James Lye 120 Weekend – Clyffe Hall Garden Visit Ballot

Guided Tour of the Walled Garden at Clyffe Hall

Hidden behind high brick walls and normally closed to the public, the walled garden at Clyffe Hall offers a rare opportunity to explore the working heart of a Victorian country estate. Although little survives from James Lye’s time, the garden still reveals much about the structures, microclimates and practices that shaped the daily work of a professional gardener in the late nineteenth century.

This special guided tour introduces visitors to the spaces where James Lye once worked and explains how a Victorian walled garden functioned from its productive layout and glasshouse ranges to its heat‑retaining walls, working areas and connections to the wider estate. Along the way, key points of interest will be highlighted to illustrate how such gardens supported year‑round cultivation, experimentation and estate self‑sufficiency.

There is a small £5.00 charge for the garden visit, with all proceeds going directly to Market Lavington Museum. If your ballot entry is successful, your confirmation email will include simple instructions on how to make payment.

Why a Ballot?

The walled garden at Clyffe Hall is part of a private estate and is not normally accessible to the public. For this special weekend it is being opened by kind permission of the owners. Numbers must remain strictly limited to ensure an enjoyable, informative visit within a working garden environment and to protect the historic site.

As demand is expected to exceed the number of available places, a ballot system ensures that everyone has an equal chance to attend, regardless of when they hear about the event or submit their entry. Successful applicants will be notified one week before the tour.

Ballot for Tickets

As the walled garden is not normally open to the public and capacity is extremely limited, places for this tour will be allocated via ballot.

Successful applicants will be notified no later than one week before the event.

To enter the ballot, please complete the form below.

Ballot Entry Form

Clyffe Hall Garden Ballot

Name

First Name

Last Name

Number of People in Your Party

Do you have any accessibility requirements or mobility considerations?

The walled garden is a historic space with uneven ground and some narrow paths. If there is anything we can do to support your visit, please let us know.

First Part of Your Postcode

e.g., NR2, SN10 — helps us understand where visitors are travelling from.

How Did You Hear About This Event?

Ballot Acknowledgement

I understand that submitting this form does not guarantee a place on the tour.

Notification Timing

I understand that successful applicants will be notified no later than one week before the event, and may be informed earlier if possible.

Data Use Consent

By submitting this form, I consent to my details being used solely for administering this ballot and, if selected, for contacting me about the tour. I understand that my information will be accessed only by Harper & Debbage and Market Lavington Museum, as the joint organisers of this event, and will not be used for any other purpose. All personal, identifiable data (such as my name and email) will be deleted shortly after the event. Non‑identifiable information such as attendance numbers, postcode areas, and how people heard about the event may be retained to help improve future events. My information will not be used for marketing unless I choose to sign up separately to either organisation’s mailing list.

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A Special Moment in the James Lye 120 Weekend

This guided tour forms the concluding event of the James Lye 120 commemorations and an opportunity to stand where James Lye once worked, reflect on his legacy and experience the garden that shaped his remarkable horticultural career.

Data Use and Privacy

Your information will be used only for administering this ballot and for contacting you about the tour, including any last‑minute changes and a reminder before the event. Your details will be accessed only by Harper & Debbage and Market Lavington Museum, as the joint administrators of the James Lye 120 Weekend ballot, and will not be used for any other purpose.

All personal, identifiable data will be deleted shortly after the event. Non‑identifiable information, such as attendance numbers, postcode areas, and how people heard about the event and may be retained to help improve future events. Your information will not be used for marketing unless you choose to sign up separately to either organisation’s mailing list.