Lyveden was the dream of Sir Thomas Tresham, but was never to be completed following his death in 1605.
From 1605 to the present day, Lyveden remains virtually as it was left four centuries ago. A building with no roof, no windows and no floors. Surrounded in folklore and mystery, Lyveden has escaped the influence of time, fashion and conflict.
Donated to the National Trust in 1922, Lyveden became protected from the modern influences of the 20th century. However, it was not until the 1990s that the Trust began the gradual process to uncover the neglect and abandonment of the hidden garden.