Over the next two years

Initial project work includes managing our trees. As well as restoring the historic design of the park, this will improve the health of specimen trees, enable us to plant more trees and shrubs and increase the park’s wildlife value and appeal to visitors.

Using traditional techniques and materials, the first of the park’s building’s to be restored is the early 19th century Lodge. Work to restore the rest of the outbuildings will follow in late 2019 through to early 2021 creating an education and interpretation centre and café. The conservation of other important features across the park, such as the walled garden, ha-ha, and paths will be undertaken alongside the building work and will integrate the recognition, recording, protection and improved management of the park’s wildlife.

The project aims to ensure that the Bishop’s Park remains a place that brings great pleasure to both the local community and visitors to the area alike and that it becomes a centre of learning and activity for visitors of all ages and abilities.

As part of our three-year restoration project at the Park, the Trust needs to undertake significant amounts of work on the trees and woodland. This work will focus on rejuvenating the arboretum and woodland areas, removing those trees with disease, those that are compromising the listed structures (particularly the ha-ha), and those invasive species, principally laurel and rhododendron, that have seriously impacted the health of the woodland. This will improve conditions in the Park in terms of public access and enjoyment, biodiversity, security, health and safety, and will also provide an opportunity to plant new trees and shrubs throughout.

It is proposed that the majority of this work will be undertaken in two phases as part of an external contract:

Phase 1:

• anticipated to begin early in 2019 until 28 February 2019, to finish prior to bird-nesting season;
• this round of works will focus on trees in and around the Car Park; the area to the west of the outbuildings down the driveway to the museum entrance; the area immediately around the museum; outside the east wall of the Walled Garden and within the Walled Garden itself.

Phase 2:

• between 01 September 2019 and 29 February 2020;
• this round of works will focus on trees within the Pleasure Grounds and the woodland, and particularly along the length of the ha-ha.

The remaining works will be undertaken by the Trust, with the help of various volunteers and volunteer groups. This phase of works may not be restricted to the timeframes detailed above.

This means that areas of the Park will need to be cordoned off throughout any work periods to ensure public safety. However, the Trust aims to make the Park as accessible as possible whenever works are being undertaken, so whenever a path needs to be closed the Trust will always aim to find an alternative route through if at all possible. During those times when this is not possible the Trust will endeavour to reopen paths as soon as practicable.

The Trust kindly asks for your patience and understanding throughout this time. It is vital for your own safety that you observe all signs and restrictions that may be in operation during periods of works. This includes preventing dogs from crossing any barriers.

Although these works will have a significant impact on the current appearance of the Park they are designed to improve the facility for all users, including the wildlife. If you would like to find out more details about the work please contact the Tywi Gateway Trust head gardener, Piers Lunt, by email:

pierslunt@tywigateway.org.uk

You can also visit Piers and Trust Manager Louise Austin, on Monday 17^th December at Abergwili Church Hall between 5-7pm, to discuss the works and the project more generally.

Now that the Parc yr Esgob Trust is actively managing the Bishop’s Park it is vital that we look after the health of our trees and woodland.

This means that we need to do lots of work on them throughout the Park to improve the site for people and wildlife, and to give us the opportunity to plant many more.

To find out more please visit us at Abergwili Church Hall on December 17^th from 5-7pm.

Further information can also be found here,

or you can contact head gardener Piers Lunt directly via email:

pierslunt@tywigateway.org.uk

Do you love Carmarthenshire? Do you care about our heritage, landscape and the environment? Would you like to be involved at the start of something new and exciting?

Ymddiriedolaeth Drws i’r Dyffryn – The Tywi Gateway Trust (now Parc yr Esgob Trust) was set up to support the community based redevelopment of the Bishop’s Park at Abergwili, and was fortunate to receive funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to make this happen. The Grade II registered park, with its pleasure and walled gardens, is notable for its cultural and archaeological history, and also for landscape features like the Great Meadow, the Bishop’s Pond (a Site of Special Scientific Interest) or the famous ‘ha-ha’. At its heart is the former Palace of the Bishops of St Davids, a listed building, which is now the Carmarthenshire County Museum.

Our vision is to create a place that we can all be proud of – for enjoyment, recreation, learning, participation and fun. Our new visitor facilities will be integrated with those of the Museum to help assure the future of both – a truly unique partnership. Two new members of staff have recently started work – the Trust Manager and Head Gardener – who will give the project new impetus.

At the end of the development phase some of our current Trustees are retiring shortly, and we are looking for a maximum of 5 new trustees to join the Board to deliver and sustain the project in the long term. The role of our Trustees is to ensure that the organisation functions within legal and financial requirements of a charity, and to be responsible through teamwork for overall governance, leadership and strategic direction.

We are particularly looking for people with managerial experience in finance (our current Treasurer is leaving in November), as well as fund-raising, education, heritage attractions, marketing and social media. However, skills in business, horticulture, the built and natural environment and the arts would be of interest. We would also like to see more Welsh speakers on the Board, as well as people with experience of working in or with membership organisations in the charitable sector.

Find out more on (CC3) The Essential Trustee https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-to-know-cc3

For further details and to express an interest, please contact: enquiries@tywigateway.org.uk

The Trust is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with voting Members other than its Charity Trustees. CIO Registered No. 1167244. 

The Board of Trustees are delighted to announce that Piers Lunt has been appointed as Prif Arddwr-Head Gardener and will take up this new post on September 3^rd 2018.

Piers was the Botanical Horticulturist/Arborist at the National Botanic Garden of Wales (NBGW) and has a wide knowledge of, and deep enthusiasm for, plants and gardens. His special interest is in the blending of horticultural craft with natural features – with a keen eye for sensitive design.

Piers feels very strongly that “parks and gardens are of paramount importance to the health and wellbeing of the communities they serve and for the continued, safe enjoyment of all visitors”. As at NBGW he will be working with teams of volunteers.

pierslunt@tywigateway.org.uk