Institute of Historic Building Conservation No 111 September 2009 IHBC Annual School in Buxton Conservation: a key to sustainable design
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C O N T E X T 1 1 1 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 9 1 Cover: The Duke of Devonshire’s riding stables, converted and now part of the University of Derby, was the venue for the Annual School fringe. (Photo: Jonathan Taylor) Editorial The Institute of historic building conservation www.ihbc.org.uk Registered as a Charity Number 1061593. Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England Number 3333780. Registered Office: 3 Stafford Road,TunbridgeWells, Kent TN2 4QZ. Officers President Eddie Booth email president@ihbc.org.uk Chairman Dave Chetwyn email chair@ihbc.org.uk Vice Chair Sheila Stones email vchair@ihbc.org.uk Secretary Richard Morrice email secretary@ihbc.org.uk Treasurer Michael Knights email treasurer@ihbc.org.uk Membership Secretary Jo Evans email membership@ihbc.org.uk Education Secretary John Preston email education@ihbc.org.uk Publicity Secretary Doug Black email publicity@ihbc.org.uk Law & Practice Coordinator vacant email law@ihbc.org.uk Director Seán O’Reilly email director@ihbc.org.uk Projects Officer Fiona Newton email projects@ihbc.org.uk Consultant Consultations Coordinator James Caird email consultations@ihbc.org.uk Membership Services Officer Devon DeCelles email membershipservices@ihbc.org.uk Administration Officer Lydia Porter email admin@ihbc.org.uk Committee Chairs Policy Mike Brown email policy@ihbc.org.uk Membership & Ethics Jo Evans email membership@ihbc.org.uk Finance & Resources Richard Morrice email resources@ihbc.org.uk Education John Preston email education@ihbc.org.uk Communications & Outreach Charles Strang email communications@ihbc.org.uk Branch Officers North Geoff Underwood Tel 0191 433 3435 NorthWest Kate Borland Tel 0161 2344556 Yorkshire Keith Knight Tel 01904 658482 West Midlands Charles Shapcott Tel 0121 7044312 East Midlands Roy Lewis Tel 01623 756623 South Julia Foster Tel 01296 585888 SouthWest Ian LundTel 01225 477687 East Anglia StaceyWeiser-Jones Tel 01954 713178 South East David Kincaid Tel 01227 862185 London David McDonald Tel 020 8881 6724 Scotland Stuart Eydmann Tel 01506 775279 Wales Nathan Blanchard Tel 01492 583443 Northern Ireland Sharon BrownTel 028 9754 3087 Republic of Ireland Cormac O’Sullivan Tel 00353 5677 62907 Business Office Jubilee House, High Street, Tisbury, Wiltshire SP3 6HA England Tel 01747 873133 Fax 01747 871718 email admin@ihbc.org.uk Institute ofHistoricBuildingConservation No 111 September2009 IHBC Annual School in Buxton Conservation: a key to sustainable design Galvanised at Buxton From the moment the 2009 IHBC Annual School opened, with its Star Wars rolling credits and introductions of the organising team, it was clear that this year’s event would be something special. A record number of delegates had been attracted to Buxton and, exceptionally, bookings closed early. Clearly the theme of conservation as a key to sustainable design had wide appeal – the packed Day School was the institute’s largest to date. The choice of theme also demonstrated the concerns of, and role to be played by, the heritage sector on this increasingly important subject. The reports in this issue of Context on the presentations by a succession of excellent speakers will hopefully convey a flavour of the topics discussed. The speakers did not only address the challenges we face, but also some of the solutions that often go unheralded outside a sector long used to promoting the sustainability of its work in a local context. If the urgency and the scale of the task now facing us had been in any doubt, they were dramatically outlined by the school’s keynote speaker, Hugh Ellis of Friends of the Earth. His galvanising, compelling, eloquent address, without the need for notes or illustrations, transfixed his audience, and will have inspired many of those present (but may have daunted others). The 2009 school demonstrated that often small-scale, local, heritage-led initiatives throughout the sector are quietly and effectively responding to climate change and making a difference. The old saying ‘think global, act local’ seems as relevant as ever for all of us, as a simple expression of what the sector must continue to promote if heritage is to be at the heart of sustainability. Bob Kindred is guest editor of the Annual School report which starts on p10. Briefing 2 Out of Context 3 Letters 4 Periodically 5 The writer’s voice 7 IHBC Annual School 2009 Global thoughts from Buxton at the Annual School Allan Morrison 10 Buxton walkabout John Gerrard 11 The Crescent Kate Borland 12 Annual School fringe 13 Day school Threats and opportunities: the historic environment and climate change SarahWoodcock 14 Is conservation of the historic environment a sustainable activity? (Part 1) David McDonald 15 Is conservation of the historic environment a sustainable activity? (Part 2) Dave Burton-Pye 16 Climate change and the historic environment: a European perspective Jane Jackson 17 How can we make historic buildings more sustainable? Mark Price 18 The potential of BREEAM-In-Use Edward Holland 19 Climate change and designed landscapes John Preston 20 Understanding micro-generation Robin Kent 21 Building regulations and traditional buildings Kate Dickson 22 Sustainability and contemporary design Marion Barter 23 Building materials and sustainability Alison Henry 23 Seminars and tours Practical Hemcrete workshop Sally Stradling 24 The Peak District National Park Jason Mordan 25 Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Dave Bullen 25 Derwent Valley Mills and Derby Roundhouse tour Justine Page 26 Derby Roundhouse Fiona Newton 27 Sustainability and large historic houses and estates Gail Broom 28 Chatsworth Gardens tour Liz Marten 28 Peak District tour Phil Godwin 29 Related articles The social cost of conserving Brasilia Bridget Pereira 31 Tourism and heritage in north-west Spain Eva Mendez 35 Making historic buildings even more sustainable ChrisWood 39 Climate change and a sense of perspective Oliver Chapman 43 Architecturally speaking 46 IHBC consultation responses 47 Notes from the chair 48 Director’s cut 49 Conference report: AHSS and DoCoMoMo International 50 Book reviews 51 Products and services 53 Advertisers index 56
2 C O N T E X T 1 1 1 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 9 Context Briefing Copy deadlines Context is published five times a year, in March, May, July, September and November. The deadline for submission of material for issue 113 (March 2010) is 15 January. Editor Rob Cowan Editorial Coordinator Fiona Newton 21 George Street, Louth, Lincolnshire LN11 9JU Tel 01507 602567 email editorial@ihbc.org.uk Editorial Board Fiona Newton (chair) Susan Brook (regular contributors) Nigel Crowe (main features) Peter de Figueiredo (book reviews) Michael Taylor (main features) Cartoons by Rob Cowan Context is distributed to all members of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation. © Institute of Historic Building Conservation 2009 ISSN 0958-2746 Publisher Published for the Institute of Historic Building Conservation by Cathedral Communications Limited, High Street, Tisbury,Wiltshire, England SP3 6HA Tel 01747 871717 Fax 01747 871718 email context@cathcomm.co.uk www.buildingconservation.com Non-member subscriptions to Context Context is available to non-members of the IHBC at an annual subscription rate, including postage, of: United Kingdom £50.00 Elsewhere £75.00 Subscription orders, together with remittances payable to Institute of Historic Building Conservation, should be sent to the IHBC Business Office at Jubilee House, High Street, Tisbury, Wiltshire SP3 6HA. The views expressed in Context are not necessarily held by the IHBC or the publisher. Neither the publisher nor the IHBC shall be under any liability whatsoever in respect of contributed articles. We gratefully acknowledge the support of firms whose advertisements appear throughout this publication.While every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this issue of Context is current and correct, neither the IHBC nor the publisher can be held responsible for any errors or omissions which may occur. Advice on bell-frames Further to Brian Morton’s article (‘Bell-frames under threat’, Context 110, July 2009), readers might wish to be aware of three helpful publications dealing with these issues. SPAB Technical Pamphlet 14 Timber Bell Frames (1998) by Anthony Drew-Andrews and David Lodge, although not a comprehensive repair manual, is a very good general introduction to the issues and principles involved, and a reminder that repair should be actively investigated. The Archaeology of Bell Frames: recording and preservation (c1995), edited by Christopher J Brooke, published by Nottinghamshire County Council in association with the IfA, is also very useful. The Conservation and Repair of Bells and Bell Frames: code of Practice (2002) was published by the Council for the Care of Churches. Bob Kindred Agri-environment scheme Carole Ryan (IHBC rural representative) writes: Further to Context 110 (July) on the theme of the Rural Dimension, and to the 2007 conference seminar on the new Countryside Stewardship scheme, IHBC members are reminded that the former very successful Countryside Stewardship Scheme has been reborn as the Agri-environment Higher Level Scheme (HLS) and the Entry Level Scheme (ELS). Most farmers are being encouraged into the latter and those with very special areas of landscape, into the former, where grants for the repair of historic farm buildings in particular may be obtainable. Both are funded by DEFRA, and administered by Natural England, as the article in Context 110 by Susan Hardwick, senior historic specialist for Natural England, describes. This HLS is a superb scheme for dealing with problem historic farm buildings, but is not without its own issues, such as how to apply the ethics of conservation and deciding upon the level of restoration. Members who are conservation officers, and those in private practice, may well have been involved in these discussions. Case studies which address these issues would be most welcome. A photograph and a brief indication of the project and the conservation ethics issues are all that is required to enable further discussion of this useful scheme at IHBC policy level. Please feel free to address any other rural issues as well, such as design for new build in villages, affordable rural housing, and the listing of rural buildings. Contact me at rural@ihbc.org.uk. Built to impress The interior of the keep at Dover Castle has undergone a major refurbishment by English Heritage to recreate the splendour of a royal court in the late 12th century. The work was prompted by new research which suggests that Henry II (1154-1189) built the keep or the Great Tower for public relations reasons rather than for defence: as a magnificent palace so that foreign pilgrims on their way to the popular shrine to Thomas Becket would be greeted with an unequivocal symbol of his own wealth and power before they reached Canterbury. The historian John Gillingham argues that the king hoped that the symbol of royal power would help to counter the growing cult around the saint. Art deco in the valleys The Heritage Lottery Fund has agreed to provide development funding for a project to restore the Grade II* listed Newbridge Memorial Hall. The hall missed out on winning the UK final of the BBC2 Restoration programme. Built in 1925 as a war memorial, it houses the largest ballroom in the SouthWales valleys and has a magnificent art deco auditorium. Canmore online A national online database that holds information on and images of more than 280,000 of Scotland’s buildings and built archaeology is opening its files so that members of the public can add their own knowledge directly to its archives. RCAHMS, the national collection of images and items about Scotland’s built heritage, maintains a searchable website allowing quick access to archive materials about the built heritage throughout Scotland, ranging
C O N T E X T 1 1 1 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 9 3 ‘IT IS ASTOUNDING that the newspaper highlights unsubstantiated and uncorroborated allegations from a health trust clearly identified as dysfunctional, without referring to the wide-ranging systemic failings in the trust highlighted by its regulator. The press report ignored the regulator’s conclusions that “the system that the trust had in place to [ensure that services were safe and people were protected] was seriously flawed”. Clearly the newspaper’s report is no less seriously flawed. ‘It is unacceptable that an 82-page critique of a key health body – raising issues that everyone cares about – should be sidelined in favour of a marginal allegation largely dismissed by the inspecting body itself. For a health report to appear to blame eight suicides on a historic building, without reporting the failings of those in charge of care, is misleading at best, and potentially irresponsible. ‘Any competent organisation responsible for listed buildings should know that it can get free and informed advice from their local authority or national heritage agencies such as English Heritage, while the IHBC provides a web-based list of specialists who can give detailed advice on conservation issues. As the NHS is producing guidance on the health benefits of features in traditional buildings and places, it seems particularly perverse that a health report in the press should try to use rumours about old buildings to cover up the very management failings it should be highlighting.’ IHBC director Seán O’Reilly responding to allegations in the Independent newspaper that the listing of Broadmoor Prison hampered patient care. ‘IF THERE had been cases where patients hanged themselves from the bars we would treat it very seriously. Just because a building is listed does not mean it can not be changed.We would ask what is the justification and, if it were to reduce suicides, then that would be a robust justification.’ Nigel Barker of English Heritage commenting on the same report from ancient archaeological sites to the latest architectural projects. Its main web-based archive, Canmore, is now interactive. Members of the public can add detail to any of Canmore’s 280,000 places of interest and upload copies of their own site photos to share with other users. The project has received Heritage Lottery funding. http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/ Bute connections The Bute Houses Partnership is a new, collaborative venture between four of historic buildings: the classical Dumfries House in Ayrshire, the gothic revival Cardiff Castle and Mount Stuart on the Isle of Bute, and the House of Falkland in Fife. The buildings are linked by being or having been in the ownership of the Bute family. The Bute Houses Partnership aims to extend the buildings’ historic links and help a wider public enjoy them. Plans for Piece Hall Plans are being drawn up for a £16 million redevelopment of the 18th century Grade I listed Piece Hall in Halifax. The proposals include upgrading the courtyard into a town square, creating a demountable stage for largescale events, and developing shops, restaurants and creative businesses. The designs have been drawn up architects Evans Vettori, working with conservation architect Jessica Sutcliffe. The Grade I listed building’s Georgian architecture has been described by architectural historian James Stevens Curl as ‘one of the grandest classical sights in England’. Conceived in 1774 to provide facilities for the woollen cloth trade, it remains the only building of its kind in Britain. It is thought that the Piece Hall came close to demolition in 1972. At a meeting to decide its fate, only the chairman’s casting vote is said to have saved it from being destroyed to make way for a shopping centre. Wasted assets Around 200,000 developable listed and historic buildings are lying empty and decaying in the UK because owners and developers fear or do not understand relevant building regulations. That is the assessment of Janice Gooch, historic and listed buildings conservation advisor with construction consultancy McBains Cooper. Many of those buildings, in their prime, would be more efficient and better value than new-build property, Gooch says. ‘Owners and developers are wary of historic building regulations, and expect aggravation and red tape. But conservation officers actually much prefer a responsible and proper owner to develop and put a building to use rather than leave it idle and crumbling.’ Welsh survivor Clare Moody writes: The traditional ‘tyddundod’, or long house, is part of Wales’ cultural landscape but few survive in anything like their original 18th century condition. In the hills surrounding the market town of Machynlleth, Powys, however, there is a rare example of a tyddundod which has remained unchanged for generations. A retired couple has taken on the task of restoring the building. Originally intended as a building where farm workers would live under the same roof as their animals, separated by an adjoining wall, most tyddundods were extensively modernised as the rural population became more affluent. In the original construction, the tyddundod would have a sloping floor in the cattle’s quarters to allow the manure to slide out through slots in the wall. The first stage of renovation to allow people to occupy that part of the building was usually a level wooden floor. It is at this stage of development that Mr and Mrs Humphries found the Machynlleth cottage. Architect Geraint Roberts is behind the plans to convert the building into a holiday home. The team has worked closely with Cadw to ensure that as much of the fabric of the building as possible is preserved. One of the most complex areas of restoration is the roof. Slated with small, randomly sized slates from local quarries that ceased to operate long ago, it is of an unusual construction that would always have allowed water into the house, long before it fell in to disrepair. Under restoration, as many of the original slates as possible will be re-used, with the remainder being custom-made to match the original byWelsh Slate using traditional Welsh slate from the company’s Cwt-y-Bugail quarry.
4 C O N T E X T 1 1 1 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 9 Letters Vernacular under threat From Peter Richards, by email I am not sure what message, if any, the cover of Context 110 (July) was meant to send. I can find no reference to it, other than the photo credit, in the magazine. I find it disturbing that we are illustrating, without comment, the use of top-hung night vents on such an interesting historic building. In two cases these lights unbalance the symmetry of the faces. furthermore the frames look disturbingly UPvcish. even more unsympathetic is the use of one standard casement type on all faces of a vernacular building which seems to have developed incrementally over generations. There must at some stage have been a variety of window types reflecting the different roof and wall patterns. over the past 20 years I have noticed, all over the kingdom, an increasing lack of sensitivity to the nuances of vernacular buildings in the countryside, often with designers trying hard to standardise and organise cottages and modest houses, hiding the haphazard nature of the manner in which such buildings have developed. This approach does not seem to have been resisted in many rural areas. Is this the lack of concern by conservation officers, or are they too busy, or are they not even in post? Peter Richards Institute of Historic Building Conservation No 110 July 2009 The rural dimension ‘AlThoUgh we have won the case I am extremely saddened that in the process we have lost a truly fine and decorative example of a 17th century oak staircase and part of the brecon town heritage. It goes without saying that the cultural and historic value of listed buildings is of the utmost importance to the national park.’ Conservation officerWill Hughes commenting on the £1,000 fine and £2,900 costs imposed on the owner of a property in Brecon for altering a Grade II-listed building without listed building consent. ‘I WoKe UP this morning in the 21st century and there was nothing I could do about it.’ Architect Robert Adam speaking at a debate about the controversy over the replacement of Lord Rogers as architect for the redevelopment of Chelsea Barracks. ‘The clUb is open to all who have had buildings destroyed in their lifetimes, simple as that. There are very few rules, we never meet up, I don’t even know who they all are. Self knowledge makes you a member of the club, it’s all a fantasy but not an entirely empty fantasy. ‘certain ground rules have nonetheless been put forward as means of providing club coherence. firstly the building’s architect must be alive and not party to its destruction, secondly the building must be built with the intention of permanence (exhibitions, shops and interiors are not eligible) and thirdly it must be deliberately destroyed or radically altered, it can’t simply burn down. The worst thing you can do is connive in the destruction of your own building and such involvement would lead to lifetime disbarment from the club. ‘Architects are not trying to say a building is good or bad. buildings should be reused as much as possible, careless knocking down of landmarks illustrates the fragility of their masterworks. I’m a great believer that buildings should be reused as much as possible, the public are entitled to live in a somewhat stable visual environment. ‘It’s a bit like losing a baby, we don’t want to shame people. It’s a very touchy matter whether replacements are the superior or not, it’s subject to the vagaries of public opinion and the architect is never in charge, they are always at the behest of instructions from the client.’ Architect Isi Metzstein explaining the Rubble Club in Prospect magazine ‘We [and the Prince of Wales] share a high proportion of the same objectives on issues like craft training, buildings at risk, traditional materials and energy saving. Indeed we commend him for the various initiatives he has taken. ‘however we do hold differing views on the best way to repair and extend old buildings, arguing for good, new design rather than reliance on past styles. This has been the society’s view since its foundation byWilliam Morris in 1877. Indeed the society’s manifesto warns against “feeble and lifeless forgeries”. ‘historic buildings inevitably change and adapt over time. As they evolve they generally contain elements from different historical periods. This adds to their interest and story. We hope that future generations will look back at the extensions and alterations made today, and value them as worthwhile contributions of our own time.What matters to us is first-class design, materials and craftsmanship. for example, the recent refectory at norwich cathedral seems to us a successful marriage between new and old.’ SPAB secretary PhilipVenning expressing his regret that the Prince ofWales was unable to renew his patronage of the society when it expired last year. ‘In SoMe cases it might make more sense to rationalise the stock or redevelop an existing estate. There may be money available for estate renewal and affordable new build and things like that.’ David Lunts, London head of the Homes and Communities Agency, advising local authorities that have lost out on funding for refurbishing council homes to consider demolishing them and rebuilding.This follows the government’s decision to divert £150 million from the Decent Homes refurbishment programme into new house building.
C O N T E X T 1 1 1 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 9 5 Periodically It is sometimes said that we live in a highly pressured culture where a threeminute attention span is the norm. There is an insidious trend, if not to dumb-down some heritage publications, certainly to provide material in more bite-sized, ‘information-lite’ chunks. These are neither very informative, nor particularly useful. There may be a desire among some organisations to attract a wider, non-professional audience – but if knowledge is power, some periodicals appear to be underestimating the fervour of their readership for greater depth. This may ultimately be counter-productive. If subjects published at length are becoming less commonplace, it is satisfying to be able to highlight them here. It is always a pleasure to welcome the annual ASCHB Transactions (Vol 31) – the journal of Association for Studies in the Conservation of Historic Buildings – especially since it started being illustrated in colour (Vol 27). The journal is able to deal with its subject matter in depth. The resolution of complex repair and reinstatement issues and overviews dominate the latest edition. Philip Emery and Jacqueline Heath explain the works to diagnose the cause of conspicuous ongoing settlement to the South Steps of Westminster Great Hall (listed Grade I and part of the Westminster World Heritage Site). They describe the remedial works to arrest the movement in a collaboration involving engineers and archaeologists. The article highlights the value of critical appraisal of conservation priorities and managing the archaeological impact. It explains the conservation principles involved and the importance of documenting the professionals’ own decision-making. The case provided an opportunity to enhance public access and understanding, while still meeting the ever-tightening security constraints imposed by the Palace of Westminster. Clive England describes the restoration of the c1750 Bishop Sherlock’s Room at Fulham Palace. The restoration has raised substantial philosophical issues, including those of sustainability. The palace ceased to be the rural seat of the Bishops of London in 1973, after almost 1,300 years. The article deals with the first phase of the master plan initiated in 2005-6. This phase reinstated a magnificent room, which had been converted to a kitchen in c1816 by SP Cockerell and was used more recently as a computer room. The third of the complex issues concerns the roof of the Reform Club in Pall Mall (Grade I). This is one of the best Victorian buildings in Britain, designed by Charles Barry and completed in 1841. The splendid and unusual slate roof is now covered with Italian terracotta tiles. The article traces the history and problems of this ‘patent slated’ roof. Various solutions were debated, such as lead reproofing imitating slate and attempted replication in slate, before the covering was changed for something completely different. The article describes the various technical issues faced by the architect, the tile manufacturer and the contractor. The two overviews differ markedly. The first is written by Alasdair Glass, formerly senior project director at English Heritage and now a consultant architect at Donald Insall Associates. Glass reviews the 50 years of building conservation undertaken by Insall, as expressed in Living Buildings, Insall’s recent follow-up to his 1972 book Care of Old Buildings Today. The new book has a different purpose, and Glass sees this as a valedictory testament to an exceptional and long career. The text concentrates on what really matters now, rather than ‘the ephemeral trivia which can threaten to overwhelm practical common sense’. The second overview is by John Fidler, formerly conservation director at English Heritage and now a resident of sunny southern California. Fidler is well placed to take as his point of departure the recent 40th anniversary of the Association of Preservation Technology, and comparisons between UK and US practice. He makes telling observations about American insularity – fewer than 20 per cent of US citizens have passports, compared to 81 per cent in the UK – and relative cultural isolation. Fidler highlights the size of the US building professionals (and the lack of a national body representing structural engineers), obvious differences in the approach to legislation (and our ‘common language’), and the effects of extreme climate ranges across the North American continent on buildings and their conservation. Fidler describes the methods of work in his Los Angeles practice, and illustrates some of the remarkably varied heritage projects carried out by his firm Simpson, Gumpertz and Heger. He concludes with a fascinating case study: the extensive repair of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House in Hollywood (a location for Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner), constructed of concrete blocks influenced by Mayan architecture. This journal is a very wellillustrated and fascinating read, and well worth seeking out. The July 2009 edition of the Journal of Architectural Conservation (Vol 15, No 2) has five very interesting and wide-ranging articles. These are likely to be of interest and relevance to conservation practitioners, because of the thoroughness with which they address their subjects. The severely decayed listed boathouse at Belton House in Lincolnshire, owned by the National Trust, is an early work of Anthony Salvin and a rare surviving
6 C O N T E X T 1 1 1 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 9 Stonemasonry • Architectural Metalwork •Traditional Plastering • Fine Joinery Linford SpecialistWorks brings together Linford Group's renowned stable of craft companies to provide a unique service for the property owners, architects and specialist contractors concerned with the care of traditional and heritage buildings. Our skilled and directly-employed teams can be contracted individually or in combination for projects of all sizes across the UK. By helping our clients to source multiple craft services from a single organisation, we can deliver outstanding craft quality alongside savings in client time and money. For more information about Linford SpecialistWorks, please visit www.linfordSW.com, or call us on 01543 414 234 today. L I N F O R D S P E C I A L I S T W O R K S Linford Masonry • Dorothea Restorations • Trumpers • Linford Joinery Linford SpecialistWorks A division of Linford Group Quonians, Lichfield, StaffordshireWS13 7LB linfordSW@linford.com www.linfordSW.com Build Restore Renew Restores ComptonVerney, Warwickshire. RIBA Award 2004. From cathedrals and abbeys to small churches and chapels. From stately homes and royal palaces to small houses and cottages. For historic buildings across Britain, Linford-Bridgeman is the contractor of choice for repair, restoration and conservation. For more information about Linford-Bridgeman, find us at: www.linfordrestores.com, or call 01543 414 234 Linford-Bridgeman Ltd, Quonians, Lichfield, StaffordshireWS13 7LB Tel: 01543 414 234 Fax: 01543 258 250 sales@linford.com www.linford.com IHBC-LSW_178x124_AW_2009:GS 26/2/09 11:29 Page 1 Stone asonry • Architectural etalwork •Traditional Plastering • Fine Joinery Linford Specialist orks brings together Linford Group's renowned stable of craft companies to provide a unique service for the property owners, architects and specialist contractors concerned with the care of traditional and heritage buildings. Our skilled and directly-employed teams can be contracted individually or in combination for projects of all sizes across the UK. By helping our clients to source multiple craft services from a single organisation, we can deliver outstanding craft quality alongside savings in client time and money. For more information about Linford SpecialistWorks, please visit www.linfordS .com, or call us on 01543 414 234 today. I I I Linford Masonry • Dorothea Restorations • Trumpers • Linford Joinery Linford SpecialistWorks A division of Linford Group Quonians, Lichfield, StaffordshireWS13 7LB linfordSW@linford.com www.linfordSW.com Build Restore Renew ComptonVerney, Warwickshire. RIBA Award 2004. From cathedrals and abbeys to small churches and chapels. From stately homes and royal palaces to small houses and cottages. For historic buildings across Britain, Linford-Bridgeman is the contractor of choice for repair, restoration and conservation. For more information about Linford-Bridgeman, find us at: www.linfordrestores.com, or call 01543 414 234 Linford-Bridgeman Ltd, Quonians, Lichfield, StaffordshireWS13 7LB Tel: 01543 414 234 Fax: 01543 258 250 sales@linford.com www.linford.com IHBC-LSW_178x124_AW_2009:GS 26/2/09 11:29 Page 1
C O N T E X T 1 1 1 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 9 7 example in the Swiss style. The article by Nick Cox describes the decorative use of its main construction materials. These include individually shaped fish-scale Collyweston stone roof tiles, external plastering in a high-relief, basket-weave pattern, wood-grained joinery, and all-but-lost leaded lights with tinted and etched latticework. Because of the very poor condition and vestigial evidence for these features, the article emphasises the considerable initial study, research and analysis necessary to inform the repair of this charming and unusual building. Thematic listing of underrepresentative and unusual or littleknown building types is currently on the agenda. Emily Gee of English Heritage writes about the architect-designed hostels for low-waged working women, purpose-built in London between 1880 and 1925. Her article shows how an understanding of the historical context for these hostels can inform assessments about their important social role and the need for statutory protection. A fascinating presentation by the author about these hostels was a highlight of the 2008 IHBC Annual School Fringe. It is good to see this now appearing in print, where the subject can be thoroughly illustrated and explained at length. Fire damage is a major threat to historic buildings. An article by Miguel Gomez-Heras, Stephen Cox, Bernard Smith and Rafael Fort from the Weathering Research Group, University of Belfast and the Spanish Institute of Economic Geology review the existing research into fire-damaged stone. The article describes the microscopic effects on the structure that results, the need for greater awareness of the threat that fire poses, and the long-term management issues of natural stone structures which have experienced fire. One invaluable aspect of the journal is as a source of current technical thinking not generally covered in depth anywhere else (except, perhaps the APT Bulletin in North America or buried deep within a long out-of-print book). This is exemplified by Jonathan Kemp’s survey of fills for the repair of marble. The article looks at the approaches, materials and techniques used by conservators in the filling of voids in damaged marble surfaces, including small surface patches and cracks. It highlights the different demands of exposed (as opposed to sheltered) locations. The article would be a useful primer for conservation professionals faced with discussions with building owners about repair requirements, determining that a conservator’s skills will be essential. The final paper is by Ian Hume, one of the country’s leading conservation engineers and an IHBC member. It deals succinctly with cantilever, hanging or pencheck stairs.While these stone staircases are found in many historic buildings from the 17th century onward, and are generally very robust, their structural action is poorly understood. This is reflected in their incorrect repair. The author describes how they work, the reasons they survive and some advice on their maintenance. A future issue of the Journal of Architectural Conservation may provide an invaluable follow-up about the repair of the Great Stone Stair at Kedleston Hall. The July 2009 issue of Natural Stone Specialist includes an article about English Heritage’s Herculean undertaking to catalogue all the stones used in buildings in England. This is the Strategic Stone Study (see Context 110, May 2009), for which just over £500,000 has been budgeted in the next two years. £280,000 of this will come from CLG. A review in 2011 will determine if the work will continue for a further two-to-three years. There are uncertainties about recruitment of good local experts and ready access to information. Data input has begun on the GIS maps of the British Geological Survey, and eventually the database will cover all 44 English counties. To assist, the Stone Federation has established its own specialist English Stone Forum, and a number of useful publications and web content are in the offing. The latest issue of TheVictorian (No 31, July 2009) looks critically at theWest Midlands. Ian Dungavell highlights the large number of highquality buildings by important local architects not protected by listing, the inadequacy of local lists as a protective substitute, and the abandonment of the Heritage Bill as a potential mechanism to correct this. He points out that the first step to saving buildings threatened with neglect is to know where they are. If locally-listed buildings are outside conservation areas they will invariably be missed from conventional (listed) buildings-at-risk surveys or English Heritage’s patchy conservation areasat-risk surveys. This will mean that they can not be the subject of any statutory heritage enforcement powers. Caroline Carr, former assistant secretary of the Ancient Monuments Society, writes about Cradley Heath, a town little known outside the Black Country. Carr highlights the district as one where many good Victorian buildings have recently been demolished.
8 C O N T E X T 1 1 1 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 9 From John Betjeman’s introduction to the Collins Guide to Parish Churches of England and Wales (1980) ‘The Parish Churches of England are even more varied than the landscape. The tall town church, smelling of furniture polish and hot-water pipes, a shadow of the medieval marvel it was, so assiduously have Victorian and even later restorers renewed everything old; the little weather-beaten hamlet church standing in a farmyard down a narrow lane, batdroppings over the pews and one service a month; the church of a once prosperous village, a relic of the 15th-century wool trade, whose soaring splendour of stone and glass subsequent generations have had neither the energy not the money to destroy; the suburban church with Northamptonshire-style steeple rising unexpectedly above slate roofs of London and calling with mid-Victorian bells to the ghosts of merchant carriage folk for whom it was built; the tin chapel-of-ease on the edge of the industrial estate; the high, the low, the Central churches, the alive and the dead ones, the churches that are easy to pray in and those that are not, the churches whose architecture brings you to your knees, the churches whose decorations affront the sight – all these come within the wide embrace of our Anglican Church, whose arms extend beyond the seas to many fabrics more. From the first wooden church put up in a forest clearing or stone cell on windy moor to the newest social hall, with sanctuary and altar partitioned off, built on the latest industrial estate, our churches have existed chiefly for the celebration of what some call the Mass or the Eucharist, and others call Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper. Between the early paganism of Britain and the present paganism there are nearly twenty thousand churches and well over a thousand years of Christianity. More than half the buildings are medieval. Many of those have been so severely restored in the last century that they could almost be called Victorian – new stone, new walls, new roofs, new pews. If there is anything old about them it is what one can discern through the detective work of the visual imagination. It may be possible to generalise enough about the parish church of ancient origin to give an impression of how it is the history of its district in stone and wood to give an impression of how it is the history of its district in stone and wood and glass. Such generalisation can give only a superficial impression. Churches vary with their building materials and with the religious, social and economic history of their districts.’ She presents this as a shocking indictment of a general indifference about fine buildings of local interest. A corrective to this pessimistic tone is offered by David Trevis-Smith, the newly elected chair of the Association of Preservation Trusts. Smith looks at how the West Midlands Building Preservation Trust has been helping to tackle this mounting tide of neglect. Andy Foster, author of the Pevsner Architectural Guide to Birmingham, outlines the life of the arts and crafts architect Alfred Thomas Butler. John Thomas highlights William JHWeller, another under-regarded but important arts and crafts architect. Both of these architects’ buildings need better protection than they currently receive. Has Cornerstone, the newsletter of the SPAB (Vol 30 No 2, 2009), anticipated the outcome of the next general election? In commenting on the recent television series about English Heritage, which it agrees did not cast the organisation in a good light, the editorial hopes ‘that the shadow cabinet is intelligent enough to see the bigger picture, and not use this as crude ammunition to damage something as important and worthwhile as English Heritage’. The editorial considers the possibility that the Conservatives might split the organisation. This could involve dividing the part which manages properties from the rest. It suggests that this is made more likely by the fact that English Heritage’s grant programme is now severely limited. Having highlighted, in my last column the case of the fine Victorian font at Draycott, and the potentially drastic precedent for the sale of precious church artefacts to pay for church repairs, the ruling in the Court of Arches has decided that this parish church in Somerset would not be able to dispose of it and rejected claims that the church was facing closure. Also followed up from the previous column is continuing disagreement with, and the questionable value of Home Information Packs and Energy Performance Certificates – described in the letters page by one specialist listed building architect as ‘a misguided waste of money’. In my last column, I highlighted the case of the fine Victorian font at Draycott, and the potentially drastic precedent it set for the sale of precious church artefacts to pay for church repairs. The Court of Arches has now decided that this parish church in Somerset will not be allowed to dispose of the font, and has rejected claims that the church was facing closure. Cornerstone now features a section entitled ‘Site to be Seen’, which reviews forthcoming or recent repair work to several buildings. These reviews have become more broad-brush than used to be the case. This seems to mark a further, regrettable retreat by the society from the detailed technical descriptions and analysis of repairs which, for its professional readership, were such an invaluable aspect of the former, lamented SPAB News. Does this really hold no appeal for the wider generalist membership? Bob Kindred MBE
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10 C O N T E X T 1 1 1 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 9 Global thoughts from Buxton at the Annual School IHBC ANNUAL SCHOOL 2009 They said folk wouldn’t come to buxton. It was too isolated, poorly connected to the mainline trains and too far from a motorway. It’s the highest market town in england (1,000ft above sea level) and allegedly it rains a lot there. It can be cold even in summer in a town where snow stopped a cricket match in June 1976. The pessimists were proved wrong. Intrigued by the chance to see this famous spa town’s glorious architectural heritage (or was it the school’s catchy theme title?) they came in their droves by train and road, and produced record attendance figures for the day school (over 250) and the AgM (101). The sun shone most of the time, the weather was warm and the town’s golden gritstone had a warm welcoming glow. not a raindrop or snowflake was seen. back in the spring of 2007, the word went round that the Ihbc council was seeking bids for a branch to organise the 2009 school. Some bright spark suggested the east Midlands branch and why don’t we have it in buxton? how brave was that? It could have been nottingham, Derby, leicester, lincoln or northampton – but no, let’s be bold, buxton has a lot to shout about in the heritage conservation stakes, so let’s show the world how special it is. council accepted the offer from the branch, and in September 2007 the organising committee determined to make the buxton 2009 school the best yet. even for those on the committee who had done it before it was a daunting task organising a professional event that would be progressive, relevant and useful for everyday work, while maintaining and enhancing the reputation of the institute and the branch. Presenting a specific theme is always a challenge in the fast-changing world of cPD. heard enough about climate change, sustainability, Part l, conservation, and so on? The committee thought not. We still have a long way to go to persuade people at all levels of power and society that the threats to our cosy way of life, and to the precious resources locked up in our old buildings, both protected and not, are real and we won’t get another chance to save them. Undaunted by the prospect of buxton’s isolation deterring potential delegates, the organising committee set about building an event around the town’s and Derbyshire’s assets. The Palace hotel, that rambling victorian pile next to the railway station, was the only place in town with enough meeting rooms and bedrooms to accommodate the event. right next door was Derby University’s conversion of the Devonshire royal hospital, with its stunning dome, offering more meeting rooms in an appropriate historic setting. only a five-minute walk away were the 19th century Pavilion gardens, frank Matcham’s 1904 opera house, the 1780s georgian crescent, the 1850s former spa baths and much more besides, including essential pubs and restaurants. buxton’s architectural gems seem out of all proportion to its situation and size. This is due mainly to the patronage and ambitions of the fifth and sixth Dukes of Devonshire, and later the buxton Improvements company. In the 20th century, the careful custodianship of the local authorities ensured that these buildings survived and continued to serve a useful purpose. What could be better as a healthy change from the heart of a busy city for the school? Thursday afternoon walks were offered around the centre of
C O N T E X T 1 1 1 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 9 11 IHBC Annual School 2009 IHBC Annual School 2009 IHBC Annual School 2009 Buxton, followed by a visit to the Opera House and civic reception in the Pavilion Gardens, courtesy of High Peak Borough Council, and buffet dinner in The Palace. This extraordinary building’s sometimes bizarre decorative schemes and light fittings were a cause for much amusement during the day school but actually served us very well, and the hotel gets top marks for catering logistics. Saturday dawned to bleary eyes after the night before, with swift introductions before two coach tours to attractions in the Peak District and one to the Derwent Valley Mills. This tour ended at the amazing Derby Roundhouse, and delegates were refreshed with copious supplies of bottled water provided free by the Buxton Mineral Water Company. All the hard work – arranging sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, class tutors and volunteers, and doing all the paperwork – paid off.The venue, attractions, speakers, programming and even the weather all turned out well and combined to provide an excellent event. As chairman of the organising committee I would like to give well-deserved and huge thanks to a whole host of people whose hard work, mostly behind the scenes, made this event such a success: Barry Joyce for his masterly chairing of the day school (keeping everyone to time), RichardTuffrey, Joanne Brooks, Helen Bower, Chris McKinney, Dave Boyson, Steve Bradwell, Chloe Oswald, John Sewell, Becky Waddington, all tour leaders and guides (in particular Rob Walker and Fiona Newton for their novel introductory video and hi-vis vests for staff), not to mention a great deal of planning work in the background and the support of the national office. Allan Morrison, principal historic buildings officer for Derbyshire County Council Buxton walkabout ‘Buxton is a town built on water – not the kind that falls from above, although we get plenty of that, but that which issues from the ground below.’ So Richard Tuffrey introduced both his afternoon tour and his later presentation to the main assembly. We listened in the sunshine on the slopes of St Anne’s Cliff, overlooking the main monuments of the spa town, as we learned how Romans came here to bathe and take the waters, how Mary Queen of Scots stayed under duress in the Manor then standing below, and how in the 18th and 19th centuries Buxton’s fortunes took off under the ambitious patronage of the Cavendish Dukes of Devonshire. Starting with a backwater settlement encircled by the then remote and wild High Peak, they began to create what they planned to be a strong northern rival to the established sophistication and fame of Bath. Directly in front of us stood clear evidence of that in the form of the Crescent. Designed in close imitation of Bath’s Royal Crescent, it was built to house the Assembly Rooms and hotel needed for the grand social occasions expected by a new and prosperous clientele. We heard of the subsequent mundane uses that had put it at risk and of the current regeneration project by Trevor Osborne to convert it back to five-star accommodation, preceded by the careful archaeology already under way. Immediately below us was the roof of that essential feature of any spa resort, the Pump Room. Away to the right of the Crescent Tuffrey pointed out the Thermal Baths, another important survivor from the early Victorian days. Its classical arcades, neatly converted for shopping by Derek Latham, became for some a final informal item on the tour. Tuffrey walked us back, in space and time, into the contrasting world of the High Town, reminding us that from medieval times Buxton has had another function – as an important local trading centre. We noted the broad market place, fringed by vernacular buildings of local stone and lately improved with the help of a town scheme. From there a brief trek westwards took us into the beautifully restored and maintained high Victorian landscape of the Pavilion Gardens, an early beneficiary, to the tune of £4.7 million, of the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Urban Parks Scheme. The railway reached Buxton in the early 1860s, rapidly fuelling its growth and prosperity through the advent of new residents, guests and day trippers, and thus largely fulfilling the prophetic vision of the dukes. New and grander leisure facilities were demanded, and the gardens were developed as the setting for a concert hall and an iron and glass pavilion, designed by an assistant of Joseph Paxton who had worked with him on the construction of the Crystal Palace. Andrew Aughton of the High Peak Theatre Trust captivates delegates at the Opera House (opposite). (Photo: Fiona Newton) Delegates head out from the Palace Hotel for the Buxton walkabout. (Photo: Jonathan Taylor) 256 delegate packs: a record for an IHBC Annual School (opposite) (Photo: Fiona Newton)
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