The date for the re-opening celebration of Holywells Park, the stables and the conservatory has now been set at 18th July 2015.
For those who need reminding, Holy Wells (as it was then spelled) was built by John Cobbold (1746-1835) #56 on the family tree, in time for the family to move in just before Christmas 1814. It remained the principal Cobbold home until the death in 1929 of John Dupuis Cobbold (#307), 4 generations later, when it was bought by Lord Woodbridge who gave it to the Borough of Ipswich. No other family ever lived there.
The park opened to the public permanently in 1936 but the house was demolished in the 1960s leaving only the stable block and the conservatory standing. These two buildings and the park itself have received a £3m restoration over the last couple of years which culminates in the re-opening ceremony on 18th July.
The Cobbold Family History Trust will be exhibiting at the celebrations on 18th and 19th July showing, inter alia, the Elizabeth Cobbold paper-cut Valentines alongside a demonstration of paper-cutting by Erica Bülow-Osborne and Loïs Cordelia.
That day will also mark the launch of the Trust’s next book. First in the Cobbold & Kin series will be Holywells, Home of the Cobbolds by Clive Hodges in paperback format selling at £7.99. Cleverly designed to show the visitor and the local community all that can no longer be seen it charts the life of Holwells Park from earliest times to the present day.
A set of 8 post cards will be introduced at the same time. All carry images of how things used to be around 1900, framed in an Elizabeth Cobbold Valentine border.
Please put the date in your diary and watch this website for more details
