Forestry Commission - News - 19th century watercolours help inspire a woodland revival at gibside

Forestry Commission and National Trust unveil 50 year restoration plan

Landscape designers have turned to water colour paintings hanging in a north east museum to help recreate one of England’s most important 18^th century “forest gardens”.

The Forestry Commission and The National Trust have joined forces to restore magnificent woodlands in the Grade I listed grounds of the Gibside estate, Rowlands Gill, Tyne and Wear. The estate predates and survived the influence of Capability Brown – making it one of the very few early 18^th century designed landscapes to escape latter re-modelling.

However, the wood’s fortunes declined along with those of the estate in the first part of the 20^th century, culminating in the felling of many trees in the 1940s to help the war effort. Soon after the Forestry Commission moved in to plant fast growing conifers to bolster the nation’s low timber reserves.

Now foresters and National Trust experts have pored over watercolours of Gibside by William Turner (1817), now at the Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, and others by Martha Helen Davidson, circa 1827, to produce a new blueprint which will see the grand vistas reinstated and classical planting patterns revived.

Further historical evidence for the original landscape has been discovered in 19^th maps and a period management digest. The new strategy will involve removing 40,000 western hemlock conifers and take nearly fifty years to complete. First felling is due in the New Year.

"This is a truly ambitious project" said Neville Geddes, from the Forestry Commission. "Gibside was a mixed woodland and we must carefully balance historical accuracy with conservation needs. It's been a major challenge peering through the 20th century plantations to rediscover the woodland's original character. But the long-term results should be spectacular."

Aside from its outstanding historically interest, Gibside is also a vitally important wildlife sanctuary. It is the UK’s most northerly location for a breeding colony of grass snakes and much of the land is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Restoring its carefully conceived character will involve promoting the natural regeneration of existing broadleaf trees, selective felling and reviving features such as lime tree lined carriageways. Harry Beamish, National Trust Archaeologist, said:

"The 18^th century grounds really comprised three elements: a pleasure garden at its core, a carefully laid out forest garden area and a more natural looking outer zone. This was no accident and Gibside represents a transition in style from the grand formality of European gardens like Versailles to the more natural style that followed. Drawing up the design plan has taken a lot of effort and our aim is to recreate the play of light, space and colour that inspired the original architect of this stunning landscape."

The woodland restoration will enhance other work already completed or currently taking place to reinstate George Bowes’s original grand design for Gibside.

NOTE TO EDITOR
Gibside is one of the great designed landscapes of the North with several outstanding buildings, including a Palladian chapel and Column of Liberty, and others awaiting or undergoing restoration. It was the creation of George Bowes in the eighteenth century, whose family's wealth was drawn from coal mining and agriculture in the North East. The estate is also the former home of the late Queen Mother’s family, the Bowes Lyons.

In June 2003, the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded £1.5m to the National Trust to purchase and restore the now derelict Stables, stabilise the ruined Orangery and reinstate the historic Green Close. The National Trust first began restoration work at Gibside in 1965, when it took on the care of the Palladian chapel. Over the years, the Trust has gradually acquired more of the historic core of the estate, enabling work to return the estate back to George Bowes’s original grand design.

Gibside is located six miles south west of Gateshead. Christmas and New Year opening hours are:
Monday 22 – Friday 26 December ~ Closed
Saturday 27 – Wednesday 31 December ~ Open
Thursday 1 – Friday 2 January ~ Closed
Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 January ~ Open and normal opening hours onwards

Admission is £3.50 and £2 with discounts for families (National Trust members free). For further information contact Gibside on Tel: 01207 542 255.

The National Trust cares for 25,000 hectares (61,776 acres) of woodland in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The conservation of woodlands has been an important part of the National Trust’s work for almost one hundred years: the first wood, Brandelhow, in Borrowdale, Cumbria, was bought in 1902. Further information at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/environment

The Forestry Commission, set up in 1919, is the Government department responsible for woodlands in Britain. It is the nation’s largest landowner and manages 70,000 hectares (200,000 acres) of woods in the North East of England for the benefit of wildlife, recreation and sustainable timber harvesting. Further information at www.forestry.gov.uk

Media calls to Richard Darn, The Forestry Commission on 01226 246351/0775 367 0038 and Lisa Hadwin, The National Trust, on 01670 774691/07979 700 887