Hardwick Park Restoration Project

Hardwick Park: A Sleeping Beauty

Hardwick Park and Garden is a splendid example of a mid 18th century planned landscape close to the village of Sedgefield in the south-east of County Durham. The Garden was created by John Burdon, the son of a Newcastle merchant and business man in his own right with interests in saltpans on the Tyne and coal mines in East Durham. Around 1750 he began to lay out some 40 acres of fashionable gardens composed of temples, follies and grottoes all set around the central feature of a 17 acre lake. Burdon employed some of the finest architects of his day and the principal buildings and park layout are attributed to the London architect James Paine.

Hardwick Park from an engraving by John Bailey c. 1787.

Over the following 200 years, the Garden and attached 19th century Parkland has been in a steady decline. By 1900 the lake had been drained and the last half of the 20th century saw the collapse and in some cases demolition of several of the fine buildings. Despite this, the structure of the Garden has remained intact and unaltered by later fashions in landscape design. Hardwick today is something of a sleeping beauty and a national treasure, as the only known garden almost exclusively designed by James Paine, and as an unaltered example of 18th century fashion and practice.

Durham County Council in association with a number of partners has embarked on an ambitious project to restore the gardens and park for community and public benefit. The Hardwick Project will take many years to complete, we welcome all interest in the project and invite you to revisit our website to follow the project's progress.

The Restoration Project

Restoration of the Garden and Park began in earnest in 1997 when Durham County Council, inspired by strong local interest, began to explore the problems and possibilities of securing the long-term future of Hardwick. At this time, the County already owned approximately a third of the original Garden which was, and still is, managed as a country park. The country park area contains a number of the Garden features including the Serpentine Lake and Bridge, the Gothic Ruin and the sites of the Statue of Neptune and The Grotto.

The Statue of Neptune and the Gothic Ruin c.1900

In 1999 a detailed historical and landscape study was commissioned with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to bring together all the known evidence for the design and construction of Hardwick and to assess and cost the restoration. The report by Steven Desmond provided key evidence for the importance of the Garden and Park and resulted in English Heritage giving Hardwick a II* listing on the Register of Parks and Gardens of National Importance.

Steve Desmond's report is available to read at the Durham Sites and Monuments Record. A summary of its findings and specific information and images of Hardwick, its buildings and features can be found on the Keys to the Past website, which can be searched on-line. Click on the link and search under place name 'Hardwick Park, Sedgefield'.

Following the report, further discussions were held with the HLF and other partners, and in August 2001 the County Council purchased the remaining core areas of the Garden and the East Park assisted by HLF grant. Since that date, a detailed tree survey has been undertaken to identify original 18th century planting, technical work has begun on the re-creation of the Lake and voluntary groups have begun to assist with archaeological recording and clearance work of self-seeded vegetation.

Currently under way, the next phase of restoration work is involving the preparation of a number of detailed landscape, archaeological and ecological surveys to prepare a business plan for the timetable and costs of restoring the Garden and Park. In association with community consultation and market research, we hope to plan a secure and attractive future for Hardwick for at least the next 250 years of its life.

The Friends of Hardwick Park

Local authorities cannot work alone or in isolation. With a project like Hardwick, both community and interest group support are paramount. To this end, The Friends of Hardwick Park were created in 1999 with the local MP the Rt Hon Tony Blair as the group's President. The Friends have been very active in progressing research into the Gardens, and have taken an especial interest in the Statue of Neptune. The Friends are currently working on further research and a publication on the Park.

The Friends have their own website at www.communigate.co.uk/ne/friendsofhardwick2/index.phtml.

Where to find out more

Up to date information on the project can be obtained from the Countryside Group tel: 0191 383 3594 or by email at: Countryside.

For information on the Archaeology of the Site, contact David Mason, County Archaeologist on 0191 3708712 or email: Archaeology.

The Friends of Hardwick can be contacted at the following address:
The Secretary
Friends of Hardwick
7 Melgrove Way
Sedgefield
County Durham
TS21 2JN