THE WELCOMBE ESTATE
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR ,—Sir William Beach Thomas need not be alarmed. The landscape which Shakespeare knew so well and which had such an influence on his writings is to be preserved. It is, possibly, even more beautiful to-day than it was in his day for, according to old maps, part of this undulating park land was then broken up into strips of arable land. The price Paid for the land within sight of the road to Warwick is many times its agricultural value ; but, thanks to the good feeling Of the vendor, it was acquired at a figure which is believed to be far below that which he would have received had these thirteen iota been submitted to public auction. Sir William makes no suggestion as to how this great difference in values was to be met.
The Council for the Preservation of Rural England, on the other hand, combining idealism with common sense, suggested that par* of this might be provided by the sale of other land included in the purchase which is not within sight of the road from Warwick.
While the cost of preserving the picture may, under the guidance of the C.P.R.E., be lessened in this way, we have to face the danger that this cost may be increased by threatened legislation. Undeterred by the failure of Mr. Lloyd George in this matter, the present Government have stated that they hope to raise many millions by another attempt at taxing undeveloped land.
The agricultural or prairie value of this frontage land is, approximately, £40 an acre. A Government valuer might easily claim that it is, worth twenty times this figure since, adjoining land less favourably situated is being sold at as much as £800 an acre. An owner who imposes a restriction that it shall be retained as park land for its beauty's sake may, therefore, be 'called upon to pay a heavy undeveloped land tax. I have no doubt, however, that a plan can be devised to avoid this. I agree with Sir William that to destroy its character would be guilty of high treason to Shakespeare and to England. This must and will be prevented—whatever
the cost.—I am, Sir, &e., ARCHIBALD FLOWER. The Hill, Stratford-on-Avon.
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