4.16 Historical Analysis and Research Team

Individual projects.

4.16.1 Lodge Farm, Hollington, Derbyshire.
4.16.2 The Warf Cafe, Newark, Notts.
4.16.3 Church of the Holy Sepulchre (the Round Church), Cambs.
4.16.4 Kings Cross Gasholders, London.
4.16.5 Down House, Bromley, Kent.
4.16.6 Danson House, Bexley, Kent.
4.16.7 Whitby Banqueting Hall.

EH has always placed a high premium on the understanding of buildings and monuments as an important first step in considering their management and care. All conservation decisions depend in part upon an appreciation of a building's age, nature, and importance, and the better it is understood, the easier it is to make decisions about its conservation, repair, and alteration. Government guidance is now emphasising the importance of the role of the developer in providing the local authority with sufficient information to determine applications through the provisions of PPG-15, and it is now especially important to ensure that sufficient information is available to establish the impact of any proposals on the architectural and historic interest of a building. This usually takes the form of architect's specifications or drawings which are clearly based on an understanding of the structure in question, but in a small number of cases, where proposals are likely to put the fabric of the building at risk, further information may be needed and in this instance archeological recording may be necessary.

The practise of buildings archaeology requires knowledge and expertise in architectural history, combining documentary evidence, architectural knowledge, and a practical understanding of structures with traditional archaeological techniques of analysis. The Historical Analysis and Research Team is an integrated team, bringing together the archaeological analysis of building fabric with specialist documentary history and architectural understanding. The key roles of the team are to assist caseworkers in establishing requirements, to develop general guidance, and to inform policy on the analysis of buildings and structures as part of maintenance, repair and alteration programmes. The team works with other specialists, such as paint analysts, and with our own casework staff, to provide an integrated approach to the recording and conservation of buildings. HART is also responsible for the underlying research and management of London's famous Blue Plaque scheme, as well as documentary research on a wide range of casework subjects including public inquiries.

We are actively encouraging applicants for listed building consent to provide supporting information, whether in the form of research, accurate drawings of the fabric, or analysis of the historical interest of the building. We are developing briefs for the analysis of fabric and considering appropriate standards and approaches, working closely with Historic Buildings colleagues who deal with listed building consent. We are also developing a new role within Conservation department taking an overview of the archaeological recording of buildings, and how this is currently used within our own grant regimes. This means working closely with Survey Team, who provide advice on photogrammetry and on metric survey requirements, and also with other specialists including the Ancient Monuments Laboratory (paint analysis and dendrochronology) and the CAS.

Much of the work the team over the past year has been targeted towards particular casework problems in response to requests from across Conservation department. The team has tackled a range of different structures including warehouses, shops, major architect designed buildings, typical farm buildings, and ordnance depots.