Autumn at Erddig

We decided on an autumn outing one Saturday, along with a few of our family friends - we needed a breath of air, space for the children to run off some energy, and a place to stretch our legs. Erddig, in North Wales, is the perfect place for this.

Getting There & A Bit of History

Erddig is in Marchwiel, about 2 miles south of Wrexham, North Wales. If you’re coming by car, it’s well signposted from Wrexham and the surrounding roads. Sometimes, if you rely solely on satnav you might be led into nearby housing estate roads, so those brown “National Trust / Erddig” signs are your friends.

Erddig was built in the late 1600s under Joshua Edisbury, and was expanded significantly in the early 1700s by John Meller. In 1733 it passed into the Yorke family, who remained largely there until the last owner, Philip Scott Yorke, handed it over to the National Trust in 1973. One of the most fascinating things about Erddig is how the Yorke family honoured their servants: through portraits, poems, and preserving the “upstairs / downstairs” lives in the house.

On Arrival

We arrived mid-morning into crisp autumn air - hasn't the autumn weather treated us well so far? The gardens were spectacular - still full of the late summer flowers, but with the leaves turning golden under blue skies. One of my favourite parts of the estate is the long lawn, bordered by symmetrical lines of tall trees, topped by landscaped gardens, and ending at a mirror lake.

We laid out our picnic on one of the tables in the stables courtyard - it's also where the shop, cafe, ice-cream parlour, and bookshop are based, so there was plenty to keep the kids occupied while we fortified ourselves. There are often complimentary rugs and blankets laid out as well, in case the wind is a little nippy.

After lunch, we set off to explore together: meandering through the grounds to the Wolf Den - a forest playground for kids big and little, packed with natural obstacle courses and swings, with space for den-building and tree climbing.

Inside the House

All National Trust houses are packed with history and beautifully curated to tell the stories of the building and the people that lived there - and Erddig is no exception. The room attendants were absolutely wonderful; they welcomed the children, asking them questions about what they saw, what they wondered, and letting them touch safe areas and objects under gentle supervision, including showing the kids a secret door tucked behind wood panelling in one of the rooms - the sort of door you’d imagine in a storybook.

Visitors can also walk “below stairs” - into kitchens, servants’ corridors, laundry rooms - to discover the contrast between the lives of those who called the place 'home' and those who worked there. The attendants spoke about how the Yorkes collected portraits of their staff, and how those stories are just as much a thread of the house’s life as the genteel families. Many of the original objects of daily life remain at Erdigg - several of the families of the house were, basically, hoarders, and little was thrown away so the history is preserved for future generations.

Practical Tips & Essentials

• Opening & access: The gardens at Erddig are usually open from 10:00 am, but the house has more limited hours (often midday to afternoon) - always check the official National Trust site before visiting.

• Access through the house: Pushchairs are permitted on the lower ground floor; you can leave them at the house entrance too.

• Facilities: The courtyard area near the house has toilets, a café/restaurant (the Hayloft), and a shop.

• Walking routes: There are established walks around the parkland and woodlands; one circular woodland trail is about 2.5 miles (4 km), taking ~1.5 hours at a leisurely pace.

• How to get there by public transport: There are Arriva bus routes that pass through nearby towns, e.g. from Oswestry via Cefn Mawr to Wrexham, and a footpath approach along Erddig Road.

If you’re looking for a family day out in North Wales that feels both magical and meaningful, Erddig is one to add to your list. You can plan your visit via the National Trust website - and if you’d like more family day-out ideas like this, you’ll find plenty more on the blog blog and over on Threads, where I share snapshots of our weekend wanders.