Worting Park Wall Restoration

Cala Homes reaches halfway milestone in restoration of historic Worting Park wall

Cala Homes (Southern) has reached the halfway stage of the restoration programme for the historic walled garden at its Worting Park development in Basingstoke – a major heritage project returning a defining feature of the estate’s 18^th century gardens to its former glory.

The walled garden, which sits within the grounds of Grade II* listed Worting House, forms part of the estate’s original gardens and dates back to the early 1700s. Although Worting House is believed to have been constructed around 1714, the walled garden was relocated to its current position in 1770. Most notably, Jane Austen is understood to have sought “chaperonage from the mistress of Worting” in 1798 at Worting House.

Measuring approximately 93 metres in length, 20 metres deep and reaching up to 3.75 metres in height, the walled garden encloses an area of roughly half an acre, including its original greenhouse structures.

Since works began, large sections of the wall have undergone specialist steam cleaning to remove vegetation and biological growth, while damaged and unstable brickwork has been carefully removed ahead of reinstatement works. Specialist heritage brick samples have also been approved to ensure repairs remain in keeping with the original structure, and lime mortar repointing has now commenced across key sections of the wall. Preparatory structural works have additionally been carried out ahead of the rebuilding of the leaning 25-metre section of wall.

A 25-metre stretch of the 3.5-metre-high wall will continue to be carefully dismantled and rebuilt on new foundations following a significant lean identified during structural assessments, with completion anticipated in September 2026.

Once restored, the walled garden, alongside a new timber-and-brick greenhouse inspired by the original structure, will become a community garden for residents. Located to the south of the new Community Hall, the space will feature soft landscaping and raised planters designed for community growing projects.

Fiona Creed, Sales and Marketing Director at Cala Homes (Southern), commented: “Worting Park is a development rich in heritage, and the walled garden is a particularly special part of its story. Reaching the halfway stage of this restoration is an important milestone and reflects the care and attention being invested into preserving this unique historic asset.

“Once complete, the garden will become a wonderful community space for residents – somewhere to grow, relax and come together – while also safeguarding an important piece of local history for future generations.”

Chairman of the Basingstoke Archaeological and Historical Society, Mark Peryer added: “Historic garden walls like this are an important reminder of Basingstoke’s Georgian heritage and the evolution of estates such as Worting House. It is encouraging to see such careful restoration work being undertaken to preserve an important part of the area’s local character and history.”

Worting Park in Basingstoke offers a collection of 2, 3 & 4 bedroom homes, nestled in the peaceful, semi-rural district of Worting. To find out more about the development, visit: https://www.cala.co.uk/homes-for-sale/south-east-england/hampshire/worting-park-basingstoke/