onservation Policy for Heritage Ironwork - FORUM 2

10am to 4pm Sunday 12th February 2012

Rural Crafts Centre on the Holme Lacy Campus,

Holme Lacy, Hereford, Herefordshire, HR2 6LL

Following the successful and popular conservation policy forum at Leatherhead we have developed the policy with a ‘guidance’ section in accordance following constructive feedback from you and others. It has also been peer reviewed, led by the National Trust and English Heritage.

We now invite everyone who is interested in heritage ironwork to get involved and help refine the guidance on working practices.

 See the Conservation Policy page for more information

Grand Launch of the National Heritage Ironwork Group

Held on the 20^th July 2010 at Hampton Court Palace, Surrey

The official launch of the National Heritage Ironwork Group was hosted by Historic Royal Palaces at Hampton Court Palace which as home to an impressive collection of ironwork provided the perfect backdrop for the day.

This special ‘Wrought Ironwork’ event also launched the NHIG Heritage Blacksmith Bursary project. Thanks to a £350,200 Heritage Lottery Fund grant, awarded under its ‘Skills for the Future’ programme this will be the first specialist training programme for Blacksmith Conservators.

The day was about raising awareness of the specific needs of historic wrought ironwork to people and groups involved with the conservation through a series of presentations. Although the talks were very different the running theme was an appreciation of the NHIG aims and especially need for the establishment of craft standards among heritage ironworkers. The day was very well attended with over sixty delegates representing a wide range of organisations, architects, blacksmiths, grant awarding bodies all concerned with conservation from the built heritage sector.

NHIG would like to thank; Historic Royal Palaces, Projectbook, The Ironwork Studio, Orchard House (IFAs) Ltd, British Artist Blacksmiths Association, The Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths, Rational Graphics, Anwick Forge, The Fire and Iron Gallery, and Chris Topp & Co without whose kind sponsorship this very successful day would not have been possible.

TO VIEW THE DELEGATES HANDOUT - click here

The blacksmith conservator/restorer?..what theories & principles are there to guide & evaluate their work?

 Held on the 10th July 2010 at Leatherhead, Surrey, with 57 attendees.

INTRO;

Within the field of heritage conservation the term 'Conservation' is generally accepted as meaning the preservation, protection, care and restoration of our cultural heritage?..but how does this translate into good practice? The purpose of this meeting is to discuss and clarify practical responsibilities, conservation standards & principles, as already used & established by other professions - the outcome of which the National Heritage Ironwork Group will develop into a conservation policy suitable for use by custodians, specifiers & practitioners alike. 

NOTE; The draft NHIG conservation policy discussed at the forum is currently undergoing a peer review and is subject to change. Rory Cullen, Head of Buildings for the National Trust is chairing the review the results of which will be issued in due course as and when available.

TO VIEW THE MEETING MINUTES - click here

SHARING CONCERN REGARDING LACK OF IRONWORK STANDARDS

Held on the 21^st March 2010 at Hereford College of Technology, with 65 attendees

INTRO:

It is often said that you ‘read’ to find you’re not alone in your views and thoughts – well I’m starting to think that ‘forums’ are a close contender! The National Heritage Ironwork Group is attempting to walk a rocky road that nobody has tackled before, and it is encouraging that the feedback from their first forum was so supportive. It was a delight to see so many people turn up, representing a wide range of blacksmiths, from students to the retired. The day was about everyone having a chance to have their say. NHIG is aware there are contentious issues with no consensus, however its aim is not to let this overshadow the fact there is also a lot of common ground for us to focus on. To get the ball rolling the forum started with a number of presentations which led into a consultation on proposed National Occupational Standards (see NOS page), and concluded with an open group discussion.

TO VIEW THE MEETING MINUTES - click here