The grounds surrounding Bath’s historic Beckford’s Tower are set to be restored after the charity that owns the museum received a large donation from a Wiltshire-based man.
Stephen Morant, who owns 19th century novelist [William] Beckford’s former estate in Fonthill, Wiltshire, has given an undisclosed sum to the Bath Preservation Trust (BPT).
The charity is responsible for Bath’s cultural heritage and owns and operates four museums in the city including Beckford’s Tower.
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It is now planning to restore the 2.5-acre site so visitors are able to experience Beckford’s gardens and grotto as they were presented almost 200 years ago.
"The purchase is thanks to an incredibly generous donation from Stephen Morant," a spokesperson for the trust said.
“Over time, the original walls of the tower garden have fallen into disrepair and the paddocks became overgrown with brambles – making the grotto completely inaccessible.
“Now, having secured their purchase [we] plan to bring the historic grassland land back into its relationship with the tower and again form part of its original setting.”
According to the charity, the site forms a significant part of what was known as ‘Beckford’s Ride’ and features a grotto tunnel and avenue of lime trees, which Beckford planted in the 1800s.
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The Beckford family largely built its fortune on the slave trade - and its involvement with slavery can be traced in the buildings and collections they created, including Beckford's Tower.
Beckford's father owned a number of plantations in Jamaica, which his son inherited at the age of 10. The family's fortunes began to dwindle after the abolition of slavery in 1807 and by 1822 Beckford junior was massively in debt.
He sold Fonthill and moved to Bath, where he began building Lansdown Tower - which would later become Beckford's Tower - in 1825.
The BPT was set up in 1934 to safeguard Bath, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only complete city in the 海角视频 with World Heritage Status.
This week the BPT announced its chief executive Caroline Kay was stepping down after 13 years in the role. The charity is now looking for someone to fill the top job, which has a salary of £60,000.