Listed summer houses' restoration nears completion

The renovation and restoration of three 19th Century summer houses in Coventry is expected to be completed by the spring, the city council says.

The Grade II listed buildings are within the Grade II* Registered Park and Garden at Stoney Road Allotments in Cheylesmore.

Having fallen into disrepair, the summer houses are the last remaining plots of the Park Gardens, established 200 years ago.

The site is one of only four remaining detached Victorian town gardens that are listed on Historic England's Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.

Historic England provided a £250,000 grant for the restoration of the buildings.

Councillor Naeem Akhtar, cabinet member with responsibility for heritage, said: "It's wonderful to see the work that is being done and I am really looking forward to returning once the restoration is completed.

"We are really grateful to Historic England for their generous support. We also value the support of the Railway Heritage Trust and Network Rail.

"There has been a lot of interest in this project, and it highlights the value we have for a wide range of heritage buildings in the city."

The site is still actively used as allotments and sub-tenanted by the Stoney Road Gardens Association (SRGA).

Louise Brennan, Historic England's regional director for the Midlands, said: "It is amazing to see the original features of the gardens restored.

"The Heritage at Risk funding has meant that three of the grade II listed Summerhouses have received complete repairs to the building structures, including replacement roofs, new windows and doors, reconstruction of walls with lime mortar and original bricks, timber frame restoration, and other internal repairs.

"And it's brilliant that it's all been achieved using traditional methods and materials, restoring the summerhouses to their original form."

Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.