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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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Top Ten College Demands the Best in Architectural Metalwork
Holy Cross Sixth Form College, Bury, rated among the best in the country, demands the best even when it comes to its restoration work. Ken Brogden Ltd and its owner Jason Steinbach were called back in to carry out restoration fabrication work including the following:
New Balustrade to Sunken Garden.
The retaining wall to the sunken garden was beyond repair and the college had instructed a building firm to rebuild it.
Florence Institute reaches new heights
Liverpool’s Florence Institute looks is set to draw a crowd of dignitaries at its official ‘Topping Out’ Ceremony on Wednesday 23rd November at 11.00am.
The event highlights the culmination of ten years of work by Purcell Miller Tritton to restore the ‘Florrie’ to multi-functional community use, providing valuable recreational facilities for the city and reinstating the Institute’s external structure, which survived the Second World War but was badly damaged by arson some years ago and has since remained unoccupied.
The Restoration of St. Andrew’s Church, West Dereham, Norfolk
St. Andrew’s is considered by English Heritage to be one of the finest Medieval churches in England.
The round tower, for which it is noted, dates from Saxon times and is built from ironstone conglomerate masonry which is characteristic of the East Anglian region. The octagonal brick belfry on top of the tower was added in the 16th century. The church’s nave and chancel are largely unchanged since the perpendicular windows were fitted in the 15th century.
Stationers Hall
Restoration, Conservation and preservation are intrinsically linked and it is not often the 3 are employed separately.
Faced with a broken piece of stained glass can involve several methods of treatment:-
• To retain as much of the original glass as possible (conservation)
• To replace any missing fragments that are either too many and too small to make viable repairs with or to replace the entire piece (restoration)
• To protect from future harm all the collected fragments once a cohesive piece has been made from them (preservation)
A set of 5 stunning windows made by Mayer & Co. of London and Munich in the 1860’s had suffered some damage, but mostly a thick coating of soot from a fire in a nearby wooden screen. The windows depict the relevant greats of the age such as Tyndale and William Shakespeare; the main window depicting Caxton presenting his new printing press to the King.
A missing fragment requires replacement
Restoration begins on historic gates at Canterbury Cathedral
HISTORIC gates that have stood at the entrance to Canterbury Cathedral for more than 300 years have been removed.
Expert craftsmen will now spend months restoring the heavy oak ChristChurch gates, which date back to the Restoration of King Charles II.
Canterbury: Christchurch Gate old oak gates removed from Canterbury Cathedral for renovation
The gates have provided a welcome sight for tourists and pilgrims but have been battered by the elements.
Cathedral spokesman Sheena Daly said: "The need to conserve the gates was pressing, as there was a lot of damage, especially at the bottom, and water could get it which could make them rot."
Engineers from Canterbury-based Artful Logisticshttp://www.artfullogistics.com/ had the huge task of removing the heavy gates on Tuesday, October 11.
Dr Manon Williams appointed to Board of Heritage Lottery Fund and National Heritage Memorial Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) today welcomed the announcement that Dr Manon Williams will join the Board as Deputy Chair and Chair of the Committee for Wales from January 2012.
She takes over from Dan Clayton Jones who steps down after seven years.
Worth Park to be restored with £2.4m Lottery support
Crawley Borough Council has received a grant of £2.42m from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) for the Worth Park restoration project.
The money from the Funds’ joint Parks for People programme will be used to return the area to its former Victorian glory and ensure that more people visit and enjoy this historic park. The council, which is also contributing £975,000 towards the five-year project, expects work to begin early in 2012.
Maryhill’s new stained glass windows of today revealed at last!
Stained glass is an ancient art form that stretches back hundreds of years. Now, here at Maryhill Burgh Halls, we’re ready to reveal the world’s first ever interactive stained glass window.
Scan the 2D barcode in the window with your smartphone, and you’ll be automatically taken to a webpage explaining the designs and giving information about the glass.
While the new glass is as modern as can be, stained glass in Maryhill has a long history: in 1878, the then Burgh commissioned twenty stained glass windows to showcase the trades and industries of Maryhill. They were designed by the artist Stephen Adam, and have become known as the crown jewels of Maryhill.
John Constable ‘comes home’ to Hampstead
Artist John Constable’s love of Hampstead is largely overlooked but, now, as the second centenary of his first visit approaches, a new exhibition will open, thanks to a grant of almost £50,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
Burgh House and Hampstead Museum will be marking the event this year with a major six-month exhibition of some of Constable’s original works on display just a few steps from the views that inspired them. Burgh House has submitted a formal loan request for the paintings to the Victoria and Albert Museum.
National Museum of the Royal Navy to tell the story of the Royal Navy from 1900 to the present day
The National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard has recently been awarded an HLF grant to allow project architects Purcell Miller Tritton to complete the transformation of the Museum’s Storehouse 10 building.
The project, which has already received planning and listed building consent, will begin in late 2012, and open to public in 2014 (the centenary of the start of World War I). It will enable the NMRN to introduce a key part of maritime history at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, adding to the museum’s existing Nelson Gallery and Sailing Navy Gallery. New 20th and 21st Century galleries will be incorporated into the scheme to create a seamless chronological timeline of naval history from the 18th Century to the present day.
Refurbishment of Davies Brother gates at St Peter’s Church, Ruthin illuminates the town
The historic wrought iron gates at St. Peters Church, Ruthin have been brought back to former glory following a massive restoration project. Blacksmiths David and Gwilym Jones from Flintshire Forge in Holywell, Flintshire were given the honour of working on the gates originally designed and made by the Davies Brothers of Wrexham in the 18th Century.
The gates at Ruthin are a wonderful example of the quality of craftsmanship of Robert and John Davies, incorporating elegant scrolls and finials with intricate leaves and organic forms, exquisite cherubs with impressive overthrows.
Lead Theft Reduction Seminar
FREE in Nottingham on Thursday December 1st
On Thursday 1st December, Smith of Derby, in association with Nottinghamshire Police, is holding a free Lead Theft Reduction Seminar, in a bid to help the Church community reduce the risk of this type of crime.
Richard Stones, Pre-Crime Unit Manager Force Crime & Justice Directorate at Nottinghamshire Police said: “It is anticipated that copper will have a market value of £7000 per ton by the end of the year and we can expect the value of other metals to rise accordingly. Police forces nationally are working with their public and private sector partners to address the metal theft issue and collaboration with industry is crucial to the effective implementation of sustainable crime reduction solutions.
We welcome the opportunity to speak at events such as this arranged by Smith of Derby as increased awareness in both the domestic and commercial sectors will assist in tackling the problem.”
BOOK REVIEW - FOUNTAINS ABBEY - THROUGH TIME - ALAN WHITWORTH
The Abbey, Britain’s largest monastic ruin, was founded in 1132 by thirteen Benedictine monks seeking a simpler life. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539 by Henry VIII, the Abbey buildings and over 500 acres of land were sold by the Crown to Sir Richard Gresham. The property was passed down through several generations of Sir Richard’s family, finally being sold to Stephen Proctor who built Fountains Hall, probably between 1598 and 1604.
Today this magnificent attraction is recognised as a World Heritage Site. Join Alan Whitworth on this fascinating photographic journey to explore Fountains Abbey Through Time and its water features, ornamental temples, follies and magnificent vistas. Even those familiar with the area will find much to marvel at within these pages, and hopefully it will encourage many more people to travel to visit this unique and historic part of Yorkshire.
PRESS INFORMATION
The latest title in Amberley’s extensive and highly successful Through Time series.
Full colour, bringing history and memories to life.
The author is a Yorkshireman, born and bred, and is available for talks or interviews.
THE AUTHOR
Alan Whitworth was born in Huddersfield and now lives in Whitby. He worked in graphic design and printing before becoming involved in local history and the preservation of old buildings. A founding member of the British Dovecote Society, Alan now writes and lectures full time on architecture and local history.
www.amberley-books.com
OLDEST BUILDING IN SLOUGH BEATS LEAD THIEVES WITH SARNAFIL
When St Laurence’s Church in Slough was robbed of the original lead lining from its roof valley gutter, its parish warden was determined to find an alternative rather than replace the metal and risk thieves striking again.
The 12th century church in the parish of Upton-cum-Chalvey is the oldest building in the borough and is protected by a Grade I-listing. As such, it came as no surprise to warden Allan James – who is responsible for three churches in the parish – when insurers told him the roof would have to be replaced with the original metal to the tune of £12,000.
Imagemakers launch app engine to help heritage sites go digital and save money
Heritage interpretation consultants Imagemakers have launched ‘i-explore’, an app engine designed to help the heritage sector embrace digital technology and increase learning and participation.
i-explore is not an app in itself, it is a new engine specifically designed to power heritage apps. Based on the much-loved game of I-Spy, i-explore combines visitor information and multimedia with game dynamics, in order to engage audiences. It is this game element that sets i-explore apart from other visitor apps, which often have static information or images (like a digital guide-book). An independent research study(1) on our Wildspace app for the London Borough of Havering, showed that the game element drives participation and learning by tapping into people’s natural curiosity and desire to succeed.
Letchworth's Howard Gardens public opening
A new statue of Greek poet Sappho will be unveiled at an official event to mark the reopening of Howard Gardens in Letchworth Garden City to the public on 5 November 2011 from 12 to 3pm.
The original Sappho statue was stolen from the Gardens in the 1990s and a new version will now be given pride of place in the heart of the renovated Gardens.
The reopening of the Gardens marks a significant milestone in North Hertfordshire District Council’s £2.7million project to renovate both Howard Park and Gardens. The overall scheme will conserve the historic importance of the Park and Gardens while bringing its facilities up-to-date and aims to increase the number of people who use and enjoy it. The scheme has been largely financed thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Big Lottery Fund’s (BIG) joint Parks for People programme.
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