Centre for Modern Studies
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- Yorkshire stonemasons' workshop
The Reunion: sustainably managing the skills of the Yorkshire stonemasons’ network
In the 1980’s the English Heritage directly employed labour team based at Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire was at the forefront of stone conservation in England. Visited by John Ashurst, the conservation techniques practice informed seminal text Practical Stone Conservation (English Heritage 1988). Preliminary research, undertaken in an innovative collaboration between the Archaeology Department and the Management School, demonstrates that members of the team continue to conserve our most important historic buildings, both in Yorkshire and beyond. However, the team is aging and the skills risk being lost.
Funding from the Centre for Modern Studies is helping to establish a one-day workshop at Fountains Abbey in October 2012 to meet members of the former team and explore this fascinating network.
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