Lyme Park & Gardens
Lyme Park, Disley, Stockport, Cheshire, SK12
A National Trust estate south of Disley with 15 acres of formal gardens, a sunken Dutch Garden, an orangery and a large deer park in the Peak District.
Visit information checked 22 October 2026
Garden UK guide
Why visit Lyme Park & Gardens?
Lyme is a big day out where the gardens are one part of a much larger estate. The Grade I listed house, the largest in Cheshire, is surrounded by about 15 acres of formal gardens, which in turn sit inside a deer park of around 1,360 acres on the edge of the Peak District. You can easily spend a whole day here combining the garden with a walk in the park.
In the garden, head first for the sunken Dutch Garden west of the lawn, created in the late 19th century, with formal flower beds around a central fountain. The Orangery, designed in 1862 by Alfred Darbyshire, sits just north-east of the house and is surrounded by more formal flower gardens, including rose gardens. From the south front a lawn slopes down to a pond and a small ravine with a stone bridge known as Killtime, a nice contrast to the formality above.
The Dutch Garden is worth studying if you like bedding and pattern, while the Orangery planting shows what can be grown under glass in a cool northern spot. In the park, look for red deer, descended from the herd present when it was enclosed, and walk up to the Cage, the old hunting tower on the hill. The Lantern in Lantern Wood is another landmark. Shops, a coffee shop and a restaurant make it easy to stay for the day.
What to see
- Look down on the sunken Dutch Garden with its formal beds and central fountain.
- Visit the Orangery of 1862 and the rose gardens around it.
- Find Killtime, the ravine with a stone bridge below the south lawn.
- Walk up to the Cage, the hilltop hunting tower in the deer park.
- Spot red deer and Highland cattle grazing the park.
Lyme Park & Gardens through the year
- spring
- Spring brings fresh growth to the formal gardens and good walking weather in the park.
- summer
- Summer is the season for the Dutch Garden bedding and the rose gardens around the Orangery.
- autumn
- Autumn is a fine time to see the red deer in the park, with colour in the trees around the house.
- winter
- Winter is mainly for park walks; check the National Trust site for which parts of the house and garden are open.
The story behind the garden
The Lyme estate came to the Legh family by marriage in 1388, and they kept it until 1946. The present house was begun in the 16th century and remodelled by Giacomo Leoni in the 1720s, then altered again by Lewis Wyatt between 1816 and 1822.
The formal gardens are mostly late 19th and early 20th century. William Legh, 1st Baron Newton, added stables and created the Dutch Garden, and the Orangery was built in 1862. The 2nd Baron Newton and his wife made further changes in the early 1900s. In 1946 the 3rd Baron Newton gave Lyme to the National Trust, which has managed it directly since 1994. Severe flooding in August 2019 washed away a large section of the garden. The house famously appeared as Pemberley in the 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice.
Plan your visit
- Best for
- Families, walkers and fans of formal Victorian and Edwardian gardens, and anyone who wants a garden visit combined with a deer park walk.
- Getting there
- Lyme is just south of Disley on the edge of the Peak District, between Stockport and Macclesfield.
- Before you go
- The park is large and hilly, so allow plenty of time and bring good footwear if you plan to walk beyond the garden. Check the National Trust site for current opening times and tickets.
Source: Wikipedia: Lyme Park
Questions about visiting Lyme Park & Gardens
Is Lyme Park National Trust?
Yes. Lyme was given to the National Trust in 1946 by the 3rd Baron Newton, and the Trust has managed it directly since 1994. National Trust members enter free, while others pay for the house, garden and park.
Was Lyme Park in Pride and Prejudice?
Yes. The outside of the house was used as Pemberley, Mr Darcy's home, in the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. The lake below the south front featured in the series.
How big are the gardens at Lyme?
The formal gardens cover about 15 acres around the house. They sit inside a deer park of roughly 1,360 acres, so the whole estate offers far more than a garden visit.
How long do you need at Lyme?
Allow at least half a day to see the gardens and house, and a full day if you want to walk in the deer park up to the Cage or the Lantern.
Are there deer at Lyme Park?
Yes. Red deer descended from the original herd graze the park, which was enclosed in the 14th century. Highland cattle and sheep also graze there.
Garden features
Location
Lyme Park, Disley, Stockport, Cheshire, SK12
Nearby gardens
Gardens within 40 miles, sorted by distance.
Similar gardens
Gardens with similar features.