Historic Parks for the Future – Cannon Hall 

Historic Parks for the Future – Cannon Hall 

Cannon Hall dates back to the 14th century but it doesn’t become the parkland we see today until the 1760’s onwards, with obvious transition from Georgian splendour to Victorian folly it remained unchanged throughout the 20th century. Sold to Barnsley Council in 1951 the parkland and Hall have welcomed visitors for over 70 years, as the new millennium dawned the parkland and gardens needed fundamental repairs, and so £3.4million was invested to Restore the Glory and Reveal the Secrets. This talk looked at the appointment of the Project Manager Sharon Sutton, why she was chosen to manage the refurbishment, and how she navigated her way through the 4-year project to Historic Parks for the Future – Cannon Hall, provided visitors with a destination parkland and gardens, and also delivered improvements the Council and visitors didn’t expect. Website: https://www.cannon-hall.com

Speaker biography:

Sharon Sutton started her career in the agricultural industry and became increasingly interested in the places where she worked, the landscape, woodland, plants and wildlife were all fascinating, so a change of career was needed. A HND in Landscape Science was obtained in 1998 and as a result, she joined local government working in the Parks and Gardens sector for the next 24 years. During this period, she developed a particular interest in Historic Parks and Gardens and their associated buildings, renovating them for the benefit of the public and wildlife, and searching for ways to ensure their long-term use and protection. 

This talk was the second in our series of five online talks on Unforgettable Gardens on Weds @ 6pm presented in association with The Gardens Trust