The exhibition includes a range of updates on proposed works and plans for events and activities over the next few years. Members of the Kearsney Parks team will be on hand to answer any questions from 10am to 1pm on Thursday 8 December, and from 1pm to 3pm on Wednesday 14 December.
In July 2016, it was announced that Kearsney Abbey and Russell Gardens were to benefit from £3m from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund to restore the parks' unique landscapes and heritage, and to improve facilities. Exciting proposals for the parks were developed by Dover District Council following extensive consultation, working closely with a wide range of community partners.
The plans included:
- Restoring Thomas Mawson's design for Kearsney Court and picturesque landscape features in Kearsney Abbey
- Recreating Kearsney Abbey's historic role as a cultural venue, attracting new audiences to the parks
- Celebrating the parks' unique heritage including mills, ecology, people and landscapes through new activities and interpretation
- Creating a multi-use extension to the grade II listed billiards room in Kearsney Abbey to facilitate new education, training and volunteering programmes.
The project team is now working to bring the plans to life, hoping to start work in January to remove some of the overgrown shrubs and self-sown trees in Russell Gardens. The work should be completed by the end of March.
Jon Winder, Project Manager for Kearsney Parks, said: "Generations of local people have grown up enjoying Kearsney Abbey and Russell Gardens. It's vital to preserve this history and to continue to involve communities in developing these amazing parks for the future. We hope as many people as possible come along to see the exhibition, and meet the team, as we move forward with this exciting restoration."
For more information, visit the Kearsney Parks website at www.kearsneyparks.co.uk.
