We are delighted to announce that The Horton Gardens are now open!
The grounds of The Horton, which have been closed to the public for three decades, have been transformed into a natural landscaped green space for everyone to enjoy and officially opened to the public on Thursday 24th July.
The 10,000m2 gardens will provide a wonderful tranquil space for visitors and have been designed with accessibility and nature at the forefront.
The first phase of works will be completed and features:
- New accessible paths winding around the perimeter
- Two event lawns
- Entrance lawn
- Wildflower meadow areas
- 1000 new saplings
- Bench seating
- Recycling and waste bins
- Entrance planting along the main pathway
- Workshop area for horticulture and maintenance
- Habitat zones
More than 200 metres of native hedgerow has been planted to provide and improve the habitat for hedgerow birds, hedgehogs, bats and insects. A hibernaculum has been created for green waste, providing safe areas for hibernating mammals, insects and reptiles.
Development of the grounds have been supported by Surrey County Council’s Your Fund Surrey and Epsom & Ewell Borough Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy Fund. Contributions have also been been made by Toyota, Coop Community Fund and members of the local community making private donations.
The Horton’s dedicated team of volunteers has helped to plant trees and clear hundreds of metres of thorns and invasive plants.
The newly unveiled grounds will host an exciting programme of outdoor performances this Summer – kicking off on Tuesday 29th July with Mrs Armitage on Wheels an interactive, energetic show for children, celebrating the joy of getting outdoors on a bike.
Other events include:
- Saturday 2nd August: The Whale – an 18-metre inflatable creature hosting an immersive theatre show for children inside its belly.
- Saturday 16th August: aerial circus theatre on a giant spinning parasol – Everywhere’s A Beach from Epsom company Hikapee.
- Saturday 23rd August: pirate and mermaids’ event, Message In A Bottle with dressing up, dance, juggling, and drama.
- Thursday 28th August: evening of acoustic harmonies with Geoff Robb’s The Music of Trees.
As well as enjoying the outdoor shows, visitors can simply enjoy the birdsong sitting on a brand-new bench with a great cup of coffee – ordering from outside if you’re are out with your dog.
Maria Reeves, Director of The Horton, said:
“We are delighted to finally be opening our gardens for the community to enjoy. It has taken a long time and lot of effort to make the grounds safe and accessible. We’re very grateful to donors and for the funding support we have received from Surrey County Council, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council and others. Our volunteers have been amazing too.
Three years after opening The Horton, it is wonderful to see the outdoor vision beginning to come to life. We can now start to make the most of the wonderful surroundings the heritage building sits in and plan creative activities for all”
Denise Turner-Stewart, Surrey County Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities said:
“We are delighted with this Your Fund Surrey (YFS) project. It’s lovely to see that over £112k YFS funding has brought back to life an overgrown and neglected community garden for all to enjoy. The Horton Arts Centre Garden’s Project is exactly the type of project that with the help of YFS brings communities together to create communal spaces for us all to be proud of. This new community green space will help to rejuvenate and inspire people helping with health and wellbeing, leaving a legacy for generations to come. This is something we at Surrey County Council are proud to have been a part of, delivering on the doorsteps of Surrey’s beautiful towns and villages.”
Councillor Neil Dallen, Chair of Epsom & Ewell Borough Council’s Strategy and Resources Committee said: “I am delighted to see the opening of the restored Horton gardens, which have been transformed into a natural landscaped green space for everyone to enjoy, following funding from Epsom & Ewell Borough Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Fund. These improvements to the gardens provide even more reason for residents and visitors to visit The Horton – which is a local gem. Now that The Horton’s gardens have been landscaped and replanted, with the addition of new pathways and seating, I hope as many residents as possible will visit and take a moment or two to enjoy them.”
There are plenty of opportunities for people to get involved at The Hoton. Maintaining the gardens is an ongoing task and we are on the look out for more volunteers to help our small team.
If you’d like to find out more about how to help keep The Horton Gardens looking good, or to donate the cost of performance tickets for some local families in need – as Epsom Rotary have done – do get in touch.
We look forward to seeing you in The Horton Gardens very soon.
Opening times: 9.15am – 4.30pm Tuesday to Saturday.
