Care and repair of historic structures
Heritage: National Trust, Historic England & English Heritage
Right from the earliest days of Owlsworth Conservation we have been working alongside some of the country's most well known and respected organisations, to help preserve our magnificent heritage. Often providing consultation services and condition surveys right through to full project delivery. We love working for these organisations as they care about the history and fabric of the building as much as we do.
"Owlsworth's history and reputation has been built on successfully delivering projects, for the National Trust, English Heritage and Historic England"
Harmondsworth Barn
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Harmondsworth Barn was rescued by English Heritage after years of neglect. The Grade I mediaeval structure is the largest surviving such building and inspired the late poet laureate and heritage campaigner Sir John Betjeman to refer to the barn as the "Cathedral of Middlesex".
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Built in 1426 oak framed barn at nearly 60 meters long, 11 meters tall, with 13 bays, both its physical size, presence and aisles evokes the space and shape of a cathedral.
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Owlsworth Conservation undertook the large scale repair and conservation of the historic fabric, complete stripping and re-tiling roof and conservation of the external historic oak boarding. The scale and complexity of the timber repairs resulted in a nomination for the wood awards.
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Harmondswrth is just one of many important barns saved and conserved by Owlsworth. Other important examples include the great barn at Lewknor, Wormsley, Brill, and Cartref barn. The scope ranges from restoration, as it was at Harmondsworth, to a change of use as diverse as conversion to a dance studio as was completed at Wormsley, incorporating services and audio visual systems, all the time respecting the history and traditional construction.
Moor Close Gardens
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Owlsworth Conservation have undertaken several phases of work on the gardens, the largest of which included works to the North West Gazebo.
The project which had been required for some time due to the failing condition of the hard landscaping and associated buildings was initiated by a fallen tree which demolished a large part of the gazebo.
The tree fall caused serious damage to the brickwork, stonework, roof structure and ceiling. The project involved the reinstatement and repairs following the tree damage including rebuilding the masonry, stonework, roof structure, ceiling structure and finishes and associated works.
Further phases of works have involved stone repairs and complete new stone columns for the various garden structures, as well as a new stone floor mosaic.
Greys Court
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Greys Court is a Grade I Tudor National Trust country house and gardens in the southern Chiltern Hills near Henley-on-Thames. Owlsworth have completed numerous projects here over the years, most of which have been stonemasonry related. These include the large scale repair to the Ha Ha wall, the white garden summer house and repairs to the ruins.
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Many of the areas such as the stunning walled garden and tower, vary enormously in construction from brick and flint to stone and are constantly under threat from the effects of erosion due vegetation, gaining a foothold and growing into the structure. Removal and killing off the root structures inevitably leads to a certain amount of rebuild and consolidation. We have a pallet of over 15 differing mortar mixes which we have developed over the years to allow us to as closely match the build in any one area.
Contact us for a full project list and references
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