William Sears oversaw the building and garden works in the 1930s from his office which is now the Gardener’s Hut above the Italian Garden. There was once a memorial bench dedicated to him, but all that remained of it was a number of broken pieces scattered round the gardens. These broken pieces have been carefully incorporated by a skilled stone mason to recreate the bench. William Sears’s granddaughter Edwina has been along to admire the result.
I loved seeing these photos of the restored bench and wonderful stone mason’s work incorporating all the broken pieces! I am so happy that you have been able to do that. I shall look forward to seeing it and sitting on it when I am down in August.