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VALLEY
OF VISIONS
Interpretation and Community Engagement Plan
Client: Kent Wildlife Trust
Description: Covering an area of 26 square miles, the Valley
of Visions project area is a very special place. Nationally and
internationally important habitats, some of the most significant
megalithic sites in south-east England, and a long industrial heritage,
make it a very rich interpretive resource. But the area is also
blighted by derelict industry and inappropriate access. Just surveying
the wealth of sites ripe for interpretation was the first challenge.
Finding ways of meaningfully engaging local people in the riches
on their doorstep was the next. Community consultation with 30 stakeholder
groups and direct survey of residents informed the process.
Recommended approaches included community involvement in producing
audio and other interpretive content, competitions, discovery events,
voluntary wildlife monitoring, a community heritage programme and
a web site that would eventually be handed over to the community.
The
plan formed part of a successful bid for HLF funding to the tune
of £2.5 million.
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Medway Valley from Birling Downs 
Adonis blue - one the key species in the
project area |
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THURNHAM CASTLE
AND IRON AGE ENCLOSURE
Interpretation and Education Plan
Client: Kent County Council
Description: Thurnham Castle is something of an enigma: it's
not clear who built it, when or even for what purpose. Was its function
military or as a status symbol? The essential approach recommended
in the plan was therefore to engage visitors in this mystery, through
events and guided walks, lively publications and on-site provision.
We undertook an extensive visitor survey and analysis to ensure
we knew who the audience for this mystery would be, and also made
some crucial recommendations on educational use, visitor facilities
and access to enable best use of the resources here.
View excerpt as Word document
(20KB)
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The castle earthworks
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LOST LANDSCAPES
Approaches to Interpretation, Archiving and Future Strategy
Client: North Downs Way
Description: The concept of this project was to develop circular
trails, exploring landscape heritage, in partnership with six communities
along the North Downs Way. Local people became involved in exploring
the central theme - how the landscape of their parish has evolved
under human influence. Key topics included past land use, rural
industry, field names and local legends. Local people with knowledge
of their parishes were a fundamental resource. Clarity's brief was
to undertake information gathering and analysis of data gathered
so far, find ways to generate more contributions (which included
guided walks and a 'Put the Past in the Post' appeal), and make
recommendations on how to archive and utilise this information.
One of the key
recommendations made became the series of heritage trail booklets
- see leaflets
and publications.
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Press coverage of the Lost
Landscapes project
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SHORNE
WOODS COUNTRY PARK
Approaches to Interpretation
Client: Kent County Council
Description: Having extended Shorne Wood Country Park through
land purchases, Kent County Council (KCC) launched the Shorne Woods
Heritage Project, a key aspect of which was developing interpretive
provision and visitor facilities. After assessing the park's resources,
facilities and visitor base, Clarity made a series of recommendations
for the park, most crucially a new visitor centre with improved facilities
and rationalised parking. Shorne would then be in a position to function
as a 'hub' for visitor facilities, access and interpretation for a
network of important countryside sites. The plan set out for the first
time KCC's vision for Shorne as the county's flagship country park,
which is now becoming a reality |
The new Visitor Centre recommended
in the plan became a reality in 2006 (Photo: KCC) |
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ASHFORD GREEN
CORRIDOR
Interpretive Plan
Client: Kentish Stour Countryside Project
Description: The Ashford Green Corridor is made up of a variety
of urban riverside green spaces, parts of which have been declared
as the UK's first urban river Local Nature Reserve. While linked
by the town's rivers, the sites are very different, ranging from
wet meadows full of wildlife to playing fields, so each had to be
surveyed individually to reveal their interpretive potential. An
extensive visitor survey was also carried out.
The plan's recommendations have all been implemented:
community
heritage project, interpretive panels (see panels
page),
leaflet (see leaflets
and publications),
web site schools
pack.
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One of a series of panels
recommended
in the plan |
CHARING
ALDERBED MEADOW
Interpretation and Education Plan
Client: Charing Alderbed Meadow Steering Group
Description: At just 6 acres, the Alderbed Meadow is probably
the smallest site Clarity have written a plan for. A site assessment
revealed that, despite its small size, the Alderbed Meadow encompasses
many potential interpretive and educational resources. The land
use history of the Alderbed Meadow is a particularly rich area.
Essentially it is an un-managed remnant of pre-industrial agriculture,
and this became the underlying theme of interpretation. A lot of
time was spent on looking at the National Curriculum in relation
to the site as it is frequently used by the local school. A cross-curricular
approach was developed. Interpretive recommendations, including
a wildlife guide booklet (see leaflets
and publications) have been implemented. |
Children's
activity at the
Alderbed Meadow (Photo: KSCP) |
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HEATHS COUNTRYSIDE
CORRIDOR
Interpretive Plan
Client: Heaths Countryside Corridor
Description:
This community group are buying up land close to the Channel Tunnel
Rail Link, bringing it into conservation management and creating
much needed access links. Clarity wrote a plan for their project
area, taking in a number of diverse sites, and implemented interpretation
for Bull Heath, a dis-used sand quarry.
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On-site interpretation recommended
in the plan |
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AYLESFORD
GATEWAY
Interpretation and Access Strategy
Client: Medway Valley Countryside Partnership
Description:
The aim of this project was to look at ways of improving physical
and intellectual access to the Kent Downs and River Medway from
the historic village of Aylesford. Clarity assessed the fantastic
heritage and wildlife resources of this area, and looked at how
the access network could be improved. A leaflet guide to the project
area was also produced.
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This interpretive guide to
the area was an outcome of the project |
