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Award winning masonry firm offer a range of services
Skipton based Heritage Masonry are experienced and highly skilled stone masons, covering all aspects of stone masonry, stone walling and cladding nationwide. The company has years of experience in the industry and has worked hard to build up a first class reputation for the quality of the work and service provided.
Read more: Award winning masonry firm offer a range of services
York Handmade plays pivotal role in art gallery redevelopment
The award-winning York Handmade Brick Company has played an important role in the £8 million redevelopment of York City Art Gallery.
York Handmade, based at Alne, near Easingwold, supplied a selection of handmade and machine-made bricks to ensure the late-Victorian exterior of the art gallery was maintained.
York Art Gallery reopens on August 1 this year after an £8 million development which has increased exhibition space by 60 per cent and led to the establishment of the Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA).
Read more: York Handmade plays pivotal role in art gallery redevelopment
About lime in restoration from the Building Limes Forum
Building limes have been used as binders in mortars and plasters for thousands of years; the earliest surviving example dates from around 8000 BC in a floor in Turkey.
Read more: About lime in restoration from the Building Limes Forum
Victorian columns restored at York Art Gallery
A team of expert, traditional plasterers working at York Art Gallery have restored two ornate Victorian columns back to their former glory as part of the ongoing refurbishment project at the venue.
The previously hidden columns, which date back to the buildings construction in 1879, have been given a new lease of life by craftsmen from Pudsey-based Ornate Interiors.
Rainclear Systems’ SnapIT, a boltless aluminium range, – the secret is out
SnapIT is a premium quality aluminium gutter system, which simply clicks together without the need of nuts, bolts and washers saving significant time and reducing the fuss and hassle involved in fitting.
The standard stock range comprises of Beaded Half Round gutter in 115 or 125mm and Victorian Moulded Ogee gutter in 125x100mm, with a complementary swaged downpipe system in 65 & 75mm round.
Read more: Rainclear Systems’ SnapIT, a boltless aluminium range, – the secret is out
Faithful replication of historic wall tiles ensures seamless restoration of Grade 2 college building
Craven Dunnill Jackfield has successfully completed the replacement and restoration of hand glazed, historic wall tiles for the Grade 2, former East Ham College. The project involved the origination of accurate models for 39 unique designs and the formulation of several metal oxide glazes, which were fired and applied seamlessly to match the original tiles of the 1903 building.
Illuminating - another stunning church project from Lighting Dynamics
Lighting Dynamics UK (incorporating Ecclesiastical Lighting), based in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, continue their development as one of the UK’s premier companies specialising in the interior and exterior illumination of cathedrals, churches and other places of worship.
The company is dedicated to offering a totally independent, creative and unbiased lighting design and consultancy service and, where required, they can supply all of the associated specified lighting equipment.
Read more: Illuminating - another stunning church project from Lighting Dynamics
The 500 Welsh Longbowmen of Agincourt
In 1415, Henry V defeated the overwhelmingly superior French army in one of the most famous battles in British history. Massively outnumbered, Henry V overcame incredible odds to win the battle, thanks in part to the pin-point precision and undeniable skill of his longbowmen, including 500 Welsh archers.
Advanced protection for Magna Carta
One of the most famous historical documents in Britain, if not the western world, is being protected by extinguishing and fire alarm panels from Advanced with installation by Reflex Systems.
Sealed by King John at Runnymede in 1215, Magna Carta is celebrating its 800th anniversary (the actual anniversary is 15 June). It is the first example of an absolute monarch surrendering some of his powers, the beginning of a process that led eventually to our current system of government and the prototype for democratic government all over the world.
The 500 Welsh Longbowmen of Agincourt
In 1415, Henry V defeated the overwhelmingly superior French army in one of the most famous battles in British history.
Massively outnumbered, Henry V overcame incredible odds to win the battle, thanks in part to the pin-point precision and undeniable skill of his longbowmen, including 500 Welsh archers.
But the Welsh connection doesn’t end there, and the Welsh Government is highlighting the important role our country played in this historic event in honour of its 600th anniversary.
Choosing a contractor in Wales
There may be occasions when you need help to maintain your building. Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environment service works for an accessible and well-protected historic environment for Wales, but is unable to recommend contractors - so here are a few simple tips to help you choose the right professional advisor, builder or craftsperson.
25 years of glorious brick
Prominent member of the YCCC, York Handmade, recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary and proprietor David Armitage had this to say to their customers:
"We thought we would celebrate with a little history of our life and times at Alne since 1988. It was then that the capital of the York Handmade Brick Company (previously the Alne Brick Co.) was acquired by myself and Tim Bristow.
"A few years later I became the sole owner of York Handmade and was later joined by my son Guy who is now a director of the company.
"The progress we have made in the last 25 years would not have been possible without the loyal service and dedicated expertise of York Handmade’s management team, which has now been in place for almost all of the 25 years and we owe the team a great deal.
"In addition to this excellent team, York Handmade is lucky to have some loyal and skilled employees in the factory. For loyalty, hard work and dedication to the task in hand, you couldn’t ask for a better team and this is the foundation upon which the company rests.
"On the sales side, it is also very important to mention the services of our sales team. Again, the service which they offer has been one of the hallmarks of our success.
"It is our steadfast aim to provide a first-class service at all times that makes us stand out against our competitors. When we started in 1988, we inherited a derelict factory.
"In fact, the factory was not even making bricks at all but was primarily engaged in the production of drainage tiles for agricultural purposes. Now, over £2m investment later, we have a dedicated modern handmade brick factory.
"The plant installed in 1988 still stands and serves us very well, enabling us to produce up to 5 million handmade bricks a year, but it has been augmented by a £750,000 specials plant which has played a major part in the success of recent prestigious contracts.
"Finally, I should just add that no brickworks can operate without a good supply of clay going forward. We are very pleased to have secured an option on a field next to our present factory, which will give us another 40 years clay supply so that we can expect a great many more millions of York Handmade’s famous bricks to come rolling off the production line.
"I would like to finish by thanking our customers, who range from the very smallest extension builder or floor tile user to the contractors and developers for their loyal support."
Here are just a few examples of the fine restoration projects that York Handmade have made possible.
For more information about this YCCC member company visit www.yorkhandmade.co.uk
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.
Here, James Simpson OBE Hon DSc FRIAS, chairman of the Building Limes Forum, discusses the differences between traditional and modern building techniques.
Read more: Lime: it’s better for buildings – and for the environment
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