Extended Condition

Condition level:

Survey reason:

Comments:

WMT have reviewed this case and updated the condition to Fair.

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. War memorials, the majority of which are 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 in to the stone and is eating it away. Over cleaning 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 ornate form and style of the lettering also needs to be considered. Raised lettering is easily damaged by intervention and is difficult to repair. As such cleaning has to be even more carefully considered as there will always be an element of risk. Further information relating to this can be found on WMTs website, www.warmemorials.org/stone-incised-relief/.

WMT recommends regular condition checks, keeping photographs and creating a maintenance plan. War Memorials Online can help with this. Creating a record to show any soiling over time helps understand how often stone could/should be cleaned. A maintenance plan should include notes about how it should look, and when/how cleaning will be done. WMT will contact custodians with advice.

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?

Arlecdon