Conservation of the Historic Environment - Short Courses

Course Timetable

The Use of Lime in Historic Buildings

Date: 4-5 April 2025
Location: Llanymynech Limeworks, near Oswestry, Shropshire

All buildings constructed before the mid-nineteenth century would have used LIME for mortar, render, plaster and limewash. Lime allows buildings to ‘breathe’, but yet it is sometimes tricky to use and takes longer to apply, dry and finish than modern cements, and therefore many builders are unhappy with using it. Yet if you live, work or own an old property, using cement for repairs will damage the fabric of the building so this is your chance to get to understand the lime cycle, lime mixing and to enjoy practical hands-on sessions pointing and plastering using lime. Tim Ratcliffe, Conservation Architect, Simon Ayres of Lime Green and Stuart Preece, Plasterer, will be course tutors for an enjoyable two outdoor days. Mark Hawcroft will teach us about hot-mixed lime. Not for the faint-hearted!

‘Great fun – I’ll never use cement again’

Book your place for The Use of Lime in Historic Buildings

Canals: History, Heritage and Practical Issues

Date: 24-25 April 2025
Location: Parkside Building, Birmingham City University B4 7BD and Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust, Dudley

A general introduction to the history of canals with particular emphasis on the canal heritage of the West Midlands, run in conjunction with the Canal and Rivers Trust. Issues of planning, conservation and sustainability will be discussed. The course will involve site visits and a canal trip. There will also be sessions on the conservation of canal vessels and on maritime and underwater heritage.

Book your place for Canals: History, Heritage and Practical Issues

The Conservation and Repair of Stone

Date: 2-3 May 2025
Location: Woodchester Mansion, Stroud, Gloucestershire and Parkside Building, Birmingham City University B4 7BD

England is blessed with a great variety of building stones, which is partly what gives it its unique character. Yet stone weathers and decays for a number of reasons. If you work in or with or on a stone building this two-day course will help you understand why and how stone decays and what the appropriate repair or conservation techniques are. Demonstrations from a stone mason and a chance to do some carving will complement lectures from architectural conservation staff.

‘I now know limestone from sandstone and know what to ask my builder to do.’

Book your place for The Conservation and Repair of Stone

Black Country Living Museum, Dudley

Date: 16-17 May 2025
Location: Black Country Living Museum, Dudley

Lead flashing on roofs, brass or copper on domes, lead windows, wrought iron gates, structural cast-iron buildings – these are some of the uses of metals in buildings. And metals decay. This workshop looks at the historical background of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, their methods of production, the reasons for their decay and the appropriate conservation techniques for lead, wrought and cast iron. Students will get a feel for wrought-iron repair by trying their hand at forge welding. We will be making pot hooks, nails and pokers.

‘Really exciting and eye opening’

Book your place for Black Country Living Museum, Dudley

The Recording of Historic Buildings

Date: 22-23 May 2025
Location: Harvington Hall, Worcestershire and Pitchford Hall, Shropshire

Learn the levels of recording commissioned in the conservation industry, whether to discharge a planning condition or for investigation, or in advance of demolition. Prepare for recording, selecting the most appropriate techniques. See the latest techniques of photogrammetry and laser scanning. Experience hand drawing a measured elevation and plan. See if remote capture by drone is for your project.

‘I needed to update myself on current methods and potential’

Book your place for The Recording of Historic Buildings

Ceramic Building Materials

Date: 6-7 June 2025
Location: Jackfield Tile Museum, and Museum of Iron, Ironbridge Gorge, Telford

Bricks, terracotta, faience and tiles – all of these form part of many historic buildings. Do you know how they are made, how they decay and how to repair, replace or conserve them? This hands-on course will include a trip to the newly-refurbished Jackfield Tile Museum, a go at decorating a tile, as well as bricklaying using lime mortar.

‘A great experience...’

Book your place for Ceramic Building Materials

The Conservation of Historic Interiors

Date: 12-13 June 2025
Location: Wightwick Manor, Wolverhampton and Westwood House, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire

How do you peel away the layers of a historic interior and discover what is really ‘significant’? Once you have understood the interior how do you install services - electricity, security and fire detection systems? Using Wightwick Manor as a case study the day will progress to how the National Trust conservators identify the agents of deterioration within the mansion and deal with both preventative and remedial conservation. The second day will take a closer look at the plastered, papered and painted finishes of historic interiors.

Book your place for The Conservation of Historic Interiors

The Conservation of Twentieth-century Buildings

Date: 27-28 June 2025
Location: Parkside Building, Birmingham City University B4 7BD

Some of the iconic buildings of the twentieth century were constructed from reinforced concrete. Like it or loathe it the concrete revolution changed the pattern of building. Yet reinforced concrete decays and is subject to concrete cancer. If you manage a twentieth-century building you may want to know why it is important, how its components might be decaying and what to do about it. The Twentieth Century Society will talk about their recent campaigns. Concrete repairs will be covered in detail. There will also be case studies on successful conservation projects.

Book your place for The Conservation of Twentieth-century Buildings

Introduction to the Management of Historic Estates, Parks and Gardens

Date: 3-4 July 2025
Location: A private estate in Shropshire and Hagley Hall, Worcestershire

This two-day course will study how a traditional landed estate used to be managed and how it manages to make its way in the twenty-first century. Are there compromises to be made over reusing farm buildings? If the estate contains listed buildings, scheduled monuments and a registered park or garden, how are funding targets met? The course will be held at a privately-owned estate near Shrewsbury. The second day looks at the history and management of historic parks and the exciting discovery and conservation of an eighteenth-century landscape garden.

Book your place for Introduction to the Management of Historic Estates, Parks and Gardens

Conservation of Non-structural and Structural Timber in Historic Buildings

Date: 18-19 July 2025
Location: Ludlow and Worcester/Bromsgrove

Nearly all historic properties will have wood in them - whether as windows, joists, floors or doors. Some buildings are also structurally made from wood with timber frames. The first day of this course will deal with the conservation of non-structural timber in buildings – using Treasures workshop in Ludlow. The second day will deal with the history of and problems with timber-framed buildings and include visits to some magnificent examples. Current repair techniques will be demonstrated using experts.

‘Very helpful and interesting’

Book your place for Conservation of Non-structural and Structural Timber in Historic Buildings

For detailed programmes and information about any of these courses please contact Katriona Byrne at the details below for online enrolment details.

Katriona Byrne BA, MA, MUBC, Post-grad Dip.
katriona.byrne@bcu.ac.uk
Birmingham City University
Birmingham School of Architecture and Design
Faculty of Arts, Design and Media
The Parkside Building
5 Cardigan Street
Birmingham B4 7BD