BB_Sept 11.pdf - Biggleswade Rugby Club

28 BIGGLESWADE BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2011 TEL: 01234 843905 EDITORIAL: editorial@biggleswadebulletin.co.ukOUT AND ABOUTSANDY TOURIST INFORMATION CENTREIF YOU travel to any part of thecountry and people ask you where doyou live and you mention “Sandy, ornear Sandy in Bedfordshire”, theywill often respond “Ah, the RSPB”.The RSPB (Royal Society for theProtection of Birds) has had its headquartersin Sandy since 1961 whenthe Society moved from EcclestonSquare in London to the Elizabethanstyle mansion standing in beautifulwooded grounds in the Bedfordshirecountryside.This year therefore marks the50th anniversary of the Society havingits home in Sandy and a numberof events are being held to mark this.Please see posters and flyers displayedin the Tourist InformationCentre.The Lodge reserve has manythousands of visitors a year. Perhapsyou are local and enjoy a walk in thelovely landscape or a meander in thegardens that surround the house, or avisitor from this country or abroadenjoying the same simple pleasure.You might be someone with aninterest in seeing the wildlife there orthe expert ornithologist armed withtelescopes, cameras, etc.Whoever you are, The Lodge isone of Bedfordshire main attractions.A. Do you know about The Lodgeand its fascinating history?Did you know that it was built byfor one of the most importantSpeaker’s of the House ofCommons?Did you know that in the 1930’s,large shooting parties were held atThe Lodge and one of the guests wasVon Ribbentrop, then GermanAmbassador – later a leading Nazi?The Peel family purchased theSandy Warren estate in 1851. It wasbought by William, third son SirRobert Peel the famous PrimeMinister and founder of the modernpolice force. William was a famousnaval hero and one of the first recipientsof the Victoria Cross. He builtthe Swiss Cottage (now the RSPBGatehouse) and also built his ownrailway line from Sandy to Potton.During the Indian Muting in 1858 hewas wounded and contracted smallpoxand died aged 33.Three marble statues were erectedto his memory in Sandy ParishChurch, at Greenwich and in India.All were carved by Queen Victoria’sfavourite sculptor, William Theed.His youngest brother, ArthurWellesley Peel inherited the estate in1862 and lived at the Swiss Cottagewith his family. He was a Liberalpolitician and was a famous Speakerof the House of Commons. In 1870he commissioned the architect,Henry Clutton to build a large mansionin the Elizabethan style closer tothe edge of the greensand ridge, thusgiving far reaching views over theBedfordshire countryside. Cluttonalso designed Woburn Church andOld Warden Park for theShuttleworth family. The Peel familylived at The Lodge until 1934 whenthe house, grounds and estate weresold to Sir Malcolm Stewart,Chairman of the London BrickCompany.Sir Malcolm had the gardens relandscapedin a classical but simpleItalian style, including the buildingof a large concrete swimming poolon the main lawns. The Stewartsfilled the house with treasures,including paintings byGainsborough, Reynolds, etcmedieval and Georgian tapestriesand fine furniture. The Stewart’s soldthe estate in 1960 and it was purchasedby a commercial forestrycompany. The following year, theRSPB moved its offices to Sandy,purchasing the mansion, gardens and24 acres of grounds from a commercialforestry company, for the sum of£25,000.Originally, the staff not onlyworked but lived in the house. Overthe years a number of new buildingshave been erected and now over 400people work at The Lodge, thus makingit Sandy’s main employer.B Do you know about the RSPB?The RSPB was formed to counterthe barbarous trade in plumes forwomen’s hats, a fashion responsiblefor the destruction of many thousandsof egrets, birds of paradise andother species whose plumes hadbecome fashionable in the lateVictorian era. The Society’s work isdriven by a passionate belief that weall have a responsibility to protectbirds and the environment. Bird populationsreflect the health of the planeton which our future depends.The nature reserve at the Lodgehas grown, along with the Society,which had 10,000 members in 1961but now has over a million. TheSociety manages four times moreland here than they did 10 years ago.There are new trails (which now total5 miles) to enjoy and the Society arerestoring 100 hectares of formerconifer woodland to a heath landlandscape. Plans for visitors in thefuture include a café, wildlife gardenand a children‘s discovery zone at theGatehouse.If you require more details aboutthe historic town of Sandy, TheLodge and the many events heldthere during the year, call in fordetails at the Tourist InformationCentre.Also we have details of walks thatpass through or close to the reserve,and many other local walk leaflets.We have so much information aboutthe locality and the whole country –call in and see us.