Page 22 - link magazine

22
Swi-ith r Wide
Regenerating Lydiard Park

In the September 2002 Link, Keeper of Lydiard House, Sarah Finch-Crisp, exclusively outlined the multi-million pound project
to bring Lydiard Park to life for the whole community. Here she provides an outline of developments since then, which can be found
in detail in a newsletter available from the house or by calling 770401.
The story so far
In January this year Swindon Borough Council
lodged a bid with The Heritage Lottery Fund to
restore the rich historical landscape of Lydiard Park
and upgrade visitor facilities on the site. The bid is
based on a detailed Restoration and Development
Plan, which seeks to increase opportunities for
enjoyment and involvement by local people and
school children in their park.
Heritage Lottery Fund are currently studying our
application and have visited the park to meet coun-
cil officers, teachers, local people and partners from
key national agencies and the business community.
A decision is anticipated this Autumn and in the
meantime project activities continue to attract in-
terest and increasing public involvement.
Quality of life matters
In March eighteen representatives of a range of community interests spent a
day at Lydiard examining and discussing the restoration proposals and plotting
the benefits of the project for the people of Swindon and the region.
The group included park users and volunteers, the Police, Probation and
Health Services, members of St Mary's Church Lydiard Tregoz, Positive
Living Swindon, Innogy, Greendown School, The University of Bath in
rd
Swindon, The University of the 3 Age and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.
r I
The workshop was funded by The Countryside Agency and the group has
gamely volunteered to reconvene at regular intervals as the project develops,
to ensure that the widest range of local interests are represented.
Mapping the park
This summer English Heritage have been plotting the archaeological features of the park and have
so far recorded about half of the lawns leading down to the lost lakes and a substantial part of the
wooded area to the north west of the house.
Initial analysis of the survey results suggest that traces of late 17 Century formal gardens
survive, this is what all the humps and bumps in the lawn are. Evidence of formal walks, terraces
and garden features also seem to have survived and as the survey progresses more discoveries are
expected. These could change the interpretation but at the moment it seems that we could be
tracing the lost gardens of the enthusiast amateur gardener Lady Johanna St.John.
Evidence has also been found of Medieval agriculture and also World War II hut platforms,
roads and boundaries associated with the military camp which once occupied the Lydiard events
and sports fields.

Funding from Innogy
Coming soon
& Arts and Business
Sealed Knot to set up Royalist
In June Lydiard Park received a garrison on Lydiard's lawns on
£30,000 boost from the Government Heritage Open Days
funded Arts and Business New Part- 13 & 14 September
ners Scheme. It is the biggest award
A free weekend for
the agency has ever made and recog-
all the family.
nises the pioneering new partnership
Activities will
between the Swindon Council and
include:
West Swindon based energy supplier • Regular canon, ;'
Innogy plc. musket fire
Innogy have so far invested over and sword
£100,000 in the Lydiard project, some demonstrations;
of which is being used to finance the costumed soldiers,
current archaeological investigations their families in camp
in the park. and a Cavalier on horseback
The interest and involvement of the • Free entry to Lydiard House.
company's executives and employ- Discover Lydiard's amazing history
ees, many of whom have joined dis- and exciting future.
covery walks and signed up for volun-
teer action around the park, has Phil Gibby, Director of Arts and Business SW presents the New
brought goodwill and added impetus Partners Award to Sarah Finch-Crisp and Linda Worley, left, from This page has been ll
to the project. Innogy plc with Swindon South MP Julia Drown sponsored by i