KHEPT Going For 40 Years! The Knebworth House Education and Preservation Trust (KHEPT) charity is celebrating its 40th Anniversary. Since its creation in May 1984, the charity has worked tirelessly to preserve, restore, interpret and provide access to Knebworth House and Gardens. Its nine volunteer Trustees are immensely proud of the progress that has been made during that time. Declared a ‘Priority Building At Risk’ by English Heritage, six phases of Knebworth House’s ten-phase urgent restoration progamme have been completed over four decades, through careful and creative management of limited resources. The remaining four phases will require an eight-figure sum, but land designated for Local Plan development in KB2 has been donated to KHEPT which should significantly assist in completing this programme.
Pictured below are Trustees (prior to the local elections, L to R): Cllr. Roger Willcocks, Chair of Knebworth Parish Council; David Morgan, retiring after a remarkable 32 years’ service; Marcus Taverner KC; Cllr Daniel Allen, Chair of North Herts Council; Morwenna Cobbold Bush; John Hoy; Cllr Myla Arceno, Mayor of Stevenage; Bob Rutter, Chair; and Edward Lytton Cobbold. A visit to the new exhibition of Knebworth House’s use as a Film Location is indication of the progress KHEPT has made over 40 years. The exhibit displays chronologically all 90 films that have been made here since 1956. In the early ones Knebworth House tended to play run-down old ruins and forgotten gothic castles. In the more recent ones the house has been playing palaces and home to royalty. Knebworth House is clearly moving in the right direction and that is thanks to the commitment and dedicated work of KHEPT trustees over four decades. Happy Anniversary KHEPT!
Henry Lytton Cobbold
@HenryCobboldKH
