THREE historic “follies” - decorative buildings - at Croome Park are set to be restored this year with the help of a £284,000 grant from Natural England.
Essential repair work is set to take place on the Panorama Tower and Pirton Castle, both designed by James Wyatt, and Dunstall Castle, designed by Robert Adam.
All three of the buildings are classed as “outer eye-catchers”, originally designed to draw the eye across the park’s landscape, demonstrating the scale of the estate and the wealth of the landowner.
The ongoing partnership between the National Trust, which owns Croome Park, and Natural England has already enabled the refurbishment of other historic structures including the Ice House, Ha-ha and Park Seat.
Property manager Michael Smith said: “Thousands of people driving on the M5 in Worcestershire will know the Panorama Tower really well as it is visible from the motorway.
“We are delighted that we can now restore and protect what is not only an integral part of the sixth Earl of Coventry’s vision for Croome but also an iconic building in Worcestershire.”
The restoration work will restore the original spiral staircases in both the Panorama Tower and Dunstall Castle, enabling visitors to climb up and enjoy stunning views across Croome and to the Malvern Hills beyond.
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