North of England Civic Trust in partnership with Churches Trust for Cumbria has been successful in securing funding for the Heritage Skills in Action (HSA) programme from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas.

The HSA programme will follow on from the success of the Heritage Skills Initiative and consists of three elements – a master class training course for contractors (typically up to 5 days in duration) to undertake the repairs on the historic/traditional building, a lecture/walk and talk and a heritage craft taster day for young people.

Keep checking our website for further Heritage Skills in Action events or join the mailing list by emailing skills@nect.org.uk to be the first to find out about new events.

Monday 8th April 10:00-12:00
Roofing Lecture
St Cuthbert’s Church, Dufton
Bob Wall, Conservation Accredited Advisor on roof practice in the historic environment, leads this two hour lecture looking at roofing and lead work on historic buildings ahead of a week long masterclass undertaking work to the Grade II listed St John’s Church in Dufton.

Monday 8 April to Friday 12 April 10:00-16:00 daily
Roofing and lead work master class
St Cuthbert’s Church, Dufton
Join Bob Wall, Conservation Accredited Advisor on roof practice in the historic environment for this unique opportunity to learn from an expert in the field on a roofing/leadwork masterclass. This 4.5 day course will be a mixture of hands on practical work, discussion and demonstration on a live site, covering the relaying of a lead gutter, the adjusting of the falls due to settlement of masonry, re-bedding of masonry, lime mortars, slating and lead work, Topics include types of roof covering, nails, mortars, Part L, introduction of ventilation into a listed roof, membranes/modern materials, lead codes, expansion joints, documentation of details, bats, surveying and conservation philosophy.
During the week you will:
• Check the level of the stone gutter and allow to build up the sides with timber
• Re line the base of the gutter with lime mortar maybe (hot lime mix)
• Remove bottom rows of slate for reuse
• Re line gutter in code 5 lead, with expansion joints
• Form new outlets and overflow system in lead
• Re-slate the eaves with the introduction of eaves tray and felt.
Participants will need to have a NVQ II or preferably III in roof slating and tiling. Exact timings will be subject to weather conditions.

These training events are FREE to attend. To book on these events, please email skills@nect.org.uk or call 0191 232 9279 with your: name, email address, mobile (or best contact for the day of the event) number, occupation and employer, home and work postcodes and date of birth, as well as confirmation that you posses the appropriate skill level if you are booking on the master class.

The second of the Heritage Skills in Action events took place on 28th October – 2nd November. The event began with Pieter Rol, Architectural Consultant, taking the delegates on a walk and talk around Kirklinton Hall, discussing the history of the building and the architectural details that can still be seen. Pieter also divulged information regarding future plans of Kirklinton Hall.

The afternoon saw the beginning of the Building with Lime masterclass. James Innerdale, Conservation Architect, began the day with an explanation of working with lime and discussed the principles of conservation philosophy. Clive Taylor, builder, then took over the masterclass and works on the chimney stack began. The delegates climbed the 50ft scaffold to re-point the chimney. Once that was complete the masterclass delegates took on the task of clearing the rubble on the site and solving the puzzle of the fallen chimney. Some exciting discoveries were made along the way... a staircase into the cellar and a Victorian fireplace with all the tiles still intact.

The Heritage Skills in Action Project is part financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas.

The Heritage Skills in Action programme is in full swing and the first events took place last week at St Giles church, Great Orton. The week started with a walk and talk around St Giles church lead by John Little of Askins & Little and Alistair McGregor of Johnston & Wright Architects. The walk and talk looked at what makes the building special, its history, problems and issues.

The lime pointing masterclass delivered by Askins and Little then began on the south wall of the church. Over the five days the attendees learnt how to work with an architect’s specification, produce test panels, safely remove cement mortar, understood why lime is used, how to mix and apply lime mortars and the aftercare needed. The attendees of the masterclass also had a go at some banker stone masonry.