Grand Designs Project Cornwall
It’s not everyday one of our Historic Building Restoration Projects in Cornwall is filmed by the popular television series Grand Designs.
This Grade II Listed Building in Cornwall dates back to the early 1600’s when is was used as a Manorial Corn Mill. During the years that followed, it’s use as a Mill continued and its size was increased. From the late 19th Century it was adapted so it could be used for the production of animal feed. This continued until 1966 when the milling ceased, and the Mill was closed down.
On completion of the first phase of our works, it became clear that this historic building in Cornwall required additional works to ensure its longevity; structural repairs, stone rebuilding and lintel replacements to name but a few.
Structural Repairs
With the stonework cleaned, it became apparent that there had been significant structural movement within this building which needed our attention. Bulging and cracks within the stone walls were identified so we introduced a Helifix Helibar and Lateral Restraint System to restore the structural integrity of the building.
Stone Rebuilding
Deterioration of the existing pointing and bedding materials meant that some areas of the stone walls had failed and required rebuilding. This was achieved by removing these areas and rebuilding the stonework using a Lime mortar bedding.
Lintel Replacement
Upon closer inspection it was clear that the lintels above the windows and doors had decayed. After appropriately propping the areas identified, we removed the rotten lintels and replaced them with new Green Oak lintels to ensure the integrity was maintained for load-bearing purposes.
Additional windows and a door were required in areas of the building. To accommodate this request, we introduced new openings in the walls in readiness for extra windows and a new door to be installed. Our works then continued with the introduction of Lime pointing and new Slate window sills.
Lime Pointing
The use of Lime on traditionally built walls ensures that the breathability of the building is maintained. Using a suitable Lime mortar, we repointed the appropriately raked out joints of the cleaned stonework.
Window Sills
The existing window sills were either non-existent or inadequate for their purpose. We removed any existing window sills and replaced them with new Slate sills and introduced new where the existing ones were missing. Appropriately functioning window sills ensure that excess rainwater run off is directed away from the walls.
The Grand Designs episode for this project has been aired on Channel 4 and we are now able to give you a more in-depth view of the works we undertook. All of the works we carried out at this property were sympathetic to the historic building. Our restoration works included:
Structural Repairs
Stone Rebuilding
Stone Cleaning
Lintel Replacement
Lime Pointing
Once a ruinous relic, this old building has been restored as a focal point for this small community.
— granddesigns (@granddesigns) February 3, 2021
But will self-confessed purist Kevin change his mind about the restoration? 🤔 #GrandDesigns pic.twitter.com/3Wg3DaVydK