Redditch - Hewell Grange Prison (Worcestershire)

Thanks to Phil who sent these photographs of a Giant Redwood in the grounds of Hewell Grange Prison and he wrote to say "A friend of mine is a fisherman and has permission to fish the lake within the grounds. There are 3 or 4 in this specimen garden (apparently planted by monks centuries ago) and more around the lake. It's an interesting place - gardens designed by Capability Brown, and a big manor house. I've no idea how it became a prison." Hewell Grange mansion was built in 1884-91 by George Frederick Bodley & Thomas Garner for the Earl of Plymouth. It was used as a Borstal from 1946 to 1991 and then became an open prison. Like many of the old country houses and estates, it has been put to a very different use from that for which it was originally intended but luckily the gardens have remained untouched thus preserving many specimen trees.