Essex Gardens Trust Essex Gardens Trust

Cressing Temple is often described as a ‘hidden gem’ or ‘the jewel in the crown’ for Essex County Council who own the site. It is one of those places that has a special atmosphere, a certain quality that is keenly felt and often commented upon by visitors. It is much loved by the people who get to know it well, not least the committed team of volunteer gardeners and members of the Friends group who help maintain it and work to preserve and develop this Grade 1 heritage site for the benefit of the local community.

With a history of settlement stretching back to the bronze age Cressing Temple has been a centre of agricultural activity for a very long time and with each generation another imprint of human experience has made its mark. Soaking up these memories and standing at the centre of the site are the two medieval barns, built in the 13th Century by the Knights Templar, structures which, if they could see, think and speak would probably have much to say about the events and experiences that have shaped it. Despite their magnificent appearance to us today, the barns are unpretentious structures, designed for function more than ornament, a reminder of the scale and importance of the farming industry in the middle ages and testament to the relentless hard labour required from those who depended on what they could produce from the land for their existence. Countless individuals will have lived here through the ages, contributing their time, their skill, their dedication and endeavour to this remarkable place.

Today, what remains to be seen, apart from the impressive timber barns and medieval well, is a collection of 16th – 19th century farm buildings and a modern recreation of a Tudor herb garden within the original 16th century brick walls. Enough to stir the imagination, provoke questions and conjure up images of what life might have been like here long ago.

With such an impressive historical monument on their doorstep, it is understandable that many local residents would want to become more closely involved and help to preserve this local asset by joining our volunteer scheme and taking their turn to be the custodians of this special place and adding their contribution to the work of those in days gone by.

Our thriving volunteer group is made up of people from all walks of life. Some come every week, others just from time to time. The reasons for volunteering are as varied as the volunteers themselves. Some come to learn new skills, others to make friends or find support after a difficulty or set back in their lives. The horticultural skills we teach are useful for those wishing to enter the profession and the work can provide a useful bridge between a period of not working and a return to paid employment.

Volunteering brings many rewards and benefits, and we like to think there is more to be gained from time spent volunteering than the time and effort lost in doing so.

Our volunteers are happy to share what volunteering means to them:

“The gardens continue to be a wonderful experience for me allowing me time to step aside briefly from my busy role in the City whilst learning many new things about gardening which I have had great pleasure in applying in my own garden at home. I have learnt things not only from formally trained horticulturalists but also a great many things from other volunteers”

“We count it a real privilege to be trusted to do the work. We have met all sorts of very interesting visitors as they drift around the walled garden and we have learnt so much about the plants.”

“I have enjoyed volunteering on several of the special event days, such as ‘Apple Day’ and on each occasion I have valued the camaraderie and practical sharing of all manner of garden and historical snippets – a mine of useful and interesting information, for which I am extremely grateful.”

The beautiful surroundings, the tranquil atmosphere, the fresh air, the companionship, the chance for some gentle exercise, the opportunity to learn new skills and knowledge and of course the feeling that you are playing a part in preserving an important, historically significant site that is valued by the local community. This is what volunteering at Cressing Temple gives to people.

Staff work very closely alongside the volunteers, planning tasks and supervising activity. Not only do volunteers work in the garden, they help with DIY and maintenance, sell plants to the public on special event days, grow produce and make craft items for sale, help with beekeeping and act as ambassadors for the site as tour guides. They add value to the site and add value to their own lives at the same time.

The volunteer programme has become pivotal to the work of The Friends Group, a registered charity raising funds to support the site. The work of the Friends Group and the volunteer time they provide makes a significant contribution to ECC’s ability to deliver a high quality visitor experience and enhances the wellbeing of local residents. It is a good example of collaborative achievement, a great team effort with positive outcomes for everyone.

New volunteers work alongside other ‘old hands’, while skills and expertise are shared between us all. Volunteer days are busy and productive but there is always time for the essential tea break in the middle of the morning and a chat with friends. Working in the natural environment is varied, as garden tasks change from week to week and season to season. Volunteers like the variety we have to offer and the opportunity to work in different parts of the garden at different times of year.

There are always new projects going on, further improvements being suggested and new areas to be tackled. A new polytunnel to erect, an arbour to rebuild, new plants to try or a new way to display the garden to the public. It keeps us all on our toes and there is never a dull moment!

No special qualifications or gardening experience are needed to become a volunteer, but we make use of any individual skills and experience people bring, which are usually considerable. The mix of talents works very well, and the burden of each task is shared. What would be an overwhelming prospect for one person becomes manageable when tackled with others. Many hands make light work is a true adage when it comes to gardening.

These days it is often said that gardening is therapeutic. If so, the therapy is a gentle kind where people can lose themselves in the task to hand, work alongside others with a common interest whilst problems and tribulations are left to one side for a while and a simpler, less stressful atmosphere and a closeness to nature makes problems seem less overwhelming.

For some people volunteering is a life changing experience. For others it simply adds a bit of enrichment or sense of personal satisfaction. Either way, Its value lies in the very fact that it is voluntary, something you can choose to do because you want to not because you have to. In a world where so much of our over busy lives feels out of our control that has to be a good thing.

More information about volunteering at Cressing Temple, including a short video featuring some of our current volunteers can be found by visiting the Friends group’s website here.