A rare opportunity to see the remains of the historic medieval moated manor house at Scadbury Park prior to important repair works taking place will be available this weekend.
Repair and conservation work to the remains of the medieval moated manor house at Scadbury Park will soon go ahead, with grant funding from Historic England also supporting this work.
The £140,000 repair project, including successful grant funding of just over £82,000 from Historic England will help secure some of the most urgent repairs and stabilisation of brickwork. The moated manor, which is designated by Historic England as a Scheduled Monument, is located within three hundred acres of countryside forming the wider Local Nature Reserve and part of the original estate.
The Open Weekend at Scadbury Manor will be socially-distanced. Visitors can follow a self-guided trail around the moated manor on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 September between 2pm and 4.30pm (last entry). They will have the opportunity to see the current archaeological excavations and the foundations of the Tudor kitchens and great hall, showing how these would have been used when the house was owned by the Walsingham family. Visitors will also see World War II defences and a restored shepherd’s hut.
Councillor William Huntington-Thresher, Executive Councillor for Environment said, "This is a major step forwards in protecting what is left of the medieval moated manor house and our thanks to Historic England for their support and grant funding, which the Council also contributing to. Much of the surrounding countryside, which has been and remains protected, is still recognisable from the time that the manor house proudly stood. A big thank you to ODAS for all the work they have done and are doing and of course, to the Friends of Scadbury Park also. Why not take this opportunity to see this historic site and perhaps become more involved over time with helping manage this precious greenspace and its historic heritage?"
Jane Sidell, Historic England Inspector of Ancient Monuments, said: "We’re delighted to be able to fund these works to repair Scadbury Park Moated Manor which will help towards removing it from the Heritage at Risk Register. This builds on the considerable time and effort invested in the site in recent years by everyone involved, particularly the industrious Orpington and District Archaeological Society. I hope visitors this weekend will enjoy discovering the many layers of history at Scadbury from the medieval and Tudor, to the Second World War."
Janet Clayton, Chairman of ODAS said, "We are delighted that Historic England and LB Bromley are funding vital work which will help protect the future of the manor site. Scadbury is an important heritage asset for Bromley and we look forward to showing the site to visitors over the Open Weekend."
Due to its recognition as a site of national importance, Scadbury Manor moated site and fishponds were designated by Historic England as a Scheduled Monument in 2013 and added to the Heritage at Risk Register in 2014. The repair works, which are due to start later in September, will be carried out by a specialist contractor and will include repairs to the South Retaining Walls; Drawbridge Pit; ‘Area 1’ Brickwork; Large Cellar; Inner North Moat Wall and Concrete Staircase. Bromley is currently in the process of awarding the associated contract.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
The Council’s contractor idverde, manage and maintain parks and greenspaces in partnership with Friends of Parks groups.
The Orpington and District Archaeological Society (ODAS) is an active local volunteer archaeology group and registered charity. The Society promotes the study of archaeology in the local area by undertaking excavations, carrying out research into the archaeology and history of the area and encouraging public interest through meetings and visits. ODAS has a licence from LB Bromley to carry out archaeological work at Scadbury Manor. For further information visit www.odas.org.uk
The Friends of Scadbury Park are a registered Charity who work to enable residents and visitors to enjoy Scadbury Park.
Historic England are the public body that looks after England's historic environment. They champion historic places to help people understand, value and care for them. For further information visit www.historicengland.org.uk
For media enquiries, please contact Andrew Rogers, Communications Executive on 020 8461 7670 or email Andrew.Rogers@bromley.gov.uk