Papers by Elanor (Ellie) Pitt
Conference Presentations by Elanor (Ellie) Pitt
Australia is often dismissed in the world of heritage as uninteresting because of its so-called “... more Australia is often dismissed in the world of heritage as uninteresting because of its so-called “short” history. However, Australia has a rich cultural and natural heritage spanning tens of thousands of years. Colonial and Post-Colonial heritage, in particular, demonstrates a unique response to an unfamiliar environment in a remote outpost of the British Empire. Over 200 years since colonisation and over 100 years since the formation of the Federation of Australia, the question of what to do with the monuments and structures built within the first two centuries of occupation has been much discussed. The choice between preservation and reconstruction is paramount. A building which has undergone much alteration, repair and replacement of fabric over the centuries is Sydney Town Hall, originally built with oxidising sandstone from Pyrmont in 1868. The issue of what stone to use for the replacement of the original fabric is vital to the conservation programme. This programme dictates that badly degraded stone be replaced with an equivalent or “like” material. Investigations into the location of active sources of sandstone have been undertaken, including the consideration of a non-exhausted section of the Pyrmont Quarries known as Hell Hole. Although the stone was found not to be of high enough quality for the repair of heritage buildings, this study shows the importance of finding new active supplies of sandstone for the conservation of Australian heritage.
Thesis Chapters by Elanor (Ellie) Pitt
Unpublished MA Dissertation, The University of York, 2019
Post-Medieval phases of Medieval parish churches are little studied due to a lack of extant physi... more Post-Medieval phases of Medieval parish churches are little studied due to a lack of extant physical evidence caused by widespread Victorian restoration. This research uses Stonegrave Minster as a case study in the reconstruction of lost Post-Medieval phases, demonstrating that such phases should be studied as part of the story of alteration and adaptation of parish churches. Using a multi-disciplinary buildings archaeology approach including archival research, stratigraphic and physical analysis, measured building survey, phased plans and sightline analysis, this research explores what the physical and documentary evidence can reveal about the form, fabric, use and experience of the Post-Medieval church.
This thesis describes a series of experiments on oxidising sandstone from a yard owned by the Cit... more This thesis describes a series of experiments on oxidising sandstone from a yard owned by the City of Sydney Council which is part of the old Saunders Quarries; Hell Hole, which was shut down 130 years ago. These tests were conducted to characterize the properties of the stone in order to determine whether the stone is of adequate quality for the restoration of Heritage-listed sandstone buildings such as Town Hall. The tests conducted include bulk specific gravity, water absorption, compressive strength, rupture of modulus test (flexural tensile strength), Brazil test (splitting tensile strength) and soundness (or salt attack). Brazil testing was conducted also on the quartz-rich specimens from the University of Sydney Clock Tower to provide a comparison of sandstone used in a Heritage-listed building. Petrographic analysis was also conducted on both sandstones to determine the microstructure and mineral composition and to find reasons for the behaviour of the stones in the different tests.
Though the sandstone from Hell Hole met the requirements for bulk density and water absorption, its failure to meet the other requirements, especially in wet conditions, as well as its friability and weathering observable from the petrography, means that it cannot be recommended for use in the restoration of Town Hall.
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Papers by Elanor (Ellie) Pitt
Conference Presentations by Elanor (Ellie) Pitt
Thesis Chapters by Elanor (Ellie) Pitt
Though the sandstone from Hell Hole met the requirements for bulk density and water absorption, its failure to meet the other requirements, especially in wet conditions, as well as its friability and weathering observable from the petrography, means that it cannot be recommended for use in the restoration of Town Hall.
Though the sandstone from Hell Hole met the requirements for bulk density and water absorption, its failure to meet the other requirements, especially in wet conditions, as well as its friability and weathering observable from the petrography, means that it cannot be recommended for use in the restoration of Town Hall.