Recollections of the LHAR Project

As the Lincolnshire Heritage at Risk surveys draw to a close at the end of this month I find myself looking back over my time as a volunteer Heritage Steward. The experiences have been many and varied but rarely negative.

I recall feeing rather uncertain about completing my first survey in 2010 but any anxiety quickly disappeared when the owner of the property provided an unexpected conducted tour of his home.

About half way through the project the volunteers were asked to complete all 500+ Places of Worship surveys in the county. Surveying churches of various denominations introduced me to a completely different aspect of heritage work. Appreciating the complexity of both the architecture and the particular problems surrounding the funding (and therefore, survival) of these buildings were truly formative experiences for me. Around the same time, Heritage Lincolnshire ran a two day course, ”The Medieval Church – Heaven on Earth” , which introduced the development of churches  over hundreds of years; these changes dictated largely by ecclesiastical directions and the architectural  trends of the times. A different course (but again, of a high quality) was one that considered the Lost Villages of Lincolnshire. Part of the course involved an appreciation of the Lutterel Psalter, a local illuminated manuscript, compiled in the 14^th Century. A short film, inspired by the Psalter and produced by WAGscreen can be viewed by following this link:     

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0AnUM1tt54

An illustration from the Lutterel Psalter

Memorable for me also have been the regular events, organised by the Lincs HAR team and intended as gestures of thanks for  Volunteers’ contribution to the project. Amongst these events have been conducted tour s of Doddington Hall, Belton House and Gunby Hall, each of which have been followed by refreshments.  The next scheduled event is a tour of Gainsborough Old Hall in November.

My time as a Volunteer Steward have inevitably included some negative experiences, most notably the prevalence of metal thefts from a variety of heritage sites,locally and nationally. Not wishing to dwell upon these negatives, I had some guarded optimism that the situation might be improving a little (due to less press coverage of the subject and recent  legislation, introduced in an attempt  to regulate the scrap metal trade). This optimism was dashed a couple of weeks ago when I read of a C16 sundial having been sawn from a church in W,Sussex by metal thieves. More serious than this however, was the recent death of a young man in London, killed by a 50kg piece of masonry falling from a poorly maintained Victorian building. The inquest report referred to the deteriorated state of the decorative stonework at the top of the building, adding that its wall ties were either in a poor state or absent altogether. Whether or not the building was subject to the attention of local Heritage organisations or councils was not made clear. What this type of report highlights however is that the monitoring and reporting of an old building’s condition and its safety has far reaching and crucial implications, quite apart from its aesthetic qualities.

During my last survey I once again experienced some trepidation when approaching the property (this time, a modest country estate in the South of the county). With an uncanny similarity to my first survey in 2010, the owner of the house was as helpful as she could possibly have been. I was given virtually free access to the estate, not before having an enjoyable half hour’s discussion with her on a range of topics! It is this type of encounter that I will miss the most about my time as a volunteer. The Heritage assets (buildings, parks,etc) have obviously been the focus of the work but the individuals  who I have met, with their welcoming and trusting attitudes, will be what stays in the memory for a long time to come.

St.Edith’s, Coates-by-Stow, one of my favourite heritage sites

Colin, Heritage Steward



A change in attitudes

As the 2012 Paralympic Games draw to a close I have found it encouraging to see that, quite apart from the excitement of the games themselves, a positive change in attitude to those with disabilities appears to be emerging; a reminder as to what can be achieved by improved awareness.

But what has the Paralympics to do with heritage, you might ask? Benefits to be gained from changes in attitude can have relevance to heritage issues too.

During a recent stay in Devon, a visit to the C13 All Hallows church in Ringmore, near Kingsbridge was an unexpected pleasure. Its setting alone is beautiful; a prominent position in the village, surrounded by picturesque Devon countryside.

Medieval mural at All Hallows, Ringmore, Devon    

Reading about the church’s history I learned that mainly due to the efforts of one former rector in the 1850s, the church was saved from dereliction. Further improvements to the church in the early C20 proved to be ill-judged. The nave was covered with a tin lining and this measure added to the already poor state of the walls. Finally in the 1960s the linings were removed, the deterioration was treated and a fine concrete rendering was applied throughout. Viewing the nave (to my inexpert but critical eye,) not enough care and attention appears to have been taken in completion of the work at the time. The process of applying the render has resulted in a certain amount of the concrete spray “drifting” from the nave walls onto the rare Medieval painted mural on the chancel arch.

Damage to the mural, All Hallows, Ringmore, Devon

Arguably, closer regulation and supervision could easily have reduced the likelihood of this occurring. As it stands, I imagine the damage (albeit to a relatively small area of the arch) is irreversible.

I assume that a major restoration such as the complete re-finishing of the walls of a C13 church would nowadays require stringent planning application and approval by bodies such as English Heritage, with good reason, and occurrences such as the one I have described would be averted. How attitudes towards preserving our heritage appear to have altered in the past 50 years or so.

Last weekend I paid a visit with my eldest son to Lincoln Cathedral. Although I have lost count of the times I have visited and enjoyed the splendour and peacefulness of the building, on each visit I invariably see features that I have not previously noticed. My son was keen to join the “Tower Tour” and was fortunate to book the last available place that day. This meant that I had an hour to fill by myself. The Angel Choir was predictably busy with tourists, craning their necks to glimpse the Lincoln Imp, sitting cross-legged high up between two stone arches.

The Lincoln Imp

Wishing to find some space, I visited the small chapels in the South Trancept and for the first time, noticed the beautiful painted detailing of their ceilings. Moving to the Cathedral’s central crossing I looked up to marvel at the skill and ingenuity of the Medieval masons in building and ornately finishing the interior of the central tower. Whilst there, I was keen to try out a photographic technique that I had recently discovered. In order to photograph the ceiling of a building such as this, placing the camera on the floor, lens uppermost and using the self-timer facility, a shake-free image is more likely to result. After several failed attempts (due to inaccurate positioning of the camera) I finally achieved the result I was hoping for. I have included the photograph here and hope that you think my efforts were worth it!

The central crossing, Lincoln Cathedral

Colin, Heritage Steward

A tourist in a familiar land!

Taking advantage of this week’s pleasant weather (and expecting the inevitable return of more cold and rainy days) I visited Lincoln. Living in the county for most of my life it is still a novelty for me to occasionally visit the city as a tourist for the day! Arriving quite early in the morning brought with it the advantage of seeing familiar buildings without the usual mass of shoppers and workers going about their business. This was particularly so when I took a closer look at the Stonebow, the famous medieval arch that once marked the southern boundary of the city. The masons’ art could be viewed at leisure and, for the first time, I noticed ornate details of the building’s lead-work.

The Stonebow, Lincoln

Similarly a walk along Guildhall Street without the usual crowds allowed me to view buildings there in some detail. Looking above the often distracting shop fronts at ground level revealed interesting architectural features. The mainly C19 buildings there are of individual design; in contrast to most commercial premises built in recent years.

Continuing my tourist walk around the city I visited the Usher Gallery, now part of the museum and art gallery complex known as The Collection. The last occasion I visited was around 15 years ago, so some changes were evident to me. On this visit I focussed more on the building itself rather than its impressive collection of local art and exhibits. In doing so I was reminded of how noble a building this is. Built in the 1920s its exterior demands your attention by virtue its prominent   position close to the Cathedral and yet at the same time, in the heart of the city. The details and relative grandeur of its inner space cannot fail to impress. From the quality of the materials and craftsmanship it is evident that little expense was spared in its construction. Now that the building is more accessible to the visiting public , by being linked to the museum site, perhaps more will pass through its  doors and appreciate the building in its own right.

The Usher Gallery, Lincoln

A newspaper article I came across last week concerned the various schemes whereby churches gain funding for repairs to their fabric. Although heritage sites continue to be subject to the punative 20% rate of VAT on their repairs, since the  budget, a grant is now available which serves to soften the blow of costs to some degree. Yet the adequate funding of repairs to these building remains a huge issue. The article detailed a current initiative of the Anglican authorities who are currently in the process of contacting Parochial Church Councils , encouraging them to register ”Chancel Repair Liabilities”  in their localities. These evidently amount to statutes that originated as a result of the effects of the Reformation and  Dissolution of the Monastaries; the responsibility for repair and maintenance of the remaining churches’ chancels fell to the owners of land or property in adjoining areas. Although around 500 years old, these statutes have apparently never been repealed and are now actively being considered as potentially useful as a source of funding for church repairs. An example was given in the article of a couple who had inherited a property in Warwickshire with such a covenant attached. Several years later, they were required to make a substantial contribution to their local church’s upkeep. Depending on your viewpoint this potential funding stream could be seen as good or very bad! These changes come at a time when English Heritage apparently hands over (to a large degree) its funding responsibilities to the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2013. Times of great change, indeed!

 The LHAR August newsletter informed us as volunteers that the 3 year LHAR Project officially draws to a close this October. This signals much that is exciting: namely the findings of the project and the rich data that this will have produced for future action. Other developments are eagerly anticipated including how the current team of volunteer stewards might be further engaged in the Trust’s work. In the mean time, a relatively modest amount of surveys remain to be done by the volunteers. No time to lose, then!

Colin, Heritage Steward

Heritage sites in the rain!

They say that the British are good at complaining and at talking incessantly about the weather. This summer’s wet weather has certainly given us plenty of opportunity to indulge in both! Having embarked on a long cycle ride at the end of June, I was pleased to see a little sunshine after an unpromising rainy start to the day. I left Saxilby after seeing the Olympic Torch Relay pass through the village on its way to Nottinghamshire. As I made my way to St.Edith’s church at Coates-by-Stow, one of my favourite Lincolnshire churches, the skies began to darken but thankfully, I was able to take shelter in the church from the rain that soon followed. (For those readers who have yet to visit this beautiful church, I strongly suggest that you put it on your list and to enjoy the lovely atmosphere of the place and the sense of peacefulness that the building and its location offer.) Over an hour after I had arrived, the thunderstorm finally receded. In the intervening time I had the chance to have a good look around the church and to read the literature left out for visitors.



Stained glass – detail. St.Edith’s,Coates-by-Stow

Among this was a fascinating professional report on the condition of the church’s medieval glass that was completed earlier this year. I learned much from the report about the history of the decorated glass and the techniques employed by the early glaziers. For example, as colour pigment for stained glass was expensive in those times, glaziers made great use of black paint “cross-hatching” to cover much of their designs. I also learned a little about conservation of the material: the negative effects caused by ultra violet light, mould-laden moisture and 600 years accumulation of dust and how such factors can seriously degrade its condition. The purpose of the report was two-fold: to establish the date and type of glazing in the church and to provide a baseline assessment of its condition so that a programme of conservation can be planned.

A recent short holiday to the Derbyshire Peak district provided an opportunity to visit a medieval hall at Norbury Manor, near Ashbourne, a property of the National Trust. Adjacent to the hall is the church of St. Mary’s and St.Bartok, remarkable for its C15 chancel and the almost complete original stained glass in its East window, from the same period. An area of the West nave was occupied by a husband and wife team who dedicate much of their time to the church: he acts as a guide to the church’s history and his wife sells homemade cakes and tea to visitors! The proceeds from the sales are used to maintain the church’s fabric.

Norbury Hall and Church

As an on-going progress report on the wretched subject of metal theft, I happened to notice a short article in the newspaper this week. Evidently a Bill on scrap metal legislation is to be heard in Parliament this week. As bodies who have met much of the cost of this type of theft, councils want a renewable license to be issued to scrap metal dealers to regulate the trade. The chairman of the Local Government Association’s Stronger Communities Board asserted “we can’t afford for Parliament to stall any longer”. The benefits of such regulation should hopefully be shared by custodians of heritage sites throughout the country, too.

I have just enough room to mention the recent Summer Volunteers’ Event which took place at Gunby Hall near Spilsby at the end of June. The unseasonal weather made an appearance again but did little to deter the intrepid volunteers who attended! The NT house manager and the head gardener provided very informative tours of the house and its extensive grounds and the cream tea afterwards in the former stables gave us much appreciated refreshment and shelter from the cold wind!

Once again, thanks to the Trust for organising this enjoyable day out.

Colin, Heritage Steward

The Capital’s Heritage on Display

No one can have failed to notice that the beginning of June was dominated by the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. For those interested in historic buildings it was a great opportunity to view the capital’s many heritage sites on t.v., safe from the inevitable rain and in the comfort of our homes. Whatever the criticisms of the BBC’s Jubilee Pageant coverage, the camera-work was undeniably professional in recording the celebrations both outdoors (the Queen’s ceremonial routes) and indoors (the magnificent Westminster Hall with its breathtaking medieval architecture.) Unique vantage points gave a new perspective to some of the familiar streets and buildings. Admiralty Arch at the head of the Mall became a magnificent back-drop to the red, white and blue crowds slowly making their way to the palace to glimpse the royal family.

Admiralty Arch and the crowds on The Mall

Similarly the view of Westminster Hall’s interior showed the Queen and her invited luncheon guests from a rarely seen aerial perspective. (Keen viewers will also have noticed details of the 1393 hammer-beam roof, seen at close quarters!) In the newspapers, many fabulous photographs of that weekend’s events appeared. Among these, the one that impressed me most was a wide angled view of the royal family attending  the Service of Thanksgiving at St.Paul’s Cathedral.

The Service of Thanksgiving, St.Paul’s Cathedral

Maybe it’s an “age thing” with me but, as in 2002 when Brian May played guitar on top of Buckingham Palace, I found Madness’  elaborate performance somehow equally disrespectful of the esteem in which we have come to hold the royal family and their palaces. Surely their set could have been delivered, like the other artists , from the specially constructed stage? ( I realise I might well be in the minority here!)

Moving on as they say...the subject of metal theft has again been in the news in recent weeks. This time St. Michael’s and All Angels church in Howarth, West Yorkshire was targeted by thieves for evidently the third time. Famous due to the fact that two of the Bronte sisters are buried there, the church is now facing the prospect of a plastic roof being installed as well as a planned £1.25M restoration programme having to be re-evaluated in light of the recent extensive internal damage to religious paintings and plasterwork caused by the theft. The vicar of the church, the Rev. Mayo-Smith, reflected the feelings of many when he  commented, ”My response is one of great sadness because of the lack of respect it shows, not just for churches but for historic buildings in general”.

Turning to a happier topic, summer has (apparently) arrived and that can only mean the LHAR Volunteers’ Summer Event, to be held at Gunby Hall, near Spilsby  at the end of June. Having attended several of these events I am eagerly anticipating this one (though I can hardly believe that it is a year since a similar event was held at Doddington Hall.) All we need now is a fine day! Is that too much to ask, considering the year’s atrocious weather so far?

I will of course be providing some comments from the Gunby event in my next blog!

Colin, Heritage Steward

The land that crime forgot

Having spent a few sunny days  in the Isles of Scilly (that’s right, with no rain!) I can claim to have had a new “heritage experience”. It is the first time I have stayed in a Tudor castle! The Star Castle was converted to a hotel in the 1930s and stands in a fittingly dominant position on St.Mary’s, the largest of the five populated islands. Staying there has the effect of immersing you in a fabulously historic atmosphere. The granite lintel above the entrance gate (complete with portcullis), reminds you that the castle was built during the reign of Elizabeth I in 1593 –the sovereign’s mark and date still discernible after almost over 420 years.


The castle’s owners and their staff take much pride in the building and the minimal alteration of the original interior adds to the strong sense of history. Adjoining the castle is a C18 garrison with extensive fortifications, again in granite, the mica fragments of the stone shining like tiny jewels in the sunshine. If you didn’t know otherwise, the blocks look as though they were put in place just yesterday, despite the many years of Atlantic storms they have witnessed. Such is the strength and durability of this particular material.

The Star Castle, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly

The Scillies are renowned for their mild climate and the exotic plant life suited to it. The islands are known locally as “the land that crime forgot” and it’s not uncommon to see occasional cycles left unlocked against a hedge or shop by their owners, confident that they will still be there on their return. Obvious too is the total lack of casual vandalism and dropped litter. This has clear advantages for the continued preservation of the islands’ heritage sites. For example, the garrison defences are necessarily situated in a remote location yet no one has defaced or damaged them in any way. Similarly the ancient Bronze age burial sites are in as perfect condition as can be imagined. 

A Bronze age burial site, Isles of Scilly

In last month’s blog I remarked that there seemed to have been a lull in the media reporting of metal thefts from heritage sites. Returning to the mainland from the Scilly Isles  a few days later, it didn’t take long for a newspaper article to emerge that made me despair once more. I evidently spoke too soon. Surely war memorials and the more personal tributes commemorating loved ones qualify as examples of our heritage? Following a terrorist bombing of Warrington, Lancashire in 1993, parents of two children killed in the blast erected a plaque in their memory (as well as founding a Trust for a better understanding between  UK and Irish cultures).This week, thieves stole the plaque, prompting the police to comment that as scrap value, the metal would be worth no more than £30. “Times must be very hard” for some at the moment, I later reflected..


Always aiming to balance my blogs with more positive experiences, I can report that I was fortunate to attend another one of the highly informative GROW courses at Heckington during April. As usual, the course was offered through the Heritage Trust of Lincolnshire and the subject this time was the architecture of the Medieval church and its evolution through history. The course was very well presented ( and attended) and avoided the use of technical terms as much as possible. As with any good quality learning I was able to employ my new knowledge when I was next out and about surveying buildings. I found myself instinctively looking for the tell-tale architectural details on local churches that can often accurately identify the period when changes to the buildings were made. So once again, thanks to the Trust for providing another great course!  

Colin, Heritage Steward

A Taxing Problem

After being involved with the LINCS HAR project for the past 18 months I have come to realise that it has been an immensely satisfying activity, though in contrast, I have become more and more aware that the continued security and viability of heritage assets for the future is far from guaranteed.

First, my latest positive experiences of being a Volunteer Steward.

In the past few months I have concentrated upon surveying properties in the town where I live. Three weeks ago I put a whole morning aside to survey around 10 properties. As routine practice now, I take steps to introduce myself and the Lincolnshire HAR project to the owner or occupier of the property. As well as a common courtesy to them, I have found that this approach prompts questions about the project and wide-ranging discussions about heritage matters in general.

On this particular morning, the first person I met was more than pleased to allow me to survey and photograph his home. Following a lengthy discussion about the historic area of town where the property is situated, the person asked me about a particular feature of the building. On one of the gable walls is a carved symbol: an upward facing arrow, surmounted by a horizontal line (see the illustration below.) I had a vague idea that the symbol may be related to the M.O.D. in some way but not being at all certain, I offered to make enquiries on his behalf. Sending an e-mail to the Heritage Lincolnshire Team later, I discovered that the mark was a Benchmark, used in the days before “high tech” gadgetry to aid the process of surveying ,marking  a particular point as an elevation reference. Later that day I was able to convey this information to the owner of the property, for which he was grateful. He said that for the 20+ years he had lived there, he had been curious about the symbol, but had never taken the time to find out its significance!

A  Benchmark carved on a building’s wall

Later in the morning I was able to assist a different property’s owners in a different way. Since moving to their home over 20 years ago they had mistakenly assumed that a piece of Victorian “graffiti”, carved on a stone quoin indicated the date of its construction (i.e. 1830.) To aid my own curiosity and knowledge, before undertaking surveys, if a building is listed in the “assets” details as being either C17 or C18 century I make a note on the survey form. Because of this I was able to inform them that their home pre-dated this date by around 50 years, placing the building in the Georgian period. They were fascinated to learn their home was as old as this and being able to help in this way was a particularly satisfying experience for me.

A regular feature of my blog has been to comment on the on-going problems of theft and other obstacles to heritage sites in Lincolnshire and beyond. Not as many reports have appeared recently regarding roofing lead thefts from churches (though I am certain the problem persists.)However, threats to heritage sites through other means has emerged that can seen as equally damaging.

 Along with the increased volume of traffic using our roads, it is reasonable to expect the incidence of road accidents that effect heritage sites will increase also. During the past month a C15 market building in Cheddar, Somerset was seriously damaged after a van crashed into it, whilst within the last year or so, several war memorials have suffered a similar fate. The damage may not be deliberate, but ensuring the structures are sympathetically reconstructed involves the will of communities as well as adequate funding. Compounding the already tight financial constraints that accompany the maintenance and repair of heritage sites is the recent revision of rules concerning VAT , announced in the March’s Budget. Evidently, the improvement and repair of ancient buildings has previously been exempt from VAT .Since this year’s Budget this exemption no longer applies. A Daily Telegraph report highlighted problems at Wakefield Cathedral that are directly caused by the VAT rule changes. The cathedral has a major repair project that is currently well under way. The Dean’s wife has even written and performed a “protest song” on the issue and this can be seen by following link.

                   

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEWgVkBKpeI&feature=topics

The repair work at Wakefield will incur a further £200,00 in tax duties; a considerable amount in anyone’s estimation. Worryingly for heritage sites and those who are involved in fund raising, this scenario will be repeated up and down the country if the VAT revisions remain.

So, whether the threat to historic sites arises from lead thieves, careless drivers or senior politicians, the need to defend heritage interests is an ever-present task for all who are concerned in preserving the assets we now have, for future generations.

Colin, Heritage Steward

The On-going Costs of Heritage Sites

No one can have failed to notice that the UK as well as the rest of the Western world is currently experiencing the most severe financial recession in living memory. Through surveying many historic buildings in the county I have begun to appreciate that the upkeep of these sites has become even more of a challenge than it was previously. As I was involved as a volunteer at a local windmill a few years ago an article in the local press took my interest last week. A group of volunteers from Heckington’s famous 8-sailed windmill had travelled to a similar mill at Alford to view the recently renewed sails there.

Alford windmill

Because of decay, Heckington’s own sails are currently in the process of being renewed. The millers  visited the millwright’s premises to see their sails under construction. The traditional material for sails in this country is said to be matured pine but due to difficulties in sourcing wood of the  required quality, the decision had been made to follow Alford’s lead in using laminated larch wood; structurally strong, but costly (well into six figures, as I understand.) As such, the costs implications associated with the task of keeping buildings of this type in a working condition become clear. Curious as to how long repairs such as these are likely to last before again becoming necessary, I did some basic research. An old book on windmills in the UK told me that the sails at Alford had previously been replaced around 1978. Major funding could therefore be needed in around 30 years; hopefully, several years longer due to the durable materials that have been used. A windmill without sails is a sorry sight (as many mills in the county testify) and of course, without sails, the mills’ intended function of producing flour becomes impossible. Those involved in securing funding at Alford and Heckington are therefore to be congratulated in managing to keep their mills in good working condition. Recession or not, the viability of mills as examples of our industrial heritage present considerable financial responsibilities for those concerned with their upkeep in the years ahead.       

Heckington windmill

Similar considerations of cost beset another sector of our heritage sites: places of worship.

The press continue to run stories on the theft of lead and other metals from churches several times a week. An oratory in Birmingham had its roof lead stolen recently. The church authorities there have faced the all too familiar collateral effects of this type of  theft, in that to protect irreplaceable items, (in this case mosaics, marble statuary, woodwork and the church organ,) huge expense has been necessary to provide emergency sheeting - down of the areas concerned.

Despite legislation introduced in January to regulate the scrap metal trade it is obvious that opportunities still exist to dispose of the stolen property for profit. It would appear to be the case that until the price of lead falls significantly, theft from churches is set to continue.

A novel approach to deter thieves was reported in the Daily Telegraph this week. An insurance company has made a donation of £500,000 for intruder alarms to be installed in the 100 churches considered to be at most risk. Movement sensors are to be hidden in spires and decorative finials and are designed to trigger a “booming alert” telling intruders that security guards are on their way. Dubbed as “The Voice of God”, the system is thought to be a cost effective alternative to replacing stolen roofing materials. Ecclesiastical, the insurance firm that is said to provide cover for 96% of Anglican churches, received 2,600 claims for metal thefts last year. For those churches left to fund alarms themselves however, the cost implications merely add to the financial responsibilities already incumbent in maintaining these magnificent but vulnerable buildings. 

             

Colin, Heritage Steward

Winter: a challenging time for completing surveys!

It’s my guess that the number of surveys for the LHAR project at this time of year is relatively low due to the uninviting weather conditions. I managed to complete quite a few during the milder weather during January but the recent snowfall and freezing temperatures have caused me to come to a halt for the time being! An interesting distraction recently (still with a heritage theme) was for me to attend a day of lectures about Sempringham Abbey at Billingborough, on St Gilbert’s Day, February 4^th. An informative poster display was sited in the village hall and because the outside temperature that day was -6C, the warm room and hot drinks on offer there were very welcome! As the lectures were presented in the nave of St Andrew’s church, Billingborough, it was just as well that most people had dressed in sensible winter clothing! Three interesting aspects of Sempringham Abbey and Saint Gilbert were given: the establishing of the abbey and the early years of its development, a report of archaeological finds at the abbey from different periods of history and a comprehensive account of Saint Gilbert as a sanctified individual and pioneering theologian.

Those who have visited my blog before will know of my on-going concerns regarding the theft of valuable metals from churches and other heritage sites. The topic continues to be regularly reported in the media. The latest example I noticed was a newspaper piece reporting that a section of lead guttering and a rainwater hopper had been ripped from a C16 building near Stratford (Halls Croft in Stratford upon Avon and is Jacobean but the rainwater goods stolen were early C18). 

The building has Shakespearian connections. In a television report, a Yorkshire scrap dealer had suffered theft of copper and other valuable metals from his own business premises. I understand that, as of next month, dealers in scrap metal will be required to make payment to customers via bank accounts rather than, as is often the case at present, “cash in hand”. Let’s hope that this measure will at least serve to discourage those who regard it as perfectly acceptable to rob churches of valuable items and be quickly remunerated for their efforts.

According to the latest LHAR newsletter just under 5,000 heritage sites now remain to be surveyed. I find the fact that so many have already been completed to be a remarkable achievement by committed volunteers. In this, the final year of LHAR, I wonder what will become of the sizeable volunteer “force” once the project is completed? I would like to think that, having demonstrated their worth in assisting with the project, perhaps some continued use of their potential could be found by the Lincolnshire Heritage Trust in the future. 


Colin, Heritage Steward

300 and counting!

It was fantastic to see such a good turn out at our training event on Saturday when 25 keen volunteers came along to learn more about the project and find out how to get involved.

Volunteers explore the site of Sleaford Castle at a recent training event.

To say that the project has now been running for two years we are still seeing an enormous amount of interest from new volunteers wishing to get involved. Following the recent training day the total number of registered Heritage Stewards has now risen to over 300, with many more wishing to attend future training.

Having completed the course our new recruits are now eager to get started on surveys in their local area, and there is still plenty for them to do…over the next year we have just under 4,000 heritage asset surveys to complete!

Natalie, Heritage at Risk Project Officer

Conservation Areas

The Lincolnshire Heritage at Risk team set our Heritage Stewards the target of surveying all of the places of worship in the county. We and our partners, including English Heritage who wanted the data to use in their national Heritage at Risk publications, were incredibly impressed by what was achieved.

Instead of resting on our laurels we decided to set another target. This one being the completion of 54 conservation area surveys by March. Conservation area surveys are viewed as difficult because of the size of area that a volunteer covers as well as some of the concepts involved. But, as with all the surveys, once one is done the initial fear factor disappears.

The staff were also anxious about carrying out their first conservation area surveys. For my first one I decided to survey Hough on the Hill in South Kesteven. This was because I knew the village well as I’d visited the pub and church on a few occasions and I'd also surveyed a number of assets in the village.

I began the survey by reading through the help notes. This familiarised myself with all of the concepts involved in the designation of conservation areas. It also allowed me to familiarise myself with a number of the things I needed to keep any eye out for e.g. excessive street furniture, modern materials etc.

Once armed with a map I walked up and down all of the streets and footpaths that criss-crossed the village taking numerous photos (of positive and negative factors) along the way. I took notes on some of the more significant negative factors and why I thought they might contribute to the conservation area being at risk. It took me about 1 ½ hours to complete the survey. On returning to the office I filled out the form in detail (questions such as how many listed buildings in the CA are much easier to answer when in front of a computer). I then entered my results onto the website (http://www.lincshar.org/Hough-on-the-Hill)

I judged the area not to be at risk despite the presence of uPVC on several houses (none of which were listed) and some excessive street clutter. I was very pleased to see in the village traditional boundaries being introduced as well as the presence of traditional cobbled pathways.

Unfortunately there are too many conservation areas in the country that are in serious decline. English Heritage report that out of the 80% of the conservation areas where data exists 6.6% are considered to be at risk. That percentage figure might seem low but it means that over 500 conservation areas are at risk. 23 of these are in Lincolnshire including some of the counties most important historic centres including: Lincoln cathedral and city centre, Boston, Horncastle and Grantham (http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/Conservation_Areas_at_Risk/).

A challenging year ahead

It’s the start of another busy year for the Lincolnshire Heritage at Risk team and our volunteers as we approach the final stage of the project.

The challenge this year is to get the remaining surveys completed, of which there are just under 4,000. We have no doubt that our volunteers will rise to the challenge to help us achieve this. Last year alone they submitted 3,500 heritage asset surveys and we have had an overwhelming response to our appeal for new volunteers to join us. The forthcoming training day in Sleaford is already oversubscribed and we have had to close the bookings, never fear though as there are plenty more chances for those interested to get involved!

We have no doubt that our volunteers will rise to the challenge.

The team will be working very hard to offer an action packed line up of events, take a look at what we have to offer;

·         Dr Matthew Godfrey will be re-running his popular How to read a parish Church talk

·         We’ll see the return of the hugely successful Hands on Heritage residential for young people

·         There will be chance to find out more about how to care for historic buildings at our Louth conservation day

·         The team will be continuing their work with St Francis Community Special School on their ‘Church Detectives’ project

·         We have three local heritage discovery days lined up in Spalding, Grantham and Lincoln

·         Students at Bishop Grosseteste University College will be learning about the project and helping us to complete surveys in the Lincoln area

·         We’ll be holding a number of volunteer catch up sessions around the county

·         Volunteers will have another opportunity to explore the estate at Belton with our Parks and Gardens event

·         And finally… the year will be rounded off with a Lincolnshire Heritage at Risk conference!

Join us at Ayscoughfee Hall for the Spalding Heritage Discovery Day. 

If you are interested if attending any of these events further details are available on our project website www.lincshar.org

We look forward to seeing you there!

Natalie, Heritage at Risk Project Officer

Out with the Old, in with the New!

As we enter 2012 there are plenty of heritage-related topics to look back upon as well as to look forward to.

It’s heartening to learn that the general target set by the LHAR project for surveying all its Heritage Assets appears to be ‘on-target’. I recall first becoming a LHAR volunteer and can admit now to feeling a little sceptical about the enormous amount of surveys which were to be completed during the allocated period of the project. I began to realise the potential of a committed team of volunteers however, when last September the hundreds of “Places of Worship” surveys were all completed on time!

Volunteers surveyed all 592 of Lincolnshire's churches.

A theme I have returned to several times in my blog postings in 2011 is the subject of thefts from church property, specifically roofing lead and other valuable metal-ware. The subject remains an all too regular feature in the local and national media. An article that appeared in the Daily Telegraph this week reported that Ecclesiastical, the Church of England’s insurer, received 2,500 claims in 2011; the worst on record. Chelmsford, Essex had the unenviable honour of having the highest number of claims (90), Lincolnshire and Staffordshire were in joint second place, having submitted over 80 claims each. With a spokesperson for the insurer declaring the incidence of metal thefts as being ‘virtually endemic’, the problem shows no real signs of abating. Communities continue to take increasingly desperate measures to combat the problem including organising sleep-overs to keep watch for intruders. Another church committee have been advised to remove the roof lead on their church themselves, rather than leaving the buildings vulnerable to thieves! Locally and in the past month, a church in Gainsborough had 150 year old pieces of silver stolen. It’s just as well that moves appear to be afoot in central government to review the current legislation surrounding the custom and practice of cash transactions in the scrap metal industry. This may be at least one area where the easy off-loading of stolen goods can be addressed. Let’s hope that any changes are introduced promptly. In the meantime, those sufficiently concerned can log onto the following online petition to encourage urgent debate on the matter.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/406

Lead theft from church roofs is a common problem in Lincolnshire. 

As Heritage Volunteer Stewards we are fortunate to be kept informed as to progress and future plans of the LHAR project through the monthly newsletter, compiled by the team based at Heckington. Receiving the newsletter each month by e-mail is a really effective means of communicating what the project has achieved so far as well as informing volunteers of other activities such as planned educational events, related to Lincolnshire’s heritage. Short reports about recent and proposed social events and a monthly photography competition all serve to keep the newsletter very much an interactive medium. As a footnote to 2011 then, and on behalf of all the Heritage Stewards, I’d like to thank the team for an informative and entertaining newsletter each month!


Colin, Heritage Steward