The National Trust has announced the opening of a forgotten area of Gawthorpe Hall to visitors. 

Situated on the grounds of the historic Padiham landmark, the Walled Garden was known as the kitchen garden.

It included a gardener's cottage, one or more bothies (accommodation for under-gardeners and journeymen) a potting shed, a boiler house and other buildings likely to be used for storage.

The team has transformed the area which now houses an outdoor yurt, with the intention to use it for educational talks and crafts, beehives, fruit trees, a wild meadow, and an area dedicated to growing plants and vegetables.

It comes in a bid to 'conserve the landscape and local wildlife' and share knowledge on the surrounding nature and environment.

Nik Taylor, lead ranger at Gawthorpe Hall, said: “After a lot of hard work, it’s really exciting to share this special place with our visitors.

"Come and meet us and learn how the garden would have looked, how its purpose has changed through the ages and how we now use it as a hub for our community work in the wider estate."

In addition to the Walled Garden, the National Trust has recently opened up a second-hand bookshop, offering visitors the opportunity to purchase pre-loved books to help raise funds to support the work carried out within the grounds of Gawthorpe Hall.

The bookshop is located in the cobbled Courtyard, open Monday to Wednesday, 12.30pm to 3.30pm, and run by volunteers.

Located outside the new bookshop, 'RePause Coffee', a mobile coffee van, recently joined the team offering visitors a wide range of coffee drinks, teas, luxury hot chocolates and speciality drinks.

As well as drinks they also offer a selection of sweet and savoury snacks from fresh pastries, premium cakes and fresh fruit.

Owner Georgia Bone, a fully qualified health coach, is keen to educate customers about different areas of health and wellness, offering a number of specially selected products with proven health benefits both mentally and physically.

RePause Coffee will be located in the cobbled Courtyard Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 3pm.

One of the first of many events to be held in the Walled Garden will be a Bio Blitz on June 15, intended to find and identify as many species of plants, animals and fungi as possible.

Suitable for all ages, children and adults alike will get the opportunity to learn alongside experts and share and develop their enthusiasm for nature.