This book explores the threats facing vernacular buildings and gives concrete examples for future possibilities. It offers a guide to those who wish to get involved in rescuing these buildings, those who re-use them and those who care for them. Whether you are an architect, planner, owner, an entrepreneur or a developer, whether you are involved in a local trust or work for a local authority, or whether you just want to find out about spectacular vernacular heritage, I hope this book will be an inspiration. Several of the hand-drawn architectural illustrations in this book are the result of surveys carried out for this study. This kind of record underlines the importance of the vital role of meticulous documentation in preserving the evidence of existing vernacular buildings, so that we can learn from this evidence when we work with such buildings in the future.