Sussex Past properties supporting regional hosepipe ban

The widespread watering of historic gardens including the grounds at Fishbourne Roman Palace, Lewes Castle and Michelham Priory will be reduced this week as part of wider plans to protect vital natural resources.

With official figures indicating July was the driest on record, both South East Water and Southern Water are introducing a Temporary Use Ban for households and the majority of businesses across a large part of the region from today (August 12, 2022).

The Sussex Archaeological Society – a registered charity that owns the Sussex Past properties – has confirmed it will support the restrictions, even though some of its activities are not covered by the ban and a number of its sites do not fall into the restricted area.

This will mean no watering of grass, no use of sprinklers, and, where possible, watering only by hand. The team has asked those visiting sites over the next few weeks to be understanding if the grounds are looking browner and barer than usual.

Leanne O’Boyle, Head of Historic Properties for The Sussex Archaeological Society, said: “Our range of remarkable properties showcase nearly 2,000 years of garden history and our team of gardeners and volunteers do a fantastic job of making sure they look beautiful all year round.

“We are committed to supporting biodiversity and sustainability across our sites so the teams already keep watering by hose and sprinklers to a minimum with the majority done by hand.

“However, the recent dry months mean that everyone has a responsibility to use water wisely. So, for a short time, we will introduce restrictions across our sites, which are in line with regional guidelines.

“We ask for visitors’ understanding if areas of our grounds and gardens are looking a little bare or brown during this time.”

In addition to these temporary measures, the Society is also looking at what it can do to introduce drought-tolerant planting while staying true to the history and heritage of its sites.