Planning

Green light for National Trust’s £4.6m ‘Studley Revealed’ project

Image: An illustration of how the new entrance to the building from inside the water garden might look © NT/Feilden Fowles

Major restoration and facilities upgrade planned at World Heritage Site Fountains Abbey, improving access and restoring Georgian design while expanding visitor amenities.

The National Trust has been given permission for a major project which will add new facilities and a new welcome at Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal in North Yorkshire.

North Yorkshire Council has given the green light to The Studley Revealed project. It is set to restore historical sightlines and vistas at the ancient abbey ruins and a water garden, which is a World Heritage Site.

It will also provide more information about the garden and include improved visitor facilities, the Trust said.

An illustration of how the tearoom and entrance will look as part of Studley Revealed © National Trust / Fielden Fowles

The £4.6m project will make improvements to a busy area of the water garden, creating a more accessible café that can seat up to 60 people (a slight increase from the current 54 cover capacity), admission point and toilets.

The Trust explained: “we have lost some of the original spirit of the water gardens and the lakeside at Studley Royal and how it was designed to be experienced.

“Temporary structures and extensions have been added over the years and some of the original garden planting has become overgrown or has self-seeded with species that are not in keeping with the Georgian design.

 

An illustration of how the new admissions and interpretation space might look © NT / Fielden Fowles

It said current navigation is “confusing” for visitors, adding “we don’t currently tell the important story of Studley Royal” and “the tea-room is frequently overcrowded [making] access for wheelchair users and pushchairs difficult.”

Justin Scully, General Manager of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, said the project will “create a place for our visitors to learn more about the fascinating history of Studley Royal, its international significance and our role in caring for it, whilst simultaneously having a more enjoyable and accessible experience.

Building architects Feilden Fowles and landscape architects rankinfraser have been brought in for the project.