Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal: Behind a £3.5m bid to 'unlock potential' of a Yorkshire World Heritage Site

Layers of landscape and history lie beneath the seams at one of Yorkshire's best-loved visitor attractions, ready to share its stories in a myriad different ways.
Ruby Kitchen
By Ruby Kitchen
Published 5th Aug 2023, 06:00 BST

Now Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, with a £3.5m bid, looks to focus on the world-famous water gardens once more, along with a new cafe and facilities for 2025.

This is a change that has been building for years, and not without rumblings from walkers who would lose free access to part of the National Trust site.

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But to those at the helm this is what's needed to return something treasured, long since lost. And to make it fit for the 21st century as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Visitors at the Victorian tea-room beside the lake at Studley Royal Water Garden, North Yorkshire.Visitors at the Victorian tea-room beside the lake at Studley Royal Water Garden, North Yorkshire.
Visitors at the Victorian tea-room beside the lake at Studley Royal Water Garden, North Yorkshire.

General manager Justin Scully said this was a "once-in-a-generation change".

"It's been a long time coming," he added. "To get to this milestone means we can really unlock the potential of this special site."

Submitted plans, dubbed Studley Revealed, centre around an area of the estate traditionally seen as a mid-visit stop. Key would be new visitor facilities, with a timber-framed, brick built extension, accessible bathrooms, an enhanced cafe, and a space to "bring the story of the Water Garden alive".

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Back in the 18th century John Aislabie had crafted these landscapes to conceal and then reveal scenes in spectacular style. Since that time, the National Trust outlined, this "spirit" has been lost. Structures, added piecemeal, or planting not in-keeping with Georgian design. Now the project, if approved, would remake landscape features at the heart of Aislabie’s intention, opening up lost 18th century views from the tea-room and recreating old routes.

An illustration of how the new cafe seating area might look under the proposals which have been submitted to North Yorkshire Council.An illustration of how the new cafe seating area might look under the proposals which have been submitted to North Yorkshire Council.
An illustration of how the new cafe seating area might look under the proposals which have been submitted to North Yorkshire Council.

Mr Scully said this site creates a "lifetime of memories"; for those who married here, or became engaged, or who first visited on a school trip and now take their own children.

That experience can quickly be destroyed in a “boring queue for an ice cream”, he added. "This part of the estate just isn't what we'd expect of a World Heritage Site. Fountains is a treasure of Yorkshire."

Designs, based on the study of historic maps and images, have been drawn up over several years by Feilden Fowles and Rankinfraser Landscape Architecture.

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To deliver the project, the new facilities would become part of the estate where entry is paid for. Later, plans will be submitted for a kiosk in the free deer park car park.

An illustration of the how the new entrance to the building from the water gardens might look at the proposed developmentAn illustration of the how the new entrance to the building from the water gardens might look at the proposed development
An illustration of the how the new entrance to the building from the water gardens might look at the proposed development

Mr Scully said this was a "difficult balance to strike", but stressed it was not a commercial decision.

"This is always to conserve the property, and replace what was lost," he said. "Interpreting 18th century gardens, great toilets - these things don't generate money.

"Fountains and Studley Royal is about those layers of landscape and history," he added. "People love our World Heritage Sites. They are treasures for Yorkshire and for all of humanity. We've got to tell this story properly."​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Related topics:YorkshirePeopleNational Trust