Delight at Award of Heritage Lottery Fund

Published: February 2010

All of us are quite delighted at the award of our Heritage Lottery Grant of £50,000.

The purpose of the grant is to allow Marks Hall to improve both the physical and learning access to the gardens and arboretum, so that many more visitors can share the natural history, landscaping and planting that is so important.

Marks Hall is now nationally recognised as one of the places to visit for autumn colour; we are already getting enquiries about when people can come to see the snowdrops; and we must boast one of the busiest car parks around for people taking walks over the Christmas and New Year holiday period.  But we are on clay soil and ironically these are the very times walking conditions can become muddy and unpleasant.  It has been really frustrating that there is so little we have been able to do to help people at these different and difficult time of year!

 So the first stage of the grant will be to improve our path network.  Hard paths will lead from the Visitor Centre to the focal point of the lakes and Walled Garden to help every visitor, including those with mobility difficulties, buggies and pushchairs.  Along the way there will be additional signage, interpretation and a new leaflet.

 And, of course, new projects at Marks hall have to include planting, continuing to develop our ecological and environmental aims, enhancing the landscape an wildlife, which is so much enjoyed.