Conservation

History | Conservation | Preservation | Objectives

HAll view

Babraham Hall, a Grade II listed building, has undergone considerable restoration to many of its principal rooms and external facades in recent years and improvements have been made within the Parkland to help to recreate the nineteenth century setting for the Hall.

The small walled garden's flowerbeds were blank and its summerhouse shabby when we began our conservation project. The garden is now richly planted with a diverse range of plants providing all-season interest. The summerhouse, including two original nineteenth century Italian marble engravings, has been fully restored. The lawns to the rear of the Hall have been improved by restoring gravel walkways and recreating the under planting scheme for the colonnade. The large walled garden has been planted with flowering trees set in a wildflower meadow, creating a tranquil setting in which one can read the latest journals or simply chat with colleagues during lunch breaks.

Behind the walled garden is Babraham Parish Church, a fine building with an impressive tower dating from the 12th century. The remainder of the building as it stands today dates from to the 13th and 15th centuries: the chancel from about the mid 13th century and the nave and aisles from the 15th century. The Babraham Institute maintains the church wall as part of its community undertaking to the village of Babraham. We have embarked upon an Estate Stewardship programme, to enhance the visual landscape and to encourage natural flora and wildlife.

A recent initiative has been the expansion of the planted areas around Campus buildings to create outdoor 'working spaces' and a pleasant local environment. We have planted specimen trees to counteract attrition by storms and disease damage. We are planting hedgerows and grass margins alongside fields to provide wildlife havens and within the last 5 years, 19,000 indigenous species of trees have been planted on the estate. We have also reduced fertiliser and pesticide usage to encourage river wildlife.