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Conservation

 

 

Appleby Castle
Acorn Bank
Byre Hill
Broughton House
Ross Mains

Appleby Castle

Applebly in Westmorland

Building Description : The present Appleby Castle estate comprises the inhabited main castle buildings on the site of the original twelth century motte and bailey settlement. The curtain wall on top of formidable earthwork fortifications forms an enclosure leading out from the Main Castle Buildings. It is still intact after considerable historical repair as is the Keep also dating from the twelth century but altered in the seventeenth.

Within the grounds and gardens are the Stables Courtyard and Bee House built in the seventeenth century.

Until recently, the castle has operated as a residential conference centre and rare breeds centre with animals and birds housed in enclosures with the grounds

Client : Mr C.G.E Nightingale, Esq., Appleby Castle, Appleby in Westmorland, Cumbria, CA16 6XH

Listing Status : Scheduled Ancient Monument: An area defined by the river and the outer moats. It is numbered CU324. The definition refers to uninhabited portions.

Grade I Listed Buildings : Main Buildings. Gateway to Appleby Castle Courtyard. Gatehouse Cottage. Castle Moat Cottage. Caesar's Tower. No's 1 & 2 Castle Park. The Flat, Castle Park. Former Coach House and Stables. Castle Park. Lady Anne's Bee House.

Grade II Listed Buildings : Entrance Gates, piers and wall to Castle Park. North Lodge to Applebly Castle. Outer wall to Applebly Castle grounds from South Lodge to the river. Outer wall to Applebly Castle from North Lodge to South Lodge. Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.

Commision : Johnston and Wright were appointed by the owner C.G.E. Nightingale to provide full architectural services in the preparation of conservation and development proposals. The Practice had acted for the previous owners in preparation of repair works and renewal of lead roofing to the Keep. The obtaining of a rectified photographic survey of the masonry and masonry repairs, partial restoration of the pointing.

Project Description : The owner of Appleby Castle is seeking approval to promote the site as an international exhibition and conference centre which will stimulate the economy and culture of the region and provide the means for the future conservation of this important historical site.

The proposals form an integrated plan comprising :
1. Repair and restoration of the Keep with reconstruction of the top floor to house exhibition on chivalry and medieval life.
2. Repair and restoration of main castle building with alterations to the current training facilities on the lower ground floor to accommodate a banqueting suite.
3. Repair and restoration of the stables courtyard and conversion to craft workshops, shop and tea room.
4. Repair and restoration of Bee House to become a private chapel.
5. The provision of new accommodation within the walled kitchen garden to house the residential conference facilities.
6. The reconstruction of medieval hoardings on the curtain wall to provide all-weather exhibition space.

Surveys / Investigations : Structural, condition and topographical surveys have been carried out to Keep, Castle Buildings, Stables, Bee House, Curtain Wall, Walled Garden together with photographic surveys.

Reports have been prepared for each area as well as an overall historical analysis.

While this information has not been assembled to form a conservation plan document, it has been prepared to form the basis for restoration and development proposals.

Other Disciplines :
Advice has been sought from various consultants in progressing the scheme design stage :
1. Edinburgh University Archaeology Unit; Professor Lawrence Butler from York University has contributed historical analysis and justifications. Curtins - Structural engineering advice.
2. Charles Blackett-Ord - Structural engineering advice.
3. Peter Maidland Hood - traditional materials preliminary advice. Altham Hardwood Centre - oak building techniques.
4. Christine Boyce on historical glass.
The owner has also sought advice from art restorers, furniture restorers & model makers.

Acorn Bank

Project Description:

Internal restoration work; external repairs to oak windows; repairs to cast iron gutters and downpipes, slate and lead roof repairs. Internal alterations to form apartment, repairs to main timber stair and lime plaster ceiling.

Surveys / Investigations.

Condion survey of each room.
Measurement surveys.
Detail inspections of leaded and timber windows, roof slating and timber structure, gutters and downpipes.

Other Disciplines:

The project team has included the National Trust's property and historic buildings advisers and other consultants - Currie Associates [Quantity Surveyors]; Portscene [Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Services]; Curtins [Structural Engineers].

Restoration of Byre Hill Farmhouse

Corby Castle

The Byre Hill red sandstone buildings date from the seventeenth century and consist of a two story rectangular block built for agricultural purposes; the multiplicity of triangular headed doorways suggest a range of byres with store rooms above.

The range appears o have remodelled in the mid eighteenth century when the roof may have been rebuilt with re-used cruck trusses. Further major alterations date from the early nineteenth century with more changes later in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Recently the buildings were used as a farmhouse and agricultural buildings Johnston and Wright prepared proposals for the repair and extension of the existing dwelling together with conversion of the agricultural buildings into a house.

Listing Status:

The house is Grade I.
The other buildings and garden walls are Grade II.

Commision:
Johnston and Wright were appointed Consultant Architect to the National Trust in 1989 carrying out Quinquennial Surveys in 1989 and 1994 and the preparation and inspection of a contract for the consolidation of masonry cores by Pozzament grouting.

Project Background:

The Sue Ryder Foundation had leased the property from the National Trust from 1976 until 1996 during which time alterations were carried out to suit the buildings function as a nursing home.

In 1997, Johnston and Wright were asked by the National Trust to prepare proposals to carry out repair works and reinstatement / alteration works in preparation for a new tenant to follow the Sue Ryder Foundation.

The intention was to remove recent internal partitions and fittings to restore main rooms to the original proportions and also provide four apartments for short-term residential lettings A ground floor Wing [Rose Wing] was to be altered to provide use as a tea room with kitchen and toilets.

Broughton House

Kirkudbright

Broughton House is a mid eighteenth century town house in a conservation area of Kirkudbright, coastal town in Dumfries and Galloway.

The house belonged to the scottish artist E.A. Hornel who lived there from 1901 to 1933 and who commisioned John Keppie to design the studio (1902) and the gallery(1910).

The responsibility for Broughton House and its garden now belongs to the National Trust for Scotland who are currently preparing a restoration projectfor which Johnston and Wright have completed working drawings and specifications.

Ross Mains

Lockerbie

The Grade A listed house of Rossmains was built in 1728 for the third Duke of Queensberry. Although the architect is not known, it is thought to have been James Smith or Alexander McGill

Johnston and Wright have assisted Mr John Tulloch over the past twelve years with the extensive repair and restoration of the building which was disused and in an advanced state of dereliction.

This fine Georgian house is now restored and occupied. The repairs have been carried out in four phases and have included repairs to roof timbers, replacement of slates, leadwork and rainwater disposal system; repairs to windows, doors and floor construction; provision of drainage and full electric installation; repointing of external stonework and painting with Keim paint.

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