The 6 As of Blanchland are: Archaeology, Acoustics, Archives, Artisans, Audiences in an Abbey
The 6As of Blanchland project is directed by the Blanchland Community Development Organisation (BCDO) in partnership with the Blanchland and Hunstanworth Parochial Church Council (PCC). The project steering group is made up of the vicar, Rev’d Dr Helen Savage who chairs both groups, Alice Ellison, who is church warden and lives on the square, and Denise Herdman who used to farm at Acton. The steering group meets regularly and the 6As project manager reports to each meeting.
The 6As Project Manager is Yvonne Conchie (www.conchie.co), who was also the project manager of the earlier Resilient Heritage Project, and worked with BCDO to develop the 6As project and fnding applications. Yvonne is in charge of managing the other contractors on behalf of the steering group, overseeing the programme of activities, and developing plans for the future reordering of the Abbey building in phase 3, and organising raising the funds to do so.
The 6As Community and Events Co-ordinator is Carolyn Asquith from Cowbyers, who is also the Clerk to the Parish Council. Carolyn leads on developing the events for the project, including supporting future art instalations, recruiting a wide range of people to take part, and promoting the opportunities to join in on the website and social media – essentially the Audiences and Artisans of the 6As.
The Archaeology element of the project is being led by project volunteers Dr Andrew Newton & Dr Sheila Newton both from Edmundbyers. They are both experienced and qualified archaeologists. Sheila is also leading on the Archives research with help from other volunteers. We also have support from Durham University Archaeology Department through their Belief in the North East project for their students to complete a photogrammetry study of the graffiti and some of the stone carvings around the Abbey and village, especially the names written onto the organ case.
The last of the 6 As is Acoustics, and Newcastle University Centre for Landscape are helping us to model the acoustics of the interior space of the Abbey so that we can better undersatnd why the sound is so wonderful in there.
Hopefully all this research will allow us to make plans for remodelling the Abbey church into a warmer, welcoming, flexible place, centering its authentic heritage to help this community thrive for centuries in to the future.
