Georgian Group Newsletter (No 2, 2023)

Although this review does not focus on specific casework in publications by the national amenity societies, it is worth noting that the latest Georgian Group Newsletter (No 2, 2023) has experimented with an amended format, allowing each of the group’s conservation advisors to provide a short introduction to casework in their respective regions. The reporting on over 100 specific cases is a good demonstration of the geographical spread and range of heritage types evaluated where representations were made. This aspect is worth perusing simply to see the nature of proposals and the society’s expert response to them. The Georgian Group points out that 2023 was an exceptionally busy year in which it received an average of 470 notifications a month, with notable differentiation in the case types from region to region.

The issue deals with the 2023 Georgian Group Architectural Awards. The variety of categories includes restoration of a Georgian building in an urban context, reuse of a Georgian building, restoration of a Georgian garden or landscape, restoration of a Georgian interior, restoration of a Georgian country house and new structures within a Georgian context. The work by the winners and commended schemes are all illustrated, demonstrating the exemplary standards of current renovation and craftsmanship.

Also worth highlighting are Sebastian Deckker’s article ‘Almshouses in the courtyard manner’, one of the ten Georgian heritage assets considered most at risk in 2023 and the seventh in a series of excellent, fully illustrated articles on historic fixtures based on Charles Booking’s collection. This looks at the design and development of Georgian rainwater goods and is recommended as a guide to dating evidence.

This article originally appeared in the Institute of Historic Building Conservation’s (IHBC’s) Context 179, published in March 2024.

--Institute of Historic Building Conservation

Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Conservation.
• Georgian.
• Georgian Group Journal.
• Heritage.
• Historic environment.
• IHBC articles.
• Institute of Historic Building Conservation.
• The Georgian, Issue 1, 2023.
• Worcester’s Georgian churches.