Full Steam Ahead!

Big yellow digger looms over the repairs to the overflow outlet.

 Photo credit: Shane Oakley @shaneaokley39

What a week of change! After months of planning and preparation, and often feeling that very little has been achieved, we had a week of massive changes that have started to give us a glimpse of how the gardens at Betley Court will look in the future.

Before: Dismantling the prefab garages. Photo credit: NW Brown

After: Larger forecourt area. Photo credit: NW Brown

Down in the garage forecourt, the most obvious change is that six of the prefab garages that have stood for forty years have gone. This is to make way for a larger parking area. The asbestos roofs have been carefully removed and packaged in plastic sheeting, by our specialist contractors. I have never seen one of these before, but the contractors have a purpose-built wagon to safely transport the asbestos for disposal. Very reassuring!

The asbestos wagon inches its way down the forecourt to collect the hazardous waste. 

Photo credit: NW Brown

I am still on awe that our contractors manage to carefully edge their wagons through Charis Jones’s delicate gates with such precision, then turn 90 degrees to squeeze down by the garages. The fact that we have only lost one limb from the nearby yew trees to a passing lorry is a testament to their consummate skill.

Tree surgeon removing the laurel hedge and the first of the trees  

Photo credit: Shane Oakley @shaneaokley39

Bluebell, the hoop topped caravan inches towards her new home. 

Photo credit: NW Brown

The first wave of tree felling has begun too, and boy has it changed the light levels in that area of the garden. The crack willow that was growing into one of the garage walls is coming down in stages, to lessen the strain on the concrete panel wall. A self-sown tree that leaned at an alarming angle, came down too, much to everyone’s relief

Its all go! New sheds arrive, tree surgeon fells and chips trees, garages dismantled. 

Photo credit: NW Brown

The biggest changes though, will probably never be seen by visitors, or indeed the Betley Court community. Down at the dam, our 18^th century fish pond has been drained, and the outlet that allowed Tanhouse Brook to carry on its way to Betley Mere, has essentially been rebuilt. Anyone who has seen the events unfolding at Whaley Bridge this summer, where an 18^th century dam was undermined by flash rain storms (threatening the town below with a flood of Biblical proportions), will appreciate the importance of the repairs that the National Lottery Heritage Fund has enabled us to do. Water always wins, so when water works out a way to run through a dam, wise people sit up and take notice.

Tree roots cleaving apart the earthen mound that makes the dam Photo credit: NW Brown

Several trees, who’s mighty roots were cleaving apart the dam (basically an earth mound, faced by a brick retaining wall) have been felled. The overflow has had a full makeover too. This is the outlet from the lake that keeps the water level constant. Our contractors have used bags of cement to build retaining walls, the beauty being once the bags of cement get damp, the concrete cures. It’s a really neat way to build a wall.

Cement bag 'building blocks' Photo credit: NW Brown

The slipway has been lined with concrete, and will address the issue of the water scouring out the earth beneath the dam. I’m amazed at how good it all looks, but gutted that these photos are all that the public will get to see of the skill and craftsmanship. This unseen work will, however, ensure that the dam is secure for future generations, and visitors will be able to enjoy the serene atmosphere of Betley Court dingle for years to come.

Repointing the brick façade of the dam  Photo credit: Shane Oakley @shaneaokley39

New wooden shuttering replaces the rotten one, and puddling clay is laid up against the retaining wall  Photo credit: Shane Oakley @shaneaokley39

Special thanks to Shane Oakley (@shaneoakley39 on Instagram) for being on hand and taking some superb photographs of the restoration.