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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
Exhibitors enthuse over the CRE experience
By 4pm on the first day of CRE 24 at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, exhibitors Chris and Kim Dunphy had already had so many helpful and detailed conversations with visitors that they were “completely talked out”.
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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Darlington specialists ensure buildings are in safe hands
A County Durham high level and historic repair and maintenance company has seen a major increase in demand for its safety-related services
Darlington-based Stone Technical Services’ are specialists in the installation of safety systems, fall arrest equipment and access walkways, working throughout the UK offering unrivalled levels of protection to people working at height.
Lottery Funding for Monmouthshire Roman Links
A grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund will enable Caerwent Parish Church to improve its’ visitor facility and enhance the church’s existing interpretation of its’ unique Roman links.
The £5,900 grant awarded to the Parish Church of St. Stephen and St. Tathan, Caerwent will enable the adaptation of the current church structure to include a visitor and hospitality area within the church and a multipurpose learning centre.
Martin-Brooks paves way for Buxton concert venue
Sheffield-based roofing specialist, Martin-Brooks, is using the latest building techniques to help a key part of Buxton’s spa heritage hit the high notes with visitors.
Martin-Brooks has installed a new ‘upside down’ flat roof on The Pump Room in Buxton, enabling it to act as an open air stage for concerts and recitals held in the Derbyshire town.
St Paul's Cathedral chandeliers
St Paul’s Cathedral is one of the most recognised buildings in the world and probably the most famous on London’s skyline. Until fairly recently there were no chandeliers in the main body of the cathedral. Dernier & Hamlyn were asked to join the design team to undertake the challenge of creating and making chandeliers to be used throughout the cathedral that would look as if they could have been there since the cathedral’s 17th century beginnings.
Anelay completes work at Judges Lodgings
Building restoration specialists William Anelay Ltd has recently completed a renovation project of the Judges Lodgings Hotel in the centre of York.
Working with Shire Hotels, William Anelay started on site in January 2013 with completion in May 2013. The scope of works included a wide range of external renovations and internal refurbishment at the Grade I Listed venue which dates back to the early 18th century.
Stone cements reputation as contracts secured from Derbyshire to Barnard Castle and beyond
CountyDurham specialist restoration, repair and renovation experts, Stone Technical Services, have further enhanced their position as leaders in their field thanks to securing more new contracts around the UK.
As well as working extensively across Scotland and in London, Darlington-based Stone has recently been working in Newcastle, County Durham, Cheshire and Derbyshire on very different contracts, worth in the region of £200,000 to the company.
VMZINC - a long history
Today zinc is often considered by architects as a way of giving the exterior of a building an exciting and modern look - and indeed it is. However VMZINC has a long history extending back to the beginning of the 19th century.
Jonathan Lowy, product manager at VMZINC, explains where VMZINC has come from and where it stands today in the heritage roofing sector.
From Pews to Pods – All Souls Church Finally Starts on Site
This week sees the much anticipated project at All Souls Church in Bolton start on site.
All Souls is set to become a modern, multi-functional space for the local community and people of Bolton. It aims to be a ground breaking national flagship project that will turn a disused historic church into a community centre for all local people whilst offering community engagement, training and educational opportunities throughout the 52 week construction programme.
Roofers learn the ropes to repair Manchester’s Jewel
The elevations and roofs of the Town Hall Extension are well known iconic land marks for anyone in Manchester and are an imposing sight – the 20 metre-high roofs having in the region of 400 tonnes of sand-cast lead sheet installed on them.
J Hempstock & Co Ltd became involved in the project in November 2010 when the interviewing process began with the client, architect, English Heritage and principal contractor. Initial design ideas for access strategies were offered, which was considered the most difficult aspect of the work.
Old Library Furniture Restoration
Following a full survey of the historic furniture collections completed by Heritage Project Management (HPM) in 2012, several items were identified as needing repair and conservation / restoration.
The large 16 seat Readers Tables from the Main Reading Room of the Central Library are one of the best-known features from the public areas of the building.
CISRS attends Newcastle College scaffolding day
CISRS Training Manager, Dave Mosley recently attended the annual Scaffolding Skills Challenge day at Newcastle College – to congratulate the young scaffolding apprentices.
The annual event was sponsored by NASC members, Pyeroy and saw Newcastle College-trained Year 1 and 2 scaffolding apprentices compete in front of an audience of North East employers to see who could erect the safest and most technically accurate structure.
Green heat meets high tech meets the hallowed cloisters of Manchester Cathedral.
Reverend Christina ten Wolde, NSM cleric-in-charge of St Peter's Aberdyfi is seen blessing a robot drill rig and its crew as it prepares to leave the wilds of Snowdonia for ultra urban Manchester. This specially designed radial rig is almost ballet-like in its flexibility and lightness of footprint and therefore able to bring all the benefits of ground source heat to the most inaccessible of places - that could mean out in the wilds or in the middle of the concrete jungle.
Lantern at St Paul's Cathedral combines form and function
Dernier & Hamlyn manufactured a 1.6m high lantern for St Paul’s Cathedral’s South Portico. The design of the lantern was conceived by St Paul’s Cathedral’s surveyor to the fabric, Martin Stancliffe, who took his inspiration from another Dernier & Hamlyn lantern at The Royal Naval College in Greenwich.
He comments: "The installation of this lantern is an important element of our aim to make the Southern entrance a welcoming access point for visitors to the Cathedral.”
Lighting Dynamics complete another stunning church lighting project
Lighting Dynamics UK, based in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, has recently designed and completed the installation of yet another stunning lighting project for the magnificent and sumptuous interior of St Augustine of Hippo Church in Edgbaston, Birmingham.
St Augustine's, a Grade II* building, has been a splendid Victorian landmark at the centre of the Conservation Area that bears its name since the church was first consecrated in 1868.
NE restorers crowned with Royal recognition
Darlington-based Stone Technical Services has again received a top honour for its part in a major historic restoration project
Following its recent success at the Waterways Renaissance Awards where the company was recognised for its involvement in the renovation project on the Lune Aqueduct near Lancaster, Stone has again been named in a prestigious award.
Heritage Skills Centre, Lincoln Castle
The Heritage Skills Centre is a new-build single storey structure set within the grounds of Lincoln Castle, a Grade I listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument. The project ran alongside the broader £19.9M Lincoln Castle Revealed project, for which the Practice has also been appointed.
Stories in Stone
The Welsh Government’s historic environment service, Cadw, looks after 129 of Wales’s historic sites. Here, Cadw’s former Inspector of Ancient Monuments, Dr Sian Rees, explores the intricate and beautiful architecture of St Winefride’s Holy Well in north Wales, and the clues it gives us to the site’s rich history – from the martyrdom of St Winefride in the seventh century to the well’s fame as a medieval pilgrimage site.
Inside the chapel at St Winefride’s Well there is a wealth of history to be found simply by looking up. There, partly hidden in the shadows, is a huge carved stone hanging delicately by a coronet of carved angels from the centre of the vaulted roof.
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