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Heritage Roofing
Heritage roofing - maintaining our iconic buildings
The UK is home to some of the most iconic buildings in the world, from stunning churches and cathedrals to historic stately homes. Each and every one of these remarkable feats of architecture requires regular maintenance to ensure they remain in the very best condition, allowing them to be enjoyed for generations.
Cathedral Care
Restoration and upkeep of cathedrals
There are some 42 Anglican cathedrals in the UK, not to mention 20 or so Catholic cathedrals. Cathedrals form the most important collection of historic buildings in England. The largest and most ancient are internationally famous, the smallest are usually among the most significant buildings in their region and even the most recent are architectural masterpieces.
Master Craftsmen
Championing our heritage with modern craftsmanship
Twenty years ago, English Heritage (now Historic England) published its first-ever Register of Buildings at Risk across England, which featured nearly 2,000 buildings and monuments that were ‘neglected, broken and unloved’. Recently Historic England was delighted to announce that over two-thirds of those buildings were now safe, in both urban and rural areas right across the country.
Traditional Lime
Lime: it’s better for buildings – and for the environment
It is now fairly well known that cement is not good for old buildings and that lime mortar should be used. But why? What are the advantages and what are the disadvantages? In order to begin to answer those questions it is necessary to understand the nature of traditional building, the process by which buildings used to be built, and how it differs from modern construction, the process by which we build today.
Audio Visual
Audio visual equipment in church buildings
This guidance is issued by the Church Buildings Council under section 55(1)(d) of the Dioceses, Mission and Pastoral Measure 2007. As it is statutory guidance, it must be considered with great care. The standards of good practice set out in the guidance should not be departed from unless the departure is justified by reasons that are spelled out clearly, logically and convincingly.
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CRE Events
After the Midlands, onward to Milton Keynes
"CRE Midlands reminded me of the giddy days when it first began – the venue was packed with exhibitors and visitors and there was a busy atmosphere. The whole thing looked great."
Insurance
You need to ensure that reasonable precautions are in place at your church to keep it safe for those who use it. To do this, you need to think about what might cause harm to people.
You will then need to decide if the precautions already in place are adequate. If they are not, you may need to identify further action to prevent any danger. When done formally, this is known as a risk assessment.
Church Maintenance
Church maintenance and repair: Calendar of Care
Just as prevention is always better than cure, maintenance is preferable to major repairs. But, such repairs may not always be avoidable. Church Care offers a monthly guide in our coming issues Starting in Spring
We can help you understand the common problems and areas that need your special attention, and give you tips for regular maintenance schemes.
Pest Control
Michael Palin warns of pest threat to churches
Michael Palin is supporting the future of the UK’s historic churches and chapels with a voiceover for a new animated film. The 80 second animation, produced for the National Churches Trust, highlights why churches are some of the nation’s best loved buildings.
Town Halls
The history of the great Victorian Town Halls of Northern England
From industrial squalor to civic pride, the story behind some of the most impressive buildings of the North involve a unique mix of economics, grand designs and noble sentiments within communities.
Lead Roofing
Lead is one of the oldest materials in the roofing industry and is still commonly used throughout the world today.
Lead roofing is a traditional roofing method which has been used in the industry for hundreds of years, and is therefore proven to be extremely reliable. Lead roofing, and sand-cast lead, in particular is ideal for old buildings such as churches or historical renovations, whereas milled lead roofing is a mass-produced alternative, used for precision and accuracy in homes and commercial buildings alike.
Lightning Protection
When lightning strikes are you protected against this act of God?
The issue of lightning protection in churches is one that has exercised this publication for many years. In this four-part series of spotlights on the issue we will be revisiting various aspects of the subject, beginning with an overview of current thinking.
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Accreditation - do blacksmiths need it?
Conversations Build Understanding Series
Free online event
Wednesday 27th January, 7.00-8.00pm
Procurement: delivering the conservation of ironwork
CPD webinar
Wed 10th February, 12.00-1.30pm
What it's about:
This is a training webinar providing practical advice.
Royal recognition for York restoration company A G Podmore & Son, highly commended in national heritage awards
David Podmore and the team at Andrew G Podmore & Son York were delighted to learn their work with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Co. carriage and wagon works memorial 1919 Newton Heath, Lancashire had been nominated for a National Railway Heritage Award and recently, at the 40th anniversary of these prestigious awards in London, the company were honoured as highly commended runners up in the Railway Heritage Trust Conservation Award.
The other shortlisted nominees were Lowestoft Central Station (regeneration east) and Network Rail Commercial Property, Mytholmroyd Station and Shell. The eventual winner was Mytholmroyd Station.
York Handmade plays pivotal role in new Porters’ Lodge at historic Cambridge college
The award-winning York Handmade Brick Company has played a pivotal role in the creation of a new Porters’ Lodge at Jesus College, Cambridge.
York Handmade, based at Alne, near Easingwold, supplied more than 20,000 bricks for the state-of-the-art building at the historic college.
The contract is worth £33,200 for York Handmade, one of the leading independent brickmakers in the UK.
New lighting at St Matthias Church in Stoke Newington
CES LLP is a specialist lighting design practice with a fully trained installation team in the niche market of heritage churches and listed buildings. They have been fortunate to have worked in some incredible buildings.
St Matthias Church in Stoke Newington is a Grade 1 listed building. The church was designed during the Victorian era by William Butterfield, the renown gothic revival architect, and was completed in 1853.
In addition to its role as a functioning parish church, St Matthias Church has developed an important role supporting music and the creative arts as a venue to a wide variety of performances.
Repairs and restoration to decorative plasterwork in Teeside’s Victorian Town Hall now completed!
After 18 months of working on this project, Ryedale Plasterers have now completed their part of the renovation and have restored the decorative plasterwork. After years of neglect, this building's interior was decaying and in a truly terrible state. The repairs required were throughout the entire building - to walls, a glazed dome over a stairwell, cornice, ceilings and archways. The main area of work was to the decorative plasterwork in the Civic Suite.
All repairs were completed using time-honoured plaster and lime techniques that create a durable, ecological finish. All the repairs the company have made will maintain the authenticity of this grade II listed building that dates back to 1890 and was designed by local architect James Garry.
12th century church gets new carbon neutral heating system
St Nicholas Church is a Grade 2* twelfth-century parish church in Great Wilbraham, to the east of Cambridge. The original building was remodelled in the thirteenth century in a cruciform plan, and the west tower, which houses six bells, was added by the fifteenth century.
When heating a church of this age and beauty it is essential that the design of the system not only addresses the heat problem, but helps to stabilise humidity, which can cause fabric issues in an old church such as St Nicholas.
Traditional oast construction catches programme makers’ eye
The people at Channel 4 television love a good oast house construction with its familiar cowl – and the team at Dude and Arnette are just the people to make it happen for them.
Back in 2017 the company was featured in the Village of the Year series, showcasing the history of oast cowls and Kent peg tiles. This spring a crew has been filming the construction of an oast house from start to finish. It will form part of a series showcasing different types of traditional buildings, each one being different and unique – such as a church or a windmill.
Builder who believes Actis Hybrid should be a legal requirement refurbishes scout hut
A Stroud builder who believes Actis Hybrid products should be a legal requirement in all reroofing and new build projects will be making life more comfortable for his local scout troop thanks to a donation from the insulation specialist.
Mike Nicholls, who runs a construction firm specialising in period property refurbishments including listed buildings, mill and barn conversions, is a huge fan of the range. And when his local scout group could cope no longer with the damp, dingy, cold back room in their converted farriers’ Cotswold stone building, he offered to step in and help them out.
New internal lighting completed at St Margaret's Church, Betley
St Margaret’s Church is a Grade I listed building situated within the beautiful village of Betley. With its wide and varied history, St Margaret’s has been through many changes over its existence. CLS Electrical Services Ltd were proudly asked to provide a lighting design and full specification which included the replacement of internal electrical distribution equipment.
Installation work was completed successfully in September 2020 and provided a new DALI controlled LED lighting system which will reduce the ongoing maintenance issues and lower the electricity consumption within the church. Provisions were also made to allow future installation of additional exterior lighting which shall be carried out once faculty approval is granted. Existing distribution boards were replaced bringing the complete electrical system up to date with current regulations.
For further information visit www.churchlightingsystems.com
St Mary's Church, Funtington gets new internal lighting and external renovation
CLS Electrical Services Ltd were commissioned to design and install a new lighting system at St. Mary’s Church in Funtington. They removed the existing tungsten light fittings and associated cabling, along with the banks of light switches that were used to control the original lighting. All of this was replaced with a new DALI controlled lighting scheme with simple to use controls.
A timeclock built within the system operates chosen light fittings during the daytime allowing enough light for visitors to walk around safely. The work carried out also included renovation of the external lighting as well as installing additional socket outlets within the church. The existing distribution equipment was also replaced and decluttered bringing everything up to date.
Safe use of church heating systems
The average Anglican church is a tricky place to heat. This guidance from insurers Ecclesiastical provides advice on the safe and efficient use of various church heating systems.
Churches usually have large internal spaces, high ceilings and, putting the more modern churches to one side for the moment, the construction of its doors and leaded windows will make it difficult to insulate. A well-maintained heating system is important – which means conducting a number of checks throughout the year. Furthermore, from an insurance perspective, heating systems create several risks of their own, of which trustees need to be aware.
Restoration of St Oswald's Church, Grasmere
St Oswald’s Church stands on the banks of the River Rothay in the centre of Grasmere and is a Grade I listed building that dates from 1250AD. Up until the 1890s the church was rendered in lime. At that time the lime render was removed, and the pointing raked out. This was replaced with a cementitious strap pointing which caused severe damp, so further action was required. To try and solve the damp, in 1921 the church was encased in a cementitious pebble dash render.
Easy-to-use streaming solution reaches the COVID congregation
St Pauls Weston Super Mare is the largest church in the Diocese of Bath and Wells apart from the cathedrals. It normally has a big, vibrant congregation and has strong links with the community.
When COVID restrictions meant they could only house a fraction of their normal congregation, they approached APi Sound and Visual to create a streaming solution. Craig the minister had recommended APi to the church as they had recently installed a comprehensive sound and visual system into his previous church in Ilminster. APi’s managing director ANDY PIDSLEY takes up the story.
Gowercroft Joinery wins top woodworking award for Winston Churchill’s former home
High quality timber window and door specialist Gowercroft Joinery has received one of the woodworking industry’s highest national accolades for its part in the restoration of Templeton House, Sir Winston Churchill’s former home in Roehampton.
Gowercroft saw off stiff competition from other joinery companies, to win the British Woodworking Federation’s ‘Woodworking Project of the Year’ award, which recognises the very best in design, innovation, application and ability in joinery manufacture along with craftsmanship and technical excellence.
Heritage railway’s new facilities showcase brick specialism
Opened in 1862, Bridgnorth is the working terminus of the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) – a popular heritage steam railway.
Lying within the Bridgnorth Conservation Area and overlooked by Pan Pudding Hill – a scheduled ancient monument – the site is a highly significant heritage asset and all key original buildings still remain. The main station building is Grade Two-listed, and since 1979 had been served by a ‘temporary’ Portakabin refreshment room, which has detracted from the setting of the listed station.
Ancient building material still has many uses
One of the universal building materials prior to the end of the 19th century was lime. Lime was present in various forms in almost every building, from limewash on the walls of cattle byres and cottages to the mortar used on cathedral and castle walls.
According to the British Lime Association (BLA), lime was burnt as early as the 4th century BC, when it was first used as a building material. Today, the universal term ‘lime’ includes quicklime, hydrated lime, milk of lime and dolomitic lime.
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