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

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

Two Lincolnshire Stately Homes

Having been a volunteer Heritage Steward for around a year now I feel more confident in my ability to complete basic building surveys. Along with several other volunteers it seems, I have tended to avoid surveying parks and gardens. I think this is because of the potential “vastness” and relative uncertainty of the task. When surveying historic buildings their features and general condition are there to be seen whereas in the case of parks and gardens, more interpretation and often imagination, has to be used. Because of this avoidance I took advantage of the further Parks and Gardens training recently offered by the LHAR team.

Around 30 volunteers arrived at Little Ponton Hall on a foggy and cold November morning, where two knowledgeable guides drew our attention to features of the landscape that many of us would otherwise have no doubt, passed by, unaware. An example of this was the use made of various species of trees and shrubs in the original planning of the gardens and grounds. At Little Ponton Hall, a magnificent cedar was planted as an eye-catching feature that could be enjoyed by those viewing it from both the inside and outside of the building. Significance and virtue was apparently attached to certain trees and our guides informed us of times past when it was fashionable to plant particular species (for example, Scots Pine was popular in the mid C18.) Yews were evidently chosen to provide dense screens, often used deliberately to “delay” the view of the house until a break in the planting revealed it to its best advantage.

Walking towards the hall’s boundary to reach one of the better vantage points, our guides  invited us to look for hidden features including earlier garden plans and areas where walls and lakes were once situated. With their help in interpretation, previously “invisible” humps and bumps in the landscape suddenly took on new meaning!

Wandering into the hall’s kitchen garden I soon found myself in conversation with the head gardener who told me that the owners of the hall still liked to be presented with a daily list of fresh garden produce that was available for their table. Even at this late stage in the year, the garden was immaculately tended and obviously still producing vegetables; all of this with just three gardeners! A feature that took my attention was a huge mistletoe plant, thriving on an old apple tree cordon as its host. I was told that the plant had been there as long as anyone could recall and despite their best efforts to propagate, it refused to grow anywhere else!

After a couple of hours our party travelled the few miles to Stoke Rochford Hall. Our guides told us to expect a quite different environment to that we had found at Little Ponton. This was immediately apparent when we arrived. The hall and its grounds are on a far grander scale. The approach to the hall employs the natural features of the surrounding landscape and strategic tree planting heightens the visitors’ anticipation of seeing the hall for the first time. With the guides’ insightful commentary, the garden’s former features once again became clear. They took us to a secluded part of the grounds where much debate took place as to its former function. An extensive concreted area was thought to be what remained of a WW2 billet and supplies depot and a sunken grassed area was possibly a croquet lawn or a former parterre.


During our visit, the hall was receiving a visit from a team of window cleaners. Because of the hundreds of windows in the building, I imagined that here we might have an example of the “Forth Road Bridge” story; that once the task of washing the windows is completed, the whole process has to be repeated! A lucrative proposition for the window cleaners, I’m sure!

The training day then, was enjoyable and informative. It served to make the surveying of parks and gardens less daunting, setting in context the current landscape features with those that are less obvious, but visible to the observant. A worthwhile training event and another opportunity to meet fellow Heritage Stewards.

Colin, Heritage Steward

Remaining Vigilant: Heritage sites

I wonder if it’s usual that as a blogger, one sometimes experiences the equivalent to writer's block? In the last few days I’ve had something resembling it! I put this down to that of late I haven’t been able to complete as many surveys as I would have liked. The surveys often provide the "raw material" on which I base my monthly blog, as regular readers will have noticed. Looking to the media for some inspiration, thank goodness, it didn’t take long for a heritage-linked topic to emerge!

No one can have missed the recent reporting of the theft of copper and other valuable metals in the newspapers and on TV. This week, the local BBC news featured a story in Lincolnshire where thieves had gone to a secluded area near the A57 road and stolen a substantial amount of copper insulation cabling from the overhead power lines, leaving a nearby marina complex without power for several hours. The obvious danger to life (a reported 11,000 volts runs through these lines!) was clearly regarded as an acceptable risk to those responsible, to say nothing of the lesser, yet significant risk to the livelihoods of the businesses affected. The story reminded me of one of the last surveys I did. In recent months the Lincolnshire Heritage at Risk team have been keen to complete the “Places of Worship” surveys by the end of September. I had just 3 churches left to survey on my list and set out to finish them one afternoon.

Arriving at the last of these churches, I followed my now established routine of walking 360° around the building. I have found that by doing this, the more obvious structural problems are revealed at a glance. I then go around once more, looking more closely before going if possible, to take a look at the church’s interior. I have found that good first impressions of a site are often an accurate indication of how well a property is managed and maintained and this particular church showed several of those signs (for example, the churchyard was neatly kept, the churchyard gate and fencing had recently been given a coat of preservative, and a welcoming message was pinned to the notice-board in the porch!) A separate message invited visitors who wished to view the church’s interior to call at an address in the village to collect a key. This I did and had the pleasure of meeting the church warden who was very informative about the church’s history and was interested to hear about the LHAR project. During our stroll back to the church, the warden asked, quite unexpectedly, "Of course, you’ll have seen the damage to the roof?" Incidentally, to those of you reading this who are Volunteer Heritage Stewards, have you ever seriously doubted your own credibility to properly survey a building? I have to confess, I did on that day! How could I have missed something so obvious as missing lead-work on a roof? Reassuringly, when the damage was pointed out to me I realised that the oversight was an easy one to have made as the stone work and parapets etc largely concealed the damage when viewed from ground level.

Apparently the thefts had taken place over a period of several months, a small section at a time. Firstly, the whole of the lead roofing and guttering from the south porch had been taken. On a second visit, the thieves had shown more effrontery by stripping a large section of the north aisle roof which is less than 10 feet from a well used village road. Not content with two raids, the thieves returned once more to take the lead from the south aisle roof.

Several issues presented themselves when I considered this lamentable situation. The small group of people who obviously take a pride in their village church are now faced with much unnecessary work and expense in repairing the damage done, together with the uncertainty of repeated thefts once the repairs are completed. Short of stationing individuals on a night-watch, with the real risk to personal safety that would pose, the church remains vulnerable to further damage and loss. It is disheartening to say the least to consider the craftsmanship in the lead-work having lain undisturbed for hundreds of years only to be ransacked in just 3 nights. To ensure that the building remains watertight, this particular church committee acted quickly by having emergency repairs done. This included the erection inside, of a temporary plastic “roof” covering the magnificent church organ – a precautionary step for the expected further removal of lead from the roof above (which at the time of my visit, still remained.) The cost of these temporary repairs must have amounted already to several hundred pounds. To someone with an interest in the preservation of our county’s heritage it is both irritating and upsetting to witness such wanton damage, and all for such short-term (if lucrative) gain. Where the thieves are taking their lead is an obvious question as it is clear that someone is buying it from them. 

In Lincolnshire and beyond, the theft of roof lead is I understand, widespread. It follows then that a similar level of damage, distress and unnecessary expense as described here, is being repeated up and down the country. (A recent radio article gave a shocking statistic that over half of Lincolnshire’s churches had suffered from theft of one form or another in the past 3 years.)

One cannot help feeling powerless in preventing such problems. We rely heavily of course, upon the police to deal with the incidents in the usual manner and are advised to report suspicious activity promptly. Perhaps as Volunteer Heritage Stewards we are in the advantageous position of being able to report any damage or irregular behaviour we see whilst out surveying? Ultimately if we are concerned in preserving our county’s heritage, we all have a duty to remain mindful of such crimes and to prevent further problems where we can.

Colin, Heritage Steward

Back to the Classroom!

As a volunteer heritage steward I continue to find new and stimulating ways to learn about our county’s heritage.

One such way was made possible recently simply by enrolling upon one of the “GROW” courses offered by Lincolnshire County Council through Heritage Lincolnshire. The course was entitled “Lost Medieval Villages and Abbeys and Priories in Lincolnshire” and was run over two separate evenings at the headquarters of Heritage Lincolnshire in Heckington.

The Trust’s building is a lovely example of Victorian heritage in itself, being a former Church of England village school. Developing a Steward’s keen eye for such things, I could see that many of the school’s original architectural features had been retained! The wooden folding classroom divider with glass panes and the large classroom spaces,(so difficult to heat in winter) reminded me of time spent at a similar school as a child! Also, despite not being used as a school for several years, the playground still bears a clearly visible hop-scotch grid!

However, back to the GROW course! The first part of the course concerned the lost Medieval villages. I had only a vague knowledge of these villages prior to attending the course. I was aware of the village at Brauncewell, beside the A15 north of Sleaford. (Incidentally, I recall that my first awareness of Heritage Lincolnshire’s existence was several years ago when an invitation appeared in the local press for interested parties to meet at the site for a morning’s interpretive visit with a member of the Trust.) The first slide shown on the course was an aerial photograph of Brauncewell and showed the village in astonishing detail – far better than by merely passing by the site on the road would have allowed! The helpful explanations of what we were seeing on the slide effectively “brought the village to life” as details including road and pathways, cottages together with their associated agricultural small-holdings, became clear. The illustrations contained within the Luttrell Psalter- a unique and local Medieval manuscript, were used by the tutor to identify the everyday activities of villagers of the period. To aid this understanding, we were shown a short video, produced by a local history society, in which the various activities were authentically re- enacted. The village remains that we viewed were then transformed through us gaining an understanding of the activities of the individuals who once populated it.

The second part of the course introduced us to the remains of Medieval abbeys and priories in Lincolnshire. The evening’s study was illustrated with photographs and aerial photographs of abbey site which made it easier to identify the plan of typical monastery buildings. Considering the age of the buildings, I was impressed by how intact at least some of these abbeys are. Particularly memorable is the 14th century abbey at Thornton, near Grimsby, whose brick gatehouse appears to be very sturdy indeed.

Overall the course had the effect of firing me with enthusiasm to visit sites of both lost villages and abbeys. This particular course was made available free of charge which was an added bonus.

As I have stated in earlier blogs, becoming a volunteer Heritage Steward has proved to be a very rewarding experience for me – so much more than I had initially imagined.

The Trust is to be commended for their dynamic approach in making learning such an accessible element of their business.

Colin, Heritage Steward

Echoes from the past

I have found that in the 10 months since becoming a volunteer steward, my appreciation of human history associated with heritage sites in the county has developed. Returning from a day out in the Lincolnshire Wolds with a friend, we approached a church, conspicuous by its elevated position on the brow of a hill. We decided to take a closer look.

Having a keen eye for details in the landscape, my friend drew to my attention the route of a former pathway through the churchyard which would have lead to the church, still distinguishable even after many years of disuse. The route had been replaced by a newer side entry to the churchyard, more convenient for people arriving at the church by car. Standing at the church door and looking back to the old pathway, it became clear that the path joined a track over fields (still a public right of way) down the escarpment to a nearby hamlet of less than 20 homes. I suddenly became aware of how central church life would have been to communities such as this in times gone by.

I further reflected that for hundreds of years, twice every Sunday and on other Holy days, in good weather and bad, whole families would have used this route to the church. I imagined the scene when families would have processed excitedly up the hill to attend a marriage and after the service, made their way back to a wedding feast in the village, perhaps celebrating late into the night!

In contrast, I could imagine families, sombrely dressed, arriving at the church, having followed the cortege and paying their last respects to a friend or family member at a funeral service. I thought of other human activities that would have centred upon the church: the children who would have been required to dress in their “Sunday” clothes for their visit to church and to be on their best behaviour throughout the service, which would presumably have included a lengthy sermon!

The lack of heating in the church during winter must have made attendance at a service even more of a challenge for children and adults alike. Surveying churches with box and family – designated pews has reminded me of the strict hierarchy that would have been an accepted part of church life in times past. Benefactors of the church would have been seated at the front of the church with the poorer congregation occupying the rear pews or even standing throughout the service. The old church suddenly became for me a living testament to times gone by, symbolising as it did, the faith and hopes of families of the area.

In systematically surveying old buildings and churches as a Heritage Steward I believe it is important from time to time to remind myself that these fascinating old buildings, with their impressive architecture and skilful craftsmanship are more than mere structures.

Through my volunteer work for the Trust I feel I am developing a keener appreciation and respect for the human past that these noble buildings represent. A chance observation by my friend that day brought to our attention an old route to the church, forgotten by most. Its uphill route graphically demonstrated the effort that would have been involved in attending church and the commitment that this community once had in maintaining its faith throughout all seasons of the year.

Colin, Heritage Steward

An enlightening experience

Even in the short time I have been a Heritage volunteer steward I have had many positive experiences, not least of these being the people I’ve met whilst surveying properties.

As a new volunteer in 2010 my very first survey involved calling at a private property which I had often admired from a distance as it was situated on a regular route I once took to work.

As I approached it I could see several people working. I recall feeling rather unsure about proceeding; anxious about what reception I’d receive and the small, but important considerations as a representative of the Trust, as to whether I had chosen the right way to access the property. I need not have worried!

The workmen were interested in the Lincolnshire Heritage at Risk project and encouraged me to wait a short time until the owner returned. When he did, he was more than helpful with the information he gave, making my task of surveying the property quite effortless!

As an unexpected bonus, he gave me a conducted tour of his home which provided more fascinating details about its history and the recent renovation work.

Walking away from the property I reflected that should most of my surveys prove to be as pleasant a task as this one, my work as a volunteer would be very rewarding!

On a separate occasion, on a warm and sunny April afternoon, I arrived to survey a small village church. Two men were mowing the grass in the churchyard and silenced their machinery to talk to me. They were keen to learn about the Lincolnshire Heritage At Risk project and soon introduced me to the church warden who lived a short distance away.

Again, due to the wealth of information this person was able to give, my task of surveying the church was made much easier! She explained that the size of the church’s congregation was slowly, but surely, dwindling - a comment which unfortunately has been repeated by individuals at other churches I have surveyed since. The church warden informed me that funds were invariably in short supply and that attempts to improve the situation through social functions were poorly supported. This account reflected the content of a TV programme I recently saw about the less than encouraging future of church attendance in the UK. 

I reflected that the survival of valued church buildings was largely dependent upon the congregations and communities that supported them. Here then, was first-hand knowledge of someone actively involved in the business of her church who gave not only a frank and pessimistic account of the ultimate survival of the church’s fabric, but also that of the future of active worship in her local community - and of course, the wider negative social connotations that such a decline would mean.

So, on just two survey visits, I had the pleasure of meeting two individuals with completely different stories. One who was obviously proud of his efforts to preserve the heritage of his home and the other, who despite her best efforts to encourage the continuity of her own church and a sense of community, feared the worse for its future.

Whether their stories are positive or, unfortunately, less so, as a volunteer steward I gain much personal satisfaction from the new people I meet and their interesting and varied views of local heritage.

Colin, Heritage Steward

Latest developments

It’s been a busy few weeks since my last entry…

We have been working on developing the Heritage at Risk website (www.lincshar.org), its going to include lots of new features such as a young persons’ page displaying photos and video clips from their events and examples of their work. It’ll also include some features that will help to make using the website and uploading surveys even easier. Look out for changes over the coming weeks!

Our Feedback Co-ordinator has begun carrying out feedback sessions around the county, kicking things off in Stamford. We look forward to receiving the results of these to find out how our volunteers have been getting on, what has worked well and what can be improved. The feedback will help us to improve the project as it progresses, which is especially important given that this is a national pilot project.

The volunteer social event last week was a success. We had a very interesting and in-depth tour of Doddington Hall, followed by tea and scones in the newly opened coach house. It was lovely to chat with our volunteers and also to meet some of our new recruits who I had only ever communicated with on the phone or via email. 

More photos from the event can be seen on our Facebook page at:http://is.gd/nSAqld

Hopefully we will have another social event towards the end of the year as it’s a great chance for our volunteers to get together and meet each other, as well as an opportunity for us to thank them for their dedication and commitment to the project.

Natalie, Heritage at Risk Project Officer

Volunteering as a Heritage Steward

I first heard about the Heritage at Risk project through a volunteering event at the University of Lincoln. I signed up for the introductory course which I attended with a few friends from my course.

The informal training included a presentation on background to the project. The aim was to record the condition and current use of historic buildings in Lincolnshire and contribute to a county-wide survey. After lunch, there was a guided walk around Stamford’s conservation area. We were shown what to look for when surveying a building and given guidance on completing the forms.

I was interested in taking part to find out more about my local area and have experience to include on my CV, as I am hoping to find work in the heritage field.

Unfortunately, due to work commitments, I haven’t done any surveys yet but volunteering with the project doesn’t mean committing to set hours. The surveys can be conducted when you have free time.

I’m now hoping to get out and make use of the good weather to begin surveying. Through my blog, I’m aiming to share my experience of being a ‘beginner’ Heritage Steward volunteer.

Karen, Heritage Steward

Becoming a Heritage Steward

Listening to Radio 4 one afternoon last year, I happened to hear an article promoting a new heritage project beginning in Lincolnshire.

Volunteers were needed to become Heritage Stewards, their primary task being to assist in the recording of the condition of Heritage "assets" (buildings, places of worship and archaeological sites) in the county. I had a few hours a week to spare having reduced my working hours and a few mouse-clicks later, I was in touch with Heritage Lincolnshire and found myself booked onto an introductory course for Heritage Stewards.

Having some previous volunteering experience with a local civic trust, I was not entirely new to the role. However, a year on from hearing that article on the radio, I could not have imagined the many varied and altogether positive experiences that I have enjoyed through becoming a Heritage Steward with Lincolnshire Heritage at Risk. Whilst I hope my small contribution to the project will be of help to the Trust's aims, I have without doubt, gained personally from "becoming involved".

As a volunteer steward, I have been able to develop my general interest in local historic buildings and sites. Having already surveyed around 15 sites, I now feel more confident in the role. Initially I was unsure of some of the terminology used in carrying out a survey (for example, the difference between a pinnacle and a parapet) but I would urge anyone out there who is considering becoming a volunteer not to be discouraged by such things! "Practice makes (almost) perfect", as the saying goes!

In the weeks to come, through my blog, I intend to detail examples of the experiences to be gained through becoming involved in the Lincolnshire Heritage at Risk project as a volunteer.

I'll close by suggesting some basic things to consider to ensure enjoyable volunteering with the Trust:

•That it helps if you have an existing love of Lincolnshire's heritage in all its forms
•That you have a wish to ensure that the county's heritage is maintained for future generations to enjoy
•That you have an openness to learn more about your county's heritage both through your own discoveries and the Trust's free study days
•And lastly, that through your role, you enjoy meeting a wide variety of new people!

Colin, Heritage Steward