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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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Does hydraulic lime always give us the result we want?
When talking about the use of lime, the ‘conversation’ regarding hydraulic sets must have been going on for millennia – ever since, in fact, lime mortar became a thing. Here, Harry Cursham of Vivus Solutions Ltd postulates that hydraulics aren’t all that they seem:
"Where the local limestone contains clay minerals inter alia, the lime made from it will naturally have some hydraulic properties – it is not possible to get away from that basic scientific truth. The temperature of the burn does also have an effect: hotter leads to more efficient hydraulicity; cooler (less energy) leads to less efficient hydraulicity. An interesting correlation to our modern-day efforts to reduce greenhouse gases!
Exhibition backing for top singer
The one-time Manfred Mann harmonica-playing Paul Jones had a powerful backing group as he opened the Christian Resources Exhibition at Sandown Park, Surrey on 15 October.
Early visitors to the exhibition joined in as he played and sang through the song he helped write many years ago - 5 4 3 2 1.
And he ended with a swirl on the harmonica and the crowd roaring out the five-stroke countdown to open the show.
War Memorials Trust
War Memorials Trust works to protect and conserve war memorials in the UK. The charity provides free advice to anyone as well as running grant schemes to support repair and conservation projects. You can find a range of resources on the website http://www.warmemorials.org/ to help you engage with our unique war memorial heritage. The Trust is a charity so if you support our work please consider making a donation.
Get involved with War Memorials Online to upload photos, check location, contribute condition information and add links for your local war memorial.
Long-established roofers still have what it takes
2020 will see the 150th anniversary of the well-known roofing company John Williams & Company and our first issue of next year will carry an in depth feature on the company, showcasing one of their prestigious projects on the front cover and looking at the changes they have seen throughout the last century and a half.
When the company was established in 1870, it had already seen other manifestations that could date back as far as 1822, in Bangor, North Wales. In 2004 the present company John Williams & Company (Contracting) Ltd was formed.
In the intervening years, and since, the company's craftspeople have worked on many prestigious buildings, including Tower Bridge, St James's Palace and The British Museum in London; Rochester Cathedral and Portchester Castle in the South East and many famous hotels and mansions up and down the country.
SSV helps revitalise a South London gem
Sound Space Vision is delighted that its latest project, Fairfield Halls, opened in mid-September after a three-year restoration and renovation led by MICA Architects.
After completing a feasibility study for the council-owned building in 2011, Sound Space Vision was appointed in 2016 and charged with completely replacing the performance lighting, sound, and communications infrastructure for all of the Halls’ performance spaces – the Phoenix Concert Hall, the Ashcroft Playhouse, the Arnhem Foyer, and The Rec and Talawa studios.
In the 1,800-seat Phoenix Concert Hall we focused on restoring the canopy to its original appearance for unamplified events by raising the loudspeakers, rigging and cabling through the canopy when not required. Acoustic banners have also been integrated through the auditorium to better serve amplified events.
Secret doors by Houghtons of York
Amongst the quaint and more unusual things manufactured and installed by Houghtons of York are secret or jib doors. These will very often be part of library installation projects where the company have disguised these to blend into bookcases or elsewhere into wall panelling, wardrobe doors and even simply wallpaper.
To introduce these charming and beguiling features, Houghtons produce jib doors from of a variety of materials, faux book spines plus concealed hinges and handles to produce that convincing illusion.
Marley Alutec features traditional and tudor ranges at Historic Buildings And Gardens Event
Marley Alutec, the UK leader in innovative aluminium rainwater, fascia, soffit and coping solutions, will be exhibiting at this year’s Historic Buildings and Garden Event at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre on the 12th of November (Stand D27). The company will showcase its innovative gutter and downpipe ranges, which are the ideal replacements for cast iron.
One of Marley Alutec’s most popular ranges, the Traditional aluminium gutter system will feature at the event. Manufactured to original British Standard cast iron dimensions BS8530 and available in Half Round, Victorian Ogee and Moulded Ogee profiles, the range is an ideal replacement for cast iron rainwater systems and is suitable for listed buildings and conservation areas.
The significance of picture frames
Most people whether they have artwork at home on their wall or are visiting a gallery or museum never actually realise how important the frame is to the artwork it is housing and how it adds to their enjoyment of the piece of artwork they are looking at.
Frames are not just there to protect and support the art work inside, the structure of the frame along with the design and the materials it is made from must enhance and compliment the art work that it is showcasing, but not so much so that it overpowers of takes away focus from the art.
Tudor Roof Tiles project scoops 2019 RIBA National Award
Tudor Roof Tiles Co Ltd, Britain's foremost independent handmade clay roof tile manufacturer, has supplied bespoke handmade clay roof tiles for the prestigious 2019 RIBA National Award-winning King’s College Music School, in Wimbledon.
Previously winner of a 2019 RIBA London Award, the new £10 million Music School, designed by Hopkins Architects Partnership, comprises three volumes: a triple-height 200-seater auditorium with a stage for a 70-piece orchestra, a second volume housing music teaching rooms and a large rehearsal space, plus a third volume for practice rooms and offices.
Do you want to conference, stream…or both?
For many years Exeter-based APi Sound and Visual have been installing sound and visual systems in churches in the West Country and beyond. Camera systems have often been installed to allow those in the same building to see on a big screen what is happening at the front, for example projecting close-up images of a baptism or other event to give everyone a ‘front-row’ view.
Symposium reflects new thinking on lime use
Masons and conservators across the UK and beyond are rediscovering traditional mortars through research, use and experience. They are moving away from the default specification of natural hydraulic limes for conservation works and are determined to practise like-for-like repair.
A registered charity, the Building Limes Forum exists to encourage that expertise and understanding in the appropriate use of building limes, and to promote education in the standards of production, preparation, application and aftercare. Throughout the year, the organisation invites its members and others to learn, discover and share knowledge about the use of building limes through talks, practical demonstrations and tours of historic sites.
York Handmade so proud of 'the dryer Steve built'
The award-winning York Handmade Brick Company has invested in a brand-new brick dryer – designed and built by production manager Steve Pittham.
Steve, who has been with York Handmade since it was founded 30 years ago, created the state-of-the-art dryer from scratch.
The dryer is capable of handling more than 33,000 bricks at a time, significantly speeding up York Handmade’s production process and make the company even more efficient.
Green energy for churches and other public buildings
The way of the future with heating systems in churches and other historic buildings is with renewables. Mellor and Mottram have been at the cutting edge of this green revolution with the installation of a number of renewable systems in a variety of buildings.
In large buildings the most popular systems are ground source or air source heat pumps. As the names imply, both utilise heat already latent in the environment. In the case of a ground source system the heating is derived from heat already stored in the ground. Air source pumps absorb heat from the air outside – even at low air temperatures they can work efficiently. Both can be used to heat both hot water and the building itself.
Ornate bay roof by leadwork specialists
The ornate bay roof pictured below was devised by Brighton-based M Marchant Specialist Lead Roofing Contractors Ltd – a family-run company of professional roofing and leadwork specialists with over 30 years experience. They can take on any size job, from a small repair to a full re-roof, and offer the high standards of craftsmanship demanded by the Lead Contractors Association.
Get the latest church AV – without the visual impact
Churches, understandably, provide numerous challenges which need to be faced when installing an audio-visual system. The complexity and feature set of the system – although important – can often take second place to aesthetic concerns: where the building’s décor cannot be compromised under any circumstances.
That is often at loggerheads with progressive clergy and congregations, who wish to take advantage of the latest technology to support and enhance worship. There is also the question of who has the technical expertise to maximise the system’s potential, or can the system be operated by all levels of user?
To find excellence in restoration skills, go west!
For over a third of a century Ellis and Co Restoration and Building have been restoring and conserving historic buildings and structures across the South West of England and Wales. These much-loved buildings define the character of the South West, so contributing to their upkeep and repair is a source of satisfaction to the company’s 70-strong workforce. Ellis and Co are one of the largest heritage-specific employers in the region and they only work on historic and listed building projects.
Historic Suffolk windmill saved by English Heritage
The future of a celebrated piece of Suffolk heritage has been secured yesterday, as English Heritage hoisted a newly-constructed set of sails into place on the 18th-century Saxtead Green Post Mill near Framlingham. The reinstallation of the mill’s sails represents the culmination of a £250,000, year-long conservation project in collaboration with one of Suffolk’s last remaining specialist millwrights.
The project is the first part of a major investment in historic windmills by the conservation charity English Heritage, with Sibsey Trader Windmill in Lincolnshire and Berney Arms Windmill in Norfolk both scheduled for works over the next few years. Earlier this year, traditional millwrighting – a skill that has been practiced in the UK for more than 700 years – was added to the Heritage Crafts Association’s red list of critically endangered heritage crafts for the first time, with only a small number of people still practicing nationwide. English Heritage hopes that these important conservation works will help keep millwrighting alive.
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