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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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Ecclesiastical Insurance and University College London extend partnership to support next generation of heritage leaders
Specialist heritage insurer Ecclesiastical Insurance has pledged a further £72,500 to University College London (UCL) to support the development of heritage leaders.
Since 2004 Ecclesiastical Insurance has donated over £350,000 to UCL to offer scholarships that support students studying the Sustainable Heritage MSc.
The Sustainable Heritage MSc teaches heritage management and conservation best practice. The course introduces students to conservation policies, projects, methodologies and practices in the context of historic buildings, sites, landscapes and collections.
SafeSite Security Solutions announces Corporate Partnership with The Security Institute
Vacant property security specialist SafeSite Security Solutions has joined The Security Institute’s network of Corporate Partners.
Commenting on the alliance, Gabriella Pemberton, General Manager, SafeSite Security Solutions said: “The Institute’s Corporate Partners represent many different areas in the security sector and we look forward to supporting its members through our partnership.
York Minster revealed
The Morton Partnership were engineers for the refurbishment and enhancements to the Minster, including works to the Undercroft, Chapter House yard building and the approach to the South Transept and the repair of the Great East Window and East Front. In addition, further projects included assessment of the Aculn Library, fire damage at the Stoneyard and several other properties owned by the Dean and Chapter, as well as the setting up of a ‘watch survey’ for the Minster.
Michelmersh sponsors RIBA’s Sustainability Award 2021 – A mark of sustainability excellence
Michelmersh is proud to announce its sponsorship of the Sustainability Award at the RIBA Regional Awards 2021. RIBA’s Regional Awards are comprised of various awards, including Project Architect of the Year, Sustainability Award, Conservation Award, Building of the Year, Client of the Year Award, and region-specific awards. Over recent weeks, winner announcements have been filling social media feeds, congratulating and commemorating worthy winners.
When you can’t see the building for the trees!
The photographs in this article illustrate two ‘messages’ regarding the virtues of planting trees alongside heritage buildings. They are taken from a project recently carried out at York Minster by arboricultural and landscape consultants Barnes and Associates. It involved a tree survey, a health and safety assessment, an assessment of replanting opportunities and a management plan.
The photograph on the left demonstrates how the planting of small, out-of-proportion trees may distract from the magnificent structure of the Minster. They provide habitat, cooling and water retention – but are they the right trees in the right place?
The history of London and Ipswich based organ builders Bishop and Sons
Founded in 1795, James Chapman Bishop’s first workshops were at York buildings in Saint Marylebone. He soon became well established and took on the premises of 250 Marylebone Road as his workshops.
J. C. Bishop quickly built a good reputation and became widely known as a master organbuilder whose attention to detail and expert knowledge, combined with ingenuity and craftsmanship, produced some of the finest English organs of the nineteenth century.
Rochdale's Victorian Town Hall benefits from new sound system
Rochdale Town Hall is a Victorian-era municipal building in. Completed in 1871, the Grade-1 listed Gothic Victorian Town Hall is widely regarded as one of the finest municipal buildings in Britain, renowned for its unique and detailed architecture.
The Town Hall functions as the ceremonial headquarters of Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council and houses local government departments, including the borough’s civil registration office.
The Whitaker Museum and Art Gallery calls for Lancashire’s next top artist
Rossendale’s cultural gem, The Whitaker Museum and Art Gallery, has revealed an exciting new initiative for arts graduates who have either recently studied arts at a Lancashire university, or have graduated elsewhere but are originally from Lancashire.
Launched just two weeks after The Whitaker Museum has re-opened its doors to the public, the museum has benefitted from an impressive £2.2 million re-development and extension offering a vibrant, varied and visual arts programme.
Imagine it, design it, build it with Michelmersh’s Façade Designer
Michelmersh is pleased to announce the release of its Façade Designer, a fully customisable tool featured on mbhplc.co.uk which allows designers, architects and clients the ability to create their own brick façade using its full range of products. The Designer aims to inspire creativity, giving users the freedom to firstly choose brick types through colour, texture or size, proceeding onto a mortar colour, and lastly, a bond to evolve the façade to the desired specification.
York Handmade nominated for four awards at brick oscars
The York Handmade Brick Company, one of the leading independent brickmakers in the country, has been nominated in a number of categories in the prestigious 2021 Brick Awards.
York Handmade, based at Alne, near Easingwold, in North Yorkshire, is up for the awards following the company’s acclaimed role in the new library at Magdalene College, Cambridge (pictured); the restoration St Albans Cathedral in Hertfordshire; and the brand-new Valentine House at Allostock in Cheshire.
Festive phone call takes church on the route to virtual services
In December last year, Blaydon Communications got a phone call they were not expecting. A member of the PCC at St Bede’s Church in South Tyneside called and asked if they could urgently upgrade the church’s sound system in anticipation of the festive events that were to be held in the church. The team at Blaydon were a little surprised as their installation work had been a bit thin on the ground during lockdown and they had been focussing a lot of effort on their online presence and having virtual meetings. The chance to get out was gratefully received as they were totally ‘Zoomed out’ at that point!
Stained glass restoration helps bring 17th century manor house back to former glory
Breakspear House is a truly magnificent 17th century Grade I-listed manor house, which has undergone a detailed restoration.
Formerly the Breakspear family estate in the 13th century and home to W.S Gilbert by the end of the 19th century, it was then acquired commercially in 1956 as a retirement home. Sadly by 1987 it lay abandoned, derelict and vandalised.
Stonemasons add to converted property’s features
A stone building in the Yorkshire Dales National Park showcases the expertise of Manchester-based James Stone Masonry.
The property had originally been built for keeping livestock and at some time in the 1970s had been transformed into a house. Now it is again being modernised to an exceptionally high standard.
Beautiful abbey sensitively preserved with EB20 steel windows
Mount Saint Bernard Abbey opened in 1844 after a donation from John, the 16th Earl of Shrewsbury, enabled a permanent monastery to be built to replace the original building. The most famous architect of the Gothic Revival, Augustus Welby Pugin, offered his services for free and designed the beautiful building which still stands today.
Naturally this was an incredibly sensitive project for Clement. The Listed Building is of great architectural significance and the fact that we would be replacing metal windows, some of which were over 170 years old, meant a great deal of planning and thought went into deciding the correct specification.
Heritage charities celebrate share of £1million fund
Nine heritage charities have received donations of £1,000 each as part of Ecclesiastical Insurance Group’s Movement for Good awards.
For the third year running, Ecclesiastical Insurance Group is giving away £1million to charities through its Movement for Good awards. Members of the public were invited to nominate causes close to their hearts, with 500 awards of £1,000 available for donation.
Wolverton Hall: The only Folly is to call it a Folly
A folly; an ornamental building with no practical purpose built in a large garden. Whilst aspects of this definition can be applied to describe Wolverton Hall Folly, it certainly contradicts the ‘practical purpose’ element with the most appealing of purposes. Wolverton Hall Folly is a retreat for contemplation, an office away from home, a place to entertain and somewhere to enjoy the views, sun and a good book. Can we therefore call this beautiful building a folly?
Constructed in an octagonal design, the exquisite architecture was the vision of owner Nicholas Coleridge and his wife, who took inspiration from the 16th Century banqueting house at Long Melford in Suffolk.
Materials Matter - BIM Version 4: A decade of the most advanced BIM Brick files
Responding rapidly to the Government’s Construction Strategy published in May 2011, Michelmersh responded with its first range of clay product files and was the first brick manufacturer to introduce Building Information Modelling (BIM) files in the UK, years before the competition.
A decade on and Michelmersh is now delighted to release BIM Version 4 (V4), its most advanced files yet. It is the only manufacturer to include Revit 2021 files to take advantage of the newest release capabilities, including its advanced rendering features, enabling customers to download the highest resolution brick walls on the market.
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