About Us
AN HISTORIC GARDEN LOST?
Website: www.BrackenHillGarden.org
Email: info@brackenhillgarden.org
HELP US! Download the Information Sheet flyer (MS Word format), print and distribute! We welcome any assistance you may be able to provide in spreading the word…
A BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC GARDEN AND ITS BOTANICAL COLLECTIONS ARE UNDER THREAT OF DESTRUCTION, IF PLANS TO BUILD LUXURY HOUSES ON A LARGE AREA OF THE LISTED GARDEN IS ACCEPTED.
THIS HISTORIC GARDEN, ITS BOTANICAL COLLECTIONS AND BUILDINGS ARE AN INTEGAL PART OF THE BEAUTIFUL VICTORIAN ESTATE CALLED BRACKEN HILL.
IT IS SITUATED IN THE WOODLAND CONSERVATION AREA OF LEIGH WOODS, ADJACENT TO THE NIGHTINGALE VALLEY AND FIFTEEN MINUTES WALK FROM THE CLIFTON SUSPENSION BRIDGE, AND THE AVON GORGE.
A BUILDING APPLICATION HAS BEEN SENT TO NORTH SOMERSET COUNCIL TO BUILD LUXURY HOUSES ON THIS MATURE GRADE II LISTED HISTORIC GARDEN.
IF THE APPLICATION IS SUCCESSFUL, A LARGE AREA OF THE BEAUTIFUL GARDEN WILL BE DESTROYED. ALSO UNDER THREAT ARE VICTORIAN RED BRICK GARDEN BUILDINGS AND BOTANICAL GLASSHOUSES, THEY WILL ALL BE DEMOLISHED.
THE PROPOSED BUILDING PLAN:
- OVER A LARGE AREA OF THE GARDEN, TWO LARGE LUXURY DETACHED HOUSES AND FOUR SEMI-DETACHED HOUSES WILL BE BUILT.
- ON THE INNER WALLED FLOWER GARDEN, ONE LUXURY LARGE DETACHED HOUSE WILL BE BUILT.
THERE WILL BE SUBSTANCIAL CONVERSIONS MADE TO THE EXISTING VICTORIAN BUILDINGS. THEY ARE AS FOLLOWS:
- THE THREE BEDROOM VICTORIAN LODGE WILL BE MADE MUCH LARGER AND EXTENDED TO THE REAR.
- THE IMPRESSIVE VICTORIAN COACH HOUSE/STABLES/ COURTYARD WILL BE CONVERTED INTO FOUR LUXURY HOUSES.
- THE ESTATES GRAND VICTORIAN, ARTS AND CRAFTS DESIGN, BRACKEN HILL HOUSE WILL BE CONVERTED INTO A NUMBER OF LUXURY APARTMENTS.
MAEVE KENNEDY, OF THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER, WROTE A SYMPATHETIC REPORT ABOUT HER VISIT TO BRACKEN HILL. IT WAS TITLED “THE FINAL BLOSSOMING OF THE SECRET GARDEN“. SHE WENT ON TO SAY, “THE PEOPLE OF BRISTOL ARE ABOUT TO LOOSE A TREASURE THAT MOST OF THEM NEVER REALISED THEY HAD“. THIS STILL HOLDS TRUE TODAY.
BRACKEN HILL WAS THE HOME OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL’S BOTANIC GARDEN FOR NEARLY FIFTY YEARS. DURING THIS TIME THE UNIVERSITY WELCOMED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, TO LEARN ABOUT THE PLANTS AND TO ENJOY THE BEAUTY AND TRANQUILITY OF THE GARDENS.
THE ELDERLY, THE DISABLED, GENERATIONS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND STUDENTS, ALL PASSED THROUGH THE GATES OF BRACKEN HILL. SADLY THE GATES ARE NOW LOCKED; THERE ARE NO MORE VISITORS TO BRACKEN HILL’S “SECRET GARDEN”.
MOST PEOPLE WRONGLY BELIEVE THAT WHEN THE UNIVERSITY SOLD BRACKEN HILL, THEY REMOVED ALL THE PLANTS FROM THE BOTANIC GARDEN. THIS IS FAR FROM THE TRUTH. A MAJOR PART OF THE BOTANICAL DIVERSITY SURVIVES. MANY RARE AND ORIGINAL PLANTS, TREES, SHRUBS AND FLOWERS ARE STILL GROWING AND THRIVING BEHIND THE WALLS AND THE LOCKED GATES OF BRACKEN HILL TODAY.
THERE ARE MANY SPECIES OF WILDLIFE LIVING IN THE GARDEN, INCLUDING THE PROTECTED CRESTED NEWTS AND HORSESHOE BATS. MANY WOODLAND AND SONG BIRDS REGULARLY VISIT THE GARDEN TO FEED ON THE LAWNS AND IN THE TREES.
IF THE INTEGRITY OF THIS VICORIAN ESTATE IS DESTROYED FOR PROFIT, THE PUBLIC WILL NEVER SEE BEYOND THE LOCKED GATES AGAIN.
TO VIEW THE GARDENS, UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE AND STUNNING VIEWS, GO TO OUR GALLERIES.
FOR MORE PICTURES AND HISTORY OF THE FAMOUS ROCKWORK IN THE GARDEN, LOG ONTO http://www.pulham.org.uk (SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE TO “WEST OF ENGLAND” AND CLICK ON “BRACKEN HILL”.)
IF YOU THINK THE INTEGRITY OF THIS VICTORIAN ESTATE, SHOULD NOT BE DESTROYED BUT KEPT SAFE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO ENJOY, PLEASE MAKE YOUR OPINIONS AND YOUR FEELINGS KNOWN TO:
NORTH SOMERSET COUNCIL,
PLANNING DEPARTMENT,
TOWN HALL,
WALLISCOTE GROVE ROAD,
WESTON-SUPER-MARE BS23 1UJ.
UK.
TEL: 01934 888 888 (main switchboard)
Website: www.n-somerset.gov.uk
PLEASE EMAIL COPIES OF YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS, PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS OF THE BOTANICAL COLLECTION, THE ROCK GARDEN AND THE IMPRESSIVE VICTORIAN BUILDINGS; SO THAT EVERYONE CAN SEE AND SHARE THE BEAUTY OF BRACKEN HILL.
PLEASE EMAIL THEM TO INFO@BRACKENHILLGARDEN.ORG SO THAT THEY CAN BE DISPLAYED ON THE BRACKEN HILL GARDEN WEBSITE.
THANK YOU.
HELP US! Download the Information Sheet flyer (MS Word format), print and distribute! We welcome any assistance you may be able to provide in spreading the word…
FROM “THE FRIENDS OF BRACKEN HILL HISTORIC GARDEN ESTATE”
