Calke Abbey's compost bays with old railway sleepers

Calke Abbey is a wonderful place to visit with miles of sweeping parkland and a rambling 'time capsule' mansion with abandoned rooms, peeling wallpaper and a vast collection of strange and unique objects – presented and preserved exactly where the National Trust found them. Top of my list is the fantastic walled working vegetable garden with all the original tools and garden buildings largely untouched. Of course any amazing working garden needs to process tons of plant compost and huge bays have been created by slotting old railway sleepers into steel I or H-beams.