England's Heritage in Stone
15–17 March 2005, York

The conference, organised by the GeoConservation Commission, with sponsorship from English Heritage, English Nature, Stone Federation GB and the British Geological Survey, had themes on the historic use of stone, conservation practice, supply of stone, planning issues associated with the use of indigenous stone, and the training of practitioners.

The first morning session, which looked at the history of use and types of stone and their properties, was followed by a visit to York Minster mason's yard to see carvers, masons, profiling and cutting machinery, the plaster cast museum and computerised setting out shop, to allow delegates to understand the current practices in Europe's largest gothic Cathedral with a full programme of repair and replacement of stone. This was rounded off with a tour up the spectacular East front, now covered in 15 miles of scaffold to give access to the weathered stone, and two walking tours of the immediate area around the Minster taken by Eric Robinson and Jane Jackson.

The conference dinner saw delegates enjoying their meal next to 'Mallard' the A4 Gresley Pacific railway engine of 1936 and world record holder for steam engines, now in retirement and a star attraction at the National Railway Museum; the guest of honour was Sir William McAlpine, President of the Natural Stone Institute and former owner of the 'Flying Scotsman', a very famous A3 Gresley Pacific.

A recurring issue throughout the conference, but especially the second morning session was the re-opening of ancient quarries for the supply of indigenous stone in designated areas, for example national parks, AONBs, SACs or locally in conservation areas. The public's perception of quarrying makes local politicians unlikely to agree to re-opening, even if the weekly traffic movements are small in number and dust and noise are minimal. A concerted effort is needed to work together with built and natural heritage conservation bodies and local planning authorities to attempt the resolution of conflicting interests. In the longer term there is a need to recognise that 'old' stone quarries may require statutory recognition as a 'heritage' resource similar to that for the built and the biological heritage. Government recognition has begun with the introduction of building stone within the newly drafted Minerals Planning Statement 1 (MPS1) – Planning and Minerals (England & Wales) and its annexes leading on from the Symonds report on 'Planning for the Supply of Stone and Slate in England'. Pilot resource/building studies currently being undertaken, by British Geological Survey, Building Research Establishment, English Nature and English Heritage may point the way for future research.

Other issues raised in the second and third morning sessions included the provision and accessibility of appropriate technical information for practitioners (including architects, designers and builders), global market constraints on stone producers, provision of craft skill, building conservation skills and new build skills and the short design life of modern buildings.

The second afternoon field trip looked in detail at the building limestones of the Upper Permian, Cadeby Formation (Magnesian Limestone) of the Tadcaster area to the south west of York starting with the late 11th century Selby Abbey and the mainly late Norman church at Sherburn-in-Elmet, a much modified Saxon foundation with Romanesque and Perpendicular features. Visits to Mickelfield Quarry, an SSSI with an interpretation of its importance, and Smaws Quarry, now sadly an active landfill site but formerly supplier of stone to repair York Minster in the 1880s and Clifford's Tower in York in 1903, completed the trip. The evening event was a conducted tour of the Centre for Vocational Excellence for stone masonry at York College, one of only 3 such centres in Britain, where delegates viewed the exceptional facilities available to students for learning the art of the mason and carver.

At the final plenary session it was the wish of the meeting that a Steering Group be convened to establish terms of reference and operational aspects of the English Stone Forum. The consensus of the conference was that there is a need for such a body although alternative names would be considered. It was proposed that the Stone Group of the GeoConservation Commission, which had been responsible for the conference, should in the first instance act as the Steering Group. It would co-opt additional members and would hold its first meeting on 12 May in London, preceding the next full meeting of the GeoConservation Commission.

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