No 187 March 2026 Wessex A tale of two world heritage sites Wessex’s distinctive identity Thomas Hardy as campaigner Saving Somerset buildings
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CONTEXT 187 : MARCH 2026 1 www.ihbc.org.uk @IHBCtweet Registered as a charity in England and Wales number 1061593, in Scotland number SC041945, and listed in Northern Ireland Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England number 3333780 Registered Office: Jubilee House, High Street, Tisbury, Wiltshire SP3 6HA Officers President Rebecca Thompson, president@ihbc.org.uk Vice President Torsten Haak, vpresidentth@ihbc.org.uk Chair David McDonald, chair@ihbc.org.uk Vice Chair Lone Le Vay, vchair@ihbc.org.uk Secretary Dave Chetwyn, ihbcsecretary@ihbc.org.uk Treasurer Joanna Saady, treasurer@ihbc.org.uk National Office Director Seán O’Reilly, director@ihbc.org.uk Operations Director Fiona Newton, operations@ihbc.org.uk, consultations@ihbc.org.uk Administration Officer Lydia Porter, admin@ihbc.org.uk Education,Training & Application Support Officer Angharad Hart, training@ihbc.org.uk Membership Services Officer Carmen Moran, membershipservices@ihbc.org.uk Professional Services Officer Michael Netter, services@ihbc.org.uk Committee Chairs Policy Roy Lewis, policy@ihbc.org.uk Membership & Ethics Andrew Shepherd, membership@ihbc.org.uk Education Chris Wood, education@ihbc.org.uk Communications & Outreach Dave Chetwyn, communications@ihbc.org.uk Branch Contacts North north@ihbc.org.uk North West northwest@ihbc.org.uk Yorkshire yorkshire@ihbc.org.uk West Midlands westmids@ihbc.org.uk East Midlands eastmids@ihbc.org.uk South south@ihbc.org.uk South West southwest@ihbc.org.uk East Anglia eastanglia@ihbc.org.uk South East southeast@ihbc.org.uk London london@ihbc.org.uk Scotland scotland@ihbc.org.uk Wales wales@ihbc.org.uk Northern Ireland northernireland@ihbc.org.uk Republic of Ireland republicofireland@ihbc.org.uk Rest of the World overseas@ihbc.org.uk 2 Briefing 4 Out of Context 5 Periodically 8 Obituary: James Stevens Curl 9 The writer’s voice 10 Law and policy 13 Editorial 14 Wessex: chalk and cheese Daniel Cantrell 18 Thomas Hardy: Dorset’s first conservation campaigner? Duncan McCallum 23 Saving Somerset buildings GregVenn and Jane St JohnWebster 26 Remains of the West Country wool industry Eliza Gray 30 Bath: A tale of two world heritage sites Adrian Neilson 34 Buckler’s Hard, Beaulieu: building the Georgian navy Rosemary Thornber and Mary Montagu-Scott 38 Defending the legacies of the welfare estate John Pendlebury 42 Notes from the chair 43 Director’s cut 45 New member profile 46 New members 47 Inter alia 48 Vox pop 49 Reviews 53 Products and services 56 Specialist suppliers index
Editor Rob Cowan Editorial Coordinator Michael Taylor, ihbceditorialboard@gmail.com Editorial Board Nigel Crowe, Peter de Figueiredo (book reviews), Deborah Mays, Duncan McCallum, Fiona Newton, Sheila Stones, Jonathan Taylor, Michael Taylor (chair) Cartoons and illustrations by Rob Cowan Context is distributed to all members of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation. © Institute of Historic Building Conservation 2026 ISSN 0958-2746 Publisher Cathedral Communications (part of Euromedia Associates Limited), 10 Ashfield Road, Chorley, Lancashire PR7 1LJ. Tel: 01747 871717 context@cathcomm.co.uk www.buildingconservation.com Non-member subscriptions to Context Context is available to corporate bodies at an annual subscription rate, including postage, of: United Kingdom £65.00 Elsewhere £100.00 Context on-line archive Past issues of Context can be viewed on the IHBC website. The archive provides a searchable database and reference for key articles. See www.ihbc.org.uk/page55/context_archive. 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. Context themes and copy deadlines Context is published four times a year in March, June, September and December. The next three themes and copy deadlines are: The listing process, June, issue 188 (10 April) Threatened materials and crafts, September, issue 189 (10 July) Cultural appropriation, December, issue 190 (9 October) Please contact Michael Taylor at ihbceditorialboard@gmail.com to discuss any editorial submissions or for information about the Context editorial board. 2 CONTEXT 187 : MARCH 2026 Briefing Cover: The Circus, Bath, with the Wiltshire Downs beyond it. Adrian Neilson (page 30) notes that, with the trees in the circus probably coming to the end of their natural life, the debate on whether they should be replaced is looming. (Photo: Casper Farrell Photography) Niscemi landslide A major landslide at the town of Niscemi (population 25,000), in the Sicilian province of Caltanissetta, has highlighted the risk to vulnerable historic places in Italy and elsewhere in an age of climate change. The landslide followed heavy rainfall linked to Storm Harry in January. A four-kilometre stretch of land collapsed, destroying or damaging buildings and infrastructure, including the historic Belvedere Terrace. The panoramic terrace, built in 1803 overlooking the Maroglio river valley, had been rebuilt in 1921 following a previous landslide, and has now been lost. At least 1,600 residents of Niscemi have been evacuated. Santa Maria d’Itria, the town’s mother church on Piazza Vittorio Emanuele III (seen here), rebuilt after a 1693 earthquake, was undamaged. New life for K6 phone box Bath Preservation Trust (BPT) has bought itself a Grade II listed K6 telephone box on Queen’s Parade Place in Bath. Designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1935, the cast-iron structure has been largely out of use since mobile phones became common. The phone box is at the southern steps leading to Gravel Walk, a regency promenade route made famous by Jane Austen’s inclusion of it in a scene in her novel Persuasion. The box was acquired for just £1. BPT plans to repaint, rewax and The church of Santa Maria d’Itria, built between 1742 and 1863, was undamaged in the Niscemi landslide. (Photo: Fabio Reale, Wikimedia)
CONTEXT 187 : MARCH 2026 3 reglaze it, and install new display panels highlighting the history of Gravel Walk. Bath Preservation Trust owns and operates four museums in Bath: No 1 Royal Crescent, the Museum of Bath Architecture the trust’s first non-Georgian built structure, is 108 years younger than its next youngest building, Beckford’s Tower. Stoke’s heritage emergency Stoke-on-Trent claims to be the first city to declare a ‘heritage emergency’. The declaration was made in January as a plea for urgent investment to save its historic architecture and industrial identity. The city has highlighted what it says is a tipping point for its historic assets. The city has over 275 listed buildings and 22 conservation areas, but many are in ‘severe dilapidation’, with the decaying buildings blocking urban regeneration and economic growth. A new prospectus, The Potteries: a national heritage emergency, sets out a 10-year plan that would require £325 million of public and private investment. The prospectus claims that the potential to create a heritage destination of international appeal would provide cultural and economic returns far outweighing the initial investment. The city council says it has already invested more than £6.5 million to help safeguard three of the city’s most significant heritage buildings, Burslem Indoor Market, the Wedgwood Institute and Falcon Works. (currently closed), the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, and Beckford’s Tower. Based in historic buildings, the museums highlight the city’s social, scientific, architectural and historic importance. The K6 phone box, Bath Preservation Trust’s Grade II listed K6 telephone box A rare surviving bottle kiln, part of the Gladstone Pottery Museum in Stoke-on-Trent (Photo: Martyn Davies) A drawing by the Soane office of Goose-Pie House, built by John Vanbrugh in Whitehall, London, in 1701 for his own use and since demolished. An exhibition exploring the work of Vanbrugh 300 years after his death runs at the Soane Museum, London, until 28 June (see ‘Egypt and Vanbrugh at the Soane’, Context 186, December 2025).
4 CONTEXT 187 : MARCH 2026 ‘THE SO-CALLED “preservationists”, who get their money from the most unusual of places, should not be allowed to stop this desperately needed addition to our GREAT White House, a place that a President has never needed permission to change or enhance, because of the special grounds on which it sits, no matter how big (and important!) that enhancement may be.’ President Trump on social media criticising the National Trust for Historic Preservation over its lawsuit seeking to pause construction of the White House ballroom. ‘I’M DISMAYED that few people seem to be supporting the idea that zero-rating VAT on listed church buildings is a better idea than the soon-to-be-replaced listed places of worship grant scheme.’ Tony Redman on LinkedIn ‘ISN’T THE reason why we put VAT on repairs to listed buildings but not on alterations because that is the way it was drafted in the Treaty of Rome? ‘Now we are no longer in the EU, if the government reversed that, could that be the one tangible benefit of leaving?’ Peter Napier replying on LinkedIn to Tony Redman ‘THE EXCUSE for taxing the responsible care of the nation’s heritage was always Europe. PostBrexit, those in charge seem to rate continued adherence to European rules more highly than common sense. It’s not like we are asking them to invade Greenland.’ Geoffrey Hunter continuing the discussion on LinkedIn ‘BABIES AS young as four months prefer complex and varied architecture over more simple designs, a study has suggested. The University of Sussex study was carried out by its Baby Lab, which examines how babies see, think and learn about colour. ‘The researchers found the babies in their study looked for shorter amounts of time when the edges in a building facade pointed in mostly the same directions, but maintained longer eye-contact when the facade edges were more complex and at a variety of angles.’ Cash Murphy on BBC News, South East ‘A LITTLE while back we were asked to carry out a full historic building condition survey on a 16th-century, timber-framed cottage in Norfolk for a prospective purchaser. It sits on the edge of a village and has all the appearance of a timber-framed, three-bay house of its age, but the somewhat surprising thing is that it was not listed in any way, despite being quite clearly visible from the street at the front. ‘The reason it was not protected was because it is not what it seems to be. Yes, it is 16th century, but not original, or at least not original to this site. It was actually built in the middle Stowmarket, a few miles down the road from where it is now, and was threatened by redevelopment of the town centre. In 1958 a local builder who liked old buildings managed to obtain it, and had it dismantled and moved to its present position, where it was re-erected almost exactly as it was. ‘I say almost, because even at that time he had to comply with local building bye-laws, as it was placed on a low brick cill wall over modern foundations. The roof was completely restructured with new timbering and also other ‘improvements’ to the standards and styles of the 1950s. ‘He was so proud of his work that on completion he produced a record of the project, with photographs, that is now part of an information pack to show the pedigree of the house. That document now stays with the building, an integral part of its history, and shows photographs of the structure during its dismantling, the subsequent rebuilding and descriptions of the work and other background material. ‘A warning from this little tale: do not take buildings at face value.’ Robert Hill on LinkedIn ‘THERE ARE several historic buildings in England and Scotland that were dismantled and reassembled (and others simply moved) but which achieved or retained listed status.’ John Fidler replying on LinkedIn to Robert Hill
CONTEXT 187 : MARCH 2026 5 6 CONTEXT 186 : DECEMBER 2025 Periodically The Historic Environment In another wide-ranging, 170-page issue of The Historic Environment: policy and practice (Vol 16, No 2, 2025), of particular interest is a paper by Xiaohan Lu of the Mackintosh School of Architecture, Glasgow School of Art. Lu focuses on group value in the adaptive reuse of historic buildings, using case studies from the Merchant City, Glasgow. He highlights an issue regarding some properties in the Merchant City not qualifying for listed status in the past but then being protected shortly after they had been restored. This somewhat controversial phenomenon is seen as reflecting tensions inherent in legislation on the one hand with appropriate and sympathetic rehabilitation on the other. The paper defines existing heritage policy applied to some specific cases in order to identify what the associated key concept of group value actually involves, while also noting the limitations of the current listing system. There seems to have been little recent analysis or review where the concept of harmonious or homogeneous context has been applied to townscape, other than to accept it unquestioningly. The paper provides both a theoretical and practical understanding of the opportunities that recognition of group value creates in the adaption of historic buildings. Lu identifies the emergence of the concept of group value from the passing of the Civic Amenities Act 1967, with its shift of focus from individual buildings to a broad-based area approach, looking more widely at the merits inherent in the character and appearance of townscapes. While it became common practice in the last third of the 20th century to define precise sequences of buildings contributing to group value in statutory list descriptions, this is no longer exercised, in order to define the contribution new listings play as part of an existing larger townscape group. As the Glasgow Merchant City is invoked, the relevant regulation in Scotland stems from the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997, but only with an indirect legislative exposition of the concept. The recent city block-based adaptations and conversions of buildings in Glasgow, together with sensitive infilling, have received a positive response for their contribution to regeneration, enhanced quality of the public and semi-public realm and the demonstration of economically viable uses for former commercial buildings. The notable contributions to area regeneration have thus raised the perceptions of special architectural or historical interest and its recognition for statutory protection. Lu identifies a widening debate stemming from conflict within the context of innercity regeneration. This is where the redefinition of historic urban spaces can extend the concept of historic area management beyond the principle that preservation is merely maintenance of historic fabric when it may encompass much needed revitalisation. The paper may reinvigorate discussion about mediating change in historic areas, and about whether historic building and area management are about preservation or conservation. When it is the latter, that appears to have become widely accepted for many years, despite not necessarily being reflected in the criteria for statutory protection. Journals with an international remit seem currently to be dominated by papers from China and Turkey, and The Historic Environment seems to be no exception. Merve Akyaziki and Sirma Turgut of the city planning department of Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, present their systematic review of the effectiveness of international cultural heritage law, highlighting the uncertainties and complexities of heritage impact assessment (a term unrelated to that used in UK heritage management) under the 1972 Unesco World Heritage Convention. They explore broader challenges, looking at the subject areas of published papers, their research methods, the number of papers published and their country of origin. The authors conclude that while the integration of Historic Environment Policy and Practice The current professional literature on heritage crime (unauthored works, architectural theft, nighthawking and criminal damage) is disappointingly scant. Although a book Heritage Crime: progress, prospects and prevention was published by Palgrave McMillan in 2014, and Heritage Crime: a guide for sentencers was last issued by Historic England in 2019 (every local authority heritage professional and every magistrates’ clerk should always have it to hand), little else has been published in recent years. The latest bumper edition of Historic Environment Policy and Practice (Vol 16, No 3, 2025), devoted to the subject of heritage crime, is therefore welcome and should be sought out. The opening paper by Mark Harrison, head of heritage crime and policing advice, and Paul Jeffery, heritage crime advisor, both at Historic England, sets out how policy and practice have developed in England in the recent era. A 2011 collaboration between Historic England, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Crown Prosecution Service recognised the need for a more structured approach to crime and the historical environment. This led to a more sustainable approach to the prevention and investigation of crime and antisocial behaviour. The authors point out that crime often overlaps with other areas of criminality. An important aspect of prevention is community engagement, with partnership initiatives between local communities, heritage professionals and the police. A dialogue between conservation officers and local amenity societies might also encourage early warnings if promptly acted on. A complementary paper by serving police officers Superintendent Tom Holmes and PC Julian Fry detail the initiative taken in Devon and Cornwall to deal with a range of heritage crimes, to better understand the scale of the problem and formulate an external engagement strategy. The use of technology such as drones and LIDAR has enabled the police to provide tailored heritage crime prevention advice, including the development of ‘target hardening’, a term used by law enforcement agencies to describe how the security of buildings or heritage sites can be enhanced by deterrence, early warning or delay mechanisms. Because criminals can be highly mobile, and stolen heritage assets may be easily portable, heritage crime policing does not stop at police force boundaries. Public engagement is still a critical element in addressing heritage crime. Andy Bliss, an archaeologist and former chief constable of Hertfordshire, reviews the Heritage Watch scheme on behalf of the police and Historic England. He points out that such schemes are leading to a reduction in crime and antisocial behaviour, but that the wider societal impact must be recognised in future policy development. Perhaps local authority heritage professionals might take advantage of Heritage Watch schemes to provide early warning of the at-risk status of vacant historic buildings, or raise alarm when discarded historic fabric suddenly appears in a skip. Unauthorised alteration and demolition is also heritage crime. This issue of Historic Environment Policy and Practice addresses neither the substantial matter of undetected or unprevented Section 9 offences under the 1990 Act, nor the work of IHBC over the last 30 years regarding such criminality. During this time the institute has compiled a substantial body of evidence (including cases of architectural metals theft, arson and so on) in the form of its online database, which gratifyingly is increasingly being cited in court cases. C20 In recent columns I have referred to the 20th Century Society’s proactivity in identifying buildings and modern landscapes that might become eligible for listing under the 30-year rule (its ‘coming of age’ list). In the latest issue of its magazine C20 (No 2, 2025), director Catherine Croft notes that a freedom of information request published by the Architect’s Journal
6 CONTEXT 187 : MARCH 2026 has highlighted a continuing upswing in the number of listing cases where a minister at the Department for Culture Media and Sport has rejected a building for listing. The society considers that this a particularly worrying trend. Although ministers’ rejections in recent months have included one Victoria and one Georgian building, the AJ notes that ‘designs from the 20th century have proved particularly unpopular among successive ministers’. While the only legislative criteria in making such decisions is the architectural and historic interest, there is much speculation that ministers have been influenced by an underlying belief that heritage designations slow down development and listed buildings get in the way of the government’s growth agenda, and in particular its house-building targets. The society is challenging several of the recent refusals, and is joining others in pointing out that the heritage sector makes a major contribution to economic growth. In further amplifying the ‘coming of age’ list – as a celebration of the best British buildings turning 30 – the latest issue of C20 highlights 10 important buildings that the society thinks should receive statutory protection.They are the Neasden Hindu Temple, Brent; Harbour Lights Cinema, Southampton; Trinity Bridge, Salford; Hope House (the first experimental zero-energy development (ZED), London; Broadwall Housing, Lambeth; Queen’s Building, Emmanuel College, Cambridge; Tees Barrage, Stockton-on-Tees; St Brigid’s Church, Belfast; the intriguing Photographer’s Hide, Northamptonshire; and Techniquest, Cardiff, the UK’s first science discovery centre. The society raises the issue of the appropriate adaptation of problem modern buildings, highlighting Alison and Peter Smithson’s (Grade II* listed) Hunstanton School, which also featured in the last two issues of Context. The society acknowledges that the original design was technically flawed, and deteriorated to such an extent that closure was seriously contemplated. Although the Department of Education has decided to invest in its renovation, the construction problems are so numerous that ‘subterfuge’ has been adopted, with the proposals aiming to stick as close to the original appearance as possible. These sleights of hand include, for example, replacing the high alumina cement (HAC) pre-cast concrete planks with lookalikes cast in situ, while comprehensive facade replacement will see tinted glass laid over insulated spandrel panels, and double glazing replacing single. Recent environmental monitoring has found simultaneous overheating and underheating, with a 97–100 per cent failure rate for acceptable classroom humidity. Also worth noting is the renaissance of the huge 1930s former Odeon Cinema, Bradford, refurbished during the UK City of Culture celebrations and now transformed into a multipurpose live entertainment venue. Although not listed, the building somehow survived (and in 2014 was included in the 20th Century Society’s 100 Buildings 100Years exhibition and book), testimony to what perseverance can achieve even for large long-vacant buildings if properly mothballed until the right opportunity for regeneration arrives. This is especially so when the prospect of apparently more immediate, less sympathetic, significantly sub-optimal or deceptively attractive (but unviable) proposals are advanced. With the 200th anniversary of the modern British railway well underway, Simon Bradley has identified some of the best examples of stations, and David Lawrence looks at 10 worthwhile candidates for future listing. The earliest dates from 1961, the most recent from 1996. The Georgian The Georgian, the magazine of the Georgian Group (Issue 2, 2025) highlights this year’s celebration of the tercentenary of Sir John Vanbrugh, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This will comprise a variety of activities, from exhibitions and lectures to special Vanbrugh weekends. Learning programmes will celebrate six of the great historic houses he designed: Blenheim Palace, Grimsthorpe Castle, Kimbolton Castle, Seaton Delaval Hall, Castle Howard and Stowe House.There is a website www.vanbrugh300.co.uk, and a regular VANBURGH300-themed newsletter is being published. An essay by Charles Saumarez Smith assesses the great architect’s life and legacy. A bicentenary from 2025 belatedly marked the death of the influential but often overlooked architect George Dance theYounger (1741–1825). As Clerk of the City Works to the Corporation of London from 1768 to 1816, Dance
CONTEXT 187 : MARCH 2026 7 held one of the most secure, varied and well-renumerated architectural offices in Britain. Alongside his inventive architectural and urban planning works for the City, he undertook a handful of notable private commissions and was an influential member of the Royal Academy. Sadly the destruction of most of his buildings has resulted in his posthumous reputation being consistently overshadowed by those of his more famous pupil, John Soane. The Georgian Group’s annual architectural awards are also celebrated. The eight categories include re-use of a Georgian building; new building in a Georgian context; and work in the spirit of the Georgian era. The winners demonstrate the sensitivity of the architectural solutions (and in some cases their context) and the value of enlightened clients. SPAB Magazine The Winter 2025 issue of the SPAB Magazine emphasises that historic building maintenance should be not just a late-autumn routine, but something to undertake little and often. It uses its recent Old House Project to argue that if basic tasks like gutter care or the renewal of failed glazing putties are neglected, rot can quickly set in, particularly on buildings that have been long disused. Particular emphasis in this issue is given to roof access, traditional window joinery and drainage. The last aspect, being below ground, is often overlooked. Matthew Slocombe, chief executive of the SPAB, highlights the recent National Audit Office report that had concluded that ‘98 per cent of homes with external wall insulation installed under the government ECO scheme require work to correct major issues that will cause problems such as damp and mould’. It is distressing that so many heritage organisations warned that this would be a problem, yet schemes developed by past and present governments still failed to understand the underlying issues. The SPAB’s own research into the U-values (insulation performance) of traditionally constructed walls goes back as far as 2011, with the society pointing out the potential pitfalls of ill-considered solid-wall insulation. This concern was supported by a range of bodies, including the National Trust and the Church Buildings Council.While the society firmly supported the reduction of carbon emissions, it stressed the risk of unintended consequences from wall insulation. Unfortunately the drive for quick political wins led to over-hasty implementation of publicly funded insulation schemes, without the necessary degree of background research. The National Audit Office concluded that 40,000 homes were harmfully affected by external or internal wall insulation. Whether this gives the government any pauses for thought (or sympathy and support from the Treasury) remains to be seen. Mills News In addition to SPAB Magazine, the society’s mills section produces its own quarterly publication Mills News, the latest issue of which is January 2026 (No 185). An editorial explains that the Mills Archive Trust, although separate from the SPAB, shares many of the same views. As an educational charity and the UK’s leading archive dedicated to traditional milling, the trust cares for thousands of irreplaceable millwrighting records. Its role goes far beyond preservation, being committed to highlighting the practical value of these materials. In 2025 the trust decided to invest even more in addressing the information needs of those with an interest in the repair and care of wind and water mills.The aim over the next two years is to make millwrighting records much more easily available, with an archivist and their team promising to publish much material of heritage interest, supported by the National Archives and the Swire Charitable Trust. Of note is an article regarding Draper’s Mill, Margate, affected by Kent County Council’s 2023 decision to divest itself of all mills previously in its care. The mill, listed Grade II in 1973, was upgraded to Grade II* last year. This aspect may be of interest when the longstanding (nearly six decades in this case) public ownership of mills is increasingly being called into question. Readers might also note an AI tool making its presence felt in the heritage sector. Goose is a free AI tool built by the Arts Marketing Association, and made possible by NLHF funding as part of the Grow phase of its Heritage Innovation Fund. The aim is to upskill people from small organisations working in the sector who often do not have the time or resources to acquire the skills they need. See www.higoose.co.uk
8 CONTEXT 187 : MARCH 2026 Heritage Now The latest issue of Heritage Now, the newsletter of Historic Buildings and Places (No 13,Winter 2025), carries an article by Michael Sheppard, executive director of the Cathedrals Workshop Fellowship (CWF), and Lucy Newlyn, a foundation degree student at Gloucester Cathedral. They explain the aims behind the launch of the Benefact Trust Scholars Programme.This is a major milestone in the national effort to protect and sustain traditional heritage craft skills, supported by a transformational £2.1 million grant from the Benefact Trust. It will provide over 30 scholarships between 2025 and 2030 to support the highquality, practice-based training of craftspeople in stone masonry, joinery, leadwork and plastering where there is an acute skills shortage. The CWF, a partnership between 14 Anglican cathedrals, has established itself as a national leader in heritage skills education. The new programme represents an important extension of the CWF’s work by expanding access to accredited training, enabling more craft professionals to achieve recognised qualifications, and allowing cathedral workshops to invest in the next generation of heritage craft specialists. Bob Kindred MBE It seems unlikely that any person meeting James Stevens Curl, who died in his home city, Belfast, on 5 November 2025, for any more than an hour or so, will ever have forgotten their encounter. The confidence of his opinions on architecture, architectural history and the commemoration of death were profound and sincerely held. I must confess to surprise when, with his passing, I learned he was born as late as 1937.The experience of meeting him was much closer to an encounter with an eminent Edwardian than any other person I have ever met. The youthful Curl trained as an architect and he commenced his long career in the Oxford of the late 1950s. A born scholar, he soon veered toward publications and academia, and I was among the first cohort of conservation students to encounter him at Leicester Polytechnic, shortly to become De Montfort University. I, for one, will never forget his intense lectures on architectural history, or his deep and sincere disdain for architectural modernism. I arrived in conservation through an unconventional academic route and found much of his message entirely understandable. Others of my cohort, arriving through a more conventional architectural path, found his approach a greater challenge, though few, I think, would ever doubt his cogency or obvious sincerity. His strong opinions on architectural collapse in the 20th century would eventually find full voice in his late book Making Dystopia: the strange rise and survival of architectural barbarism. James Stevens Curl was never a man to mince his words and the book is quite a read. Obituary James Stevens Curl at Biddulph Grange in 1987 or 1988 (Photo: Isabel Churcher) James Stevens Curl, architectural historian and architect His intense interest in funerary monuments and cemeteries was frequently evident in his many published works, and he maintained connections with many specific locations. He was patron of the society supporting the wonderful, if grossly neglected, early Victorian cemetery on Southampton Common until his demise. Curl had a very deep connection with Hampshire and it is fitting that his final destination is the churchyard at Soberton in the Meon Valley, Hampshire. It is hard to imagine a more peaceful resting place for a man so combative in the causes in which he deeply believed, almost to his final day. He is survived by his second wife, Dorota, and his daughters, Astrid and Ingrid. Michael Scammell
CONTEXT 187 : MARCH 2026 9 The writer’s voice We are now in the middle of the tenth century and in the city of Cologne; for several hours a man has been sitting upon the banks of a river, flowing majestically at the base of those ramparts which 60 years ago were erected by Philip von Heinsberg, and for several hours his thoughtful brow has not been lifted. This man was the first master-workman of his Begun in 1248, Cologne Cathedral was not completed for 600 years. (Photo: Uwe Aranas, Wikimedia) ‘The Cathedral of Cologne’ by Ernest Breton, from the 1898 anthology Turrets, Towers and Temples, edited by Esther Singleton Oblivion or damnation time; three centuries later he was called the prince of architects. The Archbishop of Cologne had said to him: ‘Master, we must build a cathedral here which will surpass all the buildings of the world in grandeur and magnificence.’ The artist replied: ‘I will do it’; and now he was pondering over ways of accomplishing his promise about which he was frightened. At this moment he was trying to think out a marvellous plan which would give lustre to his country and immortalize his name; but nothing came into his mind worthy of the prodigy he was trying to conceive and could not create. An unknown old man now approached and sat beside him, regarding him with a mocking air, as if he rejoiced in his perplexity and despair; every now and then he gave a little, dry cough, and when he had attracted the attention of the artist, he rapidly traced on the sand with a ring some lines which he immediately effaced. These lines formed exactly that plan which always escaped the artist and whose fugitive image he could not seize. ‘You would like to have this plan?’ asked the old man. ‘I would give all I possess for it.’ ‘I exact nothing. The building that you construct will be the envy and the eternal despair of all your successors, the admiration of centuries to come, and your brilliant and celebrated name will be known to the most remote generations. Your life will be long; you will pass it in glory, wealth and pleasure. For all that I only ask for your soul when your life draws to its close.’ ‘Vade retro Satanas!’ cried the agitated artist. ‘Better the nothingness of oblivion than eternal damnation.’ [The master-workman later snatches the plan with one hand and with the other brandishes a piece of the True Cross, which he happens to have. Satan admits that he has been vanquished but declares that the master-workman’s name will be unknown and his work will never be completed. The cathedral was eventually finished in 1880.]
10 CONTEXT 187 : MARCH 2026 Law and policy England Alexandra Fairclough writes: The last few months have seen several updates and consultations relating to heritage law and policy. Most of these are outlined in the Historic England Planning Bulletins from November 2025 onwards, so I will not repeat these here, but I will point to the most important updates. The major changes include shifts in policy, digital transformation, housing delivery and environmental responsibility. This includes an overhaul of the local plan processes to ensure that sustainability is given more weight in the decision-making process. The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025, with some provisions coming into force at various times and some requiring secondary legislation. The aim is to make it easier and faster for developers to build 1.5 million homes and other key infrastructure. The act introduces a wide range of changes to reshape the planning system. This includes reintroducing strategic planning in the form of spatial development strategies, and introducing new powers for local planning authorities to set and reinvest fees from planning applications. This, and the introduction of a surcharge on planning fees, will help to resource the system. The act forms part of a wider programme of planning reform. Clause 43 empowers the secretary of state to provide deemed listed building consent for schemes under the Transport and Works Act 1992. This mechanism streamlines the process, allowing Streamlined processes for integrated approval of, for example, railway infrastructure that might affect historical structures, without needing separate, distinct applications for listed building consent. The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 also indicated a streamlined process for local plan production and said that national development management policies would be introduced. These policies would have equivalent status to the local plan and, where the local plan was out of date, take precedence. On 16 December 2025, proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (draft NPPF 2025) were announced, with a consultation ending on 10 March. The approach to this document is significantly different from previous versions of the NPPF. One of the most significant changes introduced with the draft NPPF is the emphasis on the permanent presumption in favour of sustainably located development. I will discuss this in a later article. The consultation relating to removing the Gardens Trust and the Theatres Trust as statutory consultees has ended and we await the government’s response. Wales The Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023 does not fundamentally change the existing policies for protecting listed buildings or scheduled monuments. I understand that a focus in 2026 will be the introduction of a new consolidation bill to streamline planning law, which is expected to be brought forward toward the end of the 2026 Senedd term. This will directly impact how heritage assets are managed within the wider planning system. Scotland Major legislative changes affecting historic and traditional buildings in Scotland are scheduled to take effect in 2026, primarily focusing on fire safety and energy efficiency. Northern Ireland In terms of planning for heritage buildings in Northern Ireland, changes focus on streamlining processes, increasing environmental protection and addressing at-risk sites. The Planning (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 introduced online engagement for pre-application consultations. The Department for Communities has added diverse new sites to the schedule of historic monuments, including second-world-war wharfs at Lisahally, St Patrick’s Chair and Well, and granite milestones. This signals an active approach to identifying new protected structures. There has been an increased emphasis on reviving buildings on the buildings at risk (BHARNI) register, with partnerships being developed to bring them back into use. Case law Bath and Northeast Somerset Council v Knight Frank and Emery Brothers (unreported) 2025 A building consultancy and a contractor have been prosecuted and found guilty under Sections 7 and 9 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 by Yeovil Magistrates Court for
CONTEXT 187 : MARCH 2026 11 carrying out unauthorised work to the floor of a Grade I listed building, designed by architect John Wood the Elder, within a world heritage site. The works affected its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest, which the judge found to be reckless and negligent. Knight Frank were fined £120,000 and Emery Brother (Bath) £70,000, and the council’s costs of £60,000 were split between them. Appeals Ref: APP/Q3115/W/24/3343775 Outline planning permission sought for clearance of a site in the green belt and the erection of buildings for employment use (120,000 sq m of Use Class E employment floorspace); inappropriate development in the green belt. Both parties agreed that there would be less than substantial harm to the conservation area and listed buildings. The site forms part of the rural setting and historic agricultural hinterland of the settlement, contributing to the significance of these assets. The proposed urbanisation (in terms of built form, activity, lighting and movement) would erode this rural setting and weaken the ability to appreciate the village as a historic agricultural settlement. Harm to all four listed buildings and the conservation area was judged to be ‘middle of the less than substantial range’. Not deemed to be grey belt and no very special circumstances exist. Appeal dismissed. Ref: APP/Y3940/W/25/3370482 Outline planning application for a residential development and up to 1, 550 sq m mixed-use hub (Use Class E), with associated access roads. One of the issues raised by a Rule 6 party (an individual or group that has been granted full participation status in a public inquiry or planning appeal) was the impact of the proposed development on the setting a nearby listed building. However, neither Historic England nor the local planning authority had raised an objection. The inspector did not consider that there was an impact on the listed building. Allowed with costs: the appellant was awarded costs against the Rule 6 party. Ref: APP/Z2260/W/25/3368475 Planning application for the erection of up to 200 dwellings (Class C3) with car parking. The sole main issue related to the impact on a designated heritage asset, a Grade II listed cross described as ‘a piece of 19th-century sculptural masonry modelled on surviving AngloSaxon crosses’. The inspector found that the proposed development would effectively move the perceived edge of the settlement westwards, absorbing the cross into the urban townscape. This would have a transformative effect on how the heritage asset was seen and experienced. The inspector concluded that the appellant had failed to demonstrate that the development could be delivered without causing unacceptable harm to the significance of designated heritage asset. The development would fail to preserve its setting. Appeal dismissed. Casework: gardens Rousham House and Gardens (Grade I, with a Grade I registered park and garden) is the subject of significant heritage concern due to major development proposals at Upper Heyford/Heyford Park in Cherwell District. The proposals are framed as a ‘new town’ of up to 9,000 homes. The Georgian Group considers that it would pose substantial harm to the setting, views, tranquillity and significance of the Rousham landscape, designed by William Kent in 1737. Adlington Hall Park and Gardens (Grade I, with Grade II* registered park and garden) The government-appointed New Towns Taskforce has supported a private property developer’s proposal for up to 20,000 homes across 1,000 hectares of rural Cheshire, including land in and around the Adlington Hall Estate, as one of 12 potential new town locations. This is not a traditional estate diversification scheme but a proposal for a strategic settlement in the green belt. Alexandra Fairclough, chair of the north west branch of the IHBC, is the cultural heritage and design lead at Bolton Council. Called to the Bar in 2009, she sits on the IHBC legal panel and lectures on heritage planning law. William Kent, designer of Rousham Gardens
CONTEXT 187 : MARCH 2026 13 WESSEX Editorial Defined by diversity This issue of Context focuses on Wessex. Where, exactly? Good question. For our purposes we do not have to define it precisely. But at a time when regional identity is a hot political issue, in Wessex as in many other parts of England, definitions do matter. When Prince Edward was appointed as Earl of Wessex in 1999, the Wessex Society, which promotes the region’s cultural identity, assumed that ‘Wessex’ must be officially defined. That, for the society’s purposes, would be useful. So it asked Buckingham Palace what the exact boundaries of Wessex were. The palace refused to be drawn into those choppy waters, knowing that defining the region might be seen as the first step to recognising its real identity and eventually (who knows?) its right to self government. So the Wessex Society was told that in the context of the title ‘Earl of Wessex’, Wessex did not have a specific meaning, any more than the Duke of Edinburgh has definable rights over Scotland’s capital. Confusingly, the Earl of Wessex and the Duke of Edinburgh are currently the same person. Even more confusingly, the current Earl of Wessex (Prince Edward) does not use his Earl of Wessex title, but his son (James) does, by right of being not the ‘substantive holder’ of the title, but the ‘courtesy holder’. You didn’t know that, did you? Actually, it is said that the reason Prince Edward became Earl of Wessex was because he had recently enjoyed the 1998 film Shakespeare in Love, and particularly the fictional character of Lord Wessex, a man of little integrity, played by Colin Firth. The prince asked the Queen to revive the title for him, and she was happy to oblige. Even when Wessex did officially exist, as an Anglo-Saxon kingdom from around 519 to 927, and an earldom from 1016 to 1066, its boundaries were fluid, depending on the latest state of hostilities against the Mercians, the Britons or the Vikings. But Context has plenty of solid characteristics to focus on, as in this issue we highlight aspects of the region’s geology, culture, architecture, industry and history. Daniel Cantrell writes (page 17) that ‘the great variety within the region can best be appreciated and understood by travelling through it, and enjoying the diversity of this wonderful place.’ Enjoy the taster that we offer here. Map by Rob Cowan
14 CONTEXT 187 : MARCH 2026 DANIEL CANTRELL Wessex: chalk and cheese Before industrialisation the architecture of all but the most polite buildings in Wessex reflected the local resources available, and many local areas have their own identity. Wessex is an area of southern England with an identity rooted in history, culture and romantic literature. It emerged as an identifiable AngloSaxon kingdom from the 6th century, eventually becoming the political heart of England in the reign of Alfred the Great. Following the Norman invasion, its significance waned and the boundaries of Wessex are no longer universally agreed, but it could be considered to include Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Somerset and parts of Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Gloucestershire, as well as the Isle of Wight. The architect and writer Thomas Hardy set almost all his novels within a fictionalised Wessex (the exception being Jude the Obscure, which is set in Oxford), comprising mainly Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, Somerset and Wiltshire. A ‘Hardy plus’ definition, adopted by the Wessex Society, also includes Berkshire and Gloucestershire. More recently, Dorset Council proposed to form a devolved authority named Wessex or ‘the Heart of Wessex’, including Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole, Somerset, North Somerset and Wiltshire councils. Under the English Devolution Bill, the region would have a directly elected mayor, so the boundaries of this new administrative region would need precise definition. In the meantime, for the purposes of this article, the area broadly referred to as Hardy’s Wessex seems fitting. The architecture and geology of this region are closely related, from the chalk downs in the The Wiltshire village of Steeple Ashton east of the region with thatch on roofs and on garden walls, and flints in many of the walls, to the areas dominated by some of the most famous limestones in the UK, including Portland stone in the south and Bath stone in the north. The landscape is predominantly shaped by the relative softness of the underlying limestones, but there are pockets where other sedimentary rocks are found too, such as the Sarsen sandstones used at Avebury and Stonehenge, as well as argillaceous deposits and mudstones. The use of earth mortars is widespread, and in areas where there was no suitable building stone, cob walls often hide beneath limewashed surfaces, protected from rain by broad eaves. The introduction of railways in the mid 19th century enabled materials to be brought from afar, and buildings from this period onward often break with the Wessex vernacular traditions. However, industrialisation came late (or never) to isolated rural areas. Many never had town gas and went straight from oil lamps and candles to electricity. In urban areas and in villages with a railway station, the pace and extent of change was greater. From this time, the identity of new architecture in Wessex is less discernible from that elsewhere in the south of England, both with respect to materiality and style, but while some new buildings followed national trends, the local vernacular remains, and planning policy often encourages new building that is harmonious with the existing context.
CONTEXT 187 : MARCH 2026 15 INFRASTRUCTURE WESSEX Dorset Dorset is a county of two parts: the largely urban area of Poole and Bournemouth to the east, and the rest which is predominantly rural. The architectural character in rural Dorset is closely shaped by its geology, rural economy and long continuity of settlement. There is a strong vernacular tradition which lends visual harmony, and on the whole the buildings are modest in character. They generally sit discreetly within the gently undulating landscape, and hilltops are more likely to show sign of ancient defensive occupation than occupied buildings. The varied geology offers good building stones, including the limestones of Portland (of such quality that they are still exported for use on prestigious buildings across the UK and abroad); Purbeck limestones, including fossilrich examples like Purbeck spangle and Purbeck marble; and Ham Hill stone with its rich, warm, honey colour and gentle variations in tone. In other areas, there is chalk and flint, and walls are built of flint (often with stone or brick banding and dressings), sometimes with extremely good workmanship (such as at Catherston Leweston church). In the absence of high-quality stone, lower-quality stone such as heathstone or, in the absence of stone, cob. In at least one case, and probably many, hidden beneath the render the walls are a mixture of stones, bricks and cobb – whatever was at hand at the time. It is common to see walls built predominantly of cheaper materials, with dressings and features of Portland or Ham Hill stone. These serve to provide a sound structure at openings and edges where the local stones are too weak or small to bind the structure, but they also made the wall look more prestigious. Much rubble stone walling is now exposed to view, and this has become part of the aesthetic character of many areas, but historically rubble would often have been rendered and/or limewashed to unify the materials and to keep out the damp. There are timber-framed buildings in Cerne Abbas, Sherborne and Dorchester, and buildings of brick can be found where they were made locally, as at Broadmayne, and, latterly, in the towns and villages served by a railway. The older roofs in Dorset are typically of stone slate (particularly in the Purbecks), plain clay tile or thatch, but there are also many Welsh or Cornish slate roofs. Generally the thatch is of combed wheat reed, on others long straw. These each have a different character, so it is important that rethatching be undertaken using the local material as well as the local style. There is a theory that the preference for long straw or combed wheat derives from the origins of the thatchers. Water reed was used where locally grown, such as Abbotsbury, and Radipole (reedy pool). Where one might expect to find split laths behind the plaster, there is often reed – even on Georgian townhouses in Dorchester and the barrel vault ceiling of Loders church. Many historic buildings in and around Dorset feature a few courses of large stone slates at the eaves, and a completely different roof covering (often tiles or metamorphic slates) above this. This peculiar practice is a distinctive feature of the local vernacular and the reason for it is not obvious, although a number of theories have been postulated. Whatever the reason that stone slates were used only at the eaves, it has become a well-established detail and part of the local character. The coastal areas are of different character. The Jurassic Coast is a world heritage site spanning from Exmouth in Devon, to Studland Bay. The majority is uninhabited, apart from small fishing villages tucked deep within sheltered recesses, and farms further inland. The town of Bridport historically supplied rope and netting, and this industry shaped the street plan – with long narrow plots to facilitate rope production. The Isle of Portland,Wyke Regis and Weymouth are far more urbanised. There is a strong contrast between the austerity of the industrial Isle of Portland, which still has active quarries and a working commercial port, and the seaside holiday resort of Weymouth seafront. Portland has steep, narrow streets offering shelter against the wind, whereas Weymouth has a much more open aspect. Generally, the larger coastal towns Brickwork in Christchurch, Dorset
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