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Diversifying our rural portfolio Spring 2012

NEWS A Diamond Jubilee year

012 is shaping up to be one of our busiest 2and most interesting years with a number of key developments due to start or complete over the coming months. In , we have recently received planning permission for a new rural business centre on North Planks Farm that is aimed at small to medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurs. Further down the road at South Planks Farm, our proposal for 50 luxury holiday homes in partnership with Are you Natural Retreats is moving forward with work due to start celebrating on site in the Autumn. Also in Lancashire, our first the Diamond affordable housing scheme in Dunsop Bridge is nearing Jubilee? completion with demand already high for the 12, three- Our next newsletter will bedroom properties. And in include a roundup of all the Lancaster, 2012 is going to be celebrations that have been particularly important as we carried out to mark The will be working with the local Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. community to help establish So, if you are taking part the future use of Lancaster in an event or activity to Castle. commemorate this special Over the Pennines in The Queen’s Diamond launched a schools competition occasion, we would like to , the construction of Jubilee year and The across Lancashire for young hear about it. our holiday cottages at Scalby of Lancaster is planning a people to artistically express Please send the details Lodge Farm has started and the number of celebrations. Our their appreciation and support together with any first phase will be available for castles, including Pontefract for Her Majesty The Queen as photographs to ecrellin@ occupation at Christmas and and Tutbury, will be lighting of Lancaster. This is now bellpottingernorth.co.uk or the New Year. These are being beacons over the Jubilee well underway and we are call 01625 506413. marketed by English Country weekend and Duchy banners very much looking forward to Cottages and include 11 will be flown in the County judging the entries. high-quality cottages that are Palatine. We will also be Finally, Douglas Hogg, the this in The Queen’s Chapel designed under The Duchy’s opening up to winner of our competition of the Savoy in September. own Design Code. A total of the public that same weekend, to design a stained glass We’re looking forward to an 20 cottages are planned for this giving people access to window to celebrate the eventful year and bringing you site with the final nine due for previously unseen parts of the Diamond Jubilee is working further details on these new completion in 2014. historic building. on the window in his studio in developments and activities as Of course, 2012 is also In addition, we have Scotland and will be installing 2012 progresses. Lancashire Barmote Court – HMS Lancaster flies magistrates 500th Anniversary travel to he ancient laws and customs relating to lead mining in The Duchy Banner London are administered by the Barmote Court which Tdates back over 700 years and consists of a Steward, hoppy seas and sullen weather were no match for HMS Lancaster n 22nd February, 40 Barmaster and Jury of 12 miners or maintainers of mines. The as the iconic Duchy lions billowed from her mast when she was re- Lancashire Magistrates Chancellor of The Duchy of Lancaster is responsible for the Claunched this February, following a 16-month refit. travelled to London to appointment of the Steward and the Barmaster on behalf of Her In her first voyage since September 2010, the Type 23 frigate set sail from O visit The Queen’s Chapel of the Majesty The Queen. her home in Portsmouth to begin sea trials off the South coast. The 21-year Savoy, which has been part of In April 2012, we commemorated the 500th anniversary of the old warship has undergone an extensive £22m refurbishment, including The Duchy’s estate for over 500 presentation of the ‘Standard Dish’, which was traditionally used upgrades to weapons systems and four new diesel generators. It is named years. The Magistrates met with for measuring lead. In 1512, Henry VIII presented the dish to the after The , an honorary title which has been given to The The Duchy team to hear about Earl of Shrewsbury who was the King’s Steward at the time. This Queen and every reigning since Henry IV at the end of the 14th the history and latest activities dish ensured the King received the correct amount of royalty from century. of the organisation. The visit the lead miners and is still preserved today in the Moot Hall at To mark the occasion, the ship flew The Duchy of Lancaster’s banner as ended with a surprise outing Wirksworth. As part of the commemoration, The Duchy presented she left port. The banner was given by The Duchy of Lancaster and delivered to The Savoy Hotel for coffee glass tankards to the members of the Court and the Court Officers to Commander Steve Moorhouse by Paul Clarke and his wife Vanessa. HMS Lancaster sets sail with the Duchy banner and biscuits which was enjoyed received a commemorative silver pipe. A solid silver pipe will also by all! be presented to Her Majesty as Lord of the Field in the Summer. Shaping the future of

Guests at the 500th anniversary © James Williams Lancaster Castle s many of you will be provide the general public aware, Lancaster Castle with the opportunity to review Duke of Lancaster Housing Trust Aprison closed its doors in viable options for the Castle March last year. In January 2012, and provide their feedback, so he Duchy of Lancaster created The Duke of Lancaster Housing Trust in 2008 to invest in The Ministry of Justice officially that we can then finalise our affordable, residential accommodation and help local people stay in rural communities. handed it back to The Duchy proposals. The Trust’s first proposal for an affordable housing scheme in Dunsop Bridge was warmly of Lancaster and we have since To help boost local tourism, T started to develop a plan that we have also been working welcomed by the local community and this development is now nearing completion. Ribble Valley Homes are managing the properties on behalf of The Duchy and they have been carrying out will help shape the future of this with the Lancashire County interviews with local people who are keen to move into one of the new homes. landmark building. Council Museums Service to The 12, three-bedroom properties are due to officially open in July this year and a community In February, we appointed organise new tours at Lancaster event will mark the occasion. a team of specialist heritage Castle, enabling local people Building on the success of this scheme, The Trust is now looking at other potential sites for consultants, Malcolm Reading and visitors to see previously affordable housing across The Duchy estates. Consultants (MRC), to assist unseen areas of the building. with this project. Over the The first tour was launched over next six months, they will be the Easter weekend and proved working with us to carry out a a huge success with over 1,300 study to help establish the most visitors. appropriate options for We are planning similar Historic land rights the Castle. Over the Spring, opportunities later this year ollowing a change to the law governing land registration, we are registering our historic three workshops were held with including a tour to coincide with manorial mineral ownership with the Land Registry. The Land Registration Act of 2002 set a local stakeholders and have the Diamond Jubilee weekend deadline of October 2013 for the owners of minerals rights to officially register them. proved very informative and and the anniversary of the F helpful. Pendle Witch trials in August. The Duchy has owned its rights for many centuries, so we’d like to reassure homeowners that this registration doesn’t mean that we have any immediate intention to work the minerals. Following this research, The format of these new tours Homeowners whose property is already registered at the Land Registry will receive postal potential proposals will be drawn has yet to be confirmed but we notification of the registration from the Land Registry. Anyone who believes they may be affected up and displayed at an exhibition are hoping to be able to reveal and has any queries should contact The Duchy at [email protected] which we anticipate will take even more of this remarkable place in the Autumn. This will building. Visitors enjoying the new tour at Easter Photos courtesy of the Lancaster Guardian Strengthening Diversifying our rural portfolio the team

he Duchy welcomes Philip Coles to the London team Jimmy Hull and his family Tthis Spring. Philip has recently been seconded to The s a responsible landowner, we own it was something we had always hoped Duchy of Lancaster on a part-time continually review our rural portfolio to for. I’ve now handed it over to my two basis as a Rural Surveyor of Lands. Aensure that our agricultural holdings are sons who will continue to run it, with our His role will involve implementing as diverse and flexible as possible. Following grandchildren also waiting in the wings ready strategies and objectives for all our most recent review, we decided to sell the to help out.” of our rural Surveys as well as 2,000-acre Estate and give our The sales at Winmarleigh have enabled us overseeing our managing agents, tenants a rare opportunity to purchase their to make a multi-million pound investment in Smiths Gore, Bidwells and Savills. farms. This has proved a success with all seven with the purchase of a 1,017-acre After graduating from Reading of the farms now sold, including one to our farm in Donington, near Spalding. This high- University with a degree in Estates long-term tenant Jimmy Hull and his family. performing arable farm produces potatoes, Management, Philip has spent over Jimmy is President of the Holstein UK Cattle sugar beet and cereals and includes an area of 30 years as a rural surveyor in the Society and has been a Duchy tenant since land designated for employment use, which Yorkshire and North East regions. 1957. could provide much needed jobs in the local He qualified as a Fellow of the Royal He said: “When The Duchy offered us the area. Institute of Chartered Surveyors chance to buy the farm, we saw it as a fantastic The farm is very productive and will greatly (FRICS) in 1979 and in the same year opportunity. We have worked hard over the improve the diversity of our agricultural assets. became a member of the Central years, investing in the farm and working with We will be working closely with our tenants Association of Agricultural Valuers The Duchy to turn it into a profitable and and managing agent, Bidwells, to build on the (CAAV). From 1993 – 2002, Philip successful venture. Getting the chance to farm’s success and ensure future growth. was Chairman of Examinations for the CAAV’s Northern Group and also sits on the organisations’ Valuation, Compensation and Tax Committee. Welcome to our new Vice-Chancellor Philip will spend part of the working week in London at The he Duchy would like to say goodbye to His Honour Mr. Justice Richards and welcome Duchy office and rest in the Smiths His Honour Mr. Justice Briggs as the new Vice-Chancellor of the of Gore office in Darlington, County TLancaster. Dating back to the 15th Century, this appointment is made by Her Majesty Durham, where he will continue his The Queen upon the recommendation of the Chancellor of The Duchy of Lancaster. role as a partner. He is married with Michael Briggs was formerly the Attorney General of the Duchy of Lancaster from 2001 to two children and in his spare time 2006. As Vice-Chancellor, he has a special set of robes to wear when sitting in Court bearing enjoys cricket, forestry and family finely embroidered red roses on either side of the front of the garment. His first formal life. He is also a member of the RICS engagement was to attend the Barmote Court, a first for a Vice-Chancellor! President’s Arbitrators Panel. Philip has been involved with the management of the Yorkshire, Lancashire and and South Surveys since 2002 and as a result will Fond farewells to Robert and Dennis be known to many of the Duchy’s e would like to bid a The Duchy would also like to wish tenants. fond farewell and say Dennis Wakeling all the very best in We’d also like to inform readers a huge thank you to his retirement. For the last 30 years, that our Assistant Surveyor, Todd W Robert Hildyard who is leaving Dennis has served as ‘Scribe’ to The Buchanan has a new role helping to his post as Attorney General of Duchy of Lancaster, illustrating and manage our Urban Survey, working The Duchy of Lancaster, member handwriting documents relating to alongside Michael Frydman, our of Council and a Trustee of senior appointments within The Urban Surveyor of Lands. Todd the Benevolent Fund, upon his Duchy and therefore continuing one will also continue to support the appointment as a High Court Robert Hildyard of our country’s oldest traditions. development at Scalby Lodge Farm, Judge. During his six and a half years The most notable document, written the management of the Foreshore as Attorney General he has provided regular on vellum, is the Letters Patent for the Estate and The Duke of Lancaster advice to Council on a range of issues relating appointment of the Chancellor of The Duchy Housing Trust developments. to The Duchy. of Lancaster.