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The 19th century stable yard

The 19th century stable yard
NTPL Zoë Colbeck

Wednesday 23 February 2011

Sign up for a free Taster Day

Sign-up for a free Taster Day and find out more about the exciting sustainable renovation work being carried out in the stable yard.

At one of our fantastic Taster Days, you will be able to take a behind the scenes tour of the Stable Yard, see first-hand the work that is taking place, and talk to project staff and suppliers about the products and techniques which are being used.

Taster Day dates

Saturday 12th March: 
Solar Panels and Solar Slates
Saturday 19th March:
Insulation materials and techniques
Friday 15th April:
Lime Plaster
Saturday 14th May:
Underfloor Heating and Heat Pumps
Saturday 21st May:
Flooring and Materials
Saturday 25th June:
Waterwheel renovation

Taster Days begin at 10am and will last for approximately 3 ½ hours. 

Booking is essential. Please call 0208 545 6856 or email
mordenhallpark@nationaltrust.org.uk


Monday 7 February 2011

Low Carbon Village project


Insulation seems to be a hot topic at the moment.  The National Trust’s Low Carbon Village project in Coleshill, near Swindon, will feature on the BBC's Countryfile programme on Sunday 13th February. 


The village of Coleshill, part of the National Trust’s Buscot and Coleshill Estates, is one of two villages taking part in the joint National Trust and nPower Low Carbon Village project. Part of the project at Coleshill involved a large programme to install sheep's wool loft insulation in 53 properties during the winter 2009/2010.  

In the mean time, here at Morden Hall Park the builders have worked out the best way to cut the bales of hemp insulation that will be used to insulate the pitched roofs in the stable yard down to size. Apparently you need to use an electric carving knife.

Wednesday 2 February 2011

Cream tea with a conscience!

Here on the Heart of the Park project, we're collecting the empty glass jars from all those cream teas you've been eating at the park's café!

But why are we collecting empty jam jars? Well, by leaving your empty jars in our hands you will be contributing to the renovation of our 19th century stableyard. Not only are we saving jam jars from the café but we are also receiving glass from the staff and volunteers that work at Morden Hall Park. Once we have collected the equivalent of two wheelie bins worth of glass, then all those jam jars will be recycled and transformed into shining new hand basin counters in the stable yard visitors' toilets.

©NTPL/David Levenson
The glass product used to make our new counters is called Glasseco, an environmentally friendly and sustainable resource made from 95% recycled glass. What's more the factory is only down the road in Crawley! This means low transportation emissions but also the Glasseco recycling factory emits low emissions too.

So you can now enjoy a guilt free cream tea at our park café. After all, cream teas are now an environmentally friendly and sustainable mode of green living...