£1.4m grants to help country park

Mount Edgcumbe's park covers about 865 acres

Historic buildings are to be restored at a Cornish country park following major grant funding.

The joint owners of Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park, Plymouth City Council and Cornwall County Council, have secured £1.4m.

Much of the money has come from the South West Regional Development Agency and the Objective One programme.

It will be used to restore historic service buildings and carry out improvements to Cremyll Quay.

Working park

Buildings to be improved will include the stables and sawmill behind the main house. New jobs may also come because of the funding.

Park Manager Ian Berry said the restoration work would be taking place over the next two years.

He said: "We want to get the buildings back into use and get the public in there so they can see how the park works and how it did work."

Mount Edgcumbe House is the former home of the Earls of Mount Edgcumbe. The country park covers about 865 acres (350 hectares).

Money for the restoration work has also come from the two councils and the Heritage Lottery Fund.