Great Linford Manor Park shortlisted for Interpretation Awards
The Great Linford Manor Park Heritage Fund project has been shortlisted in the 2023 Association for Heritage Interpretation Awards.
The £3m project, which was first conceived in 2015, sought to reveal, revive and restore the 18th-century landscape of Great Linford Manor Park, a heritage treasure in the city of Milton Keynes. The project's capital works have now reached completion and the park is open for everyone to love and enjoy. This year's Association for Heritage Interpretation Awards theme is 'Engaging People' and the association has received a record number of entries from across the UK. 'Revealing, Reviving and Restoring' Great Linford Manor Park is shortlisted in the Outdoors Interpretation category in recognition of the diversity of interpretation interventions we have made in the park with our project consultants, Outside Studios.
The ambitious project has seen the installation of seven interpretive public art sculptures inspired by heritage stories about the park. Alongside, visitors can find traditional interpretation panels with more information about the natural and historical heritage of the landscape. To bring the site to life, we have delivered over 500 events to 29,000 people since 2017, ranging from community activities to large Heritage Open Day events. A highlight in the park is the reinterpretation of the Doric Seat, an ornamental building tucked away in the restored Wilderness area. This is a peaceful place to sit and has already played host to smaller events in the park.
View a 3D model of the Doric Seat below:
The project's Community Engagement Coordinator, Ellie Broad, said: "Thank you to everyone who has engaged with the project and helped the Trust raise awareness of this amazing place. In particular, we thank the Friends of Great Linford Manor Park for helping us teach local people about the heritage on their doorstep. Being shortlisted for this award is a proud moment for the Great Linford project and the wider Parks Trust team."
Helping local people to understand and appreciate their local greenspaces is a core part of the Trust's work and we deliver a huge programme of events and activities across all of our parklands throughout the year.
For more information about the Great Linford Manor Park project, please head over to the project webpage.
Winners will be announced in October.
