Conserving Historic Buildings

Why do we bother?

Why are historic buildings important anyway?

Conserving Historic Buildings

Materials: Stone & Timber

How were buildings built?

Medieval manuscript showing masons at work

How many different types of masonry?

Where does stone come from?

Need to find a suitable source ~ quarry / delph

How was it transported?

Horse and cart / steam engine / railway / canal

Factors affecting the choice of stone

Durability

Factors affecting the choice of stone

Where and how it is to be used

Factors affecting the choice of stone

Appearance ~ colour, pattern, finish

How were buildings built?

Felling and converting timber

© National Museums Scotland. Licensor www.scran.ac.uk.

Timber Species

Sycamore (Acer pseudoplantanus)Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)Beech (Fagus sylvatica)Yew (Taxus baccata)Oak (Quercus pedunculata)Pitch pine (Pinus caribaea)Elm (Ulmus procera)European redwood (Pinus sylvestris)

Factors affecting the choice of timber

Durability

Factors affecting the choice of timber

Purpose ~ structure, furniture, fittings

© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Conserving Historic Buildings

Why do buildings decay?

Surely old buildings last forever…

Why do buildings decay?

Poor construction and/or poor quality materials

Why do buildings decay?

Inappropriate repairs or wrong choice of materials

Why do buildings decay?

Plants and animals…

Why do buildings decay?

Weather and the environment

Why do buildings decay?

Vandalism

Why do buildings decay?

Neglect

Conserving Historic Buildings

Conservation and Repair

A philosophy of conservation

Guardianship

A philosophy of conservation

Preventative maintenance

Video Clip

A philosophy of conservation Understanding the building fully

A philosophy of conservation Preserve historic evidence

A philosophy of conservation Respect for age

A philosophy of conservation

Minimum intervention

A philosophy of conservation Facadism

A philosophy of conservation Well designed additions and alterations

A philosophy of conservation Responsible methods of repair

A philosophy of conservation Using the right materials

A philosophy of conservation

Craftsmanship