David Robert Morris – Heritage – Conservation

Sweetheart Abbey

I was passing New Abbey, near Dumfries, late this afternoon and, just before the light went completely, I stopped to see the preservation work to the tower of Sweetheart Abbey and generally marvel at this wonderful structure.

The work is being carried out by Historic Environment Scotland and has been going on for quite awhile, two years or so from memory. I understand that it is mostly masonry consolidation to make the tower safe. It’s a magnificent ruin and it’s good to see HES taking their time on it.

Further information about the monument, including a heritage statement are here…

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/sweetheart-abbey/history/

Conserving a Great Building – Unusual heritage values

There are three earlier posts in this series. See…

https://davidrobertmorris.co.uk/?s=Conserving+a+Great+Building

Sometimes one needs courage in conservation because great buildings can lead those who conserve them to uncomfortable places.

The post-construction stories of great historic buildings usually involve the gradual removal of distinction and the slow erosion of individuality. The mundane begins to take over. Relatively recent buildings consciously created as works of art, such as those by the Arts & Crafts Movement or the Classical or Gothic Revival can suffer the most. Older structures have much more complex histories with many phases and are therefore somewhat different. Continue reading “Conserving a Great Building – Unusual heritage values”

Sunrise just now

The sky was full of birds swirling and shooting around, starlings, magpies and gulls. Unfortunately most haven’t come out in the photo due to the low light and poor phone resolution.

Starlings

It’s getting near the starling murmuration season at the Leighton Moss RSPB reserve in Silverdale, Lancashire. The starlings seem to be practising low flypasts for the December crowds that come to watch them.

Sunset at Beckfoot, Solway Firth

This is a great part of Cumbria, quiet and slightly forgotten. It was photographed by the great late photographer Raymond Moore in the 1980s and it is hard not to keep seeing the poetry of his images.

Ambitious hide on Loch Sheil

A nice bit of design for the eagle watchers…

Cottage at Kentra Bay, Ardnamurchan

I love these simple symmetrical Highland cottages. This is a late one of the 1930s.

Nice to see Newton Hall again today

Nice to be at Newton Hall, Hyde, Cheshire again. This is a medieval cruck hall dated 1380 which was restored in the late 1960s.

Continue reading “Nice to see Newton Hall again today”

Carlisle Cathedral

At Carlisle today for an RTPI planning conference. I couldn’t resist popping into the Cathedral which has such a breathtaking chancel.

St. Augustine’s Church, Huncoat, Accrington

I was just passing St. Augustine’s, my old church, when doing planning application site visits and couldn’t resist a photo. St. Augustine’s is a lovely grade II listed Edwardian church. It displays many of the qualities of that exceptional architectural era. Huncoat is one of the oldest settlements of Hyndburn Borough being recorded in the Domesday Book and still having a medieval manor hall. However, until St. Augustine’s was built, it never had a church, deferring to nearby Altham or Church Kirk in that regard.