Extended Condition

Condition level:

Survey reason:

Comments:

Concur with the War Memorials Trust response dated 03/09/2024 to the Grants Pre-application below:
The replacement of the damaged coping and the re-pointing of the wall is work which appears to be necessary and this should be carried out on a like-for-like basis ensuring that the stone is a suitable match to the original and that an appropriate lime mortar is used. The boundary wall appears to have been altered as part of the war memorial setting and its design and so is considered part of the war memorial however unfortunately  this work, whilst evidently necessary, is unlikely to be a priority given War Memorials limited funding, with resources targeted at the repair and conservation of war memorials themselves.

The cleaning of the memorial is not eligible for funding as this is considered maintenance rather than conservation particularly where discolouration is not compromising the legibility of the memorial’s inscription. WMT have reviewed recent images of this war memorial and whilst in agreement that there is some discolouration of the stone, the inscriptions remain legible. It is important not to over-clean such historic structures and the objective of any routine maintenance is not to return the memorial to like-new condition. Even minimal cleaning with water and natural bristle brushes can only be carried out a finite number of times without compromising the surface of the stone, besides which, any ‘cleaner’ an appearance is likely to be only short term. It is important to manage public expectations around the cleaning of the memorial and avoid being caught in a cycle of cleaning.

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?

Balderton Methodist Church