North East Vernacular Architecture Group. NEWSLETTER No 72 Summer 2012

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1 North East Vernacular Architecture Group NEWSLETTER No 72 Summer 2012 This delayed newsletter is an indication that NEVAG is trying to fill a large gap, left following the resignation of Neil Weightman as our editor. Neil has written...and drawn cartoons for...the newsletter for some years now and we are tremendously grateful for all he has done. He is also leaving the committee on which he has served for many, many years, helping organise our annual programme as well as our three VAG national conference over the past decades. Thank you, for all your hard work. Lest others might think Neil is leaving us for good, he is not and we hope to see him and Alice at many meetings in the future. He is also in good health but quite rightly thinks he deserves a rest. He does enjoy it, Neil! Martin Roberts Friends Remembered Barbara Harbottle and Vince Wearmouth Much has already been written on Barbara Harbottle following her death in February this year (aged 80). The slim columns of this newsletter cannot do justice to her life as one of the region s finest archaeologist, and Tyne and Wear s first County Archaeologist. But that discipline alone could not contain her interests, and she embraced architectural history, garden history, archives and ornithology with equal relish. She was rarely absent from anything that enriched the cultural life of her city and region. For NEVAG she was an early member, long time committee member, helped organise VAG conferences, regularly joined our recording teams and generally gave the impression she was indestructible and would be around for ever. Not so. We miss her great knowledge, her encouragement, her bluntness...and her beaming smile, often fleeting but hugely warming, though rarely captured for posterity. Vince Wearmouth who died in August 2011, aged 85, was a Teesdale man farmer, builder and local councillor. Evidently a practical man which explains his frequent attendance at recording sessions. He was good company too very much hail fellow, well met - and, unknown to anyone in NEVAG, he was a great singer. Much missed. Martin Roberts Saturday, 3 rd March 2012 Stonehouse, Stanhope First floor fireplace, Stonehouse, c Over 20 members and friends attended an excellent guided tour around Stonehouse in Stanhope, home of our chair, Colin Rees. Colin provided members with a thorough inspection of the house, and provided invaluable information on its restoration. Many thanks, Colin. 1

2 Saturday, 14 th April 2012 Bishop Middleham and AGM Bishop Middleham village hall was the venue for our 2012 AGM, minutes below. MINUTES 1. Chairman s Welcome The Chairman welcomed 25 members and outlined the programme for the day. He said that following the changes in 2010 the last twelve months had been a year of consolidation. The society was running smoothly with good activities and he welcomed the collaboration with the newly-formed Bedlington Building Recording Local History Group, all of whom were now NEVAG members. 2. Apologies for Absence These were received from Basil Butcher. 3. Minutes of 2011 AGM The minutes were accepted. 4. Matters Arising There were no matters arising which were not covered by the agenda. 5. Recording Secretary s Report Martin reported that the joint venture with the North of England Civic Trust and the Bedlington Building Recording Local History Group had resulted in four buildings being recorded and we had acquired a number of new members. There had been a request that he organised another recording day in Blyth but there was no time to do this within the time frame requested. Locomotion, the Railway Museum at Shildon, had proved a very welcoming venue for the members day and we should perhaps consider using this as our base for our members days. The Group in collaboration with the Northumbria Garden Trust had learnt a new technique for recording landscapes at Sockburn Hall, near Darlington, which may prove useful when we visit Molesden, near Mitford, in June. About twenty people had attended the visit to Stone House, Stanhope, in March. Today s meeting at Bishop Middleham would include a look around the village which was an interesting place with a castle site and an extensive deer park wall which, unfortunately, was deteriorating and had no protection as it was not listed. There were plenty of properties for recording in Weardale and we would be visiting there in May or alternatively we could record two properties in Hamsterley. The July visit was to look at the old parts of Middlesbrough led by Linda Polley, of Teesside University, an acknowledged expert of the development of the town and its important C19 commercial and industrial buildings. There was a possibility of some August recording at Hamsterley. 2 Old Hall, Bishop Middleham an enigmatic building reluctant to reveal its secrets. Probably a C17 core but plenty of C18 work too. Tracing its origins not helped by a VCH mix-up We had visited Gainford some time ago when we visited the hall but this year in October we would walk around the village. The Tees Valley recording day may well continue work at Heighington. In 2012, there was a possibility that we could collaborate with the North Pennines AONB and their Altogether Archaeology programme and Martin would welcome the opportunity to do some recording work at Muggleswick. Volume II of the Building Studies was now at a stage when we were asking for printing quotations and Volume III based on Heightington was nearly ready, although there may be one or two more properties to record to add to those already completed and more historical background would be welcomed. Martin paid tribute to Vince Wearmouth and Barbara Harbottle who had both been active members but had died during the year. He also congratulated Ian Forbes who had been awarded an MBE for his services to heritage in the North Pennines. He still had offprints of his work on Roof Typology which were on sale for 3.00 and VAG Conference Books for It was suggested that the former could be improved by being bound and Colin suggested that our own publications could be sold as e-prints through a company which only prints on demand. However, Martin said that some properties were recorded on the understanding with the owners that the information would be available on a limited basis to those with an interest in vernacular buildings. Martin thought that conservation officers should be made aware of the contents of the Roof Typology publication as they often failed to recognise the importance of some of the roof structures when approving building alterations. 6. Treasurer s Report Margaret Maddison said that the accounts were currently being audited but she did not anticipate any changes to those which she circulated. She thanked Anne Edwards who audited our accounts but who was moving out of the area and would not be able to do it in future. She asked for volunteers or recommendations for a replacement for Anne. Due to an oversight we had been overdrawn for two days at the end of the year. 2

3 The reserves were similar to last year and due to our policy of flexible changing for meetings they paid for themselves. The expenses which had been in arrears had been caught up. The largest expenditure during the year had been for new equipment at a cost of The interest rate on the deposit account remained at only 0.05%. Subscriptions would remain at the same level as last year. 7. Website Colin reminded the meeting that last year there was the disappointment that the website had crashed and the developer did not have time to rectify the situation. The committee had looked at other companies but the cost of sustaining a sophisticated website was too big a commitment and we were now looking at lower cost options. 8. Election of Officers Colin asked if there was anyone willing to take over the Chairman s role, if not, he was prepared to continue. There being no volunteers, Colin would continue proposed: Peter Fletcher, seconded: Dick Graham. Margaret Maddison was prepared to carry on as Treasurer proposed: Jack Massey, seconded: Ian Forbes. Martin was elected as Recording Secretary proposed: Colin Rees, seconded: Tina Massey. The secretary s role was still vacant as and no one was prepared to volunteer we would continue with Martin being assisted by other members of the committee. Colin said that volunteers would be very welcome to attend committee meetings which were normally only held twice a year. 9. Any other Business It was suggested and agreed that name badges would be useful and Steve Lloyd and Annie Wright offered to make these. Margaret Maddison would supply them with the names of active members and the badges would be issued at each meeting. Martin was leading a walk around Old Durham Gardens at 2.00 pm on Sunday 22nd April, meeting at Sherburn Hospital Chapel. All would be welcome. The meeting closed at am. After to AGM and a pub lunch we toured the village with its unusual topography. We had a close look at the Old Hall including an internal glimpse at the main staircase hall an intriguing building, confused with another large house by the VCH in their description of the village, and looking very C17 in form without a single piece of evidence - everything looking a century later. The church was locked so we proceeded to the castle site, a wonderful headland from which almost the entire circuit of the medieval park wall can be seen. Saturday, 5 th May 2012 Weardale recording day The usual suspects gathered for a day inspecting yet another committee member s house this time Ian and Pam Forbes remote farmstead at Peat Hill above Westgate. This work continues to eat into the long list of potential farm surveys we could undertake in and around the village. Peat Hill Saturday 2 June 2012 Northumberland recording day We were healthily into double figures for this new recording work in Molesden, near Mitford, near Morpeth. We didn t mention that NEVAG members Annie Wright and Steve Lloyd, who live in the village, were going to lay on a fine lunch? Many thanks to both. So the good turnout was, no doubt, due to our intriguing building - East Molesden House, a much renovated farmhouse that has at its core a simple thick walled linear farmhouse, possibly East Molesden House - a rare survival of an early farmhouse in this shrunken medieval village of C16 date? Linda and Lester Sher, the owners, made us particularly welcome. In addition to the building survey, which was completed, we half-completed an earthwork survey of rig and furrow and other humps and bumps in the shrunken medieval village close to the house. 3

4 Saturday 7 July 2012 Middlesbrough Town Centre It was a rather surreal beginning to the day - a lone figure standing at the cross roads of a deserted urban landscape, devoid of all buildings. This was once the heart of Middlesbrough, but now lies remote over the border, as they say. Someone joined the figure and gradually this isolated junction was populated by over twenty members and raged against them? Well to find out you ll have to come and join us at 10.00am at the Cross on the green for a walking tour of the village. We hope to be joined by a local historian to colour in Martin Roberts bricks and mortar commentary on the architecture. Good pubs for lunch, then (TBC) a visit to Barforth across the river to see the medieval dovecot, bridge and ruined chapel. Please return a slip or Martin if you want to come. Custom House an earlier photo taken before the building was restored and reused. friends who had come to hear Dr Linda Polley of Teesside University, talk about the birth of the town and its important C19 buildings. Linda s knowledge is unsurpassed and we spent most of the morning in this early part of the town Old Town Hall (1846), Custom House (1840) a particularly fine building, then a ride on the Transporter Bridge. Then back towards the present town centre and more buildings, notably Phillip Webb s offices for Bell Brothers (1883), the most valuable building in the town says Pevsner. Finally the Town Hall (1883-9) by G.G. Hoskins of Darlington. The group was hungry for more, and a bit peckish too. We thanked Linda profusely, some expressing the wish to do a second tour of this much underrated town, before too long. Now to the final three meetings of the year. Saturday 1 September 2012 Gainford and Barforth Ian Nairn one of our greatest writers on places and buildings said in 1964 editorial in the Architectural Review, that the worst thing in the whole of County Durham was a group of houses in Gainford. Gainford?! Well, it is the one blemish in an otherwise perfect Durham green village, full of wonderful C18 houses. Want to know where they are and why he The Old Vicarage just one of the many C18 buildings in Gainford this one a full rebuild built early in the century, before the major gentrification of the village. Saturday 6 October 2012 Heighington Recording Day We have already recorded four big houses in Heighington and this will probably be our last visit to record yet another decently sized one. Meet at 10.00am at the church gates on the green. Important to tell Martin you are coming in case of change of plan. As always absolute beginners who want to get into recording work are especially welcome. Saturday 3 November 2012 Members Morning, Locomotion, Shildon A return to Locomotion for our annual Members Morning. Meet at 10.00am for coffee, kick off 10.30am. Please offer a little something to talk about something that enthuses or intrigues you. It doesn t need to be buildings two members have been keen in the past to talk about clocks...? Meetings If you are attending meetings please return your attendance slips or your intentions to: Martin Roberts, Old Fleece House, 20B Front Street, West Auckland, DL14 9HW or by martin@fleece.wanadoo.co.uk. 4

5 Attendance slips please your intentions to: or detach and return as necessary to the Meetings Secretary: Martin Roberts, Old Fleece House, 20B Front Street, West Auckland, DL14 9HW Saturday, 1 st September, Gainford at 10.00am Contact phone number/ ... Signed Saturday, 6 October, Heighington at 10.00am Contact phone number/ ... Signed Saturday, 3 November at Locomotion, Shildon at 10.00am I can offer a short talk on... Contact phone number/ ... Signed SUBSCRIPTIONS DUE 1st APRIL If you do not pay by standing order please send the following details with your cheque. I enclose a cheque in for my/our membership subscription for , of 7.00 per person or per family, made out to North East Vernacular Architecture Group. Name(s): Address: Postcode: Tel: (I agree to communications by ): Please send to: Margaret Maddison (NEVAG Treasurer), 189 Wingrove Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 9DA 5