Lively restoration controversies from 1897 SPAB casework file

Old SPAB casework files make for fascinating reading and are reminder of just how important such work has been to the organisation, and to the country's heritage. In this case it was the arresting picture that first caught my attention. Reading the correspondence, I was reminded how little conservation casework has changed over 125 years; the same tussles and bruised egos play out across the years.  The two unidentified but rather formidable-looking women, one appearing to hold the church keys, frame the Church of St Helena’s in Austerfield near Doncaster https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1151575?section=official-list-entry in the sole photo relating to this case. We know that the Architect acting on behalf of SPAB, Mr A Hall of St George's Chambers Leicester, took the photo. His report is on file, so he did manage to get past them to inspect.

The proposed restoration was controversial for the amount of demolition proposed by the church-appointed Architect, Charles Hodgson Fowler, and his approach was of concern to the Bishop of Southwell who instructed the Diocesan Registrar to intervene. The Registrar, John Borough, caught in the middle of widely differing opinions, expresses the Bishop’s concerns to Hodgson Fowler and warns the Church’s Committee of Restoration “against unnecessary destruction of ancient work such as rebuilding the chancel.”

The Registrar writes to SPAB Secretary, Thackeray Turner, telling him that  “This has brought the architect down upon me. He maintains that his proposals are absolutely necessary, and that the chancel cannot stand much longer. He says he always preserves old work when he can”. In a separate letter to SPAB he says that the Architect “has written to me in a rather dictatorial style asking for particulars of the ancient work it is unnecessary to destroy.” He further notes that “the Vicar is an eccentric character and is not acting just now in accord with the Committee [of Restoration], and the Churchwardens are nullities…..Yesterday before service [the Vicar] tore down the citation the Churchwardens had just affixed to the door, flew into a great rage and dismissed the congregation without any service! So there will be some delay.”

From his perspective the Vicar, A D Carey, informs SPAB that “having been of opinion all along that the work was being unduly hurried on without thought or prudence by the Churchwardens and their Solicitor….I am not myself actively connected with the Committee of Restoration whose ways and doings I much dislike.”

SPAB’s Secretary comments to the Registrar that “Mr Hodgson Fowler is certainly behind the times. He proposes to remove the plaster from the wall and he seems to think he can bring the church back to its original condition by putting up a quantity of modern work, and asserts that its ancient character will be preserved. How this to to be when after the restoration almost everything you see is modern it would require a clever person to explain.”

Several months on, and with an intervention by The Earl of Crewe who was the Lord of the Manor, the Registrar notes that "after much correspondence and explanations from the Architect and the Hon Sec to the Committee, no opposition being offered the Chancellor decreed the Faculty substantially in the terms of the petition. He was assured by the Hon Sec that no interference with the ancient work beyond what was absolutely necessary would be attempted."

Another SPAB victory! However, I note that it only gets a II* rating, despite significant C11-C14 work that SPAB Architect A Hall says “are worked in a most exquisite and artistic manner and form a series, the merit of which it would be difficult to surpass. At an angle on one of the capitals is carved a human figure which, though rude [it’s a sheila-na-gig], is I consider a most precious bit of work, as indeed the whole of it is.”

More information on the church is available from the Southwell and Nottingham Church History Project https://southwellchurches.nottingham.ac.uk/austerfield/hintro.php

SPAB's Architect Mr A Hall's expenses for the inspections, reports and correspondence "including telegrams" amounted to 22/6 (about £200 today).

The original extensive restoration proposals were estimated by the Architect acting for St Helena's, Mr C Hodgson Fowler, at £1500 (about £250,000 today)

SPAB file reference GB 2236 SPAB-CWK-2-A-597.

Photo reference GB 2236 SPAB-PHO-1-2-156