Access to historic buildings

Access audits and advice on historic buildings

My interest in access developed out of my work on the conservation of historic buildings, which present some of the most difficult access challenges.

Since 1995 I have carried out access audits and advised on a wide range of historic buildings. These have included churches, university buildings, government buildings, houses and a livery hall.

I have also carried carried out audits of historic gardens and landscapes. In 2001, I organised access improvements to Glastonbury Tor for the National Trust as part of a Lottery funded project to enhance the site.

In 2002 I was part of the team assembled by the Centre for Accessible Environments that carried out access audits on the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace and Kensington Palace State Apartments for Historic Royal Palaces.

As part of the access audit of the Tower of London, we organised a visit by the Tower Hamlets Access Group. See photographs right.

I have recently written a review of English Heritage's guide Easy Access to Historic Buildings, which was published in Access by Design, the journal of the Centre for Accessible Environments.

e-mail: keithwgarner@btinternet.com

© Keith Garner Ltd 2011