For the average homeowner, maintenance can be a simple matter of calling in a local tradesperson or making a trip to a hardware store. For the one Brit in five whose property dates from before 1919, especially if it is listed, the situation is more complicated, while, for the custodians of Britain’s built heritage, the challenges can seem insurmountable.
Charged with the conservation of tens of thousands of significant buildings, from cottages to stately homes, castles and churches – of roofs, walls, floors, stairs, windows, fireplaces, tapestries, clocks, antiques, paintings, pulpits and altar screens beyond number – bodies such as English Heritage and the National Trust may struggle to find specialists
