Bellmount Tower is a Grade II* listed folly in the grounds of Belton House, Grantham owned by the National Trust. Adjacent the grounds lie Londonthorpe Wood and Alma Wood, which are owned by the Woodland Trust. Both the Belton Estate and the woodland were used as a training centre by the Machine Gun Corps during the First World War. Remains of the former camp include a concrete water tank and a firing range that can still be seen today, although these have no listed status.
The tower was restored in the late 1980s, but without a sustainable use it has fallen back into disrepair and has been subject to vandalism. AJA were approached by the National Trust and the Woodland Trust, who were wanting to create a walking trail through the woods, which took in Bellmount Tower and allowed it to be opened up to the public. The scheme looks to restore the folly once again whilst adding interpretation works to teach the public about the role of Belton in the First World War.
AJA worked alongside structural engineers to survey the condition of the buildings and outline the necessary works. An ecology survey established that bats were using the tower as a maternity roost. The recommendations of the reports were carefully considered within our proposals, to ensure the best possible outcome for the Tower.
Liaising with the client and the Local Authority Conservation Officer, AJA produced designs for replacement and reinstated windows and specified suitable replacement render to the outside of the tower. These details were submitted as part of a Listed Building Consent application, which was granted.
National Trust
Following Heritage Lottery Funding and other funding efforts, extensive restoration works are due to begin this year, with the aim of opening up the folly to the public.
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