east view - 62 brookfields road, ipstones
TRANSCRIPT
Microsoft Word - D&A Statement .docxEAST VIEW - 62 BROOKFIELDS
ROAD, IPSTONES
Mel Morris Conservation on behalf of Ms E Nowill
21st May 2016
Melanie Morris Dip Arch. Cons, IHBC, MRTPI Mel Morris Conservation
67 Brookfields Road Ipstones
www.melmorrisconservation.co.uk
Contents
Introduction 1 Purpose of Report 1 Description of Listed Building 3 Significance 6 Repair and Refurbishment Discussion 8 Alterations 11 External Works 13 Appendix 1 List Description 14 Appendix 2 Photographs
Plans
1:1250 Site Plan (A4) 1:500 Block Plan and proposed site demolitions (A3)
Drawings EV_1_2016_A exist 1 to 50 gf EV_2_2016_A exist 1 to 50 ff EV_3_2016_A exist 1 to 20 gf EV_4_2016_A prop 1 to 50 gf limecrete EV_5_2016_A prop 1 to 20 gf EV_6_2016_B prop 1 to 50 ff EV_7_2016_B prop 1 to 50 attic EV_8_2016_A prop 1 to 10 doors EV_9_2016_A prop 1 to 10 window EV_10_2016_A prop 1 to 10 demolitions EV_11_2016_B prop external boundary EV_12_2016_B prop 1 to 50 attic timber repair EV_13_2016_A prop 1 to 10 metal casements EV_14_2016_A exist & prop elevations 1 to 50 EV_15_2016_A prop 1 to 10 internal elevation A-A EV_16_2016_A prop 1 to 10 section B-B EV_17_2016_A prop sections 1 to 10 through first floor ceiling
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Combined Design and Access Statement / Heritage Statement
East View - 62 Brookfields Road, Ipstones
1. INTRODUCTION This Heritage Statement by Mel Morris Conservation was commissioned by Ms Emma Nowill. The subject of the report is the proposed refurbishment of 62 Brookfields Road, Ipstones, at grid reference 402260, 349619 and lies at approximately 238 metres AOD.
This Heritage Statement is proportionate to the importance of the buildings and is designed to inform all parties about the listed building and its setting, so that informed decisions can be made.
Mel Morris is a full member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation and is accredited as a Historic Environment Service Provider. She has worked with historic buildings and historic areas for 29 years, making assessments of significance, undertaking detailed analysis of building development and advising on their conservation.
This assessment is designed to fulfil Paragraph 128 of the National Planning Policy Framework. Paragraph 128 which states:
“128. In determining applications, local planning authorities should require an applicant to describe the significance of any heritage assets affected, including any contribution made by their setting. The level of detail should be proportionate to the assets’ importance and no more than is sufficient to understand the potential impact of the proposal on their significance. As a minimum the relevant historic environment record should have been consulted and the heritage assets assessed using appropriate expertise where necessary.”
2. PURPOSE OF REPORT It is proposed to refurbish the cottage and relocate the bathroom and kitchen, re-align the boundary wall to the entrance drive and carry out partial demolition of the small stone outhouse during this phase of works. The application also includes the reinstatement of the attic floor to habitable accommodation and the associated works to reinstate a staircase between first floor and attic.
A future phase of work of rebuilding the garage and the rear lean-to and rear porch and rebuilding the out-house will be the subject of a separate application for LBC, as this is dependent upon other factors, including financial considerations such as the purchase of a narrow section of the adjoining field, which would also require planning permission for change of use of the land to garden.
The works of refurbishment include the following, which are the subject of this application for Listed Building Consent:
• Remove concrete and tiles to ground floors, dig out sub-floor and replace with Sublime (Limecrete) floors and breathable insulation throughout the ground floor*
• Re-plaster ground floor walls with lime plaster • Re-locate internal partition to create pantry and new internal boarded pantry door • Reconstruct staircase, with new splat-balusters, between ground and first floor* • Create new staircase between first and second (attic) floor* • Structural modifications to strengthen attic floor,
and repair ridge beam’* • New doors to stairwell - 30 minute fire doors to all openings onto stairwell to replace existing
modern (late 20th century) doors* • Upgrade floor within roof space to provide 30 mins. fire protection* • Underdraw ceiling within attic space with insulated plasterboard and skim* • Insert two ‘conservation’ rooflights to rear roof slope* • Re-open original staircase window and reinstatement of leaded light fixed panels
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• Reinstate leaded-light single opening metal casements to north and south gables and associated masonry repair
• Block up existing bathroom window in coursed stone to match and insertion of new single-light casement to gable end
• Replace mocked leaded-light window with pair of traditional side-hung casements to rear elevation
• Replace existing modern kitchen window with small traditional side-hung casement • Re-locate internal partition at first floor level to create bathroom and study and mechanical
extraction through tile vent* • Insert new door into existing partition at first floor level* • Re-pair and make good brick fireplace surround to chimney breast within ground floor firehood
and repaint brickwork • New cast-iron rainwater goods throughout • New boarded front doors to front (east) elevation
Items asterisked (*) will also require Building Regulations approval. Items marked () will require a relaxation under the Building Regulations.
There are also a number of repairs being undertaken, which will be carried out concurrently, as follows: • Re-point masonry to all elevations • Strap rafters and wall-plate • Lower external ground level to east and north elevation and reconstruct foul drains* • Reconstruct foul drain to north-west corner and re-location of soil stack*
3. DESCRIPTION OF LISTED BUILDING East View is a detached cottage, with a two-bay lobby-entrance plan, and a datestone of 1742, built in coursed local pink gritstone with large pink gritstone dressings. It has a chamfered, continuous stone label band (or string course) to the ground floor windows, which is stepped to form a label over the main door lintel. It has chamfered coped gables with corbelled kneelers, deeply chamfered mullioned windows throughout and gritstone masonry stacks, with later brickwork above. It has all the characteristics of a house built 40 years earlier and were it not for the datestone, which is inscribed R.S.E 1742, it would be easy to mistake this for a house of the first decade of the 18th century; deeply chamfered mullioned windows, lobby entrance in front of the main stack, steep pitched roof and firehood with a heck-post, were all very old-fashioned features for 1742. The brickwork chimney breast within the roof space, which has 9-inch x 2½-inch slop-moulded bricks, of good quality and of a regular and consistent size, is also indicative of a building constructed during the first decades of the 18th century. In 1725 place bricks (internal and party wall bricks) were to measure 9” x 2“ by statute but there is some regional variation, so it is not a reliable date for phasing purposes.
Plan: The house was originally divided into two bays: that to the south the House Place and that to the north was laterally subdivided into a small Parlour and a rear staircase. The house was also built with a small lean-to single-storey outhouse extension to the west (a catslide), as the external stonework within the present lean-to is not properly coursed or fair-faced, does not have a plinth, and the lintels to the connecting doorway are oak, rather than stone.
The House Place, the main living and cooking area, occupying the bay to the south, was approached off a small entrance lobby, located in front of the firehood, forming a lobby-entrance plan, with a fire window set inside the hearth on the external west wall opposite the lobby entrance. The entrance lobby doorway with its stone masonry surround survives complete, with a modern glazed door inserted within the external opening; the plan survives although the internal lobby door frame has been replaced. In the northern wall of the House Place is a wide doorway within the masonry. In the northern bay was the small parlour, which was originally approached via a small rear staircase hall. The two bays were divided by a substantial stone masonry wall, which continues through the building at first and attic floor levels,
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whilst the internal partition dividing the parlour and back staircase were divided by an oak-framed partition, with brick infill – a large part of this is intact but some studs have been removed at first floor level.
The building has an attic floor, which retains an oak-framed doorway within the central masonry dividing wall and a number of its original floorboards, although these are in very poor condition. This space was originally lit by casement windows, one in each gable, in deeply chamfered surrounds. There are few surviving plaster finishes at this level (with the exception of fragments in the window reveals), and no evidence that the rafters were underdrawn with lathe and plaster, although the eaves has been ‘closed’ with horse hair plaster torching. Nevertheless it is apparent that this floor was in use, whether for storage or for ancillary residential use, and was originally planned as accommodation, there being no farmland for any agricultural uses. The third floor was originally reached by a staircase off the rear staircase bay and was probably approached via a winder in the north-west corner, which was removed to create more first floor accommodation. The modern ceiling joists have removed all evidence. Access to the attic floor was probably blocked up when the house was divided into two cottages. A secondary stair was inserted within the House Place, created by simply cutting out a joist and creating a trimmer. The stair was removed and the floor boarded over when the house was returned to a single dwelling.
Heating: The building was originally heated by the large open firehood, which would have funnelled heat through the massive brick chimney stack to heat the first floor room above. There are no indications that this first floor room had a separate hearth and would have relied on secondary heat. The stepped brickwork within the attic roof space reveals the original construction, with its narrow 2½-inch x 9-inch bricks. The large bressumer at ground floor level survives, supported within the masonry to the west and by a stub masonry wall to the east – this was dressed and tooled ashlar with a chamfered detail, following the local tradition of a stone heck screen – the stub masonry wall. The bressumer has a deep chamfer to the back and a small chamfer with ogee-stopped ends to the front face, and is typical of its type. The hearth was originally lit by a fire window, which is a small single window that survives within a deep chamfered surround on the west wall within the firehood – the original leaded light has been replaced in timber. During the 19th century the original open firehood was filled in with a small brick chimney breast and inserted hearth, a customary alteration. This survives with a segmental arched lintel and a modern fireplace. The brickwork tends to suggest that this dates from the second half of the 19th century. The side return walls of the inserted brick chimney breast are limewashed suggesting that this was a pragmatic addition, with little regard for decorative finish, although the front face may have been plastered – it is now covered in sooty deposits. The opening size of this inserted hearth was large enough to contain a small cooking range, but the original fireplace surround or range has been removed and an ornate and large modern brick structure was added. The back of the original masonry contained a niche for a salt cupboard, close to the fire window. This had an inserted arch (a modern adaptation). A second niche survives to the opposite side of the inserted brick chimney breast (a modern addition); here the masonry wall is much deeper and contains the remains of a separate flue; this side of the original open hearth was adapted to contain either a copper or separate hearth or oven, with a secondary flue. Oatcakes, a local staple, were made on a separate circular bakestone and needed a separate hearth. This may explain the presence of a section of bellied brickwork in the bedroom above (a flue?), which is attached to the original chimney breast.
The parlour space was heated by a small fireplace set within the depth of the wall. The remains of the stone jambs survive, with an iron plate / lintel, suggesting that there was no stone mantel and that the fireplace surround was timber and slightly more sophisticated. This surround has been removed and a modern late 20th century hearth was added across the whole of the wall (now removed). There are no indications that the first floor room was heated by a fireplace and the narrow size of the brick flue within the roof space tends to confirm this; high-level inspection of the chimney would be able to confirm this.
Windows: The front elevation of the house has a series of three-light deeply chamfered mullioned windows. These are typical of the first decades of the 18th century and this house of 1742 is recorded by Dr. Cleverdon as
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the latest example of the window type. The ground floor windows contain rectangular, 15-paned leaded- light windows fixed to wrought iron saddle bars; there are no opening lights. The first floor contains slightly shallower 12-paned 3-light mullioned windows, to the same profile and detail. The central lights have been altered during the 20th century with aluminium and 6-paned leaded-light casements. These are the only opening lights on the front elevation. There is a small blocked chamfered window, off-set above the original lobby entrance, which would have served a small closet, for which there is no longer any internal physical evidence. This was blocked in stone masonry, and may have been done to avoid window tax. The rear stairwell was originally lit by a tall three-light staircase transom window, with single fixed leaded lights within deeply chamfered openings, for which the masonry appears to survive largely intact, much of it now buried and infilled in modern brickwork. This has the same deeply-chamfered masonry surrounds as the rest of the building. This window was not blocked up to avoid window tax but was blocked up when the staircase was moved during the 20th century.
Doors: The house has lost all of its original doors, with the exception of a single boarded door to the upstairs cupboard alongside the brick chimney hood. A number of mid 20th century boarded doors survive. The majority of the doors are late 20th century.
Floors: The parlour has a red quarry tiled floor, possibly late 19th century, of no special interest. There are indications that the staircase bay had a flagstone floor, but most of this is now hidden by concrete. The House Place floor is also now concrete.
Walls: Lime plaster survives in a large part of the first floor and lathe and plaster ceilings survive at first floor level. Evidence suggests that this was the original finish at this level, although the boarded timber floors were visible as the ceiling soffits at ground level. In common with many parlours, the internal partition may have been panelled, although at first floor level there are fragments of lathe and plaster. A number of vertical studs within the internal oak stud frame at first floor level have been removed in the past, leaving the girding beam, and upper axial beam intact; this which is load bearing supporting the attic floor joists.
Documentary Evidence There is a mid C19 parish map for Staffordshire Record Office (D1176-A-9-4) and the first edition Ordnance Survey map shows the building as a pair of dwellings, but map evidence within Ipstones is very limited and the key to the parish map has gone missing.
The datestone of 1742 and initials of RSE provide only a few clues as to the owner / occupier. According to the 19th century the Census returns for the village, there are few local families with a surname beginning with E; the most likely candidate is Eaton, sometimes spelled Eton, a family of tailors, although it is difficult to imagine that a tailor would have had the income to build a bespoke house. John Eaton was an Ipstones farmer and parish constable in 1842.
Adaptation and alteration:
The single house was converted into two dwellings during the 19th century. There are no signs that any works of alteration were undertaken prior to the second half of the 19th century. The late 19th century OS maps show the property divided into two one-up-one-down dwellings.
In order to adapt the building, a new doorway was punched into the front elevation, within the original parlour; a shallow stone lintel was inserted underneath the 18th century stone label band. At the same time, the doorway between the House Place and the rear staircase hall would have been blocked up in brickwork to both floors. The floor plan was slightly reconfigured to enable the northern cottage to have more accommodation and a short section of brick masonry wall was inserted at ground and first floor to create a small second bedroom at first floor level and an enlarged pantry. This was achieved by removing the original staircase and the associated ceiling joists in this rear bay and shortening the staircase, making it a very steep flight with winders.
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The original staircase windows were used to provide borrowed light into the ground floor pantry and the first floor bedroom. The inserted brick partition butts up to the southern internal jamb of the staircase window. When this alteration was carried out, the middle window of the three would have become redundant and it was then blocked up in brickwork. The upper and lower lights of the staircase windows were blocked up in brick during the 20th century adaptation, when the building was returned to a single dwelling, and the ground floor window was blocked up during the second half of the 20th century.
The current staircase is a modern replacement of a 19th century staircase. Floor joists within this part of the building are much smaller and the depth of the floor is 120mm. The ground floor ceiling within the staircase bay was then underdrawn with boarding. At first floor level this section of ceiling was also replaced with new joists and the ceiling raised slightly, so that the actual floor to ceiling height is 2 metres, and the overall depth of the floor joists and plaster over the staircase are also 120mm, whilst the depth of the floor to the second bedroom is 180mm and the floor to ceiling height is 190mm.
The lean-to extension to the west side of the building is effectively a catslide roof. Whilst this may at first appearance appear to be a modern addition, because it is rendered, the evidence within the building reveals that it was part of the original dwelling of 1742; i.e. part of the first phase of construction. The outside walls may have been partially rebuilt and rendered.
4. SIGNIFICANCE:
Historic Significance: The dwelling was identified by Dr Faith Cleverdon in her PHD thesis - “Landscape with Buildings: A North Staffordshire Study based on the Medieval Parish of Leek”, 2002, University of Sheffield. In this she refers to the local examples of traditional vernacular houses, with a particular focus on buildings of the 17th century. Typical internal features, found also in the larger houses, are the “stone heck screen supporting the bressumer of a firehood” and the “fire-window set inside the hearth space opposite the lobby entrance….. Smoke bays were relatively rare, but fire-hoods of either timber or stone continued to be built until the middle of the eighteenth century, and were associated with the majority of single hearth houses…. North Staffordshire fire-hoods have a massive bressumer at head-height in the houseplaces spanning the space between a heck screen and the outer wall. Some way above this might be a single beam spanning the width of the building before the hood tapered towards roof level, a form that is incompatible with upper floor access to rooms behind the firehood….. Cooking hearths were lit by a fire- window, and were effectively a small room into which later cooking arrangements could be inserted…... Later still chimneybreasts were inserted inside the fire-hoods, and a number of houses retain nineteenth or early twentieth century iron ranges in this position. Both types of hearth represent a move away from wood fired cooking towards coal, which was now being mined in substantial quantities.”
In describing East View Dr Cleverdon states: “A late example in lpstones dates to 1742. Since it is on a larger scale its roof has escaped alteration, and the rear of the laterally divided second bay has a three-light transom stair window.”
Aesthetic Significance: The building was definitely designed, rather than an evolved or simply vernacular structure and it this self- conscious planned design, with careful distribution of windows and doors, decorative mouldings and plan which is a major part of its aesthetic significance. The planned design is typified by the internal brick chimney stack, which was expressed externally with a stone stack, a purposeful combination.
The house has a high proportion of its original construction still intact, with the main loss being the original staircase, which appears to have been removed when the building was divided into two dwellings, and floor finishes at ground floor level. It is unlikely that there were many decorative finishes, with no evidence of plaster cornices or decoration and no plasterwork to the ground floor ceilings, and the construction is a simple one, but the house retains its first floor structure: oak joists and axial spine beam to the House Place and oak joists to the Parlour, over-boarded; the attic floor has the same plan form of axial beam to
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the main bay and large section oak joists running front to back for the second bay. The complete brick firehood is also intact and in relatively good condition.
The listed building is particularly distinctive for the fact that its principal elevation survives virtually unaltered in design since it was first built, the only exception being the inserted doorway and replacement doors.
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5. REPAIRS AND REFURBISHMENT DISCUSSION: In addition to some historic structural movement, the building suffers from lack of ventilation and excessive damp. This is exacerbated from being built into the bank and hydrostatic pressure and water-run off from the adjoining field (see report by Floyd Consult) and by hard gypsum plaster at ground floor level. There has also been a recent water leak under the ground floor which will have contributed to the damp but is not the sole cause of the problems. There are only three opening lights at present serving the first floor and limited opening lights at ground floor level; the fire-window has been painted shut, as has the single opening casement window to the parlour.
It is important that as much can be done as possible to allow the building to dry out naturally and provide the conditions whereby the significance is preserved but the occupants are also comfortable.
The following works are recommended to provide better ventilation and remove condensation:
• External extractor fan to kitchen and venting to comply with the regulations – please note that this may require a vent to be mounted onto the external gable wall and it may not be possible to provide adequate extraction rates by using the chimney flue. Advice should be sought from the electrician, but it is essential that this room (the former parlour) be adequately ventilated as it is proposed to become a kitchen, and there is very limited opportunity to have opening windows. Consideration should be given to making the central leaded-light to the front elevation an opening light, within a metal frame (not included within this application). Any vent to the external wall should adopt a small brown cowl (max. dim.125mm)
• Repair or replace existing small casement to the gable end with a new opening light (see detail).
• Repair or replace the existing fire window with an opening light to match.
• Replace the existing mock-leaded window to the living room with a 2-light casement, fully opening (see detail). The back of the house, which is now enclosed within a glazed timber porch, should be partially open to the elements, to allow for a cross-flow of air. Otherwise, within the living room consideration should be given to making the central leaded-light to the front elevation an opening light, leaded panes within a metal frame (not included within this application).
• Reinstate the missing windows to the gable elevations (single casements) and provide opening casements to allow a through flow of air across the attic space.
• Maintain a vent within the new pantry.
• Ventilate the chimney stack to the proposed kitchen at the base and with a vented chimney pot.
The following works are recommended to reduce damp and address the construction problems:
Works asterisked require Building Regulations approval.
External concrete – remove concrete to path to east elevation, and lower the ground levels so that they are 150mm below the existing internal floor level, wherever possible. *This will need to be carried out in conjunction with re-laying the drains along this elevation.
South gable end – Drains shall be inspected by CCTV to determine whether there has been localised collapse of drains, to check levels and breaks within the system and any blockages and whether the location of drains has contributed to the movement within the gable wall. Carefully break out the concrete taking care not to damage drainage pipes. It is advisable that prior to applying for permission for a replacement garage, works are undertaken to upgrade the ground over the sewer pipe in accordance with building regulations to make provision for any future building work over the foul drainage.
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North gable end – areas of concrete shall be removed below the step to identify location of footings and construction of the gable wall. If the construction is simple rubble construction, rather than coursed masonry, it may be advisable to reconfigure the path to lower the levels to a practical level, to provide a French land drain several meres away from the building, which would then be diverted into a soakway, and to then construct a smooth, rather than porous surface which is angled away from the building and which enables surface water to drain away from the building. If the masonry is coursed, then it may be feasible to repoint the lower courses of exposed masonry and lower ground levels.
Outbuilding: this building shoukld be removed to enable access to the gable end, to permit ground levels to be lowered by up to a metre to ease the pressure of water from this north-west corner of the building. This will require listed building consent for demolition, as it is a curtilage building. A short section of retaining wall will be required to support the boundary wall of the adjoining field and any exposed clay subsoil. This should be constructed in rubble gritstone (a traditional drystone wall) with a batter and open joints. It is unlikely that the ground levels can be lowered to the base of the wall and it is likely that some happy medium will need to be reached, which improves the existing situation. Full details of the retaining wall to be provided (by condition).
*West and east elevation – drainage. Both external areas will require comprehensive remodelling and works to provide new soil pipes and associated drainage pipes and connection to the existing foul drainage system and combined sewer, which runs underneath the existing kitchen. The external stack will be largely removed and replaced with a part-internal pipe to the new ground floor W.C. and an internal stub-stack and durgo valve to the bathroom and attic toilets. This will involve comprehensive tidying up of the soil pipes.
Re-plastering: Remove cement and gypsum-based plaster to ground floor walls and dry-lining to cupboard and downstairs W.C. Allow all walls to dry out for as long a period as possible prior to re-plastering using a lime plaster. Options for plastering include hair and lime plaster (two or three-coat) or lime and hemp (three-coat). See specification for new lime plaster. Note that new lime plaster to solid masonry walls can take up to 6 months to fully dry out. In areas where there are new kitchen fittings along the north gable, within the pantry and the kitchen side return along the timber and brick partition, consideration should be given to leaving a deep gap (150mm minimum) at the base of the walls to prevent moisture wicking up to damage plaster or dry-lining. Air gaps shall be maintained and air should be allowed to circulate through the vented chimney stack behind the sink.
*Floors: Remove existing tiles and concrete, setting aside any stone flags for possible re-use (condition dependent). Dig out existing sub-floor, taking care not to disturb any of the footings by creating a 45 degree angle from the base of the stone masonry walls, including the cross wall to a level that can accommodate underfloor heating and suitable insulation (to the depths recommended by Ty Mawr – see additional specifcation). Pin and prop the internal brick and timber studwork wall to prevent localised collapse. Provide new floors in Sublime (Limecrete). See specification. It will be essential that the finished floor level is the same as the existing floor level, in order to maintain floor to ceiling heights for the new staircase.
*Drainage and rainwater disposal: Re-lay drains to front elevation to connect sink waste from new kitchen to existing foul drainage / combined sewer. Sink to new kitchen and waste to be discharged into combined sewer through gulley trap to comply with Building Regs. New bathroom W.C.s with internal SVP.
Rainwater Goods: Remove existing plastic rainwater gutter and fascia board and replace with cast-iron gutters and rainwater pipes, with swan neck to connect gutters and downpipes. Gutters should be fixed to rise-and-fall brackets with ‘stays’. Galvanised brackets are available in traditional form and will need to have an etching primer, such as T-wash, prior to being painted black to match the gutters after fixing. All rainwater goods shall be primed, including the inside neck of any downpipes, two coats of a zinc-based primer, one coat of micaceous iron oxide, followed by two coats of black gloss paint.
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Outward bow in the front wall: During the replacement of the guttering it is advisable to carry out stripping of the lower courses of tiles and to check the condition of rafter feet and strap the rafters to the wallplate / wallhead to stabilise and prevent any further outward movement. This can be carried out piecemeal. Strapping should take the form of galvanised steel or non-ferrous straps. The condition of the wallplate should be checked and any badly rotten sections should be repaired / replaced in seasoned oak, jointed to the existing oak using traditional jointing methods, e.g. scarf joints. The need for any replacement oak shall be decided on site and shall be subject to the inspection of the consultant / conservation officer.
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6. ALTERATIONS
Re-location of Kitchen See A3 drawings – existing and proposed ground floor plan at 1:20 scale
The re-location of the kitchen is proposed in conjunction with the creation of a lobby to the rear lean-to and a separate W.C. within the lean-to. The current staircase will be replaced with a splat baluster staircase in a slightly re-aligned position to open up the staircase window. The present stub brick wall at the foot of the staircase will be removed and a new partition will be created to the north of the staircase window to make a small walk-in pantry. This pantry will house the new boiler.
In conjunction with the kitchen relocation, the new kitchen will contain all services, the external plumbing, sink outlet will be diverted to a new drain run at the front of the property whilst the cooker will contain an external extractor unit.
The wall between the staircase hall and the back elevation will be restored to its original width and splayed shape and all walls and oak lintels will be re-plastered in lime plaster.
The new W.C. will require a small casement window and the existing window will be blocked up and replaced with a side-hung casement.
Restoration of Chimney Breast – Living Room See photographs – appendix 2
The 19th century inserted brick chimney breast will be retained in-situ, with its segmental brick arch. This will be treated simply, and painted, with all adjoining areas made good, voids filled and stone masonry re- plastered in lime plaster.
The exposed ashlar stone to the heck screen wall shall be left unplastered but areas of exposed brick and rubble masonry to the draught lobby shall be re-plastered in lime plaster.
All walls at ground floor level shall be re-plastered in lime plaster. The only exception is the brick and timber stud wall to the kitchen which will be finished in a timber cladding to the kitchen side and fireline plasterboard to the stairwell side.
Adaptation of First floor to re-locate bathroom, create study, insert staircase to attic floor See A3 drawings – existing and proposed first floor plan at 1:50 scale
The re-opening of the 18th century staircase window with its leaded-lights will require the removal of the modern plasterboard partition at first floor level. This will be removed and a new winder staircase will be inserted set within an enclosed fireproof partition. A new opening will be made within the existing 18th century partition to create a new door opening for a study. This is located in a section of the partition were studs and infill have been removed. A new plasterboard partition wall will be inserted within the room to the north, to create a new bathroom and small study – the study will require a small casement window within the north gable end. This will follow in size and shape the existing ground floor window in this elevation.
The creation of a bedroom within the attic space See A3 drawing – proposed attic floor plan at 1:50 scale
The proposal involves low intervention alterations to insert a bedroom and ensuite bathroom into the attic space. This space was designed to be accommodation but has not been in use as such for some considerable time. The gable attic windows are now blocked in brick and render. The original staircase to the attic floor has been removed but the proposal is to reinstate a staircase in the same location, but to current Building Regulations standards. This will require some minor modifications to the existing structure to remove the end of the axial beam and provide alternative structural integrity.
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The alterations will also require some repairs to be carried out to the ridge beam, which is currently supported on an inserted 19th century collar, as well as modifications to support the floors where the staircase is inserted. Options have been discussed with the structural engineer to identify the solution with the least intervention.
Alterations include the reinstatement of the leaded-light casements to the gable ends and the provision of two conservation rooflights to the rear roof slope. Details of the new leaded-light casements will be confirmed with the manufacturer (see detail below).
New floors will be overlaid onto the existing joists and rafters will be underdrawn in plasterboard, whilst retaining the purlins on show. The existing oak doorway between the two attic rooms will be retained in- situ and a new boarded door inserted.
Fire Doors Works required to provide access to the attic floor will require 30-minute fire doors to all doors opening onto the staircase. As there are no doors of any special interest here, new doors will be provided, the precise pattern to be determined following discussion with manufacturers.
Detail of possible leaded-light metal casement to restored attic windows.
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7. EXTERNAL WORKS See A3 drawing of proposed site (Block plan at 1:500)
The main alteration proposed is the re-alignment of the boundary wall within the site. The existing drystone wall along the frontage of Brookfields Road, which acts as a retaining wall to the garden, will not be altered, but the proposal involves re-aligning the wall within the garden area to widen the drive. The new alignment will be built in drystone from the existing wall built to match the frontage with coping reinstated.
External alterations include the demolition of the stone outhouse. This is required to facilitate access to the gable end of the main house, to undertake works to improve drainage and remove soil from the gable end. The full extent of the removal of topsoil will depend upon ground conditions. Details of any reinstatement of a drystone retaining wall and the shall be provided in due course, once the levels are known.
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Appendix 1
Mel Morris Conservation on behalf of Ms E Nowill
21st May 2016
Melanie Morris Dip Arch. Cons, IHBC, MRTPI Mel Morris Conservation
67 Brookfields Road Ipstones
www.melmorrisconservation.co.uk
Contents
Introduction 1 Purpose of Report 1 Description of Listed Building 3 Significance 6 Repair and Refurbishment Discussion 8 Alterations 11 External Works 13 Appendix 1 List Description 14 Appendix 2 Photographs
Plans
1:1250 Site Plan (A4) 1:500 Block Plan and proposed site demolitions (A3)
Drawings EV_1_2016_A exist 1 to 50 gf EV_2_2016_A exist 1 to 50 ff EV_3_2016_A exist 1 to 20 gf EV_4_2016_A prop 1 to 50 gf limecrete EV_5_2016_A prop 1 to 20 gf EV_6_2016_B prop 1 to 50 ff EV_7_2016_B prop 1 to 50 attic EV_8_2016_A prop 1 to 10 doors EV_9_2016_A prop 1 to 10 window EV_10_2016_A prop 1 to 10 demolitions EV_11_2016_B prop external boundary EV_12_2016_B prop 1 to 50 attic timber repair EV_13_2016_A prop 1 to 10 metal casements EV_14_2016_A exist & prop elevations 1 to 50 EV_15_2016_A prop 1 to 10 internal elevation A-A EV_16_2016_A prop 1 to 10 section B-B EV_17_2016_A prop sections 1 to 10 through first floor ceiling
East View, 62 Brookfields Road 24/05/2016 2
Combined Design and Access Statement / Heritage Statement
East View - 62 Brookfields Road, Ipstones
1. INTRODUCTION This Heritage Statement by Mel Morris Conservation was commissioned by Ms Emma Nowill. The subject of the report is the proposed refurbishment of 62 Brookfields Road, Ipstones, at grid reference 402260, 349619 and lies at approximately 238 metres AOD.
This Heritage Statement is proportionate to the importance of the buildings and is designed to inform all parties about the listed building and its setting, so that informed decisions can be made.
Mel Morris is a full member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation and is accredited as a Historic Environment Service Provider. She has worked with historic buildings and historic areas for 29 years, making assessments of significance, undertaking detailed analysis of building development and advising on their conservation.
This assessment is designed to fulfil Paragraph 128 of the National Planning Policy Framework. Paragraph 128 which states:
“128. In determining applications, local planning authorities should require an applicant to describe the significance of any heritage assets affected, including any contribution made by their setting. The level of detail should be proportionate to the assets’ importance and no more than is sufficient to understand the potential impact of the proposal on their significance. As a minimum the relevant historic environment record should have been consulted and the heritage assets assessed using appropriate expertise where necessary.”
2. PURPOSE OF REPORT It is proposed to refurbish the cottage and relocate the bathroom and kitchen, re-align the boundary wall to the entrance drive and carry out partial demolition of the small stone outhouse during this phase of works. The application also includes the reinstatement of the attic floor to habitable accommodation and the associated works to reinstate a staircase between first floor and attic.
A future phase of work of rebuilding the garage and the rear lean-to and rear porch and rebuilding the out-house will be the subject of a separate application for LBC, as this is dependent upon other factors, including financial considerations such as the purchase of a narrow section of the adjoining field, which would also require planning permission for change of use of the land to garden.
The works of refurbishment include the following, which are the subject of this application for Listed Building Consent:
• Remove concrete and tiles to ground floors, dig out sub-floor and replace with Sublime (Limecrete) floors and breathable insulation throughout the ground floor*
• Re-plaster ground floor walls with lime plaster • Re-locate internal partition to create pantry and new internal boarded pantry door • Reconstruct staircase, with new splat-balusters, between ground and first floor* • Create new staircase between first and second (attic) floor* • Structural modifications to strengthen attic floor,
and repair ridge beam’* • New doors to stairwell - 30 minute fire doors to all openings onto stairwell to replace existing
modern (late 20th century) doors* • Upgrade floor within roof space to provide 30 mins. fire protection* • Underdraw ceiling within attic space with insulated plasterboard and skim* • Insert two ‘conservation’ rooflights to rear roof slope* • Re-open original staircase window and reinstatement of leaded light fixed panels
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• Reinstate leaded-light single opening metal casements to north and south gables and associated masonry repair
• Block up existing bathroom window in coursed stone to match and insertion of new single-light casement to gable end
• Replace mocked leaded-light window with pair of traditional side-hung casements to rear elevation
• Replace existing modern kitchen window with small traditional side-hung casement • Re-locate internal partition at first floor level to create bathroom and study and mechanical
extraction through tile vent* • Insert new door into existing partition at first floor level* • Re-pair and make good brick fireplace surround to chimney breast within ground floor firehood
and repaint brickwork • New cast-iron rainwater goods throughout • New boarded front doors to front (east) elevation
Items asterisked (*) will also require Building Regulations approval. Items marked () will require a relaxation under the Building Regulations.
There are also a number of repairs being undertaken, which will be carried out concurrently, as follows: • Re-point masonry to all elevations • Strap rafters and wall-plate • Lower external ground level to east and north elevation and reconstruct foul drains* • Reconstruct foul drain to north-west corner and re-location of soil stack*
3. DESCRIPTION OF LISTED BUILDING East View is a detached cottage, with a two-bay lobby-entrance plan, and a datestone of 1742, built in coursed local pink gritstone with large pink gritstone dressings. It has a chamfered, continuous stone label band (or string course) to the ground floor windows, which is stepped to form a label over the main door lintel. It has chamfered coped gables with corbelled kneelers, deeply chamfered mullioned windows throughout and gritstone masonry stacks, with later brickwork above. It has all the characteristics of a house built 40 years earlier and were it not for the datestone, which is inscribed R.S.E 1742, it would be easy to mistake this for a house of the first decade of the 18th century; deeply chamfered mullioned windows, lobby entrance in front of the main stack, steep pitched roof and firehood with a heck-post, were all very old-fashioned features for 1742. The brickwork chimney breast within the roof space, which has 9-inch x 2½-inch slop-moulded bricks, of good quality and of a regular and consistent size, is also indicative of a building constructed during the first decades of the 18th century. In 1725 place bricks (internal and party wall bricks) were to measure 9” x 2“ by statute but there is some regional variation, so it is not a reliable date for phasing purposes.
Plan: The house was originally divided into two bays: that to the south the House Place and that to the north was laterally subdivided into a small Parlour and a rear staircase. The house was also built with a small lean-to single-storey outhouse extension to the west (a catslide), as the external stonework within the present lean-to is not properly coursed or fair-faced, does not have a plinth, and the lintels to the connecting doorway are oak, rather than stone.
The House Place, the main living and cooking area, occupying the bay to the south, was approached off a small entrance lobby, located in front of the firehood, forming a lobby-entrance plan, with a fire window set inside the hearth on the external west wall opposite the lobby entrance. The entrance lobby doorway with its stone masonry surround survives complete, with a modern glazed door inserted within the external opening; the plan survives although the internal lobby door frame has been replaced. In the northern wall of the House Place is a wide doorway within the masonry. In the northern bay was the small parlour, which was originally approached via a small rear staircase hall. The two bays were divided by a substantial stone masonry wall, which continues through the building at first and attic floor levels,
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whilst the internal partition dividing the parlour and back staircase were divided by an oak-framed partition, with brick infill – a large part of this is intact but some studs have been removed at first floor level.
The building has an attic floor, which retains an oak-framed doorway within the central masonry dividing wall and a number of its original floorboards, although these are in very poor condition. This space was originally lit by casement windows, one in each gable, in deeply chamfered surrounds. There are few surviving plaster finishes at this level (with the exception of fragments in the window reveals), and no evidence that the rafters were underdrawn with lathe and plaster, although the eaves has been ‘closed’ with horse hair plaster torching. Nevertheless it is apparent that this floor was in use, whether for storage or for ancillary residential use, and was originally planned as accommodation, there being no farmland for any agricultural uses. The third floor was originally reached by a staircase off the rear staircase bay and was probably approached via a winder in the north-west corner, which was removed to create more first floor accommodation. The modern ceiling joists have removed all evidence. Access to the attic floor was probably blocked up when the house was divided into two cottages. A secondary stair was inserted within the House Place, created by simply cutting out a joist and creating a trimmer. The stair was removed and the floor boarded over when the house was returned to a single dwelling.
Heating: The building was originally heated by the large open firehood, which would have funnelled heat through the massive brick chimney stack to heat the first floor room above. There are no indications that this first floor room had a separate hearth and would have relied on secondary heat. The stepped brickwork within the attic roof space reveals the original construction, with its narrow 2½-inch x 9-inch bricks. The large bressumer at ground floor level survives, supported within the masonry to the west and by a stub masonry wall to the east – this was dressed and tooled ashlar with a chamfered detail, following the local tradition of a stone heck screen – the stub masonry wall. The bressumer has a deep chamfer to the back and a small chamfer with ogee-stopped ends to the front face, and is typical of its type. The hearth was originally lit by a fire window, which is a small single window that survives within a deep chamfered surround on the west wall within the firehood – the original leaded light has been replaced in timber. During the 19th century the original open firehood was filled in with a small brick chimney breast and inserted hearth, a customary alteration. This survives with a segmental arched lintel and a modern fireplace. The brickwork tends to suggest that this dates from the second half of the 19th century. The side return walls of the inserted brick chimney breast are limewashed suggesting that this was a pragmatic addition, with little regard for decorative finish, although the front face may have been plastered – it is now covered in sooty deposits. The opening size of this inserted hearth was large enough to contain a small cooking range, but the original fireplace surround or range has been removed and an ornate and large modern brick structure was added. The back of the original masonry contained a niche for a salt cupboard, close to the fire window. This had an inserted arch (a modern adaptation). A second niche survives to the opposite side of the inserted brick chimney breast (a modern addition); here the masonry wall is much deeper and contains the remains of a separate flue; this side of the original open hearth was adapted to contain either a copper or separate hearth or oven, with a secondary flue. Oatcakes, a local staple, were made on a separate circular bakestone and needed a separate hearth. This may explain the presence of a section of bellied brickwork in the bedroom above (a flue?), which is attached to the original chimney breast.
The parlour space was heated by a small fireplace set within the depth of the wall. The remains of the stone jambs survive, with an iron plate / lintel, suggesting that there was no stone mantel and that the fireplace surround was timber and slightly more sophisticated. This surround has been removed and a modern late 20th century hearth was added across the whole of the wall (now removed). There are no indications that the first floor room was heated by a fireplace and the narrow size of the brick flue within the roof space tends to confirm this; high-level inspection of the chimney would be able to confirm this.
Windows: The front elevation of the house has a series of three-light deeply chamfered mullioned windows. These are typical of the first decades of the 18th century and this house of 1742 is recorded by Dr. Cleverdon as
East View, 62 Brookfields Road 24/05/2016 5
the latest example of the window type. The ground floor windows contain rectangular, 15-paned leaded- light windows fixed to wrought iron saddle bars; there are no opening lights. The first floor contains slightly shallower 12-paned 3-light mullioned windows, to the same profile and detail. The central lights have been altered during the 20th century with aluminium and 6-paned leaded-light casements. These are the only opening lights on the front elevation. There is a small blocked chamfered window, off-set above the original lobby entrance, which would have served a small closet, for which there is no longer any internal physical evidence. This was blocked in stone masonry, and may have been done to avoid window tax. The rear stairwell was originally lit by a tall three-light staircase transom window, with single fixed leaded lights within deeply chamfered openings, for which the masonry appears to survive largely intact, much of it now buried and infilled in modern brickwork. This has the same deeply-chamfered masonry surrounds as the rest of the building. This window was not blocked up to avoid window tax but was blocked up when the staircase was moved during the 20th century.
Doors: The house has lost all of its original doors, with the exception of a single boarded door to the upstairs cupboard alongside the brick chimney hood. A number of mid 20th century boarded doors survive. The majority of the doors are late 20th century.
Floors: The parlour has a red quarry tiled floor, possibly late 19th century, of no special interest. There are indications that the staircase bay had a flagstone floor, but most of this is now hidden by concrete. The House Place floor is also now concrete.
Walls: Lime plaster survives in a large part of the first floor and lathe and plaster ceilings survive at first floor level. Evidence suggests that this was the original finish at this level, although the boarded timber floors were visible as the ceiling soffits at ground level. In common with many parlours, the internal partition may have been panelled, although at first floor level there are fragments of lathe and plaster. A number of vertical studs within the internal oak stud frame at first floor level have been removed in the past, leaving the girding beam, and upper axial beam intact; this which is load bearing supporting the attic floor joists.
Documentary Evidence There is a mid C19 parish map for Staffordshire Record Office (D1176-A-9-4) and the first edition Ordnance Survey map shows the building as a pair of dwellings, but map evidence within Ipstones is very limited and the key to the parish map has gone missing.
The datestone of 1742 and initials of RSE provide only a few clues as to the owner / occupier. According to the 19th century the Census returns for the village, there are few local families with a surname beginning with E; the most likely candidate is Eaton, sometimes spelled Eton, a family of tailors, although it is difficult to imagine that a tailor would have had the income to build a bespoke house. John Eaton was an Ipstones farmer and parish constable in 1842.
Adaptation and alteration:
The single house was converted into two dwellings during the 19th century. There are no signs that any works of alteration were undertaken prior to the second half of the 19th century. The late 19th century OS maps show the property divided into two one-up-one-down dwellings.
In order to adapt the building, a new doorway was punched into the front elevation, within the original parlour; a shallow stone lintel was inserted underneath the 18th century stone label band. At the same time, the doorway between the House Place and the rear staircase hall would have been blocked up in brickwork to both floors. The floor plan was slightly reconfigured to enable the northern cottage to have more accommodation and a short section of brick masonry wall was inserted at ground and first floor to create a small second bedroom at first floor level and an enlarged pantry. This was achieved by removing the original staircase and the associated ceiling joists in this rear bay and shortening the staircase, making it a very steep flight with winders.
East View, 62 Brookfields Road 24/05/2016 6
The original staircase windows were used to provide borrowed light into the ground floor pantry and the first floor bedroom. The inserted brick partition butts up to the southern internal jamb of the staircase window. When this alteration was carried out, the middle window of the three would have become redundant and it was then blocked up in brickwork. The upper and lower lights of the staircase windows were blocked up in brick during the 20th century adaptation, when the building was returned to a single dwelling, and the ground floor window was blocked up during the second half of the 20th century.
The current staircase is a modern replacement of a 19th century staircase. Floor joists within this part of the building are much smaller and the depth of the floor is 120mm. The ground floor ceiling within the staircase bay was then underdrawn with boarding. At first floor level this section of ceiling was also replaced with new joists and the ceiling raised slightly, so that the actual floor to ceiling height is 2 metres, and the overall depth of the floor joists and plaster over the staircase are also 120mm, whilst the depth of the floor to the second bedroom is 180mm and the floor to ceiling height is 190mm.
The lean-to extension to the west side of the building is effectively a catslide roof. Whilst this may at first appearance appear to be a modern addition, because it is rendered, the evidence within the building reveals that it was part of the original dwelling of 1742; i.e. part of the first phase of construction. The outside walls may have been partially rebuilt and rendered.
4. SIGNIFICANCE:
Historic Significance: The dwelling was identified by Dr Faith Cleverdon in her PHD thesis - “Landscape with Buildings: A North Staffordshire Study based on the Medieval Parish of Leek”, 2002, University of Sheffield. In this she refers to the local examples of traditional vernacular houses, with a particular focus on buildings of the 17th century. Typical internal features, found also in the larger houses, are the “stone heck screen supporting the bressumer of a firehood” and the “fire-window set inside the hearth space opposite the lobby entrance….. Smoke bays were relatively rare, but fire-hoods of either timber or stone continued to be built until the middle of the eighteenth century, and were associated with the majority of single hearth houses…. North Staffordshire fire-hoods have a massive bressumer at head-height in the houseplaces spanning the space between a heck screen and the outer wall. Some way above this might be a single beam spanning the width of the building before the hood tapered towards roof level, a form that is incompatible with upper floor access to rooms behind the firehood….. Cooking hearths were lit by a fire- window, and were effectively a small room into which later cooking arrangements could be inserted…... Later still chimneybreasts were inserted inside the fire-hoods, and a number of houses retain nineteenth or early twentieth century iron ranges in this position. Both types of hearth represent a move away from wood fired cooking towards coal, which was now being mined in substantial quantities.”
In describing East View Dr Cleverdon states: “A late example in lpstones dates to 1742. Since it is on a larger scale its roof has escaped alteration, and the rear of the laterally divided second bay has a three-light transom stair window.”
Aesthetic Significance: The building was definitely designed, rather than an evolved or simply vernacular structure and it this self- conscious planned design, with careful distribution of windows and doors, decorative mouldings and plan which is a major part of its aesthetic significance. The planned design is typified by the internal brick chimney stack, which was expressed externally with a stone stack, a purposeful combination.
The house has a high proportion of its original construction still intact, with the main loss being the original staircase, which appears to have been removed when the building was divided into two dwellings, and floor finishes at ground floor level. It is unlikely that there were many decorative finishes, with no evidence of plaster cornices or decoration and no plasterwork to the ground floor ceilings, and the construction is a simple one, but the house retains its first floor structure: oak joists and axial spine beam to the House Place and oak joists to the Parlour, over-boarded; the attic floor has the same plan form of axial beam to
East View, 62 Brookfields Road 24/05/2016 7
the main bay and large section oak joists running front to back for the second bay. The complete brick firehood is also intact and in relatively good condition.
The listed building is particularly distinctive for the fact that its principal elevation survives virtually unaltered in design since it was first built, the only exception being the inserted doorway and replacement doors.
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5. REPAIRS AND REFURBISHMENT DISCUSSION: In addition to some historic structural movement, the building suffers from lack of ventilation and excessive damp. This is exacerbated from being built into the bank and hydrostatic pressure and water-run off from the adjoining field (see report by Floyd Consult) and by hard gypsum plaster at ground floor level. There has also been a recent water leak under the ground floor which will have contributed to the damp but is not the sole cause of the problems. There are only three opening lights at present serving the first floor and limited opening lights at ground floor level; the fire-window has been painted shut, as has the single opening casement window to the parlour.
It is important that as much can be done as possible to allow the building to dry out naturally and provide the conditions whereby the significance is preserved but the occupants are also comfortable.
The following works are recommended to provide better ventilation and remove condensation:
• External extractor fan to kitchen and venting to comply with the regulations – please note that this may require a vent to be mounted onto the external gable wall and it may not be possible to provide adequate extraction rates by using the chimney flue. Advice should be sought from the electrician, but it is essential that this room (the former parlour) be adequately ventilated as it is proposed to become a kitchen, and there is very limited opportunity to have opening windows. Consideration should be given to making the central leaded-light to the front elevation an opening light, within a metal frame (not included within this application). Any vent to the external wall should adopt a small brown cowl (max. dim.125mm)
• Repair or replace existing small casement to the gable end with a new opening light (see detail).
• Repair or replace the existing fire window with an opening light to match.
• Replace the existing mock-leaded window to the living room with a 2-light casement, fully opening (see detail). The back of the house, which is now enclosed within a glazed timber porch, should be partially open to the elements, to allow for a cross-flow of air. Otherwise, within the living room consideration should be given to making the central leaded-light to the front elevation an opening light, leaded panes within a metal frame (not included within this application).
• Reinstate the missing windows to the gable elevations (single casements) and provide opening casements to allow a through flow of air across the attic space.
• Maintain a vent within the new pantry.
• Ventilate the chimney stack to the proposed kitchen at the base and with a vented chimney pot.
The following works are recommended to reduce damp and address the construction problems:
Works asterisked require Building Regulations approval.
External concrete – remove concrete to path to east elevation, and lower the ground levels so that they are 150mm below the existing internal floor level, wherever possible. *This will need to be carried out in conjunction with re-laying the drains along this elevation.
South gable end – Drains shall be inspected by CCTV to determine whether there has been localised collapse of drains, to check levels and breaks within the system and any blockages and whether the location of drains has contributed to the movement within the gable wall. Carefully break out the concrete taking care not to damage drainage pipes. It is advisable that prior to applying for permission for a replacement garage, works are undertaken to upgrade the ground over the sewer pipe in accordance with building regulations to make provision for any future building work over the foul drainage.
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North gable end – areas of concrete shall be removed below the step to identify location of footings and construction of the gable wall. If the construction is simple rubble construction, rather than coursed masonry, it may be advisable to reconfigure the path to lower the levels to a practical level, to provide a French land drain several meres away from the building, which would then be diverted into a soakway, and to then construct a smooth, rather than porous surface which is angled away from the building and which enables surface water to drain away from the building. If the masonry is coursed, then it may be feasible to repoint the lower courses of exposed masonry and lower ground levels.
Outbuilding: this building shoukld be removed to enable access to the gable end, to permit ground levels to be lowered by up to a metre to ease the pressure of water from this north-west corner of the building. This will require listed building consent for demolition, as it is a curtilage building. A short section of retaining wall will be required to support the boundary wall of the adjoining field and any exposed clay subsoil. This should be constructed in rubble gritstone (a traditional drystone wall) with a batter and open joints. It is unlikely that the ground levels can be lowered to the base of the wall and it is likely that some happy medium will need to be reached, which improves the existing situation. Full details of the retaining wall to be provided (by condition).
*West and east elevation – drainage. Both external areas will require comprehensive remodelling and works to provide new soil pipes and associated drainage pipes and connection to the existing foul drainage system and combined sewer, which runs underneath the existing kitchen. The external stack will be largely removed and replaced with a part-internal pipe to the new ground floor W.C. and an internal stub-stack and durgo valve to the bathroom and attic toilets. This will involve comprehensive tidying up of the soil pipes.
Re-plastering: Remove cement and gypsum-based plaster to ground floor walls and dry-lining to cupboard and downstairs W.C. Allow all walls to dry out for as long a period as possible prior to re-plastering using a lime plaster. Options for plastering include hair and lime plaster (two or three-coat) or lime and hemp (three-coat). See specification for new lime plaster. Note that new lime plaster to solid masonry walls can take up to 6 months to fully dry out. In areas where there are new kitchen fittings along the north gable, within the pantry and the kitchen side return along the timber and brick partition, consideration should be given to leaving a deep gap (150mm minimum) at the base of the walls to prevent moisture wicking up to damage plaster or dry-lining. Air gaps shall be maintained and air should be allowed to circulate through the vented chimney stack behind the sink.
*Floors: Remove existing tiles and concrete, setting aside any stone flags for possible re-use (condition dependent). Dig out existing sub-floor, taking care not to disturb any of the footings by creating a 45 degree angle from the base of the stone masonry walls, including the cross wall to a level that can accommodate underfloor heating and suitable insulation (to the depths recommended by Ty Mawr – see additional specifcation). Pin and prop the internal brick and timber studwork wall to prevent localised collapse. Provide new floors in Sublime (Limecrete). See specification. It will be essential that the finished floor level is the same as the existing floor level, in order to maintain floor to ceiling heights for the new staircase.
*Drainage and rainwater disposal: Re-lay drains to front elevation to connect sink waste from new kitchen to existing foul drainage / combined sewer. Sink to new kitchen and waste to be discharged into combined sewer through gulley trap to comply with Building Regs. New bathroom W.C.s with internal SVP.
Rainwater Goods: Remove existing plastic rainwater gutter and fascia board and replace with cast-iron gutters and rainwater pipes, with swan neck to connect gutters and downpipes. Gutters should be fixed to rise-and-fall brackets with ‘stays’. Galvanised brackets are available in traditional form and will need to have an etching primer, such as T-wash, prior to being painted black to match the gutters after fixing. All rainwater goods shall be primed, including the inside neck of any downpipes, two coats of a zinc-based primer, one coat of micaceous iron oxide, followed by two coats of black gloss paint.
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Outward bow in the front wall: During the replacement of the guttering it is advisable to carry out stripping of the lower courses of tiles and to check the condition of rafter feet and strap the rafters to the wallplate / wallhead to stabilise and prevent any further outward movement. This can be carried out piecemeal. Strapping should take the form of galvanised steel or non-ferrous straps. The condition of the wallplate should be checked and any badly rotten sections should be repaired / replaced in seasoned oak, jointed to the existing oak using traditional jointing methods, e.g. scarf joints. The need for any replacement oak shall be decided on site and shall be subject to the inspection of the consultant / conservation officer.
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6. ALTERATIONS
Re-location of Kitchen See A3 drawings – existing and proposed ground floor plan at 1:20 scale
The re-location of the kitchen is proposed in conjunction with the creation of a lobby to the rear lean-to and a separate W.C. within the lean-to. The current staircase will be replaced with a splat baluster staircase in a slightly re-aligned position to open up the staircase window. The present stub brick wall at the foot of the staircase will be removed and a new partition will be created to the north of the staircase window to make a small walk-in pantry. This pantry will house the new boiler.
In conjunction with the kitchen relocation, the new kitchen will contain all services, the external plumbing, sink outlet will be diverted to a new drain run at the front of the property whilst the cooker will contain an external extractor unit.
The wall between the staircase hall and the back elevation will be restored to its original width and splayed shape and all walls and oak lintels will be re-plastered in lime plaster.
The new W.C. will require a small casement window and the existing window will be blocked up and replaced with a side-hung casement.
Restoration of Chimney Breast – Living Room See photographs – appendix 2
The 19th century inserted brick chimney breast will be retained in-situ, with its segmental brick arch. This will be treated simply, and painted, with all adjoining areas made good, voids filled and stone masonry re- plastered in lime plaster.
The exposed ashlar stone to the heck screen wall shall be left unplastered but areas of exposed brick and rubble masonry to the draught lobby shall be re-plastered in lime plaster.
All walls at ground floor level shall be re-plastered in lime plaster. The only exception is the brick and timber stud wall to the kitchen which will be finished in a timber cladding to the kitchen side and fireline plasterboard to the stairwell side.
Adaptation of First floor to re-locate bathroom, create study, insert staircase to attic floor See A3 drawings – existing and proposed first floor plan at 1:50 scale
The re-opening of the 18th century staircase window with its leaded-lights will require the removal of the modern plasterboard partition at first floor level. This will be removed and a new winder staircase will be inserted set within an enclosed fireproof partition. A new opening will be made within the existing 18th century partition to create a new door opening for a study. This is located in a section of the partition were studs and infill have been removed. A new plasterboard partition wall will be inserted within the room to the north, to create a new bathroom and small study – the study will require a small casement window within the north gable end. This will follow in size and shape the existing ground floor window in this elevation.
The creation of a bedroom within the attic space See A3 drawing – proposed attic floor plan at 1:50 scale
The proposal involves low intervention alterations to insert a bedroom and ensuite bathroom into the attic space. This space was designed to be accommodation but has not been in use as such for some considerable time. The gable attic windows are now blocked in brick and render. The original staircase to the attic floor has been removed but the proposal is to reinstate a staircase in the same location, but to current Building Regulations standards. This will require some minor modifications to the existing structure to remove the end of the axial beam and provide alternative structural integrity.
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The alterations will also require some repairs to be carried out to the ridge beam, which is currently supported on an inserted 19th century collar, as well as modifications to support the floors where the staircase is inserted. Options have been discussed with the structural engineer to identify the solution with the least intervention.
Alterations include the reinstatement of the leaded-light casements to the gable ends and the provision of two conservation rooflights to the rear roof slope. Details of the new leaded-light casements will be confirmed with the manufacturer (see detail below).
New floors will be overlaid onto the existing joists and rafters will be underdrawn in plasterboard, whilst retaining the purlins on show. The existing oak doorway between the two attic rooms will be retained in- situ and a new boarded door inserted.
Fire Doors Works required to provide access to the attic floor will require 30-minute fire doors to all doors opening onto the staircase. As there are no doors of any special interest here, new doors will be provided, the precise pattern to be determined following discussion with manufacturers.
Detail of possible leaded-light metal casement to restored attic windows.
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7. EXTERNAL WORKS See A3 drawing of proposed site (Block plan at 1:500)
The main alteration proposed is the re-alignment of the boundary wall within the site. The existing drystone wall along the frontage of Brookfields Road, which acts as a retaining wall to the garden, will not be altered, but the proposal involves re-aligning the wall within the garden area to widen the drive. The new alignment will be built in drystone from the existing wall built to match the frontage with coping reinstated.
External alterations include the demolition of the stone outhouse. This is required to facilitate access to the gable end of the main house, to undertake works to improve drainage and remove soil from the gable end. The full extent of the removal of topsoil will depend upon ground conditions. Details of any reinstatement of a drystone retaining wall and the shall be provided in due course, once the levels are known.
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Appendix 1