Access Guide
Summary
- View information about opening hours.
- The most accessible entrance has a steep ramp/slope and manual doors.
- This entrance is the entrance at the front left of the house.
- There is step-free access once inside.
- There is a member of staff available for help and assistance.
- The following are also available: seating, a clearly signed hearing assistance system and facilities for assistance dogs.
- At the time of our visit the hearing assistance system was working.
- This site is part of the Sunflower Lanyard Scheme.
- Toilet and changing facilities available include: step free standard toilets and a toilet with some adaptations.
- The toilet with adaptations for disabled people surveyed can be found outside the tea room in the courtyard..
- This toilet with adaptations for disabled people is approximately 10m from the tea room entrance.
- The standard toilets surveyed can be found outside the tea room in the courtyard.
- There is a separate exit.
- The exit has steps and a manual door.
- The entrance can be used to exit by visitors with limited mobility.
Equipment and Resources to Borrow
- You can borrow or hire the following equipment: manual wheelchairs. It is highly recommended that these are booked in advance, where this is possible. Please check the National Trust website for details.
- Sensory packs can be borrowed which include: ear defenders, fidget toys, magnifying glass and activity sheets.
- You can borrow these from visitor reception. View more information about booking and collection of equipment.
- Powered mobility vehicles cannot be borrowed or hired.
Route to (the Tea Room)
- From visitor reception, take the path under the clocktower and follow it through the trees until you reach the main pathway leading to the house.
Turn left and follow the path. The tea room is ahead and on the left. - The route to the area is step-free via a steep ramp/slope.
- Path surfaces along the route are gravel, muddy and paving stones.
- The majority of the paths are wide enough for wheelchair users.
- There is a shuttle which can take visitors to this area, but wheelchair users will need to transfer into it.
- If a visitor is able to transfer from a wheelchair to a seat on the shuttle, a folded wheelchair can be taken.
Entrance (Accessible)
- The entrance surveyed is located on the left at the front of the house.
- There is step-free access via ramp at the entrance.
- The steep ramp is between 75cm and 150cm wide, with no handrails.
- There is a single manual door which is permanently open.
- The width of the opening is 113cm.
- There is a second manual door which opens away from you.
- The width of the opening is 95cm.
- There is a small lip on the threshold of the entrance with a height of more than 1.5cm.
Entrance (Stepped)
- The entrance surveyed is located at the front of the house.
- There is stepped access at the entrance.
- There are 2 steps, which are unmarkedno handrails.
- Some of the steps are not at the recommended height (between 15cm - 18cm).
- This entrance has a bell.
- Features at a suitable height for a wheelchair user include: the bell.
- There are double manual doors which open away from you.
- The width of the opening is 134cm.
- There is a small lip on the threshold of the entrance with a height of less than 1.5cm.
Eating and Drinking
- This is a tea room which serves hot and cold snacks.
- There is a counter where food and drink can be ordered.
- Staff can provide assistance and offer service to tables.
- Menu types include: written wall menus and counter menus.
- Menus are not easy to read (unclear font with poorly contrasting colours).
- The following are available here: drinking straws, takeaway cups, two handled cups, easy grip cutlery, takeaway cutlery, a portable card machine for payment and large-handled cutlery.
- Lighting levels are varied.
- There is no (or very little) background noise here.
- There is a clearly signed hearing assistance system.
- The hearing assistance system was tested and working at the time of the survey.
- There is a counter over 85cm high with a tray rail.
- The counter is 90cm high.
- There is not a section of the counter at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
- There is step-free level access around the seating area.
- There are long tables, a mixture of chairs with and without armrests and tables available in the seating area.
- The seating area does not have: a priority table.
- Tables are at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
- The surface height of the tables is 75cm.
- Flooring in the area is not smooth and even.
- Where the flooring is not smooth or even, this is due to uneven paving/tiles.
- Some of the flooring includes large repeating patterns in bold colours, which may look like steps or holes to some people.
- Some of the flooring has a very shiny finish, which could cause issues with glare or look slippery to some people.
- The door leading to the servery is 94cm wide.
Toilet with Adaptations (Courtyard - Ambulant - Left Hand Transfer)
- This toilet is located in the courtyard next to the tea room.
- There is step-free level access into the toilet.
- This toilet is approximately 10m from the tea room entrance.
- There is pictorial and written text signage on or near the door.
- The door is manual, opens outwards and has a low colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
- The width of the toilet door opening is 84cm.
- The door has a locking handle.
- There is a small lip on the threshold of the doorway with a height of more than 1.5cm.
- The dimensions of the cubicle are 149cm x 200cm and it does not have a 150cm x 150cm turning space.
- There is a lateral transfer space to the left of the seat but it is obstructed.
- The lateral transfer space is 75cm from the side of the toilet pan to the wall.
- There is a spatula flush on the non transfer side.
- The following grab rails are available: a horizontal grab rail on the door, a horizontal grab rail on the non transfer side, a vertical grab rail on the non transfer side and a vertical rail on the left side of the wash basin.
- There is a dropdown rail on the transfer side.
- The following fixtures can be reached from the toilet seat: toilet roll holder.
- The following fixtures cannot be reached from the toilet seat: wash basin, soap dispenser and towel dispenser.
- The height of the toilet seat above floor level is 44cm.
- The height of the toilet roll holder is 95cm.
- The wash basin tap type is lever mixer.
- The height of the wash basin is 73cm.
- The height of the soap dispenser is 95cm.
- The height of the towel dispenser is 122cm.
- The height of the baby change is 101cm.
- There is a pull cord emergency alarm but it is not at a recommended height (within 10cm from the floor).
- There is not a shelf.
- The cubicle has: a waste bin with lid, a nappy/incontinence items bin and a sanitary bin.
- The cubicle does not have a full length mirror.
- The height of the coat hook is 128cm from the floor.
- The following have a high colour contrast with their surroundings: the dropdown rail, the floor and all grab rails.
- The following have a less clear colour contrast with their surroundings: the internal door and the toilet seat.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
Exit
- The exit is located at the rear of the tea room seating area.
- There is not step-free access at the exit.
- There are 2 steps, which are unmarked, with no handrails.
- Some of the steps are not at the recommended height (between 15cm - 18cm) .
- There are double manual doors which open towards you.
- The width of the opening is 134cm.
- There is a small lip on the threshold of the exit with a height of less than 1.5cm.
Standard Toilet (Courtyard)
- There is step-free level access into the toilet.
- The door is manual, opens inwards and has a low colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
- The width of the door opening is 71cm.
- Internally the door has a low colour contrast.
- The male and female standard toilets were surveyed.
- The width of the widest cubicle door opening is 64cm.
- The wash basin tap type is lever mixer.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
- There are hand dryers.