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In the lead up to Christmas, H+R’s teams were kept busy throughout the UK and there was a noticeable up tick in enquiries belying the economic headwinds affecting the country as a whole. This was particularly noticeable in one of H+R’s core markets within Belgravia, Mayfair and Kensington. The broad spread of H+R’s services have always helped strengthen the business even when there is a potential recession. On-going work on the timber structures at the Museum of Science and Technology…

In September H+R were appointed by Purcell on behalf of the Diocese of Salford to undertake a detailed condition survey of Salford Cathedral’s timber roof structure.  H+R involvement was part of the Cathedral Restoration project which will see the Cathedral close from March 2023 until 2024.  Built in the 1840s the Cathedral was the first cruciform Catholic church built in England since the reformation and architect Mathew Ellison Hadfield took inspiration from medieval churches in Selby and Liege.  The Cathedral…

The usual geographical spread of project work has been undertaken in the month with a range of fascinating buildings. In no particular order, these have included the Old Leather Warehouse in Bermondsey High Street, Broadoaks Mansion in West Byfleet, Dover Castle, Weeting Castle in Norfolk and Hill House School in Lymington. The latter is a recognised school for autistic children and the managers needed advice on upgrading the delicately moulded and decorative sash windows. More time has been spent in…

Return visits to Scotland were undertaken in the month including maintaining the H+R Curator rainwater drainage alarm system at Balnagown Castle. H+R also provided further investigative consultancy at the Scottish National Gallery and also at Ramsay Gardens. The latter is an interesting 1890s tenement building developed by the botanist and urban planner Patrick Geddes. H+R have been advising on its progressive refurbishment for several year Work continues for several contractor clients at the new Museum of London development centred on…

During the month, there has been more of an emphasis on work in the Midlands and North of England with additional support provided from Oxford and Surrey offices. Particular projects of note have included Salford Cathedral, the refurbishment of the Rutland Mills complex in llkeston and the Ainscough Mill complex in Lancashire. In addition, the work resumed at Leeds Central High School and the former Kings School in Macclesfield Numerous church investigations have taken place throughout Northern England and Wales:…

In May H+R were appointed by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council to undertake a timber and damp survey of Redcar Central Station.  The Grade II listed station was constructed in 1861 by the Stockton and Darlington Railway.  The building had been in use as a railway station until the late 20th Century before it was adapted into Redcar Station Business Centre.  The building has been vacant since 2014 and had been targeted by lead thieves resulting in extensive damage to…

H+R’s involvement in the planned refurbishment of the Great Hall at St Bartholomew’s Hospital (‘Barts’) in London has involved a lot of investigative work, part of our input being the deployment of a Rothound. Pip gained substantial publicity in the national press and on TV as her visit coincided with National Dogs Day. The Great Hall forms part of the ongoing hospital refurbishment and dates to 1732 Heritage work for institutions such as Greenwich University, Haileybury School and Oriel College,…

  H+R were pleased to see the publicity surrounding the launch of the newly remodeled Municipal Bank in Birmingham. The 1930s neoclassical building has now become The Exchange. Make Architects have done a superb job together with Donald Insall Associates and Glancy Nicholls. The building sits prominently in Centenary Square. H+R provided detailed investigative consultancy covering retained moisture in the masonry masses, dry rot infection and the condition of the plaster finishes. Of notable interest were the glorious Art Deco mirrored…

Several projects that H+R have worked on were extensively covered in the specialist press during the course of the month. Country Life featured Wildernesse House in Kent with it s magnificent main stair hall incorporating an imaginative library set up by the Booksellers Association. As a side note, H+R used to publish the Year Book of the Booksellers Association back in the 1980s! In addition, the King’s Observatory in Richmond’s Old Deer Park was featured now that its renovation is…

This Month has seen a return to the Tyntesfield estate outside Bristol after our first involvement nearly 20 years ago.  For those of us who have been deeply involved with the National Trust for several decades, the story of how the house came under their custodianship is still a remarkable one remaining as it did as a time capsule with the last Baron Wraxall, a bachelor, living in just three rooms for the last years of his life Work has…

H+R were commissioned by a private client to undertake a detailed investigation of damp and timber decay of Greta Hall in Keswick.  Dating from the late 18th century, the Grade I listed building was home to the romantic poets Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey.  The property was frequently visited by the lake poets Wordsworth, Shelley, Byron and Keats and other notable figures such as John Ruskin and Sir Walter Scott.  In later times the Hall served as a girls…

Not unusually, H+R surveyors found themselves at different ends of the country with investigations of St Ann’s Church ensconced within the active Royal Naval dockyard in Portsmouth and also in Scotland at Stirling Castle.  At the latter, H+R were tasked with providing historical research into the origin of the roof timbers by deciphering the incised importation marks.  Historic context was also gained by establishing how the individual timbers had been sawn and worked Work in London included further investigations at…