One of the wonderful things about being involved with Heritage Conservation is the variety of building’s that Grosvenor gets to work with.

Denbigh is a microcosm of our work.

Whilst we have a major project which involves conservation and new-build over at the medieval castle on the hill at Denbigh, further down nestled within the tight-knit curtilage of the town, Grosvenor has been busy as a bee at bringing the historic core back to life.

Here, Edwardian shop frontages butt up against Georgian and Jacobean houses. Such an eclectic mix of styles and fashions requires individual responses of expertise and understanding.

At Denbigh, Grosvenor is proud to have made a major contribution to the vitality and longevity of the towns future.

The grade II* listed Saint Elphin’s Church in Warrington his reputed to be the fifth highest parish church in the country. Dating from before Domesday, the church is now an organic mix of mainly C14th, C17th and C19th periods.

An extensive restoration took place in the latter half of the C19th which included the wonderful west window which dominates the view as  you walk along the cobbles and through the idyllic Georgian gateway into the church grounds.

Over 140 years after the last major restoration, the tracery details to the west window were eroding to a significant extent. Conservation and restoration wasn’t just a matter of merely copying the existing details, but also setting about planning a sensitive integration of new tracery with old.

This was an ideal job for Grosvenor because of our extensive knowledge of stone masonry and our access to the right type of skill-set, stone, specialist materials and plant.

A clear philosophy of minimum intervention lead the decision making process.

The end result has re-invigorated the view from the west again and should still be doing so for the people of Warrington for the next 140 years.

The year 1777 was a tumultuous year in terms historical significance. Over the pond, George  Washington’s men were fighting for Independence, and further afield, Captain Cook had discovered Christmas island.

On a more provincial level in the beautiful village of Llanarmon near Mold in North Wales, the lime mortar pointing was probably being completed to the ridges of the new school in readiness for its first intake of proud pupils.

Grade II listed Llanarmon Yn Ial old school became the hub of the community until recently when it started to fall into disrepair and at risk.

The community managed to raise enough funds to bring this beautiful building back to life and put it back at the heart of the locale.

Grosvenor sensitively conserved the existing building and built a new extension with the latest facilities to serve as a village meeting room.

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.

Being a company that ‘conserves the past’ does not mean that we are ‘behind the door’ when it comes to innovation and technology.

To this end Grosvenor have commissioned a video to give a brief insight to the wonderful world of conservation that we inhabit. Enjoy…..

Grosvenor Construction from Andy Marshall on Vimeo.