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| Stone Formation Archive 1991 |
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 Stone Formations news, views, gallery and archive brought to you by Weird Wiltshire Introduction Latest News News Archive Stonehenge Stonehenge Project Stonehenge 360 Avebury Saviours Stones Village Solstice Wayland Smithy Long Barrow Woodhenge Gallery Summer Solstice Gallery 2002 Summer Solstice Gallery 2004 Postcards Wallpaper Links  |
First published on March 26, 1991 CONSERVATIONISTS were celebrating today after the National Trust's purchase of Avebury Manor. The dying wishes of two women have helped protect Avebury Manor, it was revealed. The trust said it had bought the manor to protect the World Heritage site from over-development. In recent years the manor, owned by Ken King, was turned into an Elizabethan theme park. Only last week an hypnotherapist's application to turn it into an alternative healing centre was turned down after the National Trust said it would be an inappropriate use for a building on a World Heritage site. "This important house and garden holds the key to protecting a vital part of the unique setting of the prehistoric stones," said the charity's Wessex regional director David Bett. The money which made the purchase possible was provided by legacies from Ida Bond of Surrey and Margaret Spencer of Dorset who were both National Trust members. Miss Bond left her house and contents worth £350,000 to the trust on condition the money was spent buying a property in Wiltshire. Mr Bett said there were other areas of Avebury which the charity hoped to buy with help from the public through the Avebury Appeal fund. "The trust will have to find a tenant to live in the manor to help raise the money for the considerable upkeep and repairs," said Mr Bett. "However, it will be arranging for the garden and a small part of the house to be open regularly to the public." The grade one listed Elizabethan building was bought for an undisclosed sum. The manor was in the hands of the receivers Price Waterhouse after Mr King was declared bankrupt. A public inquiry was held 18 months ago to ascertain whether planning permission should have been given for buildings put up by Mr King. Some of the furniture and statues are allegedly missing from the manor and Kennet District Council has taken out an injunction preventing Mr King or his ex-partner Gillian Mitchell from selling the items if they come into their possession. Mr King denies all knowledge of their whereabouts. The news has delighted members of the Avebury in Danger pressure group which campaigned for the trust to buy the property. "This is wonderful news for us," said chairwoman Heather Brothwell. Back to 1991 index |
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