Attingham Park

Introduction

• Located in the Severn Valley• 4 miles east of Shrewsbury• 3,800 acre estate • … Mansion house• + The Deer Park• + Pleasure Grounds & Parkland• + 9 tenant farms (incl Home Farm)• + 10 residential properties (let)• Owned and managed by National Trust

History

• Land & original house Tern Hall purchased by Hill family in 1700 (branch of the Hills of Hawkstone)

• Mansion built 1783-1785 for 1st Lord Berwick• Constructed to demonstrate wealth and status…

– Architect - George Steuart– Picture Gallery Designer – John Nash– Landscape Architects – Humphrey Repton & Thomas

Leggatt – after Serpentine style of `Capability’ Brown

• ….all well-known and highly paid professionals of the time

The Steuart Design

• Steuart erected a vast central block, with a lofty portico on four columns, in front of the original building.

• A pavilion on either side is linked to it by a long colonnade.

The Interior

• The central hall has two sets of magnificent state rooms leading off it:

• …the dining- room which links to Lord Berwick's library and octagonal study on the west,

• …and Lady Berwick's rooms extending from the drawing room on the east.

History• The 1st Lord Berwick made the fortune and built the

house….• …. and the 2nd Lord Berwick spent the fortune on an

Italian Grand Tour then, bankrupt, sold the original furniture and contents….

• ….which were disposed of in 1827.• His brother, the 3rd Lord Berwick succeeded and,

having been Ambassador at two Italian courts….• …brought home more Italian artworks and silver.• The most important collections in the house are

therefore paintings of Italy and Regency silverware.

The National Trust

• The Estate was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1947 on the death of the eighth Lord Berwick.

• During 1948-1971 Attingham Park was a pioneering adult education centre run by Sir George Trevelyan.

• Since 1971 the Estate has primarily been managed as a visitor attraction.

Promoting NT Membership

• The Visitor’s Entrance invites membership of the National Trust.

• The NT manages over ¼ million ha land and over 200 buildings and gardens

• There are over 3 million subscribing members but members’ funds are only allocated to attractions when really needed .

Estate Management

• The Estate must be managed subject to the Will and the Memorandum of Wishes left by the 8th Lord Berwick, mainly…– to preserve and enhance the inalienable part of the Estate– to maintain the herd in the Deer Park in perpetuity– to maximise net income with proper control of

expenditure as a Special Trust in Credit with Accumulated Revenue and Defined Purpose Funds.

• Also to provide and improve public access, and to preserve and improve nature conservation, geological, historical and archaeological features.

Issues affecting Finance• Farm rents constitute a smaller proportion of

income than in the past – due to the falling profitability of agriculture

• Running a visitor attraction is a competitive business…. many alternatives are available!

• “Modern” visitors want something different from "traditional” National Trust members.

• Maintenance is often specialist and expensive.• New attractions cost a lot to implement.• NT encourages “financial self-sufficiency” for

each estate ie income should normally cover expenditure without drawing on NT central funds

Maximising Net Income• Income is generated from all parts of the

estate:– Open Market Rents from tenant farms (9 in

total)– Open Market Rents from residential properties,

including the prestigious Cronkhill House– Redevelopment and letting of stable block– Admission fees for entrance to the house and

grounds– Sales of refreshments in the tearoom– Sales of souvenirs in the NT shop

Stable Block Development

• The stableblock was developed for offices and a large proportion is let to English Nature

• The remainder is occupied by the National Trust

Maintenance of the Existing Facilities

• Need to “preserve and enhance” whilst exercising “proper control of expenditure”

• Period property - costly to maintain

• Requires specialist services

• Extra care and attention required

• More time needed to plan works required

• Often labour intensive work

Preservation of the Entrance Hall• The entrance hall has a marble paint effect

• This was cleaned and conserved in recent years at great cost. The conservation is a specialist activity.

• A report detailing the conservation treatment can be found at the following web address:

• http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/environment/html/features/pdf/interior07.pdf

• A new floorcloth was commissioned which was a very expensive item; a description of the design process can be found at the following web address:

• http://www.sarinfloorcloths.com/article02.html

Preservation of the Greenhouses• The kitchen garden was once a thriving

workplace employing many gardeners…• …the dilapidated greenhouses are, however,

uneconomic to restore

Public Access and Conservation Objectives

• Management of the estate focuses on:– Encouraging public access– Improving the visitor experience– Conservation of the natural environment

• Wildlife; flora and fauna

• Geological features

– Preservation and enhancement of history• Architectural features

• Artefacts of social and cultural history

• Archaeological remains

Main House (Historical Attraction)

Stable Block (Office Development)

Home Farm (Visitor Attraction)

Walled Garden (Children’s Play Area)

Deer Park

Car Park

A Map of An Estate Economy

Keeping the Public Interested• Introduction to the Estate by guide in period costume• Tours with varied themes to encourage repeat visits• Themed events eg. 1940s Day, Meet the Cook• Extend public access to new rooms of the Hall, eg

kitchens (1998), bedrooms (under consideration)• Provision of Children’s Play Area in Walled Garden

for families• Development of Environment Discovery Area to

attract families and school parties• Development of Home Farm as an extension of the

visitor attraction

Informing the Public

• Above left – Visitors entrance, tourist information.

• Below left – the Estate Interpretation Centre, in the stable block, provides geographical and historical perspectives of the estate.

Period Tours and Themes• Staff provide period themed

events such as those depicted…

household drama

costumed tours

talks on period cooking

period dancing

Focusing on the Kitchens

• Original cooking ranges uncovered beneath modern coverings.

• New tabletop for kitchen table enables use for REAL cooking – popular event activity.

• Novelty collection of polished brass jellymoulds.

• Greater interest in social history…

• …therefore more interest in “below stairs” activities.

Using Children to Develop Repeat Visits

• Encourage family days out….• provide stimulation for children…eg…

– Walled Play Area in Kitchen Garden– Environment Discovery Area– Home Farm - Rare Breeds, Jersey Milking, Discovery

Barn and Tea Shop

• encourage purchase of NT membership• promote spending on peripherals eg tea & cake,

ice cream, souvenirs

Walled Play Area

• Unusual play area specially designed

• Walls = extra safety

Environment Discovery Area• Provides learning

experience for younger children

• (Below left) Emphasis on wildlife which is common in the Park… such as the fallow deer

Wildlife Identification

Birdsong Player

Stuffed Owls

Birdtables in Kitchen Garden

Bird Sighting Record Book and Binoculars

A Child’s Eye View

• Furniture and features are designed with the under-10s in mind

• (Top left) Compare the height of the tables and nestboxes with that of the students…

• (Bottom left) Photo taken from child height

Discovery Education

Centre• The education centre is

a facility provided by the estate with school parties in mind.

• The children participate in creative and other activities

Attingham Park Home Farm

Home Farm Facilities

• Discovery Activity Centre

• Discovery Barn

• Small Animals

• Rare Breeds

• Ducks and other fowl

• Farm Play Field

• Coffee Shop

Discovery Activity Centre

Discovery Barn• The discovery barn contains

historical farming implements, toy farm vehicles and small animals…

Small Animals• A variety of small and

young animals are kept in the discovery barn at floor level – easily viewed by small children

Farm Tour• School and family

parties are encouraged to walk the short tour of the pigs, ponies and…

Rare Cattle Breeds

• …a variety of longhorn cattle, plus….

Ducks and Hens

• …the opportunity to see farmyard fowl and feed the ducks.

Farm Play Field

There is an enclosed play field using old farm machinery as a feature…..

Coffee Shop

….and a coffee shop selling ice-creams and home made cakes along with tea, coffee and soft drinks.