very productive volunteer gardening day at the Roman circus

On Saturday (12th April), the volunteer gardening day went ahead in the garden of the former Sergeants’ Mess despite the fire which damaged the building overnight. At 9.00am, when the gardening started, one fire crew was still at the building and damping it down. Trust director Philip was on site all day: a good number of volunteers came to help, and they made a big difference to the garden. They concentrated on clearing the well-established ivy away from one part of the garden, where one of the large screens is to be installed – the screens will show what the circus looked like from the starting-gates.

One of the morning volunteers, Richard, says that it was hard work but enjoyable, and very worthwhile to help with the Trust’s improvements and enhancement of the site of the Roman circus for visitors. He also thought that our new stumps of the circus starting-gates were looking good and are very impressive.

The garden is semicircular and ringed by an earth bank which is planted with mature trees. The white-painted iron military fence around the perimeter of the garden is to be replaced in the near future. At the moment, the garden is in full spring swing, with the trees displaying blossom or new leaves, and bluebells flowering in the longer grass. It is an ideal habitat for the wild birds which live there. Philip says that the gardening day was very productive.

Today (14th April), we have a mechanical digger in the garden, clearing the leftover heap of soil and levelling the ground around the stumps of the starting-gates.

The Trust would like to thank all the volunteers who came to help us on Saturday, and we look forward to seeing you all again – as visitors! – at the Roman circus site and centre. We hope that you enjoyed yourselves and that you will also come back in the future to just enjoy the garden.

The images show part of the garden of the former Sergeants’ Mess today, greatly improved by the volunteers’ work; and the starting-gates today, on levelled ground (Roman Circus House is in the background).

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