Groundwork done to open ‘secret garden’ to the public

AN ARMY of green-fingered volunteers are rolling up their sleeves to breathe new life into a “secret garden” which has been hidden from the public for decades.
Volunteer Catherine Palmer has helped to restore the gardens at Cusworth Hall near Doncaster.Volunteer Catherine Palmer has helped to restore the gardens at Cusworth Hall near Doncaster.
Volunteer Catherine Palmer has helped to restore the gardens at Cusworth Hall near Doncaster.

Work is underway to redevelop a forgotten corner of the parklands which surround Grade I-listed Cusworth Hall in Doncaster. The two-hectare walled site pre-dates the building itself and used to boast a kitchen garden and pavilion, but has been closed off for many years.

Site-owner Doncaster Council has now recruited a team of local gardening enthusiasts to form Cusworth Hall Gardens Trust, who will work with staff on plans to create a new working kitchen garden and community green to complement the 18th-century Palladian style hall and existing public park.

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Coun Bob Johnson, cabinet member for culture and leisure, said: “There are many people who have never seen inside the walled gardens.

“This is a great example of 
the council and volunteers working together on a project which will benefit the whole community.”

The council’s announcement comes after Cusworth Hall and Park was awarded prestigious Green Flag status.