Work to begin on Shropshire tourist attraction

Work to restore the Pleasure Grounds at Attingham Park to their original 1770 appearance – bringing back lost views and historic planting – will begin in the next few days.

Sara Lanyon, engagement gardener at the estate, said: "Reviving the Pleasure Grounds is an exciting new project that is revealing a hidden story of the landscape. It might sound like we are felling lots of trees but every year, our staff and volunteers plant over 4,000 trees on the Attingham estate. Our aim is to create a place rich in history and wildlife, for everyone to enjoy."

Bob Thurston, Countryside Parks and Gardens Manager, said: "What we are hoping to do is to bring back the floriferous shrubberies, the magnificent views off to the Wrekin and Shropshire hills and introduce more light and shade, beauty and exotic smells by the choice of the trees and shrubs we plant and where we plant them. We want to take the Pleasure Ground back to its heyday as Leggett intended it in 1770 for the first Lord Berwick for us all to enjoy today."

The first phase of the restoration will focus on the Mile Walk, where trees will be removed in order to reintroduce new shrubs. In 1770, Thomas Leggett was commissioned by Noel Hill, later 1st Lord Berwick, to set out and plant the Pleasure Grounds at Attingham. Between 1770 and 1772, around 20,000 trees and shrubs and more than 160 fruit trees were planted, transforming the gardens around the original Tern Hall.

Within his design he created the impressive loop walk, which visitors still walk today. It is now known as the 'Mile Walk' but as time has passed the trees have crowded in and the views and flowering shrubs have been relegated to history.

The planned restoration will focus on bringing them back to life, securing their health and integrity for the future. The first phase of the project will concentrate on the Mile Walk, where arrays of colourful shrubs and trees, varieties first brought to the park by Thomas Leggett will be reintroduced.

As work begins on the woodland, Attingham's Parkland Gardeners will be working hard to remove trees, opening up lost views out over the Shropshire landscape.

Up to one hundred fast growing trees such as birch, sycamore and ash will be removed, which will allow more sunlight to reach the woodland floor. The idea is to make way for the growth of newly planted shrubs and trees and to reclaim the key views.

Visitors have been advised they will not find much disturbance although there might be diversions on popular and well used footpaths.