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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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Patience is a virtue with some AV installations
Sometimes it takes a little longer to finish the job, but the end result is worth it. That was the case with the longest-running project to date for AV specialists APi Communications.
Back in April 2012 they were approached by St Michael’s Church in Alphington, Exeter, to specify a sound and projection system as part of an upcoming reordering project. That included many other elements such as a new gallery area, offices, removal of the pews and a new floor.
The construction phase of the gallery and offices duly went ahead in 2015 and APi Communications installed the projector and much of the cabling. However, due to an on-going issue over the removal of pews and the replacement flooring, there was a period of two years where the church used a temporary version of the sound system and trolley-mounted screens for the side aisles.
Mr Lead’s legacy gets the key to the door!
It is hard to believe that it’s 21 years since members and associates of the Lead Contractors Association (LCA) came together to celebrate the announcement of the first Murdoch Award. The award was presented in 1996 in honour of Dick Murdoch – ‘Mr Lead’ – on his retirement. They were founded to mark his tireless efforts and success in raising quality standards in lead-sheet work, part of which led to the founding of the LCA in 1984.
A decade later the Murdoch Sponsor’s Award was added. That featured the smaller installations that used less than five tonnes of lead sheet, but which could be equally demanding of the leadworker’s skills as the larger, more eye-catching projects.
Architectural terracotta & faience experts share best practice alongside PM Theresa May
Darwen Terracotta and Faience appears alongside Prime Minister Theresa May in the 2016/17 Parliamentary Review. The company was formed by Jon Wilson and Steve Allen two years ago, saving skilled jobs when another company laid off some employees. Since then the company has gone from strength-to-strength.
The Parliamentary Review was established by former minister The Rt Hon David Curry in 2010, and is now a key fixture in the political calendar. Darwen Terracotta features alongside the Prime Minister and other outstanding organisations in a document that looks back on the year in industry and Westminster. The main aim of the Review is to showcase best practice as a learning tool to the public and private sector.
Protection against pigeons - and other pest birds
Pigeons were roosting within the circular windows of this property in Sutton - the first photo shows where they left fouling marks - and so the owners called in London-based Microbee Bird Control Ltd who are specialists in a wide variety of bird control systems.
The first job was to clean and sterilise the affected area and then a net was fitted to cover the whole circle. They also installed anti perching wire to the ledges of the windows below this - the second photo shows the finished work.
The company offer such protection for a wide range of properties, including churches and heritage buildings.
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.
It also shows some of the dangers facing church buildings. These include leaking roofs, crumbling stonework and the dreaded Deathwatch Beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum.
Time and the conservation of paintings - by Francis Downing
Ironically, few things today are changing as rapidly as our views on conservation. According to the European Confederation of Conservator-Restorers' Organisations 'conservation consists mainly of direct action carried out on cultural heritage with the aim of stabilising condition and retarding further deterioration'. 'Active' or 'hands on' conservation is commonly used to describe what is, in reality, a form of restoration.
Icynene spray foam insulation for new Baptist Church in Dumfries
Designers of a new community Baptist Church, nearing completion in Dumfries, turned to spray applied insulation specialists, Icynene to solve a complex insulation challenge.
The new Church is a 2000sqm, multi-purpose building designed by Glasgow based, McLean Architects and built in the Georgetown district of Dumfries in the Scottish Borders.
The building was conceived as a flexible-use community hub comprising worship, conference and youth facilities together a full specification games hall and multi-use games area.
For the games hall, McLean Architects designed an 18.00x 18.00 m sq 8.00m high structure comprising a 140mm thick internal leaf of concrete blockwork with an external steel frame, supporting fibre-cement rain-screen cladding.
To access all areas, take the aerial route
East Anglia is home to some of the most precious ancient churches in England – a good number of which date from the Saxon period. It is no surprise, therefore, that some of the most innovative methods for ensuring their continued good condition are to be found there.
One deployment of modern technology is the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, to overfly sites in need of examination.
Geophysical survey at Bungay Castle
In July and August 2017 Suffolk Archaeology undertook three detailed geophysical surveys within the bailey of Bungay Castle, Bungay, Suffolk at the request of Historic England and the Bungay Castle Trust.
The aim of the project was to identify potential archaeological features or former buildings relating to the occupation of the castle, within a 0.24ha area of lawn, and to compare the results from modern equipment with those from a previous geophysical survey carried out in 1990.
Murdoch winner 2017 keeps the roof watertight for Sotheby's
The LCA has held awards for best work from its members for the last 21 years. The Murdoch Sponsors Award was added some ten years ago for the smaller installations that used less than five tonnes of lead sheet, but which could be equally as demanding of the leadworker’s skills as the larger, more eye-catching projects.
Dernier & Hamlyn’s lesson in heritage lighting for world renowned College
Dulwich College in south London was established in the 17th Century and is famous not only for its superlative academic provision, but also for its historic buildings including the impressive Great Hall. The Hall is the centrepiece of the school community and was designed around 1870 by Charles Barry, whose father designed the Houses of Parliament.
Recently Dulwich College’s COO Simon Yiend led an initiative to reimagine the lighting design in the Great Hall to help to restore its original perspective. This included making this spectacular room’s lighting more appropriate to its heritage and also more efficient. Bespoke lighting specialist Dernier & Hamlyn was asked to utilise the knowledge its engineers and craftsmen have built up over many years to propose an appropriate solution. They advised installing the light fittings on rods that were attached to the ceiling at the same points as Barry’s gas lights to minimise the effect on the building’s structure while optimising lighting levels.
Are you considering improved lighting? Discuss the options with Anthony J Smith (Glos) Ltd
St Wilfrid’s RC Parish Church in Preston city centre is a Grade Two*-listed Jesuit church which draws a substantial number of worshippers throughout the week. It is basilican in form and Italianate in style, with a particularly ornate and impressive interior carried out in exotic materials.
Frank Roberts of Preston-based Francis Roberts Architects said of the interior: “Ranks of giant columns of polished Shap granite, topped with gilded composite capitals, define the nave, which terminates in a semi-domed and coffered apse. The aisle walls are lined in rich marbles and mosaics and there is an impressive display of stained glass.”
Last summer the church embarked on a project to install a new lighting system and redecorate the interior, under the direction of Francis Roberts Architects.
Advancing architectural ironmongery
The Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) is the only trade body in the UK that represents the interests of the whole architectural ironmongery industry - architectural ironmongers, wholesalers and manufacturers.
Its reputation is built on three key areas: education, technical support and community. Its qualification, education and CPD programmes are widely respected in the UK and overseas, including GCC and Hong Kong.
Stained glass experts play their part in Royal Shakespeare Theatre refurbishment
Ark Stained Glass & Leaded Lights Ltd were approached to work on the Royal Shakespeare Theatre as part of their huge refurbishment project.
Part of the work was to take out a number of leaded lights and steel casements, strip and relead the windows, replacing any broken glass, and restoring the casements.
Protection given to legendary Welsh well with healing powers of St David
A holy well covering a spring that is said to have arisen during the baptism of Wales’s patron saint, St David, has become the latest monument to gain scheduled protection from the Welsh Government’s historic environment service (Cadw).
The Pembrokeshire monument is known as ‘Pistyll Dewi’ or ‘Ffynnon Dewi’ and the water there is said to have restored the sight of St David’s godfather, who held the baby for the baptism.
A stone built, squared off wellhead is repeatedly associated with the remains of a chapel, with some accounts saying the water is sanctified by running under the chapel’s altar.
Shingles in-spire church renovation
When Grade II* listed All Saints Church in the North Yorkshire hamlet of Burton-in-Lonsdale needed a roof renovation, the architects for the Anglican church turned to JB Shingles from Marley Eternit to deliver a rustic look that harmonised with its surroundings.
The distinctive broach spire, originally built in 1876, had been suffering from weather erosion and needed extensive repairs and renewal, in particular to the shingle cladding, as it was around 60 years old. A substantial grant was secured from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport.
Spray applied insulation: high performance heat loss mitigation
Paddy Leighton, UK director for spray foam insulation specialists Icynene, looks at heat loss in buildings and how new, high performance insulation systems can improve comfort levels in old and so called ‘difficult to treat’ buildings.
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