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IW heritage under threat By Paul Rainford
Picture: English Heritage
main areas: what owners do to their properties and what councils do or fail to do to the SOME of the Island’s most historic landstreets, pavements, parks and public spaces.” marks are under threat of being lost forever, English Heritage wants councils to make according to a new report published by the more use of their Article 4 Directions powers conservation body English Heritage. to protect small but important original details Northwood House in Cowes, Golden Hill such as windows, doors and front gardens. Fort in Freshwater and Old Quarr Abbey “Lose these and slowly but inevitably you ruins in Binstead are among the sites listed lose the character and the history that made on this year’s ‘Heritage at Risk’ register. the area special in the first place,” said Dr Old Quarr Abbey, which belongs to a Thurley. religious organisation and is Grade I listed, On the Island, Article 4 Directions curis described in the report as being “in an rently only apply to certain properties in advanced state of decline due to neglect and Carisbrooke Road, Newport, the centre of vegetation growth” and its overall condition Seaview and Church Path, East Cowes. is classed as ‘poor’. English Heritage carried IW Council’s Bill Murphy said that there out a full photographic survey of the site was a possibility that Article 4 powers might and discussions are said to be underway on a be extended to other conservation areas, programme of repairs. subject to fresh appraisals of them. “What Also falling into the ‘poor’ category is I’ve asked my staff to do as part of their Grade I listed Golden Hill Fort, which was forward work programme this year is to built in 1863 to cover the new coast batteries use the English Heritage report and look at in West Wight against land assault from the whether we actually agree with their concluCentral Ryde is held up as an example of conservation area ‘best practice’ east. Built in the shape of a hexagon around sions or not,” he said. a courtyard, at one time the fort was being “Only when we’ve done that review will sions with the trustees about looking at long ston Manor, near Calbourne, are described used as industrial units but it is now in the we decide whether we need to impose some term uses for Northwood House.” as “generally unsatisfactory with major process of being converted for domestic use. He added that IW Council did have the further Article 4s.” localised problems”. Northwood House, which is owned by Across the South East region, the survey power to issue an Urgent Works Notice if a But it is not just individual Island sites that a board of trustees but managed by IW listed building was perceived to be at risk. come in for criticism. The designated conser- found that 140 out of 1,224 sampled conserCouncil and serves as a venue for weddings Such orders had been issued on the Frank vation areas of Brading, Carisbrooke, Cowes, vation areas are at risk. and conferences, has its condition listed as On a brighter note for the Island, the James Hospital in East Cowes and Vectis Godshill, Newport and Ryde St John are all ‘fair’, but the prognosis for the building conservation area of central Ryde is being Hall in Ryde in the past. deemed to fall into the ‘at risk’ category, is not good. The report states: “The longheld up by English Heritage as an example Other individual sites that fall foul of with insufficient enforcement of planning term future of this partly-used building is of ‘best practice’. It found that thanks to an English Heritage’s scrutiny include the controls rendering them ineffective. unresolved and maintenance [needs] to be IW Council area action plan and a Heritfamous ‘hammerhead’ crane on Thetis Road This is the first time English Heritage has addressed in the short term. The cost of full age Lottery Fund Town Heritage Initiative in Cowes, Carisbrooke Roman Villa and surveyed the state of the nation’s conservarepair is very high.” scheme, historic buildings in Ryde are being various ancient earthworks across the Island. tion areas. Dr Simon Thurley, the organisaBill Murphy, head of planning services at repaired and re-used and the public spaces In the ‘parks and gardens’ category of the tion’s chief executive, said: “Analysing the IW Council, said: “We are in active discusimproved. report, the Grade II listed grounds of Swain- results, it is clear the problems fall into two
FORMER Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion (right) is to visit the Island next week – and he’s written a new poem especially for the occasion. As part of the celebrations to mark the bicentenary of Alfred Lord Tennyson’s birth, Sir Andrew – who was only recently knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours – is visiting Farringford Hotel in Freshwater Bay, the former home of Tennyson, next Wednesday (July 1). During his visit Sir Andrew will be reading his new poem, called ‘The Next Life’, for the first time in public. It is said to be about Far-
ringford, Tennyson and the Island, and was written for the Tennyson Gala Society. It is the first poem he has written since laying down his pen as Poet Laureate. A spokesperson denied that the poem included the words ‘ferry fare’ and ‘extortionate’. While he is on the Island, the poet will be taking a select band of Tennyson aficionados on a ‘walking in Tennyson’s footsteps’ ramble over the nearby downs. He is also hoping to get in a bit of fishing and birdwatching while he is here. If you would like to be among the first to hear Sir
Picture : Johnny Ring
Poet’s rhyme reason for visit
Andrew’s poem, tickets are available, price £15, from Farringford Hotel on 752500 or from Waterstones in Newport.