The essence of the Trust - TrustNews Mar 16
From time to time the Trust may forget how it came to be founded - just one year short of 60 years ago - and what exactly its intended purpose was at the time. In the early ‘50s extensive demolition in Winchester became imminent due, I was told by the Town Clerk, to a Government directive that all local authorities must eliminate their slum dwellings, with the options limited to refurbishment or demolition. In Winchester’s case - then a small town council quite separate from the large surrounding rural district authority - there was no money to do anything other than demolish all its sub-standard housing. In the brave-new-world climate of the time most councillors embraced the project with enthusiasm and a complete absence of concern for the character o f the City. A small number of citizens objected, but were overruled, although they were grudgingly given the opportunity to preserve a few buildings of historic interest if they were able to raise sufficient money to buy them. These included an ancient inn, an 18th century mayor’s house, little 19th century terraces and so forth. Unable to do this in the limited time available they decided to form a pressure group to be better prepared in future, and with the status of a trust for the scope this would permit.
So the Winchester Preservation Trust was formed with a small council of active members, who invited others to support them with their subscriptions and their help when needed. This is the way the Trust has worked ever since, not seeking members’ views or votes - this would have been too ponderous a process - but hoping for continuing support because of what it does, and by aiming to keep members well informed on a regular basis so that comments can be made, help may be offered and new members and trustees can be recruited. Very fortunately, due to the gift of two small properties it has been possible to keep subscriptions lower than most similar organisations, and to do more than subscriptions alone would permit. Additional fund-raising by means of such things as guided walks, cards, meetings and publications helps to maintain a reserve as well as bringing members together from time to time. The Trust is essentially both a think-tank and a lobby group dedicated, as the founders were, to the preservation of the character of Winchester.
The trustees have always believed this character to be composed, not only of its ancient fabric and ambience, and the part it has played in the history of the nation, but by the way it has developed over the centuries, ever changing with the times while retaining its vibrancy and enduring essence. There will always be disagreement between individuals about exactly what this is; opinions, like the City itself, will be forever evolving and the Trust Council has a never-ending debate, to which all are welcome to contribute. In this way the change of name arose in response to a growing perception that the word ‘preservation’ implied fossilisation, and the awards scheme was introduced to celebrate good and appropriate design of any style.
The Trust’s achievements over the years are easily forgotten and far too many to list here, but they include such diverse things as obtaining a loan that made it possible to save a redundant mediaeval church and convert it into the Chesil Theatre; campaigns to prevent the demolition of Canon Street, Granville Place, and much of St John’s Street; the restoration of the porticos to the major terrace in Southgate Street, and the railings around the corner of Eastgate Street, together with widespread treeplanting. The Trust played the leading role in the diversion of the M3 away from the Water Meadows, and the abandonment of the dual-carriageway-inner-ring-road that would have crossed the river into Eastgate Street and run up North Walls and City Road. And all the while Trust working groups monitor all planning applications in the City, review proposed developments and comment on all strategic plans, endeavouring to influence decisions when necessary - by no means always to the extent we would wish, and sometimes not at all - probably the biggest failure being the Brooks Centre.
No assessment has been made of our successes versus our failures, but we think our founders would be proud of the Trust, and we hope that you are.