Rural crafts see a mini-revival

By Heather Hinchley
BBC News, East Midlands

Quick lime produced in the kiln is kinder to listed buildings

Warning bells have been sounding the decline of traditional crafts in recent years but it seems there could be a mini revival in one part of Derbyshire.

Deep in the Peak District, the Haddon Estate, near Bakewell, is embracing traditional building processes through its pioneering new lime kiln project.

The scheme, which has received a £13,750 grant from the Peak District Sustainable Development Fund, allows the estate to repair its buildings in a way which is better for the environment and the centuries-old stone.

The kiln produces quick lime which is then used to repair old mortar, render, plaster and wash limestone on the historic estate.

Mike Elliott, woods and maintenance manager for the 3,700-acre estate is passionate about the traditional process and hopes this scheme will spark more interest in the heritage building field.

Training facilities

"We have seen a revival over the past three years but more needs to be done," Mr Elliot said.

"It is vital these processes are preserved for the sake of the buildings in the area because most of them are listed and the quick lime is so much kinder to the stone than modern cement, which causes it to erode at a much faster rate."

The key issue is - are landowners prepared to pay for these crafts? Ian Thomas, director of the National Stone Centre

The project will provide training facilities for the College of the Peak's heritage building skills course and be an education resource for schools.

The area has also seen a rise in people enrolling on dry stone walling, stone carving and lime rendering workshops.

Ian Thomas, director of the National Stone Centre, said the signs were encouraging but more still needed to be done to boost the heritage crafts sector.

He said: "There has been an increase in interest since we started our first courses in 1994.

"We have seen traditional crafts take on a bit of a revival but we will have to see whether it's enough of a revival to maintain the fabric and mechanism.

"The key issue is - are landowners prepared to pay for these crafts?"

Engage interest

The centre is also trying to interest young people in the trades.

"We are trying to get school leavers interested in a career in traditional crafts," Mr Thomas added.

"The important thing is to try to engage their interest while they're still at school. That's why we run our Construction Week, in which we give demonstrations to 14s and over."

Retired Leicestershire thatcher Robert Geeson, now honorary secretary of the Rutland & Leicestershire Master Thatchers' Association, said his former trade was not suffering in his county.

"Fortunately we do not have a shortage in Leicester, which is good because there is a lot of work here.

"I trained straight from school as an apprentice and thatching is something I loved and am passionate about.

"But I do think that young people aren't encouraged to go into crafts anymore at school. Everything seems to be academic and computer-based now."

But just 12 months ago a report commissioned by English Heritage found that an extra 500 workers needed to be recruited into the heritage sector in the East Midlands to meet immediate demand.

John Fidler, conservation director at English Heritage, said groups in the East Midlands had responded to the shortfall.

He said: "Our report on traditional crafts and skills shortage has spearheaded a surge of healthy interest and attention on this problem both on regional and national level."

But he warned that the battle has not yet been won.

"We must keep the momentum going because filling the huge skills gap is a complex issue requiring long-term commitment."