C O N T E X T 1 0 5 : J U LY 2 0 0 8 1 Context Cover: All Saints, Whiteparish,Wiltshire: (see p23), (Photo: National Churches Trust) From God to pod Editorial Some of the most ingenious re-uses of churches involve constructing a pod or ark inside the building, with as little as possible interference with the historic structure. The new structure accommodates modern activities and modern technology. The historic structure remains largely visible, and the option remains for the pod to be removed one day if a use (perhaps even the original one) requiring a large and inspiring space demands it. It is a compromise, of course. Something (perhaps a great deal) of the quality of space in the church will be lost, and the quality and usefulness of the space in the pod may be far from ideal. But the best architecture is often inspired by the most difficult briefs. Such compromises are familiar when dealing with historic churches. The value of a particular church may be religious, aesthetic, historical or social, or all of these. Potential values may conflict with one another as when, for example, historic furnishings stand in the way of modern liturgy or alternative uses. The pod-in-a-church may be the most modern symbol of changing churches, but such multiple functions are not new. As Becky Payne notes (p35), until the building of community and village halls, churches were the only buildings large Registered as a Charity Number 1061593. Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England Number 3333780. Registered Office: 3 Stafford Road,TunbridgeWells, Kent TN2 4QZ. www.ihbc.org.uk IHBC Officers President David Lovie email [email protected] Chairman Dave Chetwyn email [email protected] Vice Chair Sheila Stones email [email protected] Secretary Richard Morrice email [email protected] Treasurer Michael Knights email [email protected] Membership Secretary Jo Evans email [email protected] Education Secretary John Preston email [email protected] Publicity Secretary Doug Black email [email protected] Law & Practice Coordinator vacant email [email protected] Director Seán O’Reilly email [email protected] Projects Officer Fiona Newton email [email protected] Consultant Consultations Coordinator James Caird email [email protected] Membership Services Officer Devon DeCelles email [email protected] Administration Officer Lydia Porter email [email protected] IHBC Committee Chairs Policy Mick Downs email [email protected] Membership & Ethics Jo Evans email [email protected] Finance & Resources Richard Morrice email [email protected] Education John Preston email [email protected] Communications & Outreach Mike Brown email [email protected] Branch Officers North Geoff Underwood Tel 0191 433 3435 NorthWest Kate Borland Tel 0161 234 4556 Yorkshire Keith Knight Tel 01904 658482 West Midlands Charles Shapcott Tel 0121 704 4312 East Midlands Roy Lewis tel 01332 591175 South Rob Parkinson Tel 01993 861680 SouthWest Ian Lund Tel 01380 724911 East Anglia Pippa Colchester Tel 01245 437337 South East David Kincaid Tel 01227 862185 London David McDonald Tel 020 8881 6724 Scotland Charles Strang Tel 01835 822560 Wales Nathan Blanchard Tel 01492 583443 Northern Ireland Sharon BrownTel 028 9754 3087 Republic of Ireland Cormac O’Sullivan Tel 00353 5677 62907 Business Office Jubilee House, High Street, Tisbury, Wiltshire SP3 6HA England Tel 01747 873133 Fax 01747 871718 email [email protected] enough to host community events. The chancel would be the place for worship while the nave (sometimes not even consecrated) became the community hall. Present controversies in the Church of England may create new demands for adaptation.We can imagine a congregation split in two. The traditionalists could worship in the historic part of a parish church, perhaps, and the modernists in a moderniststyled pod. If only religion were that easy. The latest pod project seems to offer much more than that sort of dreary compromise. Heritage Lottery funding will convert the Grade II* listed All Souls, Bolton (see p14), creating two large internal pods. These will provide community space for education, youth work, health services, a gym, and an interactive exhibition about the building, Bolton and interfaith learning. The pods will also enable a new perspective on this historic church by providing high-level walkways with views of the stained glass windows. A building that was dead and hardly noticed by its local community will come to life. The interaction between people and great buildings is never predictable. This issue of Context explores some of the challenges and unexpected delights. Institute ofHistoricBuildingConservation No 105 July2008 Conserving churches Briefing ...................................................... 2 Out of Context ............................................ 3 The Writer’s Voice ....................................... 4 Letters ....................................................... 5 Periodically ................................................ 6 Obituary: John Ashurst ................................ 9 St Barbara, patron saint of gutters Peter Aiers ............................................... 12 New life for All Souls Peter Aiers ............................................... 14 God’s Acre or forlorn boneyard? Roger Bowdler ......................................... 16 A voice for historic places of worship Crispin Truman ......................................... 21 Churches in a secular age Andrew Edwards ....................................... 23 Not just organ cases but a case for organs John Norman ........................... 25 Enforcement under ecclesiastical exemption Ian Serjeant . ............................ 27 English Heritage and places of worship Diana Evans ............................................. 30 Hubs of their communities Sarah Robinson ........................................ 33 Inside a broad church Becky Payne ............................................ 35 Conservation areas at risk Charles Wagner ........................................ 38 Prosecution, enforcement and reconstruction Simon Robertshaw .............. 40 Listed farm buildings under threat Elaine Milton ............................................. 43 Is this the final straw? Alison Henry ............................................. 44 Notes from the chair ................................. 47 Director’s cut ........................................... 48 Vox pop ................................................... 50 Book reviews . .......................................... 51 Products and services .............................. 53 Advertisers index ...................................... 56
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