September 2017

A relatively workaday month was followed through from beginning to end with H+R South staff travelling to support H+R North at Stonecross Mansion in Ulverston, Cumbria for Persimmon Homes. Stonecross is a very large but dilapidated mansion in the process of conversion and refurbishment. H+R have a wide-ranging brief covering the building as a whole and particularly the eradication of dry rot. Yan, the new H+R Rothound who is based in Cumbria has been extensively deployed there

H+R South staff also spent a week in Edinburgh working on three very different projects at the University Law School, a private house in the New Town and a commercial development. In London, H+R have completed three ‘great’ projects in Great Scotland Yard, Great Portland Place and Great Cumberland Place for different developers. Of particular interest was surveying another building in Princes Gate in addition to those already covered, this time the Afghan Embassy. Specialist investigative consultancy on penetrating damp and retained moisture was also provided at the Inner Temple

Timber condition assessments have been undertaken on the 1500s timber frame at Ashwell Museum in Essex and to the roof structures at Reigate Priory and also at Newington Green Unitarian Church. This non-conformist chapel is experiencing a revival of interest and is the oldest in the country in continuous use

Of particular interest has been the investigation of Gainsborough’s House and Gallery in Suffolk to inform a grant aid application. This follows on from work at the Watts Gallery in Compton, Surrey and the Dulwich Picture Gallery