A model of a village at Bourton-on-the-Water has been listed at Grade II.
One of the first villages in England in model form has been given Grade II listed status by Heritage Minister Ed Vaizey on the recommendation of English Heritage. Built in 1936, Bourton-on-the-Water Model Village is a snapshot in miniature of a typically picturesque Cotswold village. It has been visited and enjoyed by generations and is now formally recognised through listing for its rarity, craftsmanship and historical value.
Heritage Minister Ed Vaizey said: ‘This may be a highly unusual listing but it is no less worthy of its Grade II listed status. The craftsmanship involved in creating what is a hugely loved family attraction is second to none and I’m delighted that in listing we have preserved the work of the local people who built the model village and protected its history for future generations.’
Deborah Williams, Head of Designation for the West, at English Heritage, said ‘Bourton-on-the-Water model village has been a beloved family attraction for decades. As one of the first model villages, and with such excellent craftsmanship, this charming creation fully deserves Grade II listing. Its value is greatly added to by the number of listed buildings the model village records and the fact it is set within the grounds of a Grade II listed pub.’
The pub stayed in the hands of the Morris family until 1999. They and the subsequent owners have worked to keep the model village as up to date as possible, regularly updating the shop signs and windows as the full-size buildings on which they were modelled undergo changes.
Bourton-on-the-Water Model Village is thought to be the second ever built in the UK, the first being Bekonscot at Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire, built by Roland Callingham as a personal project in the late 1920’s. Mr Callingham found that interest in his miniature park was so great he decided to open it up to the public. It is thought most model villages we know today were inspired by Bekonscot.
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