William Morris and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings [Paperback]

Acknowledgments

Chapter One: Modern Preservation Techniques with Nineteenth Century Inspiration

Chapter Two: The Architectural and Ideological Environment of the Nineteenth Century

Chapter Three: William Morris, His Attitude toward the Gothic Revival, and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings

Chapter Four: The SPAB in Britain

Chapter Five: The SPAB in France and Germany in the Nineteenth Century

Chapter Six: SPAB Activities and Influences in the Twentieth Century

Notes

Bibliography

Index

The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, founded by artist and craftsman William Morris in 1877, sought to preserve the integrity of historic buildings by preventing unnecessary repairs and additions. William Morris's intention and that of the SPAB, as outlined by the original manifesto, was that buildings of any period had a life that was best protected through the conservative repair of what was falling into ruin and the prevention of injury to buildings by safeguarding them as much as possible and practical. This practice became known as historic preservation. In this study, Donovan, relying upon many original documents from the SPAB archives in London, traces the history of the SPAB from its foundation in nineteenth-century England to its current activities in England and Western Europe. 
 

William Morris and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings succeeded in preserving much of the historic architecture of modern Britain and Europe and this book describes the details of these successes.