Essential repairs to the Pulhamite rockwork will be carried out from Tuesday 3rd May 22. The rockwork has lasted extremely well since being constructed by the Victorians in 1859/60. Apart from the re-positioning of a couple of fallen rocks in 2017 as part of the current restoration project, we believe that this will be the first time in 160 years that any major repair or direct maintenance work will have been undertaken. Given the fact that it had been abandoned to the elements for about 100 years before the volunteers started this project, it is a testament to the skills and resource of the Victorians who built it.
For reasons of Public Safety the Fernery will be closed to the public for up to 3x weeks from Tuesday 3rd May 22. The work will be carried out by Alan Bishop and Associates, who are leading specialists in the repair and maintenance of Pulhamite rockwork in the UK. Danesbury Fernery is not the only prestigious Pulhamite site on Alan Bishop’s books; their website includes mention of Waddesdon Manor, and Buckingham Palace, and of course Swiss Gardens ‘just up the road’ at Old Warden.
The work at Danesbury is being funded by a National Lottery Grant awarded to the Friends of Danesbury Fernery, and a grant from the Welwyn Hatfield Community Fund too.
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