Restored Treasures: Reviving the Splendor of Historic and Listed Buildings in the UK

The United Kingdom is a treasure trove of architectural wonders, and many historic and listed buildings have been lovingly restored to their former glory. These restoration projects not only breathe new life into the structures but also contribute to the preservation of the nation's rich heritage.

1. St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel, London

Once a symbol of Victorian Gothic grandeur, the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London underwent a meticulous restoration that transformed it into a luxurious hotel. The iconic red-brick facade and stunning interiors now seamlessly blend history with modern elegance.

2. Royal Albert Hall, London

The Royal Albert Hall, a cultural landmark, has been a venue for prestigious events since its opening in 1871. Recent restoration efforts focused on preserving its historic features while enhancing modern amenities. Today, it stands as a testament to timeless design and functionality.

3. Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Blenheim Palace is a jewel in the Oxfordshire countryside. Restoration initiatives have ensured the conservation of its Baroque architecture and expansive grounds. Visitors can now explore its opulent interiors and pristine gardens.

4. Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Edinburgh Castle, perched on Castle Rock, is an iconic symbol of Scotland's capital. Restoration work has not only preserved its medieval charm but also improved accessibility for visitors. The castle continues to tell the story of Scotland's history through its well-preserved structures.

5. The Piece Hall, Halifax

Close to our hearts, the Piece Hall in Halifax, West Yorkshire, is a Georgian masterpiece. After extensive restoration, this historic cloth hall reopened as a vibrant public space. Today, it hosts events, markets, and cultural activities, breathing life into its architectural heritage.

These examples showcase the dedication to preserving the past while adapting for the present and future. The restoration of historic and listed buildings in the UK is a testament to the nation's commitment to cultural conservation, ensuring that these architectural gems continue to captivate and inspire generations to come.

Preserving Heritage: Your Trusted Partner in Historic Building Advisory Services

In the heart of the United Kingdom, where history whispers through the bricks of centuries-old structures, a beacon for preservation shines bright. Our company stands as a dedicated Historic Building Advisory Service, committed to safeguarding the architectural treasures that define the nation's rich heritage. From Heritage Building Repairs to Listed Building Roof Repairs, we offer a comprehensive suite of services tailored to meet the unique needs of our clients.

Heritage Building Repairs: Nurturing the Past, Restoring the Present

Our expertise in Heritage Building Repairs extends to meticulous restoration work that ensures the longevity of historical structures. With a deep understanding of traditional construction methods and materials, we take pride in breathing new life into these architectural gems, preserving their authenticity and charm for generations to come.

Listed Building Roof Repairs: A Shield Against Time and Elements

The roof is the crown of any historic building, and our commitment to excellence shines in Listed Building Roof Repairs. Our skilled craftsmen and conservation experts employ time-tested techniques to repair and maintain listed building roofs, protecting the integrity of the structure and its invaluable history.

Stately Home Repair and Maintenance: Grandeur with Precision

Stately homes, the epitome of grandeur, require specialized care. Our services extend to Stately Home Repair and Maintenance, where we blend modern expertise with a profound respect for historical aesthetics. From structural repairs to meticulous maintenance routines, we ensure that stately homes continue to stand as proud guardians of the past.

Landmark Building Repair and Maintenance: Sustaining Icons of the Landscape

Landmark buildings shape the identity of our landscapes. Our company takes on the responsibility of Landmark Building Repair and Maintenance, offering tailored solutions to address the unique challenges posed by these iconic structures. Through careful planning and execution, we contribute to the ongoing legacy of landmarks that define our communities.

Listed Building Emergency Repairs: Swift Responses to Protect Heritage

Emergencies can strike at any time, threatening the stability of listed buildings. Our rapid response team specializes in Listed Building Emergency Repairs, ensuring that immediate actions are taken to prevent further damage and protect the historical significance of the structure.

Help with Historic Building Repair: Guiding You Every Step of the Way

Navigating the intricacies of historic building repair can be a daunting task. Our advisory services extend beyond physical repairs to provide Help with Historic Building Repair. We guide our clients through the entire process, offering insights, expertise, and a collaborative approach to preserving the essence of their historic properties.

Heritage Building Care: A Holistic Approach to Conservation

Our commitment goes beyond repairs; it extends to Heritage Building Care. We embrace a holistic approach to conservation, considering the long-term health of the building, its surroundings, and its role in the broader cultural landscape. Through meticulous care, we ensure that heritage buildings stand resilient against the passage of time.

In choosing our Historic Building Advisory Service, you're not just investing in repairs; you're entrusting your heritage to a dedicated team passionate about preserving the stories etched in the walls of our nation's historic buildings. Together, we continue the journey of safeguarding the past for a vibrant and cherished future.

Preserving History: The Importance of Historic Building Maintenance in the UK

The United Kingdom boasts a wealth of historic buildings that weave the fabric of its rich cultural tapestry. Preserving these architectural gems requires more than admiration; it demands a commitment to thoughtful and regular maintenance. In this blog post, we delve into the significance of historic building maintenance and the key practices that contribute to the longevity of these cherished structures.

1. Understanding the Importance of Maintenance

Historic buildings, whether centuries-old castles or Victorian townhouses, require ongoing care to protect them from the ravages of time and environmental factors. Maintenance is not merely about aesthetics; it is a proactive measure to safeguard the structural integrity and historical significance of these landmarks.

2. Regular Inspections and Assessments

The first step in effective maintenance is conducting regular inspections and assessments. Engage professionals like us with expertise in historic preservation to evaluate the building's condition. Identify potential issues such as dampness, decay, or structural vulnerabilities early on.

HBCandR conducts surveys for heritage and listed buildings throughout the U.K.

3. Conservation and Restoration

Conservation goes hand in hand with maintenance. It involves carefully preserving and protecting the original materials and features of a historic building. Restoration, on the other hand, focuses on returning a building to its original state. Both processes require skilled craftsmen and women like ourselves, fully trained in methods, materials, and best practices. It also requires a truly meticulous approach and real love of the work to fully ensure authenticity.

4. Striking a Balance: Allowing Historic Buildings to Breathe

The UK's climate, marked by rain and fluctuating temperatures, poses unique challenges to historic buildings. It's vital to strike a delicate balance when implementing protective measures. While safeguarding against the elements, it's equally important to allow the historic building to "breathe." Preventing the trapping of moisture is paramount, as it can lead to more severe damage over time. Collaborate with us, our expert team of conservationists, to select protective measures that ensure adequate ventilation and moisture control, preserving the building's integrity for the long term.

5. Professional Expertise and Collaboration

Maintaining historic buildings is a specialized field that demands expertise in conservation architecture, structural engineering, and traditional craftsmanship. Collaborate with our professionals who truly understand the intricacies of historical preservation to ensure that all maintenance efforts align with the building's heritage and are aimed at preserving the buildings for generations to come.

6. Community Engagement

The preservation of historic buildings often involves the broader community. Engage with local residents, heritage organizations, and authorities. Foster a sense of shared responsibility for these landmarks, and encourage community participation in events and fundraising efforts dedicated to correct maintenance.

Communities can often come together to produce wonderful results, as seen in our listed buildings blog post, when a community comes together, funds can be raised and large grants can be accessed to carry out necessary and even emergency repairs.

7. Adaptation for Modern Use

While maintaining historical integrity, consider adapting the building for modern use. This could involve incorporating energy-efficient systems, accessibility features, or repurposing spaces to meet contemporary needs. It’s important to strike a balance between preservation and functionality ensures the building remains relevant. True listed and heritage buildings do have limitations on what levels of adaptive reuse might be allowed, however, if you’re building is not listed, there are still small steps you can take to ensure the buildings can shift, adapt and reform to modern life without impeding it.

Talk to us if you’re concerned about concepts like ‘aging in place’ or other constraints of working around your historic building whilst still fully respecting it’s value to the nations history.

Conclusion: A Legacy for Future Generations

Historic building maintenance is not just about the present; it's an investment in the future. By prioritizing regular upkeep, conservation, and community involvement, we contribute to the preservation of our shared heritage. Each maintenance effort is a pledge to pass down these architectural marvels to future generations, allowing them to continue telling the stories of our past.

In the intricate dance between time and architecture, maintenance emerges as the guardian, ensuring that the echoes of history resonate through the corridors of our beloved historic buildings.

New Year, same problems.

At the start of each new year, we always enjoy reflecting on the pleasures of working with our nations amazing heritage homes. Old buildings have a very different appearance and atmosphere, to their modern counterparts. Period properties, have a charm and an innate character that has been woven into the very fabric of the building by the passage of time. This is a large part of what makes our heritage and traditional buildings, into such special and highly sort after homes.

Period living, is the aspirational life style for thousands of us, every year. For those of us who are lucky enough to inherit a period home or those of us who realise the dream of buying and owning one. There sometimes comes the issue of maintenance. How do you keep your much loved, period home in a tip top state of care and repair. How do you understand what to do and when to do it. For others who are buying a property or selling one, there can be the worry of how the condition of a listed building or period property, may affect its market value.

Old homes need not be difficult, expensive, damp, draughty or incommodious, because they are old. Likewise old homes never fail, solely based upon the fact of being old. Nor indeed does their age need to impact negatively upon their market value. There are simple steps and strategies, that all old home owners can employ. A regular maintenance plan, is the simplest but most effective way you can look after an old building. It is a fact, that it is the small jobs being left undone, that can lead to the big jobs being required.

We are frequently asked, is it hard or massively costly, to repair an old building? And our answer is invariably, no it is not! It is however, a sad fact and a reoccurring constant of our daily working life. That the use of inappropriate modern, building practises and materials, are a problem for owners of all old houses. Which in the long term, can wind up costing them additional, unnecessary expense because of the need to put right the resulting issues that this causes.

Owners of all old buildings, are wise to be careful, when researching trades people to carry out any work, however small. That they only employ genuine specialists. who thoroughly understand about the construction of period buildings and homes and only use the correct, specialist materials to effect repairs. This need not be prohibitively expensive and the resulting work will be far superior in its effectiveness and appearance, as well as being the only reliable method of maintaining the buildings structural integrity and full heritage and market value. We would always recommend the use of Professional, Historic Building Conservators, rather than builders. All fully qualified, experienced and knowledgable, craftsmen run companies, will be more than happy to show you their credentials and their portfolio of work. it is also wise to take into account that all good professionals and those at the top of their discipline, will invariably be busy and require to be booked in advance. Finally, a good state of repair and the use of correct materials for all works carried out, will also positively impact upon the the thermal efficiency of you old house, keep it damp and defect free and ultimately, give you peace of mind

Unlocking Funding: A Guide to Restoration Grants for Historic Buildings in the UK

Preserving the rich tapestry of history embedded in the architectural gems scattered across the United Kingdom is a shared responsibility. If you are a custodian of a historic building, you may be well aware of the financial challenges associated with its repair. Fortunately, there are avenues to explore, and repair grants stand out as a crucial resource for those committed to breathing new life into these time-honored structures.

Understanding the Importance of conservation Grants

Historic buildings not only contribute to the visual charm of the UK but also play a pivotal role in telling the story of our cultural heritage. Recognising their significance, various organisations, Local Authorities and government bodies offer repair and conservation grants to support the meticulous process of reviving these structures. These grants aim to ensure the preservation of architectural marvels for future generations.

Researching Available Grants

Before embarking on the application process, it's essential to conduct thorough research on the available grants. Different organisations, such as Historic England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and local authorities, may have specific grant programs tailored to diverse conservation needs. Explore their websites, read guidelines, and understand the eligibility criteria.

Eligibility Criteria

Each grant program comes with its set of eligibility criteria. Typically, these criteria may include the historical significance of the building, the urgency of conservation and the ability to demonstrate a sustainable plan for the future use of the property. Ensure that your building meets the requirements outlined by the granting body before proceeding with the application.

Crafting a Compelling Proposal

The key to a successful grant application lies in presenting a compelling case for conservation. Clearly outline the historical importance of your building, its current state of disrepair, and the specific conservation and repair activities required. Attach detailed plans, cost estimates, and a timeline for the project. Emphasize how the conservation aligns with broader community and heritage preservation goals.

Engaging with Local Authorities

Local authorities often play a crucial role in the conservation process. Establish open communication with planning departments and conservation officers. Seek their guidance and ensure that your conservation or repair plans comply with local regulations. Demonstrating a collaborative approach can positively influence your grant application.

Navigating the Application Process

Once you've thoroughly prepared your proposal, follow the specific application process outlined by the granting body. Pay attention to deadlines, and submit all required documents. Be prepared to attend meetings or provide additional information if requested during the evaluation process.

Patience and Perseverance

Obtaining a conservation grant can be a competitive process, and success may not happen overnight. Exercise patience and persevere through the application and evaluation stages. Keep communication lines open with the granting body and be responsive to any inquiries.

Celebrating Success

If your application is successful, celebrate the achievement! conservation grants not only provide the financial means for revitalising historic buildings but also validate the importance of your project in the eyes of heritage conservation authorities.

Conclusion

Securing a rconservation grant for a historic building is a commendable endeavor that requires dedication, meticulous planning, and effective communication. By navigating the intricate process with diligence and enthusiasm, you contribute to the continued preservation of the UK's architectural heritage, ensuring that these historical landmarks endure for generations to come.

Examples of historic buildings that have been restored

1. Jane Austins home

Home of the iconic writer Jane Austin was restored, the roof was repaired and as many of the historic tiles were salvaged as possible.

This 500 year old building is now a museum and won an award for the excellent restoration completed by Clarke Roofing Southern.

2. Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, Manchester (Grade II*)

This beautiful 1835 building and it’s interior was restored and now evokes it’s true 1860’s atmosphere, when the home was occupied by Elizabeth Gaskell.

The team at Machester Historic Buildings Trust completed this loving restoration with the communities involvement and a grant from English Heritage.

3. Leeds Castle

Leeds castle, first recorded in 1086, was beautifully restored in 2013 by Caroe and Partners Architects, they worked with Keymer to install 35,000 handmade tiles.

This honest restoration allows the building to continue thriving and supporting 600,000 visitors a year, every time a building gets repaired, that moment in history is marked by the people who cared enough to keep it alive, to push off the decay for another year. The building shows signs of additional architectural featues from the 12th century for example and if you get the chance to visit, you’ll see plenty more examples throughout the ages.

4. The Vyne

Anyone who knows us, will know our love of Tudor buildings, the Vyne in Hampshire, was home to the Lord Chamberlain for Henry VIII.

According to Wienerberger, a storm in 2015 caused svere damage to the property, leading to £5.4M in repairs and 71,000 roof tiles, sadly replacing all of the original tiles. There were also several complex structural repairs, but once completed, this overwhelmingly beautiful example of Tudor Architecture, was protected from the elements and will stand for centuries more.

5. Ten Trinity Square

Occupying a site in London where Romans first created the city 2000 years prior, this is certainly a more modern building than ones we’re used to, however it’s historical significance and beauty is no less noteworthy.

Ten Trinity Square stands in the very center of London, many famous historic events have happened in close proximity to the address and so when it was purchased in 2010, by an investment company, it was a welcome sight, to see the building being so dutifully restored.

No matter the age of a historic building, it is of hte upmost importance to preserve the built stories of our nation.

Embracing Change, Expanding Horizons

Your Trusted Partner in Historic Preservation

As we enter our early 60s, we reflect on the incredible journey we've had in preserving and restoring our nation's ancient heritage. Our commitment to safeguarding the past has been unwavering, but as time marches on, we find ourselves at a turning point.

A Transition with Purpose

Change is a natural part of life, and for us, it's a transition with purpose. While maintaining the physical repair of historic buildings has been our lifelong passion, we recognize the importance of evolving with the times. This is why we are embarking on a gradual transition towards offering mainly our consultation services.

Unlocking Our Expertise

Our decades of hands-on experience, postgraduate learning, and continuous research have equipped us with a unique expertise. We're excited to share this wealth of knowledge through our consultation services, which include:

• Condition Reports: Our in-depth assessments provide a detailed snapshot of your building's health, guiding you towards informed decisions about its care and preservation.

• Historic Significance/Impact Reports: We unravel the historical narratives woven into your building, helping you navigate regulations and make sustainable choices that honor its heritage.

• Interpretations: Our interpretations breathe life into the stories hidden within the timeworn walls of historic buildings. We aim to captivate hearts and minds with the richness of our shared past.

Going Nationwide

As part of our journey, we're planning to move from our current location in the far south of the UK to a more central location. This strategic move will allow us to offer our consultation services nationwide. Our goal is to be accessible to historic building owners, enthusiasts, and preservationists from all corners of the country.

The Future of Physical Repairs

While our primary focus will be on consultation services, we will still consider physical repairs on a case-by-case basis. Our decision will be based on the nature of the work involved, ensuring that we can continue to contribute to the preservation of our heritage where our expertise is most needed.

Partner with Us for the Future

Change is not the end; it's the beginning of a new chapter. We invite you to be a part of our journey as we transition into this exciting phase of our business. Together, we can continue to protect and celebrate our nation's historic treasures.

At HBC&R, our dedication to historic preservation remains as strong as ever. As we expand our horizons, we look forward to collaborating with you to ensure that the legacy of our ancient national heritage endures for generations to come. Contact us today to embark on this exciting journey with us.

Surrey Heritage Award Winner

Award Winning

On 30th March we won the Surrey Heritage award for Best Craftsmanship.

The project was entered by our clients from Peaslake and featured in Surrey Life magazine.

Passionate about old houses

When we began Historic Building Conservation and repair, we did so because we are passionate about old houses. It is this love, which underpins all that we do. It is where we begin any project, when ever we are called upon to help by an historic home owner.

Some of our clients contact us, because they have noticed that there is a problem with the fabric of their home and understand that ‘a builder’ lacks the knowledge and empathy for the historic fabric or understand its significance. We use our many years of experience and a huge data base of knowledge, to understand the way our clients home was originally constructed and consider later alterations and the inevitable use of modern materials, that usually have been utilised over its many years. Both of which often effect not only structural competency but also the appearance of the house and may be detrimental to thermal efficiency and damp prevention in the building. Once we have a good understanding of the house in its present state, we can then set about coming up with a remedial plan of action. We always take care, to thoroughly explain what is required to repair a clients home and detail the methods and materials we will be using. The strategy we adopt, will always be the one that preserves the most of the historic fabric, we ‘never’ replace, if repair is possible. nor do we deliberately alter the story of the house by falsifying repairs. the repairs that we do will be honest and obvious and not disguised to look old.

Others come to us as prospective purchasers of a listed building, hoping that we can be of service to them during the process of buying their dream home. Lack of regular and appropriate repair, can lead to many problems, both large and small and sometimes clients either notice issues themselves during viewings, or have their attention drawn to them by their mortgage providers surveyor. Sometimes a client may wish to negotiate the asking price, based on the needed repair work and others just want to know what they may, potentially be letting them selves in for, having either already fallen in love with the house or purchased it.

For some owners they may need our help, as part of the listed buildings consent process, in order to be able to successfully navigate their way through the necessary applications and dealing with the councils conservation officer. We can provide clients with an understanding of what is required of them, in order to achieve what they hope for in terms of necessary listed buildings consents for repairs or planning applications, should they be hoping to be able to make changes.

And some historic home owners, are interested to know more about their home, about how old it is and who once lived in it before them. They may be facinated to know the hidden history, what secrets lie within the fabric of their home or wish to find out whether or not their house is of historical significance and even how it may once have looked when it was first built. All old houses have a story to be told and sometimes during a survey, clients find out that their house is more than just a home that they love.

What ever our clients reasons for contacting us, the place we begin is always the same. we start with our passion for old houses.

Then and now

Then and now

Then;

It always amazes me, how time flies. Over the last two years we have done several projects including a very large one, where due to the dilapidation that had ensued, as a result of decades of neglect and inappropriate use of modern materials. The house was in a serious and somewhat dangerous state. Rather sadly, this meant we had to dismantle and reconstruct the central and oldest part, of a clients home. Which had begun life as a simple two bay, jettied, end smoke bay cottage. Circa 1550 -1600. Not only did we carefully rebuild, using every scrap of historic fabric that we could save but we also sourced matching new and salvaged materials, in order to complete the project. The works included the repairing of many of the main, historic supporting timbers and renewing other structural timbers, re- wattling with hazel coppiced from the garden and re using the historic daub. Laying new elm floors, re- roofing, new lead work and creating bespoke, hand made replacement oak, Yorkshire sliding, windows. To solve the issue of spreading, caused by historic removal of the tie beams. We also designed and handmade a bespoke arch braced, central truss, with bosses that represented our clients family. We did so be certain that in the future, the new aspects of the conservation work, could not be mistakenly identified as original and therefore not risk the miss reading of the history of the house . The result was amazing and the house went from being a sad wreck on the point of collapse, to once more being a beautiful historic home, that will stand true, hopefully for generations to come.

Now:

One of the aspects of our work that I love as much as my beloved wattle and daub, is doing survey work. Whether we are surveying a building as part of a listed building application or because the home owners are interested to know the history of their house. I simply love researching the amazing, hidden histories, of our nations, historic homes. When we are charged with doing a survey for a client, we never know what we might un cover. What exciting finds we might make. One such historic significance survey we undertook recently, proved to be fascinating. The cottage appeared to all intense and purposes, be a very humble two bay, end smoke bay cottage, of no particular significance. Research at first, revealed almost nothing that our clients didn’t already know. But our physical survey had thrown up some interesting questions, which suggested more detailed and painstaking research might reveal something interesting. Although we had an historic family name, which kept cropping up in connection to the house. I still kept drawing blanks, yet there was a tantalising hint at of more to come. In a moment of frustration, whilst I was sitting pondering. I saw an interesting but very obscure fact about the near by village, which I decided to read up on. In that moment, purely out of historic interest, like Alice, I went down a rabbit hole in search of not a white rabbit but looking for connections that might be of any interest and importance to the brief given to us by our clients. What I subsequently discovered, turned our clients home from being somewhere they loved in its own right, to an being closely associated to what was a fascinating and important time in our countries history. Their home it turned out, was so much more than just a pretty little cottage. It had been a part of the history of glass making in the area and had been owned by one of the foremost glass blowers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in the country. Of course, not all historic homes, will prove to have quite such an amazing hidden story to tell. But nevertheless, the social histories, the everyday lives of the people, the reasons that they altered or enlarged their houses, the fashions of the time, the changes of monarchs and the fortunes of our country through factors such as war or famine. All combine to weave around the fabric of every old home, both visible and invisible threads which connect those houses to their past and so to the present. And today, despite the inevitable march of time, we can research the history and with patience, uncover the hidden histories. Make modern sense of our old houses and homes, both for today and as apart of the future of our nation. One of the nicest aspects of research and indeed conservation for me, is to be a part of a story if only for a few days or weeks.. All most without exception, our clients seek to understand both the construction and social history of their home, as much from love as they do from need. Most people purchase an old house, because they love the aesthetic appeal of the appearance of an old building. Others do so, because for them the atmosphere within is so very different from that of a sterile, new and modern home. And for some, the idea of sharing their home with past inhabitants is both fascinating and irresistible. It is rare, that whilst working, either on conservation or surveying, I do not become aware of the echos, left within the fabric of old buildings, by the previous owners and occupants. The best experience I have had to date, was that of a small brown and white dog that trotted up to stand at my side, whilst seated at the kitchen table with clients. Naturally I put my hand down to stroke it, only for my hand to pass clean through, even though in the periphery of my vision I could still see the dog. Turned out that about sixty years earlier, the then owner, had a small, brown and white wired haired terrier. The Lady of the house was delighted to be sharing her home, the gentleman less so. But as with uneven floors, low ceilings and what are considered by modern standards to be small rooms. Ghosts are one more fascinating aspect of historic home living.

For the future: Like the houses we conserve and research. We are getting older and therefore we are gradually winding down the physical work in favour of the research work. So,if you have a conservation project that you want or need to undertake...……

Recently

In the last few months we have been working on a number of widely differing historic properties.

Over the summer we completed the work on the fabulous, fourteenth century,former open hall house and we were delighted with the finished result. The owners were equally pleased and have invited us back to do more work next spring. It is always a source of great pride for us to get to return to a building we have worked on and continue the conservation. With its newly finished exterior, carefully returned to its former glory, we like to think that the house would now be once more be recognisable  to former medieval occupents We are also honoured that the current owners have allowed us to make their Peaselake home our flagship property.Pictures with the lovely new lime wash will follow shortly1

We have done brick work repairs to two later but listed of historic importance, homes in Chobham and Brockham. Both had suffered from inappropriate cementitious repairs that had caused further spalling of the bricks and the damage had resulted in water ingress. Neither were our usual line of work but both still required the relevant skills and techniques to conserve them and as a result the houses now look much improved and have happy owners.

Then we have done brick and timber repairs, to the only remaining historic section of a purportedly seventeenth century house which has been a bit of an anigma,we had been unsure of its true origins within moments of beginning our original condition survey earlier in the year. During the initial stages of work, we began to suspect even more strongly that what we were conserving was far more likely to be later, probably early eighteenth century and had most likely  begun its life as a barn! Whilst removing some large chunks of cement in one extreme upper gable end, I found a considerable quantity of wheat on the stalk, barley on the stalk and hay. which did lend weight to the barn theory. As I worked on the removal of cement to the brick panel margins, stave mortices and mullion holes were revealed in some of the under sides of timbers and a bricked up former window. I love making little discoveries like that! Clearly there had been wattle and daub panels at some point, although not necessarily in that building as a lot of the timbers were re used. The brick panels were mainly of a herringbone design, which was nice to re build where required. The timbers, were repaired by removing as little material as possible or patch and surface repairs. With new appropriate, non hydraulic lime mortar and margins, the rear of the house is looking great again. Another job well done and more happy clients.

Where have we been?

Hello to all those of you who are fortunate to own one of our nations wonderful,historic houses and those of you who dream of doing so.....we're back!

Over the last year (can it really be that long) I have had the privilege to work on some truly lovely homes, from a rambling, grade two star listed, moated manor set amid its own gorgeous gardens, to a cute, two up two down cottage perched next to a road. What amazes me, is that every historic building we work on has its own character and charm and of course its quirks. Uneven floors, no straight walls, low ceilings, to name but a few. Yet like the thousands of people, likewise under the spell of the history, in an old house. I never grow tired of the journey of discovery, that comes with the job.

One day we might be basking in tropical sunshine and the next, shivering as rain drips onto us, as we try to stay dry underneath a flapping tarpaulin. But we can honestly say....we love it! At the moment we are finishing off on one job, where we have made our largest window to date. An impressive 3.2 metres by 3.7. It looks fantastic and we are justly proud of our hard work! Then we are returning to the oldest house we have worked on so far....Built around 1400, it incredibly still has much of the original daub panels still intact, complete with smoke blackened hazel wattles., from when it was an open hall, with a fire in the centre of the floor!I I find it so fantastic, to consider the history which has gone on around this house in its six hundred year plus existence and it delights me see the history unfolding before my eyes as we work. 

Do I have broken finger nails and an aching back? AT the end of the day,do I mostly go home covered in lime mortar, brick dust or soot? The answer is yes of course I do. 

Would I change it for a regular job? No, I love my work! Who can say as I do, my work is a joy, a privilege and quite simply, the best job in the world.

Crondall mid smoke bay Cottage

We are currently working on what I believe may be a late mid smoke bay house.

This cottage was I believe built towards the end of the smoke bay building period. The smoke bay was never used and in fact a chimney was inserted within the smoke bay.

we are currently working on the end gable structural timbers and panels where there is some fairly major deterioration of the timbers.

work on Shell bridge

This design of this bridge has been attributed to Caperbility Brown however this is unconfirmed. But it was once owned by the world speed record holder Donald Cambell. 

The bridge was once set in formal grounds but now is surrounded by a wilderness and haven for wildlife. It spans a tributary of the River Mole in Leatherhead and joins two islands.

We have been doing some urgent repair work which include renewing one side of the bridges coping and brickwork repairs, all in lime mortar.

The work is complete now and it will be another 50 years before more maintenance is required.

All change!

We have now completed the work to Shell Bridge in Leatherhead and Daniel moves onto re-point a chimney near Chichester.

We have now completed the work to the Wealden cottage in Hurstpierpoint and myself, Neil and Molly move on to work on a mid smokebay cottage in Crondall, Hampshire.