C O N T E X T 8 8 : M A R C H 2 0 0 5 33 Just for the record Guide for Practitioners 4: measured survey and building recording for historic buildings and structures Edited by Ross Dallas, Historic Scotland, Edinburgh, 2003, 196pp, 79 b&w and 103 colour illustrations, ISBN 1 903570 92 1, £22.50. Covering similar ground to the recent English Heritage volume, Measured and Drawn, this book outlines the basic principles of survey control and methods, including hand survey, instrument survey, laser scanning, rectified photography, stereo-photogrammetry, orthophotography, and the use of CAD. But the scope and depth of the Scottish effort far exceeds the competition, as it then covers the background and 17th century house at Newhailes, the SecondWorldWar Bowhouse Munitions Factory, the ‘Henniebique’-built Lion Chambers in Glasgow, the tower house at Fenton, the AberdeenTolbooth, Drumlanrig Castle, and finally Glasgow Cathedral. A very useful final section describes ‘operational matters’ – all the non-productive but highly necessary considerations to be respected before, during, and after fieldwork, such as health and safety, statutory regulations, specifications and project designs, conservation plans, copyright and archiving. This is a well-thought-out, well-illustrated and well-written work on a technical subject which is far from easy to present in book form.Without doubt, this is a definitive volume for any individual involved in the recording and conservation of historic properties. Even the most experienced practitioner could gain something from this volume. As Ross Dallas suggests in his foreword, the book may have a role to play not just in Scotland, but on a broader international stage. Mark Fletcher, a director of Matrix Archaeology, Manchester Best of both worlds Conservation of Historic Buildings and their Contents: addressing the conflicts Edited by DavidWatt and Belinda Colston, Donhead, 2003, paperback, 128pp, 23 b&w illustrations, ISBN 1 873394 63 2, £20. A decade ago, the Association of Conservation Officers and the UK Institute for Conservation tried to foster better understanding of each other’s work, and the relationship between building conservation and the conservation of contents and objects. This faltered because, at that time, the practical focus of both organisations lay elsewhere. Subsequently IHBC’s external orientation has been closer to the archaeological sector leaving the inter-relationship with the conservator community seriously underdeveloped. The value of this publication is that it helps build some bridges between architectural conservation and the conservation of historic and artistic works at a time when there is a noticeable fragmentation into more specialist expertise at the expense of holistic integrated approaches to the management of complex problems. The short book summarises proceedings of a conference `Where rationale of building recording, use of documentary material, origin of architectural details, dendrochronology, digital photography, and report production. This is followed by a section on the much more esoteric field of building interpretation. It shows, among much else, how at Queensbury House in Edinburgh both floor plans and sectional elevations could be produced in colour to demonstrate how the original building ‘worked’ as a house, and how it had been successively altered. The case studies are derived from the rich and distinctive stock of architecture which defines the Scottish vernacular tradition.These included a study of an entire township at Auchindrain, the great Book reviews Conservation meets Conservation’ held at De Montfort University, Leicester in September 2002 where the emphasis was on raising awareness at a practical interdisciplinary level between different disciplines. It provided a platform for sharing knowledge and skills, set out in seven papers together with an introductory overview by the editors and a summary of contributions to a discussion session; resulting in a useful blend of historical perspectives and practical experience. Nicholas Stanley-Price, director general of ICCROM in Rome, highlights not only how the different specialisms have grown up since 1927 (the founding of the International Council of Museums) and via the subsequent establishment of ICOMOS and UNESCO; but also how the language defining and protecting movable and immovable cultural assets has changed, thus making a plea for greater integration in conservation policies and practice. Things are often done differently (earlier and sometimes better) in Scotland and Carol Brown of Historic Scotland explains how the distinctive integrated approach to conservation of buildings and their fixtures has worked since the 1960s. The conservator’s importance is often exemplified by wall-painting conservation andTobit Curteis considers
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