Rope survey will help preserve the Rad Cam
If you were in Radcliffe Square last month, you might have witnessed an unusual spectacle - several people abseiling down the side of the building from the parapet around the base of its dome
Don't worry; it wasn't some kind of protest, but a regular part of the work of the Conservation & Buildings team to keep the Radcliffe Camera, one of Oxford's architectural jewels, in top condition.
The abseilers were conservators from Sally Strachey Historic Conservation (SSHC), hired by the University to check the building's stonework for possible damage or decay, so that any problems can be dealt with before they become more serious, cause trouble elsewhere or start to endanger those in and around the building. As well as examining the Camera's stonework, they also climbed to the top of its domed roof to check that the leadwork is still in good condition.
The alternative would be to install scaffolding around the structure - an extremely expensive and time-consuming process that would also produce a lot of noise and disturb those working nearby.
Using a drone to look at the building is another option, and it provides a great way to survey large areas of a building quickly and efficiently with minimal disturbance. But while useful, a drone is no substitute for the eye of a skilled conservation professional; accessing the building with ropes means it can be systematically surveyed and any possible problems inspected from up close.
The conservators have now produced a report on the building's overall condition and any problems they noticed; these include cracked sections of stone parapet and joints that have opened up and lost their mortar, allowing water to start seeping into the Camera's interior, as well a large Buddleia plant that was discovered growing out of one of these open joints near the top of the building and will now need prompt removal to stop it causing further damage. The Conservation & Buildings team will use their findings to plan the Radcliffe Camera's maintenance schedule over the next few years, setting long-term priorities to ensure problems are nipped in the bud. If scaffolding does turn out to be needed to carry out restoration work, the survey should mean it can be installed only where necessary rather than encasing the whole building.
If you would like to see more photos of rope work on the Radcliffe Camera and other historic buildings, you can take a look at the Instagram feed of James Preston at SSHC.
