Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => Alpines => Topic started by: Fiona Green on April 18, 2012, 11:53:17 AM

Title: Information sought: history of Castle Vale Park Berwick
Post by: Fiona Green on April 18, 2012, 11:53:17 AM: I am researching Castle Vale public park in Berwick laid out during the 1930s which had a rock garden.
I wondered if the society had any connections with Berwick at that time as it seems the North Northumberland Rock Garden Group was not formed until the 1940s. I understand that the Edrom Nursery was in operation in the 1930s but gather from the owners that documents from the business were destroyed. I am intersted in that nursery as I gather they were rock garden specialists and may have supplied plants for the park. I wonder if the society has an archive and whether there might be any information available on the planting at Castle Vale Park photographs, Journal entries etc?
With thanks, Fiona Green
Title: Re: Castle Vale Park Berwick
Post by: Maggi Young on April 18, 2012, 12:26:24 PM: Hello Fiona, welcome to the Forum.

I will search the Journal archives for you to see if there is anything of interest to you there. I will also pass this to Jean Wyllie, who keeps some of the SRGC paper archive. I can contact you privately with any ihfo I find and also with the name of a contact who may also be able to help.

Maggi Young
Title: Re: Castle Vale Park Berwick
Post by: Maggi Young on April 18, 2012, 08:01:02 PM: What a shame; neither Jean nor I have been able to turn up anything relating to the Berwick Garden for you, Fiona.
Title: Re: Castle Vale Park Berwick
Post by: Paul T on April 19, 2012, 09:46:05 AM: Maggi and Fiona,

Is it worth posting this out in the open area as well, just in case there happens to be someone who isn't a member who is reading this and has some information?
Title: Re: Castle Vale Park Berwick
Post by: ChrisB on April 19, 2012, 09:48:30 AM: I'll ask today at our garden visit to see if anyone from our North Northumberland group might know of it. Worth trying the Borders group as well, some folks from Berwick travel down to us, others travel up to Borders, some do both lol.... Someone else who might well know is Ron McBeath, has anyone contacted him?
Title: Re: Castle Vale Park Berwick
Post by: Gerry Webster on April 19, 2012, 10:11:45 AM: Are there no records in Berwick municipal archives? The enormous rock garden in Brighton was built around the same time - 1935 - on a railway embankment. Its designer, Captain B Maclaren, was severely chastised for overspending. When I first came to Brighton some 45 years ago, it was a wonderful thing. Today it is rather a sorry sight
Title: Re: Information sought: history of Castle Vale Park Berwick
Post by: Maggi Young on April 19, 2012, 11:08:06 AM: Paul, a useful suggestion... I have retitled the page and moved to the Alpines section.
Title: Re: Information sought: history of Castle Vale Park Berwick
Post by: ChrisB on April 19, 2012, 06:57:27 PM: I've asked Gill Lee today. She will make enquiries when she next goes to the Berwick Archives where she volunteers.....
Title: Re: Information sought: history of Castle Vale Park Berwick
Post by: ChrisB on May 02, 2012, 11:13:19 PM: I have a contact now who may be able to help. If you are watching Fiona, pm me and I'll give you the details.