Author: mikenevell

I am the Industrial Heritage Support Officer for England, based at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.
Conservation Work Begins on the Iron Bridge Tollhouse

Conservation Work Begins on the Iron Bridge Tollhouse

mikenevell

As part of the Conserving the Historic Estate project, funded by the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust will be undertaking conservation work on the Iron Bridge Tollhouse in August 2024. The Grade II listed tollhouse, first protected in 1974, lies at the southern end of the Iron Bridge and is built against its western side.

Travellers wishing to cross the bridge would pay a toll depending upon their mode of travel. Dating from the early 19th century, the three storey brick building is now entered from the bridge level, or the upper storey of the structure. The tollhouse contains an exhibition about the Iron Bridge and its history. IGMT will be redecorating the doors and windows, replacing roof tiles, and re-pointing brick work. However, the Tollhouse will remain open to the public as usual.

The money for the restoration work is part of the funding recieved by the Museum in March 2022 for the repair and maintenance of the historical buildings and monuments across the Museum’s sites. This funding is overseen by the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) on behalf of Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Accountability for Museum Collections – Briefing for Trustees and Senior Managers

Accountability for Museum Collections – Briefing for Trustees and Senior Managers

mikenevell

In response to recent scrutiny of the sector’s accountability for the collections in its care, the Collections Trust through Museum Development Midlands is offering a concise briefing, aimed at trustees and senior managers who want to review the policies and procedures in place at their own institutions. This online breifing will take place on 18th September.

This workshop is open to Trustees and Senior Management of all museums, including industrial heritage sites, regardless of Accreditation status. The UK museum sector has a well-established standard for collections management, Spectrum, which is embedded into the Museum Accreditation standard. This one-hour briefing will cover the core principles of three relevant Spectrum procedures: inventory; audit; damage and loss.

To book follow this link: https://www.mdmidlands.org.uk/events/accountability-for-collections-briefing-for-trustees-and-senior-managers

London Museum of Water & Steam Need Public’s Help to Raise Final Funds for Engine Project

London Museum of Water & Steam Need Public’s Help to Raise Final Funds for Engine Project

mikenevell

The London Museum of Water and Steam are running an urgent appeal to raise the final funds for ‘The Great Engine House Project’ which ains to restore the Grade 1 listed Great Engine House. This is home to the gigantic Grand Junction 100 Inch and 90 Inch engines.

They have already been promised a funding grant for the entire project of £2.8 million, but they will need to raise a percentage of the grant by crowdfunding £50,000 by mid-August. So far, the London Musum of Water and Steam have raised over £17,000 through their crowdfunder, but are struggling to raise the target by the grant deadline.

To contibute to the fund raiser follow the link here.

Unless work is undertaken in the next two years to stop the decay of the Engine House, then these historically significant engines could be be lost, and central parts of the museum building will have to be closed. The project aims to return the 90 inch engine to steam, which will make the Museum more financially resilient by vastly enhancing the Museum’s visitor experience. 

The museum is housed in a Georgian water pumping station in Brentford, West London, and was built around a collection of stationary steam engines which pumped clean water into the homes of millions of Londoners between 1838 and 1944. For more details about the museum follow this link: https://waterandsteam.org.uk/

90 Inch engine levers. Image courtesy of London Museum of Steam & Water.

Historic England Publish New Guidance on Adapting Historic Buildings for Energy & Carbon Efficiency

Historic England Publish New Guidance on Adapting Historic Buildings for Energy & Carbon Efficiency

mikenevell

Historic England has published new advice on balancing climate action with building adaptation. The new advice note ‘Adapting Buildings for Energy and Carbon Efficiency’ is aimed primarily at local authorities, heritage consultants, and those involved in the planning process. It makes clear that historic properties can be retrofitted with energy-efficient measures such as heat pumps, solar panels, and insulation.

The guidance is intended to “provide clarity and support consistent decision-making” for proposals to reduce carbon emissions and improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings, while conserving their significance. It reflects current planning policy and covers:   

  • Advice on what permissions, such as listed building consent, are needed for some of the common changes required to decarbonise and improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings 
  • Advice to assist local planning authorities – and other parties involved in the planning process – in determining proposals to decarbonise and improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings to enable positive climate action. Some typical building adaptations in response to climate change impacts are also included 
  • Signposting to other relevant information, advice, and guidance. 

Download the Adapting Buildings for Energy and Carbon Efficiency advice note here.

Industrial Heritage Themed HE Research Magazine Published

Industrial Heritage Themed HE Research Magazine Published

mikenevell

The latest online issue of Historic England’s Research Magazine contains a number of articles on industrial heritage. Shane Gould, Historic England’s Head of Industrial Heritage Strategy, introduces Issue 26 of Historic England Research Magazine, which explores aspects of industrial heritage, as well as Palaeolithic landscapes, and the relationship between intertidal heritage and biodiversity.

The industrial heritage and archaeology articles are by authors who have recently had titles published by Historic England and Liverpool University. These are papers on the Soho Manufactory, Mint and Foundry in the West Midlands by George Demidowicz; steam-powered water and sewage works by James Douet; the built environment in Lancashire’s historic textile areas by Geoff Timmins; and oasts kilns, hop kilns, and maltings by Amber Patrick. They showcase Historic England’s strong and continuing record in undertaking research, and preparing advice, guidance and publications on England’s industrial heritage.

To read this latest issue follow this link: https://historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/research/introduction-to-issue-26/ Earlier issues can also be downloaded from the HE website.

Festival of Archaeology 2024 Comes to Ironbridge

Festival of Archaeology 2024 Comes to Ironbridge

mikenevell

Next Saturday , 27th July, the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust (IGMT) will be joining museums, archaeology, and heritage organisations across the country to host a special day-long event as part of the national Festival of Archaeology. The festival is run by the Council for British Archaeology (CBA), the leading UK charity for archaeology, one of the first promotors of industrial archaoelogy. To find out more about the CBA and the festival, who celebrate their 80th birthday this year, follow this link https://www.archaeologyuk.org/festival.html

As in 2023, the IGMT day is sponsored by the Association for Industrial Archaoelogy. If you fancy joining IGMT staff and volunteers on the 27th July, here’s what’s happening:

  • The Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron will be free for all visitors for the entire day, thanks to sponsorship from the Association for Industrial Archaeology (AIA).
  • Fourteen local historical and archaeological societies and groups will be in the museum talking to the public about their work. There will also be a series of free one-hour walks and tours around Coalbrookdale and the local area.
  • The Association for Industrial Archaeology (AIA) will host a mini archaeological dig where visitors will be able to sift through spoils left over from recent conservation work at Broseley Pipeworks, funded by the National Heritage Memorial Fund, to level out the floor. While practising their archaeological skills they might find parts of pipes, other clay items, or pieces of bone.

Find out more: https://bit.ly/3L6QHes

Museum of Iron, IGMT, Coalbrookdale. Image copyright Dr Michael Nevell.
Historic England ‘History in the Making’ 2024 Funding Announced

Historic England ‘History in the Making’ 2024 Funding Announced

mikenevell

Historic England is inviting applications from youth groups who want to explore fascinating local stories and have innovative ideas for place markers to commemorate them so these histories can be shared with the whole community and beyond. The History in the Making fund will enable underrepresented young people aged 13 to 25 from across England to research, discover and mark a part of their local heritage that has been overlooked or forgotten.

Funding is available for up to 15 projects across England. The successful applications will be chosen with the help of Historic England’s panel of Young Advisers, aged 18 to 25. History in the Making was originally launched last year (2023) in northern England, with Historic England funding 11 projects. Young people living in deprived areas will be helped to explore and celebrate untold local histories thanks to the launch of a national grant scheme by Historic England.

Sandfields Pumping Station Engine Appeal

Sandfields Pumping Station Engine Appeal

mikenevell

The Lichfield Waterworks Trust has launched an online appeal to restore the magnificent Cornish Pumping Engine at Sandfields Pumping Station. The engine is currently seized solid after not moving for many decades. However, whilst the Lichfield Waterworks Trust have the expertice to to repair the engine they need money for materials and a means to move the engine.

Lichfield Waterworks Trust is a group of volunteers dedicated to preserving Sandfields Pumping Station with its fascinating history and unique Victorian Pumping Engine. The Trust aims to open access to the Sandfields Pumping Station for public use, including education, arts performance, and community development. At the heart of this public access will be the pumping engine. This engine is one of only four left in the entire country. Built by Jonah & George Davies in Tipton and installed in 1873, it worked for 50 years, pumping clean water to the Black Country during the Industrial Revolution to help eradicate Cholera. The engine was taken out of service in 1927 and has not moved for almost 100 years. 

You can help them restore the engine by donating through their Crowdfunder page by following this link:

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/lichfield-waterworks-trust-1160876

Heritage Open Days, 2024: Still Time to Register Your Industrial Site

Heritage Open Days, 2024: Still Time to Register Your Industrial Site

mikenevell

There’s still time to register your industrial heritage site for 2024’s Heritage Open Days. Last year more than 200 industrial heritage sites took part, offering free events across England, and raising awareness about their activities and history.

Overall, there were more than 923,000 festival visits across 5,282 heritage events in England – the highest number of visitors for England’s largest festival of history and culture ever recorded. More details for the 2023 event here: https://heritageopendays.org.uk/resource/festival-review-2023.html

Heritage Open Days offers free access to organisers to a wide range of support materials and guidance including bunting and risk assessment templates. Its also a chance to connect with people across the country, with over 2,000+ organisers meeting to share ideas.

For more details about online registration by 8 August follow this link: https://bit.ly/England_Heritage_Open_Days_2024

Festival of Archaeology 2024 Starts 13th July

Festival of Archaeology 2024 Starts 13th July

mikenevell

The 2024 Festival fo Archaeology, run by the Council for British Archaeology, will run from the 13th July to the 28th July across the UK. The Festival incorporates hundreds of in-person and virtual events delivered by community groups, heritage organisations, universities, commercial units across the UK. 

This year’s festival theme is archaeology and community, and since the Council for British Archaeology (CBA) will be celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2024 its the perfect opportunity to celebrate the grassroots groups, societies, and individuals that share a passion for archaeology across the UK. https://www.archaeologyuk.org/festival.html

Several industrial archaeology and heritage sites are taking part this year. These include the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust who are running a free open day at Coalbrookdale, sponsored by the Association for Industrial Archaoelogy, and the National Trust who have an open day at Force Crag Mine in Cumbria. Other free industrial events include an animation workshop at Nenthead mines in Cumbria and a variety of talks and walks.

To locate an industrial archaeology event close to you follow this link: https://www.archaeologyuk.org/festival/festival-event-listing.html