Anyone who has ever driven from Wimborne to Blandford on the B3082 must have marvelled at the two and a half mile long beech avenue which forms part of the National Trust's Kingston Lacy Estate.
Now the Trust is inviting people to get involved in celebrating this wonderful piece of our county’s heritage. This avenue, one of the most iconic sights in Dorset, was planted in 1835 as a gift to his mother Frances by William John Bankes (1786-1855) and was the main driveway to their house at Kingston Lacy. 731 trees, in total, were planted on both sides of what is now a busy road.
© Michael Harry
Over 170 years later, gaps are beginning to appear. As a result of disease or increased vulnerability to high winds, the Trust has had to remove up to 20 trees in a single year, in order to prevent any potential serious accidents. Sadly, this pattern is set to continue, if not escalate, as they approach the end of their natural lives with climate change making their existence all the more precarious.
The Trust is therefore encouraging people to produce a lasting testament to its majesty. A Celebration of the Beech Avenue is an open invitation to local people to paint, photograph, sculpt, write, compose, eulogise, crochet, sketch, whatever takes their fancy, to help celebrate one of our great landscapes while it is still with us.
'How sad it is for me to see the beech trees along the road to Kingston Lacy being felled. Some of my earliest memories back in the 1950’s include being driven by my father in his Austin A70 through this avenue on our way to visit my grandmother in Bournemouth.
'It was the highlight of the journey from Wiltshire to try so hard to count the trees as we sped along the road, 365 one side and 366 the other – did I ever manage to count them all – I fear not – and the reasons why – well the road was undulating, giving a ‘switch back’ type of ride in the car and I always encouraged my father to go faster, and so I lost count! Counting the trees in the dark on the way home was even more difficult'.
Margaret Aven, Volunteer, National Trust Wessex Region
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Do you have memories of a personal connection to Beech Avenue? If so we would love to hear from you.
We are also running a photography competition throughout the year. The Trust is inviting snapshots of the avenue through the changing seasons of the next 12 months, culminating in an exhibition at Kingston Lacy in April 2009.
© Michael Harry
Renowned landscape photographer Charlie Waite will be joining in, running a series of master classes on landscape photography at Kingston Lacy to help amateurs take the best shots of the avenue.
National Trust staff will also be offering a number of walks along the avenue during Wessex Walking Weekend (28/29 June).
To submit memories of the Beech Avenue or a photograph or other items for the exhibition throughout 2008, please send to: The Beech Avenue Celebration, c/o Kingston Lacy, nr Wimborne Minster, BH21 4EA (images should be prints or if digital, be a minimum of 300dpi and saved on a disk and accompanied by print of image).
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Charlie Waite photography master classes – a celebration of the Beech Avenue
10 May, 16 August, 12 October, 13 December
Spend the morning learning the techniques of landscape photography from this internationally acclaimed photographer and the afternoon in Kingston Lacy's Beech Avenue getting the results. £145 per person. Spaces limited. Booking essential on 01432 839111.
The Photography Masterclass is run in conjunction with Light and Land Ltd, tel. 01432 839111, email jenny@lightandland.co.uk.
© National Trust
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