SAVING HISTORIC HOUSES FOR

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 54, 1 September 1934, Page 25

SAVING HISTORIC HOUSES FOR

THE NATION

.§■ I* c suggestion that the National Places of Historic Interest loir Natural Beauty should, extend its ! protecting arm to the- historic houses, /was'inade by the Marquis of Lothian ■*t the annual meeting of tho Trust, in 'the Inner Temple, says the "Daily Telegraph." > . Having pointed out that, owing to : heavy taxation, and particularly to cleatu duties, most - of these . houses Avero under sentence of death, he continued: . • ■'} ' ■ . ■■■ >

'''I do.not think it is an exaggeration to say that within a generation hardly any of the larger historic houses of Britain, save, perhaps, a few in tho neighbourhood of London, will bo lived in by the families who created them,"

If the old order passed away, was it not -possible, he asked, to preserve for the joy and edification of posterity the peculiar beauties it created? A list had been prepared of 639 houses, each of which was, at any rate in part, at least 100 yars old, of deijDito historic, or architectural merit, and suitably maintained and furnished as a dwelling-house. Of these, fiftyseven might be described as "big" houses, such. 88 Knole, Hatfield, Haddon Hall, Castle Howard, and Blenheim, having twenty or more bedrooms atida considerable park. Ho suggested that the Treasury might,be induced to treat these houses on the same basis on which it now treated their contents, for such articles as pictures, jewellery, and' furmtiire, if of "national, scientific, historic, or artistic interest," were ex-

empted from death duties unluss they were sold.

"While such measures will help, especially in the case of the smaller houses, there is .bound to be a steady procession of these historic dwellingplaces coming on the market in the future. . -~■■'

"Unless-we face this situation now, within a very few years the big houses, at least, will be stripped of their contents, the roofs will be taken off to escape rates, the gardens will run to weeds, and the parks will become the prey of tho speculative builder, who seep site value in., proximity to an historic ruin. ' . . '' ■'

"What matters is that these houses, except perhaps the most monumental should bo lived in by people who care for them, and. are prepared to make them not merely private homes, -but places of hospitality; and converse for those engaged in polities, in literature, and the arts, or in some aspect of local or international life. I believe that if a body like the National Trust were willing' to equip itself to become a landlord on an ampler scale, it would gradually draw 'within its orbit quite a large number of: historic furnished houses," ■'■■..■■"• >, ;

The Marquis of Zetland, who presided, reported that since the last meeting seventeen new properties had passed into the hands of the trust. Towards the. £12,500 they had asked for to secure Buttermere Lake and the adjacent district,, approximately £ 7000 had been received. ' He thought he might-say they had saved the property for the country for all time.