Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
The Practical Work
By Roy Harvey, Site Manager and Lead Fixer Mason, Midland Masonry
Limited
As stated above, the remedial work to the cut and rubbed brickwork to the
West Tower centred on:
●
Two entrance doorways at the bottom, one leading to the base and the
other to the spiral staircase, which had widespread spalling of the cut-
moulded bricks. This was to the full height up to the springing position of
the right-hand jamb on one opening, and the cut-moulded voussoirs of the
two-ring, 'ordered' arch on the other doorway.
●
Spalled cut-moulded voussoirs of the segmental arch of the entrance, from
the spiral staircase, onto the 2nd floor of the tower.
●
Spalled and fractured area/s of the cut-moulded brick newel and section/s
of some of the brick 'ploughshare' vaulting of the spiral staircase where it
mitred into it, in the tower.
●
The repairs and replacement brickwork to the large cut-moulded chimney
shaft at the top of the tower.
This work was deliberately scheduled for the months between April and
September, when there is no fear of frost, good drying weather and length to
the daylight. To undertake these remedial actions, depending on the size of
the particular element of brickwork and the intricacy of the work involved,
we might assign up to four or five craftsmen. Their varied tasks would involve
recording the work, creating templets, taking down, cleaning, numbering, stor-
ing and salvaging bricks, as well as one or two masons to cut and rub the bricks
and others to re-build the brickwork being repaired or restored.
All of the above enrichments to be worked on had already been identified
and indicated on working drawings from English Heritage. My team then care-
fully recorded these individually before any brickwork was disturbed. In the
case of the arches, our joiners accurately made timber centres to support them
during work by being propped and wedged into position and upon them all
voussoir positions carefully marked before dismantling. For the remedial works
to the newel and the vault brickwork mitring into it was necessary to provide
support whilst decayed bricks were cut out and new cut-moulded newel bricks
and vault bricks were carefully inserted. For the newel bricks this was done by
looking at the bond and determining what could be carefully cut out and what
bricks could be left to provide support, perhaps 10 out of 20 bricks. The vault
brickwork need planning and depended on whether individual bricks or a
small patch of bricks needed to be repaired. With the latter laths bent to shape
and fixed to the surrounding brickwork provided sufficient support.
