Welsh Historic Gardens Trust

The Welsh Historic Gardens Trust is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation. Established in 1989, the trust exists to support the conservation of historic parks and gardens in Wales.

Welsh Historic Gardens Trust
AbbreviationWHGT
Formation1989 (charitable status 1994)
Legal statusCharity
PurposeTo save historic gardens and parks from neglect, indifference, insensitive planning and planting, for future generations
HeadquartersAberglasney, Carmarthenshire, Wales
Location
  • Wales
Region served
Wales
Main organ
Board of trustees
Revenue
£24,405 (2019/20)
Volunteers
45
Websitewhgt.wales

History and activity

The Welsh Historic Gardens Trust was established in 1989,[1] gaining charitable status in 1994.[2] Its objectives are to raise awareness and appreciation of historic landscapes within Wales and to support their conservation through advice, guidance and research.[3] The trust is based at Aberglasney House, a historic estate in Carmarthenshire in west Wales,[4] and is led by a board of trustees, supported by volunteers.[3] These are organised through its nine county branches.[5] The trust publishes a newsletter,[6] and organises an annual programme of visits to important Welsh parks and gardens.[7]

The 20st century saw an increased understanding of the cultural importance of landscape. In her study, The Historic Gardens of Wales, published in 1992, Elisabeth Whittle, later president of the WHGT,[8] wrote, "historic parks and gardens are an integral part of the Welsh archaeological and architectural heritage."[9][lower-alpha 1] The trust acts as an amenity society, and is routinely consulted by Cadw, the historic environment service for Wales, on issues relating to the recording and preservation of historic parks and gardens.[11] The importance of this work increased when Cadw was given statutory responsibility for the creation and maintenance of the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales which gained legal status in February 2022.[10]

Footnotes
  1. When Elisabeth Whittle wrote The Historic Gardens of Wales in 1992, the establishment of a register of historic parks and gardens in Wales had just begun. It was a further thirty years before the register gained statutory effect.[9][10]

References
  1. Laidlaw, Ros (2010). "Historic Parks and Gardens in Wales". Buildingconservation.com. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  2. Reader 2010, p. 10.
  3. "Welsh Historic Gardens Trust (Ymddiriedolaeth Gerddi Hanesyddol Cymru) – Charity 1023293". Charity Commission. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  4. "Welsh Historic Gardens Trust". Building Conservation. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  5. "WHGT branches". Welsh Historic Gardens Trust. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  6. "WHGT newsletter". Parks & Gardens UK. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  7. "About WHGT". Welsh Historic Gardens Trust. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  8. "Elisabeth Whittle". National Botanic Garden of Wales. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  9. Whittle 1992, p. 6.
  10. "Registered historic parks and gardens". Cadw. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  11. Cadw 2017, p. 4.

Sources
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