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

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 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

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

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