Skip To Main Content

  • Accommodation
    • Don't Miss
      • City Breaks
      • Spa Breaks
      • Dog Friendly
      • Stunning Stays
    • Hotels
    • B&B and Guest Houses
    • Inns & Pubs
    • Self Catering & Holiday Cottages
      • Self Catering Agencies
    • Caravan, Camping & Glamping
    • Hostels
    • Accessible Accommodation
  • Things to Do
    • Don't Miss
      • Beamish Museum
      • Bowlees Visitor Centre
      • Crook Hall Gardens
      • Dalton Park Outlet Shopping Centre
      • Durham Castle Tours
      • Durham Cathedral
      • Durham University Botanic Garden
      • Durham University Oriental Museum
      • Hamsterley Forest
      • Hardwick Park
      • High Force
      • Kynren- An epic Tale of England
      • Locomotion
      • Palace Green Library
      • Raby Castle
      • The Auckland Project
      • The Bowes Museum
      • Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels and Gardens
      • Wharton Park
    • Attractions
      • Castles & Historic Houses
      • Cathedral & Churches
      • Hands on History
      • Gardens & Parks
      • Family Fun
      • Museums & Galleries
      • Waterfalls & Reservoirs
    • Activities
      • Adventure Activities
      • Cycling
      • Family Fun Activities
      • Festival & Events Organisers
      • Fishing
      • Golf
      • Horse Riding
      • Spas
      • Walking
    • Entertainment
      • Cinema
      • Theatre
    • Shopping
      • Antiques
      • Arts & Crafts
      • Farm Shops & Markets
      • Garden Centres
      • Only in Durham
      • Independent Shops & Boutiques
      • Shopping Centres
    • Sightseeing, Tours & Guides
      • Attraction Tours
      • Tour Guides
      • Scenic Tours
      • Cycling Tours
      • Walking Tours
      • Durham City Guide - Churches, Chapels and Cafes
    • Weddings
      • Historic Wedding Venues
      • Hotel Wedding Venues
      • Wedding Fairs & Events
      • Stag & Hen Party Ideas
      • Wedding Packages
  • What's On
    • What's on this Week
    • Family Events
      • May Half Term Events
      • Free Events
    • 2025 Unmissable Events
    • VE Day Events
    • Cinema, Theatre & Music Events
      • Cinema Venues
      • Theatre Venues
    • Sports
    • Dark Skies Events
    • Food & Drink
    • Exhibitions
  • Food & Drink
    • Don't Miss
      • Cafe Bowes at The Bowes Museum
      • Collage Restaurant and Grill
      • Eating Out at Ushaw
      • Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill
      • Ozone at Seaham Hall
      • The Dining Room
      • Undercroft Restaurant
    • Restaurants
    • Tearooms & Coffee Shops
    • Pubs & Bars
    • Get a Taste of Durham
    • Afternoon Tea in Durham
  • Inspire Me
    • Don't Miss
      • Auckland Palace
      • Beamish Museum
      • Dalton Park
      • Durham Cathedral
      • Hamsterley Forest
      • High Force
      • Killhope
      • Kynren – an epic tale of England
      • North Pennines National Landscape
    • Short Break Ideas
      • Dark Skies
      • Dog Friendly Durham
      • Romantic Getaways
      • Spa Breaks
      • Golf Breaks
      • Weddings
      • City Break
    • Seasonal
      • Spring Breaks
      • Summer Breaks
      • Autumn Breaks
      • Winter Breaks
    • Budget-Friendly Days Out in Durham
    • Explore From Your Door
    • Discover Durham's Great Outdoors
    • Discover Wellness in Durham
    • Only in Durham
    • Delve Into Our Heritage
    • Durham's Unmissable Highlights
    • Itineraries
    • Durham Videos
  • Explore Durham
    • Durham City
    • Durham Dales
    • Vale of Durham
    • Durham Coast
    • Durham Towns
      • Barnard Castle
      • Bishop Auckland
      • Chester-le-Street
      • Seaham
      • Stanhope
    • North Pennines National Landscape
    • North East England
  • Visitor Information
    • Information Points
    • Maps of Durham
    • Getting to Durham
    • Getting Around Durham
      • Car Hire
      • Taxis
      • Electric Car Charging Points
    • Accessible Durham
    • Sustainable and Responsible Tourism in Durham
    • Publications
    • Durham Apps
    • Discover Durham Digitally

Don't Miss

  • A couple walking in the Durham Dales

    Walking in Durham

  • children playing in Hamsterley Forest

    May Half Term Events

  • A couple at High Force waterfall

    Next Stop, Durham

  • Seaham summer beach holiday fun

    Summer Breaks

  • Corporate
  • Groups & Travel Trade
  • Durham Story
  • Meet in Durham
  • Northern Saints
A German Flag
Menu
  • Top Attractions

  • Places To Stay

  • Things to Do

    Things to Do in Durham

  • Planning Your Trip

    Planning Your Trip

  • Inspire Me

Site Search Icon
My Account icon

Login to your account

Welcome to the Itinerary Planner. Use this tool to build your own journey or choose from an exciting range of specially selected tours.

To build your own Itinerary, click Add to Excursion to add an item to your Itinerary basket.

List All My Saved Itineraries

  • Logo
  • Print Logo
Close Navigation

Follow Us...

  • Facebook

    Thumbnail for Facebook

  • Twitter

    Thumbnail for Twitter

  • YouTube

    YouTube Icon

  • Instagram

    Instagram

  • Blog

    This is Durham Blog

You are here > Home > Things to Do > Crook Hall Gardens

Crook Hall Gardens

From £4.00
Sidegate
Durham City
County Durham
DH1 5SZ

Tel: +44 0191 383 1832

Email

Visit Website

Add Crook Hall Gardens to your Itinerary

Crook Hall Gardens
  • Crook Hall Gardens
  • Crook Hall Gardens
  • Flowers in the gardens at Crook Hall and Gardens
  • Image of the gardens
  • The Moat Pool at Crook Hall Gardens
  • The maze at Crook Hall Gardens

About

The National Trust took ownership of the Grade I listed medieval hall and gardens on 28 March 2022, following a period of closure since July 2020.

The medieval hall merges into a Jacobean manor house, which in turn merges into a Georgian town house, reflecting its development over the centuries. The Hall provides a spectacular backdrop to the stunning 10-acre gardens, paddock and fields, alongside magnificent views over Durham city.

Intriguing paths lead you through a series of interlinked gardens, each with its own character. Discover blooming borders, secluded walled gardens, an orchard and a tranquil moat pool. Sheltered spots tempt you to sit a while and soak up your surroundings. The gardens are a haven for wildlife, alive with bees and butterflies collecting nectar from flowers, ducks and moorhens on the pond and songbirds in the trees. Views of Durham Cathedral are a reminder that this green oasis is close to the heart of the city.

A significant number of families have lived in the medieval manor house of Crook Hall over the centuries, including original owner Peter Del Croke, who gave the hall its name. The building has a very rich history and its timeline is littered with amazing characters, from medieval knights and romantic poets to infamous ghosts and ale merchants.

It was more recently owned by the Bell family, from 1995. They opened their home and gardens to visitors, expanding the offer to create a new entrance welcome area, café, and maze.

Planning your visit

Crook Hall Gardens is open daily 10am-5pm until 5th November, then 10am-4pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday until 17 December.

Follow signs for the National Trust car park off Frankland Lane. Parking is free for National Trust members, please scan your membership card. There is a charge of £3 for up to 3 hours for all other visitors. Blue badge spaces are available.

Please note the medieval hall is the only part of Crook Hall itself open to visitors.

The Garden Gate Café serves hot and cold drinks, light bites and cakes to eat in or take away. Open 10am – 5pm. Free admission.

An accessible toilet with baby changing facilities can be found in the café.

Parts of the gardens can be accessed in a wheelchair. There is level access from the car park; from there access to the main garden area is via an incline. Winding, narrow or uneven paths make some areas inaccessible to wheelchair users.

Dogs on short leads are welcome at Crook Hall Gardens, including in the café. Assistance dogs only in the medieval hall.

Book Tickets

Prices

Ticket TypeTicket Tariff
Adult£8.00 per ticket type
Child£4.00 per ticket type
Family (1 adult)£12.00 per ticket type
Family (Standard)£20.00 per ticket type

National Trust members are free.
Group Tickets (minimum 15 people): 5% discount on standard Adult and Child prices (paying as one group, pre booking required). Free admission for Tour Guides accompanying groups.
As an RHS partner garden, free admission is given to RHS individual members and 1 member on a joint membership.
Please note the medieval hall is the only part of Crook Hall itself open to visitors.

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating:

4.6 of 5 stars
1043 reviews
    • Excellent
      742
    • Very Good
      222
    • Average
      56
    • Poor
      12
    • Terrible
      11

    Recent Reviews:

    • nmaidwell123
      Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
      Lovely gardens to explore
      5 of 5 stars
      Monday, 28th April 2025
      A stunning garden with s vast variety of plants and trees to enjoy. Plenty of lovely spots to sit and enjoy the flowers and pond areas. The blossom and lilac was very impressive during our visit and... Read full review
    • Blake W
      Durham, United Kingdom
      Trip Type:
      Family
      Very beautiful
      4 of 5 stars
      Tuesday, 6th May 2025
      The site is smaller than other national trust sites but entry is also not as expensive, the car park is limited and as such you may end up parking on the street outside and therefore having to pay... Read full review
    • aurioleb68
      Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
      Disappointed
      3 of 5 stars
      Wednesday, 7th May 2025
      We were disappointed as the hall was not fully open. We thought this should have been mentioned when we bought the tickets. The gardens are not easy to navigate if you have difficulty walking. Read full review
    Write a review
    © TripAdvisor 2025

    Access Information

    Opening Times

    2025 (15 Feb 2025 - 20 Dec 2025)

    * July-October last admission: 4pm
    November-December last admission: 3pm

    Map & Directions

    Map Link

    View Map

    Road Directions

    Nearest major road is A1(M).

    From the A1(M) junction 62, take the A690 into Durham City Centre. At the Gilesgate roundabout take the 2nd exit and follow the road straight over Milburngate Bridge. Take the first left at the end of the bridge and 1st left again. The River Wear will now be in front of you, follow the road round and the river will be on your right hand side. Follow the riverside along, passed the Radisson Blu Hotel and the main entrance to Crook Hall and Gardens is 500 metres further along. Our Garden Gate Cafe is the big wooden building at the entrance to the Crook Hall pay and display car park.

    Public Transport Directions

    Nearest station is Durham Station. From the station road walk down North Road past the bus station to The Gates Shopping Centre. Follow the road down to the riverside, and Crook Hall is signposted from there.

    Highlights...

    Durham CityDurham City, Durham CityA beautiful city with winding cobbled streets packed with history, culture and stunning architecture. Guarded by the River Wear, Durham City with its dramatic skyline never fails to impress.

    A barn roof The Garden Gate Café at Crook Hall GardensThe Garden Gate Café at Crook Hall Gardens, Durham CityDine in or takeaway, we're serving hot and cold drinks, light bites and cakes. There's no need to pay admission to the gardens if you're only visiting the café, so you can drop in to enjoy a tasty treat anytime.

    What's Nearby

    1. St Nicolas Church

      St Nicholas Church

      The Church in the Marketplace of Durham City.

      0.32 miles away
    2. external image of Durham Town Hall

      Durham Town Hall

      The Town Hall has been central to life in Durham city for more than 650 years.  Learn…

      0.34 miles away
    3. Bertie's Play Village at Prince Bishops Place

      Bertie's Play Village

      Bertie's Play Village is a children’s stay-and-play facility that offers children,…

      0.37 miles away
    1. coached sports session Durham city Wharton park family fun

      Wharton Park

      This VisitEngland accredited attraction Wharton Park commands spectacular views across…

      0.38 miles away
    2. Prince Bishop River Cruiser and Browns Rowing Boats

      Prince Bishop River Cruiser and Browns Rowing Boats

      The Prince Bishop River Cruiser offers cruises with spectacular views of historic Durham…

      0.39 miles away
    3. YuMe World Durham

      YuMe World Durham

      Get ready for an extraordinary arcade experience at YuMe World Durham.

      0.4 miles away
    4. The Courtyard and Keep of Durham Castle,

      Durham Castle

      Durham Castle is part of the Durham City World Heritage Site. Entrance by guided tour…

      0.45 miles away
    5. Romans on display in the Museum of Archaeology

      Museum of Archaeology at Palace Green Library

      Much of Durham’s history lies beneath our feet. Sometimes we can catch a glimpse of the…

      0.5 miles away
    6. St Giles Church Durham City

      St Giles Church

      St. Giles’ has been a place for people to meet and worship for over 900 years.…

      0.51 miles away
    7. Image of Palace Green Library's exterior on a sunny day.

      Historic Libraries & Archives at Palace Green Library

      Over almost two centuries since Durham University was founded, our library and archive…

      0.51 miles away
    8. A couple looking at exhibitions inside Durham Cathedral Museum

      Durham Cathedral Museum

      Explore 2000 years of the North East’s history, culture and faith at Durham Cathedral…

      0.58 miles away
    9. Photography Workshop with Gary Lintern

      Durham Cathedral Tours

      Discover the hidden history of Durham Cathedral with one of our regular guided tours.…

      0.59 miles away
    10. Durham Cathedral Tower

      Durham Cathedral Tower

      Enjoy spectacular views of the historic city of Durham and the surrounding countryside by…

      0.59 miles away
    11. view of Durham Cathedral from River Wear

      Durham Cathedral

      Thought by many to be the finest example of Norman church architecture in England, with…

      0.59 miles away
    12. st mary the less

      St Mary The Less Church

      The Chapel for St John's College, serving part of the small parishes of the Peninsula.…

      0.76 miles away
    13. st oswalds church

      St Oswald's Church

      St Oswald’s is an Anglican church in the centre of the beautiful university and cathedral…

      0.76 miles away
    Previous Next
    More

    Search What's Nearby

    Product Type
    Proximity
    Within miles
    • Enewsletter Sign Up

    • Win

    • Save

    • Contact Us

    this is our blog

  • Raily Fab Ways to Explore Durham

    bright red and green steam train on the historic Tanfield Railway.

    Full Steam Ahead: Discover Durham’s Best Railway Experiences

  • Next Stop: Amazing Days

    Collage of images showing Raby Castle, The Auckland Project, Locomotion Railway Museum and Beamish Museum.

    Your ultimate guide to the top days out in Durham, packed with history, adventure, and stunning landscapes.

  • 60 Years of Adventure: Must-See Sights Along The Pennine Way’s Northern Stretch

    Aerial view of Blackton, Hury and Balderhead Reservoirs in the Durham Dales.

    Join Emma from Northumberland Adventures, as she explores the northern stretch of the iconic Pennine Way.

  • Kynren – The Storied Lands

    Artist Impression of The Legend of the Wear Kynren - The Storied Lands.

    The creators of Kynren – An Epic Tale of England have unveiled their most ambitious and exciting project to date: a brand-new historical theme park, Kynren – The Storied Lands.

  • 25 Reasons to Visit Durham in 2025

    collage of images of things happening in Durham throughout 2025.

    From new openings, to incredible stays and amazing days out, let our guide to 25 unmissable things happening in Durham next year help inspire you!

  • Loading..Loading..
    • Print Page
    • Email Page
    Home Accommodation
    • Hotels,
    • B&B and Guest Houses,
    • Inns & Pubs,
    • Self Catering & Holiday Cottages,
    • Caravan, Camping & Glamping,
    • Dog Friendly,
    • Hostels,
    Things to Do
    • Attractions,
    • Activities,
    • Shopping,
    • Sightseeing, Tours & Guides,
    What's On
    • Family Events,
    • 2025 Unmissable Events,
    • What's on this Week,
    • Cinema, Theatre & Music Events,
    • Dark Skies Events,
    Food & Drink
    • Restaurants,
    • Tearooms & Coffee Shops,
    • Pubs & Bars,
    • Get a Taste of Durham,
    • Tasty Places to Stay,
    • Foodie Events,
    Inspire Me
    • Short Break Ideas,
    • Discover Durham's Great Outdoors,
    • Delve Into Our Heritage,
    • Durham's Unmissable Highlights,
    • Itineraries,
    Explore Durham
    • Durham City,
    • Durham Dales,
    • Vale of Durham,
    • Durham Coast,
    • Durham Towns,
    • North East England,
    Visitor Information
    • Information Points,
    • Maps of Durham,
    • Getting to Durham,
    • Getting Around Durham,
    • Accessible Durham,
    • Sustainable and Responsible Tourism in Durham,
    • Publications,
    Submit Event
    • Accessibility
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • Site Map
    • Submit Event
    • Terms & Conditions

    © Copyright Visit County Durham. All Rights Reserved

    Registered Office: Visit County Durham, East Wing, 1st Floor, Corten House, Aykley Heads, Durham, DH1 5TS

    • North East England logo

    Ratings & Reviews

    Powered By

    tripadvisor

    • Durham County Council