The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) bought and sought to preserve a medieval property, St Andrews near Maidstone in Kent, hoping one day it can be used as a home. The charity, based in London, deployed network surveillance cameras, donated by Axis Communications, to monitor the site remotely for intruders and to deter theft of materials.
In use are four AXIS Companion Bullet LE cameras, delivering HD video quality with infra-red lighting for surveillance in darkness; one AXIS Companion Cube camera with a microphone and mini-speaker to deter intruders; and an AXIS Companion Recorder, as a wireless access point for mobile devices.
The deployment has reduced the need to have security people on site to protect the premises, saving time and money. The system has already identified intruders entering the grounds of the building but causing no damage. Also, the cameras have been useful in detecting local wildlife to advise the Kent Wildlife Trust about what animals call the surrounding area home, including many foxes.
Matthew Slocombe, Director of SPAB, said, “The former St Andrew’s Chapel was chosen because it retains much historic character and interest, and because it’s a modestly-sized house to which many old building owners can relate. We felt there was much value in conserving the building, but in doing it over an extended five-year period will allow us to train and assist others via practical work, video and photo demonstrations. At the end, the building will be sold to a new owner to use as a home.
“Every aspect of the building needs work, so we can demonstrate how to tackle common problems during the restoration. Through this people learn about traditional craft skills via videos and photos, partly generated from the newly installed network security system that will document the changes over the years.”
The site did not have a main broadband or power line. A first step was to prepare the building for the installation. AXIS Companion Recorder could then be installed, delivering wireless access for mobile devices to remotely view footage in real-time in case of intrusion.
Matthew Slocombe added: “The image quality of the cameras is fantastic, especially at night when it is, of course, usually more difficult to identify potential threats. The built-in IR illumination has made intrusions unmistakable, and we’ve all been glued to the screens watching the wildlife in the area and providing updates to the Kent Wildlife Trust.”
Photo by Ralph Hodgson.
