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article History at your feet Britain’s oldest heritage charity believes that floors are the ‘downtrodden’ Cinderella of building conservation. When people enter an old building, step onto a churchyard path or walk down a street in an ancient town or village their natural inclination is to look up – at a moulded plaster ceiling, at glorious stained glass windows, at panelled walls or at buildings above and around. We never look down… until now. MMC hear from Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB). SPAB plays a statutory role in the planning process, with councils in England and Wales obliged to notify them of applications to work involving listed buildings. Hundreds of proposals come to their attention every year and they are alarmed. Their caseworkers regularly report that they are involved too late in discussions about works involving old floors. By the time they are asked to comment on plans or proposals, pivotal decisions have already been made or are being actively pursued… and now they are putting their foot down! SPAB believes a vital ‘step’ is being missed by many of those involved with and responsible for the care of the built historic environment. A great number of schemes are being developed without initial consideration of the beauty and interest of the materials, literally, underfoot. In churches and cathedrals, for example, original floors – notably tiles and ledgerstones - have been re-laid and removed to allow the introduction of heating solutions or to create a level floor that better meets health and safety requirements. Another major driver in terms of interventions is the need to create a more flexible space, suitable for a variety of uses. Although laudable in intention, this can lead to destruction of ancient fabric. In private houses, caseworkers have been concerned to see similar proposals (and 10 MMC Nov 2018 M10 instances) involving original timbers, flagstones and simple stone and brick paviours. In the case of the latter, these more ‘ordinary’ floor types are also at acute risk in ecclesiastical settings simply because people do not recognise their age or interest. Their modest nature conspires to make them expendable. Floors can play a vital role in revealing the unfolding history of a building. If a dwelling retains its original floors then it allows centuries of use – the story of its inhabitants – to be read, giving us a sense of how people lived and how they interacted within that space. The importance of being able to trace this ‘hierarchy of space’ is especially true for older and vernacular buildings where surviving floor finishes and materials may well be one of only a few indicators of its evolution through time. Flooring matters The Society believes that floors contribute enormously to the ‘spirit’ of a place. The patina of time caused by centuries of wear and tear, daily use and gradual settlement are essential components of a space’s presence and unique atmosphere. Floors are where we make a direct physical connection to a space, following in the footsteps of those who – throughout the centuries – have gone before. Romantics among us might well feel a frisson of recognition to know that we are standing on the very spot where ‘history was made’. In Canterbury Cathedral a single candle on the stones marks the place where Thomas Becket was assassinated in 1170. Henry VIII and at least five of his wives (along with most of the people whose lives were fictionalised by Hilary Mantel in Wolf Hall) intrigued on the wide oak boards of galleries at Hampton Court. At Edinburgh’s Holyrood Palace, the boards of Queen Mary’s oratory witnessed the murder of her secretary David Rizzio. When you explore Shakespeare’s birthplace in Henley Street Stratford-upon-Avon you are walking on the floors of the house where he grew up and where he spent the first five of his family life with new wife Anne Hathaway. At Howarth Parsonage in Yorkshire the Brontes read aloud to each other as they criss-crossed the boards in the parlour. Jane Austen and her sister Cassandra danced on the black and white marble tiles of the Stone Gallery at the Vyne, Hampshire. Across the country there are thousands of places where thrilling connections still can be made. The wonderful grooves, undulations, imperfections and scratches on old floors of all materials are the 'ghosts of time'. SPAB contends that once you make a significant intervention to an old floor you remove something vital to a building’s heart and story and that this loss is irreplaceable.
Modern Methods of Construction We work with industry to help deliver long-lasting quality homes. •From component materials and design, to onsite installation and connection •System appraisal and acceptance •Inspection of the whole building to NHBC Standards •Backed by NHBC Buildmark warranty and insurance Talk to us... Call us now on 0344 633 1000 Email techservices@nhbc.co.uk or visit www.nhbc.co.uk/mmchub NHBC is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. NHBC is registered in England & Wales under company number 00320784. NHBC’s registered address is NHBC House, Davy Avenue, Knowlhill, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK5 8FP. M589 10/18
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