Architectural Monitoring Briefs
It may be necessary to carry out a watching brief during works to:
- A Protected Structure or works in the vicinity
- A building located within an Architectural Conservation Area
- A structure listed in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- An upstanding structure designated as a Recorded Monument
Architectural monitoring is normally carried out during restoration & conservation works and may include monitoring demolition of modern structures which may be adjoining a Protected Structure. Architectural monitoring may also be necessary in a number of other cases. For example, it may be feasible to modify part of a structure in order that it can be preserved in-situ with minimum impact. Instances where this may be required include altering the end pier of a bridge to facilitate road widening for safety purposes or to install services that do not visually detract from a structure.
In the case of national schemes, which have undergone a rigorous EIS process, it may be feasible to relocate an ancillary structure in order that it can be preserved at another location (ex-situ). Examples include a wall plaque, an archway or the entrance to a demesne. In this instance, the structures are recorded in-situ and carefully dismantled under supervision and stored prior to rebuilding at an alternative location. The rebuilding is also monitored to ensure that the structure is re-erected on a like-for-like basis.
In rare cases, dangerous structures that are within the curtilage of a protected structure may require to be dismantled and rebuilt in-situ from the ground up. This requires recording the structure stone-by-stone, dismantling and storing accordingly, prior to rebuilding. This can be necessary where the foundation of a structure is unstable, even if the rest of the structure is otherwise intact. Such works require to be monitored at all stages in order to ensure that the best possible conservation practice can be applied throughout.