Refurbishments completed at Brighton gateway to South Downs National Park

July 10, 2023

A six-year project to restore the glorious heritage of an estate and provide improved visitor facilities has been completed.

More than £7m has been invested at Stanmer Park to restore parts of the 18th Century landscape and buildings, as well as improve access to the woodland.

Situated in the National Park, Stanmer is Brighton & Hove’s largest park and is visited by 500,000 people annually.

The estate has evidence of over 5,000 years of human activity and has no less than 27 listed buildings, including the Grade I listed Stanmer House, Grade II listed stables and Stanmer Church. The estate remains a rare near-complete example of an 18th Century designed landscape.

Prior to the restoration, the walled garden primarily consisted of 20th Century glasshouses and parking areas with restricted access to the public.

Now known as One Garden Brighton, the Grade II listed brick and flint heritage walls have been repaired and an amazing range of new gardens and green spaces have been created to provide an operational kitchen garden.

The estate’s farmyard is now open to visitors to wander around, having never previously been publicly open before.

Considerable efforts have been made to help biodiversity, with new areas of coppiced woodland that are now managed by volunteers.

One Garden are now looking to restore the ‘Palm House’, a beautiful and ornate greenhouse on the estate. Funding for the project came from a £4 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund, as well as investment from Brighton & Hove City Council, Plumpton College and the National Park Authority.

Trevor Beattie, Chief Executive of the National Park Authority, said: “This beautiful estate on the city’s edge is an important gateway to the wider National Park.

“It’s become a thriving hub for heritage, horticulture, walking and biodiversity and it’s wonderful to see.”