Extended Condition

Condition level:

Survey reason:

Comments:

It is important to manage expectations about how ‘clean’ an old structure can be, especially if it is in an environment that makes this difficult such as the exposed nature of this site. War memorials, the majority of which are over a century old, should look their age as they are historic objects which change over the years. Looking old can also help young people understand our memorials better as they look like part of our history.

Soiling might be a problem if you cannot read the letters or it is causing damage e.g. a chemical has got into the stone and is eating it away. Overcleaning can damage a war memorial – each time you clean the stone you remove the top layer so it becomes less protected and attracts more dirt so it can become a vicious circle. In this case the Trust is aware that cleaning was undertaken in 2010 and the photographs on this record show that significant recolonisation had started again by 2012. The regular photographs allow us to see how soiling has developed over time helping to understand how often stone could/should be cleaned and the effectiveness of this. In this case, it may be more appropriate for the community to look to only ensure that the inscription plaques remain clear. At present the deposits are not causing issues over legibility and, as overcleaning has not occurred, the original inscription remains clear and crisp which is particularly positive in this case given the fine and ornate nature of the script. Go to the Links tab for details of WMT’s Cleaning stone with water helpsheet and our webpage on Inscriptions.

Whilst the Trust recognises there are some issues with the condition due to some delamination of the later stone indents we would not recommend doing anything now.  This is because the areas of concern appear to be stable. Given that any works risk causing damage if the war memorial is stable and not getting worse, it is better to leave it as it is, monitor and be ready to act if it deteriorates. The names, inscriptions and commemorative function of the war memorial are still being maintained despite these localised areas of damage.

Survey date:

Is the memorial accessible to the public?

Has the memorial been subject to any accidental or malicious damage in the last five years?

Do you think the site is at significant risk of accidental or malicious damage in the next 2 years?

Are there any known planning applications or issues related to this memorial?

Sandringham Estate