To counter inaccurate press reports, English Heritage has announced the Blue Plaques Scheme will continue.
However, it is being suspended for two years to give English Heritage time to reduce the backlog of plaques waiting to be erected and cut costs to lower the taxpayer’s contribution. At the end of the day, the scheme, which currently costs more than £250,000 a year, should be more cost effective.
Economies include reducing the Blue Plaques Team from four people to two. During the next two years, English Heritage anticipates putting up at least 12 new plaques.
Despite objections from English Heritage, plans for the multi-billion pound Liverpool Waters scheme have been given the go-ahead by the city’s planners.
UNESCO has indicated that that if the development takes place, Liverpool’s waterfront is likely to lose its World Heritage Site status.
However, Cllr Hazel Williams, a member of the planning committee, is reported to have said it is more important to create jobs and build houses than to retain World Heritage Site status.
Sarah Spurrier has been given the job of leading Civic Voice’s new nine month research project “Protect our Place”, which is being sponsored by English Heritage.
Protect our Place (http://www.protectourplace.org.uk/) will look at community action taking place throughout England to protect and promote our heritage.
The project’s main objectives are to:
Increase understanding of the amount, type and range of community action that exists to protect and promote the local historic environment
Identify the issues on which such action is focused and what support is needed
Increase understanding of the motivations and values behind the community’s action
Inform and help shape the future direction of the National Heritage Protection Plan.
Steve Graham, Director of Civic Voice, said: “We are really looking forward to starting this exciting and vital project. It will help English Heritage and ourselves gain a real understanding of where and how local communities are protecting their history for now and future generations. Sarah will be finding out more about the great work happening up and down the country so if you know of such a local group doing this important work then please get in touch with her.”
Sarah said: “I’m delighted to be joining the Civic Voice team and to be co-ordinating the Protect our Place project. This project is so important as it will not only help us to better understand the civic movement as it stands, but also help us to move forward in the future. I urge all community groups out there to contact me and embrace Protect our Place and all of the wonderful things it has to offer.”
To tell Sarah about the work your group is doing to save North Staffordshire’s historic environment email sarah.spurrier@civicvoice.org.uk or telephone 07595 630017.
Norman warriors will attack Beeston Castle, one of Cheshire’s most iconic landmarks, on Saturday, August 4th and Sunday, August 5th when re-enactors from The Household entertain visitors with two days of battles and living history displays.
There will be skirmishes between the attackers and the garrison who will use longbows, spears and swords to defend the castle.
English Heritage’s events manager, Charlie Evans, says : “Beeston Castle is one of the most dramatically-sited fortresses in Britain, sitting on top of a cliff which has views over eight counties, so this has never been a castle that would be attacked by stealth – you can see the enemy approaching from miles away!
“Indeed, history shows us that sieges at Beeston Castle were long and arduous with attacking forces having to fight up a steep hill to approach the castle, and the inner bailey protected by a deep ditch to the front and cliff to the rear.”
Between attacks on the castle, visitors will be able wander around the opposing camps. For those wanting to escape from the noise of battle, there are peaceful woodland walks around the site’s perimeter.
Battles will take place on both days from 11.00am to 5.00pm. Beeston Castle and the Woodland Park is open from 10.00am to 6.00pm daily.
Admission prices to the event are £6.50 for adults, £6.00 for concession and £4.00 for children. Admission is free for English Heritage members. Car parking charges apply.
At the request of local historians, CPRE Protect Kent has asked English Heritage to make Sittingbourne’s historic Magistrates’ Court a listed building to save it from demolition.
Built during Queen Victoria’s reign, the courthouse has been empty since May 28th last year when the Ministry of Justice closed the court.
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