Grade II-Listed 16th-Century Cottage — Structural Repairs & Conservation
This Grade II-listed 16th-century timber-frame cottage in Wroxeter, near Shrewsbury, forms part of a wider historic property that includes an adjoining section sharing the same original frame. The project began as a limited programme of paint removal, lime repointing, and minor remedial work. Once the non-breathable coatings were removed, however, the building’s true condition was revealed: hidden decay, movement within the frame, and trapped damp throughout the lower structure.
Initial Findings
After careful cleaning using our environmentally friendly Torbo low-pressure system, the following defects became clear:
- Severe section loss in post feet and soleplates, especially around openings and junctions.
- Failed infill panels and hard cement mortars bonded tight against the oak.
- Distortion and cracking to the gable and chimney with partial collapse.
- A fractured salt-glazed drain causing chronic damp at the base.
- Hardstanding built up tight to the wall, restricting evaporation and causing splash-back decay.
What began as light conservation quickly developed into a full structural stabilisation and reinstatement programme.
Following propping and inspection, the building was repaired using traditional materials and methods in accordance with SPAB best practice.
Key interventions included:
- New seasoned-oak splices and face-plates replacing decayed post feet and soleplate sections, joined with pegged scarf joints.
- Localised underpinning to stabilise isolated settlement before reinstating the new soleplate.
- Installation of a new brick plinth course to lift the timber fractionally clear of ground moisture.
- Rebuilding of the bread-oven buttress, reinstating the arched vent detail and historic bond.
- Reconstruction of failed infill panels using hand-made red bricks on lime mortar, leaving a soft joint to accommodate natural movement.
- Stabilisation of the gable and chimney, removing cement repairs and reinstating correct lead flashings.
- Replacement of the cracked drain, restoring proper sub-surface water management.
- Hardstanding cut back and breathable gravel margins introduced to reduce splash-back and aid evaporation.
Window & Joinery Detailing
Particular attention was given to the Crittall-style window openings, where detailed oak weatherings and surrounds were fabricated to provide discreet protection while remaining sympathetic to the original frame.
These new oak sections, clearly visible in the finished elevation, safeguard the openings against water ingress and visually anchor the restored façade within the historic timber geometry.
Finishing & Limewash
With the structure secure, the elevation was completed in a three-coat traditional limewash system, providing a unified, breathable finish.
The oak frame was left exposed and unpainted, celebrating the contrast between new and historic material — an honest record of conservation in practice.
Final works included:
- Renewal of rainwater goods and eaves lines in black heritage finish.
- Joinery repairs and re-glazing to existing casements.
- New capping and weathering detail to the redundant chimney for long-term durability.
Outcome
The completed works reinstated both stability and breathability while revealing the craftsmanship of the original frame.
The new soleplate and brick plinth, repaired drain, reconstructed bread oven, and precise oak window detailing together form a coherent, durable envelope that preserves the building’s authenticity and ensures its continued performance within the damp Shropshire climate.
This Wroxeter project exemplifies responsive, craft-led conservation — allowing the building itself to define the scope and nature of intervention once its condition was truly understood.
- Grade II-listed 16th-century timber-frame structure
- Oak splicing and soleplate reconstruction in seasoned oak
- Localised underpinning and new brick plinth course
- Cracked drain replaced and drainage improved
- Bread-oven rebuilt with hand-made bricks in lime mortar
- Crittall-style windows detailed with new oak weatherings for protection
- Three-coat limewash system restoring breathability
- Hardstanding cut back and gravel margins installed
