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Dear All, At the risk of offending all those with a vested interest, i.e. you make a living out of it, in preserving physical things, I’d like to present a tax-payers perspective. Why are we bothering to spend effort, time and money on the repair of a pillbox?? As long as it’s safe and not the focus of anti-social behaviour, why not let it slowly decay, become a ruin, get swallowed up by nature, including the predilections of bats? For the most part, we have the original designs, drawings of pillboxes, innumerable pictures of them, almost all their locations plotted, and plenty of other examples that may be in better condition. We also know why they were built and when, and how they fitted into a larger picture. We have stories, narratives about pillboxes, eye-witness accounts, and most importantly we have imaginations that can reconstruct, re-imagine the whole concept and object. Do we really need another physical example using up public money (if only the time of local authority officers)? So the roof is corroding, the bats will move out if it gets too drafty & wet, and if trees grow up through it’ll become a natural feature. Let time take its course. Cheers, Neil From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Carlisle, Philip Sent: 29 November 2017 11:16 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Pillbox conservation and repair - any concrete examples? Not UK but the US National Parks published as Seacoast Fortifications Preservation Manual which is available as a pdf at https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/goga/seacoast_fortifications.pdf It’s a bit slow to load but has details about treatments for concrete and it’s a cracking read too. Phil Carlisle Knowledge Organization Specialist Listing Group, Historic England Direct Dial: +44 (0)1793 414824 <http://thesaurus.historicengland.org.uk/> http://thesaurus.historicengland.org.uk/ <http://www.heritagedata.org/blog/> http://www.heritagedata.org/blog/ From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sarah Orr Sent: 29 November 2017 10:22 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Pillbox conservation and repair - any concrete examples? Hello, does anyone have any guidance or experience in conservation or repair of concrete pillboxes where the roof is corroding? I’ve found this Historic England document https://content.historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/twentieth-century-military-sites/twentieth-century-military-sites.pdf/ but it is a bit thin on the detail - what steps are actually appropriate, eg painting surfaces? Any pointers would be gratefully received Best wishes Sarah Orr Acting Archaeological Officer/ Historic Environment Record Officer Public Protection and Culture West Berkshire Council Market Street Newbury RG14 5LD