Restoration of the park

Lydiard Park is Swindon’s foremost historic park. It is a designated country park, which includes the striking Palladian House with many of its original contents, and is the setting to one of the country’s most beautiful parish churches, St Mary’s.

By the beginning of the 21st century, the park needed substantial works to conserve its heritage value – the lakes were full of silt and unique features like the Ice House and castellated dam wall were in need of urgent repair.

In 2005, the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded Swindon Borough Council £3 million and work began to restore and reinstate significant 18th century landscape features, while improving community involvement, visitor access and enjoyment of the park.

Alongside the lake, the whole length of the great castellated dam wall was restored to its former grandeur and the unique plunge pool was restored as a permanent monument. The Ice House, in the woodlands close to Lydiard House, was also restored.

One of the largest projects was to reinstate the two acre “lost lake”, which had been largely dry for nearly 100 years when the dam wall collapsed. Extensive works were needed to clear the silted up lake bed, create a new spillway and install a Chinese-style bridge between the two lakes.

By 2007, the restoration work was mostly complete, including renovating the Grade II listed Coach House, housing a new tea rooms and education room, and returning the 18th Century ornamental Walled Garden to its former glory.