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After a late start – the caretaker forgot to unlock the door –
Di Hartnell’s direct approach soon had the July meeting
zipping along, and although her presentation was comparatively
short, it gave a good insight into her job as Conservation
Officer.
 Conservation,
we learnt, is not a new issue – in 1174, after the choir of
Canterbury Cathedral burnt down there were discussions over
what to save and how to rebuild. In the 19th century, worries
about ‘vandalism’, perpetrated by architects and builders who
were free to do anything they wished, led to The Society for
Protection of Ancient Buildings, but it wasn’t until 1947 that
the Town and Country Planning Act was passed. Only churches
and manors were listed at first.
Listing has now been widened to preserve the best “of every
type and age”, amounting to 1% of building stock, as well as
milestones, telephone and letterboxes, chest tombs, stocks and
whipping posts, bridges and walls, and interiors - panelling
and plaster cornices...
 Ever
on the lookout for unspotted gems that have missed the listing
process, Di recently spotted in an estate agent’s ad a
medieval house, hiding beneath modern additions - the position
of the front door and chimney stack gave it away. Inside, she
found traces of early mullion windows and a fantastic
staircase, winding up to attics with cruck beams that suggest
a 14th century origin. The building was very quickly listed.
Although the fund available for
conservation work is very small, it can ‘prime the pump’ to
encourage people to begin conserving their property. Such a
project was Stoke House, Stoke St Mary, where the owners had
asked for help with a few small things, but on inspection, the
cement render was found to be letting in water, so had to be
replaced, and a delicate verandah needed extensive renovation
and reglazing. Work took three years.
 During
question time, a new role for the civic society was suggested,
when Di said “I don’t want to be seen as a secret society – I
might ask the civic society which buildings should be listed”.
She also confirmed what we have been saying for a long time,
that when TDBC is asked for advice on potential new design in
historic areas, we are “sadly lacking professional designers
on the council staff”. Planning Committee reports still refer
to “in-house architectural advice”, even though advisor Robin
Wood has retired.
On the subject of Conservation Areas, Di was restrained.
Although there is a statutory requirement for the Council to
‘justify’ areas of special architectural interest, producing
character appraisals of buildings, spaces – uses and movements
within – traffic, vibrancy etc, “sadly”, she said, “resources
are lacking for both time and money…and plastic windows are
going in all over the place”. And no help from the government,
who saw fit to condemn stone cladding, but
not inappropriate cement render. On this note Di was thanked
for her presentation. We are pleased to know that our historic
buildings are in her safe hands.
Fran Pitt
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