Hylands Park - A Brief History
1962 Christine Hanbury, last private owner, dies.
1963 Fire in west wing of house.
1966 Park and house purchased by Chelmsford Borough Council for £150,000.
1967 South Wood Cottage demolished. Hylands House listed Grade II.
1971 A range of domestic utility buildings demolished between house and stable block.
1975 House upgraded to Grade II*.
1986 Restoration on house starts, porte cochere removed, replaced by early 19th century style
portico. Construction of Chelmsford (A12) and Writtle (A414) by-passes.
1987 Ha-Ha rebuilt at cost of £ 14,100. Park and garden placed on English Heritage Register (now
Grade II*). Great storm in October fells many trees.
1988 First 'Spectacular' held.
1993 Chelmsford Borough Council agrees to spend £3m in phased restoration.
1994 Phase I restoration starts.
1996 First 'V' Concert held. Archaeological dig in Kitchen Gardens.
2001 Western part of Brick Field drained.
2002 Phase IV restoration commences. New high voltage electricity cable laid across park. GP.S.
Mapping Survey of park. Archaeological surveys undertaken infonnal gardens area. Flint Cottage
and Repton's Approach.
2003 Heritage Lottery Funding granted to complete restoration of house, stable block and Repton
landscape.
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Essex Parks: Section 2 - Hylands Park