WREXHAM COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT NEWSLETTER Issue 1 November 2013 Welcome to the first edition of the Historic Environment newsletter. It is hoped that through regular newsletters, you, as a building owner will be kept informed of the work and events planned throughout the County Borough and will find the inspiration and assistance needed for any future projects you may be considering for your own property. We hope you will enjoy this issue, but if you have any comments or suggestions then please let us know. The National Trust number of buildings on the register and to raise awareness and Rescue a Historic appreciation of the historic Pigsties before environment in order to reduce the Building at Risk number of buildings being placed on Within Wrexham County Borough the register in the future. During the there are over 1040 listed buildings past two years, a number of projects ranging from the well known Grade I have been completed or are listed buildings of Erddig, Chirk Castle underway. and the Parish Church of St Giles to Most recently the National Trust has lesser known structures such as undertaken major repairs to an farmhouses, industrial buildings and unusual farm building at New Sontley gravestones. Whilst most buildings Farm, near Erddig. The structure are maintained to a good standard of comprises a series of pig sties and a repair, a small proportion combined hen house. This unique (approximately 8%) are considered to structure was considered to be at be suffering from neglect and decay 'grave risk', the worst category on the Pigsties before and are therefore recorded on the register of buildings at risk. Unusual Council’s register of Buildings at Risk. structures such as these present The reasons for risk can vary from many difficulties in seeking solutions This leaflet is available in cases of wilful neglect to buildings no to their repair and maintenance, accessible formats. longer being suitable for their particularly if they have no obvious or intended use. In general terms, a financially viable long-term use. In lack of maintenance and the cost of this case, the roof of the building had repair are the primary reasons for collapsed and vegetation growth had buildings falling into disrepair. taken hold accelerating the decay of In 2011 the Council adopted a the brickwork walls. Buildings at Risk Strategy which aims to tackle these issues. The strategy sets out action plans to reduce the Earlier this year, the National Trust undertook a series of repairs to FREE EVENT! restore the building back to its original use which included the removal of substantial vegetation Traditional Building growth, the stabilisation and partial Skills Event - reconstruction of the wall structure, using traditional lime mortar, and the Brickwork and reconstruction of the roof. Carved Pigsties after Terracotta stone coping stones have been salvaged and relaied where possible A series of training events are but additional stone will need to be being planned over the next few sourced to complete the repairs. years run in conjunction with the Whilst the works are not due to be Cefn Mawr Townscape Heritage completed until next year, the Initiative. Training days have building is now home once more to a already been held on litter of pigs. understanding historic buildings, the use of lime, stonework, Pigsties after joinery and dealing with damp. The next event will focus on Froncysyllte War brickwork and terracotta, in particular, the causes of failure, Memorial - Funding methods of repair, selection of mortars, bedding and pointing Awarded for techniques and cleaning and Essential Repairs maintenance. The event will be held on 18th December 2013 from The war memorial at Froncysyllte 9.30am at the Cefn Mawr Townscape Heritage Initiative was erected in 1909 and is listed George Traditional Building Skills and grade II as an unusually designed Awareness Edwards BrickworkT rainingand monument, pre- dating the first Terracotta Hall, Well Delivered by Kevin Stubbs, world war and constructed most Historic Building Consultant Wednesday 18th December 2013, probably of local materials. Street, 9.30am - 4.00pm George Edwards Hall, W Cefn Cefn Mawr, W rexham LL14 3AE. Originally erected to commemorate ell Street, Mawr. Course content: the loss of life during the Boer war History of brickwork and terracott Free of Charge Manufacturing techniques Reasons for failure and methods of rep a it now incorporates memorials to Conservation and repair Cleaning and maintenance both the First and Second World Local examples, including walk around Cefn airMawr Wars. The structure is unique not For further information or to receive a registration form cont only due to its early construction Max project costs £10,000 (25% Well Street, Cefn Mawr, Wrexham LL14 3AL Community Enterprise Centre, act: but also in its use of the material match funding required). DVCPNathan Trading Evans CIC y/shared/cwd [email protected] Telephone: 01978 814920 policy/graphic/xpress/economic/cefnthifolder/repairingmaint 'faience', a type of glazed Projects must be completed by the terracotta. This material requires For further special care in the repair methods end of June 2014. information or booking to be employed and it is hoped that The timescales are tight for this last please contact: works will commence early next round of funding and as such if year. your project fits the grant criteria, Nathan Evans The project has received funding you will be asked to submit a full DVCP Trading CIC from the Heritage and Culture application form and provide Community Enterprise Grant offered through the Rural supporting information by Centre Development Plan for Wales 2007- 4 December 2013 at the latest. Well Street, Cefn Mawr, 2013, which is funded by the Welsh Applications will be taken to the Wrexham, LL14 3AL Government and the European December 2013 Grant Panel Agricultural Fund for Rural Tel: 01978 814920 Development. Northern Marches meeting. Cymru are seeking applications Please call Sue Perry, from community groups located in the rural areas of Wrexham for Heritage and Culture Grant community art, literature, music, Officer, to discuss your heritage and/ or Welsh Language projects, etc. idea. Tel: 01978 298392 [email protected] [email protected] Listed Buildings Condition Survey Cadw have recently commissioned an all- Wales listed buildings condition survey which will be undertaken by the Scott Handley Partnership. The survey is due to commence in Wrexham County Borough from December 2013 and will involve an external, visual inspection of all 1040 listed buildings. Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) National Maintenance Week 22nd-29th November 2013 Each year the SPAB launches an annual campaign to encourage anyone who cares for a building to think about the simple, but effective, steps they can take to prepare their property for winter. National Gutters Day (Friday 29 November 2013) is a timely reminder to homeowners that just a few minutes spent clearing weeds and debris, or a few pounds spent to mend a leaky gutter can save many hundreds, and possibly thousands of pounds of repairs. For information visit SPAB's dedicated National Maintenance Week website, www.maintainyourbuilding.org.uk Maintenance guides and checklists can be found on the Council’s website at www.wrexham.gov.uk/assets/pdfs/planning/info_sheets/ maintenance.pdf You can also create your own bespoke maintenance plan for your property using the guidelines set out on Cadw's 'Maintenance Matters' website: www.maintenancematterswales.org Cadw Historic Buildings Grant contact The focus for Cadw's grant giving in 2014-15 is on historic building Community Wellbeing repair schemes which will help stimulate regeneration opportunities and Development Department and/or which will help save listed buildings that are at risk. 16 Lord Street, Wrexham, LL11 1LG Applications for this round of funding should be made between E-mail: 1 January and 30 April 2014. [email protected] Applications recieved after 30 April 2014 cannot be considered. www.wrexham.gov.uk/planning y/shared/cwdpolicy/graphic/qxpress/conservation/marketingconservatioin/newsletters .