The Future
A recent edition of the Essex Chronicle featured an article about a competition sponsored by the
East of England Development Agency to generate ideas for a "Landmark East" - a landmark that
would represent the East of England to the rest of the world. My idea would be an East Anglian
Park heritage centre - a centre that brought all the disparate threads of parkland history in the
region under one roof- from the history of kitchen gardens, to veteran trees, to the great landscapers,
to fine Georgian furniture, to saproxylic invertebrates, to garden buildings and statuary - in fact, a
celebration of all that is best about the contribution that parks, both public and private, have made
to East Anglian cultural and wildlife heritage. The centre would host conferences, study days,
exhibitions and provide research facilities.
Importantly, this newly-designed centre would be sited in a new parkland setting designed for
people and wildlife. In essence, it would be a park designed in the 21st century with the beckoning
22nd in mind. With the history of Essex parks as outlined in this book, I would expect any such
venture to be housed in Essex!
Acknowledgements
Firstly I would like to thank Del Smith for typing out the index and all the Essex Field Club
Recorders and members who have contributed their expertise to the publication of this book. Their
names are listed at the head of each chapter. I would also like to thank - Irene Buchan, David
Bloomfield, Barbara Chapman, Robin Cottrill, CPL Aromas (Barrington Hall), Simon Damant
(Wimpole Hall), Jonathon Jukes (Marks Hall), Chris Gibson (English Nature). Brian Goodey, Nick
Green, Martin Gregory, Colin Jarvis, Danielle Monk, Paul Monk, Richard Morris, Roger Payne,
Francis Potter, Dr. Graham Rotheray, David Sheppard, Graham Smith, Mary Smith, Sue Ward,
Charles and Shirley Watson.
Special thanks must go to Chelmsford Borough Council for granting permission to record Hylands
Park - Joe Cook and John Smee (without whom this book would never have happened!); the ever-
helpful staff of the Essex Record Office; Prof. Oliver Rackham for his many useful comments;
Alec Bull for travelling all the way from Norfolk to record the Rubi; Sue Court for putting-up with
my frequent alterations to the draft book; the park owners who allowed permission for me to measure
their trees and Peter Harvey, without whose editorial and technical skills this book would not have
appeared.
I would also like to thank Essex County Council, The Corporation of London, English Heritage
and the many local authorities and private owners who are such able custodians of our parkland
heritage.
Lastly, it greatly saddens me and is very much to my regret that Stan Hudgell never saw the publication
of this book. After a long and painful illness, bravely borne, Stan died on the 28th of February 2003.
He made a significant contribution to the invertebrate and bird recording at Hylands and on our all
too few forays to the park, his company was a great pleasure.
Essex Parks: Section 2 - Hylands Park
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