January 2019
The year has started very actively with an interesting large scale challenge for the Royal Collections Trust and subsequently for other heritage sector clients ranging from English Heritage at the consolidated ruin of the Royal Garrison Church in Portsmouth (https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/royal-garrison-church-portsmouth/), where only the roofed chancel remains as a result of WWII bombing. Apart from investigating the timber roof structure by the renowned Victorian architect G.E. Street, H+R were tasked to plan and achieve access to the hitherto inaccessible stone spire in order to gather constructional information for the first time. Due to H+R’s unique in-house skill set in relation to access arrangements this was straightforwardly achieved at a significant saving to the client
Further high-level access survey work was undertaken at St Machar’s Cathedral in Aberdeen. One of the oldest ecclesiastical buildings and the burial place of one quarter of William Wallace’s body! A particular feature to survey was the 16th Century timber heraldic ceiling (http://www.stmachar.com/) H+R undertook detailed investigations of the historic finishes to No. 78 St James’s Street as a continuation of the survey work previously commented on in August 2018 news. The focus was on the original wall and ceiling paintings, the decorative plaster, the birds-eye maple panelling and gilded decoration
On the commercial building front, extensive timber investigations were undertaken on the Edwardian commercial building at 54 Bartholomew Close in the Smithfield area of London and at the boutique hotel conversion of 7-8 St Martin’s Place
Private clients included the fascinating and historic houses of Little Sodbury Manor near Bristol and Fox Steep in Berkshire
H+R’s specialist access skills were called upon by Structural Engineers working on the Temple Footbridge over the Thames. The longest hardwood bridge in Britain. A great deal of Health and Safety planning was undertaken for the initial survey. The second part of the survey will be concluded in February
