Master’s House work starts (From Ledbury Reporter)
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Master’s House work starts
1:00pm Friday 22nd February 2013 in News
SCAFFOLDING: Canvas tent will cover the whole of the Master’s House as renovation and restoration gets underway.
A HUGE canvas “tent” is to cover the whole of the Master’s House on St Katherine’s car park, to protect the previous mediaeval timbers from the elements while major renovation and restoration gets under way.
The building is already completely covered in scaffolding ahead of the removal of the entire roof of the 15th century structure.
Details of the operation were presented to Ledbury Town Council by contactor Speller Metcalfe.
Speller Metcalfe chairman Steve Speller said: “A large, tent-like scaffold will encapsulate the building, and will allow for the removal of the roof while protecting the previous timbers from the weather.”
He described the timbers as “a fabulous mediaeval structure that had been hidden behind centuries of alterations”.
Mr Speller said: “We and the design team have been very busy behind the scenes, working on plans for Phase 2 and applications for grants to the Heritage Lottery Fund have been submitted, the result of which will be known around Easter time.”
Herefordshire Council hopes the building will re-open to the public by late summer, 2014.
The 15th century part of the building is set to house a county council customer services desk and a new library for the town, in the old kitchen block and in the corridor that links the main hall to the kitchen block.
The building will also house a permanent display by the John Masefield Society, the group which celebrates the former Poet Laureate, Ledbury’s most famous son.
It will also provide a home for the Victoria County History Society.
In the Old Hall, there will also be a permanent display to explain the history and the architecture of the building.
