INTRODUCTION
The East Midlands Earth Structures Society was formed by six enthusiasts in the Spring of 1994. It is one of the regional groups which are under the wing of the Earth Structures Committee of ICOMOS-UK (the International Commission on Monuments and Other Sites-UK Committee). This in itself is part of UNESCO, which in turn is part of the UN. Other regional groups are in East Anglia (EARTHA), the Market Harborough area (HADES), and Devon (DEBA). Members of EMESS are interested in, and engaged upon, both the repair of existing buildings made of earth, and the construction of new earth buildings. The members therefore have the full range of interest in this type of building, from ownership, to repair, to design, and to construction. As a result the events the society organises are of great interest to building owners, building firms, architects, surveyors, engineers, conservation officers, students in various fields, apprentices, historians, and even DIY enthusiasts. The soc