What to do Now?  Why save old Buildings?

Answer: Ecology, Conservation and Food & Health

When I bought Penrhos back in 1972 it was purely for the sake of saving the ancient farm buildings. This was idealistic in the manner of William Morris's manifesto for the Society for Protection of Ancient Buildings which to put it simply says they are part of our heritage and a very tangible record of history and should be protected for their own sake. They should be conserved just as they are and any attempt to restore them to what might be imagined as their original glory should be avoided.

   However, there is a difference between awe inspiring buildings such as churches, castles and great country houses the restoration of which William Morris may have been lamenting and ancient farm buildings such as barns, shelters and simple country dwellings. Ancient farm buildings do not engender a lot of public interest to help raise funds for their upkeep. If they are to be repaired and maintained they have to be put to some economic working use which, in cases of tourist attractions means, is in effect, restoration. An excuse, if one is needed, is that farm buildings are built for work and they are continually adapted to new methods of work so changes are part of an ongoing process.

   One question is then, what changes are acceptable. What adaptations to new uses will cause less damage than just propping up the ancient walls to stop them falling over? The next question is what are the benefits? If finding a new uses for an ancient farm building becomes a means to an end then care should be taken that the new use does not destroy the fabric of the building. With that in mind specific and suitable new uses abound and the benefits abound.

   To cope with this problem the first new use for the farm buildings at Penrhos Court was for the derelict Byre on the north side of the courtyard, the smallest of all the buildings. We rain-proofed the roof, swept out the rotted straw and cow dung from the cobble floor, bought an old gas oven from a fish and chip shop in Hereford and opened a restaurant. After two years it gained entry to the Good Food Guide and in came some famous people followed by people to see the famous people, it was full every night. Johnny & Fanny Cradock wrote about us, Queen, Mike Oldfield and Led Zeppelin came in and best of all Terry Jones came in with his family. After a few visits Terry and I agreed to set up the Penrhos Brewery, this was the first of the micro breweries and after a few years it became the test bed for the Penrhos Electronic Process Controller. Then in 1990 we added a whole new section to the buildings with a kitchen and 15 hotel rooms and later the Penrhos School of Food & Health, which has now changed its name to Greencuisine. These enterprises were all exciting, demanding and profitable and they have taken us through two periods of economic recession and 'right now' (as the voice on the answer phone goes) we are again peeping over the financial precipice into the third.

   So the question is 'what to do now?

  The Herefordshire Ancient Farm Buildings Trust Ltd was incorporated in January 1997and the company registered as a charity.  It is now named The Penrhos Trust Ltd. and has held annual meetings at Penrhos and at the Hay Festival campaigning for the farming of natural foods. One of the objectives of the trust is to operate a revolving fund to purchase and repair ancient farm buildings and put them to an ecological organic use.  www.penrhostrust.org/

   In the back of my mind I had always thought that one day it might take over Penrhos Court to make it a centre for farm building restoration. The idea that the Trust will help save ancient farm buildings and hand them over to an educational trust for teaching Ecology, Conservation and Food & Health.   Well that day has arrived. Anyone interested in joining as a member, volunteering to help, please contact me.

martin@penrhos.com

Martin Griffiths. April 2013