~on ex The Institute of Historic Building Conservation No 59 September 1998 In this issue: SHREWSBURYANNUALSCHOOLREPORT Lime renders: a discussion document Sgraffito conservation National survey of Jewish built heritage Barn renovation McCarthy & Stone prosecution
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THE INSTITBTE OF HISTORIC BUILDING CONSERVATION http:/ /www.ihbc.org.uk Conlexl and !HBC News !!dilor Bob Kindred, 4 Henley Road, Ipswich !Pl 3FS, Tel: 01473 259441 (Ipswich Borough Council), Tel: 01473 262934, Fax: 01473 262974 e-mail: ihbc_editor@mkcn.org.uk IHBC Officers Chairman.· Dr Malcolm Airs (Department of Continuing Education, Oxford University, Tel: 01865 270395), 39 High Street, Dorchester-on-Thames, Oxon OXl0 7HN, Tel: 01865 340075. e-nrnil: malcolmairs@conted.ox.ac.uk Vice-Chairman: Alan Taylor (Staffordshire County Council, Tel: 01785 277282), 15 Village Gardens, Walton on the Hill, Stafford ST17 01.L,Tel: 01785 664473, e-mail: ihbc_vicechair@mkcn.org.uk Secrelary: Dr Richard Morrice (English Heritage, Tel: 0171-973 3132), Old Laundry Cottage, Mote Road, Ivyhatch, Kent TN15 0NT, e-mail: ihbc_sccretary@mkcn.org.uk Treasurer: Robert Parkinson (West Oxfordshire District Council, Tel: 01993 770247), The Old Priory, Priory Lane, Bicester, Oxon OX6 7BG, e-mail: ihbc_treasurer@mkcn.org.uk Membership Secretary: Gus Astley (Bath & North East Somerset Council, Fax: 01225 477674), Manor House, Wells Road, Hallatrow, Bristol BS39 6EJ, Tel/Answerphone: 01761 453047, e-mail: ihbc_rnemhership@mkcn.org.uk Branches Co-ordillator: Julia Smith (Milton Keynes Council, Tel: 01908 252501), 49 Chaucer Drive, Aylesbury HP21 7LH, Tel: 01296 435187, e-mail: ihbc_branches@mkcn.org.uk Consul/a/ions Co-ordinator: Graham Arnold (Sefton Borough Council, Tel: 0151-934 3574), 13 Sefton Drive, Liverpool LS 3SD, e-mail: ihbc_consultations@mkcn.org.uk Education Co-ordinator: Philip Grover (Oxford Brookes University, Tel: 01865 483425), 7 Palmer Road, Sutton-on-Trent, Notes NG23 6PP, Tel: 01636 822089, e-mail: prgrover@brookes.ac.uk Technical Panel Co-ordinator. Marion Brinton (Basingstoke & Deane Dorough Council, Tel: 01256 844844), Development Department, Civic Offices, London Koad, Basingstoke, Hanes RG21 4AH Pub/icily Ojficer· David Davidson (Birmingham City Council, Tel: 0121-303 2323), 59 Dunsmore Road, Hall Green, Birmingham B28 8EA, Tel: 0121-777 2434, e-mail: ihbc_publicity@mkcn.org.uk Branch Officers Norlh: Jan Goodman, Tel: 01670 519391, e-mail: ihbc_north@mkcn.org.uk North West: Sheila Stones, Tel: 0161-793 3770, Fax: 0161-794 6471 Yorkshire: Stephen Bateman, Tel: 01274 754551, West Midlands.· David Baxter, Tel: 01432 261950 Fast Midlands: Michael Taylor, Tel: 0116-252 7296 South: Martin Andrew, Tel: 01494 421578 South West: David Stirling, Tel: 01249 760670, e-mail: dstirling@northwilts.gov.uk East Anglia: Paula Judson Tel: 01376 572286 South East: Nigel Barker, Tel: 0181-541 9417, e-mail: ihbc_southeast@mkcn.org.uk London: Rosemarie MacQueen, Tel: 0171-641 2455 Scotland: Ronnie Robertson, Tel: 01343 563287 Wales: Neil Sumner, Tel: 01656 643159, e-mail: ihbc_wales@mkcn.org.uk Northern Ireland: Laurence Manogue, Tel: 01232 23500 ext 279, e-mail: ihbc_ireland@mkcn.org.uk Registered as a Charity Number 1061593. Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England Number 3333780. Registered Office: Old Laundiy Couage, Mote Road, Ivy Hatch, nr Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0NT. Context59 September1998 Context News 4 IHBC Annual School, Shrewsbury: Material matters in conservation. Dave Burton-Pye, Micky King, Dave Baxter and Sarah Higgins 9 Success with lime renders. Tim Ratcliffe andJe.ff Orton 16 Appeal decision: demolition of unlisted historic buildings in a conservation area rejected. Edmund Bird 21 Prosecution: Stelvio House, Bassaleg Road, Newport. Fiona Cairns 22 An introduction to Sgraffito in England. Jane Lamb 24 Sir Titus: Who is the author of this fine thing? David Morton 26 Supporting Columns: Historic buildings and trees. Brian Morton 28 Gazebo: Local distinctiveness and the vernacular garden. Samantha Gibson 31 Restoration of a timber framed threshing barn. John Hayden and Jan Lund 33 First national survey of Jewish built heritage. Dr Sharman Kadish 36 Institute News 39 Book Reviews 41 Illustrations in this issue 47 Editorial TRAVELLINHGOPEFULLY? One of the things that makes annual schools and conferences so valuable is the process as much as the outcome. As much can be learned from informed debate as from the lecture content. Equally draft documents often show the process evolving just as they also reveal gaps in knowledge, misconceptions, missed opportunities and on occasions the potential for taking entirely new directions. Early drafts of PPG15 and the new British Standard Guide to Conservation are two examples of documents which ended up rather differently from how they started but the drafts have an interest in themselves. Many consultations are expected to go through a polishing process -few expect to present a completed picture. Many are not circulated as widely as they should be, some not as widely as they deserve. How many of you have seen let alone commented on the DCMS proposals to merge English Heritage with the RCHME?Government departments seem genuinely surprised to receive more than a handful of responses (as was clearly the case with permitted development in conservation areas in 1994). Representations do carry weight - after all someone usually has to read them and react. On technical consultations, practitioners often feel constrained to comment- perhaps feeling that wiser heads than theirs will do so. In this issue we are able to bring you a document in transition. Formulated at one Technical day and now published for debate before another one, the article on lime renders should provoke great interest. You are invited to react (but not to the Editor). Unless, unusually there is unanimity, a comparison with the eventual publication should stimulate as many ideas as its final content. 3
Context Editor: Bob Kindred 4 Henley Road, Ipswich !Pl 3FS, Tel: 01473 259441 (Ipswich Borough Council), Tel: 01473 262934, Fax: 01473 262974 e-mail: ihbc_editor@mkcn.org.uk Deputy Editor. Vacant Production Editor Jonat.han David, Tel: 01582 763415, Fax: 01582 467480 Context is published quarterly and is distributed to all members of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation. © Institute of Historic Building Conservation 1998 ISSN: 0958-2746 Published for the Institute of Historic Building Conservation by Hall-McCartney Ltd, Heritage House, PO Box 21, BALDOCK, Herts SG7 SSH. Tel: 01462 896688 Fax: 01462 896677 e-mail: hallmccartney@compuserve.com Nonmember subscriptions to Context Context is available to nonmembers of the !HBC at an annual subscription rate, including postage, of: United Kingdon £38.00 Elsewhere: US$108.00 Subscription orders, together· with remittances payable to Hall-McCartney Ltd, should be sent to the address shown above. The views expressed in Context are not necessarily those held by the !HBC or the publishers. Neither the publishers nor the !HBC shall be under any liability whatsoever in respect of contributed articles. The products and services advertised in this publication are not necessarily endorsed by the Institute. COVERSTORY An interesting example of 18th Century facadism in Shrewsbmy, venue of the this year's Annual School reported in this issue. Facadism of the 20th century has been far more damaging in Bristol as also reported here by the Georgian Group. 4 NEWS FORTHCOMING ISSUES- DEADLINES ANDTHEMES Copy deadline for the Winter 1998 issue (No.60) will be Wednesday 21 October. Please adhere to this deadline. This will cover quality of new development and the question of maintaining local distinctiveness. Other contributions, experiences, technical notes and case studies are welcome (space permitting). Articles under 2,000 words are much preferred. If you have copy longer than this please discuss it in advance with the Editor. If you submit copy, please do so on 3.5" floppy disk in Windows 95 format. Do not send disks from Apple Macs, these are not formatted for the Editor's Windows 95 machine. Make sure to state on disks on the label what software it is written in. Don't just give the title of the file! ' Alternatively, you can e-mail text to the Editor at: ihbc_editor@mkcn.org.uk but only if your e-mail does not convert the text to MIME format (i.e. alphabet soup)! NVQS- THELATEST POSITION John Preston writes: "Further to my article in Context 57, the three higher level S/NVQs in Conservation: Conservation Consultancy, level 5; Conservation Control, level 4; and Building SiteManagement (Conservation), level 4; have been agreed. The delive1y arrangements are now under negotiation between COTAC and EdExcel, the awarding body which will administer the qualification. I hope to be able to publish a summary of the Conservation Control NVQ, and delivery arrangements, in the next issue of Context, with the summary of the Conservation Consultancy NVQ to follow. John Preston Tel: 01223 457166 (w), 01223 562534 (h), e-mail: johnp@cambridge.gov. uk GEORGIANBRISTOL STILLTHREATENED The Georgian Group has produced many effective campaigning reports in recent years, taking a locality where Georgian architecture is neglected or disThe facades of two houses in Victoria Street, scaffolded while the buildings were demolished in the 1990s. regarded. Their latest target is England's second Georgian city -Bristol The city retains many fine Georgian buildings despite the damage clone in WW2 and the depredations since, but it notes that seven Gracie I of II* buildings are on English Heritage's recent Buildings-at-Risk register and many others in a parlous state are illustrated in the report. The causes and extent of demolitions since the mid 1970s is assessed, and the piecemeal change which has eroded the historic character of the city is outlined. Both grant regimes and enforcement powers have been available but the effects of major urban renewal schemes have been highly damaging. The report is particularly scathing about facaclism and the report states that "In few places can there be so many examples of preservation of the facacles of historic buildings, after the buildings themselves have been demolished, as there are in Bristol." The appalling results of this policy described .and illustrated here make the report worth reading for this section alone. Overall, the report concludes that the City Council has not adopted adequate policies or committed sufficient resources to save buildings-at-risk or protect others from damaging alterations. Although some credit is given for the Bristol CAPS, the Council is berated for not The Conservation Portfolio In the September 1998 edition of the Portfolio are: I.A.A.S., University of York Taught Masters Courses, Short Courses and Research Richard Griffiths Architects Professional Practice Profile The London Crown Glass Co Ltd Victorian Sheet - New Addition to Range of Period Style Glass Tuscan Building Products Rainwater Range in Cast Iron Context59 September1998
safeguarding this investment by controlling associated permitted development nor adequately funding programmes of urgent works. These arguments are supported by many excellent if depressing photos which show how far England's second Georgian city has fallen from grace. The polemic is clearly aimed at stinging the city into more intensive action. Copies of Bristol - A Georgian GroupReportare available from them at 6 Fitzroy Square, London WlP 6DX. Tel: 0171 387 1720. Fax: 0171 387 1721. MISSING M'LEARNEFDRIEND For only the second time since M'Leamecl Friend first imparted his many pearls of wisdom on historic buildings law in Context, his column is absent but he assures the Editor he will be back in December. In the meantime, he informs me he is busy putting the final touches to a fully revised 3rd edition of his book 'Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas' which is expected to appear at the encl of the year. This will incorporate the fall-out from Shimitzu and many other recent developments. There will also be a change of publisher, Sweet and Maxwell having taken over the book's previous publisher FT Law and Tax. With the sad loss of Roger Sudclarcls several years age, and no further edition of his own book from Sweet & Maxwell (Suclclarcls' original publisher) the void will be now be conveniently filled by Charles Mynors' new edition. The Editor understands that it is hoped to offer the new edition to IHBC members at a discounted introductory price and more details will appear with the next issue. IFATFIRSYTOU DON'TSUCCEED Guildford Borough Council's most recent addition to its scheclu le of listed buildings is· Wooclways, No.46 AbbotsContext59 September1998 NEWS wood, Guildford (below), a house built in 1913 by Alfred Claude Burlingham. This follows a long campaign to achieve recognition of the building as an important example of the Arts and Crafts style. Itis believed thatWoodways was a show house to the original Abbotswoocl development and therefore demonstrates all the best features to be found in the other houses on the estate. In the same ownership for seventy years until it was recently sold, its interior remained largely intact, including vulnerable fittings such as hanging lights. It is considered to be a very good example of the late Arts & Crafts influenced house and demonstrates the care and quality of craftsmanship that could be found in middle-class housing of this period. AlthoughA.C.Burlingham never achieved national stature, his architecture shows an assurance and flair that perhaps deserves wider appreciation. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport listed the building in June 1998, Grade II. This followed a number of requests from the Borough Council, supported by the Ancient Monuments Society, the Victorian Society and the A1ts & Crafts Movement in Surrey along with numerous local residents and the architect's son. The listing of Woodways might be regarded as something of a departure for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. Whilst early nineteenth century buildings are increasingly being recognised by the listing process, and the post war thematic listing programme continues, those buildings in the middle, the good quality Victorian and Eclwarclian buildings that contribute so much to the character of our towns, may be overlooked. In the case of the buildings of Surrey, this is particularly tragic, as it was so significant to the development of the Arts and Crafts Movement, arguably one of Britain's greatest contributions to the architecture of Europe. Jo Hvans As a local family company, spanning three generations, we aim to provide personal attention, close supervision and comprehensive after sales care. For maintenance and repairs, however small, we provide a prompt reliable service. We have the experience and resources to have carried out contracts of all types and sizes, from literally a few pounds to several millions of pounds; our main objective being to provide a quality job and a satisfied client. With a large, directly employed workforce, we have the resources to cover all aspects of building work including decorating, electrical work, roofing, plumbing and heating etc. together with a full design and planning service. Many of our craftsmen are trained and experienced in the more specialised areas of their crafts, such as:- Specialist paint techniques Running decorative plaster cornices and mouldings Use of traditional lime putty in brickwork and plastering Purpose made joinery We run a large joiners shop from which we faithfully reproduce period joinery such as doors and windows, stairs and mouldings as well as designing and manufacturing high quality bedroom and kitchen furniture. Our estimates and advice are free. R.W. ARMSTRONG & SONS LIMITED HIGH QUALITY BUILDING AND DESIGN ALDERMASTONROAD, SHERBORNE ST.JOHN, ~I" I!I BASINGSTOKE,HAMPSHIRE RG24 9JZ ;_~; rELEPHONE (01256) 850177 FACSIMILE (01256) 851089 Reg1steredHoose-8vjder Gia§§for peiriodlwindlow§ i\ The London Crown Glass Company specialises in providing authentic glass for the windows of period buildings. This glass, handblown using the traditional techniques of the glass blowers, is specified by The National Trust, The Crown Estates and indeed many others involved in the conservation of Britain's heritage. Specify authentic period glass for your restoration projects. • THE LONDON CROWN GLASS COMPANY 21 Harpsden Road, Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 1EE Tel~phone: 01491 413227 Facsimile 01491 413228 5
6 FARROW&BALL Manufacturersof Traditional PapersandPaint Exclusive manufacturers of ¥ The National Trust Range of Paints and Britain's only paint manufacturer to offer a complete range of traditional finishes DEAD FLAT OIL 57 National Trust & 38 Archive colours in an oil rich resin DISTEMPER Botha soft distemper and an oil bound distemper strengthened with casein LEAD PAINT A traditional flake white, linseed oil & pure turpentine only recipe LIME WASH Traditionally slaked lime putty ready for dilution SCUMBLE & VARNISH Finest quality oil scumble, dead flat and eggshell varnish Also Afullrangeofbothwaterandoilstainersanda compiehensiverangeofearly formulationemulsion, oilglossandeggshellsinallNational TrustandArchivecolours All your conservation and restoration paint requirements met direct from the factory Tel: 01202 876141 Fax: 01202 873793 for colourcards & product information or visit our showroom at 249 Fulham Rd London SW3 NEWS IHBCJOINSEUROPA NOSTRA As part of the desire to extend the boundaries of the Institute and to develop a wider network of contacts, the Institute has recently become a member of Europa Nostra. As a panEuropean umbrella organisation sharing the Institute's common aims to protect and enhance European architecture and natural heritage -and to encourage a high standard of architecture and town and country planning - it is a useful and desirable connection. As a member, the Institute will be entitled to vote in the debate on international issues,· which will be invaluable. Many of these issues could have a direct releva nee to the development and organisation of heritage activities in the United Kingdom. It is one of the stated aims of Europa Nostra to influence public opinion and the policy and activities of international, national and local bodies and local authorities. A current issue is the question of VAT on historic building repairs, an area of common concern and one which the Institute has been in discussion with the government (see also Notes from Council). Europa Nostra extends its influence through conferences, seminars, publications, and study tours. Many of these activities will be of interesqo the membership of the Institute and will be reported through Context. The next Europa Nostra Conference is in Sardinia: 1-3 October - meeting in Alghero; 4-11 October, exploration of the Island of Sardinia. Details on request from Heather Einery, tel: 01260 253141. THEVALUEOFLOANSFORTHE UPKEEPOFHISTORICBUILDINGS As you will all be well aware LocalAuthorities can offer grants towards the expenses incurred in the repair and maintenance of Listed Buildings, and other non-listed buildings of special interest, within their areas. This is under Section 57 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. What you may be less aware of, however, is that a contribution under S.57 can also be made to owners through a loan. The loan may be interest free. A loans scheme has been operated by Mid Sussex District Council since 1984. Currently interest free loans can be obtained, for structural repairs to Listed Buildings to cover the total cost of the eligible works up to a maximum of £6,000. The loans are repayable over a three year period. The loans scheme is promoted through the District's own newspaper which goes to every household. Once an interested owner contacts the Council, an initial meeting is arranged on site to discuss the eligibility of the proposed works and appropriate repair methods to help maintain the building before any forms are required to be completed. At this stage we also involve the Senior Conservation Architect (Jon Barham) from West Sussex County Council. This proactive approach helps secure the interest of applicants before they can be put off by paperwork! It also saves the authority time by not having to process inappropriate applications and provides an opportunity to promote best practice. The value of loans in securing the upkeep of listed buildings should not be ignored. Protecting the historic built environment is essential to retaining what is special about an area - its genius loci. At the same time owners of listed properties frequently find they are unable to raise the money required to meet the costs of necessary repairs. By offering a loan to cover the total cost of the eligible works, maintainance is encouraged rather than allowing historic fabric to deteriorate or using the cheapest materials. An interest free loan can be an incentive to employ skilled professionals, adopt appropriate methods and uses high quality, local materials. The cost of operating a loans scheme is purely the staff time involved and the loss of interest on the money lent. In terms of benefits to an area's built environment it represents excellent value for money and can also have wider benefits in terms of education, the economy, and tourism. So if your authority currently does not have such a scheme it is worth giving it a second thought? Sharon Brown MPhil, MRTPI, Dip Bid Cons(RICS) is a Senior Planning Officer at Mid Sussex District Council. Context 59 September 1998 r
BUILDINGSATRISK REGISTERS For the past nine years SAVE Britain's Heritage has produced an annual report of Builclings-atRisk in England and Wales. Until the publication of the English Heritage register in May, this was the only national source of information on buildings-at-risk (and it is still for Wales). These reports have proved successful in two distinct ways. On some occasions the appearance of a building in the publication, and the interest generated, have helped to persuade a reluctant owner to undertake repairs recommended by the local authority. On many other occasions the reports have helped to find purchasers for buildings whose owners were reluctant to sell. In such cases perseverance is essential as well as suppo1t from local authorities. The 1,900 copies of the 1998 report, Seeking Saviours, sold in the first six months of the year (largely to private inclivicluals),is one indication of the number of people looking for a conservation project to undertake. This year, with the help of a grant from the DCMS,we will be expanding to create a nationwide, fully illustrdtecldatabase of buildings-at-risk which can be constantly updated and allow a flexibility unachievable in an annual repo1t. Inquirers will benefit from more specific information in the form of tailored extracts determined by building type and location. While it is anticipated that many people will request specific extracts from the register, SAVE will continue to publish a yearly bulletin featuring buildings newly identified as being at-risk and examples of successful restoration projects. For several years the Scottish CivicTrust has compiled a Buildings-at-Risk Register, funded by Historic Scotland and run by Mary Miers,operating along these lines. We have taken our inspiration from this. One major difference will be that the whole SAVE Register will be available on the Internet, attached toa SAVEWebsite. There will an access fee, but !HBC members will benefit from a reduced rate, and it will be available free to local authorities. We intend to launch the Register on the Internet when we have compiled information on 500 buildings: our target is 1,000. The SAVE Register has been conceived to be compliementary to the recently launched English Heritage Buildings-at-Risk RegisContext59 September1998 NEWS ter and we enjoy EH's full suppo1t and co-operation. As the EH Register lists exclusively Grade I and Gracie II* buildings-at-risk, we will be concentrating, in England, on Gracie II and unlisted buildings in Conservation Areas. The 1992 EHSUJveyofbuildingsa-risk concluded that 93% of all buildings-a-risk in England were listed Gracie II. Our interest iswider in Wales: because tl1ere is still no Buildings-a-Risk Register there, we are seeking information on Welsh buildings-a-risk of ALL grades. For this same reason we hope to place greater emphasis on Welsh buildings tl1an we have clone in past and therefore we are particularly keen to receive information on Buildings-at-RiskinWales. SAVE has always relied heavily on the generous co-operation of members of tl1e IHBC (and before that tl1eACO) to supply it with information for tl1e annual reports, and we hope that members will continue to assists in compiling tl1enew Register.Since our target of 1,000 buildings is five times as many as appeared in our last report, your help will be more vital than ever. One crucial advantage of the new Register is tl1atwe will be able to update, correct or remove information at any time, so making me Register far more accurate man was possible wim a one-off annual publication. Please contact Deborah Churchill with any information regarding Buildings-a-Risk or if you have any queries about the project. One of me advantages of our new system is that we will be able to return photographs immediately, having scanned tl1em onto me database. Equally, we can receive any infom1ation, textual or graphic, by cliskor e-mail. SAVEB1itain'sHe1itage,77Cowcross Street, London EClM 6BP, tel: 0171 253 3500, fax: 0171 253 3400, e-mail: save@btinternet.com Deborah Churchill is the Buildings- • at-Risk Qfficer, SA VEBritain's Heritage SITUATIONSVACANT PLANNING & ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIRECTORATE ASSISTANT PROJECTS MANAGER Salary £20,922-£23;958 p.a. Do you like a challenge ? Do you have professional skills and experience in heritage/building conseNation ? Can you encourage and develop the involvement of others? Can you deliver projects on time and budget ? Would you like to be part of an expanding and successful CAPS programme ? Hastings & St Leonards Council have a strong commitment to conseNation and were one of the original pilot CAPS Schemes. The new H.L.F. funded CAPS Scheme is one of the largest in the country. To help in the delivery of this project, which includes the running of SRB and CAPS grants, the new post of Assistant Projects manager has been created. If you have the background and appropriate professional qualifications (e.g. construction/heritage, architecture, planning) together with good communication skills and report writing ability, we'd like to hear from you. Closing date for applications is 30th September 1998 Application forms (no CVs please) are available from the Town Hall, Queens Road, Hastings TN34 1QR. Telephooe(0142~u UGH COUNCIL Hastings Borough Council is an Equal Opportunities Employer and operates a No Smoking Policy. Planning Department Conservation Officer Up to £20,808 (inclusive) Dacorum combines the achievements of modern town planning with a varied historic heritage to produce a diverse and successful built environment. Conservation has an important role to play in the Borough and this has been recognised by the creation of an in-house team. We need an enthusiastic and skilled person to fill a vacancy in this team; your job would be primarily dealing with the implementation of the Borough's Conservation Area Partnership scheme and Action Plan, together with other grant aid and historic building work. Your skills will include a sound knowledge of traditional building construction and detailing. Experience in the repair of historic buildings is desirable, as is a working knowledge of the planning system. An ability to draw architectural details clearly is especially needed as you will be involved in the preparation and publication of technical design guidance. You will have a degree or other equivalent qualification in architecture or historic building conservation, and a minimum of three years related practical experience. You will need to travel around the Borough and be expected to use and develop the Department's Historic Buildings database so keyboard skills and some knowledge of computer based systems is desirable. For an informal discussion, please ring Kingsley Fulbrook in Planning on 01442 228577. For a job pack and application form, contact Mrs A Paul, Planning Department, Dacorum Borough Council, Civic Centre, Marlowes, Herne! Hempstead, Herts HP1 1HH. Tel: 01442 228583. The closing date is 30 September 1998, and interviews are likely to be held in the week beginning 12 October 1998. 7
8 @] ~ @] THE TRADITIONAL LIME Co. • matured lime putties • mortars • renders • plasters • lime washes • pigments TRADLYM® TODAY'S BOND WITH THEPAST i I I I I I I I I I I Church Farm, Leckhampton, ~ Cheltenham, Glos GL5 l 5XX I Telephooec (01242) 525444 Faxc (01242) 237727 i i i i i i i i i i i I @] ~ @] This distance learning course is designed for those wishing to acquire the specialist skills, understanding and sensitivity needed to work with historic buildings and structures. The first year of this two-year course will provide an introduction to Building Conservation, covering such subjects as: During the second year students will cover some of the more practical issues of conservation such as: • Surveying historic buildings • Defect diagnosis and remedy • Architectural history • Conservation agencies • Project control • Conservation philosophy • Managing historic buildings • Research and • recording • Law relating to historic buildings • Garden conservation • Alternative use • Standing archaeology • Development & conservation of historic interiors The course is open to suitably qualified persons already working or hoping to work in building conservation. For further information contact the Director of Student Services, The College of Estate Management, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AW Tel: 0118 986 ll0I • Fax: 0118 975 0188 Home Page: http://www.cem.ac.uk • Email: cem_info@compuserve.com Quote ref: CNX09M Context 59 September l 998
IHBC AnnualSchool, Shrewsbury 2-5April1998 This year the venue for the Annual School was the historic town of Shrewsbury, County Town of Shropshire, situated on a pleasant loop of the River Severn. In contrast to the Annual Schools of the ACO, the First Annual School of the new Institute was not based in a Collegiate setting and residential accommodation was provided within the historic core zone ofShrewsbwy in a number of hotels all within easy reach of each other. The day School was held on the campus of Shrewsbury School using a variety of buildings on the site. The hosts for this year's School were the West Midlands Branch of the Institute, chaired By Dave Baxter. Branch member Noel Knight not only provided the secretariat and booking service for the school but also undertook construction work, providing the oak frames for the wattle and daub demonstration at Acton Scott working farm on Saturday 4 April! The enthusiastic Midlands Team also included Kathy Baird, Lisa Turner,Jane Jackson, Colin Richards and Micky King. Colin was largely responsible for organising the construction of the beehive brick kiln at Acton Scott, whilst many other members of the West Midlands Branch gave a hand in the muddy brick making session reported elsewhere in this issue! The main sponsors were the heritage division of W S Atkins, and thanks are clue to Jason Wood who now heads the W S Atkins Team. The other main sponsor was Alfred McAlpine Slate (Penrhyn, Cwt-y-Bugail, Ffestiniog). Hall-Mcartney organised trade exhibitors and the West Midlands Branch was able to find considerable local sponsorship largely clue to the efforts of Noel Knight and Micky King. Frank Galliers Contractors and Pooks Swveyors in Shrewsbury provided the wine for both the annual dinner and the dinner at the Lion Hotel. The Mayor of Shrewsbury and Context59 September1998 St Julian's Church with St Alkmund's behind. Atcham Borough Council provided the reception at St Mary's Church. The Annual School began on Thursday, following registration at the Music Hall, in the Market Square in Shrewsbury. After a short introduction to the Town and region by Dave Baxter and Micky King, delegates cliviclecl into groups for a number of tours around Shrewsbury. One group took a coach trip to Combermere Abbey in North Shropshire. Here Andrew Arroll, former Conservation Officer for Shrewsbury, and now in practice as an historic buildings architect, showed delegates over the stucco repairs to the gothic revival features of the building as well as the repairs currently taking place to its primary timber-framed core. Dr. Nigel Baker, building archaeologist, consultant for the Shrewsbury Archaeological Database, and Richard Morriss, historic building consultant, showed delegates around the interiors of some of the most interesting timber Material matters in conservation frames in the Town demonstrating a considerable professional skill in the art of timber frame interpretation. Les Rogers and Micky King from Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council showed delegates the work carried out under the Conservation Area Partnership Scheme and former Town Scheme. Rob Suri, Senior Transportation Planner with Shropshire County Council, took delegates around the Historic Core Zone Project which has removed highway signs and double yellow lines as well as repaving the town centre in natural materials where traffic has been reduced to 14 mph. An historic buildings architect's perspective of Shrewsbmy was provided by local architect and ICOMOS representative Graham Moss, who took delegates around selected buildings in the Town Centre. In the evening , the Mayor of Shrewsbmy and Atcham Borough Council, Councillor Peter Dunham provided a reception in the Gracie I redundant church of St Ma1y, now beautifully repaired by the Churches Conservation Trust. The Mayor made a notable and spirited speech from the pulpit including quotes from Pevsner! The reception was followed by dinner in the Adam Ballroom of the Grade II* Lion Hotel at which Dr Baker gave a most interesting talk on the Archaeology of Shropshire. After the dinner a number of delegates left for a late night session of African Carribean Music in the Grade II Butter Market! SHREWSBURYDAYSCHOOL Brian Ridout - Ridout Associates Many IHBC members will be familiar with Brian Ridout's work and theories. His lecture on timber source and selection outlined a specific base for investigations into the causes of decay. The main focus was the difference between modern and traditional methods of growing and felling the trees. Experience has shown that 18th and 19th century softwood is much 9
Material matters in conservation more durable than any modern equivalents - the principal reason being that it was logged from 200 year old trees. Current practice (in some instances) is to fell after as little as 45 years and in doing so to try to bolster the durability of the material by the introduction of chemicals. The effect of this was illustrated by the use of diagrams which graphically emphasised the difference between the structure of young and old trees. The key lies in the way in which growth rings change from being juvenile sapwood to becoming mature heartwood in later life. In order to achieve this they undergo a move from juvenile sapwood to mature sapwood then through juvenile heartwood to mature heartwood. As far as decay is concerned, it is the juvenile sapwood that it important for this is what conveys the nutrients to the leaves and hence contains the living materials. It is these on which the organisms of decay thrive and hence the sapwood is what they attack. However, they cannot do this in the wild and hence only do so once a tree has been felled. Furthermore, the durability of the timber only begins as the fibres of the timber change with age. In juvenile wood, fibres lie horizontally and have little durability but in mature wood the fibres are at a much more acute angle and have strength in compression. This process relates to the cycle of change from sapwood to heartwood and timber has no durability until heartwood is formed - typically say after 35 years. If trees are felled at 60 years (the current norm) they may only contain 15 years of juvenile and 30 years of mature hardwood. Compare this with the former practice of felling a tree after 200 years which would contain 15 years of juvenile and 170 years of mature heartwood! So the younger trees now being felled contain less, latewood, have lower density and lower strength and are more prone to longitudinal shrinkage. These problems are compounded by other changes in practice. The strength of timber is governed by the spacing of the growth rings - the closer the better. Wild grown timber has this quality but commercially grown ex10 hibits wider rings which have less strength. In addition the manner in which timber is cut in the yard has changed so specifying timber may not give the durability required. Brian closed his talk with more cautiona1y notes. Nondurable timber is more prone to attack- it may contain chemicals but this alone is not sufficient to sustain contact with damp conditions and hence it needs to be kept away from direct contact with moisture, since fungal attack is restricted to zones of moisture. Woodworm only attacks sapwood - so future problems are potentially being stacked up. RichardMorrice Richard started with quite a brave opening gambit given the nature of his audience: he was first employed in Architectural Salvage which entailed knocking down quite a few farms! He did, however, point out that to do this properly requires an understanding of how they were built in the first place, and this gave a very convenient lead into his current calling as an historic building consultant which involves the same thing but on the other side of the fence. This understanding is crucial to the success of a scheme - in his words "you can't maintain a Mercedes Benz with a Skoda mechanic"! The historic building consultant is thus a key part of the decision making team in that his or her role is to analyse the building, inform structural decisions, and inform and add to the research or wider body of knowledge. Common to all timber-framed buildings is their simplicity-in fact he could hardly have expounded his philosophy in more simple terms. Basically, you have a tree; you cut it up - you build a building. As a result, this type of building exhibits a common characteristic of being easy to understand - almost as easy in fact as Richard's next strand of philosophy that all timber-frame buildings have a basic logic to them - namely: "it must stand upright - if it falls it's a plank". Inevitably, of course, it's not quite that simple - if it was, why would you need a consultant? The answer lies in the consultant's specialist knowledge - the understanding that he or she can bring to the component parts to inform the decision making process. Consultants look for the frames, which must be put together and the joints are crucial to this. The relationships between the various members are usually simple with the carpenter's marks being the key to the construction. New St Chad's by George Stuart. These follow a logical and sensible format albeit sometimes tinged with particular local variations and styles. If these various parts are tabulated they can provide a coherent picture of what is there and also what is missing, thus giving a clue to the building's original form. The frame needed to be filled (it stopped the draughts!), and wattle and daub was the most commonly used infill. Evidence of this is found in stave holes and wattle grooves but there are many variations, such as planks, lath and plaster or even alabaster slips. The end result of this looking for clues/ logic/patterns is an informed analysis of how the building has developed. This is then a vital element of a team decision which involves the historic buildings consultant, the architect and the Conservation Officer. Many of us have seen the role of such consultants and, as a result of the lessons learned, would echo his closing remarks that this input is not an additional oncost, nor an unnecessary luxury, but very much an essential part of a multidisciplina1y approach to the problems that we all strive to solve. Brucelnduni Nobody puts a message across quite like Mr Induni. The image is unmistakable, the style inimitable and as a result of this people tend to remember not only what he says but how he says it. His opening gambit was to inform us that he was diametrically opposed to the previous speaker - quite a statement for someone who is essentially in the same game. This was followed by an unforgettable allusion to Botticelli's Context 59 September 1998
famous painting Venus Rising wherein Bruce reminded us that it is her flesh that we admire, not the skeleton that holds it up. In fact in the closing stages of his opening remarks we were advised to - and I quote "Bugger the bones and stuff the carpenter's marks, it's the flesh that counts - not the skeleton!" Having grabbed our attention with this slightly unconventional approach, he then expounded the theory further. The infill panels are the important bits but nobody loves them. Archaeologists hack them off to find out what's underneath, Building Control Officers say they are cold and draughty and cause problems and the building industry's solution is to get rid of the problem. Traditional mixes were a clay daub with some additives such as dung, lime and chopped straw but the 'science' is not an exact one and they all cause difficulty of some sort. They suffer from initial shrinkage, they don't stay the same shape, they are affected by changes in humidity, they retain water very well but have difficulty in shedding it, and they get stained by the tannin coming out of the oak. (Author's note: I don't remember Richard Morrice telling us that frames had this many problems!) As a result of this they were replaced by hard, heavy brick panels and the problems with these are well known. So, having 'demolished' traditional infills he looked at modern alternatives. Ordinary Portland Cement was dismissed as no good. Gypsum sets in a different way to lime but is not stable in areas prone to moisture. Eminently hydraulic limes seem to be in favour but these are still problematic despite a tendency to see them as a panacea and for their use to be a 'cover-up' for inadequate site setup and inadequate site supervision. There is also a fashion for replacing worm-ridden wattle with stainless steel mesh. As a material in its own right this is OK but its appearance is very different and gives a uniform finish. The mesh itself has to be nailed in place creating more holes and exacerbating one of the problems which we are looking to solve! If there is a common thread running through these wide ranging and very varied considerations, it was Bruce's thought that we are pursuing a false grail-our expectations are too high. It is as unrealistic to expect old buildings to behave like new ones as it is to expect new materials to perform well on old buildings. We stilluse woodwool and Stramit but any board will need to be sealed round with a mastic - none of which perform any better than chewContext59 September1998 TheMusicHall. ing gum and none of which last. Ironically we seem to accept that wattle and daub is short lived but are content to replace it with an equally short lived modern replacement which at best performs no better and, at worst, far worse. This lecture concluded on finishes - and the wrong one can finish a building. It is no good putting Sandtex on the outside and emulsion on the inside and expecting there to be no problems. Almost all SPAB's solutions include a membrane which won't breathe, thus ensuring that the only part of the building which can is the frame - and oak isn't renowned for its breathability. Yet herein lies the clue to it all: breathability and permeability. These are known quantities for modern materials but not for traditional ones. As a parting shot Mr Induni outlined the tremendous opportunities for universities to become involved in such research projects, and his sting in the tail raised another guffaw from the audience - to do so in terms that engineers and building control officers can understand! Summary What conclusions can be drawn from these three very different perspectives on a common theme? I am tempted to say it is clear that there are large numbers of very knowledgeable experts out there all of whom know a great deal about their subject - but as IHBC members we know this anyway since our Annual Schools always provide an excellent array of speakers. It is also clear that there are no answers, just a series of points along a learning curve. Bruce himself said that the more he learns the less he knows, and I suspect that most if not all of us would subscribe to that view. He was also a bit rude about the Internet but I would venture to suggest that in the long term the Web could pull together these strands of knowledge on a worldwide basis. The answers may still be elusive but we might move towards better questions. Dave Burton-Pye Fallowing the talk the Chair of the Day School, John Fidler, stressed the need for vapour permeability. He stated that since we do not have any figures on vapour permeability, Conservation Officers are unable to present their case to building control officers in a sensible and scientific way. He referred to a recent English Heritage investigation of a case where an alleged micro-porous paint had failed. When analysed it was found to have a v.p. of 15 mg in 24 hours. Basic traditional limewash on the other hand has a v.p. of 150 mg in 24 hours! This was obviously far superior to the claims made by the manufacturers of the modern paint system based on Silanes. Rosemary McQueen, IHBC Branch Representative for London, asked the question "Has any one won a case on appeal based on the argument of sustainability?". This led to a lively debate on the subject including the recent decision allowing for the use of imported Brazilian mud stone (mined by slave labour) in favour of the local Delabole slate. John Fidler also reported that the UK had lost out in the setting of European Standards, for example that European imported limes could contain a variety of additives including cement and pozzolans. Gerald Emerton concluded that there was unfortunately no substitute for working knowledge of the performance of materials. His were gained throughout a thirty year working career. In his opinion BS 680 Part 2: Specification for roofing slates was a crutch and a substitute for real knowledge only used by specifiers who did not understand the nature of the material specified. AdrianPrice Following Lunch, Adrian Price, a member of the Shropshire Mines Trust, began the afternoon session with a most interesting illustrated talk on the history and technology of the extraction of lead iron and other minerals in Shropshire. He followed the extraction of iron and lead from Roman times through to the present project for the interpretation and conservation of the 11
Material matters in conservation Snailbeach Lead Mine, once the largest lead mine in Europe. The work at Snailbeach is now part of a major Conservation Area Partnership involving South Shropshire DC, Shropshire CC, English Heritage, HLF and the Shropshire Mines Trust. A number of delegates would have the experience of visiting the mine the Saturday (mentioned later in this report). Brian Morton Following on from Adrian Price's talk on methods of extraction of iron, Brian Morton the well known consulting engineer and regular contributor to Context, gave a presentation on the repair and design of iron and steel, iron repair and remanufacture, methods of retaining existing materials in situ and using state-of-the-art techniques for the repair of cast iron. Part of his lecture was published in the last issue of Context (No.SS pages 31-32) As an example of a complicated and delicate project, Brian illustrated the work which his practice had carried out in the restoration and repair of the Albert Memorial. On this project a conference of corrosion experts had been held to work out the most beneficial and cost effective lifespan coating for the repaired cast iron. 32 out of the 33 delegates at the conference advocated the use of reel lead, a paint system which has been used for the protection of iron since Roman times. In conclusion Brian talked about and illustrated methods of repairing wrought-iron glazing bars used in historic conservat01y construction. He indicated that real wrought iron was still available from a variety of sources. Where it could be demonstrated that there were basic design faults in original structures to be repaired, he was of the opinion that there was no point in repeating the poor design but that a modern solution, in sympathy with the original structure should be adopted. He illustrated this with the example of the Telford Bridge in the London Docks. John Woods He began by explaining that he had over 30 years experience of working with lead and was now the technical officer for the Lead Sheet Association. He inroduced the three main publica12 tions by the Lead Sheet Association which are essential reading for all those engaged in the specification of lead sheet for the repair of historic buildings. Lead had been used at least since Roman times on buildings in this country and in a variety of ways - not just for roof covereings and drainage but (as his slides showed) for garden ornaments, urns and other features. Lead sheet was supplied in rolls and was manufactured either by being sandcast or, after the 1830s, as milled lead sheet. The first milled lead was produced in Newcasle-on-Tyne and was soon being shipped to London by sea. On historic buildings only the thickest codes were suitable. Codes 6, 7 and 8 for flat surfaces, gutters, flat roofs and valleys and Code 5 for flashings. Over 100,000 tons of lead was used in the UK per year in the building industry, but the historic building market is only a small proportion of the overall total. When lead comes up for renewal, there should be like for like repair using sand-cast lead for all leadwork up until the intoduction of milled lead. It is essential when taking up an old lead roof to examine the reasons for failure or decay. Often the faults will lie not in the material itself but the way in which it had been laid. For example, the gutter work to the Chatham Dockyard Rope1y in Kent is a third of a mile long and it is essential that the coefficient of expansion for lead made adequate allowance for expansion and contraction between summer and winter. SIZE MUSTBE RELATEDTO THE THICKNESSOF THE LEAD.For example, using Code 4 milled sheet, gutters may be up to 1.5 metres long before introducing a minimum 50mm step. Using Code 8 milled lead, however, a distance of 3 metres may be achieved before requiring a step. The amount of expansion of a 2 metre length of lead sheet between summer and winter may be from 2 to 3 mm. A good guide to the effectiveness of a particular traditional historic building detail is to work out how many times it has been repaired. Over-sizing and over-fixing are the two most common causes of failure. A good lead roof properly detailed should last at least 150 years. The roof of the former Naval Hospital at Greenwich, was reroofed six years ago for the first time since it was built by Sir Christopher Wren! The girth oflead was also important and the sizes given in the Lead Sheet Association guides should be followed. Catchpits are particular danger points for roof failure, and consideration should be given when undertaking repairs to introduce overflows. TheOld ShrewsburySchool,now the County RecordOffice and PublicLibrary. Wire balloons should be replaced by cast grids. Whereever possible, historic integrity permitting, additional downpipes should be introduced. TPren neoprene gasketed expansion joints will not last as long as traditional solutions and should only be used as a last resort. Much work has been carried out by the Lead Sheet Association in conjunction with English Heritage on the consequences and causes of underside corosion of lead sheet (see Book Reviews - Editor). Where lead comes into contact with slate or tile roofs, for example on ridges and hips, it is important that patination oil is specified in order to prevent the discloration which can occur in the initial weathering of the lead. John Wood concluded by commenting on the range of techniques available for working lead including lead burning for repair, lead bossing, working lead cold arround a wooden mould and the casting of elaborate hopper heads to traditional patterns. MickyKing THELEGACYOFACTONSCOTT In the Beginning About three months before the final ACO Annual School (Canterbury, 1997) an organising Committee (made up of Branch conscripts) was formed within the West Midlands Branch to organise and host the first Annual School of the then newly formed IHBC. We chose a theme which would examine the choice and selection of materials to be used in the repair of historic buildings and in the construction of new buildings in Context59 September 1998
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