The church of Saint Mary, Bosley in Cheshire is a wonderful amalgamation of early C16th sandstone tower with an C18th brick nave.

Grosvenor are proud to be involved with the re-roofing of the stone tile roof to the nave including re-pointing with lime mortar. We are replacing the existing cast iron rainwater goods in new to match existing.

Defective and eroded masonry and leadwork is also being replaced.

Below are some images of the roof after stripping the stone slates off.  A temporary scaffold roof has been installed to ensure that the building remains dry throughout the operation.

1. St. Giles Wrexham – Stone work repairs & restoration of the parapets & finials to the Nave roof.

2. St Salem’s Colwyn Bay – Stone work repairs, restoration, Doff Cleaning & re-pointing in lime mortar to the front elevation.

3. St. Sirens Church Llanynys- Re-pointing in lime mortar, lime wash to all external walls, new cast iron Rain water goods & new drainage system.

4. St. Peters Church Ruthin – Roofing and leadwork to the main central valley and tower

5. St Saviours Church Oxton (English Heritage) – Rebuilding of the west Gable, restoration of the apex cross & roofing / leadworks.

6. St Michael’s Church Abergele – Rebuilding of the church boundary wall Reconfigure Rain Water Goods & new drainage and soakaway.

7. Conwy Castle Town Walls (CADW) – removing modern-day paint systems from world heritage site with the torc & Doff cleaning systems.

8. Beaumaris Castle (CADW)- stone restoration to access stairs leading to the castle parapet.

9. Froncasillt Church -  Dismantling of the bell- cote, removal of the detective existing iron cramps replaced with new stainless steel cramps & reconstructed in traditional lime mortar.

10. Bidulph Old Hall (English Heritage) – Complete restoration & conservation of the hunting tower. Inc. cutting out of defective masonry & replacing with new, replacement of domed lead roof, re-pointing in lime mortar to match the existing, structural stabilisation with the cintec anchoring systems. View a slideshow of this project.

11. Machynlleth Town Clock. (CADW)- Complete restoration of the stone clock tower inc: Torc stone cleaning, carefully rack out existing defective mortar & repoint in lime mortar, replace the existing defective lead work in new code 8 lead to LSA reg’s. restoration and re-gilding of the weather vain & clock faces & the replacement of existing moulded masonry sections (moulded heads / hood moulds / carvings etc. View a slideshow of this project.

12. Tal Y Braick Carnarfon (CADW)- Restoration of welsh long cottage using traditional materials. Inc: Rebuilding existing stone structures gables walls with existing stone & lime mortar, re-roofed in traditional welsh slate, re-plaster all internal wall in lime plaster, decoration trough out in 4 coat lime wash. Supply & fit new sash windows / doors. (this was for a TV documentary about farm life 200 year ago.)

13. St. Johns Church Chester (English Heritage)- Restoration / Conservation of all external elevations inc. Carefully racking out defective pointing & re-point in lime mortar, replacement of defective masonry with new to match existing stone & profiles, replacement of defective lead work, installation of cintec anchors.

14. St Mary’s Bosley (English Heritage)- Re-roofing the stone tiled roof to the Nave inc. re-pointing in lime mortar, re-place existing cast iron rainwater goods in new to match existing, re-placement of defective masonry & replace defective lead work in new to LSA reg’s

15. Ysgeifiog Parish Church, Anglesey (CADW)- Conservation of the remains of Chapel inc. installation of cintec anchors, consolidation/grouting of the existing masonry, rebuilding with existing masonry in lime mortar, re-pointing open joins in lime mortar to match existing. View a slideshow of this project.

16.The Old Stables Bull Lane Denbigh (Townscape Heritage Initiative)- Traditional slate re-roofing. External Lime repointing. Internal lime plastering.

17. 45 Vale St. Denbigh, (Townscape Heritage Initiave) Rebuilding of existing chimney stacks. Traditional slate re-roofing, external lime rendering, new Victorian shop front, kime paint decoration.

It’s great to see that our work over at Anglesey which includes installing the Cintec Anchoring system has made it over to the Projectbook blog! Check it out here…

Here at Grosvenor, we are very proud to be associated with such a wonderful iconic building as the Grade I listed Saint John’s in Chester.

Grosvenor are currently involved with a project to re-point the stone work with lime mortar.

We are passionate about our historic environment and we thought it would be  a wonderful idea to commission an image (above) of the interior of Saint John’s by leading architectural photographer Andy Marshall (fotofacade).

The interior is a sensation. It is a very rare example of Transitional architecture where the Romanesque meets Gothic.

The digital image original will be presented to Saint John’s as a gift from Grosvenor.

Biddulph Old  Hall had evolved over time from an open timber framed structure into a formidable building built of heavy stone in the Jacobean style.  During the English Civil War the Hall was besieged by the Roundheads, and Cromwell is said to have brought in his biggest gun: ‘Roaring Meg’ to play a part in subduing the internee’s.

The evidence can be seen in the ruinous facade where a cannon ball has hit home with a mighty thump (above).

Back to the 21st Century – it was found that the forces of erosion and gravity were a far greater threat to the surviving tower and Grosvenor were employed to carry out the following specialist services:

• Install temporary steel ring beams thus holding the tower together
• Pin the existing masonry together with cintec anchors
• Gravity grout voids with a lime based grout
• Rebuild all missing/defective masonry
• Point tower complete
• New code 8 lead roof
• New lead light windows

Recent removal of the scaffolding has revealed for the first time in a long time, the magnificence of the octagonal, domed tower of this Grade II* listed delight; with it’s freshly gilded weather vane glinting in the sunlight.

You can find out more about the project here

Our recent restoration work over at Machynlleth also involved a very careful cleaning of the historic surfaces.

Cleaning any historic surface requires careful thought. Some cleaning processes used can actually harm the building and accelerate erosion.

Cleaning of some terracotta façades in the 1980’s has actually resulted in some buildings being demolished.

This is why Grosvenor Construction provides an extensive consultancy service when it comes to improving the look of our historic environment. The actual cleaning process is just the ‘tip of the iceberg’. Our professionals carry out Conservation studies, site surveys and impact assessments to find out the best result for cleaning your building – and even on occasion we are not afraid to say that ‘doing nothing’ is the best solution.

Over at Machynlleth the best solution was to provide a DOFF system which allowed for a chemical free cleaning of the surfaces. This was the best result for all parties – and the Angel felt a lot better too!

Below is a video of the various stages of cleaning of the Angel at Machynlleth

There’s no doubting the courage and tenacity of the local townfolk of Machynlleth, Wales,  who have campaigned tirelessly with literally ‘time against them.’

The old clock tower of Machynlleth has taken on iconic status for the town because of it’s key location and also because of it’s beautiful Gothic style.  But its future was in jeopardy because of the dilapidation of the clock and the general poor condition of the tower.

Grosvenor Construction were proud to win the contract for the conservation, cleaning and consolidation of the tower and the restoration of the clock.

What was fascinating for the Conservation specialists at Grosvenor was seeing the building slowly come back to life as it was gently cleaned with the chemical free DOFF cleaning system.

Amongst the other extensive skills used: the final gilding of the clock and weather vane brought the tower back to life and provided that extra level of satisfaction for the committed team at Grosvenor.

Grosvenor Construction has an Environmental Management System which monitors our impact upon the environment and enables the improvement of such an impact. Such a system when tied in with our conservation based approach adds a real dynamic to the protection and conservation of our environment.

Conserving and protecting a building doesn’t just enable its survival for cultural purposes, it also encapsulates the existing energy contained within a building. Grosvenor Construction has been involved with multiple projects which have ensured the survival of, and re-use of historic properties for the benefit of our communities and our environment. Demolition of such buildings would mean additional waste of existing materials and ultimately the necessity for construction of a new property and the resources that this would entail.

The key conservation principle of ‘minimum intervention’ ensures that minimum energy in terms of skills, materials and processes is expounded on a project leaving much of the existing building fabric to provide a use for future generations.

It is a common misconception that older buildings lack energy efficiency. Many traditional buildings outperform their modern counterparts when it comes to impact upon the environment. Thick walls, terraced construction, and smaller windows often contribute to the need for less energy. For those buildings that need upgrading – sound guidance and use of complementary solutions can bring them back to life with the minimum impact on the environment.

Many traditional practices (which have been honed and passed on over the centuries) are now being realised to have lasting benefits for the environment. The use of lime mortar, for example, absorbs CO2 when curing.

Additionally, our experience in preparing and expediting planned maintenance programmes often prevents damage to a building along with reducing the environmental impact of costly repairs.

Grosvenor Construction’s approach to such preservation always bears sustainability in mind and uses conservation techniques that eliminate or reduce our carbon footprint

Grosvenor Construction has an impassioned approach to the historic environment and its conservation. We are driven by a philosophy which is underpinned by a real respect for the sanctity of  Britain’s heritage. Many customers have spoken of our professional and enthusiastic outlook which has a palpable result in the quality of our workmanship.

Our success is the result of a holistic approach to building conservation. At all times the rationale of ‘minimum intervention’ and use of traditional skills, materials and methods, is driven by our research and understanding of the significance of a site.

Grosvenor Construction is fully conversant with British Standard 7913: 1998 – Guide to the Principles of the Conservation of Historic Buildings. Our extensive knowledge of Government Planning Policy Guidance enables an informed and enlightened approach to project management, which contributes to the overall success of a project. To this end, we are proficient in the initiation and production of Impact Assessments, Significance Statements and Conservation Plans. Such statements and plans are linked into our project plans and ultimately feed into the conservation process through our Quality Assurance system.

Of course, our professional approach is derived from a passionate connection with historic buildings and their curtilage. Grosvenor Construction has worked on every building type from every historic period. Projects have been successfully completed in consultation with Heritage Bodies (CADW, English Heritage and The National Trust) Heritage Groups, Conservation Officers, Conservation Architects, Historic Building Consultants and even Television Media.

Recent projects include:

• The conservation and consolidation of the Jacobean Hall at Biddulph,
• The complete restoration of the Victorian Gothic clock tower at Machynlleth,
• The complete restoration and conservation of the vernacular long house in Wales

Such associations would not be possible without the people that make up Grosvenor Construction. We pride ourselves in the quality and dedication of our personnel and have access to an exhaustive range of traditional skills rooted in ongoing development and training in techniques complimentary to the protection and conservation of our heritage.

Grosvenor Construction is proud in the knowledge that our deep-seated, informed and collaborative approach to each project has helped contribute to the preservation, protection and enjoyment of Britain’s heritage.

Grosvenor Construction believes that the most important factor in any business is its people. Along with this comes a recognition that there are many hundred’s of years experience in traditional building skills retained within the Company as a whole.

Our services and knowledge attest to the general principles of building conservation and include:

non-destructive investigation and assessment,

• understanding of damp in historic buildings,
• timber decay and its conservation,
• the principles of stone cleaning.
• Assistance with Quinquennial Inspections
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The following skills complement this approach:

• Use of traditional lime mortars,
• wood and stone carving,
• material, cleaning, consolidation and sympathetic replacement,
• traditional plastering techniques,
• traditional roofing techniques
• use of hydroscopic building materials
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We don’t, however ‘rest upon our laurels’. Grosvenor Construction recognises that such valuable skills need to be nurtured and passed on. This is exemplified by our commitment to encouraging a framework for continuous development of our staff through a systematic appraisal and training programme, which includes the recently pioneered CSCS Heritage Skills Card.

Our programme not only ensures the development of our staff, but also the reduction of logistical nightmares through lack of resources, thus ensuring that we have a professional team covering the full spectrum of conservation based skills and services at all times.