Our latest project over at Denbigh in Wales involved a full refurbishment of the Old Police Station, using conservation principles.

This beautiful classical building stood proud on the main road and is a key structure in the streetscape.

Grosvenor fully project managed the site from the roof down to the camomile lawn.

A full re-roof was needed which incorporated the existing good slates.

Minimum intervention was the key guiding philosophy on the site and this enabled sash windows to be retained and refurbished.

Equally, further to deterioration of the stone quoins, only the quoins which were structurally unsound were replaced.

Below is a video showing the new Quoins being prepared:

.Below: The new Quoin is now fixed into position

Other works included (also see images below):

• New pots to chimney
• Doff cleaning of surfaces and re-pointing of front elevation
• New lead gulleys and portico roof
• Lime stone indents to the front wall
• Clean and conserve wrought iron railings
• Landscaping front area with sett’s and yorkstone flagging

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.

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.