🎙️ You can also access the full Audio version of this Podcast by searching for 'Heritage Buildings Podcast' on - Apple, Spotify, Amazon, PocketCasts, and any of your other favourite podcasting apps!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Welcome to another episode of the Heritage Buildings Podcast.

In this episode, Vincent Reed speaks with Karl Magnus-Melin, historic carpenter and craft researcher trained in archaeology at Lund University. The discussion centres on the reconstruction of a 14th-century Swedish log timber church, rebuilt between 2007 and 2021 as a national heritage knowledge project in collaboration with the Craft Laboratory at the University of Gothenburg.

They explore medieval timber construction, roof design research, experimental archaeology, traditional axe work, hand-split boards, tool mark analysis, timber species selection, moisture content, and how rebuilding lost techniques strengthens conservation practice and historic building knowledge.

Topics covered include:

1. Medieval timber construction and historic carpentry techniques
2. Reconstructing a 14th-century Scandinavian log church
3. Experimental archaeology and craft-based research methods
4. Traditional axe work, tool marks, and timber splitting by hand
5. Dendrochronology, tree-ring dating, and timber provenance analysis
6. Roof construction research and medieval geometry
7. Apotropaic marks, taper burn marks, and ritual protection symbols in historic buildings
8. Driftwood construction in the Faroe Islands and Nordic timber trade
9. Craft education, heritage skills shortages, and conservation funding challenges

This episode is essential viewing for conservation architects, heritage consultants, dendrochronologists, archaeologists, historic carpenters, timber framers, building historians, and anyone passionate about medieval construction techniques and experimental craft research.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Below is a more detailed breakdown of the video with relevant timestamps

Click the time on the left to jump straight to that section

00:00 Welcome & Introducing Craft Researcher Karl Magnus-Melin

01:41 Family Roots: Grandfathers, Churches, and Early Curiosity

03:19 Archaeology Meets Carpentry: Learning by Doing, Not Just Digging

07:42 Burned Medieval Log Church Reconstruction Begins

12:35 Documentation Gaps: Roof, Attic & Research Challenges

17:48 Defining Roles: Leading Medieval Roof Construction Research

22:04 Building as a Knowledge Project for Swedish Heritage

26:32 Splitting Timber by Hand: Species, Seasoning & Tool Marks

35:56 Axe Work, Fitness & the Physical Reality of Medieval Craft

42:57 Rebuilding Lost Traditions: Lessons & Long-Term Impact

45:52 Funding Frustrations vs. Slow Restoration Wins

46:35 Turkey 2017: Inside a 700 BC Timber Tomb

49:39 Ancient Construction Knowledge Across Regions

51:41 Hidden Attics, Soot Lines & Craft...

🎙️ You can also access the full Audio version of this Podcast by searching for 'Heritage Buildings Podcast' on - Apple, Spotify, Amazon, PocketCasts, and any of your other favourite podcasting apps!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Welcome to another episode of the Heritage Buildings Podcast!

In this episode, host Vincent Reed speaks with Faye Davies, a RIBA-registered specialist conservation architect at Burrell Foley Fisher Architects, a London practice with over 40 years of experience in historic building conservation. Faye shares her journey into heritage architecture and her work adapting at-risk and listed buildings for modern, sustainable use.

The discussion explores creative conservation, including how complex historic sites like medieval guild halls and roundhouses are unlocked through heritage statements, client education, and practical problem-solving. Faye also reflects on major projects including York Guild Hall and Birmingham Roundhouse, alongside wider challenges in the sector such as training, sustainability, and unqualified contractors.

Topics covered include:

1. RIBA conservation architecture and career pathways in historic building preservation
2. Creative conservation strategies for adapting at-risk heritage buildings
3. Protecting and reusing listed buildings while meeting modern sustainability standards
4. Real-world conservation case studies: York Guild Hall restoration and Birmingham Roundhouse conservation
5. Writing heritage statements and navigating planning, archaeology, and budgets
6. Common challenges in the heritage sector, including unqualified contractors and skills shortages
7. Sustainable conservation approaches for medieval, Tudor, and 20th-century buildings
8. Professional advice for conservation architects, heritage consultants, and historic property owners

This episode is essential viewing for heritage professionals, conservation architects, RIBA members, historic building owners, planners, and anyone passionate about preserving UK heritage buildings through sustainable and creative conservation.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Below is a more detailed breakdown of the video with relevant timestamps

Click the time on the left to jump straight to that section

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:30 Faye's Path to Architecture

04:15 Falling into Historic Buildings

07:00 Covent Garden Slum Stories

09:45 RIBA Conservation Specialist Training

14:20 Wide Portfolio: Tudor to 20th Century

18:30 Repurposing At-Risk Buildings

22:00 Sustainability in Conservation

25:15 Practice Overview (43 Years, Nationwide)

29:00 Heritage Statements & Industry Challenges

35:45 Client Battles and Mediation

41:00 York Guild Hall Project Deep Dive

50:30 Budgets, Archaeology, and Wins

56:15 Winning Tenders: Enthusiasm & Vision

1:02:00...

🎙️ You can also access the full Audio version of this Podcast by searching for 'Heritage Buildings Podcast' on - Apple, Spotify, Amazon, PocketCasts, and any of your other favourite podcasting apps!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Welcome to another episode of the Heritage Buildings Podcast!

In this episode, Vincent Reed sits down with Keith Scobie-Youngs, a distinguished horologist and conservation specialist, and founder of the Cumbria Clock Company. With decades of experience working on some of the UK’s most significant historic clocks, Keith shares insights from his career, including the monumental task of restoring the Great Clock of Westminster, commonly known as Big Ben.

This engaging conversation explores Keith’s early fascination with clocks, growing up in Fairford, and the formative experiences that led him into the world of horology. He reflects on his journey into conservation, the skills required to work on historic mechanisms, and the responsibility that comes with preserving nationally significant timepieces.

The discussion further examines the intricate and highly technical process of clock restoration, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges and triumphs involved in working on Big Ben. Keith also shares his philosophy on craftsmanship, longevity, and the importance of maintaining traditional skills in an increasingly modern world.

This insightful episode is filled with expert knowledge and inspiring perspectives on heritage conservation and the art of timekeeping. Tune in next time for another deep dive into the people and practices shaping our built heritage.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Below is a more detailed breakdown of the video with relevant timestamps

Click the time on the left to jump straight to that section

00:00 Introduction to Today's Guest: Keith Scobie-Youngs

01:21 Keith's Early Life and Introduction to Clocks

02:13 First Steps in Horology

05:20 Transition to London and Early Career

12:12 Founding the Cumbria Clock Company

23:34 Challenges and Growth of the Business

30:31 Innovations and Product Development

40:45 Restoring Big Ben: The Ultimate Challenge

51:28 Team Effort and Project Management

51:40 Pricing and Contractual Challenges

54:08 Historical Overhauls and Repairs

55:39 Major Breakdowns and Repairs

57:25 Clock Mechanism Removal and Discoveries

59:42 Dimensions and Weight of Clock Hands

01:03:34 Workshop Challenges and Electric Winding System

01:09:49 Restoration and Testing of the Clock

01:16:21 Tolling the Bell for the Queen

01:27:53 Industry Insights and Future Prospects

01:36:00 Final Reflections and Contact Information

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Connect with Keith Scobie-Youngs and learn more:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-scobie-youngs-fbhi-acr-63340a15/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cumbriaclockco/

Website: https://clockmaker.co.uk/

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Learn more about the Heritage Buildings Association:

https://heritagebuildingsassociation.com

Join the conversation:

https://heritagebuildings.forum/share/dDYOnkLWJAkaA5xE?utm_source=manual

#Horology #BigBen #HistoricClocks