When William Morris and Philip Webb set up the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) in 1877, they founded Britain’s building conservation movement. SPAB has saved numerous historic buildings, and greatly influenced policy and practice in the UK and abroad. This aspect of Morris’s work is little known, even though his first biographer, Aymer Vallance, claimed Morris regarded it as more important than anything else he did. Between 1877 and 1895, Morris attended around 500 SPAB meetings, wrote letters, visited buildings, and promoted the Society’s distinctive philosophy of repair. We will look at Morris’s work for SPAB, the Society’s later history, and current activities.
The presentation will be given by Philip Venning OBE, MA, FSA. A former journalist, he was full time Secretary (renamed Director) of SPAB from 1984 to 2012. He was also a Council member of the National Trust; a member of the Expert Panel of the Heritage Lottery Fund and of the Westminster Abbey Fabric Commission; and Vice President of the National Churches Trust. He has lived in old houses for most of his life.
This program will be recorded and a link will be sent to all registrants. The link will remain live for seven days following the program.
$15 per person / $12 for members
All ticket sales are final; no refunds or exchanges.