Georgian splendour to return at historic South Yorkshire gardens

The site of Cannon Hall near Barnsley is known to have been the location of significant premises since the 13th century but it was not until the latter part of the 18th century - during the pomp of the Georgian era and under the long-term ownership of the Spencer-Stanhope family - that the hall began to resemble the stately splendour which is remains lovingly preserved for visitors today.

No historic hall is complete without its gardens and work to establish 70 acres of parkland began in 1757 when some of the best surveyors, landscapists and gardeners were hired to create a spectacular setting. Renowned landscape architect of the time, Richard Woods, was responsible for its design.

Back then this rolling greenery with views over the village of Cawthorne hosted garden parties for the wealthy but time has robbed it of some of its attractive period features. Now in the hands of Barnsley Council, the hall’s Grade II listed grounds are in line for a major restoration.

Nearly £3m has been awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund’s Parks for People programme to bankroll a three-year project which is set to start soon. Original features, some of which have never been seen by the public, will be repaired and restored to place the venue firmly on the tourist map at its location next door to popular visitor attraction, Cannon Hall Farm.

An intact 18th century ice house will be revealed and two acres of woodland will be opened up for educational purposes.

The park’s lakes will be dredged and restored and visitors will be able to hire rowing boats and fishing equipment in a throwback to popular Georgian pastimes.

New paths will be created to offer wheelchair access and an adventure trail will lead off from the hall, which the Council has run as a museum since 1957.

A restored gardener’s cottage will create a base for volunteer activities and a ‘midden’, an early example of an outside toilet, will be unveiled.

The hall and its free-to-visit gardens were visted by more than 407,000 visitors in 2016, a figure that Coun Roy Miller, Barnsley Council’s spokesperson for place, hopes to build on.

“We hope this investment will lead to Cannon Hall and its park and gardens becoming one of Yorkshire’s top cultural visitor attractions,” he said.

More than 100 people took part in two years of planning for the grant application. The Friends of Cannon Hall, a group of 135 volunteers who help manage the gardens, raised in excess of £40,000 by staging events, fayres and activities to contribute to match funding with the Council. Together they raised £740,567.

Richard Emerson, chairman of the friends group, said: “The grant is a major boost for a historic recreational site and is absolutely fantastic news for the Barnsley community and beyond.”

He added: “Our local heritage is of great importance to us all, it defines who we are and the character and identity of our communities and must be protected.”