Thoughts on conservation

This is clever...

2008-09-24T18:16:00.002+01:00

Lulu.com Vintage Publishing Services

They scan your books for you, so that you can order prints of them.

A leading edge scanning system keeps your book intact while scanning the contents page-by-page using technology more gentle than the human hand.
The scans are converted into a high-resolution PDF

Unfortunately not available in the UK yet, but worth watching.

Also of interest may be the Plustek OptikBook 3600 scanner

Black Country Museum

2008-09-20T18:22:00.005+01:00

Sunny day. Heaving.....

From Birmingham 20.9.08

Forde Abbey

2008-09-14T12:00:00.002+01:00

Black 'Gold' and Breathtaking Fossils. Mining the Heritage Seam in Dudley, West Midlands

2008-09-03T22:09:00.003+01:00

A lecture at Dorset County Museum by Graham Worton, Keeper of Geology, Dudley Museum

An interesting lecture by a guy who is clearly very committed and enthused by his subject. The talk began with an overview of the geology of the Black Country, including outlining at least three "lagerstatten" localities as well as a number of SSSI's, and some other interesting facts such as the construction of an arch made from the "Dudley Thick Coal" for the visit of Queen Victoria to Wolverhampton in 1866.

Much of the information presented was in the light of a current bid for "Geopark" status, and perhaps in the future, recognition as a world heritage site (much like the Jurassic Coast). This is taken from the Dudley MBC website:

"Black Country Bid for Geo Park Status

In this area of outstanding earth heritage it is our intention to create and continuously develop through the Black Country Geodiversity Partnership and Geopark management team a geopark that befits the quality and diversity of the geological features and scientific associations that are present. We wish to see these assets sustained and developed for the inspiration and benefit of all.

This process towards realising these assets has already begun. Many significant projects are now underway to engage people and access the geodiversity. Some are of a major strategic scale including the setting up of landscape ‘beacon sites’ across the territory, long distance footpaths and large flagship projects which will facilitate the establishment of dedicated visitor centres and unparalleled applied geology/underground limestone mining experiences linked and canal networks. Other projects on more modest scale include staging events and exhibitions covering the sphere of palaeontology and geoscience, educational conferences and interpretive leaflets of many areas of the territory.

Local geology has very high value in the past, present and future of the Black Country. The establishment of the Black Country Geopark is a very important step in regenerating this declining former industrial area to face a new technological and geotourism future. Ambitions for change now are at the heart of key strategic policies and documents for the region. In particular in the delivery of the Black Country as an ‘Urban Park’ through policies and processes dedicated to environmental improvement and sustainable tourism and development of the area.

It is the ambition and intention of the Black Country Geodiversity partnership to promote awareness about the wonderful geological heritage of the urban landscape both locally, nationally and internationally and we will stimulate local pride and ownership of features at the local level. The international recognition imparted by the Geopark badge will send a strong message to our present generations about the exceptional place in which we live and work. It will also significantly help in the successful planned delivery of world class geotourism destinations of the future in an exemplar Urban Park. These things will be achieved for the inspiration and benefit of future generations of Black Country people and the global community as a whole.

We look forward to learning from the activities of the Geopark Network members and sharing our experiences as a future active and dynamic member of the European and Global Geoparks networks."

A part of the strategy is to construct a visitor centre at The Wren's Nest, re-open the Seven Sisters cavern, and to link this to the existing canal network at Castle Mill basin, miraculously, the tunnel still survives in remarkably good condition!

Finally, (info from http://www.leapsandbounds.org.uk/), "Wrosne - An Underground Experience has focussed on young people drawn from Dudley's Wren's Nest and Priory estates, both of which face exceptional levels of economic and social deprivation. Over a period of twelve months the Leaps & Bounds team have used their unique programme of personal intervention and development, one-to-one pastoral support, and professional quality arts activity to help around 60 young people turn around their own lives and start to change their local community.

The project culminates in late July 2008 with a week of extraordinary theatrical performances deep inside the canal tunnels and mines under the two estates."

From a geological perspective, this kind of community engagement will be essential if any kind of visitor centre at Wren's Nest is to be sucessful.

Sidenote: I've just downloaded a Google Books copy of Murchison's Silurian System, and will read it when I have time!

Late Summer/Early Autumn Sunrise

2008-09-01T20:19:00.002+01:00

Tintinhull

2008-08-31T20:17:00.001+01:00

Cider orchard

2008-08-30T21:56:00.003+01:00

And we know what that means, don't we:

The Somerset Cider Brandy Company

I have bought a bottle (well, actually more than one) of the Stoke Red single varietal vintage, which I am told is bone dry, and needs to be drunk very cold. I will report back!

Also found this website - UKcider - which contains plenty of tips on how to do-it-oneself!

Barrington Court

2008-08-30T21:49:00.002+01:00

Garden looking good considering how much rain we've had. Stuart Interiors appear to be having a little bit of a clearance sale.....

Muchelney Abbey

2008-08-30T21:06:00.005+01:00

The abbey founded on the "Great Island" in the middle of the Somerset levels. I had driven past it far too many times without visiting so thought that this time I should have a look.

The inside of the remaining buildings (The Abbot's Lodgings) are presented in a very clean and simple fashion, and the overall appearance was of a very light and airy building. Of particular interest were the surviving early 16th-century wall paintings. These were further enhanced by the availability of a selection of books and reports in the kitchen downstairs. I was able to leaf through the conservation reports for the wall paintings, and a report on dendrochronology sampling of the timbers of the building.

Many of the encaustic floor tiles are preserved in the church nearby. In the abbey itself there is a good display showing how the tiles were made.

For those interested in the tiles, the definintive work appears to be: Decorated Medieval Floor Tiles of Somerset (Paperback) by Barbara J. Lowe

I really like the patterns and the crudeness of them - would like to have a go at making some myself.

Lyme Regis Fossil Festival 2009

2008-06-16T21:21:00.003+01:00

After an absence in 2008 due to lack of funding, it returns in 2009!

23rd and 24th May 2009

http://www.evolutionrocks.net/

Forde Abbey

2008-06-16T19:48:00.010+01:00

Visited Forde Abbey at the weekend. Here is a slideshow of some of the pictures:

This is a privately owned and run house in Somerset, parts of which date back to the 12th Century. The building as we see it today reflects a number of architectural remodellings, but, to paraphrase the guidebook, "The abrupt collision of architectural styles must have seemed strange at first, but the patina of age [has] drawn the buildings together".

In my view, full marks are due for:

The tea rooms - vast slices of cake and huge scones!
Being featured in the second episode of "Escape to River Cottage" (the fruit farm)
The guidebook - good sized pictures, easy to read, with each of the major rooms occupying their own page or spread, with useful summaries of the furniture and paintings.
Free-ranging chickens in the grounds.
An informative website
Superb plasterwork ceilings which have survived subsequent redecorations.
Signs on the litter bins which read "Resemble not the slimy snail, who with his filth proclaims his trail"....

Forde Abbey is a member of the Historic Houses Association, and you will find more information at:

http://www.fordeabbey.co.uk/
http://www.hha.org.uk/
Decorative Plasterwork in the Houses of Somerset 1500-1700, A regional survey by John and Jane Penoyre. Somerset Books, 1990

Toolboxes

2007-07-20T21:53:00.000+01:00

A too-many-tools-and-nowhere-to-put-them situation has been brewing recently. Fortunately this has been solved with a trip to the local branch of Wickes Builders merchants. They have a range of toolboxes of different sizes so you can choose the right one for the number of tools you have, whether you have a car, etc., etc.

I chose the 19-inch version - there was a smaller 16" that I liked the look of initially but decided that "bigger was better" and to allow some room for the toolkit to grow.

At £8.99 the toolbox was a bargain and is well built and is easy to carry. Perhaps when time permits I will post a list of what I've put inside it!

Also of interest was the small organiser box shown below, especially as it's only £2.19. Plenty of space for scalpel blades, brushes and other bits and pieces. Probably also a much better buy long-term from the frankly too flimsy offerings from the pound shops.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/

Conservation Wiki

2007-07-18T12:25:00.000+01:00

I am currently developing a wiki for conservation information. Why not go and have a look?

http://www.shphoto.co.uk/wiki/

Sorry it's a bit rough around the edges at the moment but I would love to know any thoughts you have on this.

Lincoln Cathedral roof-top visit

2007-03-29T16:50:00.000+01:00

A very kind invitation from the Conservation Works Department of Lincoln Cathedral to view works on the west side of the cathedral.

The tour started outside the workshops. This photo shows a piece of freshly cut Ancaster limestone with a 'joggle' which when matched with a corresponding joggle on the neighbouring stone strengthens the mortar bond between the stones.

Much of the carving work is still carried out by hand - an air-powered chisel is used for roughing-out work and then the final detail carving is undertaken by hand. The tools used have changed little, the most radical development being the substitution of tungsten carbide chisel tips which hold their sharpness longer.

Hi-vis clothing and hard-hats donned, we progress to the purpose built scaffold where the conservation work is being carried out.

The cathedral has been maintained by a team of masons throughout its history, and everywhere there is evidence of repairs that have been carried out. Some have survived very well, whilst others are beginning to fail. However, even those repairs which now need to be renewed have helped to prolong the structure of the building.

In some places, wrought iron wedges have been used to hold blocks in place whilst the mortar sets. In time, these corrode and the corrosion product, as it occupies a greater volume than the iron, forces out the mortar and can even crack the stone. Nowadays stainless steel can be used with no risk of corrosion.

In other places, sandstone has been used to replace masonry, it being easier and therefore quicket to carve. The downside is that the repair does not last as long. Where necessary these blocks will be replaced with limestone over the course of time.

Overall this was a valuable experience and a chance to see the work of a group of very skilled craftsmen who are passionate about using their skills to maintain a historic building in full working order.