Woman lime washing old building

Technical and LBC

Responsibilities for owning and maintaining a historic building include using a traditional approach to maintenance that will secure the building for centuries, and working within the regulations.

Traditional materials allow the house to breathe

Uncontrolled moisture probably presents the biggest single threat to any old building. In the past, buildings would have been well-ventilated (yes, draughty), used materials and design that allowed water vapour to escape, and air would have been drawn through a house by an open fire. Modern life, building materials and processes all work to cut out draughts, make everything waterproof, and heat the resulting space with central heating.

Whilst modern houses can suffer from damp, in an old house in can be disastrous: when humidity gets above 70% the damage can start, including rot and woodworm.

Grade 2 listed by Historic England

Wisson Hill was listed on the National Heritage List for England in 1967, as Grade 2 Listed. Buildings are identified and recorded in this way when they are of special architectural or historic interest and it provides legal protection against damage or destruction. Grade 2 listing is essentially the lowest level, below Grade 1 and Grade 2*, with nearly 92% of all listed buildings being Grade 2 listed.

The listing is based on looking at the exterior of the building and historical sources. The listing quotes Victoria County History (V.C.H Warwickshire, Vol III, p.51). Without an internal inspection and with the frontage rendered, the listing authorities were not far out with their dating of ‘C16/early C17’ , probably largely based on the jetty of the gable wing.

VCH made the assumption that the house would have been a single-ended hall house, with a central open fire, and that format is very common. However, expert interpretation of Wisson Hill’s structure has concluded that it is unusual as an early modern house built with a second floor.

What is it like to own a listed house?

Whilst living in a Grade 2 listed building does present some constraints about what you can do to your house – inside and outside – that is not a problem in itself if you are also very keen to ensure that any changes minimise the damage to the original fabric of the building. Since 2007, I have 12 submitted Listed Building Consent (LBC) applications to Stratford-upon-Avon District Council, as well as two full planning applications, two Lawful Development Proposals and five Tree Consent applications, necessary in a Conservation Area. My reflections are:

  • My standard for limiting impact is higher than the planning authority’s, so no problem there.
  • Having to create plans and drawings can be time-consuming and expensive, but increasingly it is possible to do this yourself, particularly by editing material you have from previous applications. I have been grateful when my rather poor drawings have been accepted.
  • Writing heritage statements is fun (yes, I really do enjoy making my case and presenting all the information and photos).
  • Working with the Conservation Officer generally leads to a better result than fighting them. Our CO was right about reducing the scale of a modern extension at the back and small changes in the historic building have been agreed, where the original fabric is not affected, such as creating a new window in the kitchen, where a Victorian brick panel had already fallen out, and replacing the outside kitchen door with double glazing.
  • Planning ahead is all very well, but you often don’t know exactly what you are dealing with until you start work. LBC definitely has caused delays but direct communication with Conservation Officers and site visits help enormously.
  • If you love your listed house, it is reassuring to think (or at least hope) that the LBC process puts everything on the record and offers some protection against future damage.

Techniques to repair Tudor timber frame and stonework

Information and videos to follow.

FAQs about repairing and maintaining a Tudor house

It is best to try to use materials close to what was used originally. For timber repairs this will be oak, either green or kiln-dried, depending on the repair, as the original elm can sadly not now be replaced, die to Dutch elm disease. Reclaimed blue lias stone is available and we have been able to recycle stone for repairs. Mortar and plaster need to use lime, as this does not set as hard as cement-based materials, which can cause damage, and crucially, it allows the building to breathe. Wool insulation can be used to fill gaps, as well as lime plaster, and lime wash is the wall covering to use.

This is about humidity control and is relevant to modern houses too. Older buildings were built using materials that naturally allow moisture to escape, stopping the build-up of damp and the damage that can arise, such as rot and woodworm. Wood, natural stone, lime products and wool are all permeable to water vapour, but many modern materials, such as cement, sheet insulation and plastic sheeting are not.

In the UK, selected old buildings are officially registered with conservation authorities, or 'listed'. This is to allow changes to these cherished buildings to be managed and authorised through application for Listed Building Consent (LBC) through the local planning process.

Lime wash (sometimes referred to as whitewash, as the basic material is white) is a diluted version of lime putty and can be bought by the tub. It will naturally settle out and needs to be whizzed up to the creamy texture that is so satisfying to apply. At the same time it is easy - and cheap - to add natural pigment to create a range of authentic colours, but you need to remember your formula if you are to repeat it (I use 13g of ochre pigment in 20 litres of lime wash to create a cream). For some reason, lime wash can be applied to even the fiddliest of panels using a large bristle brush and the edges are easy control. Large areas are covered quicky by a big brush, rather than a roller.