Page 8 - Historic Churches 2013

8 BCD Special Report on Historic Churches 20th annual edition CATHEDRALC O M M U N I C A T I O N S
The Buckland Newton monument before conservation
The lid being lowered back onto the monument with
the new core inside the chest clearly visible
Fitting the stainless steel cramps
The monument after conservation
public to be able to view the conservation
works, it is essential to create a safe
working environment and to protect the
public. It may also be necessary to carry
out emergency repairs to valuable surface
detail before the monument is dismantled.
Apart from the removal of vegetation,
the materials and techniques used on
churchyard monuments are very similar
to those used for the conservation of
exterior architectural detail and for
interior church sculpture. The procedure
typically involves the following steps:
• dismantling of unsafe structures
• removal of all iron fixings
• rebuilding on firm footings
• installing new core material
• rebuilding the monument with stainless
steel fixings
• careful cleaning of surfaces
• repairing surface detail with lime mortars to
improve legibility
• repointing with lime mortars, in some cases
adding a final protective lime shelter-coat.
Great care and attention to detail is needed
throughout, particularly where monuments
are being dismantled and rebuilt.
CASE STUDY: THE BUCKLAND
NEWTON MONUMENT
This monument, at the Church of the Holy
Rood at Buckland Newton, Dorset was in
very poor condition. In particular, extensive
damage had been caused by a large elder
tree which had grown up through the west
end of the monument, breaking the lid.
A detached section of the lid was found
by the side of the chest tomb buried in the
soil. The north side panel had also fallen
away and was buried in the ground with the
inscription side face down. The remaining
sections were badly misaligned and unstable.
However, the surface of the carvings, although
heavily soiled, was in good condition.
Firstly the vegetation was completely
removed from around the monument enabling
access to remove the remaining section of the
lid. The lid had a hairline crack running across
the section which required careful monitoring
during the lifting process. Once the lid had
been removed, the cornice section was revealed
to be badly fractured with some elements
inside the tomb. These sections were recorded
and set aside. The two end sections and the
south panel were then removed. Further
careful excavation revealed all the broken
sections of the plinth course which had been
fractured and buried by the roots of the tree.
The broken elements were removed from the
ground and set aside. All the elements were
recorded, carefully numbered and put in a safe
storage area until they could be reinstated.
After the monument had been excavated
and completely removed to the storage area,
the remains of the tree and root system were
removed. The ground was then levelled and
foundations incorporating concrete blocks
were installed to ensure a sound base for
the reinstatement of the monument.
The cleaning programme was carried out
before rebuilding the monument. This allowed
further assessment of the condition of the
stone and allowed the conservators to ensure
that they were confident when it came to
reassembling the jigsaw of pieces. The broken
elements of the buried plinth course were
carefully cleaned and repaired before being
re-bedded on a hydraulic lime mortar (NHL
3.5) on the new concrete footing. The east end
section and the two side panels were then set in
place followed by the west end section. There
was evidence of corroded ferrous fixings in the
top of the side panels and the two end sections.
All remaining fragments of iron were removed
and replaced with stainless steel cramps
fixed with NHL 3.5 hydraulic lime mortar.
After the broken pieces making up the
cornice had been pieced together, one section
was found to be missing. This was re-carved in
Chilmark stone, which was the closest match
to the original material. The next stage was to
install a new core inside the monument to act
as a platform for the lid (below left). This will
provide additional support to the cracked lid
as well as reducing the load on the side panels.
The final piece to be reinstated was the section
of lid found buried beside the monument.
Once the monument had been rebuilt,
a programme of surface repairs was carried
out using lime mortars that match the colour
and texture of the surrounding stone. Finally,
the joints were repointed to blend in with the
overall texture and tones of the monument.
Conserving this beautiful monument has
not only restored it to something of its former
glory but has also revealed who it was dedicated
to and something about her. Restoring the
purpose of the monument as a memorial
to a lost loved one and a past member of
the community, has been the most valuable
outcome of the project. The monument’s only
inscription, engraved on the north panel, reads:
Underneath lie the Mortal Remains of
ANN VENABLES
Relict of THOMAS VENABLES Esq
of Chester and Daughter of
JAMES KING D.D. late Dean
of Raphoe in Ireland.
Who departed this life, trusting
solely for a Better
In the Merits of her Redeemer
November the 7th 1817. Aged 71 Years.
Her Two Surviving Sons erected this
Tomb in Memory of a Parent
Whose pious Care and Example
early taught them
To love their Saviour and their God.
And whose Maternal Tenderness and Affection
Claimed their lasting Gratitude.
Further Information
Funds for Historic Buildings
www.ffhb.org.uk
SALLY STRACHEY is managing director of
Sally Strachey Historic Conservation Ltd. She
trained as an art historian and was awarded an
ICCROM fellowship at the Bonn Conservation
Workshops in 1984. She was a founder member
of the UKIC stone section committee and of
the Nimbus Conservation Group. She is a CPD
reader for PACR accreditation and lectures at the
Architectural Association and Bath University.