History of The Charity and
The  Walled Garden

The 2-acre Victorian Walled Garden once provided food for the table at Thornham Hall. The garden was part of 25 acres of formal gardens surrounding the Hall, and at its height required nine full-time gardeners to manage. After the death of the fifth Lord Henniker in 1902 the garden was neglected and during the 20th century it became derelict and overgrown. The garden was intrusted by the Henniker family for the use of education in 1985. Initially the site was used as an activity and education centre for children and a training facility for teachers, and was known as the Thornham Field Centre Trust. There was accommodation on the estate which provided residential trips for children. Over time the Thornham field centre struggled to fund what they were offering and in during the 90’s the project started facilitating day activities for adults with learning disabilities as a form of horticultural therapy. The Thornham Field Centre Trust became Beyond The Wall in 2010, the charity by this time was predominantly working with individuals 16+ with additional needs. The garden went through a lot of transitions and in 2016 the then manager brought in new staff to overhall the garden and tidy up. A new herbaceous border was planned and planted and the garden received some much needed TLC The charity has been supporting people with additional needs for many years now. We lease the buildings and grounds within the Walled Garden and with the approval of the estate, have improved the buildings and site to suit our work and clients. The work of the charity has developed over the years, we have steadily and successfully grown into the organisation we are today. Our remit has changed to involve all people from 18 years of age, we have formed strong partnerships with Suffolk and Norfolk local authorities, and with other charitable providers in our vicinity. Our provision currently meets the needs of over 30 clients, over 55 places a week. Many people including staff and volunteers contribute to the smooth running of this exceptional charity.