Warley Place is open every day during daylight hours. This 25 acre reserve is the site of a house and once famous Edwardian gardens.
Of the 1,700 important parks and gardens in England, 104 have been deemed to be ‘at risk’.
These include gardens such as Warley Place, Essex, formally owned by horticulturist Ellen Willmott (1858-1934). However, in good news ‘There are fewer sites on the Register in 2021 compared with last year”, said an Historic England spokesperson.
‘The Government’s Culture Recovery Fund has helped historic sites with urgent repairs, and specialist craft workers to stay in their jobs.
The Heritage at Risk Register from Historic England lists 4,985 sites ranging from protected underwater wrecks to places of worship threatened by neglect, decay or inappropriate development. Of those, 130 sites are newly added to the list, but 233 were removed as they were saved through funding and restoration. These include Plumpton Rocks, near Harrogate, a Grade I* listed landscape. Covering 12ha (30 acres), the parkland incorporates walks around a large man-made lake formed by a dam-built c.1756 and designed by architect John Carr, against a backdrop of dramatic rock formations. The site has been closed for a few years while essential maintenance took place, including dredging the lake and repairing the dam, but it is hoped the park will reopen this spring.
Added to the register this year is Warley Place in Essex now a 10ha (25 acre) reserve managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust. A conservation management plan, repairs to ruinous structures and a strategy to save Ellen Willmott’s gardens is needed.
Details of all sites at risk can be found at www.historicengland.org.uk
