Building Recording

Canterbury Archaeological Trust undertakes historic building recording projects all over the county of Kent on buildings of many different periods and types. The vast majority of surveys are undertaken during periods of repair or renovation when the fabric of an historic building is exposed. Such work often forms part of the planning process.

Other circumstances can also provide an opportunity for the Trust to record. The dismantling of buildings to be moved and re-erected is another situation and one that has prompted some of our most interesting and detailed surveys. Buildings are also examined at the requested of owners who are interested to learn more about the buildings in which they live.

A survey can take the form of a brief site visit and examination followed by a short written appraisal or a more involved analysis including fully measured drawings. Photography also forms an important part of the recording process. Rectified photography, a technique used to produce scaled photographs of planar surfaces, is also undertaken by the Trust.

We are also now taking advantage of total stations and computers to survey buildings and produce drawings in addition to traditional methods of hand survey. Three dimensional models of some of our more recent surveys have been created using sophisticated computer aided design software. Using this medium we can view and analyse structures in a way that was not previously possible.

Here is a small selection of the numerous projects undertaken since 1977.
All undertaken by Rupert Austin, Building Recording Officer with Canterbury Archaeological Trust, with the exception of The Bull Inn (by John Atherton Bowen, formerly of CAT).

The Bull, Canterbury, Kent (A 15th century Inn)
Romden Hall House, near Smarden, Kent (A 15th century Wealden)
Stone Farm, Newington,Kent (16th century)
Roper Gate, Canterbury, Kent (Tudor)
No. 28 Palace Street, Canterbury, Kent (A 17th century town house)
St Dunstan's House, Canterbury, Kent (Tudor and later)
The Artichoke public house, Chartham, Kent (A medieval hall house)
The George Inn, Newington, Kent (A 17th century town house). A new perspective for Building Recording

Go to Annual Reports for extensive content lists of Building Recording projects undertaken by Canterbury Archaeological Trust since 1977. Some of these articles are available as Adobe PDF files. Publications will tell you how to buy back copies. Reference copies are held at the Trust's Library at 92a Broad Street, Canterbury and at Canterbury Reference Library, High Street, Canterbury.

You may also like to visit The Canterbury Tour, a walk around the city which includes many historic buildings recorded by Canterbury Archaeological Trust.