ARCHITECT’S REPORT

THE GARDENS

In the Walled Garden the number of volunteers has grown enabling more beds to be created and planted within the central ‘quarters’ of the garden. This will increase the amount of produce cultivated and therefore the amount of income to assist with the restoration of the garden. Two more glasshouses are now under restoration with the earlier work on the stove, or hot house, now practically complete. The Trust has asked the West Essex Archaeological Group to carry out out radar investigations of the ground surface to see whether there is any evidence of features shown on the 18th century plan. These features comprise three circular dipping ponds and what looks like frames or pits – possibly for pineapples. If clear evidence of these features is found, they can be then reinstated and once again form part of the layout.

The restoration of the Long Garden – south of the Walled Garden – continues. Last year was the first time the 450 foot long herbaceous border had been fully planted since it was abandoned in the 1940s. A low fence, faced with chicken wire, has had to be constructed in order to protect the bed from rabbits – who at present out-number the volunteers. The huge task of weeding the shubberies opposite is now considerably easier due to the introduction of a layer of wood chippings which has suppressed the weeds.

In the Rock Garden large quantities of ferns have recently been introduced to reinstate the original concept. More of the original rocks are being revealed in the restoration which is now well advanced.

A massive amount of volunteer work has produced the results that you see today in the above gardens. The results are truely impressive.

Near the Rock Garden is the Pleached Lime Walk. The limes bolted to a great height while the gardens were abandoned. We have been gradually reducing them over the years until they are now near their original height. As new growth emerges we will re-pleach them to produce the original ‘hedge on legs’ - each side of their path. On the Terraces, the south beds beside the Causeway have been expertly dug over by three volunteers and are about to receive their lawn edge and other planting.

THE MANSION

The Servants’ Hall has been fitted with a temporary plywood floor before Christmas - earlier than scheduled. The floor was robbed of its originaly stone slabs in the 1950s. The operation involved digging out the rubble and dirt covering the vaulted ceiling of the cellar below. A squad of volunteers achieved this in record time. A thermal block sub-floor was constructed and the few original stone slabs we had were bedded on top – just in front of the fireplace. The plywood floor will gradually be replaced as we obtain more stone slabs.

The ambitious project to construct the floors and roof in the south west part of the mansion has continued throughout the winter. First and second floor structures are now complete and the four steel beams supporting the roof have just been installed. As this work will be roofed by December, the carol concerts can be transferred to the large ground floor room where there will be a roaring fire. This whole phase of work has been funded by an anonymous benefactor and has greatly contributed to the stablisation of the mansion.

At the beginning of November we heard that our application to the Essex Environment Trust for a £20,000 grant had been approved. This money is to be used to reinstate the floor structures in the north central part of the wing. A temporary roof will then be fitted over the second floor. The ground floor structure is now completed and work above is under way. We are very grateful to the Essex Environment Trust.

A year ago the Leche Trust gave us a grant of £8,000 to reinstate the framework of the bed recess in Lady Henrietta’s bedroom. This work has now been completed. Lady Henrietta’s bedroom is the only first floor room that had such a feature. Not only did it provide a cosy alcove for her to sleep in but it also enabled access to the two adjoining rooms via lobbies behind the bed recess. After many visits to architectural salvage yards I finally located a set of columns and pilasters dated 1770. Although these are 12 years later than the completion of Copped Hall they are the right size and have the correct capitals. The acquisition of these has taken the bed recess project further than was intended. The tour guides have now been saved the difficult task of trying to explain a non-existant bed recess. The first window in this room has also been installed. This involved much research and is a prototype for the others.

The Grange Farm Trust has recently awarded the Trust a £60,000 grant to reinstate the largest room in the mansion – the Saloon – which faces the gardens. Preliminary works have already started on this new phase. We are enormously grateful to the Grange Farm Trust.

MRS.WYTHES’ ROLLS ROYCE

The purchase of the Rolls has now been completed thanks to the generosity of our supporters and without spending a penny of Trust funds. The Rolls will be attending various local fetes and shows this coming year where the dedicated team of volunteers that look after the Rolls will distribute the Trust literature. We have made contact with another previous owner of the Rolls after it left the ownership of the Wythes – so the ownership list is now almost complete. A gentleman who repaired the Rolls after an accident in the 1950s has also been traced and visited Copped Hall recently.

ACQUISITIONS FUND

Our Gordon Brown (not the Prime Minister) has been making great strides in raising money for the Aquisitions Fund. Two further Copped Hall Grape Storage Bottles have been obtained. The Trust is in the process of acquiring a further ten original 18th Century botanical paintings on velum that were painted by John Conyers’ daughter Matilda. These were probably painted at Copped Hall.

WISH LIST

The vine house door has been funded by Ann Henderson from Bury St.Edmunds. We are very grateful for this donation. Repair to brickwork in the Saloon is to be funded by the Grange Farm Trust. The 6 special steel rods to open windows in the Orchid House are being funded from donations give to the glasshouse restorers. If visitors to Copped Hall see (actually they cannot help but see !) some item in need of restoration to which they would like to contribute - please feel free to contact Alan Cox.

LIST

Northern Car Park	Post and rail fence to protect new hawthorn hedge	£1,250
Ridge	Post and rail fence to part of ridge boundary	£ 350
Wing	Door to stable yards from mansion wing	£ 700
Mansion	Chandelier for bedroom or dressing room	£2,500
Mansion	Second hand portland stone slabs for Servants’ Hall	£ 500
Mansion	Stone window cill for first floor window	£1,000
Mansion	Steel double doors to South Garden from mansion	£ 2100
Mansion	First floor window	£ 2000
Wing	Window sashes for existing box frames (per window)	£ 750
Kitchen Garden	Brick paviers for path by Vine House	£1,900
Kitchen Garden	Repair to top of east wall by central entrance	£1,600
Kitchen Garden	Yew trees to recreate 18th century layout	£ 300
Kitchen Garden	Glazing for part of Vine House	£ 400

Wish List contact - Alan Cox 020 7267 1679 or email Coxalan1@aol.com