Conservation Advice

 ‘Stave off decay by daily care’, was one of William Morris’s favourite maxims. The basis of conservation is good housekeeping.

Many of the buildings in the World Heritage Site were designed and are used as residential tenements containing between six and twelve heritable properties.

The titles of these properties usually refer to the obligations placed on each owner to contribute to ‘common repairs’ and many disputes have resulted from the interpretation of such titles.

Failure to agree on a repair often leads to neglect and decay of the tenement, particularly at roof level, resulting ultimately in the issue of a Statutory Notice to enforce works which may become more costly as a result of delays.

EWH requires that those accepting grants amend their titles to give power to a majority of proprietors in a tenement to undertake regular inspections and maintenance.

Preventative Conservation

Risks and maintenance costs can be reduced if the owner takes the following inexpensive precautions:

• Lag all pipes and tanks in roof spaces or where exposed to frost.
• Remove ivy and plantswhich can weaken mortar, hold damp, damage stone or conceal decay.
• Remove sources of damp such as soil heaped against the walls. Provide site drainage where necessary around the building.
• Provide easy access and good lighting in roof spaces, as well as permanent roof ladders and, in extreme cases, safety wires and harnesses.
• Keep a constant moderate temperature throughout the building, avoid spasmodic high temperatures near joinery and never use portable room heaters burning paraffin or bottled gas; they cause excessive condensation because their product of combustion is water.
• Ventilate rooms, roof spaces and ducts, keeping flues clean and open; relative humidity should be at about 50 per cent.
• Protect important fabrics and contents against ultraviolet radiation from strong sunlight and artificial light.
• Improve electrical insulation with earth leakage trip and miniature circuit breakers.
• Ensure that all gas pipes are free from corrosion and are properly jointed, ventilated and insulated to comply with the latest regulations.
• Ensure that all rainwater conductors and drains are clear, that all joints are sound and that all bends can be rodded.