The surveyor in conservation

Abstract

The number of old buildings and sites protected by legislation is rapidly increasing due to the accelerated listing procedure and the effects of the 1979 Ancient Monuments Act — laws brought about to reflect the widening public concern about historic fabric, perhaps as the result of the increasing strength of the conservation movement; public disillusion with modern architecture; and insecurity about the future brought about by the current recession. Thus, in a time when even modern buildings are being listed and Second World War defences being scheduled, the surveyor is increasingly likely to be confronted with instructions to repair, restore, convert, extend or improve ancient buildings. This short series of articles attempts to summarise a few of the problems likely to be encountered with their solution, without suggesting that the surveyor should be deterred from exercising his or her individual skills and judgment in dealing with buildings whose very nature demands a singular approach. The first article deals with the philosophy of conservation and the laws that support it, historical research and the various alternative approaches that may be made to solve practical problems; the second will cover the sources of materials — including stone, bricks, green oak, lime and paint — used in conservation works; and the last the techniques of surveying and repairing churches. Any study of conservation is rewarding — the realisation that the earlier a medieval building, the finer its detail; the discovery that modern craftsmen display great skill when properly encouraged; and the surprising longevity of traditional building materials, albeit subjected to centuries of neglect — these provide examples which will repay the surveyor's time and interest.