10 Red listed crafts The findings of this survey is also reflected in the findings of the Red List of Endangered Crafts, published by Heritage Crafts Association. These include a wide variety of crafts of relevance to the conservation and repair of historic buildings, their fittings and furnishings. The top category, ‘extinct in the UK’ has only one of relevance: mouthblown sheet glass making. One company in Germany is now the principal source of traditionally-made glass for the repair of historic windows. Building crafts feature prominently among the second two categories, ‘critically endangered’ and ‘endangered’. Following the decline of the potteries, the manufacture of ceramic floor and wall tiles are classified as critically endangered, while brick making remains endangered. Of those building crafts which must be practiced on site, those that are considered critically endangered include vernacular thatching techniques in Wales and in parts of Scotland. Those considered endangered include gauged brickwork – the craft of shaping individual bricks to create decorative arches and patterns seen in Georgian and Victorian architecture – and pargetting, the ornamental plastering found on timberframed buildings in the south east of England. Scagliola, the art of imitating marble through specialized plasterwork, is also endangered. The Red List identifies several causes for craft decline: difficulties recruiting apprentices, an aging craftsperson demographic, high costs for handmade items, and declining demand. Craft courses and training Most heritage skills training is focused on specific skills, and there is a growing number of craftspeople with a good understanding of traditional building technologies. Many of these craftspeople will have taken a traditional route into their field through one of the established training bodies offering training to Level 3 or above in a traditional craft skill, usually on a day-release so the student gains experience in the workplace. These courses, which are listed in the table opposite, tend to focus on the subject areas likely to be most economically viable for the college, so topics do not represent the full range of skill sets required for the conservation of the historic environment, and even then, many struggle to survive. It is common for craftspeople to retrain from other disciplines as mature students, not least because few school leavers will be aware of the full range of opportunities in the heritage sector, and a variety of public bodies and voluntary sector organisations have stepped in to provide further specialist training required. Their courses tend to be run by experienced heritage professionals, although they may not be independently assessed. These include the training arms of the statutory heritage bodies, including Historic England and Historic Environment Scotland in particular, and several conservation teams in local authorities run varied programmes according to requirements in the area. North Devon Council for example, ran seven short courses through the winter of 2024 and the spring of 2025 on stone masonry, repair and maintenance, energy efficiency, and sash windows repairs, with one course leading to a level 3 award in the Repair and Maintenance of Traditional (pre1919) Buildings. These courses attracted over 70 people. Essex County Council runs regular hands-on training opportunities and lectures focussed on traditional building skills and conservation, as does Carmarthenshire Council’s Tywi Centre. Participants range from practitioners wishing enhance their knowledge of heritage crafts and techniques, to owners of historic buildings wishing to maintain and repair their own homes. In all cases, participants should learn their own limitations and when it is necessary to bring in an expert. Other specialist training centres include the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum and The Scottish Lime Centre Trust. A full list is provided on the online version of this report. Thatching was identified in the survey as the most difficult skill to find, and two types of thatching were classed as 'critically endangered' in Heritage Crafts' Red List.
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