Is this good news or bad news?
It is very sad that nothing seems to be happening at Ruperra except the deterioration of the buildings.
The very nearly auction of the left-hand staff house was exciting for the Trust but where does it leave us? I expect readers will have read the local papers.
We now have a new president, Edward Holland FSA who is Senior Projects adviser to the Princes Regenaeration Trust. We have several consultants who are giving us the benefit of their expertise completelt free of charge. They all want to help save Ruperra.
The Trust were advised in February by Caerphilly Borough Council's Planning Officer that the Council cannot take any financial risk by helping us. It is tragic that always in a recession the first casualties seem to be in Heritage matters.
Pasted below is a copy of the report from Wales Online about the proposed ale of the Staff house.
The very nearly auction of the left-hand staff house was exciting for the Trust but where does it leave us? I expect readers will have read the local papers.
We now have a new president, Edward Holland FSA who is Senior Projects adviser to the Princes Regenaeration Trust. We have several consultants who are giving us the benefit of their expertise completelt free of charge. They all want to help save Ruperra.
The Trust were advised in February by Caerphilly Borough Council's Planning Officer that the Council cannot take any financial risk by helping us. It is tragic that always in a recession the first casualties seem to be in Heritage matters.
Pasted below is a copy of the report from Wales Online about the proposed ale of the Staff house.
(Downloaded from Wales
Online)
Receivers called in for
owner of Ruperra Castle
Sale of
servants' quarters prevented after debt settled
The
servants’ quarters of the historic 17th century Ruperra Castle in Machen, near
Caerphilly
Concerns
have been raised about the future of a historic South Wales castle after its
owner hit financial problems.
Receivers
have been appointed to ensure Ruperra Castle owner Ashraf Barakat pays back
money he owes Barclays Bank, documents from Companies House show.
But Mr
Barakat managed to prevent the sale of servants’ quarters within the grounds of
Ruperra, at Machen, near Caerphilly, on Thursday after settling another debt.
The
quarters were up for sale with Newport auction house Paul Fosh at a guide price
of £50,000.
They were
being sold after they had been repossessed.
Mr Fosh
said: “The bank were paid off so they released their charge on the property.”
But
Bristol firm Alder King has been appointed as receivers for another property in
Cowbridge owned by Mr Barakat’s firm Falcon Equestrian Limited.
A
spokesperon for Alder King confirmed yesterday: “We have been appointed as
receivers over the property.”
Grade
II-listed Ruperra, which has links to King Charles I and a Crimean War 17th
Lancers captain at the Charge of the Light Brigade, went on the market for
£1.5m in September 2010 after the owner abandoned plans to turn it into flats
and refurbish other outbuildings.
The
servants’ quarters, which are adjacent to the castle, date from the 19th and
early 20th centuries.
Conservationist
Mark Baker, who sits on the National Trust’s Committee for Wales, hopes the
estate can be kept together.
He said:
“The estate is better together than in divided ownership, especially when it’s
at the heart of a golden area with the castle and outbuildings.”
The
castle was built in 1626 by military leader Sir Thomas Morgan.
It is
recognised by historians as among the first “mock” castles built in Wales, and
in its pomp it even entertained King Charles I.
Godfrey
Charles Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar, who was a captain in the 17th Lancers
during the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War, was born at
Ruperra.
The
castle was rebuilt after being destroyed by fire in 1785.
It was
left to decay after another fire during World War II.
Mr
Barakat was yesterday unavailable for comment.
posted by Save Ruperra Castle | 4:17 AM
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