6 MARK SHARP'S FOOTSTONE Mark Sharp was a carpenter of Lewes (died 1747) who is commemorated by both head and footstones in the churchyard of StJohn-sub-Castro in Lewes. While the headstone is more conventionally decorated with a representation of the LastJudgement, the smaller footstone is given over to his carpenters tools. The above illustration is being used as the logo for for the Annual School. BUILDING CRAFTSMANSHIP Nigel Barker, one of the organisers of this year's Annual School, reflects on its theme. It is apt that the subject for the Annual School in this, the tenth, year of the ACO should be Building Craftmanship. A decade on from the formation of the ACO by enthusiasts working on the Crafts Council's National Craft Skills Register, it seems appropriate to highlight the achievements and continuing problems. Sadly, it is still too often the case that the conservation officer will see very poor workmanship in what should have been, in theory, simple minor repairs. This seems paradoxical given the growing appreciation of, and support for, our built heritage. However, it can be argued that the perception of historic buildings work as being 'specialist', whilst vital, has been a two edged sword. Although the opportunities for professional conservation training are expanding (new courses at Reading and Oxford) and professional barriers arc to some extent coming down, most conservation training is still aimed at the architect, historically, the professional involved with conservation. Unfortunately, the vast majority of owners of listed buildings do not employ architects, and in this situation the decline in the tradition of craftmanship has been a continuing cause for concern. This concern is not new, but has been growing since the emergence of the conservation movement in the late 19th century when the distinction of conservation work was first made. The separation of conservation work from the general run of building activity has become ever more stark until, by 1975, Bernard Feilden could write: The trades of bricklayer, mason and plasterer which produced the glories of Hampton Court, St Pauls Cathedral and Melton Constable have all been telescoped into the 'trowel trades'. Likewise carpenter, joiner and cabinet maker have been compressed into the woodworking trades. The old fashioned and elaborate edifice of the City & Guilds Craft Training with five years apprenticeship has been simplified and condensed at the wishes of the building industry. The skills required in the present day building industry are now inadequate for conservation work, where a craftsman needs the ability to think out problems himselfbased on a knowledge of traditional techniques and materials. The confinement of conservation work into its own professional specialism has its dangers, as David Anstis, writing in the Architectural Association Quarterly in 1960, pointed out: pressures for roo specific vocational learning, or for the sort of pre-defined knowledge and values said to come from a thorough course of history study will achievelittle of consequence. Rather, there will continue to be a situation where conservation activities are limited tO a few well known specialists together with a fringe of relieved escapists from the twentieth century ... and it is these dangers that have to be addressed. Whilst the owner of an historic building maywellsee the need to employ a suitably experienced craftsman for those repairs regarded as involving unusual or historic materialsor skills,such as thatching, the separation of conservation craftmanship into a specialism will leave the same building vulnerable to damage from the jobbing builder employed by the same owner tO carry out re-pointing; as this is commonly regarded as a simple task, not specialist, and one every builder can do. Until the separation between conservation craftmanship and general construction is reduced with some form of basic training common to both (utopia I hear you cry!)it is the conservation officer who most often has to bridge the gap and break down the barriers. This can be done by encouraging the revival of old industries, as with peg tile manufacture in Kent; or by sponsoring craft training. The production of clear technical guidance aimed at both the contractor and - most important - the owner, is also vital. It is encouraging that English Heritage is involved in trying to co-ordinate this. But the gap can only be bridged if conservation officers themselves have an understanding of the evolution of building types and their materials, and some idea of where the traditional skills necessary for successful building conservation can be found. By ensuring the the "average" owner of the more modest historic building (ie over 90% of listed buildings) is made aware of the skills available, with luck the market for those skills will grow and encourage wider appreciation of, and support for, the traditions of building craftmanship which are the subject of the Annual School this year. Nigel Barker Surrey County Council CONTEXT 29
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