C O N T E X T 8 4 : M A Y 2 0 0 4 5 unique survival from a period of rapid change in musical tastes. This was done through reconstruction in the style of the original organ-builder, while retaining as much as possible of the original components. • The Thornham Parva Retable. This 14th century altarpiece was conserved by the Hamilton Kerr Institute, Cambridge, and reinstalled in St Mary’s Church, Thornham Parva, Suffolk, in Sponsored by the PilgrimTrust, the awards are also supported by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, English Heritage, the National Preservation Office, the Institute of Paper Conservation and the United Kingdom Institute for Conservation. See www.consawards.ukic.org.uk Analysis and action at Cardiff Cardiff Castle is the subject of a major programme of conservation, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, which Thornham Parva Retable ‘THE GLEE the mayor takes in opposing urban conservation is like Mr Brown’s glee in devastating the countryside. Both regard local community as for wimps and conservation as effeminate. Real men go to the south of France and drink champagne with lobbyists.’ Simon Jenkins writing in London’s Evening Standard. ‘CONCERNS were expressed that the skills and interests of the two memberships were so different that the resulting combined institute would fail to meet the needs of conservation officers. ‘There was also disquiet as the official project outline identifies that the IHBC has some scope for increasing fees while the IFA has little. The executive felt that the leadership had not taken into account that IHBC members largely retain additional professional memberships, and their ability to pay ever-increasing membership fees, while experiencing poor promotional prospects, may not be as flexible as the leadership believes.’ Peter Hoey reporting in IHBC NorthWest the north west branch executive’s response to news that the IHBC and the Institute of Field Archaeologists have been discussing the possibility of amalgamation. ‘SOME AREAS of the town do need redeveloping, but we certainly don’t need to fill in the grassy bits. If they start destroying those, the place won’t be worth living in. ‘Harlow’s layout is unique, and architectural students come to visit it from all over the world. The density is quite considerable.We don’t have gardens, or only very small ones, so we need this public open space.’ John Curry of Harlow Civic Society quoted in Building Design after a regeneration scheme for the Frederick Gibberd-designed former new town threatened to build on its green wedges. Correction The quote from Jeff Howell in the March issue of Context was from the Sunday Telegraph, not the Daily Telegraph. an environmentally controlled case designed and built for the church. • The Battle of Hastings painting, a monumental 27 by 17 foot work by the Victorian painter FWWilkin, was found in a torn and tattered state after 120 years of neglect. It has been restored to its former glory by the English Heritage Conservation Studio and now hangs in its original position in the Great Hall at Battle Abbey, Sussex. • TheWhitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, holds an internationally recognised collection of historic wallpapers, ranging fromWilliam Morris designs to Beatles and Manchester United papers from the 20th century. Conservators at the gallery designed innovative storage methods to protect the wallpaper rolls from damage while also achieving greater public access to the collection. • The Art of Conservation exhibition held in 2003 at the Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate displayed paintings, drawings and prints from the gallery’s collections not normally seen because of their poor state of repair. • The Martyrs’ Memorial, Oxford standing in the heart of the university city, had suffered decades of decay and erosion by traffic pollution before being cleaned and repaired (see Context 80, July 2003). The winners will be announced in June. Cardiff Castle viewed from Bute Park will see the fabric and foundation of the castle restored, conserved and enhanced over the next five years. The castle is owned and managed by Cardiff Council. The first stage of the project was an 18-month research and analysis programme which will form the basis for subsequent conservation and interpretation plans. The process began with the Cardiff Castle Conservation and Management Plan, which the council prepared following a detailed study of the site. The £8 million project is supported by a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £5.7 million – the largest grant ever awarded inWales for a conservation project. Further information at www.cardiffcastle.com The Battle of Hastings
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