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Votive Candelabra at Weybourne Church, North Norfolk
The candelabra stand at Weybourne Church is located in the north aisle, originally the Saxon nave, which is one of the oldest parts of the priory church still in use. The votive stand was commissioned in 2013 by Maggie Broad, in memory of her husband Peter and with the approval of the Parochial Church Council and the Chancellor of the Diocese.
Brian Turner of Turners Ornamental Leadwork was approached by Tuecer Wilson, who was the designer, and is one of the country's leading stone carvers. Brian takes up the story: "My brief was to make a steel globe, two meters in diameter, incorporating the art of Peter Broad, a successful professional architect and a keen artist, using one of Peter's paintings of water lilies to incorporate it into the globe.
"This globe was a challenge as I wanted to make it with the minimum of welding. I started with rolled flat steel and round bar shaped to the diameter required. Then the central column with the help of Ian Ridgeways, the local blacksmiths, helping to make the scrolls in his forge on the central steel column.
"The next job was to make all the copper candle holders and the other copper parts I planned to make, banishing them to shape in a previously made wooden block taken from a nearby woodpile.
"Then from some aged 1/8” (3mm) thick copper plate I made some other copper components, then gradually prepared the other part and drilled out the rolled flat bar ready to fit the rolled round bar. These were then fitted with copper pipe in each section then fitted to a copper ring one top and one at the bottom, slowly building the globe, threading the rolled round bar through the flat bar, this was a challenging fun part trying to keep everything together. Once all the round bar was fitted and all equally spaced the round bar was welded together.
"Now I had to make the brackets to support the copper candle holders to make by heating and swaging the steel to the shape and thickness needed at the ends of the brackets which would allow drilling and tapping. Once they were all made, I made the copper cap to go on to the top and rivet to the rolled flat bar.
"This done the globe was lifted onto the column, then a 3mm thick copper thick dish was made and fitted at the base of the globe. The globe was now secured to the column. Now to do a test run with the copper Lillie leaves, looked good so carried on and fitted the remainder - happy with them.
"Now they had to all come off and be patinated and sealed. Next stage was to complete cancel holders that had a few stages to go through where they were silver soldered together. Strengthening washers were cut out and silver soldered to the underside of the small copper dishes, this was to allow the swaged arms to be fitted to the copper. Copper lids were made so you could just see the flame.
"Now all the arms had to be made at various lengths with both ends drilled and taped with small threads fitted into to allow the bowls to be fixed to the arms and to the column with some bespoke fixings. Under the top I put a surprise for the client - a small copper cross gold leafed so only the client knew it was there, you had to look for it to find it.
"Eventually all the copper candle holders are fitted - have to excuse the light as pictures were taken in the dark bleak mid winter with snow outside and freezing cold inside.
"Now to fit all the lilies and a candle holder on top to take a large candle. My part is all done and now it just needs the stone base and wood base fitted."
To find out more about Brian and his hard and soft metal skills visit www.turners-lead-collection.co.uk
Saving the artistry of early craftsmen
Beaten, twisted, cut or cast, ornate designs bear out the skill and artistry of early craftsmen. And surviving examples are under threat.
Advanced launches brochure for fire protection in historic sites
Global fire systems leader, Advanced, has launched a new guide to fire protection for historic and heritage sites.
Historic and heritage sites present unique challenges to end users, specifiers and installers. The new brochure is designed to help key stakeholders understand some of the solutions available for the challenges they face. It addresses many common problems in ensuring adequate active fire protection, tackling the challenges of minimising aesthetic impact, quick, safe evacuation and eliminating unwanted alarms, among many more.
Read more: Advanced launches brochure for fire protection in historic sites
Award winning design using lime
Lancashire-based James Stone Masonry were contracted to fix the precast units to Gabbie House - a prestigious development in Hale Barn Cheshire. The balcony units were fixed to a steel frame using s/s brackets and dowels.
The company installed Jura Limestone panels on the project. The stone panels were supported on corbel plates and restrained back to the block work with brackets and dowels. The finish on the stone panels was a sand blasted finish, the cills were highly polished.
Durham Cathedral now protected by market-leading intelligent fire panels from Advanced
Durham Cathedral, the 1,000-year-old World Heritage Site and one of Britain’s most visited buildings, is now protected by market-leading intelligent fire panels from Advanced.
Founded in 1093 and the final resting place of St Cuthbert, Durham Cathedral remains the seat of the Bishop of Durham, the fourth most senior cleric in the Church of England. As well as being the North-East home of the Magna Carta, which was taken to London during the Reformation and now makes occasional trip back to the north, the Cathedral and its environs have also featured in numerous Hollywood films including the Harry Potter franchise.
Read more: Durham Cathedral now protected by market-leading intelligent fire panels from Advanced
Conservation work reveals original wording on Framilode plaque
St Peter’s Church in Framilode was built by public subscription and by a Church Commissioners’ grant in 1854. It was one of many Commissioners churches built with money voted by Parliament as a result of the Church Building Act of 1814 and related further Acts.
The money was either used to pay for the cost of a church in full or as a grant to cover part of the cost. St Peter’s Church was awarded a grant of £200 and this was recorded on a cast iron plaque originally erected in the porch of the church. The main condition attached to these grants was a requirement for a number of seats to be reserved for the use of poor parishioners.
Read more: Conservation work reveals original wording on Framilode plaque
Cobham Dairy's rescue begins
2018 ended with a flurry of activity behind the scenes on the project to save Cobham Dairy in Kent, and work began on site in mid-October. The Landmark Trust take up the story: "Although the building itself is very small, the journey has been a complicated one, so it is thrilling to be up and running with the physical repair and restoration of the Dairy.
"Built in around 1795 by James Wyatt, one of the leading architects of the day, the Dairy is a Gothic-revival eye-catcher in the grounds of Elizabethan Cobham Hall. It is listed Grade II* and on the Buildings at Risk register, having long lain empty and derelict.
Leadworker of the Year 2019 - winner announced
Shane White of SW Leadworks has been crowned Leadworker of the Year 2019. The competition, now in its eighth year, is sponsored by the Lead Sheet Training Academy, which specialises in training those using lead or hard metals in the construction industry. It was open to both self-employed leadworkers and those working for contractors.
Competitors were required to send in a portfolio showcasing their work before seven talented finalists were invited to attend a two-day practical assessment at the LSTA’s Training Centre in East Peckham, Kent. The competitors were required to complete a series of tasks over identical model roof sections, all under the watchful eye of a panel of expert judges.
Moss treatment can now be a gentle process
Moss on roofs is a common problem for older and cherished buildings. Such roofs are likely to be well into their predicted life span and aggressively cleaning ageing roof surfaces is not advisable. One treatment, developed and adapted to suit the weather conditions prevailing in the British Isles and Ireland, is AlgoClear Pro Softwash. Formerly known as MossGo, it is non-aggressive in nature.
According to suppliers Thames Valley Specialist Products Ltd, AlgoClear Pro Softwash gently cleans and restores old roofs to their former beauty without causing the physical damage that results from pressure washing. Its active ingredient is a quaternary ammonium, which has a rapid breakdown rate after use, leaving residues absorbed by bacteria.
Training at the Lead Sheet Training Academy
The Lead Sheet Training Academy is at the forefront of training for those using lead or hard metals in the construction industry. To deliver this training the LSTA operates from a state of the art, purpose-built training facility in East Peckham, Kent which is open six-days a week for most of the year.
Dreadnought Tiles wins major roofing industry award
Dreadnought Roof Tiles, one of the UK’s oldest and well-established manufacturers of traditional clay roof tiles, has won the heritage category in the first ever ‘Pitched Roofing Awards’.
Organised by RCI magazine, these national awards showcase excellence in the roofing sector, highlighting successful partnerships between manufacturers and contractors and recognising commitment to quality.
Read more: Dreadnought Tiles wins major roofing industry award
Rainclear adds a NEW white to its Galvanised Steel Rainwater Range
Rainclear Systems, the UK’s leading specialist metal rainwater system stockist and online retailer are adding a NEW colour to their durable, affordable and sustainable Infinity Galvanised Steel rainwater system.
Infinity is innovatively designed to be as easy to install as the usual materials used in the UK without the need to solder or rivet. Lengths are just as easy to handle and to cut to size without any specialist tools or equipment.
Read more: Rainclear adds a NEW white to its Galvanised Steel Rainwater Range
Lightning strike causes structural damage to lighthouse
Over one weekend in August last year it was reported that a staggering 90,000 lightning strikes hit the UK. The Old Hunstanton Lighthouse in Norfolk was a victim of one those strikes and the photograph shows the severity of structural damage that can occur as a result of direct lightning strike.
The structural damage caused to the lighthouse, and the subsequent risk the falling brickwork and masonry posed to the residents and members of the public, emphasises the importance of having an up to date and certified lightning protection system fitted to your building to prevent costly structural damage, or worse, loss of human life.
Read more: Lightning strike causes structural damage to lighthouse
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