The garden takes shape
Over time, volunteers helped create and maintain a distinctive wildlife garden, with paths, planting, water features and community-made features.
OUR STORY
Rooted in history.
The Hermitage has layers of local history, community effort and stories that deserve to be preserved carefully.
A place shaped by people.
The garden's story stretches beyond its present-day role as a wildlife space. Local accounts connect the wider area with religious history and St Ann's Well, while the garden itself has been developed and cared for by dedicated local volunteers.
Some older stories about the site are difficult to verify. As the archive is rebuilt, we will distinguish documented history from local tradition rather than turn a good story into a false fact.
FROM THE ARCHIVE · “1990 NEW GATE”
Preserving the story
Pat Edwards and local stewardship
Pat Edwards and her mother Olive Edwards are remembered as founders of The Hermitage Wildlife Garden. A bench in the garden commemorates their contribution.
Community events
The original Friends group held community activities including Apple Day. Photographs taken by Jim Park record Apple Day in 2003, when Pat Edwards was Chair of the group and Fred Gibson was Countryside Officer.
A new chapter
Today, work is under way to rebuild volunteer support and establish a Friends group to help care for the garden's future.
Can you help fill the gaps?
If you have photographs, documents, memories or information about The Hermitage, we'd love to hear from you. Email the archive project.
FROM THE ARCHIVE
A garden through the years
1997–1998 · APPROXIMATE DATE
The garden in the late 1990s
Photographs preserved by Louise’s family show earlier paths, planting and trees. We are checking publication permissions before adding the images to this archive.
2003
Apple Day
Jim Park photographed the original Friends group’s Apple Day. Jim and Louise identified Pat Edwards beside the preserves stall and Fred Gibson in a green T-shirt. The photographs are now available in our historical gallery, with credit to Jim Park.
HISTORICAL RESEARCH
Fact, memory and legend
Pamela Webb’s 1999 booklet, The Hermitage: A Brief History, the Legend, the Land and the Occupants, 1730–1980, is a useful research source. Its accounts and local legends are being checked before being presented as established history.
Explore the photographic archive
Browse the late-1990s photographs and the Apple Day 2003 collection. We welcome further memories and corrections as the archive develops.
View the 1997–98 photographsApple Day 2003