Manor House Wildlife Park Anna Ryder-Richardson - TV Program Sun 30th Nov

[Pertinax]

In the past Damara zebra were bred at Bristol and also , I think , Blackpool . I wonder if this was the origin of these animals

The Bristol and Blackpool Damara Zebras were the same group I think- moving to Blackpool after Bristol stopped keeping them. I was sorry to see them leave Bristol- yet another traditional species gone from there. I don't know if Colchester's are from this same group though(quite possibly).

This zoo takeover seems to have aroused a lot of comment. I'm not against it but do wonder how it will all turn out. If animals' enclosures and conditions there are all improved as a result then it can't all be bad.

 

[tetrapod]

The Bristol and Blackpool Damara Zebras were the same group I think- moving to Blackpool after Bristol stopped keeping them. I was sorry to see them leave Bristol- yet another traditional species gone from there. I don't know if Colchester's are from this same group though(quite possibly).

This zoo takeover seems to have aroused a lot of comment. I'm not against it but do wonder how it will all turn out. If animals' enclosures and conditions there are all improved as a result then it can't all be bad.

To go almost full circle on this thread I think the Blackpool Damara's went to Folly Farm, as did the Arabian oryx and Hog deer.

 

[Bele]

Manor House Wildlife and Leisure Park - background

I do not know the exact opening date by the Williams family , probably the early 1970's . At the centre of the Park is the Manor House , built in the 1750's for the Sheriff of Tenby , on the site of an earlier house . The gift shop is situated in the old Coach House . In front of the house are lawns and large mature trees . At the side are two walled gardens . There are landscaped grounds with a grotto and dell where the flamingos live . In the 1990's the park was expanded into land which dips down then up a large slope .

In its earlier days it was very popular , as well as the animal collection there were go-carts , various amusements including the slide shown being demolished on the TV programme , a very impressive train lay-out in its own building . There were falconry displays on the lawn , a tropical house , reptile/ aquarium building .

In the walled gardens were aviaries , a horrible little penguin enclosure ( where they bred ) , otter enclosure and open enclosures for mongoose and porcupine . In the paddocks were domestics , deer , emus and rhea , wallabies .

Species listed in the earlier guidebook include chimpanzees , Sykes monkeys , sooty mangabey , great hornbill and hamadryas baboon .

Later a barn was added where lamb feeding and reptile handling sessions were held and a variety of small animals were on show .

The gardens were very much a feature of the Park with very impressive displays of summer bedding and hanging baskets , lots of 'Wales in Bloom' prizes were won .

There was not a great deal of competition in the 1970's but over the years Oakwood has developed into a major attraction with some of the UK's top rides ( I think the wooden rollercoaster Megaphobia is awesome ) , directly across the road from Manor House is Heatherton where a large variety of sports can be enjoyed by all ages . Also Folly Farm has grown to be a major family attraction .

During these devepments Manor House was left in a bit of a time-warp . Enclosures that when built were up to date became old and unacceptable . When the owner Mr Williams died a few years ago things went downhill fast , I get the impression that nobody else in the family had much interest . My last visit in 2007 was rather depressing . I assume the Park was put up for sale at the end of the 2007 season .

 

[karenZOO]

Thank you Bele for the brilliant background and history

 

[Pertinax]

Yes, an excellent history of a Park I knew very little about until recently.

Presumably the new owners want to keep it as a Zoo/animal collection only, rather than a dual purpose wildlife/entertainment park which it seems to have been for most of its life.

 

[jacks zoo]

Manor House Wildlife Park-Images

Does anyone out there have any early images of manor house in its heyday? Would particularly like to see more of the walled gardens and former penguin pool and chimp cage.


Many thanks in advance

 

[taun]

Yes, an excellent history of a Park I knew very little about until recently.

Presumably the new owners want to keep it as a Zoo/animal collection only, rather than a dual purpose wildlife/entertainment park which it seems to have been for most of its life.

In the TV program, they were shown pulling down all the old rides to make more room for animals.

 

[Bele]

Yes, an excellent history of a Park I knew very little about until recently.

Presumably the new owners want to keep it as a Zoo/animal collection only, rather than a dual purpose wildlife/entertainment park which it seems to have been for most of its life.

That is the impression I got from my visit and the TV programme .

However , they have cut back the collection considerably . The reptile/aquarium house grotty as it was is closed ( snakes escaped ! ) , the birds of prey are gone . The walled gardens are to be restored as gardens only - there were a lot of exhibits in these ( possibly modelled on Cotswold W.P. if you use a lot of imagination ) . Most of the monkeys and small mammals are gone .

For your money you get a walk-through lemur enclosure , a walk-through wallaby enclosure , a siamang , a few small monkeys on an island , flamingos in the dell and the paddocks with zebra , bison , oryx , emu , llama , camel and tapir . The Tropical House is supposed to be for butterflies but was closed on my visit .

To draw in visitors in any number they need a major animal attraction . Tigers seem to do the trick for others ( particularly if white - not that I am encouraging that idea ) . I do not think rhinos would be that interesting to the average visitor .

 

[Pertinax]

I do not think rhinos would be that interesting to the average visitor

No. They would almost certainly be Whites (the least interesting species in my opinion) and they are pretty docile and 'tame' as an exhibit. For many years they've been a sort of centrepiece at Cotswold but are hardly a drawcard.

I wonder what else they come up with as you are right- they will need something major(a big cat probably) to draw people in.

 

[easytigger]

I wonder what else they come up with as you are right- they will need something major(a big cat probably) to draw people in.

I asked about plans for the future at my interview there and a cat species is planned, probably leopard but thats not likely to happen in the near future.

I think they need to work closely with folly farm to ensure they are offering different days out rather then similar animal collections.

I thought the walled garden had potential with some hard work and new species, but all I got when I said that was hard stare!!

 

[Pertinax]

I asked about plans for the future at my interview there and a cat species is planned, probably leopard but thats not likely to happen in the near future.

mmmm. Leopards don't have quite the same cachet as Lions or Tigers. In several wildlife parks I know they are fairly secretive and don't show themselves too well, though in my own opinion they are probably THE most beautiful of all the cats..

 

[taun]

mmmm. Leopards don't have quite the same cachet as Lions or Tigers. In several wildlife parks I know they are fairly secretive and don't show themselves too well, though in my own opinion they are probably THE most beautiful of all the cats..

I agree therem tey certainly are a beautiful cat but there scretive nature makes them a big turn off for most main zoos.

 

[easytigger]

its all in the display I guess, 9/10 times the iranian leopards I had at chessington were out in the enclosure, people just had to spend a few minutes looking for them!! The amount of times people would go to walk off saying there was nothing in there, when in actual fact the cat was less then 5 feet away chilling out, its a wonderful thing camoflage!!

 

[Pertinax]

The amount of times people would go to walk off saying there was nothing in there, when in actual fact the cat was less then 5 feet away chilling out, its a wonderful thing camoflage!!

True enough. I like the enclosures at Cotswold and Marwell too. Again you only have to look a while and something is likely to show. However, most people won't even look properly.

 

[johnstoni]

I think they're doing the right thing, they've obviously done some market research, what successful zoo hasn't opened a lemur/monkey walk-through in the last few years? And now they're going for the butterfly house option as well......I think this place will develop along interesting lines as I reckon this is such a personal project, they won't just become peripheral eaza holdings for surplus/bachelor EEP and ESB species, I think it will take the course that A.R.R. decides it will. I would expect giraffes in the not too distant future.

 

[Bele]

A bit more history

A booklet was published probably mid 1980's entitled 'The Pembrokeshire Garden at Manor House' , written by Mike Evans , Head Consultant to Manor House Wildlife and Leisure Park .

There are a lot of pictures of the very colourful award-winning gardens with descriptions of the flowers and their cultivation . The second half of the book is all about growing vegetables !

In the introduction it says that the park was laid out in the early 1970's . However it was only in June 1982 that the property came into the ownership of Mr and Mrs Clive Williams .

I wonder who the original owners and developers of the Park were .