Who We Are
We are a team. Together, we devote most of our waking hours keeping this wonderful place going and wherever possible improving things while we do. With all our farm tenants, local residents and volunteers we enjoy a vibrant and invested community to keep this little part of Northumberland as special as it has been for hundreds of years.
Louise
Louise has been our Coordinator for the last 4 years and runs the Estate Office. Apart from being staggeringly efficient, she rides motorcycles very fast and eats 1 egg on a Monday. She is the key contact for anyone wanting to come to Capheaton and will ensure that anything from a short stay to a full blown wedding runs smoothly.
Woodland Team
We are incredibly fortunate to have over 500 acres of woodland to manage at Capheaton. Extensively broadleaf amenity woodland, we also have some more commercial plantations that provide timber for fencing materials, gates and joinery all used on the place. The woodland team’s remit reaches far beyond woodland management as they also ensure that the Hall and ancillary buildings are fuelled with biomass, carry out all manner of repairs and maintenance around the Estate and ensure that our private water supply runs smoothly. Fergus and Rory are fundamental to how Capheaton looks and works.
Fergus
Fergus has been head woodsman at Capheaton for over 30 years. His knowledge of trees and their management is second to none. However, it is his capacity for sorting out everything from burst pipes, dry stone walls, fences and gates that makes him a crucial cog in the Capheaton wheel. He is ridiculously fit and runs everywhere, often representing England (veterans) in cross country. As if he hasn’t enough to do, he is a great all round countryman and first class trainer of working spaniels.
Alex
Alex joined has recently joined us.
The Gardens
Over the last Century Capheaton Hall has seen years of neglect whether through war or simply lack of money. Strangely the garden and particularly the kitchen garden has never been allowed to deteriorate to the extent that so many other walled gardens have suffered throughout England. Happily the last 40 years have seen the gardens at Capheaton go from strength to strength and a passion for gardening and producing our own vegetables continues to be a key focus for the home team. Jane Armstrong has done much to improve the garden in her limited time here and with Paul Cayzer helping in the grounds and our great team of volunteers anyone coming to Capheaton can enjoy an amazing spectacle and delicious produce.
Jane
Jane runs the garden. She has been at Capheaton for 7 years and the fruits of her labours are plain to see. A student of the Edinburgh Botanic gardens, she has an unrivalled knowledge of plants, trees and shrubs as well as being a highly successful grower of vegetables. She takes a huge interest in the history of all gardens, but especially the evolution of Capheaton throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. She has successfully recruited a number of volunteers who all love to help her in the garden and is deeply immersed in the local Church and Community. Despite her Christian faith, benevolence and generosity, she is murderous to any poor creature that threatens her garden.
Ryan
Ryan joined us in August 2021 as apprentice gardener to Jane Armstrong. He is a rare commodity as a 19 year old who is passionate about plants and particularly dahlias. A man of some stature he unfortunately bought a car that was smaller than him!