Ecclesiastical & Heritage World Issue No. 93

Stirling Prize winner has bricks at its core

The front cover of this issue features a very special new building that has already ensured its place in history. The library at Magdalene College, Cambridge is the winner of this year’s prestigious Stirling Prize. One of the features of the building that enables it to stand out is the stunning brickwork on the façades and chimneys. More than 300,000 bricks were supplied by the York Handmade Brick Company. Although used to accolades, this was one of the company’s most prestigious projects.

Read about the amazing range of bricks used on the project – and the award-winning design of the library – on pages 6-7.

5 Reflections

NEWS

Interactive map traces the history of the BBC

Grant funds work on assessing climate impact

Shrewsbury’s restored skyscraper forerunner is now open

Islamic drinking cup recreated from fragments

Expert diagnostics help maintain the woods and the trees 14 All Saints floor is finally restored to its stable self

TOWN

HALLS

15 Northern Town Halls: symbols of civic pride and commercial success

The high priests of civic architecture

Mancunians embark on marathon restoration of ‘Our Town Hall’

SOUND

Church show treated to a di-Vine opening

Mammon ousts God in Liverpool event contest

& AV SYSTEMS

Church sound experts get the music industry’s seal of approval 28 Age and design are no barriers to hearing accessibility 29 St John’s congregation plays ‘Spot the speakers!’ 30 HDBaseT: it’s high-definition magic! 31 Latest tech will bring new opportunities for assistive listening 32 Poor sound quality is laid to rest 33 Order in the court!

CHURCH HEATING

34 Sustainable heating is key to sustaining our heritage 35 Midlands trio add to installer’s portfolio

LIGHTING

Blackpool has been lighting up people’s lives for generations 37 Parishioners at St Matthew’s are seeing things in a new light!

Rochester Cathedral: now bathed in light

ROOFING & LEADWORK

Scotland’s top roofers meet again to celebrate award-winners

Roof works form part of major temple repairs

Awards recognise best in hard metal roofing

Training service appointed for SAP delivery

Murdoch Awards demonstrate a royal connection

CLIFFORD’S TOWER

46 Clifford’s Tower reopens, laying bare its historic and sometimes grim past

ACCESS & LIGHTNING PROTECTION

Plethora of caves conceal city’s hidden history

Centenarian tree struck by lightning

Access rental specialist goes large with first spider boom

IRONWORK & METALWORK

This family business is forging ahead

Iranian bishop’s crozier restored for posterity 53 First ironwork award-winners announced

PEST

CONTROL

55 Warning issued to pest control falconers 55 Icon group promotes IPM in heritage collections

Qualification: it’s what you need –and Katherine is living proof of that

Halfway through and the project is on time and on budget!

Rochdale’s pride is set for a new lease of life

WINDOWS

& DOORS

56 Replica windows add to redevelopment’s charm

STAINED

GLASS

57 Detective work and restoration skills combine to reinstate ‘lost’ window in City church

[WHEN IT WAS ANNOUNCED that the UK would be hosting next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, there was much excitement. After a prolonged selection process it was announced that Liverpool would perform the honours, to the delight of – well, not everyone.

Christian Resources Exhibition (CRE) had been due to stage its Northern regional show in the city for the first time. CRE boss Steve Goddard announced that the event had been cancelled and he was seeking compensation.

The announcement came shortly after the national CRE event at Sandown Park, which was a success. It was opened by comedian Tim Vine in his usual wacky style. Maybe Tim could perform the UK entry at next year’s Eurovision. Eat your heart out, Father Ted!

• One of the beauties of CRE is that the technical elements such as sound, lighting and AV are addressed in the seminars. We are also lucky to have experts in those fields explain and showcase their products and projects in these pages. In this issue the provision of assistive technology for those with hearing impairment takes centre stage, as it were. In one case the installation of an assistive listening system led to a contract to upgrade the entire sound system.

• A new sound system to cater for a wealth of events is one of the projects undertaken as part of the major restoration of Rochdale Town Hall – a magnificent neo-Gothic edifice constructed in the 19th century to demonstrate the prowess of the textile industry. It forms one of a pair of such magnificent civic palaces in the Manchester conurbation that are currently being restored to their former glory, the other being Manchester Town Hall itself. Their stories form the first in a series of features on our town halls.

• A number of other major projects have recently been completed. The Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings have been undergoing restoration for a number of years and that effort is now bearing fruit. The Main Mill and three other buildings were opened to the public in September. The Main Mill is internationally important as it was the first building to be constructed around a cast iron frame. The innovation enabled the building to soar into many storeys, giving rise not only to the dark satanic mills that provided the wealth that built the town halls of the North, but also to every skyscraper that has been constructed since.

• Clifford’s Tower in York is also now open to the public, including some areas that have remained hidden for centuries. An ingenious construction allows visitors to access the interior without putting stress on the ancient fabric. A feature popular with visitors is, of course, the medieval toilet.

• Ironwork on a more modest scale has scooped for its makers the first NHIG Award for Heritage Metalwork Conservation. It is just one of a series of awards presented in the past couple of months. Roofers figure prominently: in the NFRC Scottish Roofing Awards, the FTMRC Hard Metals Awards and the LCA’s Murdoch Awards for leadwork. Although not primarily for heritage roofing, all three featured examples of heritage buildings either as award winners or runners-up. We congratulate the recipients on their success.

• The top award in architecture is of course the Stirling Prize, awarded by the RIBA for the Building of the Year. This year that coveted accolade went to a new building that is already a heritage location. The new library at Magdalene College in Cambridge is a stunning new building with a traditional air. Its impact is brought about by the 300,000 or so bricks that make up its façades and chimneys. They were supplied by our friends at the York Handmade Brick Company and make a spectacular sight, as can be seen on our front cover. q

Chris Stokes

Editor, Ecclesiastical & Heritage World

Stirling Prize winner has bricks at its core

[

BRICKS FROM the York Handmade Brick Company have featured in the winner of the prestigious 2022 RIBA Stirling Prize –making it one of the company’s most highly-acclaimed projects.

York Handmade, based at Alne, near Easingwold in North Yorkshire, provided more than 300,000 bricks for the magnificent new Magdalene College Library at Cambridge University. The library beat five other projects to triumph in this year’s Stirling Prize, the highest accolade in architecture. It is awarded for the UK’s best new building of the past 12 months. The prize-winning architects for the new library at Magdalene College were London-based Níall McLaughlin Architects.

The contract was worth £300,000 for York Handmade, one of the leading independent brickmakers in the UK. Its chairman David Armitage commented: “It is a tremendous honour to have played a pivotal role in creating a building which has won the Stirling Prize. There is no more significant or coveted prize in the architectural world.

“We were so proud when we were asked to provide our bricks for such a prestigious project. Magdalene has a rich cultural heritage and this stunning new building reflects this.

“The finished building is absolutely magnificent and provides a wonderful place for Magdalene students to work.

Rich history

Set within the college grounds in Cambridge’s city centre, the new library replaces the cramped study spaces of the adjacent 17th-century Grade One-listed Pepys Library and extends the quadrangular arrangement of buildings and courts that have gradually developed from the monastic college site.

Honouring the rich surrounding history, Níall McLaughlin Architects combined load-bearing brick, gabled pitched roofs, windows with tracery and brick chimneys that animate the skyline with contemporary sustainable design elements to create a building that will stand the test of time.

Visitors are met with an elegant brickwork façade and enticing large wooden doors, which open into a tiered, timber interior – bathed in light. A tripleheight entrance hall leads into a central double-height reading room. A regular grid of brick chimneys supports the timber floors and bookshelves and carries warm air up to ventilate the building.

Speaking on behalf of the 2022 RIBA Stirling Prize jury, RIBA president Simon Allford said: “A unique setting with a clear purpose – the new library at Magdalene

It is one of our flagship projects over the past few years and we are proud of what we have achieved.”

College is sophisticated, generous, architecture that has been built to last. Creating a new building that will last at least 400 years is a significant challenge, but one that Níall McLaughlin Architects has risen to with the utmost skill, care and responsibility.

“The result: a solid and confident, yet deferential new kid on the college block.

“The light-filled, warm-wood interior lifts spirit and fosters connections. Students have been gifted a calm sequence of connected spaces where they and future generations will be able to contemplate and congregate, enjoying it both together and apart. The overarching commitment to build something that will stand the test of time can be felt in every material and detail – and from every viewpoint. This is the epitome of how to build for the long-term.”

Meanwhile Magdalene College’s librarian, Dr Marcus Waithe, said the architects had been given an ‘unusually challenging brief: to erect a building at the edge of one of Cambridge’s most historically sensitive sites, and to do so without committing an intrusion’.

A wide range of bricks

York Handmade was selected primarily for the colour and the character of its brick, but also because of the company’s ability to manufacture a wide range of intricate specials and sizes to fit in with the design specified by the architect.

David Armitage explained: “We supplied no less than 40 different sized or special-shaped bricks for this scheme and the quality of the brickwork is outstanding. We must pay tribute to the contractor and especially Julian Redpath, who is the site manager for Cocksedge Building Contractors Ltd.

“Julian supervised the project throughout in a highly professional manner, ensuring great diligence and care was taken with all the brickwork. This is a classic example of how brickwork should be done and how to avoid staining and efflorescence.

“One of the most significant features of this project was the substantial number of bricks and specials supplied for the internal walls. This really was a very special brickwork project.”

Tim Allen-Booth, associate with architects Níall McLaughlin, explained: “Our design for the new library was for a bold, modern building, while also having a settled quality that fits with the medieval character of the original college buildings. The character of the new brickwork is central to this aim.

“We chose York Handmade’s bricks for their texture, range of colours and ability to produce the range of special shapes and sizes required. The colour mix was developed in close collaboration with York Handmade’s team. The end result echoes the tapestry-like quality of the college’s medieval walls and is a key part of both the interior and exterior of the new building.

“We greatly enjoyed our collaboration with York Handmade on this project, both in the quality of the finished bricks and the design development process. We hope to work with them again in the future.”

A strong relationship

David Armitage added: “This commission continues our strong relationship with colleges and university buildings at Oxford and Cambridge. We have provided bricks for Christchurch College in Oxford, as well as Oxford’s Saïd Business School and Jesus College, Cambridge.

“It is an immense privilege to be associated with such important buildings and projects in historic and sensitive environments. It is also testament to the renaissance of brick as the building material of choice for significant and prestigious developments.”

He concluded: “I would also like to thank Ted Ward, our hard-working brick sales agent, whose contacts and commitment secured us this prestigious contract.” q

• For further information on the York Handmade Brick Company and its products visit www.yorkhandmade.co.uk

Interactive map traces the history of the BBC

[

TO MARK THE CENTENARY of the BBC, the four heritage agencies of the UK – Historic England, Historic Environment Scotland, Historic Environment Division of the Northern Ireland Communities Department and Cadw – have compiled an interactive map of 100 notable buildings and places around the UK with connections to the ‘Beeb’.

From the filming locations of TV favourites such as Byker Grove and Gavin and Stacey to the fire station where the first female BBC war correspondent, Audrey Russell, worked during the Blitz, the map, accessible via the websites of the four agencies, highlights the people, places and buildings that have defined the BBC.

It includes Broadcasting House (pictured), the BBC’s first purposebuilt headquarters, opened in 1932. The Grade Two*-listed Art Deco

Grant funds work on assessing climate impact

building in the heart of London is one of the most recognisable of the BBC’s studios, often appearing in BBC news broadcasts and television programmes.

[

AS PART OF the Movement for Good Awards, Ecclesiastical Insurance and Benefact Group are funding a project for the English Heritage Trust that will help reduce the effects of climate hazards on important historical sites.

With its extraordinary collection of buildings and monuments which span six millennia, the English Heritage Trust – known as English Heritage – is the charity that manages over 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites. They include world-famous prehistoric sites, grand medieval castles, impressive Roman forts, a Cold War bunker and country houses. Through them the charity brings the story of England and its history to life for over 10 million people each year.

The funding will enable English Heritage to launch its Impact Pilot – a one-year research project into addressing the climate risks at its historic sites. It's anticipated the project will benefit all sites by mapping the climate hazards, as well as trialling new approaches for tackling climate change at five sites in high-risk areas.

The pilot will also inform wider research and engagement into how heritage sites can build resilience and adapt historic properties to the ever-changing climate.

The Movement for Good Awards are designed to help charities make a real difference in their communities and beyond. More than 500 charities applied for the funding, with the winning projects being selected against four criteria: impact and effectiveness, sustainability, innovation, and care and compassion.

Mark Hews, group chief executive of Benefact Group, said: "At Benefact Group we believe business should be a force for good. More than ever, charitable causes need sustained support and a sense of financial stability. Through our Movement for Good larger-grant awards, we are championing a more imaginative way of supporting charities so that they can have some certainty in these challenging times.”

Ruth Knight, head of climate and sustainability at English Heritage, added: “Through this Movement for Good grant we will, for the first time, be able to holistically assess climate risk at our sites and start to develop practical adaptation and building resilience to ensure we can continue to bring the story of England's history to life for millions of people.” q

Heritage Minister Lord Kamall explained: “From the world’s first radio factory in Chelmsford to the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom in Blackpool, the BBC has played a central role in broadcasting and our national life over the past 100 years. It's brilliant to see the many locations that played a role in the BBC's heritage recognised and celebrated on this map, while helping people learn more about their local history.”

Robert Seatter, head of BBC History, commented: “In our centenary year we are delighted to be working with national historic partners to explore the BBC’s presence right across the UK, from Poldark at Charlestown Harbour in Cornwall to DI Perez’s house in Lerwick, Shetland. Along with popular TV locations, we showcase our BBC buildings and engineering centres that have become landmarks on and off screen, entering directly into the nation’s living rooms and connecting us with the wider world.”

The map has four key themes to explore: Programmes that bring us together, Iconic broadcasting buildings, Technology that transforms our lives and People in a diverse and changing Britain q

Shrewsbury’s restored skyscraper forerunner is now open

The complex, consisting of eight listed buildings, had been closed for 35 years. Now, following redevelopment under Historic England’s ownership with the help of architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, four of the listed buildings – the Grade One-listed Main Mill and the Grade Two-listed Kiln, Smithy and Stables – are now restored, with the Main Mill opening for the first time as a visitor destination.

The Main Mill building was the first to have an internal frame of castiron columns, beams and tie rods. That innovation by architect Charles Bage gave it the necessary structural strength for many storeys. As such the building paved the way for modern-day skyscrapers such as London’s Shard, Manhattan’s Empire State Building and Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.

Following the site’s beginnings as a flax mill and major local employer in the area from 1797 to 1886, it was repurposed into a modern maltings, which operated until 1987 converting grain into malt for brewing, whisky making and vinegar production. The site was also used as a temporary army barracks during the Second World War.

Funding of £20.7m for the restoration of the Main Mill and Kiln came from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The remaining funding for the restoration of the site has come from Historic England, Shropshire Council, philanthropic donations and additional funding from the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership via its Growth Deal with government.

As well as providing important volunteer support, the Friends of the Flaxmill Maltings played a significant role in supporting the conversion of the Smithy and Stables, which were completed in 2015 thanks to funding from the European Regional Development Fund.

Historic England’s chief executive Duncan Wilson commented: “The restoration of Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings has been challenging and rewarding in equal measure. This is a remarkable and complex site which has involved a vast team of specialists, partners, funders and volunteers to get it back up and running. The result is that a historic building of international importance has been rescued and repurposed, from a derelict state. I am proud that Historic England has led this ambitious and challenging project to successful delivery.”

Eilish McGuinness, chief executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, added: “The transformation is testament to the tenacity of many people, tirelessly working over many years to preserve this unique part of our Industrial Revolution heritage, and I am delighted that we were able to join other funding partners and invest over £20m to support this sustainable project, led by the partnership of Historic England, Shropshire Council and Friends of the Flaxmill Maltings. Thanks to National Lottery players the pioneering Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings will continue to inspire generations to come.”

With digital and hands-on activities for all ages, visitors will walk the floors where spinning machines whirred, flax flew, and barley was processed for beer to brew. They will discover the lives and stories of workers, engineers, soldiers and entrepreneurs who played their part in one of the greatest heritage transformations and regenerations of all time.

It is hoped that the four remaining listed buildings – the Apprentice House (Grade Two), the Cross Mill (Grade One), the Dye House (Grade Two*) and the Warehouse (Grade One) – will be restored in the coming years, once plans for how they will be used and funding to carry out the restoration works are in place. q

[ON 10 SEPTEMBER Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings opened to the public following a long-term redevelopment programme. The Maltings is internationally important: its Main Mill is the world’s first iron-framed building – built 1796-7 – and has been dubbed the ‘grandfather of all skyscrapers’. Visitors can now learn about its incredible role in the Industrial Revolution and the great contribution Shrewsbury and the Midlands have made to the world as manufacturers and innovators.

The restored site features a new ticketed exhibition, The Mill, on the ground floor. Created by Historic England and exhibition consultants Mather & Co, it tells the story of Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings and its crucial role in the industrial revolution.

Islamic drinking cup recreated from fragments

[ THREE ISLAMIC GLASS FRAGMENTS discovered by archaeologists at Caerlaverock Castle, near Dumfries, in the late 1990s have inspired a collaborative community project to unravel the story of their origins and recreate the original object: a medieval Islamic glass drinking beaker.

The first and only glass of its kind to be found at an archaeological site in Scotland, it is believed that the original vessel would have been made in modernday Syria, Iraq or Egypt – all of which were important centres of Islamic glassmaking – during the 12th and 13th centuries.

The fragments are inscribed with part of the Arabic word for ‘eternal’, probably used as one of the 99 names of Allah, which suggests that it could be an extract from the Qur’an. Tiny in size – at 3.1cm x 2.8cm – the three fragments together are smaller than a ping-pong ball and give clues to Scotland’s contact with the wider world during the medieval period.

Stefan Sagrott, archaeologist and senior cultural resources advisor at Historic Environment Scotland (HES), said: “Discovering Islamic glass from the 13th century in a Scottish castle is an absolutely astounding find. Glass wasn’t commonly used at this time. It was used for stained glass windows in monasteries, cathedrals and some smaller churches and chapels.

“There wouldn’t be many vessels or objects made from glass, either; and if people did have them, they don’t tend to survive today. Glass degrades quickly when it’s in acidic soil, which is found a lot in Scotland. So, we’re always going to lose evidence of it.”

Now, almost a quarter of a century after the fragments were discovered, they are back in the spotlight at the heart of a community project called Eternal Connections, which has sparked discussion and learning around the heritage of Scotland’s Muslim communities.

Working with 3D models, creative practitioners and community groups, Eternal Connections used cutting-edge scientific analysis and

research data to forge new ways of understanding the contemporary and historic connections between Scotland and Islam.

Stirlingshire-based visual artist Alice Martin researched contemporaneous medieval Islamic glass and worked with a team of experts from HES, who used state-of-the-art techniques to analyse the fragments and produce 3D data. That enabled Martin to create a 3D digital reconstruction of the glass fragments to show what the beaker might have looked like originally.

The project worked with community groups, including the Muslim Scouts in Edinburgh and the Glasgow-based AMINA – Muslim Women’s Resource Centre, to provide a series of informative workshops centred on the story of the Islamic glass.

The workshops focused on the beaker shape, decorative designs and calligraphy using Arabic script and Gaelic onto 3D prints. Other elements focused on archaeology and demonstrated the technology used to analyse the glass fragments. q

Expert diagnostics help maintain the woods and the trees

[ OCCASIONALLY, trees, just like us, can have problems that need an extra level of information to enable better-informed decisions regarding their management or safety. Ian Barnes is lead arboricultural consultant and director of Barnes Associates, who offer a range of detailed assessments to help identify, understand and quantify issues that can affect trees.

Ian explained: “Some problems cannot be commented on accurately by simply undertaking a visual assessment, a lot like a doctor referring us for further testing before a diagnosis is given. However, a lot can be gleaned from ground-based visual assessments and that does form the basis of a lot of our recommendations; but when issues are identified, not all is lost and further assessment with specialist equipment might be all that is required to allay any fears or help identify cost-effective or timely management.

“Those assessments enable us to provide you with an improved level of information and allow us to work with you and provide an informed and balanced management of your trees and landscapes.

“We use modern hi-tech equipment and are leaders in the UK on making advanced assessments from tomography scans, tree pull tests and root mapping, and tree radar. Working throughout the UK, we provide specialist services to all our clients and other professionals, including arboricultural surveyors, ecologists and landscape architects.

“Our Tree Diagnostics department at www.treediagnostics.co.uk provides training and equipment for other arboricultural consultancies in the UK and Ireland.” q

• For further information visit www.barnesassociates.co.uk

www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

All Saints floor is finally restored to its stable self

floor in accordance with Street’s original design.

Cliveden Conservation first assisted with moving furniture and placing items in safe storage. With the floor cleared, a detailed photographic survey was undertaken to provide a guide for re-laying the tiles. Cleaning trials then commenced.

Light cleaning of the floor revealed sufficient tiles to proceed with the plan of using new tiles for the central aisle – where the losses were most significant – and saving the original ones for the rest of the floor. That would overcome the issue of replacing non-salvageable tiles with new ones which differed in size. Reusable tiles were numbered, boxed up and taken to Cliveden Conservation’s workshop for repair and cleaning.

The slab and screed were carefully broken up and the levels reduced to the minimum depth needed. To provide insulation, new foam glass pebbles were installed, levelled and compacted. Limecrete was laid to provide a solid and even substrate.

Re-laying the tiles required complete accuracy to match the original pattern of the floor. Diagonally laid black and red tiles framed by contrasting bands of triangular and rectangular tiles delineate the central aisle and areas between the piers.

The joints between each tile were minimal: less than 3mm overall and 1mm in places. Due to the variation in size of the historic tiles and new tiles the process was timely and methodical.

Cliveden Conservation followed the given specification issued by the architect Roderick Maclennan. The result is that the historic floor has been repaired with minimal loss of historic fabric. The new central aisle tiles, sourced from Jackson Craven Dunhill as an appropriate match, show an honest intervention.

With the floor now a safe environment, it can be used by local organisations who could not visit previously.

Church Warden Ken Smith commented: “The restoration of the floor demonstrates exemplary craftsmanship, preservation of historic fabric and sensitive conservation. It provides a valuable case study for other churches to learn from – one church has already visited. The

In memoriam: Roderick Maclennan

The architect on the project, Roderick Maclennan, sadly passed away recently. Ken Smith, Church Warden at All Saints Church Maidenhead, writes:

Whilst having much pleasure in describing the success that has been achieved with such an important project, it is with sadness that we must record the passing of the man who did so much to both specify and oversee it to its conclusion – its architect, Roderick Maclennan.

Roderick has done so much not only for All Saints over many years to protect and enhance the vision of its designer, but also for the many other major projects with which he has been associated elsewhere. Roderick’s love and enthusiasm for his work shone through in everything he did. We shall miss a good friend.

[THE VICTORIAN TILED FLOOR at All Saints Church in Boyne Hill, Maidenhead – designed by G E Street in 1857 – had become deteriorated and unsafe due to being laid on a defective substrate. Quantity surveyors Sawyer and Fisher and architect Roderick Maclellan recommended wellknown specialists Cliveden Conservation to carry out the sensitive repair of the

congregation who helped raise the funds for this project are delighted with the restored floor. We thank Cliveden Conservation, and all who worked on the project, including the two UCL students, from the craftsmen to the funders.” q

Northern Town Halls: symbols of civic pride and commercial success

CHRIS STOKES looks at the evolution of the North’s civic palaces

[

AT THE BEGINNING of his BBC series Why The Industrial Revolution Happened Here, Professor Jeremy Black pointed to the coal that washes up on the beach of Lynemouth in the North East. The abundance of the new wonder fuel in the early part of the 19th century allowed Britain to develop as the world’s first fully industrialised nation.

Nowhere was that industrialisation more evident in the late Georgian and early Victorian periods than in the North of England. The North East had its coal; Yorkshire had its woollen industry; the North West and Lancashire in particular had…rain – lots of it: perfect for milling cotton.

The industrial might of the North gave rise to a growing sense of civic superiority over the rest of the country. It was based on an economic model that was as at home pushing its workforce into servitude as it was milling cotton grown and picked by a workforce that was literally enslaved. The industrialists were no-nonsense pragmatists, dealing like Gradgrind in “Facts…nothing but Facts”.

At the same time, the population was rushing to the towns and cities as never before. From a predominantly rural population the North was becoming urbanised. Between 1800 and 1841 Sheffield doubled in population, Manchester tripled and Liverpool went from 80,000 to over 280,000.

The people in charge of these new urban metropolises were keen to demonstrate the wealth and power of their homes and were prepared to expend large fortunes to do so. The great symbols of the wealth of the industrial centres were to be the town halls.

The first of the civic status symbols were built in the neo-classical style, which emphasised simplicity and symmetry. They are distinguished by their porticos and columns.

Alongside the growing industrial and technological developments, however, there appeared a new form of art and design that, ironically, was in opposition to industrialisation. The neo-Gothic movement was a reaction against the rationalism of neo-classicism, appealing to High Church values and rebelling against the machine. The style harked back to the soaring buttresses of the Middle Ages.

It was, nevertheless, the style of choice for the civic leaders of the mid-19th century and some of the most stunning examples of the style are to be found in Victorian civic buildings.

They were, and still are, marvels of design, pairing almost regal opulence in public with the practicalities of running a modern city. The civic leaders spared no expense in furnishing and decorating them, with pre-Raphaelite paintings and murals sitting alongside Arts and Crafts stained glass.

As the 19th century came to an end and the Belle Epoque dawned, so the neo-Gothic style of architecture in public buildings gave way to the flights of fancy of the neo-Baroque. Described as ‘an ebullient sense of European imperialism [which] encouraged an official architecture to reflect it in Britain and France’. The result was the flamboyant white clad structures such as Stockport Town Hall (pictured top) – known to locals as ‘The Wedding Cake’ – and the Port of Liverpool Building, one of the Three Graces.

Many of the 19th-century masterpieces have suffered from the ravages of time, but fortunately their value has been recognised and they are gradually being restored.

In this and coming issues we will be showcasing some of the more notable recent or on-going restoration programmes, beginning in the following pages with two of the best examples of neo-Gothic in the UK: the Town Halls of Rochdale and, first, Manchester. q

The high priests of civic architecture

[

THE TOWN HALLS of Northern England number among their designers a veritable Who’s Who of 19th-century architectural styles: household names such as Alfred Waterhouse, the neo-Gothic maestro who was responsible for the Town Halls in Manchester, Colne and Nelson, as well as Rochdale with William Henry Crossland.

Later in the century the partnership of Henry Holtom and George Arthur Fox created masterpieces in Burnley, Dewsbury and Morley and Edward Mountford – known as the designer of the Central Criminal Courts in London – was the architect of both Sheffield and Lancaster Town Halls.

In the earlier neo-classical style, William Hill created Bolton (pictured) and Yeadon Town Halls and Halifax Town Hall was the last commission of the renowned Charles Barry, architect of the Palace of Westminster.

Although not used as a town hall today, Cuthbert Broderick’s Leeds Town Hall is currently undergoing substantial restoration, while the unusual Venetian-style City Hall in neighbouring Bradford is one of several Italianate buildings by William Mawson. q

Mancunians embark on marathon restoration of ‘Our Town Hall’

[MANCHESTER TOWN HALL is without doubt one of the most iconic landmarks in the city. It is regarded as one of the finest examples of neo-Gothic architecture in the UK, and is one of the most important Grade One-listed buildings in England.

There had been a Town Hall in Manchester prior to the current building, which was opened in 1877, but the neo-classical building on King Street had become too small to house the expanding business of the corporation.

A competition was held and won by Alfred Waterhouse, already known to Mancunians for his design of the Assize Courts – his first major commission. He would go on to create The Natural History Museum in Kensington.

The site for the new Town Hall was an irregular triangle. The building was to contain a great hall, reception rooms, offices for all the corporation’s departments and a chamber for council meetings, as well as living quarters for the Lord Mayor.

The resulting building is a masterpiece of Victorian Gothic, described in Country Life in 2019 as ‘the finest building of its kind in Britain’.

In his 1895 tome Municipalities at Work, Frederick Dolman states: “The Town Hall itself must astonish many a Londoner, unaccustomed as yet to the idea of a great municipal organisation, when he beholds it for the first time from the centre of Albert Square. The building cost over a million of money, took ten years (1868-77) to erect, and contains 314 rooms, wherein the daily work is done of the many departments of Manchester's municipal actions.”

Despite its grandeur it was designed as a working building, with innovations such as a warm-air heating system.

Built into one of the angle turrets of the 280-ft tower is a 173-step staircase leading to the bell chamber and the clock, with its

Polish glass face and 10ft-long minute hand. The clock mechanism was made by Gillet and Bland, and was started on New Year’s Day 1879. The inscription on the three clock faces which are visible from Albert Square reads “Teach us to number our Days”. There are 24 bells in the tower: the Great Hour Bell weighs 8 tons 2 cwt and is called Great Abel, named after Abel Heywood, the Mayor at the time of the official opening.

By the beginning of this century the building was showing its age, and in 2014 a series of condition surveys and investigations was carried out to understand what was needed to restore both the building and the adjoining Albert Square. In January 2018 the Town Hall was closed for a restoration project that will last until

2024. It has been dubbed the ’Our Town Hall’ project to reflect the fact the building belongs to the people of Manchester.

Deputy Council Leader Cllr Luthfur Rahman has described it thus: “This is the biggest heritage project currently underway in the UK and will provide a remarkable legacy for Manchester – improving public access to this remarkable building and its artefacts and safeguarding it for future generations. It will also help many Mancunians into careers in construction.”

Manchester City Council said: “The Town Hall itself is being repaired, refurbished and brought into line with the requirements of a modern-day civic building; however much of the work we’re doing won’t actually show once it’s reopened. There’s a huge amount of ‘invisible’ work with this project: we’ve been taking out the many obsolete elements from the building, such as the clunky and chunky Victorian plumbing and heating, and replacing it by building in new services that are either underground, out of sight or designed to fit their situation.

“We also took out the inappropriately tackedon kitchen extension in the courtyard, and it’s being rebuilt in a style much more fitting to this iconic Grade One-listed building.”

It's a labour of love for the contractors, such as Lancashire-based Stone Edge North Ltd. They have been on the site for nearly three years – longer than anybody other than the scaffolders. Having undertaken stone cleaning to the external fabric, dismantled and rebuilt chimneys, refurbished metalwork and carried out fabric repairs in the internal courtyards, they are now on the second phase of works.

The Town Hall organ – built by renowned organ-maker Aristide Cavaillé-Coll of Paris in 1877 – is also in the process of being restored jointly by Nicholson & Co of Malvern and Flentrop Orgelbouw of the Netherlands. q

Great Hall stone cleaning required the utmost care

[JAMES STONE MASONRY LTD – in association with main contractor McCrory Holdings – were responsible for the cleaning of the stonework, lime mortar pointing, stone repairs and stone indents, and the descaling of the stonework by applying a poultice to remove salts.

The Great Hall in Manchester Town Hall is of immense importance – the 12 murals painted by Ford Madox Brown in particular had to be protected and great care taken when working around them.

The superb painted ceiling in the room (above left) is also quite remarkable. It is separated into panels bearing the coats of arms of principal countries and towns with which Manchester traded. The timber

panels around the ceiling were cleaned, taking care not to damage the gold leaf and paintwork of the woodwork.

The cleaning of the stonework was undertaken with great care (above right). All the stonework was first washed with deionised water. A latex cleaning compound was applied to the correct thickness and left to cure, then peeled off the stonework – achieving extraordinary results. Any sensitive and delicate areas were first of all protected before the latex was applied.

Salts in the stonework were removed using a clay poultice. The stonework was first of all descaled, then the poultice applied and

covered with cling film to prevent it from drying out too quickly. The poultice was then removed (above), and the stonework washed with deionised water.

James Stone Masonry also carried out lime mortar pointing to the stonework in the Great Hall. The old and defective joints were first of all cut out with a Fein cutter/multitool and hand tools. Dampened wooden wedges were inserted into the joints to prevent any movement of the other stones adjacent to the joint to be pointed. Tape was placed on each side of the joint (below) to prevent staining of the stonework alongside.

If the joint had to be back-pointed, damped hessian was inserted into the joint to prevent the mortar from drying out too quickly. The joint was then pointed to the required finish and tamped with a churn brush to pack the joint tight.

Previous work saw doors restored

Commenting on the award of the contract, a spokesperson for James Stone Masonry Ltd expressed how proud the company was to be involved in such a prestigious project to restore such an historic Grade One-listed Victorian Gothic building. q

visit www.jamesstonemasonryltd.co.uk

[ THE LARGE CUBAN MAHOGANY DOORS and associated over-panels of Manchester Town Hall were restored in an earlier project by David Podmore and his first class team of restorers and conservators at York-based A G Podmore and Son.

Careful repairs and remodelling were carried out to size the doors and corresponding rebates to the original openings, following extensive alteration during the previous 70 years.

Veneers were repaired and matched using original periodsourced materials. Great emphasis was laid on cleaning and repolishing the surfaces to retain all the existing patina and colour. That was carried out with great skill by the French polishers who achieved an authentic finish.

Another interesting aspect of the work was that two of the doors were in fact sham dummies and had brickwork behind them. In the new scheme they had to be fully operational as opening doors, and so the craftsmen at A G Podmore and Son created a facsimile of raised and fielded panels on the reverse side – done using existing timber salvaged from the original redundant door linings, together with some flame mahogany veneers that had been in Podmore's stock for over 40 years. Once again, all the new work blended in beautifully. q

• For further information on the company's work visit the website at www.agpodmore.co.uk

Qualification: it’s what you need –and Katherine is living proof of that

[ABSOLUTE TRAINING SOLUTIONS LTD – a training centre managed by GQA Qualifications – has contributed to the successful restoration of historic stained glass panels at Manchester Town Hall by supporting employees of Recclesia Stained Glass through NVQ attainment. The achievement of the NVQs was funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency, working in partnership with the European Social Fund.

Recclesia’s studio manager Katherine Walton was described by GQA Qualifications and its approved centre Absolute Training Solutions as ‘inspirational’ and a true ‘rising star of the fenestration industry’ after they supported her in the achievement of a Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Glass Processing: for her work on Manchester Town Hall and other projects.

Katherine even added an appearance on Channel 4’s Old House New Home series to her impressive CV after she assisted presenter George Clarke to develop some bespoke windows for one of the show’s projects. Commenting on her NVQ achievement, Sean Monaghan of Absolute Training Solutions said: “Katherine was the ideal candidate for the GQA Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Glass Processing. Her passion and enthusiasm for glass and glazing was clear to see and she produced an excellent portfolio of evidence. Katherine has also been supporting all the glass team members at Recclesia with their own NVQ qualifications.”

The Restored glazing at Manchester Town Hall

Jim Gregory acted as external quality advisor for GQA, the awarding and qualifications-writing organisation that wrote the Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Glass Processing. He commented: “Having observed Katherine at work and interviewed her as part of the EQA process, it was clear that she is very experienced in her role at Recclesia. During the assessment she demonstrated her skill as a stained glass conservator.

“In conversation with Katherine, her knowledge and enthusiasm for the glass sector she is involved in was clearly evident. It is always a good thing when people understand the value of qualifications as a way of further developing their knowledge, their skills and their careers, and I am very pleased to have been able to support Katherine in her achievement. I’m sure she will be an inspiration to other people thinking of entering the industry.”

Katherine herself added: “Vocational qualifications are not only a great means of developing a person’s career: they also play a role in helping to make companies competitive in the markets in which they operate. We are one of the few conservation companies in the UK that continues to maintain a full in-house staff of conservators and traditionally skilled craftsmen and women.”

Recclesia Stained Glass specialises in the conservation and repair of historic and listed buildings, churches, ancient sites and ruins. q

• More information on Recclesia is available from www.recclesia.com More information on NVQs and other qualifications is available at www.gqaqualifications.com

Halfway through and the project is on time and on budget!

[

IN OCTOBER Manchester Council’s Resources and Governance Scrutiny Committee received an update report on the restoration of the Town Hall. It marked the halfway point of the ‘construction phase’ of the project.

The report stated that: “…the extremely high quality of work already carried out has been recognised by bodies including Historic England, the Victorian Society and the Considerate Contractors’ Scheme – and showcased with the reopening to the public of a completed part of the expanded Albert Square.”

The high level of social value the project has produced was highlighted. “Some 237 new jobs have been created through the project, with 40% of these filled by Manchester residents. So far 75 apprenticeships (level two and three) have been created, with 68 of them taken up by Manchester people, and a further 48 higher level apprenticeships. Our Town Hall has also provided 110 work placements and almost 6,000 hours of volunteering on community and charity projects in the city.”

Pictured are apprentices Abdul and Matt, who joined the Our Town Hall project team in 2018, with Mace and Purcell respectively.

The report does warn of possible pitfalls in the ensuing months.

“The unique nature of the project also means that, although survey work was carried out in advance, further challenges are being discovered as the project team get up close to previously inaccessible areas and into the fabric of the building.

“In some cases these mean more extensive work is required than originally anticipated – for example because of the crumbling condition of stonework, guttering and pipes. In other cases this can cause design delays as bespoke solutions are required – for example to meet the challenge of enabling the building to meet modern fire safety standards without undermining its heritage.

“Risks are being constantly assessed and addressed but with only around half of the construction phase complete there is still a long way to go. While the project is still reporting to budget, sophisticated computer modelling shows that if 100% of the potential risks occur the realistic worst case scenario would be a £17m overspend – equivalent to around 5% of the overall budget.”

Cllr Rabnawaz Akbar, Executive Member for Finance, said: “The project team have kept a tight grip on everything, but in a period of exceptionally high inflation and considerable market volatility it’s important that we’re clear-sighted on the budget pressures and the work which is being done to minimise them.”

The projected date for completion of the construction work is still June 2024, but is under review. q

Rochdale’s pride is set for a new lease of life

[

ONE OF THE MOST distinctive buildings in the North West of England is Rochdale Town Hall – widely regarded as one of the UK’s finest examples of Victorian Gothic architecture. Dominating the wide Strand and adjoining Town Hall Square, it stands as a symbol of the wealth and influence the textile industry brought.

The Grade One-listed building was designed by William Crossland and opened in 1871. However, in 1883 a fire ripped through the building and the original tower and spire were demolished. The current iconic tower was built in 1887 to a design by Alfred Waterhouse.

The huge building is currently undergoing a comprehensive restoration and conservation programme, which will result in some parts being opened to the public for the first time and some facilities added. That will include a new Bright Hall – named after the Victorian philanthropist and Rochdale resident John Bright – for smaller-scale community events.

Moreover, a digital scan of the building carried out by the Archaeology Department at Salford University also revealed a treasure trove of forgotten rooms and obscured features.

The works consist of two phases: phase one commenced in January 2021 and is now complete. It involved the removal of asbestos and the old electrical system and the modernising of the roof drainage system. Structural work involved creating openings for new lifts and access points, removing partition walls and mezzanines that had been added in the 20th century. Foundations were put in place for new terracing.

Protection was put in place for the stained glass windows and wood panelling, a new fire protection system was installed and the external stonework was carefully cleaned.

Phase two of the works is currently underway and is due for completion in 2023. That phase involves internal repairs and the restoration of stained glass windows – including the celebrated Cromwell window depicting Charles I, Cromwell and Charles II side-by-side, which was removed and taken to the studios of the York Glaziers’ Trust for preservation – and specialist cleaning of the delicate painted interiors of all the heritage rooms, such as the Great Hall, Mayor’s Parlour and the main reception.

External repairs include roof works, stone repairs and pointing, the replacement of windows to make the Town Hall waterproof and improving roof insulation to make the building more environmentally sustainable.

The Town Hall will become more accessible for all visitors and will provide a safe space that promotes cultural community activities. There will be a new lift and staircase within the clock tower to improve access, with separate access to the Bright Hall on the second floor. Outside, ramps will be put in place for wheelchair users, people with mobility issues and for those visiting with pushchairs.

Alongside the building a new Town Hall Square is being created – a pedestrianised area which will feature plants and lawned areas. A carpet of historic paving stones will feature unique, etched inscriptions inspired by historic symbols found inside the Town Hall. There will also be new benches with designs linked to Rochdale’s history.

Upon reopening in the summer of 2023 the building will once more stand proud as a symbol of Rochdale’s standing in both the Victorian age and the 21st century. q

Revamped masterpiece adds clarity to its delivery

ROCHDALE’S

Hall is one of the finest municipal buildings in Britain, renowned for its unique and detailed architecture, it also functions as the ceremonial headquarters of Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council and houses local government departments, including the borough’s civil registration office.

The extensive work being carried out will also create an open and accessible community space, featuring exhibition rooms and a new Bright Hall next to the Great Hall, for community events to take place.

It’s magnificent Great Hall is a beautifully expansive, but highly reverberant and difficult acoustic space. Improving speech intelligibility was a major goal of the restoration and improvement works.

Audio visual and stage technology specialists Torpedo Factory Group were consulted to improve audio quality and speech legibility for the wide variety of special events that will be hosted in the Great Hall after it reopens next year, while blending discretely with the stunning and intricate hall.

After a detailed consultation, the Torpedo Factory Group installed a robust and discrete HK Audio solution, based around CT108 speaker enclosures from HK Audio’s ConTour series.

The equipment installed comprises six HK Audio Contour CT108 loudspeakers, powered by two LAB Gruppen C28:4 four-channel installation amplifiers. The system is controlled by a Symetrix Radius 12×8 system controller supported by four Symetrix remote control panels. It includes a Tascam CD-200iL CD player, two Sennheiser G3 radio microphones and an Audio-Technica ES915SC18 lectern microphone.

The installation has resulted in a major improvement in sound and speech quality, clarity and intelligibility for the events it will host. It means the Great Hall is set to become a hugely popular and well-known venue which will be suitable for a wide variety of special events. q

• Torpedo Factory Group has spent over 60 years in the audio visual industry, providing innovation and technical expertise to those seeking the best in audio visual presentation and performance technolog y. With offices covering the UK, including their London HQ in a former WWII torpedo factory – hence the name – and with a wide range o f highly-skilled staff, they are able to provide rapid on-site technical pre and post-project sales support.

[ WHILE

Grade One-listed Victorian Gothic Town

Church show treated to a di-Vine opening

[

COMEDIAN TIM VINE wowed a large crowd at the opening of CRE National with his signature wisecracks – and then took an enormous pair of scissors to cut a tape to open the three-day show at Sandown Park in Esher, Surrey.

“It is a great exhibition with something for everyone and all aspects of church life,” he said. He tried sitting on a cushion which was heated by an internal battery when sat upon and is targeted at churches as a means of reducing the heating bills during a time of extreme economic pressure.

“Phew, this is brilliant,” was his verdict testing the cushion. “This would have been ideal in some of the chilly churches I have been in.”

Visitors to the three-day ‘Ideal Church Show’ found a wide variety of stands offering help in all aspects of church life – from pews and pulpits to puppets, sound systems to stained glass; with a range of speakers on topics helping churches respond to the cost of living crisis, fundraising for capital projects, running a holiday club and how to engage with those hurting from porn.

As energy prices soar, many stands were kept busy advising on the way in which churches and individuals can save money. Chris Dunphy of ChurchEcoMiser explained that many Anglican churches in particular were keen to become net-zero carbon by 2030, as called for by the Synod.

“This often means replacing the heating system to become carbon neutral,” he said, pointing out that there had been a lot of interest in his all-electric radiator system, which does away with pipes and boilers and gives a cleaner heating system.

VAT consultant Les Howard had also had a number of enquirers, and said: “Churches can save money on VAT – especially when constructing accessibility works such as a wheelchair access or toilet facilities for the disabled.”

Pete Cunningham believes that, as the economic situation worsens, more people are going to be made homeless and will need the support of local churches. He set up Green Pastures more than 20 years ago and they now partner with more than 85 ministries to house more than 1,400 people.

He said: “The mission enables churches to end homelessness by purchasing houses to be used for the homeless in that community, and then equips the church to provide on-going care for residents. I believe churches have got to take some of the responsibility for homing those who are or will become homeless and demonstrate that Christian values are real.”

A number of stands aimed to equip Christians with tools and resources to share their faith with others in innovative ways. Tim Vine was presented with a pair of not-quite-eponymous ‘I am the Vine’ socks at the Holy Socks stall – part of a large range of clothing sporting a subtle (or less subtle!) Gospel message. Also on offer were evangelistic golf balls!

In one of the thought-provoking seminar strands, Lifting the Lid, Alan Charter of Global

Children’s Forum and Children Matter explored child spirituality and invited more than 80 visitors how best to serve the needs of younger churchgoers. Using a variety of techniques, the sessions focused on children and young people referred to in the Bible, and provided a wealth of practical advice on enabling youngsters to find and grow in their Christian faith.

One of those attending was Pauline Joyce, a youth and children’s worker at St Mary’s in Speldhurst in Kent. She explained how the sessions had proved to be enormously encouraging.

“We are doing better than we thought we are!” she exclaimed, finding the content to be highly relevant to her congregation near Tunbridge Wells. “And being CRE, we’ve also come away with lots of useful resources.”

The three-day event is the nearest thing to a trade show for clergy and all those involved in the maintenance and mission of their local church, with more than 160 organisations displaying everything from computers to candles, sound systems to stained glass, pianos to puppets and even emergency sleeping pods for the homeless. q

Mammon ousts God in Liverpool event contest

[THE ORGANISERS of Christian Resources Exhibition have been forced to scrap plans for next year’s event in Liverpool, after it was decided that Eurovision 2023 would take place there next May.

Steve Goddard, co-owner and managing director of CRE said the BBC’s Host City Selection Committee and the European Broadcasting Union showed no concern about the devastating effect the bidding process would have on his business, after months of hesitation from the event’s organisers.

CRE North was originally scheduled from 3-4 May at ACC Liverpool – the same month as Eurovision 2023 – but Goddard is now in talks for compensation.

“They wanted us to reschedule it close to the original date, but that is not satisfactory for us, so we’re having to completely abandon plans to run the exhibition in 2023. We’re going to have to postpone it to 2024,” he commented. q

Church sound experts get the music industry’s seal of approval

[MUSIC HAS ALWAYS been an important element of Christian worship – from the mighty Masses and oratorios of classical composers to the parish church organist and the informal bands of Hardy’s Wessex. More recently, the pop and rock genres have been adopted by Gospel and faith groups.

The electrification of church music has brought with it the need for faithful amplification – allowing at the same time the spoken word to be understood more clearly.

When it comes to music amplification, there is no better endorsement than to be chosen as the sound system for the Boisdale Music Awards. Boisdale live music restaurants are recognised as among the finest in London and the awards provide a prestigious showcase for the group’s Canary Wharf venue in London’s Docklands.

Hosted by Boisdale Patron of Music Jools Holland, the star-studded event saw gongs awarded in 14 categories, including a Lifetime Achievement Award for Black Sabbath guitarist and founding member Tony Iommi. Together they represent the fact that electric music has established a heritage of its own.

Performers on the night enjoyed the use of a newly-installed

sound system by French supplier NEXO. “We’ve had nothing but positive comments from visiting artists and sound engineers since installing the NEXO system,” said Boisdale commercial and marketing director Adam Priestley. “It’s important that performers and audience alike experience the very best live sound, and that’s exactly what they get with NEXO.”

Presenting the award for Best Reggae Artist to guitarist, songwriter and producer Dennis Bovell was none other than NEXO’s own Andy Simmons AMInstSCVE.

NEXO has installed its systems into churches and houses of worship around the world. Their approach is summed up thus: “An optimised balance of high performance and discreet visual impact make NEXO systems an ideal choice for installations in houses of worship. The facility to mix cabinets from different systems – all powered by NEXO’s combined amplification and DSP control solutions – makes it possible to configure systems that deliver consistently even coverage across the congregation, even in difficult acoustic environments, while compact form factor and custom colour options help cabinets blend discreetly into the space.” q

Age and design are no barriers to hearing accessibility

[

THOSE

WHO HAVE RESPONSIBILITY

for heritage buildings may be concerned that accessibility features can change or damage the features that draw so many people to them; but every public space has a legal obligation to make itself accessible to disabled people and that includes those with hearing loss. Unlike other more visible disabilities, hearing loss often gets overlooked.

There is a broad range of assistive listening systems available that mean visitors with hearing loss coming to enjoy a tour, a performance or to worship will receive the same clear sound as everyone else –without impacting on the building.

A legal and moral duty

The rights of disabled people are protected in the UK by the Equality Act 2010, which aims to prevent discrimination. It states that auxiliary aids and services, such as a hearing loop, should be offered to improve the service for customers and potential customers.

The Act states that public venues should make a ‘reasonable adjustment’ to be accessible to people with hearing loss. The definition of what is ‘reasonable’ remains open to interpretation.

Further recommendations for the integration of assistive listening technologies in public buildings are detailed in Building Standards introduced in 2018 and in 2021, so there is a wealth of guidance available.

More than that, however, public buildings have a moral duty to be welcoming to all and to offer an equitable experience to every visitor.

Technology for every setting

Professional engineers are sensitive to the needs of the building as well as its visitors and there are assistive listening systems available to meet the needs of every setting.

They all work in similar ways – transmitting sound from a source such as a microphone and converting it into a signal that can be picked up by a hearing aid or a small receiver, which then converts the signal back into sound. The background noise is cut out and people with hearing loss can clearly hear what’s being said.

The most commonly used system is a hearing loop. The ‘loop’ refers to copper wire that’s laid either in the flooring or ceiling of a building. Once powered up, the loop creates a magnetic signal that is converted into sound by the telecoil in a person’s hearing aid.

That is the only technology that is globally accepted and works in the same way everywhere; so no matter where visitors or worshippers come from, their telecoil-enabled hearing aids will work with a loop. It is also the only technology that has an agreed global standard.

Radio frequency (RF) systems use wireless radio waves to transmit sound to a receiver: portable units that headphones can be plugged into or an inductive neck loop for hearing aid users. RF systems are an option where metal in a building affects the signal strength of a hearing loop or the installation of loop cables may not be possible. They can be also used for tour guiding.

Infrared (IR) systems carry the audio signal via invisible IR light. Visitors pick up an audio signal using a compatible receiver. If a venue has a number of presentations in different rooms, visitors can walk from one to the other and receive clear audio seamlessly.

Expert installation

A site visit by an expert installer such as those at Contacta is the first step in determining which system will be best for the space. The installer will take a range of measurements and run tests to ascertain how well one might perform.

They also take into consideration the architecture and aesthetics of the building: can a loop cable be laid invisibly under a new wooden floor, for example? Could it be fitted under carpet using copper tape without causing damage?

They will combine that with their knowledge of performance standards for each system, to make sure the assistive listening technology they recommend is suitable from every angle, meets standards and gives visitors with hearing loss the highest quality of sound. q

St John’s congregation plays ‘Spot the speakers!’

[A CHURCHWARDEN at the Church of St John Baptist in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, has a new game: “When visitors come into the church I challenge them to spot the loudspeakers,” said Nigel Robbins, who is also a former Mayor of Cirencester. And often, when puzzled visitors return and ask where the music is coming from, he smiles and says: “From heaven!”

It follows a massive overhaul of the sound system in one of the largest parish churches in England – a Grade One-listed building which includes architectural styles from the 12th century – carried out by Novum AV.

Novum used special lookalike materials for the loudspeakers –successfully camouflaging them from the impressive surroundings. The company removed a dozen boxed speakers from the medieval limestone columns in the church, and more than 300 metres of unsightly cabling, before installing the tall, slim, speakers designed to blend into the environment – each one colour-matched and positioned discretely. The speakers improve both building architecture and aesthetics.

“The specialist system we used means that sound waves are digitally steered direct to the congregation, focusing on the listening area and directing sound away from hard, reflective surfaces,” said Tim Jacques, principal of Novum AV. “That avoids the problem of reverberation in large buildings – particularly with a lot of stonework.

“The highly-controlled coverage also means that the words spoken can be much more intelligible. By designing a system with a small number of specialised loudspeakers, the budget was directed towards buying high-quality units rather than using excessive cost providing extra speakers, which would have involved more installation labour and other installation materials.”

Nigel Robbins added: “We have been bedevilled by a sound system for the spoken voice which frequently let us down. The new speakers perform magnificently, the human voice suffering no distortion through dispersion

such as reverberation. The softest sound comes through clearly from over 70 yards from its source. Hard-of-hearing people declare they no longer require the old loop system. The new speakers actually enhance the appearance of our wonderful church, making it easier to lease the desirable church space to local organisations – both a community benefit and a commercial opportunity for the church.” q

HDBaseT: it’s high-definition magic!

[ HIGH-DEFINITION SCREENS and video content are everywhere nowadays, but why doesn’t it work very well in places of worship? The short answer is that it can! Lots of churches have projection systems and screens that have worked well for many years, but when they are tried for high definition (HD) content they become unreliable or don’t work at all.

It is often the case that churches will have old style cabling installed for analogue signals which work well even over quite long distances. When the upgrade to HD is implemented, there will often be someone who goes ahead and installs a really long HDMI lead or tries some cheap convertors from a well-known auction site or other large online marketplace. Often those don’t work and simply leave you with an unstable connection: that’s if you’re lucky to get anything at all!

The problem with high resolution video is that you can’t transmit it very far on standard leads. With the latest 4K images the distances can be a short as five metres before problems start to occur. Lowering the signal down to HD or even standard definition (SD) will increase the potential distance for transmission, but that is at the cost of image quality and legibility on the screen. It’s even worse when large screens are being used.

Worry not, though! There is a technology called HDBaseT that is the answer to all your problems – well, all your video problems at least. This technology allows you to take a video feed and easily transmit it more than 70 metres away without any loss of signal or stability issues. It can even be used for upscaling old analogue signals such as VGA from your old laptop.

commented: “HDBaseT has been around a few years now and has established itself as a robust method of reliable video transmission. We recently used this technology on a church job that needed a couple of 75-inch screens installed. When you get to this size screen, high-definition content is really needed to maximise the legibility of hymn words and the impact of other content.

“With HDBaseT installed we easily covered the 30-metre cable runs and provided the church with several plug-in points so they could move their display around depending on the church event and setup. HDBaseT really is worth every penny and will save many a headache trying to resolve video issues.” q

• For more information contact Paul on 0191 414 4241 or visit www.blaydoncomms.co.uk and hdbaset.org

Paul Dougherty, managing director of specialist installer Blaydon Communications,

Latest tech will bring new opportunities for assistive listening

[NEW AUDIO SHARING TECHNOLOGY that could transform the way hearing aid and cochlear implant users listen to audio was launched in June. Auracast has been designed specifically for people with hearing loss to stream audio to devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants. It will make audio in public places and on personal devices like smartphones much more accessible.

Since Bluetooth’s announcement of the new technology in early 2020, hearing loss charity RNID has been working with the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) to ensure the new technology is easy to use and safe, and that the rollout is as smooth as possible.

RNID says it will continue to work with Bluetooth SIG and with its supporters to encourage venues and product developers to adopt Auracast and make the transition from existing systems, as it has the potential to make a significant difference to the lives of people with hearing loss.

The Bluetooth SIG are currently finalising the specifications that product developers and venues will have to meet in order to use Auracast. That is expected to be released in the next few months with new products – including hearing aids and cochlear implants – to start coming onto the market in early 2023.

RNID trustee Gideon Hoffman commented: “Auracast could transform the everyday lives of people with hearing loss and make the world much more inclusive. RNID really wants to encourage this kind of inclusive technology and we were thrilled to be able to contribute to its development and rollout.

“While traditional systems like loop systems are useful, this new technology will be in devices everyone uses, which makes it inclusive and

easy to access music, video and conversations with friends and family.”

Assistive listening systems can be used to help people who struggle to hear audio in difficult environments. That can include hearing speech in noisy places, music, dialogue on television and the telephone. There are different technologies that can help do that such as loop systems.

For hearing aid and cochlear implant users, streaming audio using Bluetooth from personal devices like smartphones has been available for some time. However, currently, it only allows users to connect to a single device at a time and sometimes only works with specific devices.

Auracast is different: anyone with Auracast-enabled Bluetooth earbuds or hearing aids will be able to access high-quality audio through the privacy of their own device.

Auracast will also be the first truly universal Bluetooth connection. Users will be able to stream audio from any Auracast-capable device to their Auracast-enabled Bluetooth earbuds or hearing aids. q

Poor sound quality is laid to rest

[

HIGHGATE CEMETERY in North London was consecrated by the Bishop of London in 1839 and formed part of an initiative to provide seven large, modern cemeteries to ring the city of London. Perched on a hill to the north of Hampstead Heath and above the smoke and filth of the city, Highgate Cemetery soon became a fashionable place for burials and was much admired and visited.

The Victorian romantic attitude to death and its presentation led to the creation of a labyrinth of Egyptian sepulchres and a wealth of Gothic tombs and buildings. Novelist George Eliot and revolutionary Karl Marx are among the historical figures buried at the cemetery along with electrical engineer Michael Faraday and, more recently, musician George Michael.

Two chapels, one for the Church of England and the other for Dissenters, were housed within one building, built in the Tudor Gothic style, topped with wooden turrets and a central bell tower. The archway beneath the bell-tower gives an imposing entry to the cemetery. One chapel remains in use for committal services, lectures, meetings and arts events. The lighting has recently been upgraded as part of renovation works but the existing sound system was in need of improvement and no provision had been made for hearing aid users who may require an

induction loop or another form of assistive listening.

The importance of good quality audio reproduction cannot be overstated, especially for those who suffer with hearing loss and use a hearing aid or other assistive listening device. This was at the forefront of the mind for Ian Dungavell, cemetery manager at Highgate, when he made contact with audio and visual installation specialists Cunnings Recording Associates on the recommendation of their lighting contractor Anthony J Smith of Gloucester.

A number of options were considered for an assistive listening system but the least intrusive solution was the use of infrared. Daniel Cunnings, senior engineer and member of the Institute of Sound, Communication and Visual Engineers, explained: “A traditional loop is always the preferred choice wherever possible as this couples directly to a user’s hearing aid through the telecoil often referred to simply as the T position. Induction loops are commonplace in public buildings and there is no embarrassment for a user to discreetly select the T position on their hearing aid. However, installing a loop cable around the chapel wasn’t a possibility as it would have detracted from the ornate decorative finish, so using an infrared system was the obvious answer.”

Infrared systems radiate infrared light throughout a building which is picked up by small receivers worn around the neck. These create a small induction loop field for each user which can be coupled to the hearing aid just like a larger loop system. These systems are easy to deploy and, critically, don’t create any delay to the audio signal so lip reading is not impacted. A single infrared radiator, almost imperceptible to the gathered congregation, has been installed above the main arch in the chapel and this provides coverage across the whole room to a number of rechargeable receivers.

During discussions with the cemetery team it became clear the existing sound system was also in need of enhancement. Audio quality was poor and the system was being controlled through a basic analogue mixer tucked away in a side room making it difficult to hear what adjustments were needed, especially for larger services which require overflow speakers.

Cunnings have installed a new digital audio control system which greatly improves the use of the sound system. Simple wall mounted control panels replace the analogue mixer to provide volume adjustment and recall of presets which allow for different positions of the lectern. This control can be replicated wirelessly on smart phones or tablets which allows operators to stand in the chapel and hear what adjustments are required. The existing loudspeakers and microphones were retained and correctly set up to improve the audio quality and speech intelligibility. A new power sequencer allows the whole sound system to be powered on and off from a single button in the correct sequence, without causing any unwanted noise through the loudspeakers.

Daniel concluded: “Although the changes to the existing system were fairly minimal, the improvement to the quality of the sound and to the ease of operation has made a significant difference for users and operators alike. Together with the provision of an assistive listening solution the issue of poor sound quality has now been laid to rest.” q

• Daniel Cunnings MInstSCVE is senior installation engineer at Cunnings Recording Associates, a specialist design and installation company providing quality audio, visual and induction loop systems for churches and prestigious buildings since 1977. Call 020 8767 3533 or email info@cunnings.co.uk to arrange a consultation.

Order in the court!

[

THE HISTORIC GUILDHALL in Tavistock, Devon, has undergone a complete refurbishment to allow visitors to have a more interactive and memorable experience when visiting the museum, council chamber and meeting place. As part of the project APi Sound & Visual were appointed to install a new AV system into the Guildhall’s courtroom.

The design of the courtroom was not conducive to easily installing an AV system without it being obtrusive when not in use. A system design that gave flexibility but ease-of-use was paramount to the success of the project.

To achieve the client’s vision, APi had to carefully design and install custom brackets that would securely fasten the winch-down projection screen to the historic structure (right). They then built pelmets to hide the winch and safety mechanisms that the screen needed in order to operate.

A laser projector was chosen due to its instant ‘on time’ and high brightness output. It was mounted unobtrusively at the back of the room.

To ensure the quality of audio matched that of the visual system, ultra-slim line array speakers were fitted throughout the room to minimise the impact on the space but give even sound coverage during use.

Finally, the entire system can be controlled using the touchscreenbased control system created by APi’s engineers (below). That makes switching between video and audio inputs simple and intuitive, with the layout of the control system customised to the particular client.

• To discuss your AV needs contact APi on 0845 557 8350 or email info@apicommunications.co.uk

The result is a bespoke installation that respects the building and its heritage, letting technology and history come together without the new equipment dominating the impressive space it is housed in. q

Sustainable heating is key to sustaining our heritage

by Paul Trew of MTA Associates

[

ECCLESIASTICAL BUILDINGS have been the ‘warm hearth’ in the centre of our communities for generations. The oftentimes awe-inspiring architecture engenders a deep emotional connection to our past while simultaneously helping us to appreciate and understand more of our present. Providing the stable foundations of reliable dependability and holding us upright in times of uncertainty, those buildings provide a space for us to come together, to share our faith and our hopes for the future.

Our responsibility as the custodians of that heritage is to ensure those buildings remain useful and functional, so that future generations can benefit from that same sense of enhanced wellbeing and improved quality of life.

To ensure those buildings do not fall into disrepair and become derelict, thermal improvements should always be considered when major works are planned. Heating them is energy intensive; and with the drive towards net-zero at the forefront of the building services industry the unique challenges of aesthetics and the conflict between comfort heating, conservation and environmental control requires a compassionate understanding.

As aging technologies fade out of use as either too expensive or high in energy consumption and carbon emissions, how can we provide a solution that is both sustainable and affordable – yet preserves the

historical fabric which is so important?

The main objectives are reducing upfront energy use, reducing carbon emissions, improving comfort levels for the congregation and complying with statutory requirements. In order to do that, we must reduce base energy use as much as practicable through correct zoning, using smart technologies and controls to tailor the energy use and using renewable energy as sources for heating as often as possible.

As each building has its own unique personality, each project has its own objectives which must be considered before any design work can take place. There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution. We must consider the size of the building and the frequency of use. Is there a large congregation or a small congregation? Are services daily, weekly or bi-weekly?

There can be a building fabric conservation benefit to maintaining a background temperature within buildings to preserve sensitive finishes or furniture; however, an ‘energy penalty’ may be inadvertently created in a building only used once a week. Alternatives can be to use ‘fast response’ methods such as hot air blowers or heated pews; however, they can become expensive if left on for too long.

We must ask if there are any existing aspects that can be utilised? Are there any areas where the draft-proofing can be improved, or where

St Michael and All Angels Church, Berwick (left) and Leicester Cathedral (right)

(l-r) Rochester Cathedral, Wakefield Cathedral and St Judes Church, West Brompton

existing doors can be kept closed? When considering more intrusive options, as these can be disruptive and sometimes controversial the benefits must justify the impact.

For instance, while underfloor heating can create a more comfortable climate for the congregation and be visually less obtrusive once complete, the works themselves can be costly and the loss of historical fabric may be an impact that is difficult to justify.

Insulating church roofs is a complex and costly undertaking and likely to only be justifiable as part of a re-roofing project. If a church is rarely heated, does roof insulation make sense? If so, where are the largest energy losses and where would additional insulation provide the most benefit? It can be difficult to heat poorly insulated buildings with traditional radiators and electric radiators can be expensive to run and stretch the power supply. Could heat pumps be the answer?

Which source of energy is more suited to the longevity of a particular building? Should we consider direct electricity, gas or bio-fuels such as wood chip.

On-site electricity generation would be optimal and the east-to-west orientation of a south-facing roof provides great opportunities to utilise solar energy; however, solar generated electricity tends to offer little benefit for space heating generation due to being off season, and so we must consider where that generated energy is being used.

At MTA we have a genuine interest in the preservation of historic fabric and the concept of repair rather than replacement. We aim always to integrate modern services with minimal intervention and fabric loss. Projects have included new boiler installations, traditional radiators and/or underfloor heating and environmental controls where important artefacts are stored or displayed.

We have worked on projects at the cathedrals of Leicester, Wakefield, Arundel, Rochester, Salisbury, Westminster and Winchester. Church projects include St Alfege’s Church in Greenwich, St John the Baptist in Cirencester, St Jude’s in Brompton, St Mary de Crypt in Gloucester and many others. q

Midlands trio add to installer’s portfolio

[A TRIO OF CHURCHES in the Midlands are set to find winter more comfortable in the future. They are the latest additions to those benefitting from the expertise of specialist installers Mellor and Mottram of Stoke-on-Trent, who have been installing heating systems into churches for more than three decades.

St Mary’s in Royal Leamington Spa (right) is a Grade Twolisted building designed by J G Jackson and built in 1838-9. It is complemented by two adjoining halls, all suitable for hiring out.

Heating, therefore, is a major concern. The new system will be powered by a Remeha Gas 220 Ace boiler, complemented by fan convectors.

The two other churches that Mellor and Mottram have recently been appointed to install heating systems into are within a stone’s throw of each other in Leek, Staffordshire – the company’s own home county.

The Church of St Edward the Confessor (below) is a Grade Two*-listed church which dates back to the 13th century and is Leek’s original parish church. It contains notable stained glass by Morris & Co, including a Burne-Jones window. The church is thought by some to have been placed there to ‘Christianise’ an earlier pagan site: the churchyard is a place from which a notable ‘double sunset’ can be seen on and around the summer solstice, when the sun seems to set twice behind a nearby hill.

An obsolete Concorde boiler is being replaced by a Remeha 90kW output boiler. Following a flushing of the system a new control panel will be installed, allowing maximum control of the heating for optimum efficiency.

Some 150 metres from St Edward’s is Trinity Church (right), the union of the Central Methodist and United Reformed Churches in Leek. The current church with its slender steeple was built in 1863 as a Congregational Church, although there had been dissenting worship on the site as far back as 1695.

The new system will comprise two Remeha 90kW boilers to heat the large space, although the control panel will be retained.

Meanwhile, the team at Mellor and Mottram have taken delivery of the components of the innovative radiant heating panels to be installed in All Saints in Harbury, as featured in the last issue. q

• For further information call 0800 644 6240 or visit the website at www.mellorandmottram.com

Blackpool has been lighting up people’s lives for generations

[

WHEN CELEBRITY DESIGNER Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen threw the switch to turn on the Blackpool illuminations in September he was initiating a display that has more than 140 years of history behind it.

The Changing Rooms star professes a great deal of affection for the show and has collaborated with the Illuminations production team for a number of years, designing a number of spectacular features and installations. It includes creating a stretch of Art Deco-style features that will celebrate a golden age of 1930s glamour as part of a makeover of the famous Golden Mile.

‘The lights’ – as they are affectionately known by one-and-all – have been lighting up Blackpool since 1879, when Blackpool Council embarked on an experiment in street lighting, beginning with eight arc lamps on 60ft poles along the seafront. The installation cost £5,000 –a substantial sum in those days.

As the town’s tourist office, Visit Blackpool, explains: “In a time when residents were lighting their homes with candles, this installation left the public in wonderment, calling them ‘artificial sunshine’.”

The installation brought an influx of visitors eager to see the new

technology at work, heralding the town’s status as a major tourist resort.

In May 1912 the visit of Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, brought the first real illumination display. The promenade was decorated with around 10,000 lights and attracted thousands of visitors: the modern illuminations were born. The success was short lived, however, as the advent of World War One brought the show to a halt for 11 years.

The return of the lights in 1925 marked the beginning of the expansion of the displays and the addition of tableaux. With the exception of a break from the beginning of World War Two to 1949 the illuminations have been an annual event ever since.

The resumption in 1949 also marked the start of the tradition of the celebrity Switch-On – performed on that occasion by actress Anna Neagle.

The latest innovation is the extension of the illumination period into the New Year, meaning even more visitors can witness the nation’s favourite light show. q

Parishioners at St Matthew’s are seeing things in a new light!

[CLS ELECTRICAL SERVICES LTD – also known as Church Lighting Systems – were given the task of updating the existing lighting system in St Matthew’s Church in Worthing, which mostly consisted of tungsten halogen floodlights providing the main illumination throughout the church. Not very energy efficient!

After CLS carried out an inspection of the existing installation, they confirmed that the existing control equipment and most of the wiring could be kept and re-used, keeping the overall cost of the project as low as possible to meet the church’s budget.

Following the supply of a lighting design and faculty-ready specification, work began to increase the overall light levels within the church while reducing the overall energy consumption. All the tungsten halogen fittings were removed and replaced with 4,000lm LED spotlights, providing both general and focused lighting to important areas of the church.

It was important to add architectural lighting to the church, which was lacking in the previous installation. Small dimmable LED fittings were installed to illuminate the eight arches in the nave and were added onto the existing control system.

As worship at St Matthew’s involves live music, new coloured lighting was requested to be installed within the chancel. Two 50W RGBW LED floodlights were installed within the arches in the chancel, together with five 30W RGBW LED floodlights within the apse windows. Again, to keep the overall cost to a minimum, the light fittings are controlled with a handheld RF remote control, offering many colour changing options.

Upon completion CLS provided a training session with members of the church, showing them how to make changes to the programming of the lighting system in the future. Lighting scenes were also set up according to the requirements of the church.

Dr Ian Normansell of the PCC explained how the project unfolded: “We began planning our work with CLS before the pandemic and then the inevitable delay happened while the church temporarily closed, and fundraising stopped.

“CLS adjusted with great professionalism to our new timeline and budget. They understood our revised financial constraints and devised a lighting scheme which delivered everything we

wanted at a cost we could afford.

“Once work began it progressed quickly and to schedule. The quality of their work was faultless and Adrian, Jamie and Stewart were a pleasure to work with. They were considerate, worked well alongside other contractors and tidied up brilliantly at the end of each week so we could still run our Sunday services.

“The result of their lighting installation is everything we hoped for, transforming the appearance of the church. If you choose to engage CLS to carry out work, you will not be disappointed – you will find them to be highly professional, skilled, excellent value, flexible, tidy and a true delight to work with.” q

Rochester Cathedral: now bathed in light

“Light is beautiful in itself, for its nature is simple…Wherefore it is integrated in the highest degree and most harmoniously proportioned and equal to itself: for beauty is a harmony of proportions”

Robert Grosseteste – scholastic philosopher, theologian, scientist and

ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL – England’s second oldest – recently underwent a transformative lighting upgrade: 21st-century lighting engineering gave the Grade One-listed building a renewed spark. Repairs, renovations and revitalising have not been unheard of throughout the cathedral’s life. Founded in 604 by Bishop Justus with the permission of King Æthelberht I of Kent, Rochester Cathedral has more than 1,400 years of history – and plenty of scars to prove it!

[

The Romanesque cathedral faced its first injury in 1066 with the Norman invasion. Being ransacked and left to decay for 20 years took a toll on the grand structure, until the Norman bishop Gundulf oversaw the reconstruction of the current building in 1083. A century later the building was rebuilt in the Gothic style after a major fire destroyed much of the premises.

Fire and pilfering weren’t the only threats to lay siege to the grand architecture. The building has also been used on occasion as a military base. The most notable were in 1215 under King John, under Simon de Montfort when opposing Henry III and by Oliver Cromwell’s troops during the English Civil War.

Over the years, countless repairs and upgrade projects have added to the fascinating character and charm of a building where no corner is like any other. Today, Rochester Cathedral continues to play an essential role in the community. Among a plethora of secular activities

and traditional liturgical services you might also find exhibitions, organ festivals and even jazz concerts.

Such an important structure deserves a lighting system of equal stature. With no serious upgrades since the 1960s, Rochester Cathedral’s lighting design could not meet the day-to-day needs, let alone magnify the grand Gothic building.

As the next in a long line of architects, builders and engineers to add their touch to the historic building, CES Light & Electrical Specialists LLP wanted to pay homage to the Gothic design while providing functional lighting.

Traditionally, in ecclesiastical Gothic buildings, light represented architecture as a reflection of Heaven: think of large stained glass windows between ribbed vaults and the external flying buttresses of Notre Dame in Paris. Throughout history architects have devised innovative ways to create revering natural light designs.

Following in their footsteps, CES opted for discrete lighting, while emphasising Rochester Cathedral’s impressive architecture. CES was commissioned to overhaul the existing lighting and electrical system and replace it with a design that captures the cathedral’s historical nature and caters for its 21st-century needs.

The new lighting eclipses the old. Where there was no lighting CES installed fixtures to highlight the detailed features and monuments. Where there was poor lighting there is now flexibility for bright functions or subdued moments of reflection. When it comes to cost savings, there is an estimated yearly saving of over £4,000.

The design involved intricate details for every cable route, fixing, custom bracket and innovative mounting to avoid disrupting or damaging priceless historic features. To the west of the nave are the engineer’s plaques. CES designed a bespoke shelf to sit within each reveal to hide

Bishop of Lincoln (1235-53).

the lighting and wiring. Each of the gritty dogtooth arcades, triforium and clerestory elements were illuminated to emphasise the perceived height of the cathedral. That draws the viewer up to the details in the roof structure that are otherwise neglected.

A single integrated lighting control system now covers the entire cathedral, so there is no more running to 100 different switch positions upon leaving. The lighting can also all be controlled via a

DMX desk when external hires or concerts take over the building. The design process took over two years, impacted by COVID-19 delays. The installation began in mid-2021 and has recently been completed. After nearly one-and-a-half thousand years of continual restorations and renovations, it’s doubtful the new lighting design will be the last touch-up the cathedral faces. However, as a testament to the cathedral’s ancient architecture and mismatched history, it will surely stand the test of time. q

Scotland’s top roofers meet again to celebrate award-winners

[

THE NFRC Scottish Roofing Awards luncheon took place on 28 October at the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow. The awards celebrated a selection of the best of roofing, cladding and rainscreen projects in Scotland.

It was the return of the event that many had been looking forward to, after the awards for the past two years could not go ahead due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In common with the UK Roofing Awards – also promoted by the NFRC – the Scottish regional awards featured a number of heritage buildings, and also the reroofing of a major museum.

The judges rewarded standout projects for quality workmanship, innovation, strong supply chain management and impressive responses to challenges on the projects.

The awards were presented to winners by comedian and presenter Fred MacAulay.

One of the highlights was the award to Southwest Roofing Services Ltd for Craig House in Edinburgh (pictured above). That project had featured on the short list for the national awards in the Heritage category last year and scooped the Roof Slating category in the Scottish awards.

The judges were impressed by the traditional detailing used, particularly the leadwork replacements and repairs.

The Roof Tiling category was awarded to Ferguson Kellock Ltd for West Boathouse in Glasgow (right), the restoration of the Category B-listed building for use as a community water sports facility and museum.

The judges said that the project was recognised in part due to the very clean and level roof lines, despite initial challenges.

In the Roof Sheeting category, the award went to Pro Industrial Roofing and Cladding for Forth House in Edinburgh – the historic office building which is to become a hotel.

The judges recognised how well the roof work had added a modern twist to a traditionally constructed property, while staying true to the building by referencing traditional detailing.

In 2018 the hottest June day in Scotland caused the iconic curved roof of Glasgow Science Centre to ‘melt’. Now, after a £5.5m renovation project the centre boasts a new roof which has scooped the Fully Supported Metal category in the NFRC Scottish Roofing Awards for Curtis Moore (Cladding Systems) Ltd.

The judges noted: “This project met the challenge of a technically

complex re-cladding project on an occupied building.”

Scott J Miller MIoR, chair of NFRC Scotland, said of the awards: “It’s brilliant to return to celebrating great achievement in the Scottish roofing industry after two years away. The awards luncheon was a very enjoyable occasion and it was wonderful to be reunited with contractors, suppliers and merchants at an event dedicated to recognising the brilliant work they do.

“Entries were of a very high standard this year, and we know that far more great work in the industry occurs than we can recognise every year – so to those that missed out this time, please do enter next year. We’re looking forward already to seeing the great work you do in the coming year.” q

Roof works form part of major temple repairs

[MASTIC ASPHALT works at The Balaji Temple in Oldbury, West Midlands, has recently been completed by Howard Evans Roofing and SPV Special Projects – both part of Walsall-based Phoenix Consortia.

From its humble roots half a century ago, the steadily-growing Hindu temple is now regarded as the largest of its kind in Europe. Each year an increasing number of devotees and visitors – currently nearly half a million – visit the temple. Many visiting groups come to the temple for guided tours, including over 10,000 students from schools, colleges and universities. The development of the complex is still continuing, with plans for completing the processional way for the chariot, a dining hall and the completion of the extensive landscaping before a long-awaited Maha Kumbabishekam of Lord Venkateswara – a special ritual of consecration.

Howard Evans Roofing have completed two phases of work over the past 12 months. The most recent project involved the remediation of two stairwell roofs.

Kate Whatley of Howard Evans explained: “We allowed for the provision of scaffold access to one of the stairwells and the adaption of the existing scaffold access by the current scaffold supplier.

“Our remit was to strip off the old felt roof consisting of failed torch-on felt and OSB tongue-and-groove boards which had perished, followed by the polystyrene boards to falls, as well as the vapour barrier. Upon going down to concrete substrate we discovered water at least 10 inches deep, obviously supporting Academy Consultancy and Design’s report that the system had failed.

“We then laid one layer of sheathing felt onto the concrete followed by IKO permascreed asphalt to the falls. We installed a 140 powerdeck insulation with a 50mm infill asphalt to the surrounding perimeter, as well as incorporating a gutter system to ensure there was no standing water.

“We supplied and laid two coats of mastic asphalt onto all flat areas. We then applied primer and drilled and fixed into the concrete a vertical perimeter – then applied three coats of mastic asphalt onto all the uprights. We then installed mastic asphalt fillets to finish.

“Finally, we applied two coats of white solar reflective paint, which will future-proof the works and protect it for many decades to come – offering the temple a long–term solution to their previous issues.”

There were many challenges to the project, the most noteworthy being that half of the roofs were located under statues – making work very uncomfortable.

Kate continued: “The sheer detail and build-up of the system involved was also very challenging, but a challenge our skilled and experienced team met with determination and professionalism.”

Simon Downey, area business manager of asphalt manufacturer IKO Group Plc, added: “IKO were originally approached by Mark Sulik of Academy Consultancy and Design Ltd. The proposal included the replacement of a number of roofs to the Balaji Temple. IKO Permaphalt mastic asphalt was chosen for its longevity, application properties and seamless monolithic finish. Howard Evans were the winning contractor. Howard Evans’ attention to detail, application and finish should ensure many years of service.” q

Awards recognise best in hard metal roofing

[

THE NEW CHAIR of the Federation of Traditional Metal Roofing Contractors (FTMRC), Trevor Corser of JTC Roofing Contractors Ltd, was host to a record attendance at its annual Technical Seminar, culminating in the presentation of the prestigious FTMRC Hard Metals Awards, which included both heritage and ecclesiastical buildings among the finalists.

The awards opened with the Commercial Roofing Award, presented by Simon Walker of sponsors SIG Zinc and Copper. The winner was Richardson Roofing Co Ltd for The Savoy in the Strand (right).

The project involved a major refurbishment of the original 1920s building for the Duchy of Lancaster. The multimillion-pound redevelopment of the main building and rear wing included the adaptation of two new storeys on the front of the property and three on the rear, and the introduction of two large terraces.

The finalists in the category included Longworth Building Services Ltd for Derby Market Hall. Built in 1864 and located in Derby’s Cathedral Quarter, the Market Hall (below) is one of the city’s most culturally important buildings. Today it plays host to a range of independent traders, with its wide variety of stalls encompassing niche food and drink offerings as well as local fashion retailers.

0.8mm on the walls. The method of installation was by standing seam and ventilated plywood supporting substrate, with a VM Zinc breather membrane.

The finalists in that category were CEL Group (1989) Ltd for Brancepeth Castle, a Grade One-listed castle in County Durham (below) and EMC Roofing & Cladding Ltd for Cambridge Mosque.

The Brancepeth Castle project involved the replacement of felt roofing on the Grand Staircase and lightwell roofs with new raised boarded roof structures and zinc roof covering.

The Cladding Award was presented by Michael Staff of sponsors ALM HM and the winner was Longworth Building Services Ltd for Lampwick Quay: a build-to-rent development of 213 homes that forms part of Manchester Life's phased regeneration and development across Ancoats and New Islington on Manchester City Centre's eastern edge.

Next came the Best Project Under £25k Award, sponsored by the FTMRC itself. The winner was Hutchison Metal Roofing for Eashing House, the renovation of an existing house.

The client wanted the single-ply membrane roof covering removed and replaced with stainless-steel roof covering to match existing cladding on the house. The existing stainless steel had been discontinued so the client was happy to go with Aperam Ugibright for the new roof.

The Ian Harvey Architectural Award was presented by Oliver Marshall of Metra Non-Ferrous Metals. The winner was Just Hard Metals Ltd for Brecken Hill: a new build residential barn in Hexham.

The contractor used 0.7mm VM Zinc Quartz Plus on the roof and

Cambridge Mosque was an interesting project to fabricate and install curved and tapered panels, including breather membrane and fixings.

Finally, the overarching Contractor of the Year Award was presented by Daniel Madell of sponsor PREFA. The winner was Just Hard Metals Ltd.

The FTMRC is at the vanguard of the traditional, fully-supported roofing and cladding sector, providing technical guidance based on practical on-site experience. It provides the matrix between manufacturers and suppliers to help drive up standards and support training.

Entries for the FTMRC Hard Metals Awards 2023 are now open. All members of the FTMRC, their clients, architects and consultants who have recently used an FTMRC member can supply an entry to the 2023 awards by providing the project details together with high-resolution photographs to info@ftmrc.co.uk. q

Training service appointed for SAP delivery

[NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION TRAINING SERVICES (NCTS) has been awarded the contracts to deliver the Specialist Applied Programmes (SAP) for Lead and Hard Metals Level 2 as well as Heritage Lead and Hard Metals Level 3 and Heritage Roof Slating & Tiling Level 3.

The Specialist Applied Programmes are funded through CITB, with a contribution of up to £5,000 per candidate – leaving a small contribution from the employer. CITB have also introduced the Travel to Train scheme to help employers with the costs of sending SAP candidates on training. It includes accommodation, travel and meals of up to 80% of the cost, meaning the employer only has to contribute 20%.

Further information on grant application is available from the CITB website at www.citb.co.uk or from the NCTS administration team.

Training delivery is available from either one of two training centres: in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, for the lead and hard metals programmes and in Salford, Greater Manchester, for lead, hard metals and roof slating and tiling programmes. Both training facilities have state-of-the-art, full-scale simulated training rigs, together with well-equipped tools and equipment and knowledgeable, experienced and qualified tutors.

Level 2 Hard or Soft Metal Roofing Operative

Level 3 Heritage Roof Slating & Tiling Roofing Operative

The Level 2 Lead Sheet and Hard Metals programmes is an 18-month training and assessment programme, which consists of 30 days attendance at either one of the training centres delivered over six week blocks of five consecutive days in Year 1. Once the training programme has been completed, NCTS will appoint an assessor to complete the on-site assessment and training (OSAT), which will collate the necessary knowledge and practical evidence.

Level 3 Heritage Hard or Soft Metal Roofing Operative

The Heritage Level 3 Roof Slating & Tiling programme is an 18-month training and assessment programme, which consists of 45 days attendance the Salford training centre, delivered over nine week blocks of five consecutive days in Year 1.

Once the training programme has been completed at the Salford training facility, NCTS will appoint an assessor to complete the on-site assessment and training (OSAT), which will collate the necessary knowledge and practical evidence. q

• For further information and course fees contact National Construction Training Services (NCTS) at training@ncts.org.uk, tel 01992 801914 or mob 07864 692513.

The Heritage Level 3 Lead Sheet and Hard Metals programmes are also an 18-month training and assessment programme, which consists of 45 days attendance at either of the training centres, delivered over nine week blocks of five consecutive days in Year 1.

Once the training programme has been completed, NCTS will appoint an assessor to complete the on-site assessment and training (OSAT), which will collate the necessary knowledge and practical evidence.

Murdoch Awards demonstrate a royal connection

[

A ROYAL CONNECTION emerged at the Lead Contractors Association Murdoch Awards, which marked 26 years this year. The three Murdoch Awards are given only to those who demonstrate the very highest standards of craftmanship in leadwork, whether it is in roofing or more recently ornamental skills.

LCA chair Allan Anderson opened proceedings and welcomed a record turnout of members who were in attendance – not only to witness an awards event but to also undertake further professional development and listen to experts from the industry sharing their knowledge.

The winner of the 2022 Murdoch Award was P Webb Roofing & Building Services Ltd for the Waterloo Chamber at Windsor Castle (pictured below).

The Murdoch Sponsors Award Winner was announced as Northwest Lead Ltd for Manchester Royal Infirmary (right).

The split-level cornice used Code 6 lead and was installed in a staggered welt pattern with copper clips to the leading edge and to the welts. The higher level of the cornice was to have the heavy section cast-iron guttering laid upon it, which they identified as being a potential cause of thermal restriction; so they came up with a solution that involved welding castlead blocks to the cornice which were cut to height to accommodate the gutter levels and were only positioned within the central third of each panel so that the gutter weight wasn’t imposing on the parts of the cornice lead which needed to expand or contract.

The welts were positioned in such a way that the cast lead support blocks could sit at the correct locations to sufficiently support the cast iron gutters whilst maintaining correct sizing and fixing of the cornice panels.

The cupola cladding used Code 6 for all the works: the original decorative timber scrolls were badly eroded, so it was decided that the new scrolls would have a lead covering to protect the skyward faces and were fixed at the head within a rebate and covered with a decorative timber panel to protect the top edge and fixings.

A new timber finial post and ball was constructed and covered with lead separately, so as to be fed over a stainless rod for stability which in turn required intermediate sleeves to be welded to the joint areas around the rod to maintain the weathering between the different components.

The firm undertook the replacement of the 100-year-old lead roof on the chamber. The lead roof replacement included the roof and vertical sides of the historic glazed roof lantern – which runs centrally the full length of the Waterloo Chamber – and the two lower roofs on each side.

In addition, they carried out the replacement of lead cladding to the six early 19th-century iron roof trusses, which span the width of the Waterloo Chamber. They support the lantern roof and are from which the lower roofs are hung. The iron trusses bear off stone buttresses on each side of the chamber, the caps of which were also lead clad to reduce water ingress and mitigate the risk of corrosion to the truss ends.

The roof was re-designed to rework rainwater catchment areas to remove high volume areas and exceed 100-year storm water runoff resilience. As the building is historic and of great importance, a lot of the detailing was bespoke, displaying immense craftsmanship and in addition the contractor went to great lengths to ensure the design complied with the LCA Guide to Best Practice and provided maximum ventilation.

Further, the design changes by the project architect, accepted by Historic England, specified a flush lantern window façade with the rectangle rainwater pipes ‘hidden’, which resulted in an important detail integrated into the design while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing appearance. That change importantly cast no shadow over the historic glazing panels that could be read from inside the building looking up. A change to the historic design, which is practical but benefits the aesthetics with a nod to the Victorian ‘functional but beautiful’, they so often hid rainwater pipes in columns. The lead was supplied by CEL and ALM.

The winner of the latest Murdoch Award, the Ornamental Award, was Architectural Lead and Metalwork Ltd for the Windsor Collar Casting (pictured below).

Those were sandcast collars manufactured for Windsor Castle. The project demonstrated the sandcasting technique, from pattern to finished product, of rainwater pipe collars that are used on the restoration work at Windsor Castle. The pattern for the component comprised a two-part section for the body of the collar and a core box for moulding a sand core, used to create the internal void which houses the rainwater pipe.

Congratulations are due to all the winners and finalists of this year’s Murdoch Awards. As the independent guardian of the lead industry standards, the LCA represents the Mark of Quality, supplying technical information and services to support the industry and drive up standards.

Clifford’s Tower reopens, laying bare its historic and sometimes grim past

[EARLIER THIS YEAR Clifford’s Tower in York was reopened to the public following a £5m project to conserve and radically transform the interior of the 800-year-old landmark. Where previously the tower was an empty shell, English Heritage – which manages the structure – has

installed a free-standing timber structure inside it, protecting the ruin and creating a new roof deck that offers magnificent views over York. On the tower’s lost first floor, dramatic aerial walkways have opened up hidden rooms for the first time since Clifford’s Tower was gutted by fire in 1684.

The new interior and roof deck at Clifford's Tower was designed by Hugh Broughton Architects, working closely with conservation specialists Martin Ashley Architects to produce a scheme which sits respectfully within the heritage structure. The main contractor was Simpson (York) Ltd.

Supported by four slender wooden columns, the ingenious structure sits on a raft foundation, which spreads the load without impacting on the archaeological remains beneath the tower.

Kate Mavor, English Heritage’s chief executive, commented: “At Clifford's Tower, new architecture is transforming a centuries-old landmark, opening it up and unlocking its secrets. We’re protecting Clifford's Tower for future generations and inspiring more people to discover its stories.”

The charity’s head properties curator Jeremy Ashbee added: “One of England’s most important buildings, Clifford's Tower is almost all that remains of York Castle, which was the centre of government for the North throughout the Middle Ages and up to the 17th-century: the place where the whole of the North of England was ruled from. We not only wanted to preserve this incredible building but also do justice to its fascinating and multi-faceted history.”

Exposed to the elements for more than 300 years, the tower’s walls, turret stairs, arrow slits and fireplaces have been painstakingly repaired. The chapel has been reroofed, while the carved heraldic plaques above the entrance, showing the coats of arms of Charles I and Henry Clifford, Earl of Cumberland, have also been conserved.

Staircases and hanging walkways combine to take visitors 10 metres up to a new roof deck from where they can enjoy the York skyline. En route to the top, visitors will be brought face to face with the tower’s fascinating architectural details and can explore a royal chapel and – for the first time since the 17th century – a toilet built especially for Henry III.

New interpretation helps place the tower in the context of both the historic York Castle and the city of York itself, as well as introducing visitors to the tower’s long and turbulent history. Visitors can explore the castle’s founding by William the Conqueror and the tower’s role as the site of the 1190 massacre and mass suicide of York’s Jewish community – one of the worst anti-Semitic episodes in English history.

Integral to the new scheme is its soundscape. Layers of background sound take visitors back in time, allowing them to experience the tower as it would have been at various periods in its long history. Visitors can

engage with five key moments in that history with the help of the voices of local residents, who bring the stories of fictional characters to life –each representing a different chapter in the tower's past.

To improve access, additional handrails have been introduced to the steps up the mound on which the historic tower sits and three resting points created. A map and a timeline at the base of the mound provide interpretation while, also at street level, English Heritage staff greet visitors at a new Piaggio – a three-wheeled vehicle. q

The

following companies are all specialists in Lightning Protection Systems:

Direct

Central High Rise Limited

T: 0115

Stoke-on-Trent ST6 5BT

Cloud to Ground Ltd Lightning Protection and Earthing Specialists

Our designers are equipped with the accredited knowledge and over 15 years experience to provide:

• Design Installation Bespoke risk assessment BS EN62305 Accredited

• Survey Test and maintenance Surge protection

T: 07498 339466 E: enquiries@ctglp.co.uk W: www.ctglp.co.uk

18 Cranford Avenue, Macclesfield SK11 7DJ

Lightning Strike Ltd

Lightning Protection and Earthing Specialist for Churches and Historic Properties

• Earthing Systems Surge Protection

• Safe Strike ESE Systems

Lightning Conductor Testing

• Earthing System Testing

• Soil Resistivity Testing

T: 01158 752686 M: 07581 266493

E: info@lightningstrikeltd.co.uk W: www.lightningstrikeltd.co.uk

452 Watnall Road, Hucknall NG15 6FQ

Horizon Specialist Contracting Ltd

With over 29 years experience our in-house design team are trained and certified to the current British & European Standards BS EN 62305:2011 for Lightning Protection Systems and BS 7430:2011 for Earthing.

• Lightning Protection Systems and Surge Protection Design

• Testing and Inspection surveys Steeplejack maintenance • Fall arrest safety systems A

T: 0115 965 7400 E: sales@horizonsc.co.uk W: www.horizonsc.co.uk Unit 7, Burma Road, Blidworth, Nottinghamshire NG21 0RT

G & S Steeplejacks Ltd

Over 30 years experience in the Design & Installation of Lightning Protection Systems.

Annual Testing Inspection & Maintenance Surge Protection

• Height Safety Systems

Churches, Schools, Hospitals, Universities, Colleges

T: 01761 437796 M: 07974 184449 E: graham@gnssteeplejacks.co.uk W: www.gnssteeplejacks.co.uk Unit 3, Bath Business Park, Peasedown St John, Somerset BA2 8SF

Plethora of caves conceal city’s hidden history

[MANY PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE of the fact that Nottingham is known as a City of Caves. The city sits on weakly compacted sandstone, which is easy to scoop. Even today as many as 500 medieval rock dwellings and caves remain underneath its streets: some dating back to the Dark Ages.

The caves of Nottingham include a medieval underground tannery, an Anderson air raid shelter where thousands of people sought refuge during WWII and the remnants of Victorian slums.

Nottingham Castle was built on top of a 35m reverse strike fault, which exists in the middle of Nottingham, and historically important tunnels run from top to bottom of this feature. For over 20 years local

Centenarian tree struck by lightning

[ FOLLOWING A RECENT THUNDERSTORM a ranger for National Trust for Scotland discovered some damage to one of the 100-year-old oak trees at Ben Lomond, the mountain that overlooks the famous loch in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.

A lightning strike travels at over 220,000mph and can heat the air around it to 25,000°C. Unfortunately, a conduit for a forked lightning strike during that particular storm was one of the trust’s heritage oak trees. The electrical charge travelled just beneath the bark of the tree, along a layer of sap and water. As the electricity passed along the layer it superheated the moisture, producing rapid expansion and causing the bark to literally tear off the trunk. The rangers found fragments of the oak up to 10m away – a reminder of the tremendous power of nature.

specialist access and steeplejacking company Central High Rise have been looking after the caves. With the approval of English Heritage, they have developed a number of techniques for reinforcing and even reforming them where they are vulnerable or are collapsing – helping preserve the important historical caves. The reforming works include in particular masking the works to match the caves’ inner surface so that tourists visiting them will not be aware of the intervention.

The company's sales manager Laura Lee described the challenges posed by one particular tunnel: “Derby Road Tunnel is a pedestrian entrance to the Park Estate situated around the perimeter of the castle and is formed into the soft Nottingham Castle sandstone; this has formed a stone wall boundary. With the rock being of a soft texture, this is subject to a number of failures, rapid erosion and invasion of roots.

Ranger James Hutchinson explained: “As there is only damage to one side of the tree, we’re hopeful it will survive. And what a scar it’ll have to show for it! Caring for this woodland at Ben Lomond forms part of our crucial conservation work at this much-loved place. This summer our team have been busy with projects to protect against vegetation erosion, widening and improving the woodland path, as well as enhancing the main path to the summit.

“We’re delighted that people are able to enjoy Scotland’s beautiful wild spaces once again. Our famous peaks and landscapes are attracting more visitors than ever and we want to ensure that these landscapes remain protected. As a charity, we rely on donations to achieve this.” q

“The vegetation, while it maintains the radiation of the site, also damages the rock as the roots anchor into the matrix of the stone. With thorough inspections of this area, and identifying points of corrosion and damage, our recommendations of maintenance and treatments were approved, allowing our teams of highly skilled and knowledgeable CSSregistered engineers to commence with the works.

“Due to our wide range of specialist access capabilities, this allowed the project to be undertaken with minimal disruption and also served to provide a cost saving solution for our client.” q

www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

Access rental specialist goes large with first spider boom

[RENTAL SPECIALIST Anglia Access

Platforms has invested in its first Hinowa tracked spider boom – and sent it straight out on hire for a tree management project.

Anglia Access has strengthened its hire fleet with a bi-energy lithium-diesel Hinowa Lightlift 33.17 Performance IIIS, supplied by Hinowa’s UK and Ireland distributor, Access Platform Sales (APS).

With a maximum working height of 32.5m, the Hinowa Lightlift 33.17 is the largest tracked boom lift in the Hinowa range. Mark Allison, managing director of Anglia Access, believes it will prove popular with clients.

He said: “We’ve cross-hired Hinowa spider platforms until now, so it was a natural next step to invest in them. They’re becoming increasingly popular, and essential, for many working at height projects.

“Our new Hinowa 33.17 is an exceptional spider platform and gives us premium rental rates. Assisted by APS’s excellent after-sales support, I’m confident we’ll do very well with it. It’s ideal for tree management, building inspection, and working on wind turbines and telecoms masts.

“As a true bi-energy spider platform, the Hinowa Lightlift 33.17 can be used for indoor and outdoor working, so we can offer a full range of hire options and our clients get the flexibility and productivity they’re increasingly looking for.”

Anglia Access Platforms, based in Barford, just outside Norwich, has a hire fleet of cherry pickers with working heights ranging from 10m to 38m and scissor lifts from 4m to 22m.

APS major accounts manager Linda Betts said: “We’re very pleased to have supplied such a capable spider platform to Mark and his team at Anglia Access Platforms.

“The Hinowa Lightlift 33.17 can work in spaces and reach locations at height other platforms just can’t. And because it has the same operating system as other spider platforms in the Hinowa Performance range, clients will be very comfortable using it.”

The Hinowa Lightlift 33.17 has a maximum horizontal outreach of 16.5m. A new, larger basket has an unrestricted basket capacity of 230kg, minimising the need to reposition the platform to continue working.

With a travel width of just 1.69m, it can be tracked through a standard double door and operated across rough and unstable terrain.

Those attributes were vital for the platform’s first project – the removal of a stand of tall poplar trees on land adjacent to a main railway line in Northamptonshire.

Working from a platform was essential because the close proximity of

the railway line meant there needed to be guaranteed tight control of the tree removal process.

The spider platform’s exceptional reach also allowed the tree surgeons to place the platform on the most appropriate ground, even if it was well away from the tree being worked on.

The Hinowa Lightlift 33.17’s smooth, proportional controls and articulating jib made it easier to position the basket to reach branches safely and work productively.

The spider platform’s powerful and long-lasting lithium batteries and electric motor means it can be operated indoors – for example in large atriums or warehouses – or on sites where low-noise and zero fumes operation is essential, such as hospitals, schools and care homes.

The low-emissions diesel engine can be used to rapidly recharge the battery while the platform is working. The platform can also be operated using mains electricity.

The Hinowa Lightlift 33.17 shares smart features with other Hinowa platforms that enhance safety and productivity. They include one-button functions to set up outriggers and level the platform, and to return the boom to the stowed position.

The Lightlift 33.17 is also the first of Hinowa’s tracked booms to provide negative reach, so it can operate lower than the level of its tracks. This expands its uses to include carrying out dockside maintenance and under-bridge inspection.

APS supplies Hinowa spider platforms with maximum working heights starting at 13m. They include the new Hinowa TeleCrawler range –telescopic tracked spider platforms that can be operated in particularly tight spaces with smaller outrigger footprints. q • For further information visit www.accessplatforms.co.uk

This family business is forging ahead

[

BASED IN DRIFFIELD, East Yorkshire, D C Blacksmiths are specialists in the conservation, restoration and reproduction of period architectural wrought iron and designers of new and contemporary styles of forged metalwork, using traditional blacksmithing techniques and jointing methods.

The company was founded in 1995 by David Cooper (pictured right) – a selftaught metalworker with a basic knowledge of wrought ironwork – and quickly expanded as the commissions became more challenging and his name and reputation grew.

David explained: “I enrolled on a rural apprenticeship at the National School of Blacksmithing, winning the prized Paul Allen Award for excellence in forgework. For my work in the apprenticeship and final piece, My green gate, I was awarded the Bronze Medal Master Blacksmith FWCB [Fellow of the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths].”

In 2011, due to the level of work in his portfolio, he was proud to be awarded the Silver Medal from the company, gaining the Eminent Master Blacksmith status.

David continued: “In 2018 we uprooted the forge, previously located in Bridlington, to the picturesque East Yorkshire village of Burton Agnes and set up a forge in the old village joiner’s shop at our home; we now take on the role of the village blacksmith.”

The commissions have continued to get more challenging as time goes on and David likes nothing more than working metal in the forge.

David’s hobbies tend to be metalwork related, making new body panels on the English wheel for his 1955 pride and joy Vauxhall Cresta.

David’s son Jake (pictured below) joined the company straight out of school at the age of 16. He enrolled on an engineering apprenticeship with a local college and worked in the company the remainder of the time. Having completed the engineering apprenticeship, he then spent his time carefully honing his forging skill, enrolling on a rural apprenticeship at the National School of Blacksmithing in Hereford in 2017. Jake completed that, gaining a distinction star as a result of his forging ability throughout the course and for his final project piece – Iron and stained glass mirror. For that he was granted the AWCB Diploma of Merit from the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths.

He is heavily involved in the design and execution of many of the wrought-iron commissions the forge undertakes. Jake has developed a reputation for crafting handmade Damascus steel chefs’ knives in his spare time, so iron is very much at the heart of his interests.

Case study: iron gate in North Yorkshire

How the company build a traditional forged bespoke wrought-iron gate, and some of the timehonoured methods used throughout the process, are evident in this case study. The bespoke garden gate was commissioned by a client in North Yorkshire back in 2014. From the initial sketched-out designs a quote was provided and then progression to the full-size working drawings.

David commented: “Throughout our descriptions we mention traditional mortise and tenon riveted joinery methods. If the images are studied this becomes evident in most of our work – this style of wrought ironwork by blacksmiths is what inspires us to build ironwork in this fashion as our forefathers did hundreds of years ago.

“Traditional bespoke ironwork needs to be very carefully designed with structure and triangulation in mind,” he added. “Most of the public I deal with – when starting the design stage – think that scrolls and other forged elements are purely decorative; but this could not be further from the truth.

“From experience, when talking about building gates to novice smiths or steel fabricators, until you are able to build and understand the many complicated processes needed to construct traditional iron gates and other forgework, there is no way the design can be properly executed. This is one of the reasons blacksmith-forged wrought-iron gates and railings constructed in the spirit of our ancestors deserve to be called pieces of architectural wrought ironwork – or even art.” q

• For more information visit dcblacksmiths.co.uk

Iranian bishop’s crozier restored for posterity

[

TEN YEARS AGO the Bishop of Lichfield, Rev Dr Michael Ipgrave, had a special crozier presented to him by the family of the late Bishop of Iran, Dr Hassan Dehqani.

The Reverend Dr Hassan Dehqani-Tafti was the Anglican Bishop of Iran from 1960-90. He was born in 1920 to poor Muslim parents in central Iran and trained to be a teacher at Tehran University before converting to Christianity in 1938.

Hassan came to England in 1947 to train as an Anglican priest, returning to Iran as an ordained priest and in 1977 was made president bishop of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, a post he held until in 1985.

Following the Iranian Revolution in 1979 there was an assassination attempt, during which his wife Margaret was wounded. Bishop DehqaniTafti went into exile in England and after his son Bahram was assassinated by the Iranian Government in 1980, he moved the family into exile to the

Diocese of Winchester. He became the assistant bishop and continued as the Bishop of Iran until his retirement in 1990. He died in 2008 and is buried with his wife in Winchester Cathedral.

When Dehqani-Tafti arrived in Winchester he had no regalia and was given the crozier by a benefactor from Basingstoke. It was made from waste materials, including copper, brass and hardwood, in three sections, each originally joined by a threaded connector.

His family gave the crozier to Bishop Michael when he became Bishop of Woolwich in 2012. After years of service it had fallen into an unusable condition. A steel sleeve had been glued into the wooden shaft at one end and a threaded pin at the other. Both the sleeves were no longer fixed into the shaft, sliding out easily. One of the sleeves had been glued to the threaded pin.

When made, the copper and brass crook, copper foot and connector rings had been lacquered: that had deteriorated after over 40 years. As a result, localised tarnishing and some minor corrosion had occurred to the metal where the lacquer was damaged. The sockets to the wooden shaft where the sleeves were originally fitted had also locally split.

Bishop Michael was very keen for it to be conserved and returned to its former glory. His secretary contracted the Historic Metalwork Conservation Company to arrange for the crozier to be repaired.

The remaining lacquer on the metalwork was carefully removed using a commercial paint stripper, the edges of the wood being masked to prevent damage to the French polish on the wooden shaft. The copper and brass parts were then cleaned and Autochrome metal polish applied using very fine Scotchbrite pads. They were fully repolished using Duraglit wadding, the metal surfaces being buffed up with a soft cloth.

One of the steel sleeves could not be removed from its threaded pin where it had been previously glued on, so a decision was made to carefully cut it off. A replica was made by machining a piece of steel. The splits to the wooden shaft were first repaired using a good quality PVAc adhesive before the two steel sleeves were fixed back into the shaft sections using a structural epoxy resin adhesive. Slots were cut into the length of the steel sleeves to help lock them into the wood. That allowed for the crozier to be correctly assembled once more and returned to its original strength.

Remaining small areas of wood loss and other large dents in the wood of the shaft were filled using a white acrylic filler. The wooden surface of the three shaft sections was lightly abraded back using Scotchbrite pads before they were refinished with two coats of a black French polish applied by brushing. The polished copper and brass parts were protected with two coats of Ercalene ‘A’ brass lacquer – a clear acrylic coating.

Bishop Michael Ipgrave has decided that on his retirement he will give the refurbished crozier to the late Bishop Deqhani-Tafti’s daughter, Guli Francis-Dehqani, who was appointed as Bishop of Chelmsford last year. She is seen holding the crozier (above) at her installation as Bishop of Loughborough in 2017. q

First ironwork award-winners announced

[

THE NHIG has announced the first-ever winners of its Award for Heritage Metalwork Conservation. From a shortlist of six strong projects the judges awarded joint first place to Daniel Liggins for his work on the Oakes Park gates in Sheffield and to the team of David James (blacksmith), Andrew Harris (architect) and Rob Umney (surveyor), for their conservation of the 20th Century Garden gates at Hampton Court Palace. Runner-up place was awarded to Alex Coode for the Miserden House gates in Stroud.

When they visited the shortlisted projects the panel were particularly interested in the appropriateness of materials and techniques used, the extent to which the loss of original fabric was minimised and the quality of the craftsmanship. After much deliberation they agreed that both Oakes Park and Hampton Court demonstrated in equal measure careful consideration and application of conservation principles and outstanding craftsmanship.

The judges’ comments on Oakes Park gates (pictured above) noted: “The principles of minimal intervention, reversible techniques and likefor-like replacements were all clearly in evidence. Forgework was well executed and sympathetic to the original design.”

Of the 20th Century Garden gates at Hampton Court (below), they commented: “The project clearly involved extensive research, which informed the work carried out in a way that ensured the integrity of the whole. We were particularly impressed by the level of craftsmanship evident in the finished gates, which was second-to-none. Some difficult processes and techniques were masterfully executed in a manner faithful to the original design.”

The inaugural NHIG Award is the first of its kind to recognise and celebrate exemplary conservation within the ironwork sector. Newly designed medals were presented at the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths’ annual awards luncheon in October.

q

Adrian Legge, chair of the judging panel, commented: “The quality of work submitted was very encouraging and we look forward to judging next year’s award as there will doubtless be other high calibre projects out there. Conservation skills are vital in safeguarding our built heritage, so NHIG is pleased to play its part in helping to nurture and promote them.”

Warning issued to pest control falconers

[

THE British Pest Control Association has issued a warning to falconers as a housing order has been introduced across England, making it a legal requirement for all those keeping birds to house their flocks.

The association has urged pest professionals who work with birds of prey as a part of their integrated pest management (IPM) offering to read its biosecurity guidance, which includes details of biosecurity best practice.

In particular, pest controllers working in areas with poultry are advised to be vigilant with PPE and hygiene. In the heritage sector birds of prey are most often deployed to deter pigeons.

The mandatory housing measures for all poultry and captive birds were introduced in all areas from one minute past midnight on 7 November, following a decision by the United Kingdom’s Chief Veterinary Officer to declare an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) across Great Britain. The housing measures legally require all bird keepers to keep their birds indoors and to follow stringent biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from the disease, regardless of type or size.

The order extends measures already in force in Suffolk, Norfolk and parts of Essex to the whole of England, following an increase in the national risk of bird flu in wild birds to ‘very high’.

Over the last year the UK has faced its largest ever outbreak of avian influenza, with over 200 cases confirmed since late October 2021. The introduction of the housing measures comes after the disease was detected at over 70 premises since the beginning of October, as well as numerous reports in wild birds.

The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss commented: “We are now facing this year the largest-ever outbreak of bird flu and are seeing rapid escalation in the number of cases on commercial farms and in backyard birds across England. The risk of kept birds being exposed to disease has reached a point where it is now necessary for all birds to be housed until further notice.”

Housing alone will not protect birds and people must still follow the other enhanced biosecurity measures mandated by the AIPZ at all times to protect their flocks and prevent the risk of future outbreaks which is circulating in wild birds. That means pest professionals working on farms or smallholdings with poultry will need to take extra precautions, such as changing clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures, wearing protective clothing, and cleaning and disinfecting vehicles regularly to limit the risk of the disease spreading.

The UK Health Security Agency continues to advise that the risk to public health from

Icon group promotes IPM in heritage collections

[ THE ICON PEST ODYSSEY NETWORK is a multi-disciplinary group within the Institute of Conservation which advocates for integrated pest management (IPM) in cultural heritage institutions. It is a non-profit group which is open to all and is made up of anyone with an interest in protecting collections from pest damage.

They advocate the use of IPM as an essential cost-effective and sustainable tool to serve the cultural heritage industry, creating collaborative networks which will allow them to share useful information about IPM across the heritage sector.

The Pest Odyssey UK website allows all those interested in the field of integrated pest management to collaborate, share and disseminate professional knowledge and experience in order to prevent pest damage to cultural and scientific collections.

Its stated objectives are to:

• Promote and communicate IPM best practice

• Provide a trusted platform to communicate, advise and promote best practice in integrated

• pest management for cultural heritage

• Develop guidelines and strategies for IPM programmes

• Collaborate, share and disseminate professional knowledge and expertise through

• conferences, in order to prevent pest damage to cultural and scientific collections

• Provide expertise in reducing pest risk, thus protecting valuable collections

• Advise legislative bodies directing control and treatment products

• Advocate the use of IPM as an essential, cost-effective and sustainable tool to serve the

• cultural heritage industry, creating collaborative networks and sharing relevant information

• Support emerging professionals in IPM • Maintain links with international professional bodies.

The group effectively represents the cultural sector, drawn from a wide group: hence their names are attached to the institutions they belong to in all communications. q

the virus is very low and the Food Standards Agency advice remains unchanged: that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for UK consumers. Properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat. q

Replica windows add to redevelopment’s charm

[

STAPEHILL ABBEY is a unique estate consisting of 45 homes of between two and five bedrooms. Set within beautiful gardens near Wimborne in Dorset, the recently converted Grade Two-listed properties are truly magnificent.

The original Abbey House was built in the early 19th century, with the monastic buildings dating back to the 1840s. Twin chapels were designed by Charles Hansom in 1847 and building was completed in 1851. Founded by a small group of nuns led by Madame Augustine de Chabannes, the abbey was home to The Cross Abbey order of Cistercian Trappist nuns between 1802 and 1990.

Acquired by Stapehill Enterprises in 1990, the abbey was a popular rural life museum, craft centre and farmyard, depicting life in rural England and Victorian times until 2008.

Dorset-based developers Ankers and Rawlings acquired the abbey in 2015 and have worked painstakingly to retain the original artefacts and period features of the historic site. Within the development original quarry flagstones and terracotta tiles have been incorporated and an original Pugin stone cross has been retained to truly emphasise the character of the development.

Over 60 conservation rooflights by Clement Windows were chosen for the project, including both slate and tile profiles in sizes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Garry Hunter of Ankers and Rawlings commented: “The homes at Stapehill Abbey have a mixture of slate and tile roofs. We chose Clement Conservation Rooflights as we needed a product that would look perfect in both. We are really delighted with the end result and hope to use Clement’s rooflights again in the future.”

They have achieved a BFRC Window Energy Rating of A+.

The standard range of rooflights is generally available for delivery in 2-3 working days. If one of the standard sizes is not appropriate, bespoke rooflights are also available.

The Clement Windows Group manufactures an innovative range of steel windows, doors, screens and rooflights for both private residences and commercial projects. Based just outside London in Surrey, Clement’s window products can be seen in a number of prestigious projects across the UK and abroad. Prominent examples include Battersea Power Station and Old Marylebone Town Hall in London, The Pithay and YMCA in Bristol, Norwich City Hall, the University of Manchester and the Eldorado Building in New York’s Manhattan. q

• For more information visit clementwindows.co.uk, tel 01428 643393 or email info@clementwg.co.uk

Manufactured for either a slate or a tile profile, the beauty of Clement skylights is that they lie flush with the roofline, giving a neat finish.

Available in eight standard sizes, Clement Conservation Rooflights are constructed using mild steel sheet, which makes them particularly strong. The surface is coated in polyzinc and then polyester powder paint for durability and to give the rooflights a good-looking finish.

Clement’s roof windows are made from high performance, argon filled, 24mm insulated glass units and come with a revolutionary warm T-bar system. Available with several glazing options, including self-cleaning glass as standard, Clement’s rooflights are manufactured to EN ISO 9001 standards and rigorously tested against air, wind and rain to BS6375.

Detective work and restoration skills combine to reinstate ‘lost’ window in City church

[A REMARKABLE DETECTIVE STORY emerged during the course of the past decade at St Katharine Cree Church in Leadenhall Street in the City of London.

It began in 2013 when a number of offices erected in the 1950s were removed, together with the plain glass that had been installed at the same time in place of stained glass. The stained glass panels had been stored in the intervening years and were passed to David Sear of Lincolnshire Stained Glass Studio Ltd for repair, along with some other pieces that had been in the crypt for many years.

David Sear discovered that a number of the fragments comprised a complete window depicting St Andrew, St George and St Patrick. It was a mystery where the window had originated and to whom it was dedicated. That was when the detective work began. It transpired that the window had originally been installed in the south aisle of the church and removed for repair –probably having been damaged in a bombing raid in May 1941.

David Sear informed the trustees of the church that the window was of ‘excellent quality’ and if restored would be beautiful. The decision was taken to research its history and raise funds for its restoration.

In a history of the church written by Ms Kathleen Campbell reference is made to a notice in the church magazine of 1916 that: ‘…a short service for the unveiling of the Memorial Window to our late Churchwarden, Mr Lyndsay-Smith will take place. The Lord Mayor will attend in state and perform the unveiling ceremony’.

When David Sear inspected the newlydiscovered stained glass panels further he noticed a dedication inscription, but all that remained were the words “Frederick Alexander –born February 1855”.

Attention turned to the London Diocesan Faculty records, where the key to solving the mystery was found. The full inscription on the window read: “To the glory of God and in loving memory of Frederick Alexander Lyndsay-Smith J.P. C.C. Churchwarden of this Parish, Born Feb 2nd 1855 fell asleep June 19th 1915.”

In addition to acting as churchwarden and a magistrate, Mr Lyndsay Smith was a merchant in the City, a member of the City of London Corporation for the Aldgate Ward and a Liveryman in the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights. The esteem in which he was held is reflected in the presence of the crest of the City of London on the window.

Following comprehensive restoration of the window by David Sear and his team at Lincolnshire Stained Glass Studio Ltd, the window was re-installed in the church in March 2018.

In May 2019 a dedication service was held in the presence of the Lady Mayoress and the Sheriffs’ Consorts, the Alderman of the Ward

of Aldgate, Members of Common Council for the Ward of Aldgate, the Prime Warden of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights, the President of the Aldgate Ward Club, the Chairman of the Trustees of the Friends of St. Katharine Cree Church and Friends of the Church. q

• For further information visit the website at www.lincolnshire-stained-glass.co.uk

LEADWORKERS – LCA MEMBERS

LIGHTING

Lightning Protection Services

North(Head office): 01461 800323

South: 01582 511036 N.E: 01914 661145

E: info@lightningconductor.co.uk W: www.lightningconductor.co.uk

T: 01722 322750

A C Wallbridge & Co Ltd

office@wallbridge.uk

Direct Strike Ltd

Lightning Protection Inspection & Maintenance BSEN 62305:2011

• Consultancy & Design Services

• Supply & Installation

• Earthing Systems

• Height Safety & Fall Arrest Systems Surge Protection

Head Office: 01461 337951 Rep of Ireland: +353 45 913 129 E: enquiries@directstrike.co.uk W: www.directstrike.co.uk 18 Canberra Road, Gretna, Dumfriesshire, Scotland DG16 5DP

South West Lightning Protection

T: 07807 334441

E: south@lightningconductor.org W: www.lightningconductor.org Airport Business Centre, 10 Thornbury Road, Estover, Plymouth PL6 7PP Testing

www.ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk

STONE & STONE SUPPLY

STAINED GLASS