Re: Your views sought (on behalf of National Trust)

Andrew <ahickley@xxxxxxx> wrote:

Greymaus - one of the reasons we're doing this work in Cambridgeshire is
because it seems that the National Trust does not have a good reputation
as listeners.

Nor TBH as neighbours or stewards of the estates they are bequeathed.

Not the first time I've heard the view expressed, Steve. Any particular
issues: I don't have any particular influence, but I'm interested.

The NT took over the running of an estate adjacent to my land a few
years ago. The estate came with a village attached to it and the
majority of residents in the village were former estate workers. I own
one of the few historical buildings in the area that isn't owned by the
NT. The problems are low-grade as far as they affect me but they have
changed the character of the area and some seem to go against the remit
and ethos of the NT.

The owner who bequeathed the estate to the NT was avuncular and popular.
There were two regular events which gave a heart to the village, the
Christmas party held at the house each year for the estate workers and
the autumn fete for which he provided the use of the coach house. There
is no village hall or similar community centre, life revolved around the
house. The NT have worked as hard as they can to exclude villagers from
the use of the house, finally succeeding some years ago when they used
the spectre of "health and safety" as a reason for abandoning the fetes
and parties.

The Trust also decided to put a tenant into the house, and within weeks
the tenant started to abuse the terms of their tenancy. Furniture was
damaged, property moved into storage and damaged in the process, the
tenant was fond of candles and let these burn down damaging veneered
furniture and the tenant worked hard to frighten off NT visitors. The
Trust itself has ignored the previous owners will which stated that the
house was to be preserved with its contents and has broken up the
collection to "send pieces to proeprties where they are more
appropriate". The house has lost the sense of progression with its mix
of furniture from the 17th to the 20th century being dispersed to other
stately homes in the area.

The Parish Church is within the grounds of the house but is not NT
property, however the NT treat it as such and worshippers have been
startled to find parties of tourists being ushered into the church by NT
guides. The church was also used as an annex to the house by the tenant
who would bring his guests to perform impromptu concerts on the organ.
On one occasion the village was awoken by the sound of bells in the
middle of the night - it was one of the tenants servants, drunk,
swinging from the bell ropes.

Several elderly residents live within the grounds of the house. The NT
has made it clear they want them out, despite the terms of the bequest
giving them residence for the rest of their lives. The NT staff wage a
campaign of petty behaviour against these people, for example refusing
to permit them to come and go after dark, effectively making them
prisoners in their own homes. This is simply enforced by closing and
locking the estate gates and did lead to one woman in her 80s having to
climb a fence to get back into her home when she was locked out.

Personally I've had to fight off NT repair teams wanting to paint my
home a different colour, and refusing to believe me when I tell them
that it's not NT property. I've also had the electricity cut off for
weeks when a NT worker snagged the pole with a vehicle snapping the
cable and decided not to bother telling anyone. He left a live cable
lying on the ground across a road and the pavement. We were away from
home at the time and didn't find out until we got home. NT refused to
pay for the contents of the freezer telling us to claim on our own
insurance.

The most bizarre behaviour revolves around tenancies. The original
village inhabitants are being "persuaded" to leave, one suspects because
they don't pay enough rent. Hence basic maintenance of their homes is
neglected and requests for the installation of improved insulation, more
efficient boilers, (secondary) double glazing and draft proofing are
refused. As soon as one of them leaves the house is gutted and
refurbished. The brutality of the 'restoration' hardly seems to fit with
the Trust's aim to preserve the buildings. Often when the new tenant
moves in the house is further gutted. This happened to both the rectory
and a sizable thatched cottage, which were bashed about and "modernised"
by tenants with excess money to burn. I end up wondering why the rule
that the house is too precious to touch is applied to incumbents but
newcomers get to take a sledgehammer (literally) to period features.

I think by now apathy has sunk in and the remaining villagers realise
that the writing is on the wall for them. When the older generation dies
the village will effectively die as well.

In effect the NT has hit this area like a neutron bomb. It leaves the
buildings standing but removes all the people, and even the buildings
aren't what they used to be. When dealing with the NT one has to cope
with a wall of astonishing incompetence and arrogance in equal measure.
The officers of the Trust tend to act as if they owned the properties
and are the rightful inheritors and those who have lived her all their
lives are nothing but an inconvenience. I tire of talking to them
because I am tired of being talked down to.
.

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