If you are familiar with a cemetery in the region, give it a go!
The new Heritage Value Assessment Tool, now available on the BACSA website, has been devised to help prioritise projects and applications for BACSA grants should there be a need to ration the calls on our funds. The tool has been created with the help of BACSA member, Dr Sarah Rutherford, herself an expert in heritage conservation, along with the support of our Projects Subcommittee.
The tool which has been created is an assessment table of criteria for assessing the historic significance of a cemetery. It can be used by anyone who knows a cemetery well to give it a score against each criterion from zero to three. The criteria are grouped into four sections relating to historic, architectural and landscape significance and to the survival and condition of the cemetery site.
The Committee is keen for members and others with an interest in the cemeteries of South Asia to use the tool and help to build up a database of assessed cemeteries. If you are familiar with a European cemetery, isolated grave or monument in South Asia well, we encourage you to complete the table and share your assessment with BACSA by emailing – secretary@bacsa.org.uk.
Before it’s approval in April 2021 the tool was tested on some well-known cemeteries by members of the Subcommittee and the Executive Committee. Out of a total possible score of 72, which indicates the highest significance and best survival, the cemeteries already assessed achieved the following: The cemeteries already assessed are St. Mary’s on the Island, Chennai (overall score 53); the Residency, Hyderabad (overall score 58); Nicholson, Delhi (overall score 50); Badli-ki-serai, Delhi (overall score 42); Kanlog, Simla (overall score 40) and Explorers’, Leh, Ladakh (overall score 39).
Please have a go. As is made clear on the table, you do not have give a score if a criterion is not relevant or your do not have enough information. There is space for comments to supplement your assessments. When you have completed a table, please send it to the Secretary. Thank you!
Denise Love
Projects Coordinator