Sir William Proby, Chairman of the National Trust, has written to Derek Spackman, Chairman of the Quantock Centre, thanking the Centre for “the particularly magnificent donations you were able to make over the year”.
The Centre's contribution of £33,550 was the second highest of all donations by Centres and Associations in 2005-06. Sir William said: “Many thanks indeed on behalf of the properties and projects that benefited as a result of your members' hard work and generosity.”
In a letter to all associations and centres, Sir William said they had given £840,000 to support projects across the country. “These donations were of critical importance to a wide variety of National Trust conservation and educational initiatives and projects across hundreds of properties.
“This was complemented by the enormous time and effort committee members of centres and associations have given to organise educational programmes, visits, holidays and a host of other activities for National Trust members.”
Basil Bryant, the Quantock Centre's Hon. Treasurer, reports a number of recent donations from the Quantock Centre to National Trust properties. They include the following:
Saltram House, near Plymouth - £100 towards general maintenance.
Laycock Abbey, near Chippenham - £100 towards the restoration of the glasshouse in the botanical garden.
Tyntesfield House, North Somerset - £310 for a new digital camera and accessories to assist in the continuing work of logging and classifying the various contents of the house.
The Quantock Centre's Spring Newsletter reports that the National Trust will be able to carry out surveys of a familiar landmark very close to home – the Wellington Monument. The Trust was one of ten organisations which sought Heritage Lottery Fund money through the Neroche Landscape Partnership for a variety of projects in the Blackdown Hills. The new funding of £41,000 will allow the Trust to move forward a project to save what it calls “an iconic Somerset monument”. The Trust was forced to close the Monument in 2005 after cracks in the masonry were discovered. A closer investigation revealed cracks on all faces and water penetrating the building, reaching the core of the monument walls. The binding matrix was disintegrating and some of the mortar joints had been lost altogether. The initial surveys highlighted the need for in-depth research into the structural problems affecting the monument and the need for substantial funding to carry out further investigations and to enable extensive restoration to take place. The Neroche Scheme covers 35 square miles around the northern ridge of the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), spanning the border of Somerset and Devon. The Scheme's package of 23 separate projects will cost £3 million, of which £2 million will now come from the Heritage Lottery Fund, with the remainder being already confirmed from partner organisations. The Neroche Partnership is led by the Forestry Commission, with funding support from Somerset and Devon County Councils and other local authorities, the Blackdown Hills AONB, English Nature, the National Trust and the Blackdown Hills LEADER+ programme. Wellington Monument was built in tribute to the Duke of Wellington's achievements at the Battle of Waterloo. It was acquired by the National Trust in 1934. Inspiration for the design came from that of an Egyptian obelisk. The monument is the tallest obelisk in the UK. It is situated on top of an 850ft (260m) hill and rises 175 feet (53m) from the ground. A dark stairwell leads visitors up 235 steps to the summit, where there is standing room for just three people.
Quantock Centre members are urged to attend the Quantock Centre's Annual General Meeting at West Monkton Village Hall, Monkton Heathfield, at 2.30pm on Saturday 17 February 2007.
After the meeting, Ann Bowring, a National Trust voluntary speaker, will give an illustrated talk entitled “Tyntesfield – a Gothic Gem”. It will include a slide-show “tour” of the inside of this spectacular Victorian country house in North Somerset which was rescued by a £3million public appeal. Ann Bowring will highlight the amazing craftsmanship of the internal stonework and woodwork and will give an update on the progress of the property's restoration.