Skills & craftsmanship

To capture the heart of the craft

Our role

Our responsibility to maintain over 340 churches is considerable. We work to high standards of quality whilst protecting the legacy of the past and sustaining the future of conservation.

Each repair programme we undertake gives us the opportunity to continue and encourage the skills needed for good conservation - the craft/practical route (e.g. a stonemason) and the professional/accredited route (e.g. an architect). Both are vital in the survival of historic buildings.

 

Read on and be inspired!

Sustaining the future of conservation

Craftsmanship is embodied in the fabric of ancient churches. Craftspeople often left little trace in historic documents, but what remains of their legacy is alive and well in, for example, wallpaintings, stained glass windows, gargoyles and in undulations of an old lime render.

These details are an integral ingredient that keeps the character of a church alive for the visitor and provides a link with the parish’s past. We don't want to smooth over undulations, but work alongside them – adding another step in the history of the building.