Castle Acre Priory
Roof Restoration at one of the one of the largest and best-preserved monastic sites in England
Client:
English Heritage
Completed:
September 2020
Category:
Scheduled Monument
Contract Duration:
Architect:
Acanthus Clews Architects
What we did...
- Restoration & Conservation
- Facade Cleaning
- Structural / Roofing
- Leadwork
- Drainage / Rainwater Goods
- Specialist Services
USL was appointed as Principal Contractor to carry out the conservation and restoration works on Castle Acre Priory roof; an important Norfolk visitor attraction and one of the largest and best-preserved monastic sites in England dating back to 1090.
Castle Acre Priory is considered to include some of the finest and most impressive surviving monastic remains in Norfolk. This scheduled monument includes the standing and buried remains of monastic buildings and various associated earthworks within a precinct which is defined on the north east, east and south east sides by the remains of a medieval boundary wall. The priory is thought to have been founded in or around 1089 by William de Warenne (a Normal Knight), first Earl of Surrey and was built as a fortress and an aristocratic residence.
USL were pleased to carry out the sensitive re-roofing works at the Priory including;
- Scaffold design & construction of scaffolding to full enclosure restoration area.
- Facade cleaning and removal of any vegetation, organic materials and soil.
- Localised repointing to open joints.
- Installation of new rainwater gulleys and drainage.
- The refurbishment of existing rainwater goods.
- Replacement of existing rainwater goods with new cast iron.
- Extensive repairs to pan-tiled roofs (Pantiles by William Blyth – Handmade Roof Tiles)
- Timber repairs and replacements to pan-tiled roofs including installation of new battens and pantiles.
- Repairs to internal plaster including lime plastering.
- Polishing of timber floors.
- Lightening Protection.
The architectural and decorative details preserved in the upstanding ruins of the church and claustral buildings, and most notably in the west front of the church, provide a striking example of the elaborate style characteristic of Cluniac monasteries.
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