Titterstone Clee Heritage Trust

About

TCHT was formed by enthusiasts for the rich heritage of Titterstone Clee, with the following aims:

1. To conserve and enhance Titterstone Clee Hill and its surrounding environs, its heritage, history, flora and fauna, geology and substantial cultural remains
2. To make known to the people of Shropshire visitors to Shropshire and the nation at large the unique nature of Titterstone Clee and its features of special archaeological, geological, historical and natural historical interest
3. To establish and run a resource/study/visitor centre in furtherance of objects (1) and (2) above built using sustainable building techniques and sustainable energy techniques and thus promoting energy efficiency and sustainability in a rural environment

The creation of Titterstone Clee Heritage Trust (TCHT) was the first step towards forging a substantial community project. The aims of which are to enhance public awareness of the Hill, provide protection by community involvement to ensure the long term sustainability of the Hill and to plan and build a Pride of Place centre for visitors to the hill.

There is no doubt that Titterstone Clee is a regionally valuable landscape which is largely unknown to the general public, it can be reasonably argued that it is also both a national and internationally significant landscape rich in both cultural and natural history. Strategically positioned on the main arterial route from the densely populated industrial West Midland to the Welsh holiday destinations lying to the west it has considerable potential for presentation.

There is also clear potential for such a resource, sensitively managed to become a significant part of the local economy providing locally based jobs in the tourist sector.

The Vision

• A self-sufficient resource and visitor centre could be built from local materials. The centre would be a focus for the hill and would disseminate information relating to the hill. It would also demonstrate by using current sustainable building techniques and sustainable energy technologies, a variety of innovative environmental benefits from energy efficiency to waste management. The influence of such a showcase centre, promoting energy efficiency and sustainability in a rural environment, has the potential to make a long term contribution to alleviate some of the problems that rural communities are likely to face in the future.
• The centre would include innovative ways of presenting information on the many diverse information streams relating to the hill, geology, natural history, prehistory, history, quarrying, mining history of the hill. Increased perception on the rich and diverse natural environment would help to ensure its future conservation and sympathetic future management.
• A facility to provide resources for local schools is also seen as a key element facilitating access to the resources of the hill possibly with a residential study centre element. Ties could be made with children elsewhere, including urban centres in the UK and an exchange with children from overseas where communities face similar rural environmental concerns.