What if I told you there’s a society watching over Britain’s ancient architectural treasures? This is the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. It stands as a guardian against destructive renovations.
Founded in 1877 the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings also goes by Anti-Scrape. William Morris and Philip Webb established it. They aimed to counter Victorian architects’ often unsympathetic restorations. These architects sometimes harmed medieval buildings. “Ancient” refers to pre-modern times.
Morris was motivated by Sir Gilbert Scott’s plans for Tewkesbury Abbey. Scott proposed a restoration. Morris voiced his concerns in an 1877 letter. It appeared in The Athenaeum. He envisioned an association. It would watch over old monuments. It would protest restorations exceeding basic repairs. This association would awaken a feeling. Ancient buildings are sacred monuments not toys.
Philip Webb played a key role. He helped Morris establish the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. This happened soon after Morris’s letter. Initial supporters included Thomas Carlyle and John Ruskin. James Bryce and Sir John Lubbock were also involved. Leslie Stephen and Coventry Patmore supported it. Even Edward Burne-Jones and Holman Hunt joined. Lord Houghton and A. J. Mundella were initial supporters too. Morris wrote a manifesto. He served as Honorary Secretary. He remained an active member throughout his life.
Morris opposed returning buildings to an idealized past state. He saw this as forgery. He objected to removing later additions. He believed those additions added interest. He felt they documented the past. He suggested repairing ancient buildings. He did not believe in restoring them. His aim was to protect their entire history. Today these principles are widely accepted. Morris called the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings “Anti-scrape.” This term referred to scraping plaster. It also meant removing later additions. The goal was to reveal bare stonework.
Early causes included Scott’s plans for Tewkesbury Abbey. The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings also addressed Canterbury Cathedral’s choir. They fought the destruction of Christopher Wren’s London churches. They opposed rebuilding St Alban’s Abbey’s nave roof. In 1879 they protested rebuilding St Mark’s Basilica’s west front in Venice.
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings’ approach influenced the National Trust. This happened after the Trust acquired Alfriston Clergy House in 1895. The Society had advised the owners. It connected them with the nascent National Trust. The Trust chose a preservation approach. This aligned with Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings’ ideas. This became its principle for all acquired buildings.
A.R. Powys served as the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings’ Secretary. He held the position for 25 years. This was in the early 20th century.
Today the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings operates by Morris’s manifesto. It campaigns and advises. It runs training programs and courses. It researches and publishes information. As a National Amenity Society it is a statutory consultee. It reviews alterations to listed buildings. By law the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings must be notified. This is for any application in England and Wales. This applies when demolishing any listed building in whole or part.
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings is a registered charity. It is based at 37 Spital Square in London. It has branches in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. In 2022 it had 6579 members.
The European Union recognized its heritage service. It gave the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings the Europa Nostra Award in 2012.
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings’ Mills Section focuses on windmills and watermills. It works to protect and repair them. It also promotes their continued use. Ken Major contributed much work.
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings presents an annual award. It honors Sir John Betjeman. He was a church enthusiast and Society member. The award recognizes outstanding repairs. These repairs must be to places of worship in England and Wales. They must have been completed in the last 18 months.
So next time you admire an old building remember the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. They are working to keep our history standing tall.