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Stanmore's walled Bernays Gardens to get new lease of life
A SECLUDED - and largely forgotten - walled retreat that has seen better days could be given a new lease of life.
Bernays Gardens, at the corner of Old Church Lane and Church Road in Stanmore, is being given a makeover and hopefully a new second entrance opposite St John's Church in Old Church Lane if recent plans submitted by the Stanmore Society's chairman John Williams are approved by landowners Harrow Council.
Tony Raymond, president of the same amenity group, told the Observer: "The Shaw Trust [a Stanmore charity that provides horticultural work placements and training for people with disabilities and medical conditions] are doing some renovation in Bernays Garden.
"They are going to be planting flowers, pruning trees and tidying up.
"We are contributing - not a huge sum - towards the overheads of this.
"The other idea is for a new gateway to be cut into thew wall and the idea is to encourage people to walk through the garden/
"It would be good if we could get a more attractive and sympathetic set of gates for the existing entrance although this part is on hold - it's a question of funding and we'll look for sponsors from Stanmore."
The 1/3-hectare Bernays Garden once formed part of the grounds of Old Manor House demolished in 1930 and the land was bought by Harrow Council from St John's Church Parochial Church in 1948, with the landscaped garden opening two years surrounded by a red brick boundary wall that is now Grade II Listed.
In one corner, fronting Old Church Lane, is a half-timbered mock Tudor Cowman's Cottage and a Cow Shelter from the 1930s.
"At the moment the garden's not used very much," said Mr Raymond. "There's very little in there except for some seats and there's an ornamenal circular flowerbed in the middle but it's sadly neglected.
"It's in a pretty sad state of maintenance and the council have done very little, if nothing, for it.
"I have met residents in Stanmore who don't know it is there. This restoration is long overdue."
Like last year, the Stanmore Society is organising a fundraising fete to take place in Bernays Gardens in May.
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