Introduction
Like most stately homes, the Castle has a ‘heritage management
plan’ and has a structured approach to dealing with all the
restoration and conservation work required. From time to time the
Castle’s Estate Manager can apply for grants to assist with the
work; in most cases match funding is required. On the whole the
Castle’s management plan is funded from Estate enterprises, such
as the tourism business and the farm. Therefore, investment can
fluctuate according to the economic climate and business
performance. In recent years many restoration and conservation
projects have got underway:
The Woodland Garden
 The clearance and replanting of the gardens has taken place and
paths have been reinstated. The old mature trees that were in a
bad state have been removed and replaced by new; shrubs have been
thinned out and new ones added. The leat that runs along the
bottom of the Woodland Garden is constantly
receiving attention to
maintain the water level so that there is a movement of water over
the spillway. Visitors are now encouraged to enjoy the peace and
tranquillity of this beautiful spot.
 The gates to the Woodland Garden were built in about 1808
and were decorated with figures by Coade and Seely; for
conservation reasons they are now on display in the Terrace
Entrance in the Castle.
The Summerhouse is in a poor state of repair. Emergency repairs
have been carried out to prevent further deterioration and
complete restoration will follow when funds are available.
The Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden
(Now known as the Secret
Garden)
  The greenhouse
has been completely restored and ivy removed from
most of the walls. The greenhouse was restored from what was a
very bad state of repair due to lack of use. Brambles had taken
over the inside and a lot of the glass was broken; fortunately
most of the timbers were still sound. The work was carried out
over 2 years and the greenhouse is now used for growing plants to be sold at
the Country Store by the Perfumed Garden.
The whole area is now included in the Castle’s tourist complex
which means that regular repairs are carried out and the space is
enjoyed by many people.
The Belvedere
Despite its derelict condition the building is Grade
2 listed.
Stabilisation work to prevent its further deterioration has begun.
This work is likely to take 3 years to complete as it can only be
realistically be done during the summer months.
English Heritage
are grant aiding the project with the help of capitalised rents
from Orange Communications.
The Deer Park
The Deer Park is a well-maintained example of 18th century
informal parkland that has changed very little over the years. The
Estate has a policy of replacing trees dating from the 18th
century that will be lost over the next one to two hundred years.
Very often, however, dead trees are retained for the interest of nature
conservation. The fact that the area has been very little
disturbed provides a measure of protection for birds in
particular.
Above: Deer Park
watercolour by William Marshall Craig C1780 |
