Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) (sometimes known as Anti-Scrape[1]) was founded by William Morris, Philip Webb and J.J.Stevenson, and other notable members of the Pre Raphaelite brotherhood, in 1877, to oppose what they saw as the insensitive renovation of ancient buildings then occurring in Victorian England.
Morris was particularly concerned about the practice, which he described as "forgery", of attempting to restore buildings to an idealised state from the distant past, which often involved the removal of elements added in their later development and which Morris saw as adding to their interest as documents of the past. Instead, he proposed that ancient buildings should be protected, not restored, so that their entire history would be preserved as cultural heritage. A major debate had taken place over the "restoration" of Chester Cathedral which was more like rebuilding than restoration. Samuel Huggins, a leading local architect, who led the Chester critics is also credited with founding this society.[2] J.J. Stevenson set out SPAB's ideals in 'Architectural Restoration: its principals and practice', published in that 1877, the publication was controversial and Stevenson was somewhat belatedly admitted FRIBA in 1879.
Today, SPAB still operates according to Morris's original manifesto. It publishes books, and runs courses and a telephone advice line. Under the Planning Acts the Society must be notified of all applications in England and Wales to demolish in whole or part any listed building. It currently has 8,700 members (2007).
The Society also has a branch in Scotland, and the Mills Section, which is the only British national body concerned with the preservation, repair and continued use of traditional windmills and watermills.
The society, which is a registered charity, is based at 37 Spital Square, London E1 6DY, England.
[edit] See also
- Somerset Buildings Preservation Trust
- Wiltshire Historic Buildings Trust
- Marianne Suhr
- Ken Major
- Scottish Civic Trust
- Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland
[edit] References
- ^ Thompson, E. P. (1976). William Morris: Romantic to Revolutionary. New York: Pantheon. p. 228. ISBN 0394733207. "The Society, which Morris dubbed "Anti-Scrape..."
- ^ Albert Nicholson, ‘Huggins, Samuel (1811–1885)’, rev. Valerie Scott, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 2 June 2010
[edit] External links
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