Context 161 - September 2019

C O N T E X T 1 6 1 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 9 5 ‘WHOWILL actually carry out this huge reconstruction and restoration? Numerous specialist enterprises are currently being employed, many transferred from other restoration sites, but none of them is capable of managing the complexity involved in rebuilding Notre Dame. They are geared to relatively small restoration projects, rarely worth more than €10 million, so a major construction firm is needed, capable of acting as general contractor to provide overall coordination. ‘The problem is that none of the large construction firms in France has the necessary skills in the field of restoration, so they will have to rely on the specialised firms. This public tender will therefore be of the utmost complexity and vital to the success of the whole project – a daunting task even for the seasoned professionals now in command of the reconstruction of Notre Dame.’ Francesco Bandarin, formerly of Unesco, writing in the Art Newspaper about the restoration of Notre Dame, Paris ‘THE CAMDEN Road Sainsbury’s is an outstanding example of high- tech architecture in a busy urban setting. It is an unapologetically futuristic building which also sits comfortably alongside its historic neighbours – matching the scale of the 19th-century terrace opposite – and rightly deserves to be recognised for its architectural significance.’ DuncanWilson, chief executive of Historic England, welcoming the listing at Grade II of the Sainsbury’s supermarket on Camden Road, London ‘BECAUSE a Tournaisien lives his city in joys and sorrows, I am at the foot of our Bridge of Holes since the sunrise to see how institutional killjoys attack a monument without prior heritage procedure, under the gloomy eye of the little local potentates. ‘ Prima facie , I obviously don’t see any numbered stone. Are we surprised? Throughout, in addition, no word of empathy has been addressed to the population which long expressed in a popular consultation her love for its roots, its identity, its history.’ Belgium’s minster for energy, Marie-Christine Marghem, quoted in ArtWeekly, speaking about the dismantling of Tournai’s 13th-century gothic Bridge of Holes to make room for larger boats on the Scheldt river. The bridge’s bricks will be retained for its later reconstruction on similar lines to the original, but with a wider and higher central arch. ‘ONE PRIORITY should be increasing investment in and remuneration of conservation officers. If we value our national heritage it requires a corps of professionally trained officers to manage it. These are dying out as they typically earn less than non-specialist officers (as they do not line manage) and courses are closing down. ‘Within 15 years we will have no conservation officers if nothing is done. If this were nurses or teachers, the government would intervene.’ Town planner Andrew Lainton setting the agenda for the new planning minister in his blog https://andrewlainton.wordpress.com Wars and their consequences From John A Fidler, Marina Del Rey, California I read Nick Corbett’s article (‘The Dukes of Normandy and the second world war’, Context 160, July 2019) with great interest, and especially noted the oft-repeated and poignant lament about the destruction of Caen. Allied bombing immediately prior to, on and immediately after D-Day on 6 June 1944 did indeed kill thousands and flatten much of the ancient city. But the ground battle for Caen continued for some weeks, with British and Canadian forces moving forward only slowly. It was during this period that the poor city’s population and monuments suffered yet more destruction, principally carried out by broadsides from the biggest guns in the Royal Navy, some 17 miles offshore. Here, aboard HMS Rodney, my dad was a naval gunner in the rear of three turrets of nine 16-inch (406mm) guns firing one-ton shells that destroyed the tower of St Pierre’s Church and much more. He regretfully declined to visit France for vacations on numerous occasions, and at home was unusually reflective in the presence of shelled monuments like Scarborough castle. Wars have consequences. Monuments hold their stories. John Fidler Letters HMS Rodney (Photo: Wikimedia)