Tag Archives: stone conservation

Bakers Training Programme Featured in Stone Specialist Mag

The Stone Specialist Magazine has featured an article about the our new 18-month, externally accredited site-based Heritage Building Crafts training programme, which is a one of a kind. In that article, Stone Specialist states that Bakers of Danbury is well known in the heritage sector for the carving and stone cleaning skills of its stonemasons, as well as its wider conservation work.

We are looking for new trainees to join our 18 month Heritage Building Training Programme. During which they will be working for Bakers of Danbury 5 days a week, working closely with their assigned Mentor who will be an experienced and skilled craftsman.

Throughout the training programme, the trainees will be working closely with their Mentor to achieve an NVQ Level 2 in stone masonry preservation skills, together with a programme of accredited heritage building modules which will cover lime plastering, carpentry repairs and other skills necessary to carry out conservation and repair works to churches and ancient monuments.

The Trainees will carry out a variety of conservation and restoration projects on churches, cathedrals and ancient buildings and will cover all learning and assessments onsite. At the end of the training programme they will become qualified and skilled Heritage Building Craftsmen and with the opportunity for subsequent training and internal promotion.

You can read the full article by clicking here.

stone specialist magazine

Bakers Featured in Listed Heritage Mag

Listed Heritage, the membership journal of the Listed Property Owners’ Club has featured one of Bakers of Danbury’s latest projects in its latest magazine.

The November/ December 2021 issue of the Listed Heritage looks at the interesting conservation project recently carried out by Bakers of Danbury Ltd, which involved stone conservation on a private property in Royston. Works included replacement stone quoins, window jambs, surrounds, lintels and window sills where the existing stone had deteriorated beyond repair.

To ensure the new replacement stone matched the existing, Collins and Curtis Masonry Ltd carefully selected Tottenhoe Clunch directly from the quarry and Bakers’ craftsmen measured and made templates of the individual stones which needed to be replaced.

You can find on page 98 by clicking here.

Chelmsford Cathedral

Summary = Replacement of sand cast lead roof, including structural roof timber repairs, masonry works, internal plastering and redecoration to the Victorian Song School, Chelmsford Cathedral

Value = approximately £200,000

Location = Chelmsford Cathedral

Challenge = Works carried out to a very high standard of craftsmanship despite the inherent difficulties of working at a busy Cathedral with regular events requiring noise restrictions. Complex detailing of the new roof structure constructed over the existing roof trusses.

Solution = The church department have spent the summer of 2017 removing the existing lead and boarding to the Victorian Song School roof structure which over the years had been sagging due to its poor construction methods.

As it is part of a Grade I Listed building, the remit for the scheduled works was to construct a new steel roof frame over the existing timber structure below, which then had to be connected to hold the existing timbers in their current position. Once we had secured this in place it then received a complete new timber structure over the top, which was topped off with new lead. Internally new lath and plaster adorns the ceiling.

This project involved Intensive site management and close liaison with Cathedral staff and project team.

Looking at the job now, before and after doesn’t look like we have done anything, which is always a good sign with a restoration project!

St Albans Cathedral

Location = The Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban (North Ambulatory, Transfiguration Chapel & South Cloister)

Value = £207,000

Awards = RIBA National Award 2017 and RIBA East 2017 award for Conservation

Summary = External stone conservation, replacement & repairs, repairs to leaded glazing and replacement sand cast lead roofing.

Challenge = Works were carried out to a very high standard of craftsmanship despite the inherent difficulties of working at a busy Cathedral with regular events requiring noise restrictions and nearby heavy pedestrian traffic within a town centre.

Solution = Intensive site management and close liaison with Cathedral staff & Local Authorities to ensure the works are undertaken safely and minimise inconvenience to the Client’s daily events within the Cathedral.

Having worked on St Albans Cathedral over 17 years, Bakers of Danbury have a long-running and on-going relationship with the Cathedral which we are very proud to be a part of and consider it a privilege to maintain this incredible building for future generations to utilise and appreciate.

This project was recently awarded a RIBA National Award 2017, RIBA East 2017 award and a RIBA East 2017 award for Conservation.