{"id":41215,"date":"2017-12-11T11:30:05","date_gmt":"2017-12-11T11:30:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jomec.co.uk\/altcardiff\/?p=41215"},"modified":"2017-12-11T11:30:05","modified_gmt":"2017-12-11T11:30:05","slug":"in-depth-bute-parks-hidden-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/2017\/12\/11\/in-depth-bute-parks-hidden-history\/","title":{"rendered":"In depth: Bute Park\u2019s hidden history"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over 2m people visit Bute Park every year but how many know its story? Find out how Bute Park has\u00a0evolved over the years<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s a windy and wet day, but it hasn\u2019t deterred people from visiting Bute Park. Two dogs aren\u2019t put off by the weather. Chasing each other they run several rings around one particularly gnarly tree. Its bark weathered by the years. What could such a venerable tree tell us about the history it has seen? Do people ever consider the legacy a tree has in such a historic park?<\/span><\/p>\n

One dog cocks its leg on the tree to relieve itself, making it clear that it has no thoughts on the matter\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

The park received a \u00a33.1m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund for restoration in 2009. With the intention by the council to maintain the park as a flagship city park. According to the Bute Park Management and Maintenance Plan there were a recorded 2,043,966 visitors to the park in 2014.<\/span><\/p>\n

Only a few of those visitors will know the park\u2019s story, but strategy and development manager for parks services Rosie James says, \u201cThere is certainly an interest in the story of the park, but it is still an evolving story.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The history of Bute Park seems particularly pertinent, back in 1947 the park was given to the public (70 years ago). Furthermore, on November 25<\/a> the park celebrated the new Charter for Trees, Woods and People, a document that looks to protect trees and their future. With Bute Park being given one of the Charter Legacy Poles<\/a> to place in the park.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“There is only one thing to be regretted about Cardiff Castle and the gardens, and that is their closeness to the town of Cardiff.”<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

However, the new charter has significant inspiration from history itself. It has been 800 years the original Charter of the Forest was issued by King Henry III. After the Norman invasion of Britain the woods were property of the crown, reserved for hunting by the King. There were severe penalties for any commoner who used the woods. But the Charter for the Forest changed this by acknowledging the rights of access to free men in England.<\/span><\/p>\n

This may seem distant today, but consider some parallels. Recently some locals had to fight for Britannia and Waterfront Parks<\/a> to remain undeveloped by a corporation at Cardiff Bay. To this day access to woods and parklands remains an issue.<\/span><\/p>\n