THE HERMITAGE COMMUNITY GARDEN

Made Neil a bacon sandwich this morning and then he was off to the pub to watch The Lions rugby match. Afterwards he was going to work. He wanted the day off but he has to work 8 days straight so he can have time off to go to Sweden. I still felt tired so I went back to bed for an hour or so.

When I got up again I decided to go out and pay a visit to The Hermitage Community Garden which is down in the village. The weather was glorious - warm and sunny - warm enough for me to leave my cardigan at home.

The Hermitage was built in 1790 by Matthew Taylor. The Taylors were a wealthy family who owned wherries and keels on the Tyne. In 1765 they had opened a brewery in Swalwell, which developed into the most important brewing establishment in County Durham. The Hermitage Garden was lavishly laid out during the early 19th century. It had various features of significant interest including a lake with its boathouse and bridge of "willow pattern design", a pagoda and tennis court adjacent to the lake, and a two storey brick watchtower.

I remember the house being used from 1977 until 2009 as a council run home for adults with mental health problems. It has been empty since then but is now in the process of being renovated as housing for older members of the community.

The Hermitage garden was derelict and uncared for until 2004 when a team of volunteers began restoring it to its former glory. It was opened to the public in 2006. There is a large pond, a replica watchtower, and a cafe. The pathways are all suitable for wheelchairs. I liked the old fashioned donation box. The gardens are really lovely - an oasis of calm away from the noise of the traffic.

After visiting the garden I went to a couple of shops in the village. In the first shop I was overcharged by 56p. It was a right palava * trying to get a refund but I stuck it out. In the second shop I was overcharged by £4.32. A quick refund here. You certainly need to keep your wits about you when shopping these days.

*Palava

A term used to express what a load of hassle a task or experience was. Usually used when quite pissed off or on verge of giving up