Blood, Sweat and Scones
Page 15
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It is worth mentioning some of the other permanent members of our team. Elvis has left the building and he is in the vegetable patch. Elvis is our scarecrow. I used to make a new head from papier mâché every year. When I was more pressed for time I introduced Elvis, a more permanent character made from wood. He seems to be totally at home in between the vegetables. He has his guitar and we gave him a bike just in case he wants to escape or cycle around the gardens when we are closed.
We have also accumulated a menagerie of creatures including stone lions, elephants, and birds and of course our wooden frog.
Talking of animals. I hate cats. I could only just cope with having a dog. I love people not animals. Maggie would never suggest we had a cat but we have acquired one, a stone one. It has sat outside the kitchen door for over fifteen years. It is a delight, no care required and no bother. I do not just hate cats, I think it may be a phobia. So I was not best pleased when new neighbours arrived with not one cat but two. Double trouble.
One of the cats got stuck up a tree. Both Chris, the owner of the cats, and I are scared of heights. Another phobia. So Chris enlisted our Australian gardener to rescue the cat. With great experience of rescuing koala bears from tall trees Roger had all the attributes for the job. Thus, despite it sticking in my throat, the cat was rescued.
I now found myself on first name terms with a cat, an experience I had never had before. This cat, Tamarind, began to spend enormous amounts of time on our property, relaxing on chairs, snoozing in front of the open fires. sidling up to visitors, walking along walls and generally prancing around just to show off. I found it all rather alarming. However, the visitors love Tamarind. The cat seems to have taken up residence. What’s more she has appeared in photographs posted on Facebook, in TripAdvisor comments and even in wedding shots. A real crowd pleaser.
I opened the gate for the start of one season and the first visitor was Tamarind. We really needed to put a season ticket around her neck. My feelings towards this cat were obviously changing, as in the past I have considered putting other things around its neck. Tightly. I found myself listening to a visitor talking admiringly about Tamarind. I think I managed to hide my distaste as I listened to the disturbing monologue about Tamarind’s charm. The woman then thanked me, not only for sharing our home with visitors, but also for sharing our cat. My immediate reaction was to wonder if I could sell the cat to the woman. She would disappear from my life and no one need know, but I found myself saying what a lovely addition she has been to the family. Books are often a place for revelations. I have grown to love Tamarind and all the benefits she freely brings to us. No downside. I do not feed her, and certainly do not touch her but she brings such pleasure to so many of our visitors, she is our perennial volunteer.
I seldom see the neighbour’s second cat so there’s a blessing.
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As with any business owners we have made mistakes in recruitment but we have also been very successful in this area. I think it was Tony Jacklin, the golfer who said good management is about picking the right people. How true this is and our current staff group bear this out. What a great team they are.
Nicola started as a café manager and is now our director. She has been hugely instrumental in developing the business. She has helped to secure the employment of all of us with her passion for Crook Hall and ensuring that we have visitors throughout the year. She helped us to develop the Hall and Gardens as a hospitality destination as well as a tourist attraction. She has enhanced our food offering, especially the afternoon teas for which we have gained quite a reputation. One woman told Maggie that she had taken afternoon tea all over the world, including the Ritz, and that this one was the best she had ever had.
Kelly, our general manager, has helped to recruit and train some first class team members. She has put in systems and routines to ensure that our high standards are maintained.
Anna has helped to raise the profile of our art exhibitions while Beth has managed both our apartment and café wonderfully well. She works so hard and encourages her team to follow her example.
We will always be indebted to these talented young women. They run the Hall much more professionally than we ever could. With Anne as head gardener and Siobhan as administration manager we have finally found time for ourselves. We are delighted with all the team and have great faith in their abilities to manage the business in our absence. I am sure they often wish our absences were longer because when we are here we cannot help but interfere – although we call it managing.
We see the whole spirit of Crook Hall continuing long after we are gone. Our ethos is based upon the fact that the most important visitors are the ones who left yesterday and those visiting today. We will only continue to succeed by providing ever improving customer service in a well looked after and maintained environment that is both beautiful and memorable. As a Trust it will be protected from becoming just another country house hotel and will continue to provide an oasis for people to find peace and tranquillity in an increasingly more vibrant Durham City. We know, should anything happen to us, the place is in safe hands. Crook Hall and Gardens have changed since we took it over and we think for the better. Once we have gone, its future will be left to others but we think we have done our little bit.
Afterthoughts
When we bought Crook Hall we thought having our home and work on the same site would make life simpler. When we opened the doors to the public we thought looking after the gardens would become easier.
What an illusion. Our life at Crook Hall has been far from easy and at times the work has been all consuming and exhausting.
What have we learnt from our experience? That’s a difficult question but I will have a stab at it:
When you fear the worst you are sometimes right.
Don’t invite a bird of prey or an owl to your wedding.
Running water is best when you can turn it off – easily.
Your gut feeling is sometimes right.
Contractors who charge to unblock your drains earn every penny.
Rabbits can swim.
Never climb on a mobility scooter without some basic instruction.
Customers can sometimes be wrong but it is best if you let them believe they are right.
There is no gain without some pain and a good deal of sweat.
Don’t throw scones at glasshouses, eat them with lots of jam and cream.
A working central heating system should be top of my Christmas list every year.
A roof over your head is one thing but make sure it is weather proof.
Even if you do not believe in ghosts they can still be very scary.
With the benefit of hindsight would we do it again?
Yes, without a doubt. There has been some blood, a lot of sweat and several tears but it has all been worthwhile.
Owners of Crook Hall and Key Events at that Time
1217
The Manor of Sydgate (Crook Hall) was granted to Aimeric, the nephew of the Archdeacon Aimeric.
1199
King John was crowned and the Fourth Crusade began
1215
The Magna Carta was signed
1217-1286
Marmaduke acquired the estate
1265
Defensive walls were built around Newcastle
1286-1346
Peter del Croke took ownership and the estate was recorded as Croke Hall. On Peter's death it was inherited by his wife Alice and son Richard and then passed on to Richard’s daughters Isabel, Alice, Agnes and Joan and was divided into two.
1298
William Braveheart Wallace was defeated at Battle of Falkirk
1314
Robert Bruce defeated the English at Bannockburn
1337
The Hundred Years War begins
1346-1360
Part of the estate, which included Croke Hall was owned by Sir Thomas Grey then later Sir John de Copeland. Sir John had fought at the Battle of Neville's Cross capturing King David of Scotland. He later married Joan del Croke.
1346
The Battle of Neville's Cross took place
1348
The Black Death spread across England
1360 - 1372
The estate was bought by William de Coxhoe
1380
Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales
1372-1657
The estate passed to Alan and Agnes Billingham. Their family lived here for 295 years. In 1463 the Hall was reroofed with beams which have survived to this day
1415
The Battle of Agincourt took place
1492
Christopher Columbus reached the New World
1513
The Battle of Flodden Field was fought
1588
The Spanish Armada was destroyed
1640
The Scots seized Durham but were finally defeated by Cromwell and 3,000 were imprisoned in the Cathedral
1657-1736
Christopher Mickleton bought the estate as a wedding present for his son James and daughter-in-law Frances. They built the Jacobean house and their families lived here until it was sold to settle debts.
1666
Great Fire of London
1736-1857
The Hoppers of Shincliffe built the Georgian house. They owned the estate until 1857.
1745
The Jacobite rebellion took place
1783
The American War of Independence began
1789
The French Revolution began
1825
The world’s first railway, between Darlington and Stockton, was opened
1834-1858
Canon James Raine was a tenant
1837
Queen Victoria was crowned
1857
The Durham viaduct and station was built
1858-1920
The Fowlers owned the site and used it as a bottling plant. A large entrance was put through the north wall.
1914
The First World War began
1920-1930
The Pereira family were owners and put in a tennis court which has since disappeared
1920
The Great Depression occurred
1926
The General Strike took place
1930-1976
The Hollidays owned and rented the Hall and later sold it to the Cassells. John Cassells was Principal of Houghall Agricultural College.
1939
The Second World War started
1976-1978
Colin and Susan Redpath bought the house and modernised the Georgian wing.
1978-1979
Dr Manning briefly owned the Hall
1979-1995
John and Mary Hawgood took ownership.
1986
Durham Cathedral became a UNESCO World Heritage Site
1995
Keith and Maggie Bell bought the property.
Crook Hall’s Secret Scone Recipe
Ingredients:
1lb 3oz self-raising flour
7oz margarine
3–4 dessert spoons caster sugar
A small cup of milk
A little extra flour
Makes 10 – 12 scones
We use an Aga here at Crook Hall, alternatively preheat your oven to gas mark 7 or 220°C.
Mix the margarine and sugar in a bowl. Then add the milk a little at a time until the mixture reaches a firm but moist consistency.
Flour the work surface and your hands and knead the mixture into a soft dough. Roll out until it is around an inch thick. Then place a round fluted pastry cutter onto the dough and press down sharply. Continue until all the dough is used.
Place the scones onto a floured baking tray to prevent them from sticking. Lightly dust the scones with flour to finish and place in the oven for 12–15 minutes until golden brown.
Enjoy the scones while warm with a spot of jam and cream.
Happy Scone Making!