DEC 2005
Bristol's historic Arnos Vale cemetery has landed the prefect Christmas present - a grant of nearly £5 million to help restore it to its former glory. The 45-acre Victorian cemetery, which suffered years of neglect until ownership was transferred to the city council after compulsory purchase proceedings, has been given £4.8 million by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
The money will be used to restore Arnos Vale's historic buildings, monuments and some landscaping, and to create educational, family history and community facilities. Campaigners who fought to save Arnos Vale were delighted today over winning the award, which will provide about three-quarters of the total cost of restoring, preserving and managing the site for years to come. Chairman of the Trustees of Arnos Vale, Richard Smith, said: 'This is the best news we could possibly have had the week before Christmas.
'So many people have worked so long and so hard to save Arnos Vale and this award is the culmination of all our efforts. 'Without the incredible support from the city council and the Bristol public, we could never have come this far. 'On behalf of all those families with connections to Arnos Vale, and everyone who has helped us fight to save Bristol's 'forgotten jewel', I'd like to express our most sincere thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund.' Adrian Tinniswood, chair of HLF's South West Committee, said: 'Arnos Vale cemetery is an absolute gem, filled with historic buildings and monuments, and a haven for wildlife.
'We are thrilled to help restore the site to its former glory and open it up for as many people as possible to enjoy, locals and visitors alike.' In order to secure the grant, the trustees submitted a bid which outlined their plans for the future of the site, together with examples of how they and their supporters have already raised considerable funding. An ongoing strategy is in place to achieve the remaining funding from public and corporate donations, charitable bodies and foundations. In addition, the Friends of Arnos Vale Cemetery, a 500-strong group of supporters, have worked hard to raise many thousands of pounds.
Arnos Vale Cemetery Trust manages and runs the cemetery on behalf of Bristol City Council, which compulsorily purchased it in 2003. The first phase of the restoration programme to restore The West Lodge, one of two Grade 2* listed buildings at the main entrance to the site, is now complete. The lodge will officially reopen as a visitor reception centre in the spring. Mr Smith said: 'Now we've been given this grant, we can begin the process of planning the work on the other buildings. 'This includes the restoration of the East Lodge, the conversion of the Non-Conformist Chapel into an education centre and the restoration of the Anglican Chapel.' Some of the site will be managed as a nature and wildlife resource.
The Bristol Evening Post launched its Arnos Vale Army campaign in April 1998 to try to ensure the cemetery stayed open after its owner, Tony Towner, said his company could no longer afford to run the graveyard. Later that year, campaigners won a court battle to keep the cemetery open. In February 2000, the council announced plans to issue a Compulsory Purchase Order for the site. Then in May 2002, a public inquiry was held to hear an appeal against the CPO from Mr Towner. In October, the order was confirmed by the Secretary of State, but a legal challenge was made on the day before the six-week deadline. The council finally took possession of Arnos Vale in August 2003 and handed its management over to the trust. The Heritage Lottery Fund gave a grant of £103,000 so that experts could draw up plans to restore the cemetery.
The council has set aside £2 million towards the restoration.
Please feel free to add your own comments to the Guestbook or Forum
Memories of Bristol over the past 100 years including 3000 photographs on-line
This non commercial 'hobby' site, has been evolving and expanding on line since 2001 and is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only.
