Historic Building workshop

Traditional vernacular building construction and materials

Date: 3 July 2019

When: 0900 – 1700

Where: The Bull Hotel followed by Igtham Mote, Sevenoaks, Kent

Cost:  £125.00 plus VAT (£150.00) to include seminar proceedings, all refreshments, lunch, entrance to Igtham Mote and comprehensive delegate pack

The day’s course will consider in depth three aspects of building conservation.

• The care and repair of historic timber frames and roof structures
• Frame infill panels, plaster finishes and historic glazing.
• Problems of decay and methods of repair

The venue has been carefully chosen as Ightham Mote is a fine example of the use of local vernacular materials and traditional timber framed construction. The building developed from a small 14^th century moated complex around its Great Hall into a sophisticated small country house by the end of the 17^th century. Much of the early work uses the local Kentish Rag stone and the later work is an excellent example of timber framing. The building also displays good examples of joinery, early internal decoration and the introduction of glass for domestic window glazing in the latter part of the 16^th century. The day will include formal Power Point presentations, material handling sessions and first hand observations of the buildings. The morning’s presentations will be based at the nearby Hadlow Manor Hotel where we will also have lunch. The afternoon will be spent on site at Ightham Mote looking at the buildings so come suitably dressed for the weather conditions of the day.

Main Themes

The History and Development of Historic Timber Frames and Roof Structures

The historic development of timber frames and roof structures from the medieval period to the 19^th century

• Causes of decay and failure including mechanical failure, rot and insect attack.
• Approach to structural repairs, selection and use of materials and techniques.
• Case Studies

 Historic Infill panels, Plasterwork, and Glass

• The history and construction of historic infill panels, including wattle and daub and masonry.
• Early lime plasters and their application.
• The historic development of window glass and Glazing.
• Approaches to repair and replacement.

Ightham Mote

The buildings were constructed over several centuries and reflect the changing needs of the occupants, social changes and ideas of more comfortable living. The site was very constrained by being surrounded by a moat so all available space around the central courtyard was developed to the full. Stables and other estate buildings were constructed outside the moated area leaving the internal courtyard free of clutter. The buildings have survived remarkably well with only minor change and updating as the site was off the beaten track, and the owners were not in high office or in the mainstream of society. From 1592 until 1889 the house was owned by the Selby family but in the 20^th century was sold twice and in 1951 was purchased by a consortium of local businessmen who saved it from demolition. In 1953 the estate was purchased by an American who gave it to The National Trust in 1985. From 1990 to 2005 the Trust undertook a major scheme of conservation and are now continuing with a rolling programme of repair and maintenance.

Speaker

Kevin Stubbs BA(Hons)  DipBldgCons(AA)  IHBC   CertEd

Kevin Stubbs is a Historic Buildings Consultant and comes with a background of education, archaeology and building conservation. He was Director of Archaeology for the Test Valley in Hampshire and later moved to Hampshire County Council to join the Historic Buildings Bureau, where he became the Principal Buildings Conservation Officer for the County. For eleven years he acted as the Director of a Conservation Centre and now runs his own Historic Building Consultancy and Training Company.

He advises on the repair and maintenance of all historic structures and provides training at all levels for the building conservation industry.  This includes the development of historic building technology, traditional materials and hands-on craft training.  Work for Local Government Authorities includes Conservation Area appraisals, historic building condition surveys and feasibility studies.  He has provided training exercises with local communities to raise awareness of their village plans and local heritage interpretation documents and he has provided Traditional Skills Awareness Courses for a number of bodies.

He undertakes the Historic Analysis of buildings and produces: Statements of Significance; Method Statements; Impact Assessments and Specifications for the repair and conservation of traditional buildings.

He lectures for various CPD providers, Universities and national building conservation organizations including SPAB, RICS and the Weald and Downland Museum.  Topics include: Bricks and Mortar; Lime, Plasters and Renders; Cob and Earth, Timber Frame and Stone Structures and Traditional Roofing.

The day will include formal Power Point presentations, material handling sessions and first hand observations of the building.