MEMBERS of a special advisory committee on a £5m investment programme at Castlewellan Forest Park have been given an update on the ambitious scheme.
The major upgrade is designed to make the highly acclaimed park — which stretches to over 1,100 acres — one of the best in Ireland and will overhaul a range of existing facilities and provide a number of exciting new developments.
Funding is being provided by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Newry, Mourne and Down Council.
Advisory committee members on the ‘Re-Rooting our past in the Future: Castlewellan Historic Demesne’ project were in the park last week.
The local authority was delighted to welcome the key stakeholders and botanical experts to a meeting and to benefit from their expertise in the management of botanical collections and historic designed landscapes.
Although the Annesley Walled Garden is currently closed for major refurbishment works, special access was granted by OB Construction for the advisory committee.
The committee members viewed tree surgery results and the refurbishment of the drainage system and fountains.
The closure of the garden is necessary to facilitate essential drainage work, restoration of the cobble path sidings, the green houses and the fountains.
Visitors can still take a stroll through the wider arboretum which covers much of the north-eastern side of the lake as far across as the Cypress Pond.
Council chairman Pete Byrne said it was vital the council took advantage of the best knowledge available to look after what he described as the “wonderful collection”.
He continued: “We are very grateful that the advisory committee give us their time and their expertise for this purpose.”
Since the 1740s, the sprawling forest park was the demesne of the Annesley family, who created a beautiful landscape and a nationally and internationally important 45-hectare arboretum.
The proposed development project aims to create a new vision for the historic Castlewellan demesne, delivering what is being described as a “heritage-led destination” to connect people with their built and natural heritage.