ABSTRACT
Although Gothic restoration was the initial motivator to Morris’s quest, in the longer view, he wanted to prevent the unnecessary revision of any building to an inappropriate style. Morris and the SPAB maintained that buildings of any period had a life that was best protected through the conservative repair of what was falling into ruin and the prevention of injury to buildings by safeguarding them as much as was practical. The continued monitoring of the conservation of historic buildings kept the SPAB alive into this century, making it the oldest conservation society in England. While the SPAB evolved to meet twentieth century challenges, it has managed to keep Morris’s original ideas alive. The modern adaptations of the SPAB prove that the SPAB’s work still influences public opinion, governmental integration, and the work of architects.
