Senior Reserve Manager Joe Davies explains the background to the historic landscape project currently being implemented within Castle Eden Dene NNR.
Gunners Pool Bridge
In February 2018 I met with Chris Mayes from Historic England and Leslie Pearman from Natural England to develop a Landscape Management Plan for Castle Eden Dene National Nature Reserve; a site threatened with being put on the ‘at risk register’ for historical parklands. We were never going to let that happen and so later that month we set about beginning the works to restore the wonderful historical features of this amazing ancient woodland site.
The Beginning The Burdon family lived in Castle Eden from 1758 until 1944, the estate of Castle Eden was purchased in 1764 by Rowland Burdon, a merchant banker from Stockton, and for the next one hundred and eighty years Castle Eden Dene was used as a ‘pleasure ground’ by the family. During their ownership the family enhanced and designed the landscape and its natural features to make the site more desirable and accessible to visitors, for which they charged an entry fee.
An Historic Designed Landscape Almost immediately we began work to ensure Castle Eden Dene NNR conserved or enhanced the historic designed landscape features as envisaged by the Burdons and their setting within Castle Eden Registered Park and Garden which includes the woodland ‘pleasure ground’ of Castle Eden Dene NNR.
We are restoring and maintaining views and landscape features, providing access, where appropriate, by the selective removal or coppicing of encroaching trees and shrubs whilst retaining those of scenic or biodiversity interest. Views include the Castle from Oakerside Batts and Lodge Bank, The Park from Park Drive, Castle Eden Burn from Carriage Drive and the historic bridges notably Castle Bridge and Gunner’s Pool Bridge.
The Landscape Character This year we have enhanced Castle Bridge by removing secondary woodland from the banks to open up views of the river, whilst considering management to favour a future ‘Feature Tree at Castle Bridge’. A yew has been selected, as in the old images from the early 1900s.
This is an exciting project with planned works over the next five to ten years which will seek to ensure we celebrate the Dene’s heritage, whilst continuing to manage this as an important site for nature conservation.