Arthur R. Nicholls, vice-chairman of Kendal Civic Society, reveals how it was formed 50 years ago . . .

THE early 1960s were years of dramatic change in the appearance of parts of Kendal.

Now recovering from the privations of war, people wanted to forget those days and make a fresh start.

Fellside was being made almost completely new and the historic yards of the town were under threat.

It was at this point that a group of concerned residents decided to do their part in ensuring that Kendal was not ruined as an historic town. They formed a Civic Trust in 1963, later renamed Kendal Civic Society.

They were not just ‘do-gooders’, their aim being to promote and encourage the making and maintaining of Kendal as an attractive place in which to live and work and to promote a sense of civic pride.

Not all the old buildings were worth preserving and some of the new building was not of high quality. This gave rise to the society’s motto: ‘Preserve the Best of the Old and Promote the Best of the New.’ It embarked on its first major project and what a project it became. It opposed most vigorously the proposed demolition of the maze of yards between Highgate and Waterside, including the replacement of New Bank Yard with a car park.

It drew up plans to save and restore it to provide 21 dwellings. The fight was long and bitter. At one point it seemed that victory was in sight but then the council changed its mind and the battle was lost.

However, the society had brought to public notice the importance of preserving Kendal’s rich heritage, prompting the restoration of Dr Manning’s Yard off Highgate.

The society became an unofficial watchdog. The unauthorised demolition of part of one Kendal building was reported to the council and the work was stopped and the walls were restored.

The Building Preservation Trust was established and its first project was to save Collin Croft. It restored some of the cobbles and bought derelict properties, restoring them to provide attractive dwellings, and received a Civic Trust Award in 1989.

Following this success it restored the historic Pembroke House in Kirkland and mounted a campaign to rescue the Romney Road footbridge from destruction. It was resited and renamed the Dockwray Bridge, a grant from the trust of £10,000 helping towards the cost of repairs and renewals.

The society has undertaken restoration projects, including the Lime Kiln at Greenside, which remains as an enduring link between the limestone industry and the Kendal Canal.

The society has a close association with the campaign to bring the canal back into Kendal and raised funding for the restoration of the Change Bridge and the steps at Natland Mill Beck Bridge.

It also played an active role in the Millennium Project to restore and preserve the ruins of Kendal Castle, providing the first information plaque on the site and a similar plaque on Castle Howe.

The ancient Anchorite Well on Kirkbarrow was saved from serious neglect and loss and was restored by the society.