Watermark The Newsletter of the Thames Landscape Strategy, Hampton to Kew Issue 15 December 2003 Three New Partners for the TLS INSIDE Waterworks: Bringing you up to date on recent events ............................... 2/3 Update: 'London's Arcadia'.......................3 Feature: Riverside Management ............... 4 Feature: Thames Reedbeds...................... 4 Feature: The Landscape of Syon by Richard Pailthorpe.................................................5 Feature: A Regency Legacy at Orleans House by Mavis Batey..............................6 Feature: The Restoration of Orleans House Gardens ................................................. 7 Feature: 'Brentford Riverside'.................. 8 Representatives of the TLS partnership gathered at Pembroke Lodge for the Summer Event 2003 Feature: The Restoration of Ham Avenues The Thames Landscape Strategy (TLS) was nominated in October for the ‘National by Kim Wilkie.......................................... 9 Waterway Renaissance Awards - a prestigious accolade given annually for best Feature: The River Thames Allience.........10 practice in the field of waterway management and restoration. Nominations are Feature: Hurst Park............... ................10 invited for a number of different categories, and projects ranging in size from the Feature: Teddington Gateway................ .11 restoration of entire derelict canals to small community projects clearing out old Feature: News in Brief........... ................12 ditches. Judging has taken place over the past couple of months and significantly the Contact Details: .................... ................12 TLS has progressed through to the final round. Results are expected in the New Year. The TLS was nominated for the ‘Partnership’ category, in reflection of recent This special twelve page edition of achievements and in particular the Strategy's groundbreaking approach to partnership Watermark, is published by the working. This recognition has been given a further boost over the summer as a further Thames Landscape Strategy three new organisations have joined the TLS partnership. The Port of London Hampton to Kew. Watermark 15 Authority, Historic Royal Palaces and the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew all joined - highlights the many projects, taking the number of partner organisations to fourteen. This exciting development management proposals and strengthens the long-term viability of the Thames Landscape Strategy and allows for strategies that the TLS has a greater use of the partnership whilst developing projects and proposing policy developed and implemented over changes. The TLS partnership is now well placed to move towards the Ten Year the previous year Review and to develop even more exciting projects up and down the river. Exciting Projects Launched The Thames Landscape Strategy has been busy developing a series of new projects and management proposals designed to build on the success of the £2.3m Heritage Lottery Funded ‘London’s Arcadia’ scheme. These have been designed to embrace the range of interests the Strategy encompasses and to cover the full geographic length of the River between Hampton and Kew. An exciting scheme is proposed for Hurst Park in Elmbridge. Although still at a very early stage, £6,000 has already been secured to develop a conservation plan. At the opposite limit of the TLS region in Brentford, funding has been won to develop a landscape masterplan for Watermans Park and The Hollows footpath around Kew Bridge. In Kingston, a way forward for the unsightly open space below Kingston Railway Bridge has been found and a major project has recently been launched at Teddington. 'Teddington Gateway' is being developed jointly by the TLS and the Environment Agency. In recognition of its significance a member of staff, Andy Yeates, has been seconded (part-time) from the EA to steer the project to the next stage. Up and down the river new maintenance regimes developed by the TLS are transforming the appearance of the river such as at Ham (pictured right) and new strategies are proposed to hault the decline in river use. The TLS partners are busy too, Historic Royal Palaces have began the restoration of the Long Water at Hampton Court and the London Borough of Richmond has started to write a heritage lottery fund bid for the Terrace Gardens. All-in-all an exciting time down on the river! 2 Watermark Issue 15 December 2003 Waterworks Bringing you up to date with progress on the Thames Landscape Strategy Marble Hill Centenary overturned the world of garden design, taste A Bucket Load of Fun and attitudes to nature. Significantly the A novel way of raising money for the Thames Landscape Strategy took a central Arcadia in the City Heritage Lottery Bid role in the conference and was able to inform was initiated at the Ham Common Fair last delegates of all the positive changes planned May. Organised jointly by the Ham and and underway to enhance the world famous Petersham Association and Latchmere landscape. The conference was hailed as a Resettlement Prison, buckets, made at the complete success and those attending left prison were sold to members of the public with a greater understanding of the region's at the event with a percentage of sales past and plans for the future. benefiting the project. Over £200 was raised for the Arcadia project to carry out Bushy-tastic! works in the Ham area. Jason Debney, The Thames Landscape Strategy stand at the Marble Hill London’s Arcadia is not the only historic Co-ordinator of the Thames Landscape Centenary event open space associated with the Thames Strategy was delighted stating “this is a Over a glouriously hot and dry May weekend Landscape to receive a Heritage Lottery fantastic way of making funds. Over the English Heritage hosted a spectacular event Fund grant this year. Bushy Park, the 450ha, next three years we need to raise a total of to celebrate the centenary of the openimg of 16th Century deer park has been awarded a £750,000 to match the Arcadia Heritage Marble Hill Park to the public. In 1902 the £410,000 development grant towards an Lottery Bid. This is just the sort of Park was to be built on for housing but anticipated £4.9m award for the parks community based project we need if all the following local indignation it was saved by restoration. Works will include restoration money is to be raised. Well done to all the Act of Parliament that protected the of the water and woodland gardens and the those who took part and a special thank- View from Richmond Hill. Marble Hill Park appointment of a Head Gardener, an you to Latchmere Resettlement Prison who was purchased by the LCC and opened to Education and Community Officer and a raised so much money. the public. The centenary event re-enacted Project Manager. Congratulations to the much of the splendour of events 100-years Royal Parks Agency – more details in the The View ago with the TLS having a large display stand next Watermark. Organised by Fred Hauptfuhrer of the right in front of the House. Asgil House Trust an exhibition of specially 'Worst Wasted Space' Acolade commisioned paintings to co-incide with for the Jolly Boatman the Centenary of the Act of Parliament that saved the View from Richmond Hill Launched in May and funded by the Office has raised over £100,000 for local of the Deputy Prime Minister CABE Space environmental improvement schemes. (an off-shoot of the Commission for The impressive collection of paintings Architecture and the Built Environment) brought together some of the country's intends to champion better use of urban leading landscape artists who all donated a parks, derelict land and open spaces. Earlier percentage of sales income to the good this year CABE Space invited members of cause. Pictured below is artist Susan Ken MacKenzie Ken the public to nominate their worst derelict Ryder painting her 'view'. Dr Simon Thurley (English Heritage), Lord Watson (TLS) open spaces - The Jolly Boatman site in and Mayor Urquart (Richmond Council) enjoy the event Molesey made the short list! 'Twickenhamshire' New Leisure Guide for Hosted by the London Parks and Gardens Trust, the Association of Gardens Trusts’ London’s River annual conference 2003 took place along A new fold out map for London’s rural the banks of the Arcadian Thames based at Thames between Hampton and Chelsea Horace Walpole’s riverside house at has been launched and is jam-packed with Strawberry Hill. Delegates from across the information on places to walk, eat, pubs, country visited many of the riverside gardens attractions, public slipways and riverside associated with the Thames Landscape parks. The guide was produced jointly by including Marble Hill, Garricks Temple, Richmond and Hammersmith & Fulham Hampton Court House, Radnor Gardens, Councils with help from both the Thames Orleans House and York House. Lectures Landscape Strategy and the Thames were based around the theme of Strategy Kew to Chelsea. ‘Twickenhamshire’ reflecting 18th Century The guide is available from all local tourist information centres. changes in gardening that at the time Photo: Ron Berryman December 2003 Watermark Issue 15 3 Out and About with the TLS London's Arcadia One of the most The last few months have been a watershed in the development effective ways for the of the London’s Arcadia project. An external fundraising TLS to meet new consultant ‘Action Planning’ has been appointed and a formal people whilst bringing funding appeal has now been launched. Tender documents to old freinds up to date is draw up the 122 projects have been released and a series of to attend many of the ‘early hits’ projects agreed to take place over the coming six local events organised months has started to be implemented. across the TLS region. Here is a taste of this In April 2003 the Heritage Lottery Fund granted a ‘Stage I year's festivities. Walton Heritage Day Pass’ effectively ring fencing the £2.3m applied for whilst the The TLS attended scheme is developed to the next stage.