Decisions like this are never black and white. Many hours of assessment and consultation go into trying to retain as much original fabric as possible. When this isn’t feasible, we work to ensure the original is at least preserved in spirit — through measured accuracy, the same materials, and craft traditions rooted in the past.
Before removal, every joint, mortice, and peg hole was recorded. Laid out in its original form, the frame becomes a full-scale template to guide its replacement. The new frame will be crafted in seasoned oak, with hand-cut joints and wooden pegs, following the geometry of the original.
This is more than repair. It is continuity. While the old timbers can no longer stand, their proportions, layout, and character will live on in the new work. Conservation is about understanding what matters — and carrying it forward so future generations can inherit a building strengthened, but still rooted in its story.
