C O N T E X T 1 3 0 : J U LY 2 0 1 3 51 in the 1950s is reprinted here as a further appendix). But that was before the development of treering dating, which has already given surprising results for other ancient, and previously not-thought-to-be-soancient, mills. Martin Bridge provides a lengthy appendix giving the results of tree-ring dating at Brill. Despite the subtitle of the book, it would seem that Brill is, structurally, an 18th century windmill incorporating a few timbers from a 1680s predecessor. It may be less old than was thought, but it is no less interesting. Gareth Hughes Awe and depression 30 Heritage Buildings of Yangon: inside the city that captured time Sarah Rooney, Serindia Publications, 2012, 166pp, 110 black & white and colour illustrations, ISBN 978 1 932476 62 0, £30 Produced in conjunction with the Myanmar Association of Architects, the richly illustrated 30 Heritage Buildings ofYangon gives an insight into the architectural heritage of Myanmar’s former capital city, albeit with reference to selected late-1800s and early-1900s colonial buildings. As the only large-sized Asian city with a British colonial core still largely intact, Yangon retains a vast number of public and private buildings from an era significant to British imperial development and to the formation of Burmese nationhood. Yet, as Sarah Rooney discloses, Yangon’s historic buildings suffer from a range of troubles, including degradation, neglect and risk of demolition. The book is timely, offering a window to appreciate the buildings that have defined the face of Myanmar’s largest city for around 100 years, and an opportunity to recognise their critical state. Published with the aim of encouraging debate about the future of Yangon’s architectural heritage, the book focuses on the city’s expansive cultural, economic, and political history, emphasising the importance of these colonial buildings, and the past and present-day associations that people have with them. Following the introductory section, attention is given to the Minister’s Office (formerly the Secretariat Building, built 1889–1905) – the largest and most grandiose of all the city’s colonial buildings – and its worth to Burmese society before and after independence (in 1948). Such a contextualised approach is employed for other buildings discussed in the book. For example, the grand baroque-influenced design of the now empty Immigration Office, designed in 1908 as a department store intended to be the Harrods of the East, is seen to symbolise the wealth and consumer taste evident in local society at the start of the 20th century. Likewise the grandeur of the Burma Railway Company Building (erected in 1877) is representative of the railway’s role in instigating national economic development. Demonstrating the cosmopolitan nature of colonial architecture in Yangon, a reflection of the city as a nexus for trade and immigrants from Europe and South Asia, the book exposes the warmth local people today have for their city and its history as a modern settlement. In the words of Serge Pun: ‘Yangon is an old city with an architectural heritage we are enormously proud of.’ However, by unveiling the nature of Yangon’s cityscape with reference to colonial buildings and particular streets where such structures are clustered, such as Pansodan Street and Strand Road, Rooney reveals Yangon’s decaying environment and the challenges faced with maintaining and upgrading it. Although not a book related to urban conservation as such, 30 Heritage Buildings ofYangon will nonetheless be of interest to conservation professionals. Be warned: it provokes both awe and depression given the monumental size, attractive facades and run-down condition of Yangon’s buildings. As the book lays bare, Yangon is at a crossroads: it can either decide to safeguard or lose its architectural legacy. Ian Morley, department of history, Chinese University of Hong Kong Skilful strokes The Craft of Stonemasonry Chris Daniels,The Crowood Press, 2012, 190pp, full colour, ISBN 978 1 84797 385 6, £25 A decade ago when I was undertaking the SPAB Scholarship I had the pleasure of learning a little about the stonemason’s craft as the three SPAB fellows in my year were all stonemasons. I found much to admire by watching how a few skilful strokes of the mallet could start to transform a rectangular block of stone into a fine cornice moulding or cusped tracery. I was therefore thoroughly looking forward to reading The Craft of Stonemasonry as I expected to gain a greater understanding of the processes and techniques necessary to master this valued art. In many ways I was not disappointed. This is an interesting book but as I turned the pages I became increasingly unsure about the intended audience. In the early chapters the author suggests that it is aimed at those with a ‘desire to become familiar with the skills of an artisan’ and that it will introduce the techniques necessary to produce the pieces taught to trainee masons. One might therefore expect that it would take the form of a student manual or textbook. However, although the book is well illustrated, there are not quite enough photographs or diagrams to be sufficient for this purpose – though I ought to admit that I did not attempt to work through any of the practical tasks set by the author.
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