Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport Written Evidence


Memorandum submitted by the Association of Gardens Trusts on behalf of the County Gardens Trusts

1.  BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF THE ASSOCIATION AND SUMMARY OF THE MAIN POINTS

  1.1  The Association of Gardens Trusts was established as a charitable trust in 1993 and comprises 35 County Trusts in England, together with another 10 in Wales. We have over 7,500 members who actively support the care and conservation of our historic designed landscapes, parks and gardens for the enjoyment and education of all ages. The Objectives of the Charity are to promote Gardens Trusts, and through them, the interest, education, appreciation and involvement of the public in matters connected with the arts and sciences of parks and gardens; and to assist in the protection, conservation, restoration or creation of parks and gardens in the United Kingdom for the education and enjoyment of the public.

  1.2  The main points are to understand that the provision of archives in museums, galleries and cultural properties provides the foundation for our aims. The reasons they are so valuable are listed with some examples of our work. A recent television programme illustrates what happens when research has been funded, and why we consider that funding should be continued.

2.  THE AIMS OF COUNTY GARDENS TRUSTS, THE TYPES OF ARCHIVES WHICH THEY USE, AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE

  2.1  Access to libraries, museums and archives is an indispensable part of the Association of Gardens Trusts' and the County Gardens Trusts' research work on the history and development of our park and garden heritage. This research is particularly important for English Heritage, the Heritage Lottery Fund and local authorities. Archives include paintings, pictures, photographs, maps, film, tape and video recordings as well as documents. These are available to our researchers in libraries, museums, galleries and County Record Offices throughout the country. The information derived from these sources provide the foundation on which to promote the Trusts' aims to help everyone, of all ages, to recognise the value of historic parks and gardens, their contribution to people's well being and to the character of the area; and to support their protection and conservation. Historic parks and gardens encompass public parks, cemeteries, educational establishments and hospital grounds, as well as private parks and gardens.

3.  THE REASONS WHY ARCHIVAL RESEARCH IS VALUABLE

Research, recording and surveying is essential within the Trusts

  3.1  to help "stock take" and identify "hidden treasures", and identify where further research is required;

  3.2  to help develop planning policies and to identify specific sites and their boundaries for protection within local plans;

  3.3  to identify local characteristics and features that contribute to local distinctiveness;

  3.4  to inform the accurate restoration, conservation and management of historic parks and gardens;

  3.5  to help identify and conserve historic parks and gardens endangered by neglect or inappropriate development;

  3.6  to inform proposals for change and development, mitigating their impact and capitalising on opportunities for conservation, regeneration and economic benefit;

  3.7  to promote public interest, appreciation and participation in specific sites, and their use as a resource for education, recreation and tourism.

4.  SOME EXAMPLES OF THE WORK THAT COUNTY GARDENS TRUSTS HAVE COMPLETED

  4.1  In 2002, Essex Gardens Trust produced their first handbook (The District of Braintree) of the County's Historic Designed Landscapes. In their introduction it is noted that "This [Inventory] is based on archive research and ground survey, and aims to identify those sites which still retain sufficient historic elements and integrity to make a valuable contribution both to the Essex landscape and to the county heritage".[3]

  4.2  Yorkshire Gardens Trust carried out research for the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

  4.3  Hampshire Gardens Trust volunteers were closely associated with Hampshire County Council in the collation of the County's inventory of Historic Parks and Gardens sites, and have continued to work with the County Authorities and the Districts and Unitary Authorities, to provide historic parks and gardens research.[4]

  4.4  Research by Garden Trust members is acknowledged in various publications, including The Garden History of Devon by Todd Gray; Parks and Gardens of Avon by Stewart Harding and David Lambert; Historic Parks and Gardens of Shropshire by Paul Stamper; Historic Gardens of Wales by Elizabeth Whittle, Register of Landscape Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, published by Cadw, The Historic Parks and Gardens of Leicestershire and Rutland, by Leonard Cantor and Anthony Squires.

5.  RESEARCH THROUGH FUNDING

  Heritage Lottery Funding has provided welcome funding for the restoration of many Victorian Parks and Gardens. A recent BBC programme[5] provided an excellent example of how historic research has enabled many Victorian public parks in our cities to be restored to some of their previous glory. The programme showed how these can be invaluable areas and resources for local urban communities.

6.  RECOMMENDATION FOR FUNDING

  We recommend that libraries, museums, and archives should continue to be maintained at a high level with sufficient well-trained, well-motivated staff; and to provide thorough training for current and future archivists and conservators. Archival material is irreplaceable and a tangible record of our culture. It helps benefit the historic research and studies required for present and future generations to appreciate and enjoy our heritage of parks and gardens as valuable resources for their communities.

September 2006






3   Essex Gardens Trust, Archive Research Group, 2002, p 1. Back

4   Hampshire County Council, Hampshire Register of Historic Parks and Gardens, Hampshire County Council, 2002. Back

5   BBC 2 Gardeners' World Specials, 4/4, Parks, No 1321, televised on 18 August 2006 at 20.00. Back


 
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