Context 152 - November 2017

C O N T E X T 1 5 2 : N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 5 ‘THE MEDIEVAL timber roof of Westminster Hall is the finest in Europe. It has been surprisingly little studied, but the erection of scaffolding to clean and repair it provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the first-ever modern archaeological investigation. ‘It is a huge disappointment that Parliament has decided not to take advantage of the opportunity, which would have greatly enhanced public understanding of one of the world’s most famous buildings. ‘An investigation would not only shed light on a host of matters, including the question of how the roof was originally constructed and assembled, but it is absolutely essential if repairs are to be undertaken properly without the attendant risk of damaging this invaluable structure.’ Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn and others writing in The Times. ‘THEWALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built.’ President Trump tweeting on the proposed Mexican wall ‘SURELY the Lords and Commons ought to be prepared to make this sacrifice to ensure the future of the greatest gothic revival building in the world, a structure – identified above all with the Elizabeth Tower – which has long been a visual symbol for London, for Great Britain and for our parliamentary democracy?... ‘The trouble is that six years is longer than a maximum parliamentary term, so a whole intake of MPs might be denied the pleasure and privilege of using and working in this great building. And it is the building – the glorious gothic interiors created by Barry, Pugin and, later, Scott – that gives them any sort of stature and glamour. ‘Without the setting of the Palace of Westminster, many of them clearly fear that they will appear as the drab mediocrities that most of them are.’ Gavin Stamp writing in Apollo Magazine ‘LIVERPOOL’S track record in preserving its unique heritage is beyond question.What has been unfortunate is that the need for economic growth and job creation has clouded the fact that heritage is actually a key ingredient in achieving those goals. ‘Liverpool has achieved a huge amount since 2004 in investing in its historic assets but has somewhere along the way failed to demonstrate how this is shaping the city’s future.’ Sir David Henshaw, chair of National Museums Liverpool, commenting on his appointment as chair of the Liverpool World Heritage Board, newly created with the remit to remove the city’s world heritage site from Unesco’s list ofWorld Heritage in Danger ‘WITH CONSERVATION staff numbers being so hard hit by cuts, we have to ask how councils are coping with their duties to manage the historic environment. Many will say they have the advice from consultants and the private sector. ‘We do not believe that is suitable. The activities of conservation officers are most effective when they are embedded in the local planning authority, rather than being seen as an add-on.’ Laura Sandys, vice-president of Civic Voice ‘I RECEIVED a questionnaire through my door. How had the 1930s Bauhaus building in which I live survived the rigours of time? Who had designed it? Who was its first owner? And, the form went on, what were my memories of it? ‘Circulated far and wide across Athens, the questionnaire and its findings are part of a vast inventory of 19th- and early 20th-century buildings that now stand at the heart of a burgeoning cultural heritage crisis in Greece. ‘Thousands of buildings in the capital are under threat, as the country navigates its worst economic crisis in recent times. Under the weight of austerity – with bank loans frozen, repeated budget cuts and tax rises kicking in – many buildings have already been allowed to fall into disrepair, or have been pulled down altogether.’ Nikos Harkiolakis, who heads an organisation representing owners of listed buildings in Greece, writing in The Guardian ‘THIS IS ONLY the latest in a long series of similar incidents, which illustrate the urgent need to introduce this legislation. Every delay means the near certainty of further preventable harm to England’s built heritage. ‘A mechanism already exists to provide interim protection via building preservation notices. But these are optional, and are frequently not served. This leaves buildings of interest exposed to harm at the very moment when unscrupulous or unsympathetic owners might feel most inclined to damage or destroy them. ‘Although this measure was removed from the 2008 bill, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport stated at the time that they would like to introduce reform at the earliest opportunity. I would urge all who are concerned about this issue to sign the petition to demonstrate the strength of public concern, and to contact their own MP to seek his or her support to pass this overdue reform immediately.’ Architect Neil Mckay in the Architects’ Journal calling on the government to amend the law to include an automatic interim protection for vulnerable buildings while their status is decided, after a developer destroyed a 17th-century ceiling in Bristol before it could be assessed by Historic England