£1.5m boost from HLF for Stowe Landscape Gardens Project

The National Trust has received a significant boost to its plans to transform visits to Stowe Landscape Gardens in Buckinghamshire by June 2011 with a £1.5 million award from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The New Stowe project will offer a greatly enriched experience for visitors with the recreation of the historic entry into the world famous gardens and a vibrant new Visitor Centre on the site of a derelict farmhouse and coaching inn used by the earliest visitors to Stowe around 300 years ago.

By transforming the visitor experience, people will enjoy a greater understanding of what it would have been like to visit Stowe in its heyday.

Stowe Landscape Gardens were created by some of the 18th century’s leading architects, sculptors and gardeners, including ‘Capability’ Brown, John Vanbrugh and William Kent. With spectacular views, beautiful lakes, wooded valleys and over 40 temples and monuments, Stowe has been recognised as Europe's most influential landscape gardens.

The HLF funds guarantee the future of the £8.5 million project first announced a year ago. 'We are absolutely delighted with this news,' said the National Trust’s Regional Director Patrick Begg.

'The HLF were very impressed with our ambitious and imaginative plans and the extent to which we intend to involve local communities in the project.

This funding will help us to deliver our commitments to the highest standard, not only in terms of the restoration work, but also how we bring the site to life in an exciting way and engage with a wide range of people in the area.'

The £8.5 million project was announced a year ago and received planning permission last month. The majority of the funds were already in place but the award from the HLF means that the National Trust has now raised £2.5m of its £3m fundraising target.

Stuart McLeod, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in the South East, said:

'Stowe Gardens are quite simply some of the UK's most spectacular landscape gardens. The National Trust's plans are a practical and imaginative solution to helping transform how people experience them. Our support of £1.5million gives the green light to this restoration project and will ultimately mean that many more visitors can enjoy this magical setting in the heart of Buckinghamshire.'