debbieaspin
Abney Hall, Stockport 2010
Abney Hall, built in 1847, is the focal point of the park. Its grand structure and landscaped gardens tell of the wealth of the first owner, a former Mayor of Stockport and cotton magnate.
The walled garden hides an ingenious but extravagant invention which kept the orchard and vegetable garden warm and healthy throughout the year. The walls contain cavities and during the heyday of the hall, warm air was blown from a furnace in the cellar, through the cavities and out of a gothic style ventilation shaft.
The site of the park was formerly part of the Mersey flood plain. Much of the land is still very damp, forming wet meadows. Wetlands are becoming increasingly rare as land is drained for development, destroying the rare plants that rely on the damp soils. Abney Park is one of the few sites in Stockport where you will see such plants in abundance. During the summer, the wetlands are awash with the colour of early purple and common spotted orchids, yellow meadow buttercups and the pink of the cuckoo flower.
Abney Hall, Stockport 2010
Abney Hall, built in 1847, is the focal point of the park. Its grand structure and landscaped gardens tell of the wealth of the first owner, a former Mayor of Stockport and cotton magnate.
The walled garden hides an ingenious but extravagant invention which kept the orchard and vegetable garden warm and healthy throughout the year. The walls contain cavities and during the heyday of the hall, warm air was blown from a furnace in the cellar, through the cavities and out of a gothic style ventilation shaft.
The site of the park was formerly part of the Mersey flood plain. Much of the land is still very damp, forming wet meadows. Wetlands are becoming increasingly rare as land is drained for development, destroying the rare plants that rely on the damp soils. Abney Park is one of the few sites in Stockport where you will see such plants in abundance. During the summer, the wetlands are awash with the colour of early purple and common spotted orchids, yellow meadow buttercups and the pink of the cuckoo flower.