Restoring the Wandlebury Ring Wall
If you’ve ever walked around Wandlebury Country Park, you will have noticed the long circular historic wall that frames the centre of the Ring. This wall has stood for nearly 300 years, holding stories of families, orchards, gardens and wildlife. Now, thanks to funding from government, we’re about to begin essential repair work to secure it for the future.
Why repair is needed
Much of the Ring Wall looks beautiful from the outside – but behind the scenes, time and weather have taken their toll. Past repairs were carried out using cement rather than traditional lime mortar, which sadly causes bricks to crack over time. Add to that the strain of tree roots and overhanging branches pressing against the wall, and the damage has become impossible to ignore.
Allan, our Estates Manager, explains:
“In places the wall has been pushed out of line by tree growth, and whole sections of brick have fractured. Around 15 layers of brick will need to be carefully taken down, cleaned, and rebuilt. We’ll also replace the original capstones with hand-cut Barnack stone – the same local material used to build many of Cambridge’s historic colleges.”
How the repairs will happen
In spring 2026, scaffolding will rise around the wall, allowing specialists to work at different heights. Six courses of brickwork will be dismantled along the most damaged stretch, before being reset with lime mortar – the traditional method that allows walls to breathe and flex with the seasons.
The wall will then be re-topped with slate and new capping stones, restoring both its strength and its distinctive silhouette.
Wildlife still welcome
Even as the wall is repaired, its role as a home for wildlife remains. Those tiny round holes you might spot in the brickwork are not old nail holes for gardeners’ vines, as first thought, but nest holes for solitary bees. Allan and the team have taken care to preserve these habitats, ensuring the bees can continue to thrive at Wandlebury.
Looking ahead
This project is the final stage in a 25- year programme to safeguard the Wandlebury Ring Wall for future generations to enjoy. Thanks to the support of our members, donors and grant givers we have raised over £250,000 to repair all 500 metres of wall since 2000.
For the current repairs, we are very grateful to receive a grant of £83,000 from the Department of Environment, Farming & Rural Affairs towards 70% of the costs – and to our members for funding the remainder through their annual subscriptions.
Next time you visit, pause by the scaffolding and picture the hands shaping brick and stone, much as they did hundreds of years ago. In Allan’s words:
“We’ll make it right.”
Allan Scott-Davies – Estates Manager
