Spring Conference Bursaries 2011
The 2011 Spring Conference of the Vernacular Architecture Group will be based at Wadham College, Oxford from 12th to 16th April. During the day members will tour the locality, visiting and interpreting lesser traditional buildings; lectures and discussions will be held in the evenings. On Wednesday we will visit the Vale of the White Horse, to see 14th century timber-framing with later clunch in the village of Steventon, and stone/brick buildings in the town of Abingdon. On Thursday we will visit Burford and Kelmscott, both near the Cotswolds where limestone predominates, although Burford has some timber-framing. Friday's visits start on the Mapledurham estate, historically in South Oxfordshire, now partly in Berkshire. Later we will visit inns and commercial buildings in Henley. Optional visits on Saturday will probably include Wadham College, cellars and undercrofts in Oxford, and 19th century buildings in St. Thomas's parish. The evening speakers will be David Clark, Simon Townley, Dan Miles and Ruth Gibson.
The Vernacular Architecture Group is able to offer to offer TWO bursaries to assist a registered student and a professional in the early years of their career to attend the Spring Conference. The Committee is aware that the cost often makes attendance difficult for students who might benefit from the visits, lectures and discussions, and from the opportunity to meet others active in the field. We hope that the recipients will be sufficiently inspired by the conference to wish to join the VAG if they are not already members. There is no upper age limit, and part-time students are also welcome to apply.
The bursary will cover the full cost of the conference fee and there is also the offer of a travel grant.
Applicants must normally be students of vernacular architecture or a related discipline. They should send brief details including a resume of academic courses and any special reasons for attending this conference that may help in the selection of an appropriate candidate to Mrs L J Hall, Secretary VAG, Sunnyfield, 3 Church Row, Redwick, Magor, Monmouthshire NP26 3DE, email hall.email@virgin.net to reach her no later than Monday 21st February 2011.
Any application from a student must be endorsed by their course tutor and any other financial support available to the applicant for attending the conference must be declared.
Students who are already members of the Group and propose to attend the conference with or without the support of a bursary should ensure a place on the conference by booking in the normal way. Any student member who has reserved a place at full cost but subsequently obtains a bursary will receive a full refund.
Recipients of bursaries may be asked to give occasional assistance with the conference organisation, including projection facilities, and to write a resume of the conference for the VAG Newsletter. The response from past recipients and their articles in our Newsletter have been very encouraging and I hope that we can continue to further this interest. The VAG committee would be grateful if you could bring this item to the notice of anyone who is eligible and who you feel would benefit from attending the conference.
Linda Hall
Honorary Secretary
