6 C O N T E X T 1 3 9 : M A Y 2 0 1 5 college quadrangle. The introduction of a stepped section influenced other significant post-war listed buildings such as the Alexandra Road housing estate in Camden and student housing schemes by Denys Lasdun. Moving from 20th-century conservation issues to those related to the early 16th-century, Andrew Harris describes in summary the continuing works at Hampton Court Palace to the Great Hall, the Buttery Roofs, Anne Boleyn Gatehouse, Base Court and Clock Court. Harris describes the repair work needed, some of which challenged the archaeological understanding and the uncovering of previously unknown repair issues and worrying structural problems. He explains how difficult aesthetic issues prior to and during the works were considered. The author’s overriding lesson on sensitive work of such complexity is to take nothing for granted. The IHBC member and former conservation officer for South Shropshire District Council, Colin Richards, promotes the revival of traditional building crafts in Shropshire and Transylvania. Members with quite long memories may recall Richards’ demonstration beehive brick kiln project at Acton Scott in use during a hands-on craft day during the Shrewsbury Annual School in 1998. In the article Richards describes his personal experience of conserving buildings and landscapes in the Welsh Marches as a platform for economic regeneration. He discusses the support of craft skills of contemporary relevance not only in the UK, but also revitalising heritage building crafts and craft training in Eastern Europe, and Romania in particular, through the work of the Transylvania Trust. Another international perspective is given by Andrew Smith’s account of the current social and economic context for conservation of the built heritage of Jamaica. The island is characterised by net emigration, a balance of trade deficit, and great disparities of wealth and influence. One-fifth of the nation’s income derives from ex-patriots. Problems of heritage management include opacity about the ownership of heritage assets; wanton and accidental destruction (for example of the island’s architecturally important historic courthouses); the perils of restoration in the primary interests of external tourism; and a lack of indigenous skills and understanding in the execution of repairs. Smith notes the good work being done by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust. He gives an example of a successful conservation project: the Iron Bridge, Spanish Town. But he concludes that ‘If conservation of the built heritage of Jamaica is to gather momentum, that will, as everywhere, only come from some force of intelligent belief in the mind of the people that it is needed: topdown can not work on its own, for small projects bottom-up probably can, but working together they could tackle the wonderful range of Jamaica’s built heritage.’ Conservation in the extreme cold of northern Canada was noted above, and the fourth paper in Transactions addresses equally inhospitable territory. Michael Morrison describes the physical legacy of the largely forgotten, abandoned and derelict whaling stations on the Antarctic Island of South Georgia (see Context 129, May 2013). It is argued that they may be suitable for world heritage site status. While they are considered a liability for the government of the island, interest in the heritage legacy is international, ranging from the South Georgia Heritage Trust, based in Dundee, to the Friends of South Georgia in the USA, and particular interest and support in Norway. The island is a British Overseas Territory but much of the heritage is Norwegian. Encouragingly their government is funding (along with British Foreign Office and South Georgia government contributions) a detailed survey of the current state of what remains. The prevailing official view is that what survives should remain in situ, that nothing should be removed, and that the sites should be allowed to decay naturally in this unforgiving climate. Finally, Katherine Watts explains the complexity and extraordinary collaborative effort in melding three different approaches to architecture, conservation and reuse for the Grade I listed Kings Cross Station to create an outstanding example of place making. The aim of conserving as much historic fabric as possible was constrained by the destruction of most of the station archives by bombing in 1941. The building history had to be pieced together using a few surviving original railway documents and on-site assessment. Completion of the operational work for the railway was required prior to the Olympics while still maintaining a full schedule of train services. The Main Train Shed, for example, was reglazed by removing previously installed seriously discoloured polycarbonate sheeting, greatly enhancing the experience of the main internal spaces, while still in use by travellers below. This work was complemented by the spectacular addition of the semi-circular new Western Concourse roof, which adds so much to the architectural expression of the station and to the anticipation of arrival and departure. The January/February 2015 issue of Natural Stone Specialist deals with stone for hard landscaping. Flametextured Blue Pennant stone features prominently (the Apple stores use it for flooring). It originates from the Bixhead Quarry in the Forest of Dean. But a considerable amount of the stone used in paving schemes is imported. Natural Stone Specialist reports that most of the stone used in hard landscaping projects in the UK last year came from China, which has overtaken India as the main supplier in the sector. Chinese granite seems now to be more popular than Indian sandstone for paving, influenced by price and currency fluctuations. Other imported stones being used include Belgian limestone paving from the Les Carriés de la Pierre Bleue Belge quarry. This is used extensively at Historic Chatham Dockyard, Kent, where the Command of the Oceans project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, is regenerating the most complete example of a Georgian dockyard in the world. The series examining great British stones continues in the March issue
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