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OPTION AGREEMENT OFF – TRUST NEEDS TO RAISE £2.5 MILLION – STARTING NOW

[Release Date 18/05/10] 

[Open PDF Version]

The Church of England is disposing of historic Hartlebury Castle, which is surplus to their requirements. For the past year Hartlebury Castle Preservation Trust, formed to try to save the Castle from sale into private or commercial ownership, has been negotiating with the Church Commissioners to try to acquire the Castle for public benefit, to preserve the 1100 year heritage of the site, to keep the Hurd Library in situ and to protect the property for the future benefit of all.

In October 2009, the Trust announced that the Church Commissioners had offered them a two-year option to buy, which was accepted in principle. However, as the details of the arrangement emerged through a long period of negotiation, it became clear that the conditions attached to the option and the asking price made it unrealistic for the Trust to accept.

From the Trust perspective, the objective is to use a combination of grant funding from bodies such as the Heritage Lottery Fund together with donations to facilitate the acquisition. In applying for grant funding, the Trust must ensure that it meets the eligibility criteria of the funding body. Unfortunately, the Trust could not reconcile the option price and its associated restrictions with the funding organisations. Through the negotiation process it became evident that unless the Church Commissioners where prepared to relax their requirements the only viable option which met the funding criteria was an unrestricted sale on the open market. Therefore, the Trust had to decline the option.

The Trust recognises that competition on the open market exposes the Trust to a significant risk of failure as a result of being out-bid. However, they still believe they are the only credible option.

As a result of this decision, the Church Commissioners have generously offered to refrain from putting the property on the open market for a period of two years, at which point it will be offered for sale to the highest credible bidder. They are co-operating further with the Trust by allowing them use of the Castle for fund-raising purposes. This gives the Trust two years in which to try to raise the funds to compete on the open market. There are benefits and disadvantages for the Trust in this solution, all of which have been taken carefully into account during the decision making process. The Trust believes that during the two-year period they will make substantial steps forward and do not intend to close the door to an off-market acquisition should the opportunity and appropriate conditions arise.

The Trust counts amongst its supporters English Heritage, The National Trust, The Georgian Group, The Architectural Heritage Fund, the Development Trust Association Hereford and Worcester Gardens Trust, The Friends of Hartlebury Castle and the Hurd Library, Worcestershire Wildlife Trust , local Civic Societies and Councils, Lord Faulkner, Lord Sandys, the Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire and local MPs. The Trustees are grateful for the wealth of advice offered by these and other interested organisations together with the support of hundreds of individuals.

The Trust remains committed to fighting to save the property from sale into the commercial or private sector. Its campaign to this point has been low key to ensure the best climate for the sensitive negotiations with the Church Commissioners. Now they intend to launch a vigorous awareness campaign and a major fund-raising effort. Not only do they need to raise the money to purchase the property, they have estimated the need for significant spending on repairs and restorative work required to put right the building and grounds if they are successful in purchasing it. They have set themselves a target to raise at least £2.5 million pounds in the 2-year period. If they are unsuccessful it is unlikely that they will be in a position to submit a bid for the property.

The Trust’s goal, after acquisition, is to ensure public access to the Castle and gardens, to carry out restoration projects on the sadly neglected grounds and to provide opportunities for community, educational and cultural activities at this beautiful place which has 1100 years of history at its heart.

Chairman of the Trust, Sue Beeson says:

“The time has come to support the hard working team of volunteers that has brought us this far, by engaging some professional support. The challenge facing us is monumental but do-able if we can capitalise our support and mobilise the community of Worcestershire and beyond. The Trust is grateful to the Commissioners for their willingness to seek a solution that involves the Trust and recognises that their duty to get the best price possible for the property conflicts with its own duty to try to protect it for public benefit within the constraints of charity funding. Now is the time for the people of Worcestershire to rally round the Trust and show that they care enough about saving Hartlebury Castle to get involved. If they don’t, then it is almost certain that the Castle will be sold to a commercial or private buyer and lost to the public for ever.”

MAJOR STEP TOWARDS SAVING HARTLEBURY CASTLE

[Release Date 23/11/09]

Hartlebury Castle Preservation Trust welcomes the offer by the Church Commissioners that allows them two years to raise the funds to purchase Hartlebury Castle.   Sue Beeson, Chair of the Trust, said "We consider this offer a major step towards saving Hartlebury Castle. It is in the public interest for everyone who cares about the Castle and its conservation to be united in supporting the Trust and ensuring that the funds are raised in the challenging two-year timeframe."  The Trustees are now entering into detailed negotiations with the Commissioners, prior to making their decision about the best way to   proceed. There will be a full announcement made as soon as these negotiations are completed.   Sue added, "We are yet to see the details of the offer though hope it includes the unrestricted use of the property for fund raising activities. We consider this to be vital if we are to achieve our objective."

The offer is the result of several years of hard work by a group of local people who have come a tremendously long way, in a short time, to establish a Charitable Trust and make it a viable option to preserve the property for the use and enjoyment of future generations. The Trust was formed by the Friends of Hartlebury Castle and the Hurd Library.  "If the Castle falls into private hands, there can be no guarantees about its future, however noble the intentions of any would-be purchaser." 

By March 2010, the Trust hopes to be able to make further announcements about their plans. In the meantime, they are currently seeking to recruit volunteers for fund raising projects and would be interested in hearing from businesses that could help in fulfilling their aim.

13th JUNE 2009 - GLORIOUS SUNSHINE HERALDS ENTERTAINMENT AND FUN FOR EVERYONE AT GARDEN PARTY!

On Saturday 13^th June a large crowd of nearly 750 people flocked to the Hartlebury Castle Garden Party held by the Friends of Hartlebury Castle and the Hurd Library.  In glorious sunshine, the Garden Party was opened by Cath Mackie of BBC West Midlands.  A Naval Cadet party �piped� a welcome to her and to Mr Michael Brinton, Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire.

Great entertainment throughout the afternoon included musical programmes from Helen Barley on harp, Chris Baron on accordion, a street organ, a Hartlebury based brass quartet and a fine rendition of singing from the Elizabethan Singers in the Great Hall.  The children of Hartlebury CofE Primary School  performed a traditional Maypole Dance to the great delight of the onlookers.  Local artists exhibited their work and a a group of weavers demonstarted their skills. A steady stream of people queued for the Cream Teas, Strawberries and Cream, and Ice Creams.  All the Tombola, plants and cake stalls were sold out.

This was a unique opportunity for all the visitors to see the Great Hall and Saloon.  There were also special tours of the other state rooms and the Hurd Library, guided by local historians.  These tours were hugely popular, well -received and fully booked within the first hour  

Over �4000 was raised for the Hartlebury Castle Preservation Trust.  Sue Beeson, the Chairperson of the Trust said �The success of this event was a tremendous achievement by the volunteers in the community. It also signals the outstanding support of the public for the �Friends� aims, which are to ensure that the  Castle and Hurd Library are kept safe for public use and enjoyment in the future.  The goals of the Garden Party were to raise money for the Hartlebury Castle Preservation Trust, to involve the local community in the venture and to raise awareness of the work of the Friends and the Trust. The fine weather, everyone�s hard work and the public support ensured we achieved all three goals.� 

13th March 2009 - New Librarian at Hartlebury Castle 

The Bishop of Worcester, Dr John Inge, has appointed Christine Penney as the new librarian of the Hurd Library at Hartlebury Castle.

She has more than 40 years of experience of working on historic books and archive collections and has been a committee member of the Friends of Hartlebury Castle and the Hurd Library since its formation in 2007.

The library was built by a former Bishop of Worcester, Richard Hurd, in 1782/3 and contains his important and wide-ranging collection of books, including some belonging formerly to Alexander Pope, William Warburton and George III. Bishop Hurd died in 1808 and included the library in his will, which stated: "I give and bequeath to my Successors in the See of Worcester and all succeeding Bishops of that See for the time being forever the use of all my books which I shall leave in the Library of the Episcopal House or Castle of Hartlebury at my death and also all the furniture of the same Library."

Ms Penney will be working to develop links between the Hurd Library and other libraries and academic institutions and is keen to encourage scholars� visits. She said: �This magnificent library is the only example of an Anglican bishop�s collection remaining on its original shelves, in the room built for it. �It has enormous potential for study and research and it will be an honour and a privilege to help it to become better known to scholars and, eventually, to the wider community.�

Bishop John said: �I am delighted that Christine Penney has accepted this appointment. The Hurd Library is a treasure of international significance and I doubt if there is anyone else so well qualified to care for it.�

At present, the library is open only to scholars. Those wishing to visit should contact Virginia Wagstaff, secretary of the Friends of Hartlebury Castle and the Hurd Library, on v_wagstaff@yahoo.co.uk or 01299 250883.

6th march 2009 - launch of trust

An large audience packed the Great Hall to celebrate the Launch of the Trust, the Church Commissioners gave permission for this event to be held  in the Great Hall of Hartlebury Castle. Speakers included  building historian  Nick Molyneaux, and Paul Middlebrough,  Leader of Wychavon District Council. The Trust outlined its plans for the future of the Castle and an exhibition of some of the historical photographs relating to the Castle.  The evening was a great success!
 

28th February 2009 - Local artists raise over �1,000 for Trust!

About 25 local artists donated paintings for auction on Saturday 28^th February 2009, in aid of the Trust funds. In addition to fundraising it was an enjoyable social event and many people went home having acquired very reasonably priced works of art during a light-hearted and entertaining auction, ably led by the auctioneer David Parker.  The same artists have produced a set of note cards featuring scenes of Hartlebury Castle and the local area and sales of these also boosted the funds. If you are interested in buying any of these cards please contact us.

A spokesperson for the artists said� �We were delighted to be able to help to raise funds to save the Castle and that the evening was such a success. We hope that, in the future, we will be some of the people who will benefit from being able to exhibit our work there, along with artists from all over the County and the country.

The Friends of Hartlebury Castle & The Hurd Library are delighted to announce the formation of the Hartlebury Castle Preservation Trust. The Trust has been formed to acquire and manage the Castle to preserve it for the future and so that the public can enjoy visiting and using this wonderful Worcestershire building.

Hartlebury Castle, historic home of the Bishops of Worcester for 800 years, which contains the nationally important Hurd Library, is for sale by the Church Commissioners. If the building is sold to a property developer or a private buyer we believe the Library will be dismantled and removed. The last bishop to reside at Hartlebury Castle left in September 2007, leaving this historic building to an uncertain future. The Friends held their inaugural meeting in a packed Great Hall at the Castle in November 2007 and they have received a lot of public support. The membership is nearly 260 and is still growing. The Friends have been caring for the Hurd Library since September 2008, by kind permission of the Bishop of Worcester, who is and will remain its owner.

The Hartlebury Castle Preservation Trust has an ambitious business plan for the Castle and the support of all the major heritage bodies including English Heritage and the Georgian Group as well as many other local groups, organisations and individuals. A spokesman for the Trust said:

"We believe ownership by a charitable trust is the only way to ensure perpetuity of public access to this historic building. We are sure that the public, who already visit the County Museum in large numbers, would welcome the opportunity to visit and use this wonderful building with its beautiful rooms, unique library, lovely gardens, lake and grounds. It should become a major tourist attraction. The Castle would also be an ideal venue for weddings, concerts, exhibitions and many other events. It is unthinkable that the Castle could be allowed to fall into the hands of private developers". 

The Trust urges members of the public to write to the Church Commissioners in support of the plans of the Hartlebury Castle Preservation Trust to acquire and manage the Castle.   

For further information, or if you wish to offer your support or time to the Trust please contact us.