IN-PERSON London Heritages. Section B

Abstract

As one of the United Kingdom’s most significant historic sites, The Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, a key landmark within the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, represents a complex conservation challenge. Over the course of our long-term engagement with the ORNC, a key challenge has been balancing the conservation needs with increasing pressures on the site. This is further complicated by a critical shortage of skilled craftspeople in the UK, threatening the sustainability of the heritage sector. Reliance on larger contractors can result in short-term, cost-driven approaches that are less able to deliver the nuanced skills required for historic fabric conservation. The increasing scarcity of craftspeople— such as stonemasons, carpenters, leadworkers — further undermines efforts to maintain the quality and authenticity of repair work. Without a concerted effort to nurture and retain these skills, there is a real danger that invaluable crafts skills will be lost. This paper argues that establishing direct, long-term relationships with experienced craftspeople offers a more effective and sustainable model for conservation. Such partnerships deepen site-specific understanding, support continuity of care, and provide opportunities for training and mentoring, helping to safeguard endangered heritage skills. Drawing on recent case studies from our conservation projects at the ORNC, this paper examines the benefits of this approach, including enhanced knowledge retention, more consistent collaboration between architects, surveyors, and craftspeople, and higher-quality outcomes. It concludes by advocating for policy reform to support traditional craft training, apprenticeships, and funding structures that prioritise sustainable, skills-based conservation over short-term contracting models.