Survey Report Yew Tree Cottage, Wash Water, Berkshire
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SURVEY REPORT YEW TREE COTTAGE, WASH WATER, BERKSHIRE Oxley Conservation Ltd 8a Friday Street Henley on Thames Oxfordshire RG9 1AH Telephone: 01491 414191 Email: [email protected] Website: www.oxleyconservation.co.uk Survey Report Yew Tree Cottage, Wash Water, Berkshire CONTENTS CONTENTS .....................................................................................................................................................................................................i 1 THE REPORT ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.1 The Client ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 2 1.2 The subject building ....................................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Instructions ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Date of inspection ........................................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.5 The limitations of the inspection .................................................................................................................................................. 2 2 INTRODUCTION - THE ADOPTED APPROACH ..................................................................................................................... 2 3 VERNACULAR BUILDING SURVEY ........................................................................................................................................... 3 4 CONDITION SURVEY ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 5 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REPAIR .......................................................................................................................................... 6 6 BUDGET COST ESTIMATES .......................................................................................................................................................... 8 7 WILDLIFE ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 9 8 LIMITATIONS ................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 8 SELECTED PHOTOGRAPHS ........................................................................................................................................................ 10 APPENDICES .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 15 Appendix 1: List Description ................................................................................................................................................................. 15 Appendix 2: Implications of listed status ............................................................................................................................................. 17 Appendix 3: The traditional performance of old buildings ............................................................................................................... 18 Appendix 4: The qualities of lime based materials ............................................................................................................................. 20 Oxley Conservation Ltd i of 20 April 2017 Survey Report Yew Tree Cottage, Wash Water, Berkshire 1 THE REPORT 1.1 The Client The National Trust, Micheldever Consultancy Hub, 4 Warren Farm Barns, Andover Road, Winchester S021 3FL Contact: Jessica Mittler 1.2 The subject building Yew Tree Cottage, Andover Road, Wash Water, Newbury RG20 0LT 1.3 Instructions Yew Tree Cottage was inspected in accordance with the written instructions to provide the following: 1. Vernacular Building Survey; to include a brief analysis and interpretation of the development/phasing of the building. 2. Condition Survey; concentrating on the readily and safely accessible areas of the roof structure and the chimney stack. 3. Recommendations for repair. 1.4 Date of inspection 30th November 2016. 1.5 The limitations of the inspection This Report is based upon the following limitations: o A non-destructive inspection of the readily accessible and visible areas of Yew Tree Cottage; concentrating on the roof structure and the chimney stack. o The services have not been inspected or reported upon for the purposes of this Report. However, a general observation has been made within the report relating to the number of electrical power points available [item 5.9]. o Extensive wall linings prevented a full inspection of the walls and associated detailing. o This report is not a specification for the execution of work and must not be used as such. The report is restricted to the development and condition of Yew Tree Cottage. 2 INTRODUCTION - THE ADOPTED APPROACH This Report is review of the development and the condition of Yew Tree Cottage, which is a Grade II listed building [Appendix 1]. Consequently, the recommendations made in the Report are based upon a conservation minded approach that is considered appropriate to a building that is listed as being of special architectural or historic interest. The recommendations rely upon constructional methods of repair, using materials compatible and consistent with the historic fabric, and, wherever possible, repair techniques that are reversible and that maximise the retention of the surviving historic fabric. This Report is the initial assessment of the condition of Yew Tree Cottage, with particular attention to the roof structure and the chimney stack. Without further investigation and opening-up of parts of the fabric the full extent of the problems, particularly structural detailing and/or timber decay, cannot be ascertained. Oxley Conservation Ltd 2 of 20 April 2017 Survey Report Yew Tree Cottage, Wash Water, Berkshire 3 VERNACULAR BUILDING SURVEY 3.1 Brief description Yew Tree Cottage is a Grade II listed detached cottage located in a rural location adjacent to the A34. The cottage is located on the eastern edge of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty [AONB]. The front of the cottage faces east and comprises of a single pile two cell principal range with a rear [west] outshut to the west providing ground floor service accommodation and a first floor landing/attic area. There is a basic lean-to timber-framed outbuilding to the north flank elevation [Photo 4]. The walls are constructed in solid 9 inch or single skin [4 inch] brickwork primarily in a Flemish bond; alternate stretchers and headers. The headers are glazed/burnt and add considerably to the appearance and charm of this simple cottage. The roof is pitched with a ‘cat-slide’ roof to the rear [west] extending from the principal range and over the outshut [Photo 2]. The roof timbers are consistent with a single phase of construction, comprising of softwood, most probably larch, ‘pole’ rafters and collars and a pair of central oak ‘principal’ rafters with, where visible, elm ceiling joists [Photos 5-7]. The cottage is provided with protection against the prevailing elements, south westerly driving rain across the Downs, with tile-hanging to the first floor of the south facing gable [Photo 3]. The west facing outshut minimises the area of the wall exposed to driving rain, as the first floor accommodation is protected by the ‘cat-slide’ roof [Photo 2]. 3.2 Analysis of development The brickwork to the ground floor wall to the south elevation [Photos 3 & 15] does not show any break in the bond or any other indicators that this wall was constructed in two phases. There is a ‘build-line’ or difference in the bond to the first floor of the north elevation [Photo 12] but this is not evident at ground floor level. It is unlikely that the north and south walls have been completely rebuilt. Consequently, the principal range and the rear outshut are of a contemporary single phase of construction. The layout of the first floor plan requires access to be gained to the first floor accommodation using the stairs contained within the rear outshut. The doors and the door furniture to the first floor rooms, the bedrooms, within the principal range are consistent with the age of the early 19th century origins of the building. The winding stairs are also consistent with those that would be found in similar buildings of the early 19th century of this status. The evidence available at the time of the inspection strongly supports that the building was constructed in a single phase, with the rear outshut providing the service range, including a scullery, and a means of providing access to the first floor accommodation. 3.3 Summary of development Yew Tree Cottage was constructed in a single phase and is of a building type that is not uncommon; providing simple yet functional