Bringing lost treasure back from wilderness

Bringing lost treasure back from wilderness

25 January 2012 - by PAUL SYMINGTON

AGRICULTURE Minister Michelle O’Neill is to visit Castlewellan within weeks as the campaign to restore the famous Annesley Gardens gathers pace.

The announcement was made at a public meeting last week at which details of the restoration project were unveiled to a packed meeting room in Hillyard House.

Simon Moore, who has almost single-handedly championed the restoration of the gardens, told a capacity audience the Minister appeared genuinely keen on the project when she took part in a Stormont debate the previous day.

The meeting in Castlewellan heard the restoration process would begin with the formation of the Annesley Gardens Preservation Trust which would be made up of experts who would draw up a plan and seek funding.

He said the Trust would take around six months drawing up a feasbility study and seeking funding for the restoration. He said because all the built structures within the gardens, including greenhouses, walls, steps, fountains, bothy yard, hanging house and slaughter house were protected, the funding is available.

Unveiling the names of the Trust members, Mr. Moore said the body was of international standing who will look to take the restoration of the gardens forward in conjunction with Down Council and the Forest Service.

Mr. Moore said the entire project is dependent upon the Forest Service transferring ownership of the gardens to the Trust and he is confident this can be achieved.

He also made an appeal for former members of staff to come forward to share their memories to allow the restoration to be genuinely authentic.

“I hope the Forest Service can make the move and say ‘ok’ in principle to allow us to get money from Heritage Lottery and the Architectural Heritage Fund to start the process of drawing up a feasibility study and a business plan,” said Mr. Moore.

He said there has been a huge groundswell of support for the proposal from Down Council, the Mourne Heritage Trust, East Down Rural Community Network and South Eastern Regional College.

Television production company, Waddell Media, has spent some time drawing up a proposal for filming the restoration project and the BBC has been approached to screen the production.

Answering some questions, Mr. Moore said sustainability of the project is of major importance but he believes it can pay for itself.

He said the bothy yard has great untapped potential for a cafe and shop while the slaughter and hanging houses could be restored and used for self catering accommodation. He said volunteers will play a key part in the project, possibly working a certain number of hours a year in return for a family pass to the gardens.

“There are many, many ideas to make this project sustainable but we want all your ideas. I need your co-operation and enthusiasm but it can’t stop, it must keep going for years,” he said.