Integrating play into heritage woodland

a timber play structure built in a forest made with robinia wood with a slide, V-bridge and fireman's pole

Touchwood’s specialist team were selected by the National Trust at Tyntesfield to create a play area and trail, high in the woods on the estate.

The heritage house playground should appeal to families and children of all ages and link to the history of the Victorian Gothic house, gardens and parkland.

a timber play structure built in a forest made with robinia wood with a slide, V-bridge and fireman's pole
a timber play structure built in a forest made with robinia wood with a slide, V-bridge and fireman's pole

Design Response:

To ensure the design for the play trail integrated seamlessly into the overall personality of Tyntesfield, we began the project with our unique “Designing for Real” process. Members of the National Trust team, volunteers and children from the local community were invited for a day of exploration and adventure workshop in the woods, to help develop the themes for the story and characters for the play trail.

Crafted from locally sourced wood.

The finished play area, which is crafted from locally sourced wood from either the estate or from the Forest of Avon, includes brass rubbing posts and challenging play equipment such as an enchanted tree house, a rope swing and a giant guano bird and its nest, celebrating the fertiliser industry which gave the Gibbs family, who lived at Tyntesfield, the money to develop the house and estate.

Gothic characters Billy the Ear, the old bell ringer and Sid the Shovel the fearsome man who was filled the coal burner at the Tyntesfield Estate, are just some of the amazing carved gothic characters that our team of skilled craftsmen created for The National Trust.

The new play area has been welcomed by family visitors with many favourable comments since the scheme opened and Tyntesfield is now in the National Trust’s top 10 play areas in the UK.

Come and look around some of our bespoke playgrounds

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Bringing community together through play
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Driving visitor numbers: Churchfields Farm playground

Driving visitor numbers: Churchfields Farm playground
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Create a playground that’s uniquely yours.

We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have about how we work, or offer advice on how best to successfully deliver your project.