Restoration of Wepre Park

The house has sadly been demolished (image from BBC News website)

The BBC News website is reporting that Flintshire County Council in north Wales has secured funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to develop a restoration plan to conserve, restore and improve the historic gardens of Wepre Park.  

The Council provides a brief history of Wepre Park which notes that: 'At the southern end of Wepre Park are the remains of Ewloe Castle which was built in 1210 and extended by the Welsh Princes in 1257, it is a scheduled ancient monument. Wepre hall itself was built in 1770 and in the 18^th century formal grounds and gardens were laid out and then further extended in 1880. The estate at that time would have covered over 30 hectares including some of the farms which are next to the park and much of Connah’s Quay.  After the First World War the estate was broken up and sold, eventually to Connah’s Quay Urban District Council. Following the Second World War the Hall was used for council housing with the external building being used for the council’s Park’s and Gardens department. By 1960 the house had fallen into disrepair and was demolished. During the 1970’s and 1980’s the site was developed into a country park. Today you can still see the remenants of the landscaping from the 1800’s around the visitors centre.'

The gardens in the C.18 & C.19 (image from BBC News website)

The cost of the project, which aims to restore the gardens back to their prime in the 18th and 19th centuries, is estimated to be in the region of £750,000.