What is the timescale for the settlement and cracking of an old stone building? How do the elegant flying buttresses of a Gothic cathedral safely transfer thrust to the foundations? And what is the effect of wind on a stone spire, or bell-ringing on a church tower? These and many other questions pertinent to the upkeep of old stone buildings are answered in this clear and authoritative guide This lucid and informative text will be of particular interest to structural engineers, practising architects and others involved in the renovation and care of old stone buildings.