EVALUATION REPORT Evaluation Report compiled by James Parry The Stour Valley Landscape Partnership Scheme ran from 1 July 2010 to 31 January 2014. It was hosted by Suffolk County Council and the lead partner was the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Stour Valley Project. CONTENTS CONTENTS Foreword page 3 Introduction page 4 Background and Context page 6 Project Delivery Understanding the Masterpiece page 9 Conserving the Masterpiece page 37 Celebrating the Masterpiece page 53 More Masterpiece page 74 General Remarks page 76 Managing a Masterpiece 2 The Stour Valley Landscape Partnership FOREWORD FOREWORD Managing a Masterpiece: The Stour Valley Landscape Partnership Scheme was an ambitious project to enhance the Stour Valley landscape on the Essex/Suffolk border. We are very grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund and the other funders for their support, which enabled us to deliver this exciting project in one of England’s finest landscapes. The mantra for Managing a Masterpiece was always: Projects delivered by the community, overseen by professional guidance. In this I can say we have achieved our goal. Over 70 projects were delivered by Managing a Masterpiece and nearly all had some element of community involvement. Many would simply not have been possible without the dedicated teams of volunteers that turned their hands to archaeology; increasing access to the countryside; unearthing historical information; improving wildlife habitat and conserving the heritage features that make the Stour Valley such a special place. Managing a Masterpiece will provide an ongoing legacy for the area’s residents and visitors alike. The opportunity to travel along part of the River Stour on the restored lighter, view the surrounding countryside from the series of panoramic photographs taken from the top of 35 church towers, and explore the area via new walking and cycling guides, will all be there for years to come. In addition, the new skills, interests and friendships forged between participants will ensure that the Stour Valley community continues to champion its environment in the future. In my role as chairman of the Partnership Board, I would like to show my appreciation of my fellow board members for their invaluable advice and support, of course express all our thanks to the Managing a Masterpiece team, which ran countless successful events, encouraged so many to participate and did so much to conserve and enhance the Stour Valley landscape. James Halsall, Chairman, Managing a Masterpiece Partnership Board December 2013 Managing a Masterpiece The Stour Valley Landscape Partnership 3 MANAGING A MASTERPIECE INTRODUCTION The Stour Valley Landscape Partnership Scheme, funded primarily by the Heritage Lottery Fund, commenced delivery on 1 July 2010 and ended on 31 January 2014. This Evaluation Report provides a commentary on the projects that were implemented as part of the Scheme, documenting the mechanics of their content and delivery as well as assessing individual project outcomes against agreed aims and objectives. The report also considers their collective overall impact, specifically in terms of the Scheme’s broader objectives and related community benefits in terms of awareness, training, education, creation of partnerships and networks, conservation work and legacy. The Scheme at a Glance Total value: £1,056,421 Partnership Funding Cash contributions from partners £111,400 English Heritage £25,000 Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Project £10,000 Suffolk County Council £20,000 Essex County Council £11,400 Babergh District Council £11,400 Braintree District Council £7,620 Colchester Borough Council £3,420 St Edmundsbury Borough Council £7,200 Tendring District Council £360 Natural England £15,000 Value of in-kind contributions £35,000 HLF grant £910,021 Total £1,056,421 Project timespan: 43 months, July 2010–January 2014 Total number of projects: 73 Managing a Masterpiece 4 The Stour Valley Landscape Partnership MANAGING A MASTERPIECE Scheme team: Chris Burton, Scheme Manager (full time, in post June 2010 until November 2013) Daniel King, Community Heritage Officer (0.8 full time equivalent, in post January 2011 until November 2013, whereafter Acting Scheme Manager until January 2014) Dee Chadney, Support & Partnership Officer (0.5 full time equivalent, in post September 2010 until January 2014) Key delivery partners: Line management and support provided by Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Stour Valley Project. Scheme hosted and funding disbursed by Suffolk County Council. Partnership Board (Chairman: James Halsall) Twenty representatives, as follows: Babergh District Council • Braintree District Council • Colchester Borough Council • Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Project • Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich • English Heritage • Environment Agency • Essex County Council (Historic Environment Branch) • Field Studies Centre, Flatford Mill • Natural England • The National Trust • River Stour Trust • St Edmundsbury Borough Council • Suffolk County Council (Elected Representative) • Suffolk County Council (Archaeological Services) • Suffolk County Council (Countryside) • Tendring District Council • Otley College • University of Essex • University Campus Suffolk HLF Monitor: Mike Harding Managing a Masterpiece The Stour Valley Landscape Partnership 5 MANAGING A MASTERPIECE BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT The Heritage Lottery Fund The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) seeks to make a lasting difference for heritage and people, in the areas of conservation, participation and learning. Using money raised through the National Lottery, the HLF gives grants to sustain and transform Britain’s heritage. This heritage is seen as very diverse: from museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions. Landscape Partnership Schemes A Landscape Partnership Scheme (LPS) is an HLF grant programme, launched in 2004 and targeted at areas of countryside that have a distinctive landscape character and are recognised and valued by local people. According to current HLF criteria, the programme is “for schemes led by partnerships of local, regional and national interests which aim to conserve areas of distinctive landscape character throughout the UK.” Grants may be made from £100,000 to £3 million – that awarded for Managing a Masterpiece was for £910,021. Delivery of an LPS is based around a portfolio of numerous projects, fitted into themed programmes, which contribute to the conservation of the landscape heritage of the designated area. The delivery is led by a partnership of organisations, normally with a Lead Partner, and steering and advice is given by a Landscape Partnership Board. Vision and Objectives Managing a Masterpiece was the first Landscape Partnership Scheme delivered in the East of England. Work on the Project Planning Phase began in 2004 under the auspices of the Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Project and Suffolk County Council, with the Stage 1 award confirmed in April 2008. The Stage 2 submission was prepared by Simon Amstutz (Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Project), Adrian Gascoyne (Essex CC), James Halsall (Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich), Edward Martin (Suffolk CC) and Anne Mason (heritage consultant) and was made in October 2009. It outlined the vision and objectives for the proposed Scheme as follows: “Our vision is for a Stour Valley where the landscape is understood, cared for and celebrated by communities with the knowledge, skills and opportunities needed to manage and enjoy it. It will remain the quintessential lowland English landscape, with the rich heritage of meadows, riverside trees, field boundaries and historic structures that have inspired generations of artists. Through [the Scheme] the valley’s people will have been enabled to sustain a landscape that is accessible to all, culturally and naturally rich, and beautiful.” Managing a Masterpiece 6 The Stour Valley Landscape Partnership MANAGING A MASTERPIECE In order to deliver this vision, the following objectives were agreed: • Understanding the historic evolution of the landscape and the way traditional land management has shaped it. • Conserving or restoring the built and natural features that creates the historic character of the landscape • Celebrating the cultural associations and activities of the landscape area. • Encouraging more people to access, learn about, become involved in and make decisions on their landscape heritage. • Improving understanding of local craft and other skills by providing training opportunities. Individual projects were expected to be led by partnerships comprising regional, national and local organisations with an interest in the area, alongside community groups and individual members of the community. Confirmation of a grant of £910,021 was given by HLF in April 2010, towards projects costing a total of £680,000. The Scheme was scheduled to conclude on 31 July 2013. However, an extension of ten months was agreed in June 2012, with a revised Scheme end-date of 31 January 2014. This was to facilitate the completion of extra projects approved under the working title, More Masterpiece. Geography of the Scheme The Stour Valley straddles the Essex–Suffolk border and covers around 300 square kilometres, of which approximately one third comprises the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The market towns of Sudbury and Haverhill are the two largest population centres, and the sectors of the Valley are administered variously by two county