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Saving Michelham Priory Moat

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Michelham Priory

Michelham Priory is situated in the beautiful countryside of Upper Dicker, near Hailsham. It is a Grade I listed building, which became a country house in the 1930s and was home to evacuees and troops during WWII. It is currently run by Sussex Archaeological Society, which also cares for Lewes Castle, Anne of Cleves House, and other properties across Sussex.

Michelham Priory boasts Britain’s longest continual medieval water-filled moat, which stretches a mile and encircles its site. The EA is failing in its duty to operate and maintain two water control structures and has not been providing ongoing water and silt management of the River Cuckmere over the past few years. As a result, there is no water supply to the moat during dry weather periods. This has caused the moat to dry out and resulted in damaging a unique natural ecosystem and huge regrowth of invasive vegetation.

The loss of available water in the moat has archaeological and environmental ramifications. The change in levels of soil moisture has led to the gradual drying up of the listed buildings that have stood on the site for centuries, and the lack of water in the moat has also made the historic watermill inoperable. In such unprecedented times that we find ourselves in due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a facility such as this mill is absolutely vital to prevent shortages of flour. Additionally,  The moat has to be de-silted and water has to be returned to it immediately, if the site is to survive and thrive for generations to come.

Nus is hosting an end of day debate in Parliament on the Future of Michelham Priory on Tuesday, 15th September 2020.

"Michelham Priory is a wonderful piece of history and I am proud that Wealden is the home of the UK’s longest medieval water-filled moat. It is absolutely vital that the issue is addressed by the Environment Agency and that the moat is restored. I fully support the Michelham Priory moat restoration project and I am delighted to have the opportunity to raise the issue in Parliament and demand firm commitments from the Ministers to act immediately. To let such a unique, historic site disappear would be a devastating historical, social and economic loss for East Sussex. I am not going to let this happen on my watch.”

 

You can watch the full debate here.

To listen to my interview with Uckfield FM, click here.

Please see below the coverage of the case in Sussex Express and a thank you letter from Sussex Past.

Attachments

Attachment Size
Sussex Express Coverage, 18 September 2020 3.55 MB
Sussex Express Coverage, 9 October 2020 3.93 MB
Sussex Express, 6 November 2020 - Monthly column 2.26 MB
Letter from Sussex Past to Nus Ghani MP 1017.42 KB

News

Michelham Priory

GHANI WELCOMES PROGRESS ON MICHELHAM PRIORY CASE

Tuesday, 24 November, 2020

Nus Ghani, MP for Wealden, is working in partnership with the Environment Agency to save the deteriorating Michelham Priory moat and has welcomed progress that has been made on the case in the last few weeks.

Standard

Letter from Sussex Past

Tuesday, 17 November, 2020
Sussex Express

Sussex Express - Working to preserve treasured heritage

Friday, 6 November, 2020

Read my November article in the Sussex Express, focussing on the importance of preserving the unique heritage of East Sussex and my campaign to save the medieval moat at Michelham Priory.

EA meeting

GHANI MEETS WITH ENVIRONMENT AGENCY TO ADDRESS ISSUES AT MICHELHAM PRIORY

Tuesday, 6 October, 2020

Nus Ghani, MP for Wealden, has met with representatives from the Environment Agency (EA) and Sussex Archaeological Society (SAS), to discuss the future of Michelham Priory moat and implement a management strategy.

Nus Ghani MP

GHANI URGES MINISTER TO SAVE MICHELHAM PRIORY MOAT

Wednesday, 16 September, 2020

Nus Ghani, MP for Wealden, held an urgent debate in Parliament in support of Michelham Priory and urged the Minister to hold the Environment Agency to account and to take action to save its unique, historic moat.

Michelham Priory

GHANI SECURES PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON MICHELHAM PRIORY MOAT

Thursday, 10 September, 2020

Nus Ghani, MP for Wealden, has secured an urgent debate in Parliament in support of Michelham Priory. 
 

Nus Ghani MP

GHANI SUPPORTS MICHELHAM PRIORY IN SAVING ITS MOAT

Wednesday, 26 August, 2020

Nus Ghani, MP for Wealden, has visited Michelham Priory to support its 175th birthday fundraiser and to learn more about the issues surrounding its unique moat.
 

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Nus Ghani MP for Wealden

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