The Bath Preservation Trust (or "BPT") is a

charity Charity may refer to: Common meanings * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sha ...

that is based in

Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, which exists to safeguard for the public benefit the historic character and amenities of the city, a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

, and its environs. BPT is independent, funded by public membership, grants, donations and income from four museums that it operates in Bath: No. 1 Royal Crescent, the Museum of Bath Architecture, Beckford's Tower, and the Herschel Museum of Astronomy. In addition to its campaigning and educational roles, BPT comments on

planning Planning is the process of thinking regarding the activities required to achieve a desired goal. Planning is based on foresight, the fundamental capacity for mental time travel. Some researchers regard the evolution of forethought - the cap ...

applications and takes part in planning policy consultations. It also provides limited financial assistance towards the repair or reinstatement of external architectural features (railings, window glazing bars, urns, gateposts, etc.) on listed buildings in Bath.

History

Bath Preservation Trust was founded in 1934 as a small pressure group with the specific aim of fundraising to buy properties in preparation to resist the Bath Bill, which was drafted in order to drive a new east to west road through the centre of Georgian Bath. As a result of victory in this challenge the status of BPT was considerably enhanced, and it was able to propose its own agenda for preserving the city. This included restoring Prior Park's

Palladian Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...

Bridge and Lansdown's Greville Monument. Following

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

damage to buildings in the city during the Baedeker raids on 25 and 26 April 1942, BPT worked with the War Damage Commission to assist people to restore their buildings. A further campaign against the "Sack of Bath" in 1967–1968 reduced the loss of heritage buildings to modern structures. Sir John Betjeman was for over 20 years a trustee, and was vice-president from 1965 to 1971 at a time when Bath came under increasing pressure from modern developers and another proposal to build a major road through (in part, under) the city. From 1972, Sir John became the nation's Poet Laureate. BPT is now an independent registered

and continues to campaign to save

listed buildings In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...

, of which Bath has some six and a half thousand, and to ensure a sustainable future for Bath in the context of its status as a World Heritage Site. BPT has over one thousand members and a number of corporate sponsors. Its Patron is

Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...

. In July 2015 BPT became the sole trustee of the Herschel House Trust, which owns the Herschel Museum of Astronomy.

Activities

Bath Preservation Trust contributes financially to remedial works that enhance the city's Georgian character. It has rescued properties as diverse as

Ralph Allen Ralph Allen ( – 29 June 1764) was a British postmaster, merchant and philanthropist best known for his reforms to General Post Office#Early postal services, Britain's postal system. Born in St Columb Major, Cornwall, he moved to Bath, Somers ...

's quarry workers' cottages in Widcombe which once housed artisans who built some of Bath's great Georgian architectural set pieces, and the historically significant Beckford's Tower, now owned by the Bath Preservation Trust and run as a museum. A significant part of BPT's work is reviewing and responding to all planning and listed building consent applications submitted to Bath and North East Somerset Council. It also owns and runs four independent museums; No. 1 Royal Crescent, the Museum of Bath Architecture, Beckford's Tower and the Herschel Museum of Astronomy. A small former cemetery, the Southcot Burial Ground in Widcombe, is owned by BPT, and is conserved for its wildlife and heritage.

Headquarters

Bath Preservation Trust's registered address and offices are at No. 1 Royal Crescent. While most of the rooms in No. 1 operate as a museum, BPT's offices occupy the upper two floors. Since 2018, some staff have relocated to offices at the Old School House, adjacent to the Museum of Bath Architecture.

Trustees

The Board of Trustees is chaired by Eve Salomon, who succeeded Thomas Sheppard in winter 2023. Earlier chairs included Edward Bayntun-Coward and Michael Fenwick Briggs, of Midford Castle."Michael Briggs, chairman of Bath Preservation Trust – obituary"
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The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...

'', 29 July 2017, accessed 11 August 2021

References

External links