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County to save heritage site
HUNDREDS of thousands of pounds are set to be spent preserving what some believe are priceless ruins in Aylesbury- but which others label an expensive pile of old bricks.
Buckinghamshire County Council is due to confirm this week that it will set up a charitable trust to look after and promote the Quarrendon Scheduled Ancient Monument, consisting of the remains of a medieval village, church and a Tudor garden. The site, located on the northern outskirts of the town, was under threat after Aylesbury Vale District Council refused to take responsibility for it following its transfer from the Diocese of Oxford, as part of the Berryfields major housing development. The council said the ruins would incur 'significant expenditure implications.'
The long-term aim of the county council is to have a 'promoted access' management option at the site, which a report to senior councillors describes as an 'enhanced natural and historic environment' with 'promoted public access serving local communities within walking and cycling distance' and which would 'realise the site's educational potential.' This would cost an initial 240,000, with an annual maintenance bill of 50,000. However, until funding via developer contributions and government grants can be secured by the new trust, only basic care and maintenance will be carried out, with the level of access to the public evolving over time.
It is understand that the cabinet members Cllr Margaret Dewar and Cllr Frank Downes will give the project the official go-ahead some time this week, subject to clarification over the position of the council if a trust could not be set up straight away.
Sandy Kidd, from the county archaeological service, hailed the plan to save the monument.
"It's the sort of site you can appreciate at different levels," he said.
"It is history but it is also a piece of unspoilt countryside within a couple of minutes walk of what will be the new housing estates and also the older ones. It will be good for local schools too, if children are studying the Tudors they can go to the site and think about what kind of place was once there."
However, Cllr John Cartwright, leader of AVDC, said that whoever takes responsibility for the site will incur enormous cost protecting it from vandalism. He added that the district council did at one stage have an idea to incorporate a crematorium into the site, which would have generated a form of protection for the ruins, but that officers said this would not be possible. "The sadness is we have still got to find another site for a crematorium in the Vale to satisfy the need," he said. "I thought we could solve two problems at once but it was not to be."
He also questioned the value of the ruins. "I didn't have any great thrill from walking around there, it looks like a collection of old bricks," he said.
Cllr Avril Davies, who has campaigned to save the ruins, said Cllr Cartwright 'condemned himself with his own words.'
Do you think hundreds of thousands of pounds should be spent on preerving the Quarrendon monument?
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Weather for Aylesbury
Saturday 04 February 2012
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