The Gardens were re-discovered in 1983 by planning inspectors employed by West Midlands County Council. As soon as their importance was realized it was decided that restoration was essential and work started to clear the under growth and repair the vandal damage to the infrastructure.
The Trust was formed in 1985 by the West Midlands County Council, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, Birmingham City Council, Castle Bromwich Parish Council, Castle Bromwich Parochial Church Council, Bovis Homes Ltd, The National Trust and Lord Bradford and for many years these were the only members of the Trust. These members appointed Trustees who in turn co-opted other Trustees for the skills the Trust needed.
Lord Bradford gifted 7.44 acres of the gardens to the west of the Middle Terrace walk together with the entrance drive and car Park. All the estate to the east of the Middle Terrace was already in the ownership of Bovis Homes who allowed the Trust access under licence to some 1.84 acres of the gardens which lie between the Hall and the Middle Terrace.
The 38 acres of Parkland lying to the north and west of the Gardens was purchased by Birmingham City Council. Part of this is a site of special interest and known as the Castle Bromwich Wet Land. Unfortunately the City Council is allowing the area to deteriorate to the extent that a valuable leisure resource of historic importance in an urban area is in danger of being lost to future generations.
It is the Trust's policy to restore the gardens as near as possible to the period 1680 - 1740 and distinguish between restoration and recreation. The Trust only uses plants that were available to the gardeners of England by 1740. Henry Beighton’s South Prospect of the Hall and Gardens drawn in 1726 forms an important reference - (it forms the background to our web pages). The Trust has finished most of the restoration work in the gardens in its ownership and is now seeking to work with the owners of the other parts of the walled garden to work out how these can also be restored.
By 2002 Bovis had moved out of the Hall and a reorganisation had led to the demise of West Midlands County Council and it became increasingly difficult for the Trust to be quorate at its AGM. At an Extraordinary Meeting of the Trust held on 4th December 2002 each Trustee was elected a member during their term of office.
At the AGM on 11 September 2008 the Trust adopted by special resolution a new constitution which allowed, for the first time, any adult to become a member of the Trust from 1st January 2009. Membership details
