The New Heritage Centre

Building Fund Appeal

Progress Report

Two dictionary definitions:-

unique   ~  that which has no like ~ of which only one item exists.

Survivor ~ that remaining when others of its kind have been lost.

Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens are a unique survivor of an early eighteenth century walled garden – all the more special having survived intact on the outskirts of Britain's second city at the time of its greatest expansion.

Perversely they owe their continued existence to the benign neglect of their owners when they moved to a grander house – missing out thereby being part of the fashionable “ improvements” of the times.  After they were rediscovered – when an attempt was made to carry out housing development on the surrounding land - this Trust was established in 1985 “to promote the permanent preservation and restoration of the Gardens and buildings therein, for the benefit and education of the public generally”.  The Trust continues to do this, 25 years later, using the same temporary premises which were erected in those early days and which today are well past their best.

Because we feel that our visitors deserve better than this and particularly because we are anxious to increase the educational experience of the gardens to all ages we have recently obtained Conservation Area Consent (Planning Permission) from Solihull Council to replace the old buildings with a much improved Heritage Centre.  Within this new structure we shall provide a multi-purpose refreshment/educational/exhibition space with increased area for administration & archives.  We also hope to be able to provide accommodation for a much respected horticultural library which would be available for reference purposes.

We intend to make as much use as possible of “green technology, possibly employing ground source and solar heating methods and rainwater & other harvesting for reuse in other ways.  We also want the new building to be more accessible to less-able visitors with flat thresholds from the courtyard level rather than the current steps of tortuous rear access.

Finance is of course very difficult in the present circumstances and we shall soon be launching an appeal for assistance to carry the scheme forward to gain technical approval.