Live Site Training Underway in Bingley
03 February 2010, Heritage lecturers at Craven College and York University are working with adults and full time students at St Ives Estate in Bingley. Participants will restore the stone walls of the walled garden that form part of the 17th and 18th century Manor House.
Local charity the Friends of St Ives is working with the National Heritage Training Academy, Craven College, Bradford Council and Waste Recyling Environmental Ltd to provide a walled garden for the dependent residents of St Ives. Craven College and the National Heritage Training Academy students have been repointing the grade II listed walls while heritage lecturer Kevin Lambert undertakes the more difficult structural work. This was a good opportunity for students to experience on site conditions and handle materials. The students were shown how to rake out the old mortar joints with traditional tools, each student had their own area to work on for the whole weekend.
The students were shown how to mix and apply lime based mortar, using essential techniques such as wetting and brushing. After a weekend of raking out and repointing, there was a significant improvement to the appearance of the wall, which will remain as part of the walled garden.
The biggest improvement was the repair that Kevin himself was working on, large key stones composing a buckling corner were removed and replaced to realign the corner completely. The opportunity of watching Kevin do this, under site conditions was invaluable. Some of us even found the old glass, stone and bone that fell from the core as Kevin worked interesting!
The Chairperson of The Friends of St Ives said the group were really pleased to have the diverse range of workers attending St Ives and spending time not only to experience new skills in old ways but also gave the students the opportunity to see this beautiful and special place on Bradford's doorstep which is still largely unknown.