The chapel completed

Part of our recent period brick work restoration has been the ongoing renovation of a what appears to be a chapel which we discovered hidden behind more recent masonry…………..

We have completed the final work to the ‘chapel’ and it looks just great!

So pleased that the original shape has been retained and how this feature, found bricked up, damp and forgotten for years is now an integral part of the home.

As members of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (The SPAB), we were keen to preserve it and that any works we did were completely reversible ,so that the original structure is still intact.

The membrane,supplied and fitted by Empire Property Services in conjunction with Triton has been a great success, without a membrane there would have been little we could do to stop the damp in this basement context.

Using haired NHL 3.5 lime mortar with a sharp sand aggregate as the base coat worked a treat to steady up the render and the haired chalk plaster from The Anglia Lime Company was a triumph!

The images will show that the York stone flooring looks as though it has always been there- the slabs have been given a light coat of raw linseed oil as a natural sealer.

We will often use reclaimed York stone as a flooring surface for our inglenook hearths ,rooms, especially kitchens,utility rooms and hallways- areas of heavy use. They add that special texture,scale and colour which enhances the character of a period home and they will certainly not wear out!

York stone can make an excellent patio area too of course!

The ‘chapel’ has been a pleasure to restore,a unique project and as always, during the course of the restoration we have learned something to add to our experience-one never stops learning!

On to the next part of the the project, laying a limestone floor to the room, inserting new windows and doors, a Juliet balcony and a new staircase!