East Sussex park to host winter trail inspired by former owner Nellie Soames

A new winter trail is coming to Sheffield Park at the end of this month
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Nellie’s Arctic Adventure brings to life the story of Nellie Soames, a former owner at Sheffield Park and one of the first women to venture into the Arctic.

Nellie, the granddaughter of Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel, was just 23 years old when she left London in 1893 bound for the Arctic.

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Visitors to the Artic Adventure will be invited to delve into the tale of this journey in the winter trail.

Sheffield Park has once again commissioned community artist, Roy Kelf, of Kelf Kreations, to create the centrepieces of the trail depicting the characters and ice landscapes Nellie encountered on her Arctic adventure.Sheffield Park has once again commissioned community artist, Roy Kelf, of Kelf Kreations, to create the centrepieces of the trail depicting the characters and ice landscapes Nellie encountered on her Arctic adventure.
Sheffield Park has once again commissioned community artist, Roy Kelf, of Kelf Kreations, to create the centrepieces of the trail depicting the characters and ice landscapes Nellie encountered on her Arctic adventure.

The explorer's link with Sheffield Park came in 1919 when she married owner Arthur Gilstrap Soames, the plantsman who orchestrated much of the spring and autumn colour in the Grade I Listed garden.

Sheffield Park has once again commissioned community artist, Roy Kelf, of Kelf Kreations, to create the centrepieces of the trail depicting the characters and ice landscapes Nellie encountered on her Arctic adventure.

Kelf enlisted the help of young artists in a series of workshops at local primary schools to create the constructions. Highlights include the great polar bear and an ice cave in which to immerse the senses in the lights and sounds Nellie described in her account.

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As well as delighting visitors of all ages, the sculptures carry an important message of sustainability and the preservation of places of natural beauty and historic interest for future generations.

Nellie’s Arctic Adventure Winter Trail at Sheffield Park and Garden National Trust will run from January 22 to February 27.