Heritage North East & Yorkshire

Restoring the North East: Spence & Dower LLP

Spence & Dower

Established in 1946, Spence & Dower LLP are chartered architects and historic building consultants who specialise in all aspects of architectural work. The practice predominantly works in and around the North East of England and principally this involves the conservation and refurbishment of historic buildings, the integration of new developments within existing structures and contemporary design work.

Spence & Dower’s services include: full measured surveys, feasibility studies, condition surveys, planning and listed building consent applications, heritage impact assessments and conservation audits. The company has been involved with conservation projects for Newcastle City Council, English Heritage and the National Trust and in 2010 were awarded a four-year framework agreement with English Heritage to carry out conservation work on their historic properties in their Northern territory.

Spence & Dower

Two of Spence & Dower’s most recent projects include the ongoing conservation of Seaton Delaval Hall in Northumberland and the conservation of a mediaeval monastery on Coquet Island.

Seaton Delaval Hall

Seaton Delaval Hall is a Grade I listed site that is located in the South East industrial corner of Northumberland. The estate was purchased by the National Trust following a national fundraising campaign from former owners Lord and Lady Hastings and includes a grand country house located within 450 acres of farm and park land. The building was completed in 1728 but sustained extensive damage in 1822 when a fire swept through the building.

A series of on-going conservation works is planned for the site including repairs to the interior of the building, the two flanking stair towers and the conservation of damaged statues. The work will also help to facilitate safe access to the site for members of the public.

Spence & Dower

Some areas of the work have already been completed including the conservation of the Hall’s interior stonework. During this part of the project visitors were admitted to the first floor of Seaton Delaval Hall to witness firsthand the careful conservation works that were being conducted by the skilled masons. This part of the project allowed visitors to see Seaton Delaval Hall from a completely new perspective.

Presently works are continuing to conserve six statues on the site. The statues are an original feature of Seaton Delaval Hall and are one of just a few decorative features to have survived the fire of 1822. The statues depict the six muses – representing architecture, astronomy, music, geography, literature and poetry – and are constructed of stucco which is formed around iron work and built up from a brick base.

Spence & Dower

Due to the intensity of the fire and subsequent weathering, the statues have suffered much deterioration over the years and were considered to be unstable during a structural survey. To protect the statues from further damage the structures were boxed in timber and Perspex and scaffolding was erected to facilitate the first phase of works.

Throughout this stage of the project all efforts are being made to conserve, consolidate and not recreate parts of the statues. The statues are being cleaned by very light brushing before material bandage dressings are used to hold weakened parts of the statues together. A sample of the original material is also being taken for analysis.

The main contractor for the project is Team Force Restoration Ltd.

Coquet Island

Spence & Dower

Located just one mile from the fishingportofAmble,CoquetIslandis a nature reserve that is home to more than 35,000 pairs of nesting seabirds. The Island is managed by the RSPB and due to its quite unique status as a bird sanctuary it is protected under European Law and is not accessible to the public.

As well as the wildlife, Coquet Island also houses a lighthouse – built in 1841 – and other associated buildings, including the remains of a 15th Century monastic cell. English Heritage recently identified the mediaeval parts of the building as a safety risk and work has been conducted to consolidate and restore these parts of the site.

Spence & Dower

Team Force Restoration was once again the main contractor for the project and work included the conservation of key areas of the monastic cell, the base of the lighthouse and the former Buoy Keepers’ Cottage. Due to the sensitive nature of the Island’s inhabitants no work can be carried out between April and September as this is the birds’ nesting season. Gaining regular access to an island to carry out work during the winter months contributed an interesting dimension to a very sensitive project.

TheCoquetIslandproject was co-ordinated by the North East Civic Trust with funding from English Heritage, RSPB, Northumberland Estates, Trinity House, the Northumberland Coast AONB and the Community Foundation.

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