Captain Abbott’s Garden
Our ambition is to create a garden in this redundant space at the entrance to the leisure centre. An information board will tell the story of one of the 18th-century characters, Captain Abbott, whose house stood on this site. The loss of green spaces in our towns and cities has contributed to a growing sense of isolation and other mental health issues. Today, with the dominance of traffic on the wane, these places can be reclaimed for the community.
When the sea captains lived here they were surrounded by green spaces, orchards, nurseries and market gardens. Corn was produced in the windmills dotted around the town and there were pigs and poultry roaming the streets.
Amanda King is a teacher and garden designer who lives in the Historic Quarter.