THREE historic summerhouses in Coventry are set to be restored to their former glory, thanks to a £250,000 grant from Historic England.
The renovation and restoration project of the 19th century buildings in Cheylesmore is under way and is expected to be finished in the spring.
The repairs to the buildings include replacement roofs, reconstruction of walls with lime mortar and original bricks, timber frame restoration, and other internal repairs
Coun Naeem Akhter, Coventry City Council’s cabinet member with responsibility for heritage, said: “There has been a lot of interest in this project and it highlights the value we have for the wide range of heritage buildings in the city.”
Historic England provided the funding for the buildings’ restoration after they fell into a state of disrepair. The Railway Heritage Trust is also making a contribution and support is being provided by Network Rail.
Louise Brennan, Historic England regional director, added: “It is amazing to see the original features of the gardens restored.
“The Heritage at Risk funding has meant that three of the Grade II listed summerhouses have received complete repairs to the building structures, including replacement roofs, new windows and doors, reconstruction of walls with lime mortar and original bricks, timber frame restoration, and other internal repairs.
“It’s brilliant that it’s all been achieved using traditional methods, restoring the summerhouses to their original form.”
The Grade II listed buildings and surrounding Grade II Park and Garden were established 200 years ago at Stoney Road Allotments in Cheylesmore.
The site is still actively used as allotments and sub-tenanted by the Stoney Road Gardens Association (SRGA).
The summerhouses are the last remaining plots of the Park Gardens and are one of only four remaining detached Victorian town gardens listed on Historic England’s Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.
