Local Life - Wigan - March 2018

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initial task was to find a ‘Pulham’ expert. However,
this proved futile so I ultimately assembled a small
team to research the work of the Pulhams.
volunteers. The good thing for us was that once we’d
done the basic work, nature took over very quickly.
Within 12 months, wildlife had been attracted to
the area and there were even nests filled with egs. It
was a remarkable transformation.”
These days, John, of Parkside Crescent, runs his
own consultancy business; using his considerable
expertise on projects right across the UK. Thanks to
his work in Wigan’s Mesnes Park, John is a respected
authority on Pulham, who are best remembered for
the picturesque rock gardens, ferneries, follies and
grottoes they constructed during the Victorian era.
“Some years earlier I had investigated a ‘lost garden’
of rock scenery and cascades at the edge of the
lake in Mesnes Park. This area had been enveloped
by ivy for many years, but the initial clearance work
by volunteers revealed not only a recognisable
‘Pulham’ rockwork but one of real significance with
noteworthy trademarks. I then worked with a small
team to decide on the best practice for returning
this rock scenery to its former splendour and the
“It was strange to suddenly be in the position of
having to make crucial decisions, but it forced me
to step out of my comfort zone. Before long I had
gathered enough evidence to confidently inform
the restoration of the rock scenery at Mesnes Park
- and true to the style and methods of the Pulhams.”
“It’s a legacy for the
people of Wigan”
It’s clear that, even after six years since he retired
from the council, John still gets a massive sense of
pride for helping the area become well-known for
more than positive things than grime and misery:
“There’s a whole generation of people now who
don’t realise what Wigan was like at one time. We’ve
got parks and public open spaces which are the
envy of many.
“I travel all around Britain with my work and people
often remind me of how great our Borough is –
particularly the wildlife around the Wigan Flashes,
Pennington Flash and Orrell Water Park. It’s a legacy
for the people of Wigan. Nowadays, nobody on a
train to Wigan talks about slagheaps and dereliction.
It’s all about the sport or going shopping.