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measurement_web.jpg (29406 bytes) Measurement and Recording of Historic Buildings

New edition

Peter Swallow, Ross Dallas, Sophie Jackson and
David Watt

 

Hardback £37.00  $74.00

Publication date 2004

224 pages

ISBN 978 1 873394 62 5

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Now in its second edition this book provides a practical guide to measured building surveys with special emphasis on recording the fabric of historic buildings. It includes two new chapters dealing with modern survey practice using instruments and photographic techniques as well as a chapter examining recording methods as used on a specific project case study undertaken by the Museum of London Archaeology Service.

Measured surveys for producing accurate scaled drawings of buildings and their immediate surroundings may be undertaken for a variety of reasons. The principal ones are to provide a historic record, and to form the base drawings upon which a proposed programme of works involving repairs, alterations, adaptations or extensions can be prepared.

This book provides a practical guide to preparing measured surveys of historic buildings, with special emphasis on recording the fabric. The text assumes little previous knowledge of surveying and begins by describing basic measuring techniques before introducing elementary surveying and levelling.

From these principles, the practices and techniques used to measure and record existing buildings are developed in a detailed step-by-step approach, covering sketching, measuring, plotting and drawing presentation.

For this new edition the text on hand survey methods has been revised to note where new techniques and equipment can be incorporated, as well as explaining where more advanced survey methods may be best used to advantage. Information on locating early maps and plans, aerial photography and its uses, documentary research, procurement of surveys and conventional photography has been incorporated at various points as appropriate.

In addition, Ross Dallas provides two new chapters dealing with modern survey practice using instruments and photographic techniques. Also, the opportunity has been taken to present a wider view of building recording projects by including a new chapter from the Museum of London Archaeological Service (MoLAS) building recording team. It encompasses their five key principles for recording within an illustrative case study.

 

Preface to the 2004 edition

Click here to read the new introduction

Contents:
Preface v Basic measured survey practice v Surveying equipment v Elementary land survey v Levelling v Preliminaries to the measured survey v Building measured survey I: preparing sketches v Building measured survey II: measuring v Building measured survey III: plotting and presentation v Surveying with instruments v Photographic based recording methods v Historic building recording v Appendix A: Hand signals v Appendix B: Ordnance Survey maps v Appendix C: Common abbreviations v Appendix D: Setting out for common arch shapes v Appendix E: Common mouldings v Appendix F: Practical examples: Using rod and tape v Appendix G: Practical examples: Plotting on the spot v Appendix H: Practical examples: Recording a vernacular building v Appendix I: Procuring measured surveys v References v Bibliography v Index.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read the new introduction

The authors:

Professor Peter Swallow, Dip Surv, Cons Arch Dip, FRICS, FBEng, FRSA, IHBC, ILTM

Peter Swallow is is a Chartered Building Surveyor who, following a varied career in both the public and private sectors, took up a teaching post at De Montfort University where he currently holds the Chair of Building Surveying in the Department of Product and Spatial Design. He lectures widely on building defects, repairs and conservation issues and has carried out measured surveys of historic buildings in Europe, India and the United States of America.

Ross W A Dallas, BSc, FRICS

Ross Dallas is a professional Land Surveyor. He provides a specialist Consultancy service for the measured survey and recording of historic buildings for a range of public sector and private clients. He has spent most of his career in the field of measured survey of historic buildings. For several years he was Chief Surveyor of English Heritage Survey Services. His background is in land survey and photogrammetry, with a degree from Glasgow University.

Sophie Jackson, BA, MA

Sophie Jackson is a Senior Project Manager at the Museum of London Archaeological Service (MOLAS) with responsibility for the design and management of historic building and landscape projects. Sophie has been a professional archaeologist for seventeen years in the UK and abroad and has also carried out research on building design for the Civil Service.

Dr David Watt, BSc (Hons), Dip Arch Cons, PhD, MSc, FRICS, IHBC

David Watt  is a Chartered Building Surveyor, employed as a Senior Research Fellow at De Montfort University in Leicester. He has worked in both private and public sectors, and was Conservation Officer with Norfolk County Council in 1991–96.

From the reviews:

To any individual who is interested in buildings and/or surveying, this publication is a must.  Building Engineer  (Click here to read the full review)

 

This work must be the supreme authority on the subject.  ASCHB

 

This is an excellent book for those involved in Buildings Archaeology, but read it before you commission or execute a buildings survey to remind you how a common sense approach can lead to a greater understanding and thereby protection of the historic environment.

Buildings Archaeology Group

 

This second edition book provides a broad and up to date examination of the many aspects of measuring and recording historic buildings. Although it assumes some existing knowledge of a highly technical subject, it is a book, which can easily be read cover to cover by anyone wanting to grasp an overview of the methods and techniques available in this field. The authors manage to create a highly readable text interjected with good illustrative drawings, sketches and photographs, which provide the reader with a clear understanding of the subject within its broader context.   Journal of Architectural Conservation

 
 

Donhead Publishing 2008