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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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Pittencrieff House Museum Restoration Begins
An ambitious £260,000 restoration of Pittencrieff House, one of Dunfermline’s most historic buildings, gets under way this week.
To mark its 400th birthday, the exterior of the house is undergoing major restoration which is expected to be complete by the autumn.
English Heritages historical archive catalogue now online
For the first time the public will be able to search online a catalogue describing more than a million historical photographs and documents relating to England's historic buildings and archaeological sites held by the National Monuments Record (NMR), English Heritage's public archive
Chief Executive welcomes conservation of Chapter House
On Tuesday, 26 May 2010 a reception was held at Westminster Abbey to mark the completion of the repair and conservation of the exterior of the Chapter House. English Heritage's Chief Executive Dr Simon Thurley delivered the following speech, touching on the significance of the building, the craftsmanship involved in the project, the publication of a new book on the Chapter House as well as the current economic climate and as announced recently by the Government, the cuts to the public sector.
£7million to help repair England's historic places of worship
English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund announce grants to help restore Grade II listed places of worship
English Heritage (EH) and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) have today (Monday 24 May 2010) announced funding of £7million to help restore 68 historic Grade II listed places of worship in England. Places of worship from a range of faiths and denominations are set to benefit from the organisations’ joint Repair Grants for Places of Worship programme.
The buildings set to benefit include the Memorial Community Church, a Grade II listed Baptist Church in Newham, East London; the Church of the Sacred Heart, a Grade II listed Roman Catholic Church in Portsmouth; and the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Lincolnshire.
Future of Buriton Chalk Pits secure thanks to Heritage Lottery Fund grant
Buriton Chalk Pits, near Petersfield, East Hampshire, is to be saved thanks to nearly £150,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
The money will be put towards conserving the ecologically valuable chalk pits in Buriton, a well-loved Local Nature Reserve and Site of Importance for Nature Conservation.
It will pay for a programme of maintenance work including scrub clearance and the creation of new habitats. New paths will be created and existing ones improved, local school children will be shown the natural and industrial history of the pits and a part-time ranger will be employed by Queen Elizabeth Country Park to help manage the site.
Eglish Heritage Project
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has awarded a grant of £44,900 to Eglish Historical Society for a new project that will explore and record the history of the parish, it was announced today.
The two year project, ‘Eglish through the Ages’, will capture and record the cultural and natural heritage of the area over the past centuries to ensure its preservation for future generations. At least fifteen volunteers will be recruited to help research, compile and record the heritage of the parish under the themes of history, literature, sport, folklore, politics and the industrial past.
The unique heritage of Eglish includes its ancient church site, which is believed to have been a centre of worship since the dawn of Christianity, the base of an early Celtic cross, the sweat-house at Cadian and other places of historic significance including hill-forts, crannogs and holy wells. Part of the Battle of Benburb was fought within the parish boundaries, Harper O’Neill is believed to be buried in the church grounds and connections with the milling industry date back to early monastic times, giving the area a rich heritage.
St Malachy's Catholic Church, Belfast
One of Belfast's oldest and most beautiful churches has won an important prize following a huge renovation project involving tile company Armatile.
St Malachy's Catholic Church, in Alfred Street near the city centre, has been declared NI Project of the Year.
The 19th century church beat several multi-million pound commercial and government schemes.
The results of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors competition were announced on Monday the 20 May.
Following the major renovations, many of the church's old features were brought back to life.
These included the altarpieces, the sanctuary, the "inverted wedding cake" ceiling and stained glass.
Designed by Consarc and manufactured and fitted by Armatile the main church floor has undergone a stunning transformation.
Incorporating new mosaic and water jet cut pieces, it succeeds in complimenting and enhancing the original sanctuary mosaic sections.
A bespoke original geometric design was also commissioned for the baptismal area which again was manufactured and fitted by Armatile.
All this was made possible by Armatile’s specialised manufacturing facility in Armagh, which allowed the floor designs to be realized to the exacting architectural design specifications.
Lead Sheet Association appoint new head
The Lead Sheet Association (LSA) has appointed Nigel Johnston, their former Training Manager, as General Manager responsible for all aspects of the Association’s activities.
Growth innovation and awards over the past 5 years
In June 2010 Crossroad Health and Safety Systems; based in Charfield celebrate their 5 year anniversary. During the past five years they have grown into a truly national company with more than 40 employees and associates, and the company maintains an award-winning culture which focuses on innovation and practical solutions to the challenges which safety brings, although working in a very serious sector a fun work environment is key to success and effective communication.
The Roofing Awards 2010 – Winners announced!
The UK roofing industry celebrated and recognised outstanding industry achievements at The Roofing Awards Annual Congress awards lunch on Friday 14 May, in Hammersmith when some 550 celebrated all that is best across roofing spectrum.New faces grace Chapter House restoration
The future of one of London’s oldest buildings, the Chapter House at Westminster Abbey, has been secured following a major English Heritage-led repair and conservation project. Over the past 18 months a team of 20 master carvers and stonemasons has painstakingly cleaned, repaired and conserved the badly weathered gargoyles, stone floral friezes, flying buttresses and stained glass windows. The colossal scaffolding has now come down to reveal the majestic exterior completely refreshed, revived and weather-tight.Experts reveal the face of Stirling’s medieval knight after 650 years
Historic Scotland announces new research into castle’s skeletons following BBC show.A dramatic reconstruction has revealed the face of a medieval knight whose skeleton was discovered at Stirling Castle.
This Thursday, BBC Two’s History Cold Case series will attempt to discover the identity of the warrior who may have been killed during Scotland’s Wars of Independence with England in the late 13th and 14th centuries.
New galleries reveal the story of modern London
On 28 May 2010 the Museum of London will unveil the Galleries of Modern London, a spectacular £20million redevelopment of the Museum’s galleries, which will tell the story of London and its inhabitants from the Great Fire of London in 1666 to the present day. Supported by an £11.5 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant, the new galleries provide an inspiring vision of the world’s greatest city, and place the Museum at the heart of London ahead of the 2012 Olympics.
The electrical contract was carried out by SI Electrical - Specialist Installations who can be found in our on line directory HERE
Greenough & Sons NFRC Award Winners 2010
Greenough & Sons were proud double winners at the 2010 NFRC Awards last month in London.The recent heritage project Chester Town Hall, for which the company acted as Main Contractor and specialist roofers, beat excellent competition to the crown of the UK’s best slating and tiling project of 2009.
Glasgow students create models of Historic Scotland sites
Students at Glasgow Metropolitan College have created models of Inchmahome Priory and Edinburgh Castle as part of their HND course in 3D Model Making.
The models were officially handed over to Historic Scotland today, Friday 14th May, at Glasgow Metropolitan College on North Hanover Street, Glasgow. They will be used at Edinburgh Castle and Inchmahome Priory as part of educational activities organised by Historic Scotland to support pupils’ learning.
Expert reveal the face of Stirling's medieval knight after 650 years
A dramatic reconstruction has revealed the face of a medieval knight whose skeleton was discovered at Stirling Castle.
This Thursday, BBC Two’s History Cold Case series will attempt to discover the identity of the warrior who may have been killed during Scotland’s Wars of Independence with England in the late 13th and 14th centuries.
Leeds' Kirkgate wins £1 million Heritage Lottery regeneration boost
Lower Kirkgate in Leeds – an area integral to the regeneration of the city – is to be given a major makeover thanks to £1million awarded under the Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) scheme the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has announced today.
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