Great Hall Roof Repair project

Started in spring 2020 - completion by spring 2024

Our Great Hall is Grade II* Listed and is central to everything that we do here. It was originally built in 1490 and then altered during the Georgian period to what it looks like now. It was originally restored by our volunteers in the 1990s from a derelict state and now hosts talks, weddings, seasonal events and is open every day that the Hall is for visitors to walk through and discover its history.

Project

To undertake extensive repairs of both pitched and flat roofed areas, to redirect guttering and restore original external cornicing. To make water tight once again and establish a maintenance plan to secure its future.

Total cost expected to be £400,000.

Funding already secured £350,000.

A Bit About the project so far.

A small visible leak in the corner of the ceiling in 2020 went on to reveal a problem that has probably been many years in the making but only now has got to the stage where the internal damage to the structure has started to effect the external decoration of the original woodwork and walls.

In the winter of 2021 we have had to patch the leak and took the opportunity to do a bit of investigative work into the structure to see if we could determine exactly what was wrong. Our experienced conservation architect was slightly worried by what we found and unfortunately the structure of the roof is going to present us with more problems than we originally had hoped there would be. Due to this leak and the damage being caused the Great Hall has been added to Historic England’s Buildings at Risk register.

With the assistance of a small grant from Historic England we have undertaken a development project to determine the scope of works required and have a programme of costed works that we hope will happen this winter. Winter may be an odd time for roof repairs, however as many of our roofs are home to a variety of bat species we have to make sure that we carry out any work at times that will disturb them the least.

Our funders

We have been very fortunate to so far be supported in this project by these funders. We have also been fundraising ourselves with the help of our volunteers undertaking sponsored challenges and hosting concerts as well as receiving donations from our visitors and supporters. Thank you to everyone that has contributed so far to our project.