More than 10,000 trees toppled and extensive damage to gardens and estates following hurricane force gales, says the National Trust

Hurricane force gales of up to 100mph and heavy rain battered areas of the UK on Friday and into the weekend, wreaking havoc and closing many National Trust places. Further closures were in place yesterday as storm Herminia brought further strong winds and rain to the UK.

Due to the extent of the damage sustained, the conservation charity is now appealing for donations to help with repairing the damage caused by the storms to include tree planting, building repairs and to go towards its climate adaptation work – www.nationaltrust.org.uk/climate-appeal

Northern Ireland, where a Red Warning was issued for the first time since the Met Office moved to impact-based warnings in 2011 [1], bore the brunt of Storm Éowyn with Trust sites heavily impacted across the whole region.

Mount Stewart in County Down was among the worst affected by the gusts of up to 100mph. An initial estimate of upwards of 10,000 trees [2] were lost across the more than 900-acre (364 hectare) demesne as winds tore through the world-renowned formal gardens surrounding the historic house, extensive estate and woodlands.[3]

Shelia Das, the National Trust’s newly appointed Head of Gardens and Parks said: "Our ranger and garden teams are assessing the aftermath but it's already clear we've lost some very significant and precious trees, which is hugely sad. Mature trees, some with veteran qualities and important histories, give such character to our gardens and they connect us to the people who planted them, as well as playing a vital role in the ecosystems of our landscapes.

“We know climate change is making extreme storms like Éowyn more likely, posing a real threat to gardens and landscapes everywhere. Storm Éowyn reminds us that the world is changing and that we need to adapt the places we care for, to ensure that people and nature can thrive."

In addition to the huge loss of trees at Mount Stewart, visitor and office facilities and the gardener’s bothy were all impacted. Clear-up work has begun but it is likely to take a few days before the property can safely reopen to visitors.

Elsewhere in Northern Ireland and across the north of England, other world-renowned gardens, irreplaceable specimen tree collections and outdoor structures cared for by the conservation charity are among those suffering widespread damage from the destructive storm.

At Rowallane Garden, in Saintfield, County Down, devastating winds of up to 90mph took down over 150 trees, some over 250 years old, leaving areas of the historic estate almost unrecognisable. Irreplaceable specimen trees had their root plates ripped up, meaning they are lost forever, a heartbreaking blow to Rowallane's unique tree collection and its legacy.

Furthermore, at Derrymore House, The Argory, Ardress in County Armagh and Springhill in County Londonderry fallen trees, damage to fencing and boardwalks and a destroyed glass house are all attributed to Storm Éowyn’s fury. In County Fermanagh, large trees came down at Castle Coole, Florence Court, and the conifer woodland plantation destroyed at Derryvore near Crom.

Sean Maxwell, Climate and Environment Advisor for the National Trust in Northern Ireland said: “Climate change is making our weather more unpredictable, increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events, like Storm Éowyn, and the devastating impact they have on habitats, heritage and access to nature.

“It’s not unusual for Northern Ireland to experience winter storms and we have built up something of a resilience to them, but the severity of Storm Éowyn has proved particularly impactful; with trees uprooted, buildings and infrastructure damaged as well as services closed due to power outages.”

In the north of England, less than two months after Storm Darragh raged across the country, places including Cragside in Northumberland have suffered further losses [4] with another 100 plus trees brought down.

More are expected to be added to the tally as checks continue across the estate and forestry teams are working fast to winch out parts of a 45m tree, thought to have been planted 150 years ago, that has fallen into the Debdon Burn, blocking the water flow. If left, the debris could cause erosion, waterlogging, and potentially even damage Cragside’s pumphouse and its Victorian hydraulics.

In the formal garden, a large yew at the entrance fell onto neighbouring yews and some glass panes were lost from the 1870s Orchard House. Staff are concerned that the loss of the yews will make the Orchard House more vulnerable to future storms, as they had acted as a protective buffer.

In the Valley, a recently upgraded timber bridge was damaged by a falling Douglas fir, and elsewhere trees had their tops cleanly sheared off by the force of the gales. Cragside has been closed since Friday but hopes to be able to reopen partially from today.

On the vast 13,500 acre (5463.3 hectare) Wallington Estate in Northumberland strong gusts resulted in dozens of trees being windblown or snapped, including 200-year-old beeches planted as part of the original garden designs in the East Wood. The impact of the storm meant some walks and cycle trails were closed along with roads being blocked by fallen trees.

With parts of the UK experiencing further high winds and rain yesterday, the full extent of the damage won’t be known until later this week.

Most National Trust places are now back open, but the Trust is advising visitors to check property websites before setting out. Some places remain closed and walking routes may have changed at others.

Donations can be made via the National Trust website to the Climate Action Appeal.