Renishaw People
Our Greatest Asset
Family Values
As Renishaw is and has always been a family home, the Sitwell family values shine through everything that we do. The hall is a time capsule of countless birthday celebrations, memorable Christmas periods and everyday joys that we all cherish in our lives.
Many are familiar with stories or first-hand experiences of the kindness, hospitality and warmth of the Sitwells. Alexandra, Rick and their two children, Rosie and Bertie, echo this long-standing trait, which is recognised and mirrored in our attitude, values and passion as the people at Renishaw.
Alexandra has always had a great love and deep-rooted passion for Renishaw. She first came to the estate in 1965, after her father Reresby inherited the hall and gardens from his uncle, Osbert Sitwell.
From the moment of crossing the threshold, Renishaw became her own Aladdin’s cave, where she enjoyed exploring the gardens and the hall’s many hidden treasures. Her school years were spent at the French Lycée in London and a boarding school in Kent, which led to studies in the History of Art and a period of living in Paris. She worked for many years in the art world in London and has travelled extensively.
In 1991, Alexandra married her husband Rick Hayward, and they have two children, Rosie, born in 1993 and Bertie, born in 1994. Following the passing of her father Reresby in 2009, she moved to Renishaw with her family and took over the reins. Her mother, Penelope, continues to support and guide Alexandra as she maintains the beauty of Renishaw Hall & Gardens for her family and visitors to enjoy.
Rick was born in 1952 in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas. He and his family moved to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, in 1959, after his grandfather, Sir Charles Hayward, invested in the development of Freeport.
Rick was sent to prep school in Southern England, which led to his studies at Gordonstoun in Scotland, the school which founded the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. He then travelled extensively while working for the World Wildlife Fund and returned to Freeport to work alongside his father and run three successful restaurants. He has many business interests and was Chairman of Wolverhampton Wanderers between 2003-2006.
Rick now spends lots of time at Renishaw with Alexandra, where they enjoy time together in their family home and run the Sitwell Estates.
Leading The Way
Our passionate leaders are committed to ensuring visitors have a warm and memorable experience at Renishaw Hall & Gardens.
Carrie-Anne has been our Hall & Visitor Manager since 2021. A deep rooted passion for people, positivity and over 35 years of exceptional customer service contribute to the thriving work environment and heritage experience at Renishaw Hall & Gardens.
Carrie-Anne’s forward-thinking leadership, proactive planning and exceptional organisation have brought many new and exciting elements to Renishaw, including numerous events, and on-site activities for this and future seasons.
David has been the Sitwell Family Butler for almost a decade. His exceptional standards, warmth and sense of humour contribute to the already-wonderful atmosphere at Renishaw Hall.
David is an animal lover and adores spending time with Alexandra’s three dogs. He has three pets, including Renishaw’s social media favourite, Owen, the cat. As several employees share his name on the estate, he is known as ‘Indoor David’.
David – known on the estate as ‘Outdoor David’ – has been Head Gardener at Renishaw Hall for 25 years. Before his time at Renishaw, David had a number of gardening roles, each expanding his knowledge and maximising his passion for historic gardens.
With the help of Renishaw’s small expert team, David has made several remarkable changes to the gardens, such as introducing the exotic plantings in 2009 and planting the stunning rose garden that surrounds the fountain.
David’s influence on Renishaw’s ever-evolving gardens is awe-inspiring to our people, guests and visitors. His leadership, community spirit and wisdom is celebrated by all of us here at Renishaw Hall & Gardens.
Our Elite Team
We strive to provide you with a memorable experience upon every visit, which is why the hall, gardens, café and visitors centre are maintained by our hardworking team throughout the season and beyond.
The Italianate gardens and the rest of our outdoor spaces are maintained by our thriving gardening team, which is made up of four people; David (Head Gardener), Paul, James Dave & Amberlea, each of which have been with us between 10 and 30+ years.
Come rain or shine, the gardeners meet the demands of every border, lawn and woodland area throughout the changing seasons. Their passion and efforts were highlighted in 2015, when Renishaw Hall & Gardens proudly obtained the prestige HHA/Christies Garden Of The Year Award.
On occasion, we welcome along passionate volunteers to assist with light and enjoyable activities. If you would like to volunteer with us, please email enquiries@renishaw-hall.co.uk for more information.
The Café at Renishaw has become a regular spot for families and friends to catch up and share memories.
Our friendly front of house team go above and beyond to accommodate every visitor’s needs, and the kitchen team thrive on preparing a variety of delicious home-cooked eats from locally sourced produce.
The Cafe have recently been awarded the Visit England Quality Food & Drink Award 2024
Phil, Katrina and Isis-Ruby are the first friendly faces that our visitors see before entering the Italianate Gardens.
The Visitor Centre has a noticeable warm and welcoming atmosphere, which is the product of our teams exceptional customer service, aligned values and a genuine passion for people and our heritage story.
Renishaw Hall is a loved and lived-in family home, which Pat, Sheila, Sally and Jo maintain all year round. With each grand room comes a list of requirements and specialised cleaning routines, which is upheld through the care of our exceptional Renishaw ladies.
Alongside keeping the Hall sparkling, Pat and Sheila prepare delicious, hearty meals and feasts for the family and their guests. They have both worked at Renishaw Hall & Gardens for over 40 years.
Our tour guides, Christine, Margaret, Glenda, Janet, Libby, Rob, Kathryn and Pat are the pillars of our heritage experience, with many working at Renishaw for over three decades. Their unmatched knowledge of the Hall and Gardens has entertained thousands of visitors on our private and public hall tours, leaving many dazzled with their storytelling ability as they guide visitors from room to room.
Renishaw’s Archivist, Christine Beevers, has spent many years piecing together the Sitwell heritage story and studying the many heirlooms and artefacts in the hall and museum. We highly recommend her decorative arts tours for those passionate about the arts.
Marie, Nancy, Sheila and Anne are our brilliant hall security team, who direct our visitors and keep the hall in tip-top condition.
With unmatched knowledge of the estate and an individual commitment of 30+ years, Malcolm, Jon, Paul and Dave are our valued maintenance team who ensure that Renishaw Hall & Gardens is safe and enjoyable site-wide.
