War memorials and historic religious buildings

Amy Davidson, Conservation Officer War Memorials Trust

War Memorials Trust

• Independent charity, rely on donations to undertake our work and fund our grant schemes

• Established 1997 due to concern about the condition of war memorials in the UK

• Conservation charity: give advice and information, administer grant schemes - not responsible for any memorials

• No legal powers so cannot require anyone to do anything.

Objectives1. To monitor the condition of war memorials and to

encourage protection and conservation

2. To provide expert advice to those involved in war memorial projects, to act as the specialist organisation for war memorial conservation issues and to facilitate repair and conservation through grant schemes

3. To work with relevant organisations to encourage them to accept responsibility for war memorials and recognise the need to undertake repair and conservation work

4. To build a greater understanding of war memorial heritage and raise awareness of the issues surrounding war memorial conservation.

WMT Structure

History of war memorials• Estimated 100,000 war memorials

in the UK

• Traditionally war memorials were dedicated to the officer ranks (Napoleonic Wars)

• Public memorials to ordinary soldiers began to appear in the 19th century (Crimean and Boer Wars)

• Mass memorialisation for conscripted soldiers during and after World War I.

All Saints’ Church, Corston, Bath © Benjamin & Beauchamp Architects Ltd, 2010

History of war memorials• After World War II names added to

existing memorials or built utilitarian types

• Names continue to be added to existing memorials or new ones are created

• No central government directives about design or who was remembered

• The majority of war memorials were funded by public subscription through committees formed for their commission and usually dissolved after completion

• A formal transfer of responsibility/ ownership may have occurred after the war memorial’s dedication/creation.

St Michael and All Angels Church, Michaelston le Pit, Glamorgan © WMT, 2011

Diversity of type and materials

War memorials in HRBs• Varied location and design which may

not be obvious

• Majority relate to CofE churches

• Common to have a cross or monument in a churchyard

• May be functional or items usually seen in places of worship e.g. chapels, rood screens, bells, clocks, organs

• Common to see memorials to individuals as well as communities; plaques and windows

• May be dedicated to a group specific to the place of worship e.g. choir.

St Mary the Virgin Church memorial clock, Romney Marsh, Kent © St Mary the Virgin PCC, 2010

CustodianshipWhat is a ‘custodian’? Anyone who looks after the maintenance of a war memorial. They may or may not be the legal owner. May need to undertake research to establish this but many war memorials have no identifiable custodian or owner.

The law: maintenance

War Memorials (Local Authorities’ Powers) Act of 1923“A local authority may incur reasonable expenditure in the maintenance, repair and protection of any war memorial within their district, which may be vested in them”.

Local Authorities Act 1948/ Local Government Act 1948This later Act allows expenditure to be incurred for memorials “which may be vested in them or not”.

Means many local authorities undertake projects to memorials at a PoW.

Common issues in HRBs

• Ownership

• Lack of records

• Closing buildings or merging of congregations

• Relocation

• Accessibility

• Anti-social behaviour / theft

St Peter's Church (CCT), Offord D’Arcy, Cambs. © E. Howes, 2013

Centenary of WWI 2014-18

• Various projects locally and nationally

• Opportunity to record and assess your memorials

• Opportunity for events and education

• May be local notable dates –Pals Battalions, or national ones- Battle of the Somme etc.

• Funding opportunities

© WMT, 2012

How WMT can help: Advice• Helpsheets – technical and general. Include

landscapes; adding names; mortar; condition survey

• Website – various types of advice: grants and advice for applicants; other sources of funding; War Memorials Officers; bibliography

• Conservation Officers

St Bartholomew's Church memorial organ, Warleggan, Cornwall © Warleggan PCC, 2011

How WMT can help: Grants• Small Grants Scheme (UK)Funded by WMT. All war memorials in the UK eligible. Max grant of up to 50% of costs, up to £2,500. No deadlines.

• Grants for War Memorials (Freestanding in England)Funded by English Heritage / The Wolfson Foundation. Max grant of up to 75% of costs, up to £30k (minimum project cost £3k). Four deadlines per year.

• Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund (Scotland)Funded by the Scottish Government through Historic Scotland - £1m available 2013-2018. All memorials in Scotland eligible. Max grant of up to 75% of costs, up to £30k. Four deadlines per year. www.warmemorials.org/grants

Grant eligible works

St James's Church, Berwick St James, Wilts. © S. Bush, 2009-2010

Grants: Case studiesThe Memorial Bells, Memorial Community Church, Plaistow, London• £2,500 grant• Repair and cleaning of bells and clavier• Also received HLF funding• Produced website with details of those commemorated

© Memorial Community Church, 2011

Grants: Case studiesAll Saints' Church WWI plaque, West Dulwich, London

• £650 grant• Repair of plaque after fire

© All Saints’ West Dulwich, 2010

Grants: Case studiesSt Margaret's Church cross, Hollinwood, Manchester

• £308 grant• Repair and replacement of delaminating stone

© St Margaret's Church, 2011© Storah Architecture, 2011

Grants: Case studiesOur Lady Star of the Sea Church, Castlebay, Isle of Barra, Western Isles, Scotland

• £10k grant• Cleaning, repair cracks, re-lead and solder, masonry repairs

© Benjamin Tindall Architects, 2011 © Paul Harding, 2012

Other sources of funding

• WMT grant schemes are unable to fund 100%• HLF – First World War: then and now. £3-£10k• Memorials Grant Scheme – VAT reimbursement

St Mary Magdalene's Church memorial rood screen, Wandsworth Common, London © Philip McCarthy Photography, 2010

How WMT can help: Projects• War Memorials Online: www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk

• In Memoriam 2014: www.inmemoriam2014.org

• Learning Programme: www.learnaboutwarmemorials.org

• War Memorials Officers: www.warmemorials.org/wmo

St Peter's Church, Woolhampton, Berks. © Woolhampton Parish Council, 2013

Contact details

War Memorials Trust

42a Buckingham Palace RoadLondon SW1W 0RE

E: conservation@warmemorials.org T: 020 7233 7356

W: www.warmemorials.org

Twitter: @WarMemorials

Questions?