How We Make Charcoal

If you wander up to the far reaches of the Landscape Garden here at Hestercombe, you’ll stumble upon our kiln. It’s not for firing clay and it’s not for heating glassit’s for the hot, dirty, smoky work of making charcoal. Tucked between the trees, close to the Cascades, stands the Charcoal Burner’s Camp, in an area once used for quarrying. For the...

Hestercombe has several **charcoal burns** every summer to help with the sustainable management of our woodland. Fallen trees are chopped up and packed into the kiln at the charcoal burners camp up in the Landscape Gardens and the charcoal burn spreads over four days. The kiln is lit and then as the wood slowly burns down it becomes charcoal. The kiln is...

**Out in the gardens, our gardeners have been making the most of wet days by turning the compost heaps. Head Gardener Claire Greenslade tells us more!**: “We have some bark chip to add into our compost heaps as unfortunately we were forced to fell a couple of ash trees which were suffering with ash dieback. However, this really helps add the carbon needed...

Woo hoo! Another long weekend... it will be great to see some more people at Hestercombe this side of half-term. And in true Hestercombe style, Kevin's putting on a BBQ in the courtyard on Bank Holiday Monday. Freshly cooked meat over the Hestercombe charcoal and a delicious variety of crispy salads. And as May draws to an end we're all getting busy. Herb...

Readers, I am after your ideas and thoughts. As you may know we run several half day courses through the year - apple pruning/rose pruning/ seed sowing/cuttings/dry stone walling and charcoal burning etc. What I would like to know from you is, are we missing anything? Is there something horticultural that you wish we could explain to you? Would you like...

**Head Gardener, Claire Greenslade, explains how Hestercombe is fighting ash dieback and trying to protect the future of our woodlands**: Starting this week, and throughout February, our skilled gardening team will be carrying out crucial tree preservation work across the estate, in order to deal with the trees that have sadly succumbed to ash dieback. This...

Hestercombe is a wonderful garden venue and regularly listed amongst the top 20 gardens in Britain. Many activities are offered in the garden, a good number of them are free with garden entry such as the butterfly walks and the charcoal burning days. Special emphasis is also given to children as it’s a great place for them to engage with nature and enjoy...

**Head Gardener Claire Greenslade shares her step-by-step guide on how to sow seeds, from preparing seed trays to hardening off**: **Why sow seed?**: Sowing seed is one of the most easy, satisfying and cheap ways to get growing. March is the perfect time of year to start the majority of seed sowing. Some people start early in autumn, some start seeds off in...

**Step by step advice from Hestercombe's Head Gardener Claire Greenslade on the do's and don't's of pruning apples and pears**: - Follow Claire's step by step guide to apple pruning and you could end up with a big punnet of juicy apples like we do at Hestercombe!The first rule of apple pruning is... don’t worry, it’s not that hard and it’s unlikely...

by Claire Greenslade, Hestercombe’s Head Gardener_ **How do you manage a large garden with a furloughed team and locked down volunteers?!** Who knew that this would ever be a question I would have to ask myself. This virus is something that none of us had been able to prepare for. Since March 23rd 2020 Hestercombe has had to close its gates. Really big...

Vacancy: Making Headway Volunteer Coordinator (PT) Traumatic brain injury (TBI), is a leading cause of death and disability in people aged under 40 in the UK. Survivors are left with long-term and complex health conditions that can include physical, sensory, cognitive and social impairments, epilepsy and poor mental health. Headway Somerset is the only...

**Walking, Nature and Mental Health**: - On Mental Health Day 2018_ Have you ever noticed that warm fuzzy afterglow that emanates after a good walk? From a serious stomp to a gentle amble, walking - and generally spending time outdoors amongst nature - has been scientifically proven to have a positive effect on our mental health. A neuroscience-led project...

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Newsquest South West is looking for a new trainee reporter to join our team in Somerset. This role is suited to a trainee who has completed their NCTJ diploma and is ready to make an immediate impact reporting on an area with big ambitions and bags of potential. You will be part of a team that produces the Somerset County Gazette, Bridgwater Mercury,...

**Autumn Days Out With The Kids**: With the autumn term in full flow, we’re already thinking about how to occupy our little ones during the October holidays. We’ve put together our Top 5 activities to help the whole family embrace the outdoors with our autumn days out with the kids! **Make Leaf Prints**: Go on a nature hunt and collect leaves to make...

We're currently recruiting in our Taunton Ruishton (M5, J25) Premier Inn. Working 16 hours per week, paying up to £11.20 per hour **Nights Receptionist** **HOTEL NAME: Taunton Ruishton (M5, J25) Premier Inn** **LOCATION: Taunton (TA3 5LU)** **HOURS: 16 hours per week (must be fully flexible)** **SALARY: Up to £11.20 (T&C's apply)** At Premier Inn, we do...

We're currently recruiting in our Taunton Ruishton (M5, J25) Premier Inn. Working 24 hours per week, paying up to £11.20 per hour **Nights Receptionist** **HOTEL NAME: Taunton Ruishton (M5, J25) Premier Inn** **LOCATION: Taunton (TA3 5LU)** **HOURS: 24 hours (must be fully flexible)** **SALARY: Up to £11.20 per hour (T&C's apply)** At Premier Inn, we do...

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Join Our TeamWe are seeking a compassionate and caring individual to join our team as a Care Assistant at Lavender Court in Taunton.Key QualificationsNo experience is necessary, as we provide all the training required. However, a passion for delivering high-quality care and making a positive impact on people's lives is essential.How You'll Make a...