# / . 4 % 8 4 - ! 2 # ( 2ECENTLY AT A LOCAL ARTS FESTIVAL ) GAVE A TALK ABOUT THE REPAIR AND CONSERVATION OF THE MASONRY TOWER OF "URY 3T %DMUNDS #ATHEDRAL THE RESTORATION OF THE !LBERT -EMORIAL AND ENGINEERING CONSERVATION GENERALLY 7E TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO INVITE SEVERAL CONSERVATION OFFICERS FROM THE AREA AND SOME CONSERVATION ARCHITECTS 4HERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT OF CONSERVATION GENERALLY 4HE LAY AUDIENCE SEEMED PARTICULARLY SURPRISED TO HEAR ME TALK OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS BEING FLEXIBLE AND BUILT OF SOFT MATERIALS 4HE FACT THAT "URY 3T %DMUNDS #ATHEDRAL TOWER WAS BEING BUILT USING TRADITIONAL MASONRY CONSTRUCTION USING LIME MORTARS INTRIGUED MANY PEOPLE !ND THE AUDIENCE FOUND THE STORY OF THE RESTORATION OF THE !LBERT -EMORIAL AMAZING !FTER THE MEETING ) WAS APPROACHED BY A CONSERVATION OFFICER WHO ASKED IF ) WOULD MAKE A PRESENTATION TO HIS COUNCIL MEMBERS OUTLINING CONSERVATION PHILOSOPHY SHOWING SLIDES OF BUILDINGS IN A POOR STATE AND THEIR ULTIMATE RESTORATION (E FELT THAT THE TALK WOULD GIVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET OVER CONSERVATION POSSIBILITIES FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN HIS AREA ) READILY AGREED (E EXPLAINED TO ME THAT ON MANY OCCASIONS HE HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONVINCE HIS COUNCIL S PLANNING COMMITTEE THAT WHAT HE WAS SUGGESTING FOR A PARTICULAR PROJECT WAS POSSIBLE (E WOULD LIKE THEM TO HEAR THAT TRADITIONAL MATERIALS AND SKILLS WERE AVAILABLE !NOTHER TWO CONSERVATION OFFICERS INDICATED THEIR INTEREST AND ASKED TO BE TOLD OF THE RESULT OF THE PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCILLORS ) WAS AMAZED AT THE EXTENT OF THE INTEREST AND THE DEPTH OF QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED BY COUNCILLORS AND OTHERS 4HE QUALITY OF WORK AND THE LENGTHS IT WAS POSSIBLE TO GO TO RESTORE HISTORIC BUILDINGS WAS QUITE SURPRISING TO THEM $URING THE MANY YEARS IN WHICH ) HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN ENGINEERING CONSERVATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT ) HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AWARE OF IS THE ENORMOUS DIFFICULTY ENCOUNTERED BY CONSERVATION OFFICERS IN CONVINCING LAY COUNCILLORS THAT THE CONSERVATION OR REPAIR OF HISTORIC STRUCTURES CAN BE CARRIED OUT SATISFACTORILY 4HE GENERAL THOUGHT APPEARS TO BE THAT IT IS A WASTE OF MONEY AND ANYWAY THE BUILDING OR STRUCTURE WOULD NOT LAST VERY LONG ) REMEMBER BEING AT A MEETING AT CHURCH WHERE A GROUP FROM THE PARISH WANTED TO INSTALL BELLS !NOTHER GROUP WAS VERY MUCH AGAINST THIS /NE MEMBER OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL SAID @7E KNOW THAT THESE CHURCHES WERE BUILT OF RUBBISH AND COULD NEVER SUPPORT BELLS 4HE FACT THAT THE TOWER HAD BEEN THERE FOR YEARS AND DID NOT HAVE A CRACK IN IT SEEMED TO BE IRRELEVANT %VEN WITH MY CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE OF HISTORIC BUILDING CONSERVATION ) HAVE SOMETIMES FOUND DIFFICULTY IN CONVINCING CONSERVATION OFFICERS OF THE VIABILITY OF PARTICULAR PROJECTS SO THEY IN TURN MUST HAVE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS -ANY CONSERVATION OFFICERS WOULD BE HELPED CONSIDERABLY IF THEIR ENTHUSIASM COULD BE GOT ACROSS TO COUNCILLORS )T WOULD HELP THEM IN THEIR SOMETIMES NOT EASY JOBS ) AM SURE THAT MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO HELP n FOR PERHAPS THE PRICE OF A CUP OF COFFEE 3500/24).' #/,5-.3 #ONVINCING THE COUNCILLORS "RIAN -ORTON KNOWS HOW DIFFICULT IT CAN BE FOR CONSERVATION OFFICERS TO CONVINCE COUNCILLORS THAT HISTORIC STRUCTURES CAN BE CONSERVED OR REPAIRED SATISFACTORILY 4HE !LBERT -EMORIAL THERE S MORE TO CONSERVATION THAN MEETS THE EYE ! TOLLHOUSE IN NEED OF REPAIR
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