The Manor Gatehouse, Wormleighton, Warwickshire.
![](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Wormleighton-Tower-Plaster-ceiling-repairs.jpg)
The four storied tower of the gatehouse dates from 1613 and is Grade II*
Within the tower two of the lath and plaster ceilings were failing mainly due to the laths being fixed too close together and the nails holding the laths to the joists had rusted leaving the ceiling sagging in places.
Plaster Ceilings repairs – The passageway ceiling
The rotten laths and loose and friable plaster were taken down.
New riven oak laths were fixed to the ceiling joists, with approximately 5mm gaps between each lath.
A haired lime plaster scratch coat 8-10mm thick was applied onto the laths and left to dry. Then a non-haired finish coat plaster 8-10mm thick was applied over the scratch coat and floated to an open textured finish.
No paint finish was applied as there was no evidence of the ceiling ever been decorated.
Please click on each photograph for more information
Plaster Ceiling Repairs – The Stairwell ceiling
Due to constant water ingress over the years the laths in the centre of this ceiling were rotten. The rotten laths and loose and friable plaster were taken down. But part of this ceiling was found to be sound and in good condition so, as it was probably the original 17C ceiling, it was kept in place.
New riven oak laths were fixed to the ceiling joists, with approximately 5-8mm gaps between each lath.
A haired lime plaster scratch coat 8-10mm thick was applied onto the laths and left to dry.
Then a non-haired plaster 8-10mm thick was applied over the scratch coat and given a textured finish that matched the finish of the original ceiling.
No paint finish was applied as there appeared to be no paint on the existing plasterwork.
Please click on each photograph for more information
![The stairwell ceiling being inspected, this area of the original ceiling was sound and was left in-situ.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/Wormleighton-Tower-Stairwell-ceiling-02/1301328923.jpg)
Clipston Re-rendering
A Grade II Listed cottage in the village Clipston in Northamptonshire has been re-rendered with lime render. The front elevation of the building is constructed mainly of cob was rendered with a cement based render. The proposed work was to remove the cement render, carry out any repairs to the cob prior to re-rendering with a lime based render.
Please click on each photograph for more information.
![The cement based rendering was removed to show the lower wall was of cob construction and the higher level was built with a modern breeze blocks.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/Clipston_05/1340553721.jpg)
![Removing the cement rendering exposed a blocked doorway , possibly from when the house was two dwellings.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/Clipston_06/460165695.jpg)
![The bricks forming the window cill were taken down, numbered and then replaced in their original position.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/Clipston_08/2422352782.jpg)
![The area was repaired using cob blocks. This area was quite deep so preformed blocks were used as opposed to wet cob.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/Clipston_10/998668915.jpg)
![The cob to the right of the door had been damaged by previous door alterations and required repairing.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/Clipston_11/1440099340.jpg)
![The area was repaired using cob with straw. The cob used for the repair was recycled from an adjacent repair on the house.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/Clipston_12/3112825209.jpg)
![Cob blocks used for a ground level repairs. Blocks were used as the ground level of the building could be subject to damp from the pavement, the blocks are denser than wet cob so would provide more resistance.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/Clipston_13/3621365510.jpg)
![The void cut out for the new cob blocks to be bedded into. The white arrows show the top stones of the plinth that the cob wall stands on. This plinth should be approx. 450mm above ground level, so this maybe gives an indication as to how much the ground level has risen since the introduction of pavements and rising street levels.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/Clipston_14/3781383037.jpg)
![Even though the top of the wall was built with breeze blocks it received the same two coats of lime render.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/Clipston_17/3052009659.jpg)
15 Church Street Leamington Spa
Repairs to the bedroom end wall
The following is a record of the repairs that were carried out to a first floor bedroom in 15 Church Street Leamington Spa during December 2020.
![Modern plasterboard alterations had been removed to reveal the remains of the historic timber framed walling beneath. The timber frame was in good condition, some timbers showed signs of being used before, ie mortices from mortice and tenon joints. The sections of original plaster were either missing or in poor condition.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/01/250967774.jpg)
![Remnants of the original laths were still in place, but in poor condition ( right side). New oak laths shown being fixed in an original timber groove (left side).](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/05a/2543262998.jpg)
![The remnants of the original lime render was conserved in place using Plaster of Paris to consolidate the edges and then clay render applied around the remains.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/08/2602055549.jpg)
![A similar exercise was carried out at higher level. The section on the left was the original lath and clay render. Note. the render was originally applied from the other side of the wall.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/10/938689997.jpg)
![The new oak laths were fixed using copper ties as attaching them to the timbers would have resulted in losing original fabric.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/11/4007228330.jpg)
![The fire surround was fixed to the brickwork using two 8mm stainless steel threaded bars. The bars were resined onto the back of the cast iron surround and built into the brickwork of the cheeks.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/17/2226638309.jpg)
![Once built the brickwork was rendered with a coat of lime render and a coat of lime rich top coat plaster.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/18/1945765803.jpg)
The Partition Wall
![The partition wall in between the bedrooms was a combination of timber frame construction with a possible bricked up doorway. The plasterwork was loose or missing around the edges of the timbers, the plaster was missing over the brickwork.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/30/2593292273.jpg)
![The surface of the existing plasterwork had been keyed to maybe act as a key for another surface finish. These key marks were plastered over to provide a flat surface.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/31/734868688.jpg)
![Where on show the edges of the laths were more split branch type wattle/laths than riven oak laths. This area was re-rendered using a clay render, a coat of haired lime render and a plaster coat of lime rich top coat.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/32/2965505482.jpg)
![The central doorway was plastered over and the other surfaces were consolidated around the edges of the timber work. The key marks filled in with lime top coat plaster and sponged over.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/33/1072228425.jpg)
![As with the end wall all loose edges of existing plaster were consolidated in two coats against the timber frame. As the plaster dried the surface was finished with a sponge float to provide a slightly textured finish to provide an open surface suitable for the application of limewash. The photo shows the wall in various stages of drying out.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/34/548263849.jpg)
Lime Plastering and Rendering. Oldways Flore Northamptonshire
![This house was converted from a cob barn in the 19th C. It has undergone lime plastering and rendering in recent times with cement render and has crude markings cut into the render before setting to mimic courses of stone! On top of the render a modern plastic paint had been applied. Both finishes were detaching themselves from the wall.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/0912021/3445317898.jpg)
![Some structural cracking was occuring in several places.
Note: chicken wire within render, peeling plastic paint and crude finish to render.
A conservation engineer surveyed the property before any lime plastering and rendering repairs were carried out.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/0912027/16282775.jpg)
![The plastic paint was blistering and detaching itself from the stonework as seen here. The stonework behind the paint was becoming friable and the mortar joints were crumbling!
This is a good example of why modern plastic paints should not be applied over historic fabric. The plastic paint had to be painstakingly removed from the whole elevation! To save excessive repointing a lime/aggregate slurry mix was applied over deep areas to act as a key for the new limewash.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/0912028/2671513342.jpg)
![The cob walling stood on a stone plinth which had been rendered over. This allowed moisture to come into contact with the cob. The plinth should never be rendered over.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/Flore011/3396438963.jpg)
![Two coats of lime render were applied onto the cob and followed the contours of the wall. The stone plinth remains exposed and will be pointed in lime mortar.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/Flore007/3515754669.jpg)
![Due to the hot summer weather hessian sheeting had to be erected to prevent the lime plastering rendering drying out too quickly. This also served as a shelter when applying the three coats of limewash to the wall.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/0712001/959393316.jpg)
Main Road Barton Under Needwood
This timber framed house in the village has suffered from the use of inapproriate materials alongside the historic timber frame. Heavy cement render over brick infil panels has inhibited the movement of moisture which has caused the timber to remain damp and slowly decay. The house was leaning on the end elevation from back to front which complicates the repairwork. The initial plan was to remove the rotten elements and replace them with reclaimed English oak. The brick panels would not be replaced, but woodwool boards and sheepswool insulation will fill the panels which should acheive a superior U value. Then lime render and limewash will be applied to the internal and external surfaces.
![This timber framed house in the village has suffered from the use of inappropriate materials along side the historic timber frame. Heavy cement render over brick infill panels has inhibited the movement of moisture which has caused the timber to remain damp and slowly decay. The house was leaning on the end elevation from back to front which complicates the repair work. The initial plan was to remove the rotten elements and replace them with reclaimed English oak. The brick panels would not be replaced, but woodwool boards and sheepswool insulation will fill the panels which should achieve a superior U value. Then lime render and limewash will be applied to the internal and external surfaces.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/020/721329329.jpg)
![Timber had previously been taken out and replaced with bricks and fake timber created by making lines in wet mortar and blacked over!](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/barton_u_needwood_021/1391633924.jpg)
![Once the majority of the brickwork had been taken out the full extent of the decay of the timbers could be seen.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/barton_u_needwood_024/2987005178.jpg)
![The end elevation of the house mid project! All the brick panels have been removed and the cement render has been removed from the brick chimney stack. The majority of the timbers in the photo have still to be taken out as they were too rotton to leave in place](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/barton_u_needwood_036_1/1082007729.jpg)
![The completed work! Out of the 34 individual timbers on the end elevation of the house 29 were replaced. The chimney stack was taken down half way and rebuilt. The woodwool panels were rendered with three coats of non hyrdaulic lime render and the chimney stack was rendered with three coats of hydraulic lime render. All areas were then limewashed with a casein based limewash.](http://www.sleightconservation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cache/various_003/2908117964.jpg)
Sibbertoft - Grade II Timber Framed Listed Building
Limewashing at Guilsborough, Northamptonshire
This property was limewashed with three coats of Buttermilk coloured pure limewash applied onto a porous background it will enable the structure to breath.
The house has been previously lime rendered onto a cob structure so any modern paint system would have been detrimental.
Wormleighton Manor Gatehouse
The Gatehouse and the Tower Cottage is a Grade II* Listed Building. It was built for Sir Robert,first Lord Spencer in 1613.
It is mainly Ironstone ashlar, with moulded stone cornices, string courses and parapets. The lath and plaster ceiling under the archway was in need of repair. Although the laths were in a sound condtion the plaster ceiling was taken down due to its bad state of repair. Traditional haired coarse stuff was used together with a lime rich top coat and limewash.