Gas Lamps: An audit has been carried out by the Society in conjunction with the District Council, the Town Council and West Malvern and Malvern Wells Parish Councils; the results have been compared with the English Heritage list of Listed Lamps.
A small number of discrepancies have been identified and we will be liaising with the various councils to produce an accurate and agreed list.
Apart from the location of the lamps, we are also concerned at the condition of a number of them, the fact that some seem to have been fitted with incompatible lanterns and, of course, the restoration of the lamps on the Library forecourt.
Stanbrook Abbey
The future of the Abbey at Callow End, home to an order of Benedictine nuns since 1838, is causing considerable anxiety at a national level with an article in the Times and representations from English Heritage and the Victorian Society.
The decision to sell the Abbey - rather than to continue in residence with parts of the Abbey converted - has been made by the Abbess as Chairman of the Trustees.
The Community has purchased an alternative site for a smaller modern convent in North Yorkshire -for which planning permission is pending. Meanwhile Stanbrook Abbey is being offered for sale by Andrew Grant at an asking price of £6m.
The Civic Society is most concerned at the possible loss of this architectural masterpiece. The Abbey buildings include the convent, the Abbey church designed by Pugin, the old hall and the presbytery. Although the Chapel is Grade 2 listed, the Abbey has no statutory protection and English Heritage have applied for listed status for the main buildings. The West Worcestershire MP, Sir Michael Spicer, has asked questions in Parliament about the current status of the buildings.
We are keen, therefore to have your views on this valuable piece of our heritage so that the Society can make representations. Full scale residential development of the twenty-one acre site is generally regarded as the worst possible scenario.
HERITAGE OPEN DAYS
Once again our busy secretary, John Dixon, has arranged for the following buildings to be open to the public on Saturday, September 9th. They are: The Council House; Davenham; Masonic Hall and the Priory Church & Tower. Our Town Guides will be on hand to show visitors and residents around Victorian Malvern in the morning.
Town Facelift Project
We have had some encouraging success with this programme. To summarise, we have been looking at the refurbishment and painting of buildings in the conservation areas of the town, endeavouring to get the exterior wiring tidied up, shop fronts suitably painted with appropriate colours and generally seeking to protect and improve the general appearance of the town's streets.
Our groundwork involves visiting as many properties as possible to contact the leaseholders and any of those responsible for the outward appearance of their buildings. We have visited a good number to talk about our project and enlist their cooperation, if not now then later when refurbishment is proposed. We have been well received by all and hope that when the time comes they will remember and consult us before carrying out any work. To this end we have left leaflets with many, describing the scheme.
Peter Clement has been most helpful and his experience as an architect has been invaluable in offering professional advice on a number of occasions in suggesting colour schemes for whole buildings and shop fronts. We have been grateful to be called in to advise on the repainting of a shop front on Belle View Terrace.
We have also had detailed discussions with the landlord of the Unicorn Inn, where the exterior is greatly in need of drastic repairs and repainting. We would like to see this ancient building looking its best for visitors who drive in from Worcester and view it face to face as they approach. We understand that the owners are a national firm who own many inns in the country and that they are insisting that the licence holder is responsible for exterior and interior decorations and maintenance. We have assured him of our support in his efforts to have all badly needed structural work seen to by leaseholders of the property. We noted among other things that the porch is in a dangerous condition and is a safety hazard.
We will continue to offer 'Facelift' advice to freeholders and shop owners in the expectation that they will call upon this free advisory service.
Dudley Brook.