Project background

Unfortunately it is occasionally necessary for a local authority to issue an Urgent Works Notice on a building that is on their at risk register. Cherwell District Council had such a case earlier this year and asked Carpenter Oak & Woodland to carry out a survey of the building which is now under repair.

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Client

Cherwell District Council

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The 18C granary at Manor Farm sits amongst a group of buildings including a thirteenth century Grade I listed tithe barn, a Grade II listed farmhouse and some single storey nineteenth century farm buildings. The granary stands on fifteen staddle stone plinths arranged in three rows of five stones. Both the construction and design of the timber frame suggest the building was built comparatively late in the timber framing tradition. It has a steeply pitched roof with a half-hipped gable and is slated in Stonesfield slate roof tiles. The wall frames are in-filled with brick and lathe and plaster to the upper panels. Earlier this year Carpenter Oak & Woodland carried out a survey of the timber frame and advised the Council on the extent of the repairs and appropriate methodology.

The granary in its rather sorry state

Temporary wooden buttressing

Earlier this month the frame was carefully dismantled on site and each frame member labelled. It was then removed to our framing yard in Colerne, near Chippenham where joint by joint repairs are now being undertaken. The frame is due to go back to site for re-erection in mid November.

The base plates are one example of significant decay

The ends of the base plates have been cut away and new seasoned oak grafted in ready for the new mortice joint to be cut

Patch repairs being carried out to the base plates