family.

The post Mummers for Easter Monday appeared first on Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens.

The holidays are early this year,  all the better for getting out into the open air, exploring nature and having fun outdoors.

The Gardens are open every day , seven days a week during the Easter holidays, Saturday 28^th March to – Sunday 12th April 2026, 10.30 -4.30pm

OpenAir Cafe open every day.

And of course  there are also Easter Egg Hunts

There are rabbit families around the Gardens. Can you find them all?!   Hop, skip and jump along the way… Eggs-plore the beautiful Gardens and discover Nature on a self-guided family hunt.

Solve the trail questions and pop back to the entrance for your Easter eggy treat!

• No need to book, just turn
• Age: All ages
• Cost: Normal entry fees apply for adults,
• Cost : All children over 2yrs old – £4 (includes trail and egg reward for each child.) Trail reward includes a choice of Cadbury Creme eggs, Skittles or Chocolate Bunnies

The post Easter at the Gardens 28th March-12th April appeared first on Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens.

Today we’re celebrating two particular women; Edith Holden and Anna Atkins.

Edith Holden 1871 – 1920 , was born in Birmingham and is best known as an illustrator of the natural world. Although having a modicum of success in her lifetime, her star rose much higher in the 1970s and 80s with the re-publication of her charming and accomplished nature notebooks. The books including Nature Notes  and the Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady sold in their thousands. The notebooks chronical her walks and cycling trips around Birmingham, Solihull and Warwickshire. We think they’re all worth looking at again.

On Saturday 5^th April we will be doing just that.

Join us for a whole day remembering and rediscovering her work starting with an introduction by enthusiast Rachel SmithChopra. It’s not only listening but also doing! In keeping with our habit in Gardens, it’s a day of practical creation too.

Be inspired by the nature around us in the Gardens and take up a pencil, crayon or brush… all materials supplied… or bring your own.

On Saturday 5^th April, we’ll also be exploring  and celebrating Anna Atkins 1799 – 1871.

Although not local, Atkins was a pioneer botanist and photographer. She produced what is known as the first photographic illustrated book, Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions, in 1843. Atkins was a talented illustrator but wanted to find a more accurate way to depict the structure of a plant.

Her passion for botany along with the discovery of cyanotypes meant that over the span of 10 years she was able to create 3 volumes of work, representing a key step in the history of scientific illustration.

Visitors on 5^th April will also have the opportunity to make cyanotypes (‘sun printing’) with local artist Jake Lever, who has been experimenting with this technique.

See here for more about the day

And those other women connected with the Gardens?

Many, many of them!

Including all the volunteers and staff (80% women!) who keep the Gardens going and do such a good job of welcoming visitors. All the gardeners, historians, rangers, café, events, marketing , admin and office piskies, faeries and genii weaving the magic.

And here are three more names…all powerful women who have been key to the Gardens.

Lady Ida Bridgeman, Countess of Bradford (‘Lady Brad’),1848-1936, the last family resident of the Hall, who made sure the Gardens were used and not lost.

Lady Mary Bridgeman (1641- 1713), who probably had more influence over the development of the Gardens than is usually credited… a great subject for a PhD researcher.

Anne Kenrick MBE  (1923 – 2020), first Chairman of the Gardens Trust and force of, and for, nature.

The post International Womens Day 2025 appeared first on Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens.

Growing and Outdoor Wellbeing activities starting in March

Get Started Growing

A no hassle series of workshops to help you feel confident growing your own plants

Book here

Eco Gym

These sessions for members of the local community to get involved in conservation. 

Want to stay in shape? Make new friends? Improve your wellbeing? Give something back to nature?

Here’s your answer! A free nature based volunteering session. Get moving with a variety of tasks that will give your local green space a helping hand. Meet new people who share a passion for being outdoors and staying active.

Soak up the benefits that fresh air and green space have on our mental health. We meet regularly to carry out seasonal conservation tasks, with a mixture of gentle and more strenuous activities depending on your energy levels.

Book here

Forest School

Every Saturday morning.. Pre booking essential

Forest school is a child centred outdoor learning experience which encourages holistic growth and development in the outdoors for children & adults.

Play, controlled risk and nature exploration are key to the process.

Each session will be 2 hours long and will contain opportunities for families to take part in an array of activities from den building, fire lighting, slack lining, storytelling, free play and much more.

Book here 

Want to be a regular Gardening volunteer …  click here to register your interest  Volunteering

The post Active Conservation and Growing at the Gardens appeared first on Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens.

Every Day you can …welly wang… make pinecone birdfeeders… make a noise and explore why Percy the ParkKeeper’s shed is full of animals. Half Term fun from 16th – 26th, No need to book £5 adults £2 for children 3years+ #halfterm #schoolholidays #outdoorfun

Of course you can just come for a walk too (the Snowdrops are looking particularly lovely) and to have a cup of something at our outdoor courtyard Cafe.

As well as our 10 acre historic formal gardens dont forget to visit, explore and follow the Nature Trail on the adjoining Historic Parkland (free to use)

The post February Half Term 2023 appeared first on Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens.