The Monkey Forest at Trentham Gardens contains 140 Barbary Macaque monkeys roaming in 60 acres. The Macaques are an endangered species coming from the mountains of Algeria and Morocco. The earliest record of Trentham is in the Domesday Book of 1086. In 1153 Henry II created a Royal Deer Park. The land changed hands several times until wool merchant James Leveson purchased it in 1540. The Levesons (later Leveson-Gower) held the land until 1948. The first lake was created from 1746-1748. The landscape designer 'Capability Brown' made many changes to the estate from 1759-1780. The family married into the Sutherlands in 1803. In 1808 the architect Charles Heathcote Tatham completed a new mausoleum. This building is still standing and Stoke-On-Trent's only Grade I listed building.He also added to the hall itself. In 1833 George Granville, 2nd Duke of Sutherland, began a £123, 000 building programme. His statue is on Monument Hill at the southern end of the lake. It was during this period that the internationally renowned Italien Gardens (between the hall and the lake) were designed and laid out. As the River Trent, which runs through the estate, became increasingly pollued, the stench finally drove the family from the hall. It was mostly demolished in 1911. Between the two world wars a new ballroom was built with an Art Deco lido outside. In the post war years it became a music venue for the likes of The Beatles and the Rolling Stones. After several 'ups and downs' it is was purchased in 1996 by St. Modwen Properties PLC and German investor Willi Reitz. In 2003 a £100 million development plan began. This includes: restoration of the Italian Gardens, woodland and wildlife habitat restored, statue of Perseus restored, garden centre built, two hotels, timber-built retail development, monkey forest, holiday lodges and much more.
