Helping Children Understand Our Story - Full Story Page 3
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
World Heritage newsIssue 19 - 2020 www.derwentvalleymills.org Helping children understand our story - full story page 3 World Great Floods Heritage work for cause Advocate Great further Mary has Place damage died Scheme for mills - Page 2 - Pages 4&5 - Page 7 02 World Heritage News www.derwentvalleymills.org Plan completed The new 2020-25 Management Plan for the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage is now complete, and work has already begun on delivering some of the many actions identified within the document. A dedicated area for the new plan has been established on the World Heritage Site website, at www.derwentvalleymills.org/managementplan/ Mary Smedley Sensitive approach The Derwent Valley Mills and Belper lost one of their finest to providing homes advocates and externally, to the traditional form of mill champions in April, with Once a hive of activity, the now workers cottages across the Derwent the death of historian dormant buildings on the east side Valley region, the new dwellings seek to Mary Smedley (nee of Lea Road within the John follow the rhythmic terraced layout that Millward). Smedley Mills site at Lea Bridge are set to welcome a new sense of communicate a simple internal After a meeting in the configuration of habitable spaces. winter of 1994/5, community in the form of a variety It is these characteristics that informed the looking for support for a of new dwellings. design concept for Evans Vettori Architects museum in the town’s For a site steeped in industrial heritage, (Matlock) in their sensitive approach for North Mill, Mary became involved in the setting up Amber Valley Borough Council and the new houses; to reinterpret the historic of the Derwent Valley Visitor Centre (later known as Historic England were unequivocal that a mill workers cottage marrying elements of Strutt’s North Mill). sensitive approach to redevelopment was tradition character and materials with the Before long, Mary was appointed manager, and essential, that takes threads from local essence of contemporary design. immersed herself fully in making it the best possible distinctiveness and context. RESPECTING TRADITION: New houses visitor attraction. Working with an enthusiastic group Incorporating contextual cues and making (right) alongside other familiar mill workers of volunteers, she made an outstanding success of careful reference, both internally and housing from across the Derwent Valley. the North Mill, with growing numbers of visitors, including school groups. She also set up the first heritage walks in the town. Mary stepped down as manager in November 2008 Research proves value of and became more involved in the management structure of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, where she was an active member of the World Heritage status Technical Panel. She later became a member of the Belper North Mill Trust, which holds responsibility New research published £151 million of financial for the running of the museum. this summer by the UK benefit each year and help Mary was unique in the town for the depth of her National Commission for bring communities together understanding of the town’s history, and passed her UNESCO has shown that to protect and conserve knowledge on in a way that engaged and helped the UK’s UNESCO some of the most people to grasp it. She inspired others to expand on projects – including World important places in the her work, and helped instil self-confidence in the Heritage Sites – help build country. a greener, more equal and many people she persuaded to become guides at the From expansive mountain mill. The World Heritage Site will miss her greatly. more peaceful world, while also creating financial value. ranges in the Highlands of Scotland to densely The report is the first to populated urban areas such Joan d’Arcy examine the cultural, as Belfast, Bradford and environmental and financial Manchester, UNESCO The World Heritage Site benefits to UK life from projects span 12% of the education, capacity building Partnership lost another diverse UNESCO projects, UK’s land area and and tourism. friend this year –Joan which also include Creative comprise of partnerships d’Arcy. An impeccable Cities, Global Geoparks between 1,300 The research shows that and thorough Derby and Biosphere Reserves organisations, charities, and continued investment in researcher, Joan’s alongside their active businesses. UNESCO projects is knowledge of both Derby contribution to the United critical in helping the UK Nation’s Sustainable These partnerships are and devolved governments and research techniques made mainly on a local was a great benefit to the Development Goals meet the United Nation’s (SDGs). level, between hundreds of SDGs. Partnership, helping in the groups all working together production of interpretation and providing advice It estimates that UNESCO to support efforts in PROVEN VALUE: The new and support. She too will be greatly missed. projects in the UK generate conservation, research, report. World Heritage News 03 Mixed message on Buffer Zone From the Chair Two planning appeal the demolition of White House both hearings, expressed The Covid-19 decisions concerning the Farm, formerly owned by the concerns that the cumulative pandemic has seen Buffer Zone of the Derwent Strutt family who built the Belper effect of development in the huge impacts Valley Mills World Heritage Mills. relict landscape of the Buffer across the world, Site (DVMWHS) have been Zone is “the greatest identified Whilst the appeal for the Crich to families, announced by the Secretary threat to the Derwent Valley Mills communities and of State for Housing, Lane houses was dismissed, the World Heritage Site and its businesses. Communities and Local appeal for Belper Lane, and the Outstanding Universal Value.” Government. demolition of the farm, was All the visitor sites upheld. • The appeal decisions came only within the Derwent Valley Mills Planning appeal hearings had days after news that Derby City been held for large-scale housing This was despite concerns raised World Heritage Site have been Council planning committee had closed, and staff furloughed during a developments within the relict by ICOMOS International (on green-lit the building of ‘The landscape setting of the behalf of UNESCO) who had very difficult and different period Landmark’, a 17-storey building from March 2020. DVMWHS at Crich Lane, Belper stated permission for the scheme on Phoenix Street, Derby, in the (February 2019) and Belper Lane, “presents a challenge to the face of concerns raised by In line with government guidance, Belper (July 2018), both of which maintenance of the OUV ICOMOS International, the some of the sites such as Cromford had been called in by the (Outstanding Universal Value) of World Heritage Site Partnership, Mills and High Peak Junction have Secretary of State. the property”. Historic England and the council’s thankfully now re-opened and The latter scheme also proposed The DVMWHS Partnership, in own officers. others are now moving towards re-opening. We want to help the sites and attractions in the WHS as much as possible and thanks to The Great Place Scheme (funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England), a number of initiatives have been launched to support recovery over the months ahead. This includes: • Help in the short term to chairs the World Heritage Site’s welcome back visitors - putting Children’s guide Education Group and was part of new measures and hygiene the team that developed the solutions on-site for safe visits, book. She said: “We’ve been support with risk assessments A new guide for children and New book waiting for an opportunity to and “walk rounds” to give families, telling the story of the ‘Matlock Bath: a perfectly produce a guide for children and another pair of eyes on Derwent Valley Mills World romantic place’ is now available families for a long time. measures already brilliantly put Heritage Site, will be launched at local book shops in Cromford, in place by sites; this autumn. “It has been a delight working Matlock Bath and Wirksworth, as with Rebecca to produce what • Working together to help well as the Cromford Mills and The guide has been illustrated by we hope will be a very popular visitors find out information Strutt’s North Mills’ shops. local artist Rebecca Morledge, publication.” more easily before they come; bringing key themes of the The new book from the World Heritage Site story to life The guide has been funded by • As some areas of our heritage Derwent Valley Mills Educational for a family audience. the Great Place Scheme. make social distancing difficult, Trust tells the story of this we’re working on our digital Derbyshire village from the late Georgina Greaves of Derbyshire STORY TELLING: Artwork from offer so that people can enjoy 18th century to the present day. Environmental Studies Service the new guide. places where access is still limited; • Creativity packs including Discovery Days festival goes on-line activities to do at home inspired Before the Covid-19 outbreak, it had already been including a new commission from writer Emma by the World Heritage Site story decided to change the format for the 2020 World Pass, thanks to the Arts Council England funded and aimed at members of the Heritage Site Discovery Days festival. ‘Derbyshire Commissions’ project. community who don’t have access to the internet. It was felt it needed a revamp and with so many With all the uncertainty over Covid-19 it was significant anniversaries taking place in 2021 (300 decided to move the festival entirely on line. It will We are looking forward to a time years of Derby Silk Mill, 250 years of Cromford Mill, still take place on 9 to 11 October, the first day when we can welcome you back to 20 years since we became a World Heritage Site), focusing on the southern part, the second day on all of the sites and attractions in the we were going to reduce the festival to three days the central part and the final day on the northern World Heritage Site.