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Proposed approach to the ‘Elvaston Unlocked’ Activity Plan

Introduction

This document provides an outline of our thinking to date on how we will approach the production of an Activity Plan during the Development Phase for the Elvaston Unlocked project that will then be delivered during the Delivery Phase. The proposals for the Delivery Phase are still outline (because the Development phase is yet to happen), and this document provides a framework for the approach taken but will be clearly be subject to change as our knowledge and ideas develop through the Development Phase informed by on-going engagement with visitors and other audiences. This document should be read in conjunction with the Elvaston Unlocked Stage 1 Heritage Grant application.

Elvaston Unlocked

Elvaston Unlocked is an exciting project that aims:

To secure the heritage significance of the core buildings around the Castle Courtyard including the Elvaston Castle, designated Grade II* i.e. nationally important

To improve and grow the visitor offer and visitor experience including better opportunities for engagement and telling the stories of Elvaston

To start to improve the financial sustainability of the Elvaston Estate

The practical outputs of the HLF project will be as follows:

Renovation of the ground floor and a proportion of the first floor of Elvaston Castle to provide a flexible, bookable space for weddings, conferences, functions, learning and community use, guided tours and other events

Conversion of the second floor and a proportion of the first floor to residential use, with up to six flats envisaged. These could be managed as holiday accommodation, short term, long-term lets, and wedding accommodation or an appropriate combination of these uses.

Conversion of parts of the Top Stable-yard to retail and office use The creation of a new larger café in the Courtyard next to the Castle, with associated toilet facilities and improvements to the

quality and feel of the Courtyard to make it a much more attractive space. Closure of the existing café, and its re-fitting to provide catering facilities that solely serve the functions etc. taking place in the Castle

A creative programme of events, interpretation and activities that engage existing and new visitors in the heritage of this special place, including a major focus on developing the huge volunteering potential of the Estate

A much more attractive and welcoming arrival in the visitor car park delivered by an overall refurbishment and renewal of the signage, footpaths and visitor information

Fleshing out the last two bullet points some more, our aspirations are that the project will provide a programme of learning, interpretation, engagement and volunteering, including:

Providing opportunities for people to work on conservation projects by offering a range of ‘hands on’ activities.

Empowering current and potential visitors to contribute to decisions on how the project unfolds and how they see the future of Elvaston, building on the major stakeholder engagement during 2013 and 2014.

Inviting local people to assist with the research and in creating a lasting legacy for future generations (such as photography and other documentation of the project). In addition opportunities for community activities to develop local ownership which put Elvaston at the heart of the local community will be provided.

Building on and developing new partnerships with a range of community organisations to enable the range of themes to be explored.

Creating a new range of volunteering opportunities such as different interpretation styles (costumed interpretation, guiding skills, and specialist tours) to encourage a wider variety of people to volunteer.

Working with contractors, training bodies and staff to offer apprenticeships and accredited training opportunities for young people in a range of skills, from stone masonry to plasterwork to ensure that these traditional skills are safeguarded and that young people are offered previously unexplored career options.

Providing tailored activities and informal learning opportunities for new and existing audience groups. These will build on the history of Elvaston as the different layers of history of the buildings are discovered.

Opportunities for visitor interaction with the construction project during the Delivery Stage, e.g. the provision of viewing areas, webcams, guided tours and updates in appropriate media to help visitors understand the sequencing and nature of an historic building repair and construction project.

Our approach to developing an Activity Plan during the Development Phase

The building blocks

Through the development of the 10 year ‘Vision and Plan’ for the Estate in 2013 and 2014, and the subsequent work on preparing a Stage 1 application to the Heritage Lottery Fund, Derbyshire County Council (with the support of the National Trust Consultancy) has gathered information:

About who visits Elvaston now (the existing audience), what they like and don’t like, and their aspirations for the future. However, it is recognised that further survey is needed to get a fuller understanding

How existing community, user groups, volunteers and general visitors engage with the site now in a range of activities (from practical volunteering, campaigning for a better future for Elvaston, fundraising, running events, etc.) and initial thoughts about what isn’t provided or could be developed

Initial scoping of what the future potential engagement opportunities of the existing and potential new audiences could be The capacity and competency of the current Derbyshire County Council (DCC) site team based at Elvaston to provide

engagement, learning and volunteering opportunities Initial views from the visitors and others in the community on the planned HLF Elvaston Unlocked project, for example

through a ‘drop-in’ session in the Gothic Hall, Elvaston Castle in November 2014 that gathered comments from over 300 people but a recognition that further testing of these proposals is needed before they are finalised

A breakdown of the current, potential and new audiences and activities is included in Appendix 1, which provides a good baseline data at the start of the Activity planning process.

A draft ‘Spirit of Place’ has also been developed for Elvaston following a workshop with DCC officers, site staff, and volunteers, facilitated by the National Trust (NT).

Spirit of Place (SOP) is a short statement that captures what is unique, distinctive and cherished aspects of a place. It is at the heart of how people feel about and experience a property and why it is relevant. It captures what make a place special and ultimately why people should love that place.

The draft Spirit of Place for Elvaston is:

Created by many hands as a haven for a family line, turned by circumstance into a sanctuary for two lovers and transformed into an escape from ‘everyday life’ for thousands; this continually evolving miniature world reveals countless glimpses of its long history.

The castle stands at the heart of the estate, overlooking a landscape ranging from majestic conifers and woodland to formal topiary and rock work which inspired so many historic estates. Slightly worn at the edges, this homage to romantic Gothic fantasy still has the power to inspire and surprise with its gleaming gilt and dramatic painted interiors.

Some of the grandeur of Barron’s experimental design has been eroded by happy, running feet and generations of exploring hands; the growing power of the Stanhope family has waned, but their enduring creation of fantasy and escapism is still felt throughout the house and grounds.

Similarly, a draft Statement of Significance has also been prepared (refer to Appendix 4)

The statement reflects the broad range of significance, from a physical description of the Elvaston Estate, its cultural landscape, buildings, architecture, collections, archaeology, gardens, parks, land-uses and nature and wildlife. The statement of significance also covers the potential to develop new values, or enhance present ones. Finally, it recognises and incorporates nationally measured levels of significance, including listed building status, registered parks and gardens, and all natural heritage site designations. It will complement the proposed review and update of the Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for the Castle and buildings surrounding the Castle Courtyard.

In addition, a further workshop in late 2014 worked off the Spirit of Place to identify the key themes and stories we wish to explore through the Elvaston Unlocked project

The key theme identified is one focused on the Gothic Romantic, with sub-themes highlighting the sense of sanctuary and access. The key theme is evoked by the architecture of the Castle and other buildings designed by James Wyatt (as well as other buildings in the gardens like the Moorish Temple), the love affair between the 4 th Earl and actress Maria Foote, and the fantasy and escapism of the gardens themselves, created with William Barron from the 1830’s. This can be summed up in the draft sentence:

A romantic gothic fantasy that offered sanctuary to a pair of star-crossed lovers and heralded a revolutionary garden

The sub-themes of sanctuary and access relating to the escape and haven the Estate provided to the 4 th Earl and his wife, and more latterly for the wider community and other visitors through its opening to paying visitors in the 1850’s, and as England’s first Country Park in 1970.

These are themes and stories that resonate today and one which will provide many interesting opportunities for our visitors through a variety of mediums to explore relationships, isolation or exclusion, and what a sanctuary means to our visitors and where to find it (refer to Appendix 2 for further detail on the ideas explored).

The Statement of Significance, Spirit of Place and outputs from the key themes and stories workshop will all be important in informing how the Activity Plan is developed and rolled-out.

Next steps

It is proposed to recruit a Volunteering and Community Engagement Officer funded by the Development Phase to build on the work undertaken to date and co-ordinate the development of the Activity Plan (in adherence to HLF guidance) through the following key work-streams:

Where are we now?

1. Review the information and knowledge captured to date regarding current activities, audience and organisational processes, capacity, etc.

2. As part of the preceding work-stream, review the current approach to volunteer recruitment, management and support at the Elvaston Castle Estate, and to update and broaden the approach as appropriate in liaison with site staff and volunteers, to make it fit for purpose for delivering the Activity Plan and sustainable in the longer-term.

3. Organise further visitor survey and consultation to gather a better understanding of:

The current audience and their segmentation – we have some knowledge of our current visitors but need to know much more to deliver a coherent Activity Plan that delivers for them

Visitors thoughts and suggestions on the proposed new facilities and visitor offer planned as part of Elvaston Unlocked project, particularly within the Castle and around the Castle Courtyard such as the new café – as the detail for the capital programme starts to emerge through the Development Phase we need to test this with audiences and respond constructively to the feedback

Visitors thoughts on the types of engagement activities they would be interested in, with emphasis on the Elvaston Unlocked project, to test emerging ideas

visitors thoughts on opportunities for volunteering and what would encourage them to get more involved, with an emphasis on the Elvaston Unlocked project – volunteering already happens, but there is potential to grow this, and with the delivery of the project diversify the volunteer offer considerably

This will be complemented by a series of workshops and establishing a series of research groups with staff and volunteers to help inform knowledge of how visitors and user groups relate to and use Elvaston now and how they could do in the future.

A brief for the further visitor/audience survey is included in the Supporting Documents attached to the Stage 1 application.

4. Through further and more detailed participative consultations and informed by more in-depth analysis of current ‘best practice’ from comparable heritage sites. This will include further bench-marking and drawing of experience from the National Trust in opening historic buildings and spaces to the public and increasing engagement and interpretation, including how visitors can be actively engaged in the conservation, repair and building works in heritage regeneration projects

5. Further work engagement with visitors and stakeholders including community groups, students and schools to develop the thinking around key internal and external spaces within the project. Scoping out how key spaces in the castle can be multi-functional not only for commercial uses but also be interpreted for educational and general public access when appropriate. For example, the creation of a central visitor hub around the Castle Courtyard (including the Gothic kitchen as Elvaston’s ‘shop window’); improvement to the wider visitor facilities and growing the commercial offer all offer opportunities for engagement and interpretation, as will the opening of the ground floor of the Castle for weddings, conferences and community events with managed public access when appropriate to all floors of the Castle, including views over the parkland, and the Orchid Room on the top floor.

6. Ensuring that the information and insight drawn from the review and updating of the CMP for the Castle and other buildings around the Castle Courtyard feeds into the activity planning process

7. Using Spirit of Place as a starting point, develop and hold a series of further workshop sessions to work with staff, volunteers and key audiences to gain their understanding of ‘what’ Elvaston Castle means to them. We will gather visual and written insight from our key audiences to quantify and illustrate via a series of mood-boards to create a final and overarching Spirit of Place for Elvaston (refer to Appendices 2 and 3)

Making strategic decisions about engaging people

8. To bring the above and other insight together through a series of meetings and workshops involving people from across the full project, to make strategic decisions about the activities and engagement that will be undertaken before the Activity Plan is mapped out in detail. To ensure there is synergy with the capital works programme. Use the Spirit of Place, Statement of Significance and emerging key theme and stories to influence the strategic decision making

Action planning for the project (outline)

9. Prepare a detailed Activity Plan for the Delivery Phase of the project

10.Work with graphic designers to help formulate this into a series of design principles that will cover all aspects of the look and feel of Elvaston; from welcome signage and orientation, directional signage through to building materials, from furniture in public and commercial areas to interpretation and marketing materials. This will then inform the design of these materials themselves during the Delivery Phase. A brief for the visual design work is included in the Supporting Documents

11.Using the information and insight gathered to up-skill staff and volunteers by developing a range of training programmes such as Spirit of Place, our story concept, training in new interpretive and engagement techniques and developing new ways of working for all staff and volunteers to promote continuous development.

In addition, we will develop an Assurance Board/Stakeholder Group to which we will invite members of the local community to take part. The group will act as a sounding board for the proposals we develop for the Activity Plan and will therefore work closely with the Project Team/Volunteering and Community Engagement Officer.

At the right moments during the activity planning process, the Volunteering and Community Engagement Officer will recruit, train and manage a diverse team of volunteers to fill roles identified in the preparation of the Activity Plan and as appropriate its delivery. This will enable more volunteers to take ownership of the Activity Plan development and its delivery, becoming the driving force for activities during and after the project

In developing the Activity Plan, we will work hard to ensure the widest possible community participation, involving a diverse cross section of current and potential Elvaston users in the development of how Elvaston will be used and will engage with current and potential audiences.

Appendix 1: Elvaston Castle and Country Park - Audience/Activities - Current, Potential & New

HANDS ON VOLUNTEER GROUPS

Audiences Current Activities Future Potential

Individual volunteers

Basic conservation tasks

Practical tasks within core gardens

Practical activities supporting management of Heritage Allotment

Support for Events

Undertake visitor surveys

Volunteer managed car parking at events/bank holidays

Volunteer wardens and stewards (supporting exhibitions, opening Gothic Hall more regularly) on site.

Volunteer Interpretation Guides

Volunteer led web site, news pages and social media.

Volunteers support running of shop and information centre.

Mid- week volunteers

Generally older, very able bodied and capable group.

Undertake practical tasks.

Have joined SOP workshop and User group. Supported stewardship in Park event.

Maintain Museum Cottage garden.

Keen to contribute in a variety of ways and would make excellent volunteer leaders and could play key role in developing volunteering job roles as well as act as stewards or wardens.

With additional staff support could easily make up hanging baskets for sale, pot up/label split plants from herbaceous borders in OEG for sale through shop etc. possibly supporting Secret Garden project.

EXTERNAL ACTION & CONSERVATION GROUPS


Ockbrook and Borrowash History

Society

Organises various projects along the theme of 'living history'.

Scope for living history projects linked to William Barron, local surrounds and Elvaston estate.

Investigates and preserves parish history.

Friends of Elvaston

Gather archive images of Elvaston, including information on social history.

Plans to initiate partnership project on oral histories.

Established website/face-book pages promoting history of Elvaston

Greater potential to fund raise for discreet projects.

Scope for themed exhibition(s) using archive collection.

Parish Plan group

Fundraising for and development/on-going maintenance of sensory garden within Old English Garden. Monthly community days. Links with Derby Sight Support.

Development of WW1 interpretation project (with £8k funding secured from Heritage Lottery Fund) focused on 3rd Footman from Elvaston estate. Exhibition planned in Aug 2015.

Very proactive and supportive on site- open to new ideas. Potential for intergenerational projects – education focus e.g. social history interviews for ‘stories of Elvaston’ or natural history e.g. bug walls: biodiversity and wildlife linked to buildings as they are developed. Obvious link to bats on site, masonry bees, red admirals etc.

Keen to contribute and develop range of on-going and/or one off annual projects.

Elvaston Reserve Action Group (ERAG)

Fundraising role for LNR. Link fundraising opportunities to Countryside Service (CS) events programme.

Gradually increase role to include recruiting /supporting LNR wardens.

LNR Conservation Volunteer group

Alternate Sundays, mixed ages and abilities. Practical conservation tasks. Also frequently support CS events when asked.

Local Natural history groups

Derbyshire Bat group/ East Midlands Environmental Consultants Ltd (EMEC)

ENTLY TAKING PLACE

Review existing data available on ECCP bats and monitor activity in the project area in order to identify mitigation measures for incorporation within design works.

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust

Currently link to CS events as appropriate. Scope for collaboration on Conservation projects on an ongoing basis

RSPB Currently link to CS events as appropriate. Scope for collaboration on Conservation projects on an ongoing basis

Community groups Elvaston Art group (older age range), Scouts, guides etc.

Scope for organised volunteering to support Elvaston aims on an ongoing basis

LOCAL USER GROUPS


Nordic Walking group (South Derbyshire District Council)

Attend weekly walking/ exercise sessions starting from courtyards.

Increased scope to work with exercise based groups within castle/ courtyards. Interest to date from Thai Chi instructors, ‘boot camps’, Martial arts, yoga/aerobics/keep fit.

CyclistsAd hoc use of park Scope to attract cyclists to the ‘hub’ as a destination linked to

cycle route if provision for bicycles made (include link to shop sales as regular requests made for puncture kits, tools!)

Artist in Residence

2014 residency ended linked to Art in the Park, but continued engagement through 2015 with Parish Plan Group WW1 project.

Community linked Postcard project to be initiated in 2015, subject to successful fundraising. 2016 calendar also possible.

Scope for other Artist in Residence at Elvaston.

Work with Artists to establish Elvaston artists forum – to utilise archive images and consult on exhibitions/creative recording.

Midland Counties German Shepherd Dog Association

Lease area of grounds monthly for training German shepherds.

Scope to link to Parish Plan event 2015 to give demonstrations.

Running clubsNumerous clubs use the site annually for fundraising e.g. Sinfin running club, Santa Fun Run (Rainbows Hospice), Tara Kinda 10k, Ramathon (2014 and 15), Golden gates Gallop

No fee currently charged for this, apart from a £10 admin fee (doesn’t cover staff costs). Introduce a ‘percentage of proceeds raised charge’ designated to go towards park upkeep in future.

Craft TableCurrently exhibit different local crafts with sales on a commission basis each month within Information Centre and Shop.

With a larger database of crafts people and improved marketing ability the shop offer could potentially be improved.

Derwent Valley Orienteering Group

Produce adult focussed relatively skilled Orienteering trail map for ECCP. Run orienteering events on site – initial discussions re developing more family orientated trails.

Good link when develop grounds? Or castle and courtyard map/orientation skills – welcome and entrance etc.

We may have plans on display – people may have poor plan reading skills.

EDUCATION & HERITAGE EDUCATION USERS


Individuals

Undergraduate and Postgraduate researchers. Ad hoc to date.

Identify and collate location of available sources of information on Elvaston e.g. websites, publications, maps, records.

Research and develop interactive history trails and/or site guide targeting families.

Develop a comprehensive marketing Plan to build on existing, based on HLF proposals.

Research into appropriate environmental/sustainable alternatives that could be incorporated into buildings redevelopment .e.g. green energy, insulation alternatives etc.

Research into lost records of people once employed on estate (or ref. local history group section?)

Hardwick Primary and Lord Street

Nursery

Forest schools education held weekly on Elvaston’s dedicated and hired FS woodland site (Booth’s Wood). Not in the core bid area.

Potential links to the classroom if education offer increased.

Heritage AllotmentSmall group of individuals (3) support growing heritage veg for sale though shop.

The allotment has huge potential as a training facility, schools resource and source of income generation. Could be volunteer coordinated if more recruited and supported.

Dart TrainingDeliver accredited training using grounds and hiring classroom twice a month over past 3 years. Chainsaw, brush cutter, mowing courses etc.

Potential for mutual benefit long term arrangement/lease? Train volunteers in appropriate maintenance/gardening skills for negotiated hire fees

Heritage Skills Hub (now National

Heritage Training Group)

Delivered heritage training courses at Elvaston using Gothic Hall (Theory) and buildings/walls (practical skills).

Partner organisation to deliver training to e.g. Volunteers, Probation Service Supervisors

Tours NOT CURRENTLY TAKING PLACE Walking tours so people can form an understanding of Elvaston Castle Estate.

Secondary schools NEW AUDIENCE

Regular community news broadcasts linked to Radio Derby, Derby Telegraph

Arts department – exhibitions, demonstrations

IT links to Apps, digital media - develop new ideas to engage young people?

Primary NEW AUDIENCE

Revisit and carry out participative consultation with teachers re general and niche curriculum links to Elvaston. Ditto facilities and resources they would utilise if available.

Greater engagement with local schools/groups through development of e.g. self-led trails and /or use of classroom.

Tertiary

E.G. Derby College

History departments

Construction skills

Arts departments TLY TAKING PLACE

Participative consultation to identify activities for Activity plan e.g:

History department (already links with Derby) – workshops with appropriate year groups to contribute to accessible interpretation plan for heritage.

Training demonstrations/talks/workshops (also accessible to public?) for e.g. heritage construction skills. Link Heritage Skills Hub?

Appropriate year groups to contribute to interpretation/engagement plan (drama, audio/visual, textiles, mosaics, willow)

Adults with learning or physical disabilities

Secret Garden Project Greater scope for learning/engagement opportunities and use of the classroom, whether self-led or supported. Target and consult groups more local to Elvaston to ensure design plans cater for their needs.

OUTREACH USERS

Young Offender rehabilitation

Weekly litter pick by individual plus supervisor. Also link in with mid- week volunteers to support larger tasks such as culvert clearance.

Need to investigate if Elvaston offer could be extended in future as part of rehabilitation?

Derby Pride AcademyX 2-6 ‘excluded’ 14/15yr olds plus supervisor completing simple litter/culvert clearance/management tasks 2hrs min a week.

Scope to extend and increase

Derbyshire probation Service

Weekly or fortnightly (varies). 7-10 male/females engage in seasonal site management tasks.

Scope to train supervisors as instructors in heritage brick repairs through e.g Heritage skills hub and utilise teams to carry out repairs/pointing etc. to cobbled courtyard brick buildings/ brick boundary church walls. Qualifications could be linked to unemployed community payback individuals as part of rehabilitation.

Secret Garden (SG) Project

Adults with learning difficulties support with basic tasks in garden and overall site.

Potential for e.g. appropriate basic training such as OCN L1 to be delivered here. With additional staff support could easily make up hanging baskets for sale, pot up/label split plants from herbaceous borders in OEG for sale through shop etc. etc. Currently unreliable attendance.

VISITORS AND WIDER PUBLIC


Individual visitors Attend Countryside Service and external client events

Participate in public consultation, workshops and visitor surveys.

Contribute to compliments and complaints data gathered.

Access to exhibition stables

Access to Gothic Hall during three annual public open days

Scope to gather ‘memories of Elvaston’ (memory board due to go into Elvaston shop/exhibition space in Spring).

Scope to gather feedback (+ve/-ve) and ‘suggestions’ using interactive electronic consultation /survey methods on site.

Increased participation in visitor surveys/response throughout year.

Increased knowledge and understanding of, and engagement with, site history.

Family histories – regular enquiries about St Bartholomew’s churchyard and links to family once employed at Elvaston or living locally.

Increased opportunities to view and increase knowledge of

estate history via Gothic hall; utilise /hire spaces.

Private function users

Able to hire classroom, Gothic Hall, Old English Garden, events field, showground (and in 2015 old caravan site).

Private functions, celebrations, rallies, events etc. currently between 9.00 and 17.00 hrs.

Increased opportunities to view and increase knowledge of estate history via Gothic hall; utilise /hire spaces.

Added income for sustainability of Elvaston

Extend times thus increasing market

CORPORATE/BUSINESS USERS


Corporate organisations

E.G. HSBC, Toyota, Rolls RoyceAs part of their Corporate Social Responsibility commitment – these take part in team days on site completing practical conservation or management tasks. Predominantly on LNR to date.

Rolls Royce engaged in initial stages of restoration of pump house project, linked to their new intake.

Potential to work on larger and longer term discrete projects linked to HLF bid e.g. research, conservation and restoration, education and interpretation.

Paranormal explorers NEW AUDIENCE

We have regular (average 1 per month) enquiries from individuals regarding either conducting or attending paranormal investigations within the castle or the grounds

We could allow limited delivery of evening external events (e.g. Oct – Mar only. Max. I per month) if volunteers were recruited and trained specifically to support such events.

EVENTS


Charitable events

Ockash Trust- Duck race run annually

DVO – Derwent Valley Orienteering Club

British Horse Society – Midsummer & linked to DCC Halloween event

Greyhound Trust

National Garden scheme (April & August events)

Scouts

Local Duke of Edinburgh group

Larger events have option to hire showground or events field e.g. Steam Rally, Circus Starr.

Scope to increase frequency and size of events to boost visitors and income

Weddings and Civil Ceremonies NEW AUDIENCE

We have regular (average 1 per month) enquiries from individuals regarding weddings/civil ceremonies or receptions within the castle or grounds.

Officer/consultant time is required to ascertain the requirements of such events in order to develop a marketable package. To include local market research/cost comparisons etc. to determine the feasibility of DCC facilitating weddings (including the suitability of proposed facilities/venue) or contracting an external company to deliver this role.

Appendix 2: Spirit of Place, and Stories & Themes workshops

WORKSHOP 1: Spirit of Place

Workshop A) What is unique, distinctive and cherished about Elvaston?

Workshop completed 29th September 2014 with positive interaction and feedback. Attendance list below:

Laura Bacon Chair of ERAG, Elvaston Reserve Action GroupAndrew Barber Curator, Hardwick Croft (NT)Phil Bittner Visitor Experience Consultant, Hardwick Croft (NT)Kate Davison Volunteer, Elvaston CastleJames Mounter Ranger, Elvaston Castle (DCC)Gill Forrester Assistant Area Manager South (DCC)Charles Heaney Project Manager, Design Services (DCC)Pete Hogg Head Gardener, Elvaston Castle (DCC)Adam Lathbury Conservation & Design Section Manager (DCC)Anna Morrison Apprentice Gardener (DCC)Verity Postgate Assistant Volunteering & Community Involvement Consultant,

Hardwick Croft (NT)Jules Rodgers Elvaston Castle Project Development Assistant (NT)Nick Sellwood Elvaston Castle Project Development Manager (NT)Eve Wilson Member of Elvaston Parish Plan Steering GroupDiana Wing Warden, Elvaston Castle (DCC)

The International Council on Monuments and Sites Definition of Spirit of Place is:

• Spirit of place is defined as the tangible (buildings, sites, landscapes, routes, objects) and the intangible elements (memories, narratives, written documents, rituals, festivals, traditional knowledge, values, textures, colours, odours, etc.), that is to say the physical and the spiritual elements that give meaning, value, emotion and mystery to place.

Spirit is everything. Everything is spirit. Everything speaks

(or should speak) of that spirit.

Workshop B) Using and implementing Spirit of Place

Proposed workshop date in summer/autumn 2015

All staff and volunteers have a clear and empowering understanding of what makes Elvaston uniquely special. A clear idea of what makes that place uniquely special runs through everything. We make confident choices on every aspect of our work based on that understanding, and what it means for Interpretation and Engagement.

WORKSHOP 2: Key Themes and stories

Workshop completed 17th December 2014 with positive interaction and feedback.

Development of an overarching headline theme and sub-themes, key story development and contemporary links.

Attendance list below:

Andrew Barber Curator, Hardwick Croft (NT)Fiona Bridges Visitor Experience Consultant, Hardwick Croft, (NT)Gill Forrester Assistant Area Manager, South (DCC)Adam Lathbury Conservation & Design Section Manager (DCC)Nick Sellwood Elvaston Castle Project Development Manager (NT)Diana Wing Warden, Elvaston Castle (DCC)K Davison Elvaston volunteerRachael Seymour Fundraising Consultant, Hardwick Croft (NT)

Following identification of the primary theme of Gothic Romantic, the group was asked to think about story development and about the contemporary links to people’s ideas for today and ways of engaging creatively:

Key characters that bring the stories to life and the spaces to use to tell them

4th Earl and Maria Foote – rejection and romance William Barron and the garden – and relationship between gardens and the Castle e.g. views over the Mon Plaisir (now

Parterre) garden from boudoir on first floor, views over East Avenue from 1st floor; orchid house on 2nd floor; that there was a Hall of the Fair Star (now called the Gothic Hall; with the Fair Star being Maria Foote) and a garden of the Fair Star

Women in Love filmed at Elvaston (Oliver Reed, Glenda Jackson, Alan Bates) – naked wrestling scene in front of fireplace in Great Hall!

3rd Earl and James Wyatt, and then Cottingham – designed and built the gothic exterior to Elvaston Castle Theme of Heraldry running through the Castle e.g. in Gothic Kitchen The staircase/stair well with its view up to the ‘rose’ on the ceiling – interesting space for interpretation etc. 5th Earl and Orchid House

Contemporary Links to today and ideas for creative engagement

The contemporary link to isolated/excluded communities in modern society Interior decoration/changing rooms – art classes, design, painting, symbolism Artistic/filmic interiors – drama/theatre/poetry workshops etc. Gothic Kitchen – medieval fantasy versus modern design for its times depending on how functioning it is in future, could

have ‘medieval master chef’, other interactive activities related to cooking, servants etc. Conservation in action – the craftsmen restoring and conserving the decoration e.g. in the Gothic Hall could be sharing what

they do and how with volunteers, to then share with visitors Design/decoration of new café to be influenced by decoration in the house/across the wider estate Contemporary links – marriage, death (e.g. Wyatt died before Castle re-modelling was complete), exclusion, oral history,

devolution, animals Engagement – art, oral history (relatives of those who worked and lived on the Estate in the past), Immersive engagement Brought to life through things like Audio, Volunteers, Smell Bringing courtyard alive through events and activities Use of Apps and technology

Appendix 3

Proposed outline of further workshop programme during the Development Phase to inform preparation of the Activity Plan

In addition to those outlined in Appendix 2, it is planned to run a series of workshops through the Development Phase with all site staff and volunteers to help inform the following

- WORKSHOP 3: Visual language

Visual language is a tool to help define the look and feel of Elvaston Castle and Estate. We will work with staff and volunteers through a workshop session to capture their ideas for the look and feel of the project - from welcome signage and orientation, directional signage through to building materials, from furniture in public and commercial areas to interpretation and marketing materials. We will use these ideas to inform the final brief for the commissioning external designers to help deliver an Elvaston visual identity and ‘style guide’.

- WORKSHOP 4: Zones and their Moods/Key Features

- WORKSHOP 5: Audiences – who are our key audiences?

- WORKSHOP 6: Stories and identify additional research needed. Further exploration on what are the key stories we want to tell? What further research is required to do this?

Appendix 4: Draft Statement of Significance for Elvaston Castle and Estate

Elvaston Castle and its surrounding estate is situated c 6km south-east of Derby city centre, immediately north and west of the village of Elvaston. The 80ha site is on level land within the flood plain of the River Derwent.

Elvaston Castle, Grade II*, sits at the centre of the estate which comprises 17 Grade II listed buildings and structures and Grade I listed church. The estate is included on English Heritage’s Register of Historic Parks and Gardens, Grade II*; one of 38 Grade II* parks and gardens in the Midlands region. Majority of the country park boundary falls within sites listed on SMR.

The wider estate reflects a palimpsest landscape, due in part to its location on level, productive riverside land and many centuries of non-intrusive land management which has resulted in surviving evidence of multiple phases of a historic farmed and designed landscape dating back at least to the medieval period. All these phases of development have contributed to the historic landscape character of the estate, which represents evidence of changes in social, economic and cultural practices that are regionally and nationally significant.

The estate, owned by Derbyshire County Council, contains many diverse elements although is generally fairly compact. It incorporates, to the north of the house, terraced gardens leading down to a sinuous lake with pleasure ground, circuit of paths and rockwork formations beyond. There are formal gardens to the south of the house and avenues leading from the castle to the south and to the east.

The registered landscape boundary also includes the cricket ground and various outbuildings, many of which are now unused. The Church of St Bartholomew, Grade I, although associated with the estate and the Harrington family burial site, is excluded from the County Council’s ownership.

The majority of Elvaston Country Park is within Derbyshire Wildlife Site, noted for its historic parkland habitat, veteran trees, semi-natural grassland and areas of water and wetlands.

The whole of the castle, gardens, park, estate buildings and wider estate are a remarkable entity and although many of the buildings are in poor condition the coherence of the whole has been retained to a significant degree. The Garden and park buildings are of particular architectural value.

During the War the estate housed a teacher’s training college relocated from the City of Derby and after the war, following a period of decline, the property was first put up for sale in 1964. In 1969 the core of the estate was bought by Derbyshire County Council for the creation of a Country Park which opened the following year and was the first of its kind in the Country.

However, it is for the partnership of the 4th Earl of Harrington and his Head Gardener, William Barron, between 1830 and 1851 that the estate, gardens and the historically and botanically significant coniferous plant collection had and continue to have national and international renown.

Contemporary visitors to Elvaston include landscape designer and horticultural commentator J.C.Loudon and in 1859 Frederick Law Olmsted describing Elvaston Castle Park as ‘having the finest evergreens in Europe’.

William Barron was one of the most notable and influential landscape designers, writers, horticultural innovators and nurserymen of the Victorian period. Elvaston gardens and parkland are where he developed and refined his design and plantsman’s skills. Barron’s 1852 book The British Winter Garden: a Practical Treatise on Evergreens was an account of his experimental practices at Elvaston.

Barron remained as Head Gardener to the 5th and 6th Earls until his retirement in 1865 to run his nursery, which originally started at Elvaston. The firm William Barron& Son gained its reputation for landscape gardening, the transplantation of large trees and was a leading provider of public park designs.

Barron’s experimental practices and the dissemination of his work relating to evergreen training, grafting and tree moving experiments helped to create the Victorian passion for evergreens which went on to influence Victorian garden design and the reintroduction of topiary.

Elvaston is an internationally significant part of the history of British garden design, plant selection and cultivation of interest to specialist audiences, garden and botanical history researchers, plant conservationists and the garden visiting public.

Historical and cultural heritage significance

The estate was owned by Walter Blount, created Lord Mountjoy in 1465 and was bought by the Stanhope family in the 16 th Century , who were later created Earls of Harrington in 1742, it remained the Stanhope family home until 1939 when the 11th Earl moved to Ireland.

The landscape shows evidence of a long period of management including extant areas of ridge and furrow earthworks, old field boundaries and evidence of gardens dating back to the first half of the 17th century, potentially earlier.

Barron’s legacy is the Victorian love of topiary and the use of evergreen, particularly coniferous plants. Many of the UKs topiary gardens owe their revival to Barron’s gardens at Elvaston and his dissemination of his ideas and experimental cultivation through his books and the contemporary horticultural press.

Documentary evidence is good with Grey’s map of 1760. There is also early photographic evidence starting in the late 1850s with a series of photographs of the gardens taken by Keene of Derby. In addition there are paintings and engravings, articles and visitor accounts reflecting the significance at the time and later popularity, when opened to the public, of the gardens as a visitor attraction.

The landscape

The gardens show a long period of development with surviving evidence of early gardens dating back to the first half of the 17 th century, with the potential of some stone garden walls being in-situ walls from the 15th century.

Panoramic views are not a characteristic of Elvaston but there are vistas along avenues, once former access routes. The principle entrance was London Road Lodge to the south through the Golden Gates, Grade II, and another avenue to the east. The avenues preceded Barron’s designs but he added to their botanical content and planting density considerably. Much remains of Barron’s planting and there are also other trees, mainly oaks, which date from the 18th century, if not earlier.

The 4th Earl’s controversial marriage to the actress Maria Foote in 1831 prompted a withdrawal from public life and time to concentrate on developing the castle and grounds. The Earl’s need for privacy and his interest in medievalism and chivalric themes influenced the layout of the gardens. Barron created a mainly inward -facing group of gardens together with the wider landscape including the lake, mounded circuit walks and imported rocks to create grottoes and promontories. At the core, on the south side of the castle, were three gardens; the garden of Mon Plaisir, the garden of Fairstar (named after a part played by Maria Foote in 1822) and the Alhambra garden. To the west, within the woodland was a sunken garden, entrance via a rockwork grotto and on through a brick tunnel to the walled garden, commonly described as a Lady’s Walk. Pleasure Grounds with planting mounds, rockwork and circuit paths border the northern and eastern lakeside.

For the Earl the garden design created private and symbolic spaces whilst for Barron, they provided the setting for the experimentation with the hardiness of newly introduced plants, with topiary and grafting techniques which prompted extensive contemporary comment in the horticultural press.

The formal gardens and pleasure grounds were created using many mature trees, particularly yews, which were lifted and transplanted by methods pioneered by Barron’s mentor at the Edinburgh Botanic gardens, William McNab, and developed by Barron, notably the Barron Tree Spade.

The gardens quickly became celebrated for their enormous range of coniferous and evergreen plants, many of which were new introductions to this country.

Following the 4th Earl’s death in 1851 the gardens were opened to the public. Barron, at the 5 th Earl’s request set up a nursery, later to become, on retiring from Elvaston in 1865, his own successful nursery business in neighbouring Borrowash.

Although the experimental nature of the planting inevitably resulted in many losses a significant amount of Barron’s planting remains forming a unique collection, living remnant of an internationally significant plant collection and representative of an influential period of garden history, inspiring many well-known gardens.

Buildings

The Grade II * castle, built in the early 17th century (there are records of a building before the 1633 date on the Castle) and the surrounding landscape were considerably altered by the 3rd Earl of Harrington to provide what is today’s centrepiece to the estate. The architect James Wyatt was commissioned to castellate in Gothick style the 17th Century red brick manor house, only partly completed at the time of his death in 1813. It was completed by Robert Walker in about 1819, with further alterations carried out by L.N. Cottingham between 1839 and 1840. The castle has been subject to later 20 th Century alterations including the demolition of the north-west wing in 1970. 17th century glass is present in some of the leaded 17th century windows. On the roof there is a cast iron orchid house.

One of the most important things about the estate buildings is their survival, representing an almost intact example of a group of farm buildings, highlighted by attention to detail. Many of the estate buildings still retain their original fixtures and fittings. As result Elvaston possesses a collection of remarkable pieces of machinery but also rare, if not unique collections of buildings and artefacts that illuminate the working patterns of a mid- Victorian estate.

The two walled kitchen gardens, the smaller built by Barron, whilst not unique are a good example of a Victorian productive garden and together with the wider estate outbuildings more significant as part of the whole. Once again the extant nature of the working buildings required to run a kitchen garden in Victorian period are present including vine house, bothy and more examples of Barron’s innovations, the water tower and piped heated walls.

In the garden there are a collection of extraordinary buildings by Barron, Springthorpe Cottage, the Moorish temple, Pump house, and Lodges all contributing to the fantasy element and are unique to western architecture.

Rockwork

At key vistas around the sinuous lake, created by Barron, he introduced rockwork arches, promontories, circles and grottoes, much against the fashion of the time as Barron using imported rocks to create the scenes. Views to the castle and church were framed through the rockwork and through cuts through the densely planted yews. The rockwork in scale, construction and quantity at Elvaston, some of it Grade II, is unique. Despite the contemporary debate about ‘Naturalism’ in a rock garden, it is clear that what Barron created for the 4th Earl was as much about theatre as it was about nature - remarkably extensive, dramatic, various and

very important in articulating and ‘presenting’ the gardens as a whole. Over time, Elvaston’s rockwork has decayed and been damaged, however what remains is considerable evidence of the ambitious designs.

Appendix 5: Costs of developing the Activity Plan during the Development Phase

COST HEADING DESCRIPTION COST£

VAT(UNCLAIMABLE)

£ (%)TOTAL

£

Staff costsVolunteering & Community Engagement Officer

including on-costs(Fixed term – for 18 months)

£62,141 £62,141

Training for staff and volunteers Training for site staff and volunteers £6,000 £6,000

Travel for volunteers

Travel expenses for regular, individual, volunteers (25 volunteers working on average 5 hours per day on 40 weeks over the 18 months)

£6,600 £6,600

Professional fees

Consultant fees Design Brief concept / Visual Identity £12,000 £12,000

Visitor surveys, focus groups and audience research £8,000 £8,000

Production of printed materials

Newsletters, literature & display material for engagement £12,000 £12,000

6 Volunteers to contribute to visitor surveys

Detail:

Self-run

Resources:

£700 £700

Clipboards, publicity

Costs:

Survey printing

Appoint interns Detail:

2 x 3-6 month roles

Resources:Laptops, phones, desk space

Costs:

Phone calls, printing, training and development, expenses

£2,500 £2,500

Set up a Regular Users group

Detail:

Group of 6 – 10 people meeting monthly

Resources:Office space, incidentals

£500 £500

Plan, Recruit, Induct and Train new volunteer roles

Detail:

12 volunteers in roles such as research, consultation support, oral history, web/social media, local advocates

Resources:Laptops, phones, desk space

£500 £500

New volunteer roles as above in place

Detail:

12 people in place

Resources:

£650 £650

Office space , laptops, phones, desk space, incidentals

Run some volunteer exchange visits with NT sites

Detail:

At least 4 exchanges have taken place and learnings gathered E.G. Hardwick youth rangers and Calke Encounters

Resources:Staff time

Costs:

Travel expenses for group, lunches

£200 £200

Put on art exhibitions in the Gothic Hall

Detail:

2 exhibitions, at least 20 arts students involved as volunteers, evaluations carried out

Resources:Exhibition space

Costs:

Travel expenses for students

£600 £800

Set up a volunteer fundraising group of 4-6 volunteers

Detail:

Self-run

Resources:Meeting space, incidentals

£400 £400

Total Costs £112,991

Volunteer time 25 volunteers, doing an average of 5 hours per week over 40 weeks (won’t volunteer every week, and need to allow for the recruitment of new volunteers)

£73,333 in kind