At Kiplin Hall and Gardens you’ll encounter 400 years-worth of stories about international adventure lived out by members of the four families who lived there, the Calverts, Crowes, Carpenters, and Talbots. Discover all that Kiplin has to offer as we glimpse through the keyhole, exploring different elements of its history. This week, we look at how the performing arts have come to Kiplin’s rescue through the years

THE tradition of theatrics continues at Kiplin Hall and Gardens this August as they host actors from The Handlebards, a cycling Shakespeare company. Two outdoor performances are taking place on August 13, all designed with social distancing in mind. In the afternoon families can enjoy the new production Gnora the Gnome’s Daytime Disco, followed in the evening by Romeo & Juliet as you’ve never seen them before.

The Northern Echo:

The programme for 'Farewell Kiplin' a Kiplin Masque by B. E. Talbot, held at 3pm on 18 July 1953. In a bid to save Kiplin from demolition

The performances are part of a revised programme for the summer, as much of the venue’s plans pre-Covid had to be cancelled, resulting in significant lost income during lockdown.

Kiplin Hall & Gardens is a charity, supported by a small team of staff and a large team of dedicated volunteers, which relies on income from ticket sales to operate.

This is not the first-time that performing arts have come to the rescue in Kiplin’s history. The last owner of Kiplin Hall, Bridget Talbot OBE, was known for putting on plays for the family as a child which lead her to create fundraiser productions as an adult. In a bid to save the hall from dereliction and demolition in 1953, when almost all other avenues had been exhausted, Miss Talbot enlisted the help of local people to perform in a pageant that she had penned, entitled Farewell to Kiplin.

The Northern Echo:

Bridget Talbot with a child in a model ship for the 1953 pageant at Kiplin Hall

Local and national newspapers carried the story of the production that warned of the imminent demolition of the national treasure that is Kiplin Hall. Miss Talbot did eventually succeed in saving Kiplin, creating a charitable trust in the 1970s.

In the 1990s the trust generated funds to restore the hall through a gravel quarry on another part of the estate.

The Northern Echo:

A poster promoting visits to Kiplin Hall, probably penned by Bridget Talbot herself. “If you care about England's Historic Homes please tell your friends to visit Kiplin'

Richmond resident Gail Wagstaff remembers her grandparents who were tenants on the estate in the 1950s. James and Elsie Metcalfe, took part in the pageant. Miss Talbot must have been grateful and fond of the family as she gave a plate with the Talbot family crest on it to the Metcalfes’ daughter Grace as a wedding present when she married in 1955. The plate had been proudly displayed in the family home ever since and was returned to Kiplin Hall in 2019 by Grace’s daughter, Gail, following her mother’s death.

Although the future is in many ways uncertain as the nation’s economy recovers from the lockdown, Kiplin Hall & Gardens has enjoyed a very successful July, reporting its highest visitor numbers for the month on record.

The Northern Echo:

The Talbot plate gifted to the daughter of tenants who performed in Bridget Talbot’s fundraising pageant in 1953. It was donated back to Kiplin Hall & Gardens in 2019 by Gail Wigstaff and her brother

Director James Etherington says: “We’ve been delighted to welcome 2,833 visitors, generating £12,718 in admissions income during just 14 days of trading in July. We’ve worked hard to make the whole site safe, allowing visitors to adhere to social distancing. Although we have been busy compared to previous years the site is large enough to allow visitors to spread out. Our free flow system, without the need to book, means visitors can come and go as they wish, which prevents bottle necks or crowds. Thank you to everyone who has visited in June and July, we hope we will see you again soon with your new annual ticket.”

The Northern Echo:

Gnora the Gnome’s Daytime Disco. A new production from The Handlebards comes to Kiplin Hall & Gardens this August as the venue gets back on its feet post-lockdown

For more information about visiting Kiplin Hall & Gardens, or for tickets to The Handlebards performances visit www.kiplinhall.co.uk