Your questions answered
Disabled parking is available within the main car park accessed through George’s Gate. Access to the shops, restaurant and lavatories is wheelchair friendly. Both male and female lavatories in the Stable Yard have a disabled toilet. There is a good wheelchair route around the garden.
The car park surface is hard standing, but if we are very popular on the day, you will be directed to the overflow grassed car park fields.
Hatfield House does not have wheelchairs to hire.
The ladies lavatories have one disabled toilet, through an 80cm door, with two handrails on either side of the lavatory which is 45 cm high. There are also 10 cubicles in the ladies toilets accessed by one step of 18cm in height.
Baby changing facilities are available in the ladies and gentlemen’s lavatories.
The gentlemen’s lavatory houses one disabled toilet accessed through a 85 cm door with two handrails on either side of the lavatory, which is 45 cm high.
There are seven urinals accessed via one step of 22cm in height and one cubicle accessed via four steps of 22cm in height each. One of the urinals has a step to enable male children to use it.
There are additional all gender lavatories in the coach house restaurant. One of these is for disabled visitors as above.
Seven of the ten shops in Stable Yard have access with no steps and their access is between 78cm and 1.2 metres. Pots of Art has one step of 18cm in height.
Heritage Brides is accessed via 17 steps of 18cm in height and 1.3 metre in width. There is a handrail on one side.
There is a decorative fountain in Stable Yard with no rail.
Entrance to Hatfield Park is via three gates on hard standing, each of which is 1 metre wide.
There are three designated walks in the park and a free map is available at ticket points. The yellow walk is 1.1 mile, the blue 2 miles and the red 3.2 miles. All are through parkland and therefore over grassy, uneven and often muddy terrain.
There are a number of hard standing roads around the parkland that wheelchairs would be able to travel on whilst being aware of traffic. These are marked paths on the Park Walks leaflet.
Throughout the West Garden there is a variety of different terrain. The paths are gravel but visitors may walk on the grass, unless otherwise stated.
There are benches placed around the West Garden and North Front for visitors.
The fountain in the centre of the West Garden has no rails around it so extra care needs to be taken, especially keeping an eye on small children.
There are a number of steps throughout the West Garden, but these can be avoided to gain access to other areas.
Sculptures in the garden are provided for visitor’s enjoyment but are not suitable for touching or climbing upon.
We do admit carers into the grounds for free if a carers card can be shown, when accompanying a visitor who requires further assistance.
A visit to Hatfield House garden and park is always worthwhile and very much enjoyed by visitors with disabilities. For booking and further advice or help please contact us on 01707 287010.
From time to time we may need to direct visitors to use alternative entrances and parking due to projects taking place within the park.
Access to the Marble Hall is either via 14 early 17th Century steps, which lead up to the main entrance of Hatfield House (worn and uneven) with hand rails at either side or wheelchair access is through the basement door to the right of the main entrance, next to the wall.
The lift at Hatfield House was installed during Victorian period by the Third Marquess of Salisbury. Since then, it has been used to transport guests and latterly visitors to the various floors of the House. The lift is regularly checked and maintained but the years have left it a little sensitive.
For visitors with large or powered chairs which cannot fit in the lift, but who are able to transfer, we have chairs available for transfer use in the house only. These are also available for the elderly and for others with walking difficulties.
Before getting into the lift we would like to make you aware of the following:
There is a strict weight limit for those travelling in the lift of 450lb, which is 32 stone or 204 kilograms. The total weight needs to include the disabled person, their wheelchair (if applicable) and the person travelling with them. We regret that the lift cannot take loads over this limit.
Entrance to the lift is 66cm wide on the lower floors and 63 cm on the first floor. Therefore we regret that some larger wheelchairs cannot be accommodated. The Lift is 113cm (depth) by 90 cm (width) and over 2 metres high and allows room for 1 wheelchair and a carer/friend. The Lift has a tendency to jolt to a stop, which may cause discomfort to some visitors.
Only two wheelchairs are permitted on the first floor at the same time, for fire safety and evacuation reasons. Visitors may be asked to wait on their current floor if there are already two people on the first floor. The lift is called to the relevant floor by a member of staff, they do not travel with you in the lift.
