Watch: Shropshire garden to fling its doors open to the public
The gardens are in bloom, but they have rarely been seen by members of the public - but now the grounds of a castle will be opened up in aid of a historic church with a leaky roof.
Broncroft Castle, near Craven Arms, is opening its gardens next week to help raise money for much needed restoration and repairs at St Catherine's Church in the nearby village of Tugford.
Castle owners Jeff and Karn Whalley have decided to open their gates from 2pm to 6pm on Saturday, June 6 in a bid to increase funds for the church, which is in urgent need of repairs to the roof.
Broncroft Castle is a fortified manor house that dates back to the 14th century, and was once owned by Sir Simon Burley, once of the chief captains of King Edward III's son, Edward the Black Prince.
One of the few inhabited castle in Shropshire it has changed hands multiple times, even in recent decades.
The Whalleys brought the property in the 1990s, but the gardens have been tended by the same man for about 60 years Mrs Whalley said.
"Tom Lloyd, our gardener, is 79 now and he started here when he was a young lad about 19.
"He was here with Mrs (Winnie) Wilson who was a very keen gardener back then.
"Since then it has been ongoing progress, we've been here about 20 years and we've just been making alterations all the time."
She said Tom had now retired, handing over the reigns to new gardener Dan Giles, but he still came down regularly to help out and keep an eye on the garden.
The family opened the gardens up for the first time last year, and thank to the success of that event had decided to do it again - but she wasn't sure it would be an annual event.
Mrs Whalley said entry would be free but there would be a plant stall and cream teas to buy and donation would be taken for the Tugford church.
"As with all these churches there is ongoing restoration and they have been offered a grant that needs to be matched," she said.
St Catherine's is one of three south Shropshire churches awarded about £100,000 of government money from the Listed Places of Worship Roof Repair Fund, for urgent repairs.
Heath Chapel in Bouldon, near Craven Arms, and St John the Baptist Church in Kenley, near Much Wenlock, were also given grants.
